Each year I choose a "Word" for the year...a goal, a watch-word, a guide-word for my daily living. In 2016 it was "See". I intentionally tried to slow down and be cognizant of God all around me each and every day. I wanted to truly see Him, His Creation, His work all around me.
So this year, why "Fire"? Perhaps it was because I was inspired by a quote by the great theologian John Wesley:
"Light yourself on fire with passion and people will come from miles to watch you burn." - John Wesley
It made me think about my life....do I live with a passion - a love for Christ - that is so intense that people would say that I'm on fire for the Lord?
My greatest desire is that a (wo)man would look at my life, and the passion they saw would point an arrow directly to God. I want it to be unmistakable just Who is the love of my life.
Jesus, himself, said that half-hearted, lukewarm, indifferent Christians make Him literally sick to His stomach. So much so, that He would spit them out of His mouth.
Is that me? Do I call myself a Christ follower, but yet have no fruit that would testify to the blood of the Spirit coursing through my veins?
I believe that Jesus wants on-fire, red-hot, enthusiastic followers who love Him more than any one or any thing. I want that to be me.
The word "Enthusiasm" comes from 2 Greek words, "En" which means "in" and "Theos" which means "God". "En Theos" literally means "in God" or "God in us." An enthusiastic person speaks as if possessed by God.
The word possessed usually has a bad connotation - as if possessed by an evil spirit. Actually the word "possessed" means to be spurred on or moved by a supernatural power.
The love of Christ compels me. (2 Corinthians 5:14)
I want to be determined to follow Jesus and I know that I need His love to compel me and propel me forward.
I want love and compassion to motivate all that I do.
I want a heart that is yielded to the Lord.
Lest I get too ahead of myself...I can't be "on fire" for the Lord out of my own will and striving to be on fire. I cannot burn unless there is a Source for my flames.
The source of my heat is His Word!
The source of my heat is His Word!
I say that twice for emphasis because I know me. In my good intentions, I will try to fan the flames of my own self-produced fire and I will be nothing more than smoke....wisps of hot air that rise up on the wind and disappear.
Our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:29)
In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is compared to fire or flames of fire.
I want to be on fire for the Lord. I want HIS consuming fire to consume me.
I want His passion to be my passion.
"Is not my word like fire?" declares the Lord...
In order to be on fire, there is no getting around it. I NEED TO BE IN HIS WORD DAILY...PERIOD.
"I have found that I have no unusual endowments of intellect. But this day, I resolve that I will be an uncommon Christian." - David Livingstone
Christ's disciples were not endowed with great intellect. In fact, most of the heroes of the Bible had great weaknesses. That's okay, because through their weaknesses, God can shine. The kindling of their lives produced the hottest fire because it was evident that God was the Source behind the flames.
May I go forward in this year with the Word as my sword. May I speak and act courageously. May my life be so on fire that others will come from miles to watch me burn, and may they ask...What set her heart on fire?
This is my prayer...will you pray for me that I would be on fire for the Lord - in His strength, not my own, and may God get the glory?
What is your "Word" for 2017? Would you share in the comments? If you haven't picked a word, might you consider starting this year and ask others to keep you accountable?
Be blessed....
Bev, such a perfect word! I love the quote from John Wesley! Praying that God would light a fire not only in your heart and mine, but in the heart of every one of His people. This sentence - "May I speak and act courageously" - made me realize that this is where my word and your word intersect :) Audacious and Fire. I want to live a life boldly and courageously this year. Blessings! xo
ReplyDeleteJoanne,
DeleteI loved that John Wesley quote as well. I like the fact that our "words" intersect...may we both live life boldly and courageously. Let's go for it!!
Blessings,
Bev xo
Great word! Powerful and motivating! I love how many of us are sharing our "words" for the year. "Intention"---let's go!!
ReplyDeleteXoxo
Lisa,
DeleteThanks...in order to be "on fire", first I must be intentional about being in the Word. Amazing how it all works together. Cheering you on!!
Blessings friend,
Bev xo
What a powerful word! It will be such a blessing to see how it works out in your life during 2017.
ReplyDeleteMichele,
DeleteYes, it's a powerful word. I pray I will "be on fire" for the Lord and not crash and burn! Thanks for your encouragement!
