Let God Light a Fire in You - The Crosswalk Devotional - October 16

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

The Crosswalk Devotional updated banner logo

Let God Light a Fire in You
By: Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.'” – Hebrews 12:28-29, NIV

When possible, I love to light a candle to use during my evening prayer and meditation time. There’s something powerful about looking at a bright flame and reflecting on how God’s light brings hope into the darkness of this fallen world. There are so many ways that God burns brightly – through his passionate love, through his unlimited power, through his wisdom that enlightens us, and much more! 

This Bible passage tells us that our “God is a consuming fire.” A physical fire purifies the area around it as it emits light and heat. When we draw close to God’s fire, he begins to burn away the impurities in our lives, such as sin, fear, doubt, and selfishness. The process can be uncomfortable, but it cleanses us and makes us more like Jesus. At the same time, God’s fire ignites a passion within us that fuels our faith and lights up our path so we can see where we’re going. A faith that has been touched by the fire of God shines brightly, drawing others in and pointing them toward the source of the flame. 

We learn from these verses that we are “receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken”. Everything in our world can be shaken. Our relationships can end, we can lose our jobs, our health can fail, and we can lose much more in this world that’s full of uncertainty. But God’s kingdom is unshakable. It’s the ultimate safe place, because we’re cared for there by our loving and powerful Creator. 

The passage continues by saying: “let us be thankful.” In response to being included in God’s kingdom, we should have an attitude of gratitude that inspires us to look beyond our changing circumstances to our unchanging God, who always loves us. When we focus on the unshakable hope we have in God, it’s easier to feel thankful, even when we’re going through temporary situations that are shaky. 

The Bible then guides us to “worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” These two words, reverence and awe, involve getting to know God better and growing in your respect for God, as well as your ability to notice and be inspired by God’s wonder. The closer you grow to God, the more you can experience God’s unlimited power, his perfect holiness, and his unending love for you. You can move from knowing about God to truly knowing God. When you do, you’ll be so inspired with wonder that you’ll naturally be motivated to worship God.  You won’t be able to help being amazed by who God is. 

So, don’t be afraid to move closer to God’s fire. Invite God to burn away what doesn’t belong in your life. Ask God to set your heart on fire with his love. As you invite God to light a fire in you, you’ll find your faith becoming stronger, and you’ll feel the consuming fire of God’s love! 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you consider how to invite God to light a fire of faith in you, reflect on these questions: 

  • What “shaky” things in your life are causing you anxiety right now? How does focusing on God’s unshakable kingdom change your perspective on them? 
  • What are three specific blessings you’re thankful for today? How can you turn that thankfulness into worship? 
  • When was the last time you felt a sense of awe in God’s presence? What happened, and how can you seek out more experiences like that? 
  • Since God can act as a “consuming fire” in your life, which impurities (like a bad habit or a recurring fear) would you like God to burn away first? 
  • What is an area of your life where you need God’s fire to bring more passion? How can you cooperate with God to ignite that spark?

Further Reading:
Deuteronomy 4:24
Malachi 3:2-3
2 Timothy 1:6-7
Isaiah 6:3-5
Psalm 96:9

Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Cathalmacan 


headshot of author Whitney HoplerWhitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com and on her Facebook author page.

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com

Related Resource: 9 Confusing Things about God– Answered By a Christian Philosopher

How can God be all-present (omnipresent) and yet be located in the temple and indwell believers? How can God know everything (omniscient) if He doesn't know what it is like to sin? How can God be a necessary Being if it is logically possible He doesn't exist? These are just a few of the tough, philosophical questions Sean McDowell discusses with William Lane Craig.

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links


September 26 - Phoenix, AZ
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts


November 2 - Detroit, MI
Zion Christian Church in Troy


October 6 - Los Angeles, CA
Pasadena Convention Center


November 5 - San Antonio, TX
Norris Centers – The Grand Red Oak Ballroom


October 8 - Sacramento, CA
William Jessup University


November 7 - Tampa, FL
The Palladium at St. Pete College


October 22 - Minneapolis, MN
Crowne Plaza AiRE


November 15 - San Francisco, CA
Fremont Marriott Silicon Valley


October 23 - Philadelphia, PA
Green Valley Country Club


November 16 - Denver, CO
CU South Denver - Formerly Wildlife Experience


November 2 - Chicago, IL
Chicago Westin Northwest in Itasca


November 21 - Cleveland, OH
Holiday Inn Rockside in Independence



Salem Radio Network Speakers

Larry Elder is an American lawyer, writer, and radio and television personality who calls himself the "Sage of South Central" a district of Los Angeles, Larry says his philosophy is to entertain, inform, provoke and to hopefully uplift. His calling card is "we have a country to save" and to him this means returning to the bedrock Constitutional principles of limited government and maximum personal responsibility. Elder's iconoclastic wit and intellectual agility makes him a particularly attractive voice in a nation that seems weary of traditional racial dialogue.” – Los Angeles Times.

Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher began his broadcasting career in 1978 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, he is one of the most listened-to talk radio show hosts in America, recently having been ranked in the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list – the 100 most important talk radio hosts in America. Prior to being launched into national syndication in 1998, Mike hosted the morning show on WABC-AM in New York City. Today, Talkers Magazine reports that his show is heard by over 3.75 million weekly listeners. Besides his radio work, Mike is seen on Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, frequently appearing on the cable news giant.

Hugh Hewitt is one of the nation’s leading bloggers and a genuine media revolutionary. He brings that expertise, his wit and what The New Yorker magazine calls his “amiable but relentless manner” to his nationally syndicated show each day.

When Dr. Sebastian Gorka was growing up, he listened to talk radio under his pillow with a transistor radio, dreaming that one day he would be behind the microphone. Beginning New Year’s Day 2019, he got his wish. Gorka now hosts America First every weekday afternoon 3 to 6pm ET. Gorka’s unique story works well on the radio. He is national security analyst for the Fox News Channel and author of two books: "Why We Fight" and "Defeating Jihad." His latest book releasing this fall is “War For America’s Soul.” He is uniquely qualified to fight the culture war and stand up for what is great about America, his adopted home country.

Broadcasting from his home station of KRLA in Los Angeles, the Dennis Prager Show is heard across the country. Everything in life – from politics to religion to relationships – is grist for Dennis’ mill. If it’s interesting, if it affects your life, then Dennis will be talking about it – with passion, humor, insight and wisdom.

Sean Hannity is a conservative radio and television host, and one of the original primetime hosts on the Fox News Channel, where he has appeared since 1996. Sean Hannity began his radio career at a college station in California, before moving on to markets in the Southeast and New York. Today, he’s one of the most listened to on-air voices. Hannity’s radio program went into national syndication on September 10, 2001, and airs on more than 500 stations. Talkers Magazine estimates Hannity’s weekly radio audience at 13.5 million. In 1996 he was hired as one of the original hosts on Fox News Channel. As host of several popular Fox programs, Hannity has become the highest-paid news anchor on television.

Michelle Malkin is a mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, longtime cable TV news commentator, and best-selling author of six books. She started her newspaper journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1992, moved to the Seattle Times in 1995, and has been penning nationally syndicated newspaper columns for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She is founder of conservative Internet start-ups Hot Air and Twitchy.com. Malkin has received numerous awards for her investigative journalism, including the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) national award for outstanding service for the cause of governmental ethics and leadership (1998), the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for Investigative Journalism (2006), the Heritage Foundation and Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity's Breitbart Award for Excellence in Journalism (2013), the Center for Immigration Studies' Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration Award (2016), and the Manhattan Film Festival's Film Heals Award (2018). Married for 26 years and the mother of two teenage children, she lives with her family in Colorado. Follow her at michellemalkin.com. (Photo reprinted with kind permission from Peter Duke Photography.)

Sponsored by:

Let God Light a Fire in You - The Crosswalk Devotional - October 16

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

The Crosswalk Devotional updated banner logo

Let God Light a Fire in You
By: Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.'” – Hebrews 12:28-29, NIV

When possible, I love to light a candle to use during my evening prayer and meditation time. There’s something powerful about looking at a bright flame and reflecting on how God’s light brings hope into the darkness of this fallen world. There are so many ways that God burns brightly – through his passionate love, through his unlimited power, through his wisdom that enlightens us, and much more! 

This Bible passage tells us that our “God is a consuming fire.” A physical fire purifies the area around it as it emits light and heat. When we draw close to God’s fire, he begins to burn away the impurities in our lives, such as sin, fear, doubt, and selfishness. The process can be uncomfortable, but it cleanses us and makes us more like Jesus. At the same time, God’s fire ignites a passion within us that fuels our faith and lights up our path so we can see where we’re going. A faith that has been touched by the fire of God shines brightly, drawing others in and pointing them toward the source of the flame. 

We learn from these verses that we are “receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken”. Everything in our world can be shaken. Our relationships can end, we can lose our jobs, our health can fail, and we can lose much more in this world that’s full of uncertainty. But God’s kingdom is unshakable. It’s the ultimate safe place, because we’re cared for there by our loving and powerful Creator. 

The passage continues by saying: “let us be thankful.” In response to being included in God’s kingdom, we should have an attitude of gratitude that inspires us to look beyond our changing circumstances to our unchanging God, who always loves us. When we focus on the unshakable hope we have in God, it’s easier to feel thankful, even when we’re going through temporary situations that are shaky. 

The Bible then guides us to “worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” These two words, reverence and awe, involve getting to know God better and growing in your respect for God, as well as your ability to notice and be inspired by God’s wonder. The closer you grow to God, the more you can experience God’s unlimited power, his perfect holiness, and his unending love for you. You can move from knowing about God to truly knowing God. When you do, you’ll be so inspired with wonder that you’ll naturally be motivated to worship God.  You won’t be able to help being amazed by who God is. 

So, don’t be afraid to move closer to God’s fire. Invite God to burn away what doesn’t belong in your life. Ask God to set your heart on fire with his love. As you invite God to light a fire in you, you’ll find your faith becoming stronger, and you’ll feel the consuming fire of God’s love! 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you consider how to invite God to light a fire of faith in you, reflect on these questions: 

  • What “shaky” things in your life are causing you anxiety right now? How does focusing on God’s unshakable kingdom change your perspective on them? 
  • What are three specific blessings you’re thankful for today? How can you turn that thankfulness into worship? 
  • When was the last time you felt a sense of awe in God’s presence? What happened, and how can you seek out more experiences like that? 
  • Since God can act as a “consuming fire” in your life, which impurities (like a bad habit or a recurring fear) would you like God to burn away first? 
  • What is an area of your life where you need God’s fire to bring more passion? How can you cooperate with God to ignite that spark?

Further Reading:
Deuteronomy 4:24
Malachi 3:2-3
2 Timothy 1:6-7
Isaiah 6:3-5
Psalm 96:9

Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Cathalmacan 


headshot of author Whitney HoplerWhitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com and on her Facebook author page.

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com

Related Resource: 9 Confusing Things about God– Answered By a Christian Philosopher

How can God be all-present (omnipresent) and yet be located in the temple and indwell believers? How can God know everything (omniscient) if He doesn't know what it is like to sin? How can God be a necessary Being if it is logically possible He doesn't exist? These are just a few of the tough, philosophical questions Sean McDowell discusses with William Lane Craig.

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links

On Air & Up Next

See the Full Program Guide