Worship - Public and Private

 

                              Worship -- Public and Private

"The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out" (Leviticus 6:12-13).

Charles Spurgeon applies this to our private personal worship altar.

  He tells us that we should always 'Keep our altar of private prayer burning. This is the life of piety. The sanctuary and family altars borrow their fires here. Secret devotion is the very essence, evidence and barometer of our faith.

  Let our own personal prayer closet sessions be regular, frequent and  undisturbed. Have you nothing to pray for? Let me suggest the church, its ministry, your own soul, your family, your neighbors, your country, the cause of God and Truth throughout the world.

  Let us examine ourselves on this important matter. Are we lukewarm in our times of personal private devotion? Is the fire of our devotion burning dimly? We should be alarmed if that is the case. Pray, weeping, that the Holy Spirit revitalizes our hearts to burn with passion, blazing with love, that our altar fire will never be quenched, for it will not burn if the Lord does not keep it burning. If His unseen hand pours on the sacred oil, it will blaze higher and higher.

Let us use texts of scripture as fuel for our heart's fire; they are love coals. Let us attend to public sermons, but above all, let us be much with Jesus'

(The key fire fuel? Spending much time alone with Jesus, and don't forget the love coals!)