A Heart Ablaze

I'm reading a book right now by John Bevere called "A Heart Ablaze" and was struck and convicted by so many things in it. It is so rich and for the next few posts I just want to share from it. I cannot take credit for any of the following:

One of two things is going to happen in the life of a believer: either he is going to be conformed into the image of Jesus by allowing the Word of God to change him, or he is going to conform Jesus into the image of what his heart dictates. As in Exodus with the story of the Israelites, if you go to the mountain, you change. If you stay at the foot of the mountain, as Aaron did, God's image in you changes. You make Him what you want Him to be other than Who He truly is.

INTENTIONS OR DESIRES

Romans 12:2 says "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind". Strong's dictionary defines the word conform as "to fashion alike, to shape one thing like another".

Desires and intentions are two different things, although many believe they are one and the same. You can have very good or godly intentions, but they may not be your true desires. Many people say that they desire to walk away from the influences of the world and press into God, yet they don't follow through. They are out of touch with their true desires, for James declares that "each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed" (James 1:13)

A comedian once said, "the devil made me do it". The devil can't make a believer do anything. He can only entice; however, you can't be enticed by something you don't desire. If a line of cocaine or a few hits of LSD were offered to most believers, they would without hesitation refuse them, because they have no desire for them; therefore, they cannot be enticed by them.

We must bring our desires under the submission of the Cross: "Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24). It is not something God does for us; it is something we must do. We can't do it without His grace, yet we must do it. We can be enticed by any wrong desires that we have not put under the Cross. If we have not put away our desire for the world's ways, then we can easily slip back to the world.