“Living with Fire and Feeding the Flame” #3

KEEPERS OF THE FLAME.

Leviticus 6:12a & 13 > “And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it shall not be put out.” / “A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.”

Luke 12:49-50 > “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished.”  Signed: Jesus Christ.

THE LOVE OF ANYTHING WORTHY WILL TAKE US INTO THE FIRE AND MUST BE PURSUED WITH FIRE. 

(Partial quote from “Teaching with Fire”).

The cost of discipleship. What is your vision from God costing you? You have no vision? Then you likely have no fire either. What is your function in the body of Christ? What is your mission, your task, your heart-felt assignment from God? Does it burn within you like a flame? If not, then all you’re doing is punching the spiritual time clock, and anybody can do that. You should leave that boring assignment and pursue what burns within!

Jesus said, I must be about my Father’s business! It burned within him. He cleared the temple and then his disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for Your house has eaten me up. (Consumed me!)

Are you on fire? Do you feel his flame within? Is the oil flowing, or do you need a trip to God’s cave? Why are we so occupied with living like kings when we should be living like priest? Ahh, now we’re getting there. The king is not concerned about the fire as the priest is. So many kings and so few priest in the body of Christ. So many sparrows flapping flapping flapping, and so few eagles. So few of God’s children ready to surrender and let go of the things that glitter glitter glitter. But the call is going forth and all that glitters is not gold. Kings will cast their crowns at his feet for the chance to serve. Yes, “his feet”, Mary hath chosen that good thing that cannot be taken from her.

Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things…many things…many things. But “ONE THING” is needed. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at Jesus feet and heard his word. But Martha was distracted…many things…many things…many things.

Will you leave your kingdom building long enough for a trip to God’s cave, to sit at his feet? The secret things, the secret things. The duties of a priest and that of a king are so very very different. Even the lifestyle is so very very different. So many warriors in God’s body, fighting to slay financial dragons, but so few priest praying to slay lustful dragons. The 6th archetype, the Mystic, the Priest.

The king seeks a castle and a throne, but the priest desires a cave, a place to seek his Master for the fire that burns! Five archetypes to be stuck upon, the Orphan, the Innocent, the Wanderer, the Warrior, the Altruist; but it is the Priest that brings it all into balance, holds the spiritual center, and should be our burning desire. But no, we would be king.

T’is a legend, a fable, indeed, but it holds such a powerful truth, the legend of Camelot! And how did such a city come to grace the imaginations of so many people? A simple mystic known as Merlin. Where would we be without our spiritual seekers? Still swallowed up in the dark ages, that is where, and so was Merlin, so much so that he retreated to a cave where he battled with great depression. So are the spiritual, sensitive to the spiritual conditions of our time, encroaching evil, have you felt it? Is there a burden on your heart for the millions of people lost without Christ everyday? Is there a burden driving you to a cave to fast and pray? Do you feel it? If not…then you are distracted like Martha, but Merlin ran to a cave as he was heavy with the burdens upon him. Depressed about the darkness of his time and knowing what should be!

In the cave a crystal flashed and a vision came! From there, a simple mystic set about to create a place called Camelot! That vision gave rise to many an inspiring Knight in shining armor! But none of it would have happened without the one who had no desire to be a king, and only to seek the secret things the secret things of a world not seen. For we look not at that which is seen, but at that which is not seen. Right?

I hope someone will tell me if anything I have just written makes sense. It speaks to me, but does it speak to you?

The Warrior is not the priest, and much fanfare will come to the one seen slaying dragons, but the secret things…the secret things…the humble world of the priest, given to a supernatural surrender, without whom there would be nothing worthy of a king to reign over, only more and more dark ages. Will you get a vision and be a priest to your neighborhood? Learn of the secret things, practice them, and establish God’s Kingdom where you live?

I recently sat in on the monthly meeting of a government housing apartment complex. In six months time I have watched the Spirit of God transform the atmosphere of that meeting because of a young minister who has sown the seeds of sacrifice in that place. A Priest can bring about transformation that no warrior can. Let us lay aside our kingship and warrior status, no more Superman, let us heed the call of priesthood! The 6th archetype is most powerful of all, the power to transform, the power of connecting man to God!