Love or a Consuming Fire?

I realize when we talk about the Lord that the bible describes God as love AND as a consuming fire.

Now at first glance this maybe hard to comprehend. Many Christians find it difficult to justify the two traits co-existing in one God and they lean heavily on one side of the other. Those with mercy gifts tend to set up camp on the God is love side and see issues as just needing a touch more of love. Others such as prophets tend to lean on the “there are consequences for your actions” side and desire that people clean up their act. So who is right?

They both are. These are both character traits of our Father. He is love in its purest form. And yet He is holy, righteous and a God of judgement.

Being a prophet, I tried to operate my gift out of a mercy place. I love the gift of mercy. I used to think that I had it but I didn’t. I just wanted to have it. Mercy people are so warm and fuzzy. I wanted to be like them. However, as I have come to understand my mantle, I have to operate it as the Holy Spirit directs. It won’t always flow from a place of mercy. Sometimes the Lord is telling a person that you need to clean something up now. Being forewarned like that is the mercy and love of God but it may not make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

The bible teaches us many character traits of God, yet Christians can have a warp sense of what God’s love looks like. The love of God will not always make you feel good by catering to your fleshly wants and desires. It’s really not about us. It is about the King and His Kingdom and what He wants and desires. He has already told us that we don’t think like He thinks. If we keep our eyes in the word of God and learn about Him, then we will understand His ways. Therefore, when the seemingly “bad” things happen to us , we will understand that the love of God is working in this too. God works everything out for our good. He doesn’t miss a chance to mature us into the image of His dear son Jesus Christ.

This too is His love.