Prayer 556 - Week 1, Monday

February 21st, 2021

FIRE - Week 1, Monday

For the first two weeks of this Lenten prayer journey, we will focus on FIRE. I am praying that these 6 weeks light a fire in your heart and spirit that cannot be contained!

Each day we will read a passage of Scripture, feel free to read the chapter surrounding the passage that I give. Following that, I will list a few questions or prompts. You can use them to enter some quiet contemplation, grab a pen and journal your answers, or simply sit in silence. Whatever you do, get rid of the distractions and invite the Holy Spirit to meet you. I cannot wait to hear what you experience!

There is a place to comment at the bottom of this post in case you want to share anything on your heart!

Monday: Purifying Fire

Read:

Matthew 3: 11-12 (NRSV)
”(John the baptizer said) I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing flor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with an unquenchable fire.”

Luke 12: 49-50 (NRSV)
”I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed.”

For Reflection/Journaling:

Ask God how He wants to light a fire in your heart and spirit during this Lenten journey. What does it look/feel like when the Holy Spirit stirs in you? When have you experienced the Holy Spirit?

John the Baptizer tells the people that the fire Jesus brings is meant to purify us.
In what ways do you think God wants to transform you this Lent? Ask God how he wants to kindle a fire in your heart and what he may want to burn away in this journey.

Pray:

Breathe into me, Holy Spirit,
that my thoughts may all be holy.
Move in me, Holy Spirit,
that my work, too, may be holy.
Attract my heart, Holy Spirit,
that I may love only what is holy.
Strengthen, me, Holy Spirit,
that I may defend all that is holy.
Protect me, Holy Spirit,
that I may always be holy.
Amen.

- Saint Augustine

Posted in Lent, Prayer556, Holy Spirit, FIRE

11 Comments

Add Your Comment

Nikki Wood - February 22nd, 2021 at 4:11am

What a great way to start my day! When the Holy Spirit stirs in me I am filled with strength and courage. Even if the path I'm being lead to is not smooth, I can fill the push inside. Today I will pause and listen to hear what God is calling me to do during this Lenten season.

Nick Tebordo - February 22nd, 2021 at 4:16am

As we begin 556, it is on the heals of John's message on the Sermon on the Mount yesterday. We are entering a new reality-a Kingdom reality. I am seeing things with new eyes this morning. Many times I have spoken of Jesus baptizing us in the Holy Spirit, but I haven't connected it with "Fire" -God burning the chaff in our lives. As I write this, I am thinking of James Vaughn who as a little boy sang, "Baptize us in the Holy Spirit. Baptize us with fire."!! I love the picture I have in my mind of him singing that to his family at a picnic. Today, I am singing that to myself. God is doing a new thing-burning the chaff and opening me to a new reality-a Kingdom reality. The King is among us!

Kaitlyn - February 22nd, 2021 at 4:33am

Yesssss! That is such a perfect lyric to go with the prayer in your heart!

Melody Nadeau - February 22nd, 2021 at 4:29am

...sorry , using music. Today I'm hearing "Refiner's Fire" and an even older one called "Light the Fire Again". But what's sticking with me the most is this more recent one (Cover the earth) : "Let the Spirit rise up, break through the walls, beat down the doors, crash through the windows, and cover the earth." I pray that the Spirit's fire can break through my walls this Lenten season and light the fire in my heart again.

Kaitlyn - February 22nd, 2021 at 4:33am

Yesssss! That is such a perfect lyric to go with the prayer in your heart!

Melody Nadeau - February 22nd, 2021 at 4:23am

The Holy Spirit usually speaks to me u

Kaitlyn - February 22nd, 2021 at 4:33am

Yesssss! That is such a perfect lyric to go with the prayer in your heart!

Melody Nadeau - February 22nd, 2021 at 4:29am

Kaitlyn - February 22nd, 2021 at 4:33am

Yesssss! That is such a perfect lyric to go with the prayer in your heart!

Amy Mosher - February 22nd, 2021 at 4:59am

Usually when I feel the Holy Spirit moving it is a gut feeling and, like Melody, usually through a song. I have no idea how God wants to transform me this lent but I pray that I am open to not only hearing, but truly listening, to where God is leading me. My thoughts went to an old school song we used to sing in youth group...Pass It On.

"It only takes a spark

To get a fire going

And soon all those around

Can warm up in its glowing

That's how it is with God's love

Once you've experienced it

You spread His love to ev'ryone

You want to pass it on"

It only takes a spark, it's how I feed that that spark (studying His word, time in prayer, etc) so that it grows into a burning fire that spreads to those I come in contact with.

David Edelstein - February 22nd, 2021 at 5:03am

I've seen videos that threshing by hand is done with a repeated striking of the wheat and chaff. The Holy Spirit wind separates the wheat and chaff of our lives and the fire of the Spirit then burns up the chaff. The process takes time and is done in stages. It can be violent and painful. But God is pleased with the end product He has produced in us.

Peg - February 22nd, 2021 at 5:15am

I woke up this morning just sitting waiting for the message to appear as I was so looking forward to starting this journey. I have a long I thought in my mind especially in my heart , But sometimes I'm very shy to be able to express how I feel. I know what he wants of me and hoping to be able to fulfill at all. Thank you for I will only come along with this journey

DAVID S EDELSTEIN - February 22nd, 2021 at 5:43am

The winnowing God does involves constant shaking and a consuming fire. Once the chaff is gone, we are left with a kingdom that can not be shaken. Hebrews 12 : 26 At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven." 27 This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of what is shaken-that is, created things-so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29 for indeed our God is a consuming fire.

Linda Comstocj - February 22nd, 2021 at 10:13am

Test. Is this How it works?

Susan Blais - February 22nd, 2021 at 10:18am

This is Susan trying to figure out how to post at this site