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Love

Hearts on Fire: The Spirit and the Word

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“Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32, NASB)

The two disciples on the road to Emmaus had just encountered the risen Yeshua. They didn’t recognize Him at first, but as He walked with them and opened the Scriptures, something deeper stirred—their hearts burned. Not from manipulated sentiment or hyped theatrics, but from divine revelation breaking through veils of sorrow and confusion. This burning was not a fleeting feeling; it was the ignition of truth meeting the Spirit within.

Beloved, this is how God works. God does not play with our emotions. He doesn’t stage artificial atmospheres to provoke momentary sentiment. He is not in the business of entertaining souls, but of transforming them. His Spirit and His Word always work in unity, and when they touch a willing heart, the result is conviction, awakening, and worship.

There is a troubling trend in our generation: many are drawn to religious environments where emotionalism replaces anointed preaching, and psychological techniques masquerade as spiritual encounters. But let us be discerning. Emotions are not evidence of truth—they are merely responses. When the Spirit of God moves, emotions may rise, but they are the byproduct, not the proof. The Psalmist cried, “The entrance of Your words gives light” (Psalm 119:130, AMP). Light does not need to stir a tear to prove it has entered—it simply reveals.

The apostle Paul warned of a time when people would “accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires” (2 Timothy 4:3, NASB). In such times, truth is replaced with experience, and conviction is replaced with sensation. But true revival never begins with a tear—it begins with truth and repentance. “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17, NASB). Where the Word is rightly preached and the Spirit is welcomed, there will always be transformation.

To be clear, God is not against our emotions. He created them. But they are not the foundation of our faith—they are its fragrance. When Peter heard the voice of the Father declare Yeshua’s Sonship on the Mount of Transfiguration, he later wrote, “We have the prophetic word made more sure” (2 Peter 1:19, NASB). Peter valued the Word above the experience. This is the true order of the Kingdom: the Word gives the foundation, the Spirit brings life, and emotion flows as a holy response.

We must ask ourselves: What burns within us? Is it truth igniting holy passion? Or is it the flicker of manipulated feeling soon to die out when the music fades? The early Church burned with a fire not fed by smoke machines or stirring choruses, but by the Word made flesh, crucified, risen, and soon returning. Their message pierced hearts, not by volume or rhythm, but by Spirit and truth. “For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12, NASB).

There is a deep need in the Body today to return to that Emmaus road—to walk with Yeshua again, to listen as He opens the Scriptures, to allow the fire of truth to burn away the dross of shallow religion. The Church does not need another show; it needs another awakening. It is time to build altars, not stages. It is time to host His presence, not emotions.

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32, NASB). But only if we receive it. Only if we linger long enough to let the Spirit breathe on it. Only if we resist the temptation to replace depth with entertainment. Beloved, God wants your heart, not just your tears. He desires truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6), and He sends His Spirit to seal it within us.

So today, let us pray not for a passing feeling, but for a fire that remains. Let us seek not to be stirred but to be changed. Let our hearts burn again—not because a preacher moved us, but because God spoke.

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The Power of the Word

A Prayer for the Burning Heart

Father, we come not to be entertained but to be transformed. Let Your Word burn within us again. Let Your Spirit open our eyes to truth, convict our hearts, and renew our minds. Strip away every counterfeit emotion, every religious pretense, and every shallow substitute for Your presence. Ignite a holy fire in us—not for performance, but for purity. We want to walk with You, listen to You, and burn with love for You. Give us a heart that trembles at Your Word and rejoices in Your truth. Let our worship rise not from manipulated tears, but from a heart set ablaze by revelation. In the name of Yeshua, amen.

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Truth

Love Truth, Not Applause

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Beloved, I say this with love in my heart and concern for your soul: not every word that comforts is from God, and not every truth that stings is from the enemy. Sometimes, the voice that unsettles us the most is the one we need to hear. In a world obsessed with applause, God still calls His children to love truth not applause.

