01 Aug W2: Keeping The Fire
REFERENCE BIBLE VERSES
1 Peter 3:15-16 (ESV) | but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
OBJECTIVE
Knowing why it is important to keep the fire in our hearts for God, how it helps to defend our faith and how to maintain it.
CONTENT
- Always Being Prepared To Make A Defense
- As we mature in Christ, we are bound to be attacked by the devil, making us question our faith, they prowl around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8-10). We must stand firm in our faith.
- When anything or anyone questions our faith, we have to be confident and be rooted in our beliefs. By keeping the fire in our hearts always burning for God and to always strive to learn His Word. So that when in doubt, we know what the truth is and we have the Holy Spirit in us to help defend any attack.
- Burning for God
- It is almost automatic for believers to have burning fire in our hearts when we first know Christ, what is hard is to maintain it. When we are born again in Christ we are given an eternal new identity. It is essential for the fire to not just burn in the beginning but to consistently be burning throughout our lives. Because when we are redeemed, we are redeemed for life.
- When we are not on fire and are lukewarm, it is easier for us to be swayed by what the world is saying. We are neither hot or cold, not strongly convicted towards anything.
- To speak about God, to show Him off in our lives and to be able to defend our faith we must have a heart that is passionate, that is on fire for Him. When we are so passionate about Him that we cannot contain it in ourselves but to pour it out unto other people. There will be many obstacles that come our way when we try to speak for Christ and if we are lukewarm we would retreat back and not try to fight for it whenever we are challenged.
- How to Stay on Fire
- Prayer – No one ever outgrows the basics of God’s Word and prayer. Psalms 119:105 tells us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Through the seasons of life, communication with God is vital to keeping that passion for Him burning.
- Fellowship – A burning coal, when removed from a pile of red-hot coals, loses its fire when it sits alone. The same goes for Christians. That’s why Christ Centered fellowship is vital to our everyday walk. When we stay within accountability, encouragement, and discipleship that come through fellowship, we remain on fire for God.
- Go back to your first love – our first and always love will always be Jesus. He who loved us first and our love for Him now comes simply as response to the greatest love we will ever know. Always get to know Him more, to spend more time with Him, just as you do to those whom you love.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTION
- What are your practical ways to keep the fire burning? Share an experience.
- How do you know you are getting lukewarm? What are the signs? Share how you overcome it.
REFERENCES