On Fire for Him

Years ago, when I was a younger man, I was active in the martial arts known as Bei Shaolin Kung Fu, which means fighting Kung Fu. And when I first showed up for class, my Sifu asked me if I'd been previously trained in any martial arts. I replied no.

He said, good, you are an empty cup. What he meant was he'd not have to unlearn me of another discipline to teach me a new one. I was just an empty cup that he could teach and fill.

It reminds me of a quote by the great British preacher and Bible commentator, J. Sidlow Baxter. J. Sidlow Baxter used to say, what I give to him, he takes. What he takes, he cleanses.

What he cleanses, he fills. And what he fills, he uses. We must give to God, friends, the things in our life which hinder our usefulness to God.

When we willingly give God these things, he takes them. Then he cleanses us. Then like an empty cup, he fills us with his Holy Spirit so he can better use us.

Think about those statements, friends. Do you want to be more used of God in your generation? Are you willing to give God what needs to be given to him in your life? Are you ready to go all out for God on the full stretch for him, to be on the out and out for him, to be more fruitful to him? Let me ask you a question, friend, and be honest. In describing yourself, would you say you have cooled off in your affections for Jesus lately? Or would you say of yourself that you've stayed on fire for him in a red-hot love relationship to him? When I study men whom God has mightily used in former times, they each share a common denominator.

They stayed faithful to God, and they stayed on fire for God. It's truly amazing what God can do with a man who remains faithful to him and who stays on fire for him. And that's the title of my message this evening, friends, On Fire for Him.

I spent some time today with an old pastor friend, and it's incredible how God is using this man. I learned the secret to his success. He is continually stoking the embers on the altar of his heart for Christ and the gospel.

Why, he's more in love with Christ today than he's ever been, and it shows. Although he's been a pastor now for over twenty-five years, he's still on fire for Christ, and he lit a fire under me just being around him. Is your heat for Jesus contagious? Are you infecting others with your passion for Christ? It reminded me of an incident in the life of Billy Graham.

Billy Graham was saved under the preaching ministry of the great evangelist Mordecai Ham, and after Billy Graham became somewhat famous, he sought out Mordecai Ham, his old mentor, who was an old man now, and he sought him out to get some advice on ministry. Mordecai Ham looked the young evangelist in the eye and said, Billy, don't ever lose your sweetheart love for Jesus. And I have a passage for us this evening, friends, which speaks of this very thing.

It's found in 1 Peter, and you may turn in your Bible there now, friends. It will be in chapter 2 and in verses 6 and 7, and let me read this striking passage to us at this time. Here now is the word of God, and may the Spirit of the Lord attend the reading of his holy word.

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you, therefore, which believe he is precious. I will stop there, friends.

Let me ask you, after Peter denied Jesus three times in the courtyard, and he heard the cock crow, and he went out under conviction of sin and wept bitterly, and after Jesus reinstated Peter on the seashore that particular morning with his three queries, Peter, do you love me? Do you think Peter spent the rest of his days in a cold backslidden state as he served Christ, or do you believe Peter stayed on fire for Christ because Christ was precious to him? Well, the answer is obvious to us that Christ was precious to Peter, for his very epistle declares it in our text. He refers to the preciousness of Jesus twice. We must ask ourselves the question, is Jesus still precious to us? If not, why not? What is the thing hindering our walk with God that we need to give to him so he can cleanse us and fill us and use us more for his glory? Are we continually pursuing Christ in a red-hot love relationship with him because he is precious in our sight? Let me ask you, have you flamed out in your affections for him, or are you more on fire for him today than ever before? He is coming back soon, friends.

When he returns, will we be found being casually cool and apathetic, or will we be found waiting for him like a lovesick bride who cannot wait to get into his presence because of his preciousness to us? I don't know about you, friend, but I want to be more and more on fire for him with each new day. Only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last.

And as I lay dying, how good it shall be if the lamp of my life has been burned out for thee. Let us pray.