Truth has never been popular. From the days of the prophets to the ministry of Yeshua, those who spoke God’s Word plainly were rarely applauded. They were rejected, misunderstood, even hated—not because they lacked love, but because they would not compromise. We must remember: truth is not the enemy of love—it is the foundation of it.

Paul’s warning to Timothy was not a prediction for a distant generation; it is our reality: “For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires” (2 Timothy 4:3, NASB). Many today gather in crowds to hear what pleases them, but few sit at the feet of Jesus to hear what purifies them.

As a shepherd who longs to see you grow in grace and walk in fullness, I plead with you—do not despise the voice that confronts your sin. Do not run from the correction of the Lord. Every pruning, every rebuke, every uncomfortable truth is an act of holy love. Our Father disciplines those He receives as sons (Hebrews 12:6, NASB). To be corrected is not to be cast out—it is to be drawn in.

If a doctor saw cancer in your body but withheld the diagnosis to spare your feelings, would you call that love? No. It would be cruelty disguised as kindness. And yet this is what many pulpits offer—harmless words while sin quietly devours the soul. Beloved, the Word of God is not sentimental—it is surgical. It cuts in order to heal, wounds in order to restore.

“For the word of God is living and active and full of power… piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit… exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12, AMP). When you read His Word and feel conviction, do not harden your heart. Fall to your knees. Let the Great Physician do His work.

There is a tenderness in truth that only those who love God can recognize. Yeshua never spoke to impress; He spoke to save. When He looked at the rich young ruler and said, “Sell everything you own,” it was not a cruel demand—it was an invitation into freedom. But the young man walked away, clinging to comfort instead of clinging to Christ (Matthew 19:16–22). What will you choose?

As your brother in the Lord, I urge you: let go of the need to be liked. Release the addiction to approval. Seek the face of God, not the applause of men. The path of obedience may be lonely at times, but it is paved with peace, joy, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. The crowd may never understand, but your Shepherd will never leave your side.

Moses spoke to God face to face

When Jeremiah tried to hold back the Word of the Lord, he could not. “His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones… I cannot hold it in” (Jeremiah 20:9, NASB). That is what happens when we love truth more than comfort. We burn with it. We ache to speak it. And we find that in the end, truth does not isolate—it liberates.

So, dear one, ask God for a heart that welcomes His truth. Surround yourself with voices who speak it, even when it cuts. Open His Word not only for promises, but for correction. For “the wounds of a friend are faithful” (Proverbs 27:6, NASB), and there is no greater Friend than the One who laid down His life to rescue you from lies.

Let my lips not speak the flattery of fools,
Nor my heart chase the praise of the proud.
Teach me to rejoice in rebuke, O God,
And tremble before the words of Your mouth.
For Your truth alone is my safety and light.

Prayer

Abba Father, we come as children who often resist what is good for us. Break the power of people-pleasing in our hearts. Deliver us from soft lies and lead us into the light of Your Word. Teach us to love truth even when it is hard, and to trust Your voice above every other. Speak to us clearly, lovingly, and directly—and give us the courage to obey without delay. Let Your truth dwell richly within us, transforming us day by day. In the name of Yeshua, the Faithful and True One, amen.

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See Also

Return to Biblical Christianity, Seek the Lord

Return to the Lord: A Blood-Soaked Prayer

The Lord is here now. He calls us to return in brokenness.

But will we truly come to Him? Not with hollow prayers. Not with rehearsed religion. But with hearts torn, spirits humbled, souls undone? Will we come not only for what He can do, but for who He is—holy, righteous, beautiful beyond compare?

Oh, Church, it is time.

Before the healing comes, the jar must break. This is where revival begins—on our faces, with nothing held back.

Break your heart before Him. Tear it like the veil was torn—wide open, exposed to His light. We don’t need better words—we need real repentance. We need holy desperation. We need blood-soaked prayer—not because we bleed, but because He did.

Our hearts groan with conviction.

We have sinned.

We have tolerated what He hates.

We have made peace with the chains He died to break.

We have been too full of ourselves to be filled with Him.