Blessings,
Bev
I love this idea of picking a word for the year. I still haven't come up with mine, but I love yours!!
ReplyDeletejodie
www.jtouchofstyle.com
Jodie,
DeleteI think "Flair" is a good word that describes you and your blog :) Does that help? Thanks for stopping by - you are always welcome here!!
Blessings,
Bev
I would be honored to pray for you as you seek God's fire to become your consuming fire! What a powerful word to lead you in 2017. I believe you have already started to live some of this out in your passion for Redeemer Christian School. May you find many blessings in how God is going to work in and through you this year!
ReplyDeleteMary,
DeleteYou are such a supportive and caring friend. Yes, this word is a tough one to take on and I realize it will only be through Christ working in me. Thank you for your prayer...I will need them because I easily get discouraged. Thank you for the support and prayer for the school as well!
Blessings to you sweet friend,
Bev xx
What a great word and what a powerful message! The enemy moves us toward apathy or convinces us we can muster up our own fire. These words of yours say it perfectly: "In my good intentions, I will try to fan the flames of my own self-produced fire and I will be nothing more than smoke....wisps of hot air that rise up on the wind and disappear." Amen. Great post, Bev. I'm so glad I stopped by!
ReplyDeleteKaren,
DeleteSo glad to see you here...I've missed you. Oh how the enemy does work and lulls us into apathy or gets us to try to do things in our own power. That's why my being in the Word is so important to success. My life can't point to Him if I'm fizzling out in my own self effort.
Blessings Karen,
Bev
Powerful!
ReplyDeleteFire for God,
On fire to please Him,
Fire to declare His goodness.
You are on , Bev.
Keep burning brightly for Jesus
Amen!
Ifeoma,
DeleteThank you so much for the encouragement....what a wonderful prayer over me! You are a blessing....
Bev xx
Ahhh, Bev. You are a passionate woman. An inspiration. I always enjoy your posts and come away with a desire to grow closer to God. Thank you for the reminder that to be ignited and on fire we need to have the source and the air that keeps us burning. God's word is what we need. LOVED this post.
ReplyDeleteMy word for the year is Intentional. God's already showing me that He's going to do more heart work as He teaches me how to become more outwardly intentional in setting my habits and priorities. He's always doing heart work, isn't He?
Happy New Year (a few days late)!
Jeanne,
DeleteLove your word...I, too, need to be more intentional in everything I do and think. For both of us, I believe the source of strength to succeed lies in His Word. Without Him we can do nothing. I'll be cheering you on - already saw your awesome post on the white space you created. Now if I can manage to be on fire, but not to crash and burn...keeps me depending on Him.
Blessings and a belated Happy New Year to you too!
Bev
Oh I love your word. May you burn with fire and passion for the Lord. My word is commit, which is already proving to be a challenge.
ReplyDeleteBarbie,
DeleteCommit IS a hard word. I think I would find myself having to continually re-commit to committing if that makes sense? Thanks for praying me on...I'll pray you on!
Blessings,
Bev
Praise God for the passion He ignites in our hearts! It's nothing we can drum up on our own, and often unexpected, even uninvited.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing how this pans out for you in the months ahead, friend ...
Linda,
DeleteI'm looking forward, as well, to how this plays out??? I know there are different degrees of fire - there are bonfires and then there are slow burning embers...it's going to be a journey....
Blessings,
Bev
Oh, I love your word, Bev. I haven't seen anyone choose Fire. I'm sure the Lord will bring you a passionate year through this focus! I've chosen Story this year, to have open eyes to see and hear the backstories of others.
ReplyDeleteLisa,
DeleteI love your word!! Behind every door, there is a story. I commend you for being outwardly focused and compassionate enough to want to know what's going on with others and be Jesus unto them.
Blessings and prayers,
Bev
I love your post, Bev! And the John Wesley quote. Wow. My word for 2017 is "gratitude" because I'm learning that gratitude and joy go hand in hand. I want to find more joy in the ways God shows up quietly each and every day, and I'm realizing that by making gratitude an intentional daily practice my eyes are more open and attentive to Him. But I can so relate to the temptation to fizzle! Hoping to keep that gratitude journal out and open as a constant reminder!
