For almost everyone in Altha’s and my circle, it seems the fiery
trials are heating up. When Daniel’s 3 friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fire, Nebuchadnezzar
turned up the furnace seven times. I know that is what it feels like to some of
you. Situations in your finances, your families, relationships, and jobs seem too intense to endure.
Satan’s purpose: to get you to give up. God’s
purpose: to produce greater faith. Faith must be tried
'under fire' (1 Pet. 1:5). But, you are not alone. Nebuchadnezzar said, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw
them into the furnace? ‘Look!’ “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the
fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” (Daniel 3:24-25).
When things on earth start heating up, Jesus is not only present, He is praying that “your faith will not fail” (Lk. 22:32). “Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue
to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.” Don’t lose heart; He is coming soon (Heb. 10:37-38).
Though 87% of Americans believe they’ll go to heaven, few are planning and preparing for it. If it is normal for people to plan for the future, shouldn't it be normal for Christians to plan for heaven?
‘What does that mean?’ Well, Jesus said “I’m going to prepare a place for you.” But there are two sides to that! Throughout the NT letters, we are told that life on earth is preparation for eternity, and only “those who endure will reign with Him” (2 Tim 2:12). Though all who are saved will go to heaven, what kind of place we will occupy is yet to be determined, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad… on that day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done, and will show if a person's work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames” (2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3:13-15).
Though we say we believe this, our actions often suggest otherwise. We spend our entire lives making plans: we plan for our college education, plan our career, plan our marriage and family. Then we hire financial planners, in preparation for retirement and death. Some people even plan their own funerals. But what about your heavenly plans? Are you prepared?
Fire is associated with God more than any other natural element (water, wind, earth). For example, Moses hears the voice of God in a burning bush (Ex. 3). God guides the Israelites out of Egypt at night with a pillar of fire. Elijah calls down God’s fire to destroy the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). John the Baptist proclaims that Jesus will baptize with fire (Luke 3). A tongue of fire ignites the church at Pentecost (Acts 2). Faith must be tested by fire (2 Peter 1:7). When the Lord Jesus comes from heaven, His mighty angels will appear in flaming fire (1 Thess. 1:7). All in all, our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29) no one can escape.
Even as fire purifies everything it consumes, God’s fire purifies us, making us God’s “holy people” (1 Peter 2:9). God’s fiery Word consumes everything in us that is un-Christ-like. No one can ever hope to live holy unless the Word burns away the impurities of his life. Isaiah asks: “Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?" His answer: "the righteous ones." (33:14) True believers want to be judged by God's fire. And one day everyone will be judged by God's fire. Let no one imagine he will escape. (Zephaniah 1:18; Heb. 12:25). "But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward" (1 Cor. 3:12-14).