A heart laid bare before the Lord—brokenness that becomes the doorway to healing, freedom, and revival.

But now—we return.

We yearn for more of Him. Less of us.

We cry like David: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10, NASB)

We cry like Moses: “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.”(Exodus 33:15, NASB)

We cry like the psalmist: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:2, NASB)

She broke her jar before the Lord—her tears, her pride, her past spilled out in surrender. This is where healing begins: at the feet of Yeshua, with nothing held back.

Let us return not just in words, but in weeping. Let us fall at the feet of Yeshua and cry, “Worthy!” with tears streaming down our cheeks—not because we want something from His hand, but because we cannot live without His face.

Ask Him now:

Lord, I repent.

Lord, I need You.

Lord, I’m not okay with sin anymore.

Lord, I want You more than comfort, more than control, more than myself.

Let the Spirit groan within you. Even when you don’t know how to pray, He knows the cry of the heart. And with just a word—He can change everything.

He has the power to heal.

He has the power to deliver.

He has the power to break every chain.

He has the power to purify your heart.

He has the power to make you new.

But He is not just power.

He is your portion. He is your reward. He is your God.

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Prayer

Lord God, I come not to be comforted but to be changed. My heart is broken over my sin. I don’t want to be the same. I want You. I want Your holiness to burn in me. I want Your presence to wreck me and remake me. Tear down everything false, everything proud, everything impure. I surrender again. I repent again. I lay myself down—not to gain a blessing, but to give You the worship You deserve. You are everything, and I want only You. In the name of Yeshua, the Lamb who was slain, Amen.

See Also

Revival, The Pursuit

The Lord Is Near—Do Not Turn Away

Beloved, hear the voice of the Lord—do not harden your heart, for The Lord Nears.

{Day Five}

God’s Unchanging Call to You

God never changes. He is I AM (Exodus 3:14), the eternal foundation against which all things are measured. Though the world shifts and people falter, God remains faithful, merciful, and ready to forgive (Psalm 86:5). The Lord nears, His love is abundant, His mercy overflows, and He calls to all who will listen.

Yet, He does not leave us as we are. He desires a transformation—not just an outward confession but a deep, lasting renewal in our souls. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8), not to condemn but to bring true, lasting life. Indeed, the Lord nears to bring transformation.

If you hear His voice today, do not resist (Hebrews 3:15). The hardened heart shuts out the voice of God, but the heart that is tender before Him will be filled with His presence as the Lord nears.

The Spirit Moves in Power

When the Word of God is spoken, the Spirit moves. As Peter preached, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard (Acts 10:44). This is not a distant event—it is the reality of God at work today. The Lord nears through His Word.

God’s Word is not empty—it is living, active, and powerful. Those who receive it become living letters, written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, inscribed upon human hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3). Your life becomes a testimony, a witness of the transforming power of God.

But transformation requires surrender. The Spirit does not merely declare us righteous—He makes righteousness our desire. The atonement in Christ’s blood has made this change possible, and the Holy Spirit makes it a reality.

What Must You Do?

If the Spirit is speaking to you, do not ignore Him. The enemy wants to keep you indifferent, distracted, or convinced that you can wait. But now is the time to seek the Lord.

Here’s how you can respond:

1. Call upon Him in prayer. Open your heart to Him and invite the Holy Spirit to reveal anything that needs to change. Remember, the Lord nears those who seek Him.

2. Repent and surrender. If there is sin in your life, confess it and ask God to cleanse you. He is ready to forgive (Psalm 86:5).

3. Read His Word with expectation. The Spirit speaks through Scripture—let it shape you.

4. Act on what you hear. Obedience is the key to spiritual growth. The more you follow His leading, the more His presence will be evident in your life.

5. Stay in community. Surround yourself with believers who encourage and challenge you to walk in faith.

A Final Warning and a Promise

The Lord is near—do not turn Him away. Indifference is dangerous. When we reject the voice of the Spirit, our hearts grow cold, and the conviction we once felt fades. But for those who seek Him, He will answer.

“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)

God is calling—will you answer?

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