Too Hot To Handle

Oftentimes Christians talk about how they desire to, “Be on fire for God.” But do we realize that “fire” (especially to this flesh of ours) has certain undesirable characteristics, namely: it burns and causes great pain.
Nevertheless, in order for any of us to ever be “Truly be on fire for God” then we must also be willing to allow God to: “Put us into the Furnace of Life” (if that’s what He so chooses to do).
Now I know that’s enough to scare off a lot of Believers who “thought” that they wanted to be on fire for God, but the whole purpose behind all the fiery trials (that we sometimes find ourselves going thru) is all because God is attempting to so temper us so that when the devil comes our way, we’ll just be “Too Hot For Him To Handle!”
One passage of Scripture that attests to this fact is found in Daniel 3. There, we find 3 Hebrew boys, forced to live in a pagan culture, just doing their jobs to the best of their abilities. When suddenly, out of the blue, the king decides to build himself an image and passes a decree that whenever the royal orchestra plays, everyone in his kingdom will fall on their knees and worship his image…or else.
The king’s commands are the “Supreme Law” of the land, and it is either “Obey his law” or “defy it and die.” Nevertheless, these 3 Hebrew boys “Refuse to Compromise Their Convictions” even though they know that such a stand will probably cost them their lives. They respect the temporal powers that be, but only as long as those laws do not violate the laws of God, for their allegiance is first and foremost To Him!
Not that they try to make a big deal of it, they simply refuse to bow when the music plays. But in the kingdom are others who despise these Hebrews. Men who are filled with envy (because these 3 have excelled in their duties before the king). So, under the pretext of loyalty to their king, they go and tell the king of these 3 rebels who openly defy his commands.
The king likes these boys; so much so that he is even willing to give them a second chance. He’ll have the orchestra play, and if they’ll just bow down and worship his image, all will be forgotten. But before the king can ever give the signal for the orchestra to strike up the music, these 3 give the king their reply. They tell him, “We don’t need any time to re-evaluate our positions oh king; for we could never compromise our convictions or sell out our obedience to our God.”
Furthermore, “We also know that if our God chooses, He can deliver us from you. Nevertheless oh king, even if He chooses not to save us, we will not compromise our worship to the Most High.”
Nebuchadnezzar had already had a great furnace prepared for anyone who refused to obey his commands. Now, he is filled with rage at these men’s defiance of his demands. In his anger, he orders the fire to be heated 7 times hotter, and he commands his mightiest soldiers to cast them into the fiery furnace.
But these 3 are “Too Hot To Handle!” The very men who attempt to throw them in the furnace are consumed by the fire long before they can cast their prisoners into the flames.
Scripture tells us that these 3 Hebrews “fell down bound” into the furnace, but they didn’t stay bound for long; for the flames instantly consumed their bonds. Immediately they are free and walking in the midst of the fire!
The king questions his advisors and says, “Did we not throw 3 men into the fire? But lo I see 4 men loose walking in the fire…and the 4th is like the Son of God.”
We are never told whether the 3 Hebrew boys saw Christ or not (although I suspect that they did), but we know that this wicked king and all his advisors saw Jesus Christ Incarnate walking with His children.
Yes, there are times when we all have to walk through the fire. And yes, there may be times that we never see “The 4th man in the fire.” But whether we ever see Jesus or not, you can take it to the bank, He will not let any of us ever walk thru those flames alone!
The very trial that Satan had sent to destroy these 3 Hebrew boys, it soon became “Their Greatest Testimony” for it was “Thru the Fire” that God made these men “Too Hot For Even the Devil To Handle!”
Nobody likes to go to the furnace and nobody like to have to face the fire. Maybe you are the one who now finds yourself in the Furnace of Life right now. And for the life of you, you just can’t figure out, “Where is God in all of this, and why is God allowing all these things to happen to you?”
Just hold on my friend, for if there is no test, there can be no testimony! God may well be tempering you so that soon even the devil is going to find out that “You’re Just Too Hot To Handle!” And never forget, “Even in the Fire” you will never walk alone, for Jesus can always be found in the midst of the fire!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

Expectation Generation

(Re posted from Aug 2014)

Noah sought a haven of safety for he and his family (even though judgment had been pronounced the earth) so God instructed him to “Build a Boat.” Joshua was promised all the land that he was willing to place the sole of his foot upon, therefore God told him to “Keep on Walking.” Esther sought deliverance for God’s people (even though a death sentence had already been passed upon them) yet God gave her “Favor With The King!”

In each situation, the inevitable outcome was completely altered, and it all began with a “thought” that then became impregnated with a “Seed of Faith” one which was rooted in the unfailing promises of God. In each case, nothingness became something, and that which seemed utterly impossible, suddenly it became Reality! 

What is it that we are willing to believe God for? What is it that we believe that God can birth in our own personal lives? Today, I believe that God is calling His children to step into The Delivery Room of His Expectancy! 

