Keep the Fire, Your Fire, Burning: A Message of Vulnerability, Faith, and Renewal

Keep the Fire, Your Fire, Burning: A Message of Vulnerability, Faith, and Renewal

You ever wake up on a morning when you just don’t feel like being awake? When the weight of the day ahead feels heavier than usual, and your spirit longs for rest more than anything else? This morning was one of those mornings for me. I want to share with you my story from today — a morning filled with honesty, struggle, divine encouragement, and a powerful reminder about the altar of my heart and how to keep the fire burning. Maybe you’ll find some encouragement for your own journey in what I experienced.

The Raw Start: Honesty in the Secret Place

It began with me looking out my northeast window, a place where I often come to greet the day. I said the words, “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it,” but I had to be honest — I wasn’t really feeling it. Sometimes, even the encourager needs encouragement. I wasn’t putting on a show or acting; I was being completely transparent with God. I told Him, “Lord, I don’t feel like being up. I don’t feel like rejoicing today.”

And you know what? That’s okay. God isn’t looking for perfection or pretense. He wants honesty, vulnerability, and a heart that’s real. I sat down on my couch and admitted to Him, “I’m not so sure I enjoy doing this anymore.” After almost four years of daily pouring out everything inside me — of encouraging, praying, and teaching — it hit me hard. The fatigue, the weight, the relentless nature of this walk can take its toll.

But then, God responded. Not with rebuke but with love. He reminded me gently that even on days when I don’t feel like it, by the time it’s done, I’m glad I did. And that’s where the story took a turn.

A Single Sentence That Changed Everything

In that quiet moment, I opened my devotional and found a simple yet profound sentence: “God loved you even before He laid the foundations of the universe.”

I knew that truth deep down. I’ve spoken about it many times. But today, it hit me differently. God was telling me — telling you — that there is absolutely nothing you can do to separate yourself from His great and profound love. No matter your struggles, your doubts, your failures, His love is unshakable and eternal.

He whispered to my heart, “Howard, you are loved beyond measure.” And then He started naming names — not just mine but yours too. Everyone listening, everyone reading — you are loved beyond measure. This is not a casual statement. It’s a divine declaration that no power in the universe can undo.

And I want you to hold on to that today. Let that truth be the firewood you feed the altar of your heart with.

Reflecting on God’s Faithfulness: A Journey Back to Seventeen

As I sat in that quiet place, God took me back to a night when I was seventeen — a night filled with youthful rebellion, foolishness, and consequences. The police were involved, and my dad would have been furious if he had found out. He would have literally beaten the tar out of me.  But God said to me, “Do you know what I did for you that night? I ran cover for you, I kept it from your parents, and talked to myself to protect and correct you. All those times I allowed your father to harshly discipline you shaped who you are today. But that night I went before you and behind you, and ran cover for you. The police let you go, your father never found out because the angels paved the way so that your life’s trajectory would not be destroyed.”

That revelation transformed my morning. It reminded me that even when I didn’t know God, even when I was reckless, He was there protecting, shaping, and loving me. And He’s doing the same for you. Nothing is wasted in God’s hands. Every experience, every trial, every blessing — it all works together for your good.

The Altar of Your Heart: Keeping the Fire Burning

Here’s the heart of what God showed me this morning: We are altars, created to carry His fire into this world. The altar is a spiritual gateway, a place of intimate communion with God, a place where sacrifice is offered, and where fire must burn continuously.

In the Old Testament, the priests were commanded not to let the fire on the altar go out. They had to keep bringing wood, clearing ashes, and tending the flame. If they neglected this, the fire would die, and the altar would lose its power.

You and I are like that altar. The fire inside us — the passion, the presence, the power of God — must be fed continuously. What is the firewood you are using today? It might be spending time in the Word, worship, prayer, or reflection on God’s goodness. For me, this morning, it was gratitude — remembering what God has done for me, even when I was unaware of His presence.

Clearing the Ashes

Just as the priests removed ashes from the altar, we must clear out yesterday’s hurts, failures, and disappointments. Yesterday is dead. We leave it at the cross. We don’t carry yesterday’s ashes into today’s fire. That’s how the fire keeps burning bright and strong.

Tending the Fire All Day Long

One of the biggest shifts I’ve experienced is realizing that tending the altar isn’t just a morning ritual. It’s a continuous process throughout the day. When negative thoughts creep in, when fear tries to take root, when discouragement knocks at the door — we deal with it immediately before God. We cast down those thoughts and choose to remain connected to His fire.

It’s like a computer that stays connected to the internet all day long. We don’t have to be “praying zombies,” but we stay connected to God’s presence, allowing His Spirit to guide and guard our hearts.

Practical Steps to Keep Your Fire Burning
Start your day with honesty. Don’t pretend to feel something you don’t. Be real with God about where you are.
Feed your altar with God’s Word and gratitude. Take time to thank Him for what He’s done. Reflect on His faithfulness, even in the hard times.
Clear away the ashes. Let go of past hurts and disappointments, even yesterday's. Just Leave them at the cross.
Stay connected throughout the day. When negative thoughts come, catch them early and cast them out.  Tell those thoughts NO! surrender them to God.
Protect your worship environment. Whether it’s in community or solitude, respect the sacredness of the place where God’s fire burns.
The Power of a Family Altar

I want to share a testimony about the impact of establishing prayer altars in families. When young believers from Uganda came to the United States, they were shocked that many families didn’t have a designated time to come together in worship and prayer. They explained that without this, the forces of darkness could more easily influence the atmosphere of the home.

But when families started establishing prayer altars — times of worship, reading the Word, and prayer — the spiritual atmosphere changed. Relationships improved, attitudes shifted, and even the need for discipline diminished because the Holy Spirit began convicting hearts. Children became closer to their parents and more reverent toward God’s ways.

This is a powerful reminder that the altar isn’t just personal; it’s communal. The fire of God spreads from heart to heart, transforming homes, communities, and nations.

Living as an Altar: Your Divine Purpose

God created you as an altar — a sacred place where His fire burns continuously. You are a gateway, a portal through which heaven’s power flows into the earth. Your life is a living sacrifice, yielded and surrendered, so that the fullness of God’s Spirit can move through you.

When you cry out, “Your kingdom come,” you are asking for the fullness of God’s presence and authority to be revealed in and through you. The fire on your altar must never go out.

Conclusion: Be Still and Know You Are Loved Beyond Measure

Today, I want to leave you with this simple but profound truth: You are loved beyond measure. No matter what you’re facing, no matter how tired or discouraged you feel, God’s love for you is unchanging and unstoppable.

Be still. Just be still and know that He is God. Let that truth fill your heart and ignite the fire within you. Tend your altar daily. Feed it with His Word, with gratitude, with worship. Clear away the ashes of yesterday. Stay connected to Him throughout your day.

When the pressures come, when the enemy tries to extinguish your fire, remember who you are — an altar, a chosen vessel carrying the fire of God. Press on. Keep the fire burning. And watch how God transforms your life, your family, and your world.

Thank you for walking this journey with me today. May God’s fire burn brightly in your heart, now and always.