Heaps of Coal

While traveling on the plane to visit my family in the east, God lead me to read Romans 12. A few verses jumped off the page at me and I asked my son for some paper and started jotting down what came to mind. I knew this was lead by God but it wasn't until today that I realized this is for Lon from Humble Path.

Romans 12:19-21 NASB  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written. "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord. But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in doing so you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
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It seems bizarre, be kind to your enemy and you will be heaping burning coals on their head. Our culture does not understand the meaning from the Semetic speaking people, for heaping coals on the head was not a cruelty or vengence like it sounds, but a great kindness.

Before matches and instant heat, a fire had to be started with either flint or rubbing sticks together to make a spark that could be coaxed into a flame and then fed with small bits of dry wood, leaves and such to allow for a good roaring fire to blaze. This was a long tedious process and if there was no dry material around it would be nearly impossible to get a fire going. People from biblical times and today's Africian people carry most everything on their heads, jars of water, baskets of fruit and all kinds of food. Coal was also carried this way so the person, or family always had fire readily available for warmth or cooking. Heaping coal on your neighbours head was a very good and generous thing to do.

Matthew 5:44 NASB "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Jesus wants us to love one another and to pray for those who have hurt us, for in this way we are providing an opportunity for the Spirit to minister to them and hopefully they will repent and if they do not know Jesus then they will come to know Him and have a chance at eternal life in His kingdom.

I think there is also symbolism here for forgiveness of sin. Fire is life and in the temple of God there was to be a continuous burning embers kept on the sacrifice altar. Leviticus 6:13 NIV The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out. John tells us in Luke 3:16 NIV...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Fire is vital for existence so in being kind to our enemies we are giving them the chance at living an eternal life with the Creator of the universe. What better gift is there than that.                                Google Image

Praise you Holy God for your words that teach us and Your fire that ignites us. Jesus bless Lon and ignite him with Your Holy fire. Thank you in the powerful name of Jesus Christ amen.
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WORDS Part 2

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Do we as Christians believe a lie? NO. Then why do we not believe all the words we read in the Bible? I would venture to say it is because we do not know the truth of the Word we read. We haven't done our studying of the Word of God and tried it out for ourselves, we give up or void the results, cancelling the Word by saying something negative.                                                                      

Imagine with me for a moment.....A general practitioner; physician, will attend university for a minimum of 6- 8 years, a specialists will venture in studies for 12-14 or more years of school. When they graduate you would hope they know their stuff and when they see a sick patient they, by tests and symptoms, would be able to make a diagnosis of the sickness they have. You would hope that they don't make a mistake and if they did it would be caught before damage was done. Now physicians are under grueling school work and major exams with a certain percentage needed in order to pass. In general, most physicians know their stuff or know how to go searching for the answers. Many times a pre-diagnosis is made before the actual results come in.
Ok now think of us as Christians. We are commissioned to spread the Good News, heal the sick, cast out demons but how can we do this if we don't live the Word, or know the Word to be true and have faith that what we proclaim will be fulfilled?
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We need to agree with God and disagree with the devil. How? Talking about your doubts and fears destroy your faith. Talk about your faith and your faith will increase. Just think about how you feel when you have come out of a really good church service. You feel light and up lifted, then as the week goes on you feel drained and not as close to God as you did on Sunday. Sunday service rolls around again and you feel great. See the picture? When in church you are surrounded by people who encourage you. You have listened to a sermon that rings true with the Word. Worshiping God with other believers always leaves you feeling great. If we continue this positive up lifting praise through the week then we will feel the presence of God.

Faith demands the impossible and prayer is for things that seems out of our reasoning. When we say, "we cannot" we have been beaten. When we say "we don't have the faith", doubt sneaks in. We close ourselves in by the words we speak. If we claim failure, then failures we will be; if we claim success then successful we will be. Proverbs 6:2 you have been trapped by what you've said, ensnared by the words of your mouth. Our words dominate us. Remember, greater is He that is in you than any force you come against. Make the words you speak work for you. Your faith will never rise above the words you speak. Declare God's words and leave it at that. Do not voice the words Satan puts into your mind, squash them before they leave your lips.

We cannot benefit from who we are in Christ until we let love rule our lips. Remove the phrase, I can't, from our vocabulary and replace it with, I can, God can, God will. If we confess our fears they will rule us. If we confess our freedom in Christ, freedom in Him rules. Thinking and speaking faith leads us from defeat into victory. Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace through God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen." John 8:32, 36: "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." "So if the Son sets you free, then you will be free indeed." 

John 15:7 "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." This is amazing!! Jesus tells us ask whatever you wish and He will will do it for us, IF we remain in Him and His words remain in us. I think this is the key to unlocking the power of answered prayer. How do we remain in Him? We need to stay away from the things of this world, confess our sins when committed, know His word and then pray according to His word.

When we confess our fears and doubts we give Satan dominion over us. Those words honour Satan. The Father will be to you what you confess Him to be. If prayer is not answered, hold fast to your confession and wait, for He will answer it in His timing and according to His fashion.
Luke 1:37 "For no word from God will ever fail." Isaiah 55:11 "so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire, and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

Talk about stepping out in Faith! Wow, this will take guts and conviction to do, but if we really want to see results like in the days when Jesus was here this is what we need to practice. Now I am sure, like learning to ride a bike, it will take time and we will fall but with practice we can become good at this. 

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This is a journey one I that I see I have stumbled along many times, but I am plugging on aiming for positive, affirming words that will glorify Him. Will you join me in the walk of faith? He has promised us that He will never leave us or forsake us. Will you take the plunge? Let's know the Word of God better than a specialist in medicine knows his material, so we can go forth praying for people and see results in healing of not only the physical but spiritual and mental as well.

God Bless,
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