1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Leviticus 10:1-2 (NASB)
9 But you are A chosen race, A royal priesthood, A holy nation, A people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NASB)
Until 2004 I could not stand to read some Old Testament books such as Leviticus and Job. I would read them only to find my mind wandering off in all directions. It was frustrating….
However, something wonderful happened after God changed me over a period of about 8 months from January through August. I don’t know exactly what He did, but I interpret it as a severe and necessary heart transplant. He may have simply circumcised my heart. I don’t know. However, I do know that until that time I was very religious, but very self-focused. I loved the Lord, and served in many capacities in church. I was a Bible teacher. However, the rest of the time was all mine. I was fleshly. I was focused on my own desires. However, I was very frustrated with my lack of self-control. I desperately wanted victory over these things.
Over that 8 month period God drew me closer to Him. About halfway through the summer I quit watching TV. I quit listening to secular music. Instead of those things, I worshiped, I prayed, I studied my Bible. I began to write about what God was doing in my heart. By the end of August I realized that my value system had been completely altered. I valued nothing but God Himself. I simply wanted to please Him. I cared nothing about material things. My focus was on God and eternity. My brethren, it was at this time that God brought me back to reality by taking me deeper into sanctification. Cleansing is by fire and I find that I am continually in it. Until the day God takes me home I am sure I will be going through this cleansing.