ReplyDeleteMuch love,
Jana
Jana,
DeleteThat John Wesley quote really was my invitation. I thought - Oh, how I want my life to be like that. I love the word and goal of gratitude. I believe it takes practice and obedience to develop the attitude of gratitude. I will be praying that your eyes stay focused on Him and even when the trials hit, you will be able to still see evidence of His love and receive inner peace and joy. Here's to neither of us fizzling! I'll keep you accountable and you do the same for me??
Blessings and love sweet friend,
Bev
I love your post, Bev! And the John Wesley quote. Wow. My word for 2017 is "gratitude" because I'm learning that gratitude and joy go hand in hand. I want to find more joy in the ways God shows up quietly each and every day, and I'm realizing that by making gratitude an intentional daily practice my eyes are more open and attentive to Him. But I can so relate to the temptation to fizzle! Hoping to keep that gratitude journal out and open as a constant reminder!
ReplyDeleteMuch love,
Jana
Bev, this is such a good post. What a great 2017 word. I can't wait to watch you live it out this year. :) My word this year is: Stand. And, I'm still trying to figure out its meaning for my year. Guess we shall find out as the year unfolds. :) Thanks for linking up at #ChasingCommunity today. Always love seeing your smiling face. :) xoxo
ReplyDeleteBrenda,
DeleteI can't wait to see it lived out in me too...oh I hope I don't crash and burn. I love "Stand". To me the word Stand indicates that the Lord will fight for me, He just calls for me to be still and to stand while He fights the battle. I will be intrigued as to how it's lived out in your life....
Blessings Brenda,
xoxo
Love, Love, Love your word for 2017.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarah,
DeleteI need to pop by your place soon - have been so tied up with my non-profit work! Thanks for your encouragement!
Blessings,
Bev
Hi, Bev! This is your sister Yankee again!
ReplyDeleteI get that smoke thing; it gets in people's eyes and makes them turn away in tears. Not what God wants AT ALL!
I've just said a prayer for the both of us that we would be on fire for Him, in His strength, and for His glory.
My word(s) for the year: abide/dwell as in Psalm 91 and John 15. My post that introduces it a bit is: https://plantedbylivingwater.wordpress.com/2016/12/28/push-buttons-power-sources-and-prayer/
Ruth,
DeleteHi Yankee girl. I love the word "Abide". I think it's one of my most favorite words in all of scripture. When we abide and dwell in Him, there's no telling what He can do for us and through us. Praying you on as you Abide in Him in 2017!
Blessings,
Bev
I'd say that if we were more on fire for the Lord, we'd have a whole lot less "fires" to put out in our lives, Bev! What a great focus for 2017, my friend! I'm encouraged by what you've shared here and will pray that this is an endeavor that truly ignites joy and love in your heart that is unmistakable and bright!
ReplyDeleteBeth,
DeleteI like your way of thinking - less fires to put out in our lives...hmmmm....I would so appreciate your prayers. I know that when I am on fire for the Lord, joy and love can't help but spring forth.
Blessings,
Bev
And, fire, it is! Whenever we place Christ at the forefront of our lives, we cannot help but illuminate everyone and everything around us. It's just a given! Whenever I am feeling lukewarm, I know that I am focusing on "me." When I turn that focus around and place it on Christ, I am amazed at His light. I believe I will always be in awe and in thanksgiving at His handling of my mind, heart and soul. Thank you, Lord, for sharing your light and love with your children! Thank you, Bev, for your encouraging post. Cynthia
ReplyDeleteCynthia,
DeleteSo true - the "me" focus makes us lukewarm because we can't have two masters. When my eyes stay focused on Him then my fire can burn brightly. Oh that I can keep Him in the forefront of my life...
Blessings and thanks for your insights,
Bev
Wow, fire! I didn't even think to use a word so powerful for this year. Thank you for sharing and thank you for discussing the rationale behind your word. Excellent post!
ReplyDeleteThe Messy Bun Mama
Morgan,
DeleteYes, I did pick a powerful word this year. Quite a jump from "See" last year. But, it IS my heart's desire to be on fire for Him. He has been so good and faithful to me I want to share it. Thanks for your encouragement!
Blessings,
Bev
ps. love the name Messy Bun Mama - great!!