Ignited: Getting and Staying on Fire for GodSample

Repentance

To return to God, we must turn away from competing lovers.

Just being real here - some days I have no time for prayer but amazingly find hours to scroll on a social app.

If you feel something has crowded into your private space with God, show it to the door this week. Turn it off. Once and for all.

One thing many Christians miss when trying to get their fire for God back is their need to repent. Get alone with God. Get quiet and wait for Him. Worship Him. Talk to Him. Bare your soul to Him.

Even though we might not have killed someone or held up a bank, what about those "small things" that are so simple to excuse?

Have we ever been in line at the grocery store and counted the calories in the basket of the overweight woman in front of us? Have we unintentionally indulged in gossip at work? Have we "innocently flirted" with someone that is not our spouse?

Repentance is so freeing. Being transformed into God’s image and sustaining a fire for Him involves turning away from the ties of this world and the sins that so readily corrupt us.

Many Christians in our generation don’t take sin nearly seriously enough. And that's a major factor in why the church resembles the outside world so much. True repentance is not something we value. The amount of sin you decide to allow into your life directly relates to how passionately you love God and follow Him.

If you are habitually sinning, you will not, and cannot, have a genuine passion for Jesus Christ because that sin is an area of darkness that will prevent you from basking in the full light of Christ.

A heart that is passionate for God is a heart that is open to the Holy Spirit’s prompting toward repentance because only a pure heart can cultivate a genuine passion for God.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for making me one of your friends and for revealing to me the facets of your kingdom. I want to get to know you better, so please rid me of any sin in my life.

To avoid giving in to my flesh's desires, please help me concentrate on the things of your Spirit.

So that I can produce fruit for your kingdom, please help me to remain in your love.

I'll continue to worship you in spirit and in truth while keeping my heart near to you.

In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.