Based on “Freedom in the Flames” by Pastor Dave Folkerts; 7/26-27/08,
Message #DF133; Daily Devotional #2 - “Popping from the Pressure”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): …for a pleasing aroma to the Lord, an offering made to the Lord by fire. (Exodus 29:25b) I love popcorn. Theaters everywhere know that there are few people who can resist the smell of a batch of fresh popcorn. I am not one of those people. Even though I am not in the least hungry before that distinctive aroma reaches my nostrils, my mouth starts watering and my taste buds start longing as soon as I experience that first tantalizing whiff, and my fingers automatically start heading for the bowl. Those tempting little white puffs are irresistible delights to the eyes, nose, and taste buds. They start out; however, as unappetizing, impenetrably hard little kernels. We all know what turns those useless kernels into delightful theater fodder is heat, lots of heat. The idea is to raise the temperature until the moisture within the kernel causes an explosion that releases the tender heart hidden inside every kernel. Even after they have been prepared, however, some remain hard clinkers, hopefully tossed out, and not bitten down on in the process of enjoying their fluffy buddies. God finds our worship more appealing than the aroma of a batch of popcorn at the theater. He delights in it and longs for it. Unfortunately we are often as hard and closed up as a kernel of corn, and it takes sticking us in the fire and waiting for the pressure to build until our hard little hearts blast open and release the sweet aroma of true worship. Hopefully none of us remain clinkers in the hand of God when He longs for an open heart of delectable worship. Genesis 8 tells the story of Noah building an altar to the Lord and making offerings to God after the waters of the flood receded. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart…(Genesis 8:21) God’s heart was touched by the aroma of heartfelt worship.
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were dropped into a fiery circumstance. They offered their hearts to God alone, and their reaction caused them to become irresistible treats to God. He couldn’t keep away. Then, when the three men came out of the furnace, they brought spiritual sustenance to all those standing there that day. Even through the generations to today their ‘faith under fire’ example nourishes our souls.
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): True faith will cause us to pop up singing “How Great Thou Art” when the heat gets turned up in our lives. True faith offers a softened heart in the midst of trying times. The three Hebrew men demonstrated true faith when they responded to Nebuchadnezzar “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18) That kind of mindset in the heated moments of our lives is more appealing to God than the smell of popcorn in the theater is to us. He can’t get enough of it.
Cultivating (Additional Reading): 2 Corinthians 2:15
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All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.
New King James Version = NKJV, King James Version = KJV.