"Sparking A Change" -2

"The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire." (Psalms 29:7) Okay, so I snuck one in on some of you! Well, believe it or not, but yesterday morning as I was starting my drive to Knott's Berry Farm, I tuned the radio to CSN, and two brothers were talking about what I had just written that morning. That goes back to what I was sharing about verse three, and how "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters"; speaking of how He put forth the same message in several different areas. Now regarding these "flames of fire"; you just need a moment of time away from your splendor, that splendor of worldliness and feeling good about yourself, for God to be able to "divide the flames of fire"; just long enough for you to see your true state, and your total need for God's mercy and grace. Yes, you can associate that with lightning, that fits nicely with how God zaps you in your mid-stride, and awakens you out of your coma of nothingness; but I tend to prefer the whole dead heart being brought to life idea, or the stony heart being made alive, just long enough to detect a need for something that really is life. I was more than serious when I said that we do not have the capability to spark a change within ourselves; and left on our own, we would have no desire for knowing the One True God, but would establish our own gods to satisfy the desires of our hearts. Without the Lord coming to us, individually and personally, and literally snapping us out of our state of unconsciousness, we will not be changed, nor would we even have the opportunity to be changed! You did not get here on your own!!! I can recall my own desire to know God, and how I had practiced religion in many different forms; some considerably orthodox, and some were just flat out wacko; but it was not until I saw the truth that I could completely understand my need for Jesus and why He needed to die for my sins. Before that, it was all about me, and about what I needed to do to express my gratitude or obedience onto a God that I really did not even know! This is why the message of the cross is foolishness to those that perish; why would a God, the God of the universe, the Creator of heaven and earth, step down upon this earth, and let Himself be nailed to a cross; it's hard to imagine that kind of love, yet, He loves us that much..."Nicodemus answered and said unto Him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that We do know, and testify that We have seen; and ye receive not Our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:9-15)