The Misuse of Good Brings Evil

Fire can comfort us at a certain distance, but it will destroy us if we get too close. That which is good can be misused to bring pain, suffering, and evil.

An arsonist has the same capacity to choose to use fire for good purposes as you and I, instead he uses his freedom of choice to use fire for evil purposes, to bring pain, suffering and death to others. Society calls an arsonist an evil person, because he used good to bring evil.

The fire is neutral. It is a good thing in and of itself. It is how fire is used that determines whether it is good fire or bad fire.

Nations around Israel offered their children in burning flames to demonic spirits as idols. God asked Israel to destroy these nations completely. Can you see why? The good innocence of children was being used in an evil way to secure the favor of demons.

Are we offering our babies in the form of abortions today to demonic spirits? What about all the little children and the young people who are physically, mentally, and emotionally abused? What about those teenagers who are sold into addictive lifestyles? Is there some demonic spirit deriving satisfaction from all the innocent good being used in evil ways?

The sons of Aaron offered God ‘strange’ fire. The word ‘strange’ means unauthorized, foreign or profane in Hebrew. God rejected their fire as it was offensive to him, and he used the same self-made fire to consume those who used the holy fire in an evil way.

Just think of all the self-destructive behaviors that people thought were very good but they end up sucking the life out of them, and causing so much suffering and pain.

The priests offered sacrifices to God under the Tabernacle Plan after the sacrifice had been set apart for God on the Brazen Altar. Nadab and Abihu offered unholy fire of their own making and not from God’s altar.

Our own fire made from our own intentions and passions are not holy before God. Only that which is offered with the right intentions and with a repentant heart before him by way of the altar which he prescribes, is acceptable to him.

God judged the sons of the High Priest to show all that what he sets apart as holy must be respected and honored as holy and kept set apart unto him for his purposes alone.

It grieves me when I visit churches and see the pastor dressed down and the members of the choir dressed to impress, while the congregants gather together in pajamas and everyday clothing. The platform of the church was a holy place in the old days, when I was a young man. No children running or playing on the platform. No unauthorized adults on the platform. No foolishness on the platform. Proper modest attire by those authorized to be on the platform. All dressed to draw attention away from themselves and toward a Holy God. The platform was a sacred place, a holy ground. It was where the Word of God was preached and taught with the anointing of the Holy Spirit falling and flowing out into the congregation! Now it is a stage for entertainment and becomes many times a circus with unholy things said and done and revealed with improper attire and improper behavior.

Is it any wonder we see large crowds gathering and see the same large crowds leave without being changed within their hearts. They came worldly and they left worldly. They came self-righteous and left self-righteous. God’s powerful Presence hovers in the background wanting to draw near, but can’t do so with ‘strange fire’ being offered by vessels which are not set apart in reverence of His Holiness.

God’s goodness is available to all through the gift of Jesus paying the penalty for all of our sins on the cross of Calvary. Every man, woman and child has the opportunity to avail themselves of this gift and to use it for good in blessing their own souls, and of those around them. Yet some insist on using it to justify their freedom to choose their own will.

By this I mean that they partake of all the blessings of this free gift of salvation, yet insist on making that which is holy and sanctified unholy by offering their own strange fire, or their own ways and desires in worship. These ways of worship have not been laid on the altar of sacrifice, have not been covered with tears of repentance,  have not been set apart as holy and with respect for the God who has blessed them so freely.

God gave us each a free will to choose right from wrong. We have a choice of how to use fire with our sacrifices. We can use fire that has purified our hearts through sufferings and trials of this life, or we can make our own strange fire before God. One brings life and one brings death.

The fire of desire and right intentions in agreement with His Word changes us before we ever enter into God’s Presence and causes our hearts to adore and honor him with praise and right behavior. False intentions and impurities have been burned away by the fire of the Holy Spirit in prayer and contrition.

Our own fire allows us to pretend before the church that we are really comfortable with calling God our Holy Heavenly Father, yet we walk out the same way we walked in; a vessel trying to contain a sanctified God that only leaks out what we by human efforts try to put in.

God help us to submit our prideful wills to you, so that you can use your Holy Fire to burn away the chaff in our lives, setting us free to offer you a pure heart, for only then will we begin to see you as our Holy God, and ourselves as totally unworthy of ever experiencing the love you give to us so freely. In Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

 

 

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