TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT
You are the righteousness of Christ. When shame is heaped on you, give it to Jesus. He is glad to take it away because He already paid for it – it’s His! Know that you don’t smell like smoke, not one little bit!
THE SMELL OF SMOKE
I have a deep respect for firemen. While they pull people out of all kinds of dangerous situations, it’s their willingness to run into a burning building for the sake of a stranger that blows my mind. It takes a special person to do that. It was true in Jesus’ day as well.
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. – Romans 5:7
The Bible tells us it takes a rare person to lay down their life for the righteous or good. Who would lay down their lives for the down and out, dirty, desperate and despicable? Liars, cheats, adulterers, murderers and thieves?
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8
The Bible tells us Jesus healed all who came to Him. That means all. He healed hands that he knew would be used to steal and to destroy, eyes that would lust and feet that would run away from Him. Jesus healed with no string attached because the book says “He had compassion on them.”
It’s the same with the brutal beating and death on the cross. He died for all sinners – gossips and mass murderers alike. All means all because He has compassion on us all.
However, there is a string attached, but it’s not attached to deny us something. It’s attached to give us something we don’t deserve – eternal life in heaven as a member of God’s family – joint heirs with our brother Jesus.
When it comes to saving you and me, Jesus is not afraid of the fire. Remember, in Daniel chapter 3 one “like a son of God” joined Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego in Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace.
While the strong men who tied their hands behind their backs and threw them in were incinerated, Jesus walked in the fire with these three Hebrew slaves. They not only emerged with the ropes of bondage burned off, they didn’t even smell like smoke!
It’s my hope that we demonstrate the heart of Jesus and become Holy Ghost firefighters. Run into the flames of people’s burning lives and drag them to Jesus! He will burn away the things that bind. Just so they won’t feel shamed, He even makes sure they don’t smell like smoke!
“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. – John 15:12-13
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO RUN INTO THE BURNING MESS OF A LOST PERSON’S LIFE. OFFER THEM A SAVIOR AND BE THE HERO GOD MADE YOU TO BE! AND GOD BLESS YOU FIREFIGHTERS!
From my book: Good Overcomes Evil