Prepare-for-War

here on earth than to wait until the judgment seat of Christ! What a tragedy to reach heaven to find out that all our works are worthless in God's sight! No matter how wonder ful our works seem, if they are done with even a drop of self-gain in our hearts, they will be ashes before the Lord. We, as God's servants are to be "salt." "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." Matthew 5:13. How is the best way for the "salt" to keep from losing its savor? I think the answer is found in Mark. "For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it?" Mark 9:49,50 We become the "salt" of the earth as we are first baptized with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Let's get practical. Just how do we get this baptism with fire? We have to ask for it, and sincerely mean it. I find that I have had to ask for this baptism at various times in my life. I usually literally prostrate myself on the floor before the Lord. I mean, get right down on your face with your nose against the floor. That's very humbling. Do it alone in your private "prayer closet" as Jesus called it. This is an in teraction between you and God, no one else. If you are truly willing, the Holy Spirit will painfully convict you of the sins in your life. Our hearts are so deceitful that only the Lord can do this work, we cannot. We cannot truly serve this God of ours if we have any sin remaining in our hearts. If we allow sin to remain in our lives, we may be sure that sooner or later Satan will have a great victory over us. Power from the Lord c.omes through a cleansed heart. Let us seek this special work of the Lord, dear brothers and sisters, let us ask Jesus to baptize us with fire.

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