In every generation God has impregnated the minds and the hearts of those of His children who have been willing to “Step Out By Faith” to “Believe for the Impossible” to “Reach for the Unattainable” and, in the process, God saw to it that each was able to “Accomplish the Unachievable!”
In this, today’s generation (because of the nearness of the soon coming of Christ) I believe that God is speeding up the process. God is impregnating lives, (both young and old alike) with a fresh new vision to do the Work of His Kingdom. I think that “Somebody gets it”—Life is not always “What About Me” all the time! 

God, in honor to those who have put their “Unfaltering Faith” in Him, is about to cause the miraculous to come into fruition right before our very eyes! Spiritual wombs that have been dead and barren are about to bring forth “Life and Life Abundant” even in areas that we never thought possible! 

For some of you, you are already way past your delivery dates, so you just go ahead and get ready to enter God’s Delivery Room of Expectancy…FOR EVEN AS I PEN THESE WORDS, I SENSE YOUR MIRACLE IS ALREADY ON THE WAY!

Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

Never Take God For Granted

I’m sure that all of us (at one time or another) have been guilty of “Taking God For Granted.” Ironically, our nation (which was founded upon Christianity and Biblical Judeo-Christian principles) now not only chooses to “Take God For Granted” but we presently have become a nation that seems to be obsessed with eradicating any and all vestiges of God from our entire society.
Tragically, this nation’s attitude towards God did not simply change overnight, it happened over an extended period of time, as this nation gradually began to no longer reverence God, but instead chose to treat Him merely as a casual acquaintance… BUT IF WE CONTINUE TO DO SO, WE WILL DO SO AT WHAT PRICE?
I think about Israel, when David became King. And one of the first items on his agenda was to bring the Ark of God to the city of Jerusalem. (Now the Ark of God represented the presence and glory of God in Israel; and David decided to make it his highest priority to bring the ark out of the shadows and back into prominence in the nation.)
For almost 100 years, that ark had been in all but utter obscurity (ever since the Philistines had returned it after first capturing it under the leadership of the wicked priests Hophni and Phineas. For although the Philistines had captured it, they soon found out that the Ark was just “Too Hot of an item for them To Handle” so back to Israel it was sent.)
It eventually was placed at the house of Abinadab in Kiriathjearim (the place where it had been resting for well nigh a century). But David now senses that the time is ripe to re-introduce the presence and glory of God to his nation. So, with “Great Joy” preparations are hastily made to bring the ark from the house of Abinadab to Jerusalem.
Without going in to all the specifics, the citizens are given open invitation, the orchestra is assembled, the Praise and Worship team is gathered—all to join in the celebration of the joyous event of moving God’s presence to the capital.
Uzzah and Ahio, (most likely grandsons of Abinadab) place the Ark on a new cart to bring it to Jerusalem. And as they bring the ark out of the house of Abinadab, the nation is ecstatic. But then, “Suddenly” something totally unanticipated occurs.
(***That’s the thing about Life, it’s never all those things that we have made preparations for that end up catching us by surprise, but rather…It’s all those things that none of us ever thought would happen to us…they’re the things that always knock us off our feet!***)
We are never told what caused the cart to shudder to such a degree that it appeared that the ark was in danger of falling off the cart—whatever the cause of the sudden upheaval, Uzzah reaches out his hand and grabs hold of the ark to steady it…only at the moment that he touches it…he is instantly slain.
The instruments stopped playing, the singers stop singing, the worshipers stop worshipping, all because what had started out as a celebration has suddenly turned into a funeral procession.
Furthermore, Scripture makes it clear as to the cause of death, it was not “Death by Natural Cause” and the devil didn’t do it either. For Scripture clearly states that, “The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error.”
In Exodus 25, God’s Word made it very clear on how the ark was to be carried—“ONLY” on the shoulders of the Levites. (***Knowing exactly what the Word of God says, could well be the difference between life and death for all of us!***)
We should also note that, Uzzah wasn’t just anybody; he grew up in the house of Abinadab, the place where the ark had rested for the last century. Only it seems that he had gotten so accustomed to having the presence of God in the house until he literally had “Taken God’s Presence For Granted!” God help us to never get so casual with the appearance of His presence in our midst until we disrespect Him by showing Him attitudes of apathy and indifference!
Uzzah made a decision to disregard God's command, choosing instead to do what “…Seemed Right to Him…” (even though he knew better) and his actions cost him his life.
God is as good as His Word—what God says in His Word that He will do, what He says is right will always be right, and what He says is sin, will always be sin! And He’s not going to change His Word… Not for the Supreme Court, not for the President, not for the Congress, and definitely not for you or for me.
God’s Word and/or His precepts should “Never Be Taken for Granted” and this generation, above all others, have less excuse for “NOT” knowing His Word and His precepts than all who have lived before us!
Uzzah’s intention to help was right enough; but his profound insensibility to the sacredness of God’s Presence cost him his life. May God help each of us to “NEVER” Take His Presence for Granted!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones