Not only did our Lord Jesus lovingly warn His disciples, but Paul also spoke concerning these days.

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” (1 Tim. 4:1–2)

So how can we “Keep the Fires of Faith Burning”?

The word “stir up” pictures an instrument that blows air on a fire to ignite its flames. God the Holy Spirit releases fresh wind to fan the flames of faith. Can you feel it?

2. By moving close to the fires so that the dross in us is removed, resulting in purifying us! (1 Pet. 1:5–7) – “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

Trials, tests, hardships, afflictions, and persecutions are all used by the Lord to purify His people. Can you feel the heat? God’s will is to make us more like His Son, the Lord Jesus.

3. By adding fuel to the Fires of Faith! (2 Pet. 1:5–7) – “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”

Through the process of being set apart, we are conformed more and more into His image. By the way, there will never be a time when we have arrived. Instead, this is a lifelong process. So go ahead and make up your mind that you are going to cooperate with the Holy Spirit.

4. By thawing out doubt and fear! (Mark 4:39–40) – “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith.”

Instead of being called the “Frozen Chosen,” we should want to be called “Red Hot Christians”! Are you cold and frozen, or on fire?

Conclusion: Are you going to move closer to the fires of faith to keep them burning? Avoid the chill that is coming upon Christians today. How? By “stirring, moving, adding, and thawing,” then the fires of faith will keep burning.

“Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch; like me! I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.”

Have you ever tasted the GRACE OF GOD? If you have, you will never be the same! Listen to these precious words found in the Bible that have been “TRIED and proven TRUE”!

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” (Psalm 34:8)

“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” (Lam. 3:22–24)

Yes, the GRACE of our GOD is absolutely PHENOMENAL! See if you agree:

“Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!”

With eyes wide open and a heart transformed, the GRACE of JESUS CHRIST has created a beautiful life that supersedes human comprehension. How about this…?

Can you identify with this man called Paul?

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”  (1 Cor. 15:10)

The only JUSTIFIABLE EXPLANATION to what is happening to us is the AMAZING GRACE of GOD!

And speaking of His grace, look at this:

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,”  (Titus 2:11)

Is it any wonder we SING OUT…?

“The Lord hath promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.”

This undeniable, unexplainable, and uncontrollable feeling of PEACE and JOY is made possible all because of HIS AMAZING GRACE!

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8–9)

Isn’t that amazing? Quite MIRACULOUS, to say the least!

“When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun.”

Never forget: while the GRACE of JESUS CHRIST is absolutely FREE to all who believe, it COST our LORD and SAVIOR HIS LIFE’S BLOOD! Willingly and sacrificially, HE gave HIS ALL for “whosoever will”!

1. Starts with a PROMISE! (Genesis 16–21)

It was God’s personal promise, national promise, and universal promise. God gave Abraham a promise. Out of his seed would come a great nation called Israel. Furthermore, the Savior of the world would be an heir of this promise: Jesus Christ.

Has our Lord given you any promises based on His Word? If so, then you need to know what to expect. Problems come next.

2. Then comes the PROBLEMS! (Genesis 22)

All idols must be laid on the altar! Why would this God that gave these promises ever allow problems to develop? Here was a major problem. Abraham was told to offer his son Isaac (the promise) as a sacrifice. What? Why? Obviously, our Lord was “testing” Abraham’s faith (Hebrews 11). But good news: Abraham passed the test.

3. Finally, when once approved, comes the PROVISION! (Hebrews 11:17–19) – “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son… Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”

It took great FAITH and GRACE to pass the test. But he did—and we can too, if we will lay down our Isaacs.

Conclusion: Real FAITH is believing, receiving, and achieving. But in order to receive and achieve, there must be the act of laying down our Isaacs. Have you laid down your Isaac?

Introduction: Have you ever heard that you cannot judge a book by its cover? It is true—you cannot. It is not until you open it up to see what is on the INSIDE that you can really tell. The same thing is true about a person. In our devotion today, this is clearly the idea.

A great illustration of this truth can be seen in nature. If you prune and shape a pear tree to look like a banana tree outwardly, is it going to be a banana tree? No. Will it automatically produce bananas? Not hardly! What must take place? Inwardly, from the root to the fruit, it must be CHANGED! In other words, its nature must be transformed.

This is the thought which Paul is conveying to the believers in Colossae, who, by the way, were being taught by false teachers that the outside (circumcision) of the flesh had to be done in order to become a Christian. This false teaching pointed back to the days of the Jewish customs and rites; i.e., all the way back to the days of Abraham with the circumcision covenant.

Bottom line: Since the Church had been established on the day of Pentecost, both Jews and Gentiles were becoming a part of God’s Big Plan. Howbeit, the Jewish law of circumcision of the flesh was being replaced by the new covenant of Jesus Christ, which was circumcision of the heart. Baptism was the outward sign of the inward change of circumcision of the heart. This is the meaning of Colossians 2:11–12.

“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ…. Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

Other New Testament scriptures clearly expound on this truth.

“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:11–13)

“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27)

So practically speaking, a heart-searching question arises: where have we imposed our “rules and regulations” on our loved ones and friends without first letting Jesus change their heart? Are we trying to become more spiritual without letting the Holy Spirit cut away our fallen fleshly tendencies? Clean up the INSIDE first.

Conclusion: While it is true that the outside can be an indicator of where a person is spiritually, it is not always the case. The inside needs to be examined. For example, there are people today who may look like on the outside that they are good, but on the inside there is dirt—which is what really matters the most. So remember to keep the inside clean first!

Introduction: Listen to the biblical role of our Heavenly Father. Breaking down the text reveals the multifaceted blessing of having a relationship with our Father. 

1. First notice the word “advocate.” (1John 2:1) – “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

The word “advocate” is παράκλητος, paraklétos, (par-ak’-lay-tos), which means called to one’s aid, intercessor, a consoler, comforter, helper, Paraclete.

Jesus Christ lived without sin; therefore, He could pay for our sins. And in so doing, He would become a “go between” for us and our Father. We now have access to our Father. 

2. Notice “My little children”! (1John 2:1) – “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

The words “little children” are τεκνίον, (tek-nee’-on), which means a little child. Once we are born into God’s family, we become His children. Jesus Christ (the Son of God) makes it possible to have a relationship with our Father (John 14:6; 3:36; 5:24).

3. This was written to CHRISTIANS! (1John 2:1)

God has made provisions for His children when we sin. Jesus pleads our case before our Father. 

Conclusion: Isn’t it good to know that we can be right with our Heavenly Father because of Jesus Christ?

Praise God!