Fireworks!

Have you ever had fireworks go off in your heart? I'm sure you have! The biggest firework I ever had in my heart was the time that Jesus Christ revealed Himself in me as the God of eternity, the God of love. I also had a firework of His love in my heart when He revealed Himself to me as having died on the cross for my particular sin, my overwhelming sin.

Usually I don't have fireworks. Generally the Holy Spirit's presence in me is a slow, steady flame, sometimes hot and warm, sometimes so dim and cool I can barely find it at all, if at all. But God knows it's there. He put it there.

I've been reading in Romans, Chapters 7 and 8. Romans 8:16 says, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God..." That's the flame of which I was speaking.

This morning as I lay in bed, I was thinking about being a child. All people on earth are children of their parents, whether they were implanted by a doctor into a womb or born naturally. No matter what we do, we can never, never, never erase, cancel out, or exchange our physical inheritance from our parents. We can dye our hair, whiten our teeth, have plastic surgery, all manner of operations, even a so-called sex-change operation, but we can never trade in our genes for a different set. Our genes are physically who we are.

The Bible teaches that this is also true spiritually for those who believe in Jesus Christ, that is, those who have been "born again", born from above. (This being born again comes from God, not from ourselves, just as our being physically born came from our parents, not from ourselves.) God has said it--therefore it is so--once a child of God, always a child of God --

Ephesians 1:13-14 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Romans 8:29-30 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined...whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

The best way I know to rekindle the flame of love that God has placed in my heart for Him, also the best way I know to gain a renewed sense of my relation to Him, is to read His Word. When we read God's Word, we are sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is God's Word (as opposed to my own thoughts). His Word tells me over and over and over again about who God is: God is love. He is a Holy God, a just God, a loving God, one who cares for His own from age to age to age without ceasing. And, as I read His Word, the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart that He knows me! He loves me! He is my Savior and Lord. Praise be to God for His Word, His salvation, His Holy Spirit in my heart.

Lord, I thank You this day that You saw fit to save me, that You wanted me to be Your child, that You died on the cross for me, and that in Your good timing and according to Your own pleasure, You chose to manifest Yourself in my heart, both by Your Holy Spirit and by Your Word. Even on this day, Lord God, either with Your flame in me burning brightly, or burning very low and dimly, either way, Dear Lord, may I grow more and more into the likeness of Jesus Christ, Your one and only begotten Son. Thank-You, Jesus. I love You. Amen.