Cracked Ice and a Fervent Heart

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Cracked Ice and a Fervent Heart

I have heard the cracks as I poured warm Cola over ice in a glass, and I have witnessed similar cracks occur in Holy Scripture when a passionate heart has been released upon a cold-hearted audience.

When Stephen released his passionate assessment of his own contemporaries upon the cold hearts of his listeners (Acts 7:51-53), the resulting crack led to his own martyrdom:

 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they [began] gnashing their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; ⁵⁶ and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷ But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. (Acts 754-57 – NASB)

Jeremiah experience the crack when he was let down into a well and had mud up to his armpits. He was also locked in the prison house all because he unflinchingly declared God’s truth to his generation.

I have felt the crack when some warm truth from God’s Word has washed over my own cold heart.

And I long to see the crack appear in the Western church when God raises an anointed Voice to wake her up from her lukewarm slumber.

I’d Rather

(© Wednesday 24^th December 2014 – by Christopher Shennan)

But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ For this reason it says,

“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:13-14 – NASB)

I’d rather have a crack right through

My frozen heart, than to suffer

The consequences of coldness;

That, I declare, would be tougher.

The warm truth of God flows over

My coldness of heart and cold mind;

It cracks my stubborn will right through,

And melts all resistance – I find.

I’d rather endure persecution

When I speak the Truth from my heart,

Than wallow in self-satisfaction,

And know I have not done my part.

I’d rather the Church be ready,

And waiting for Jesus the King,

Than to wallow in self comfort

And have no true praises to sing.

Oh, pour Your warm Truth upon us;

Crack our complacency right through.

For, Lord, we need a revival

To bring all our hearts back to You.

 Please check out my books at My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
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Ice Cubes by Darren Hester. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license: please note the Disclaimer at this site. No changes were made to this photo.

Silver and Gold

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Silver and Gold

But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” (Acts 3:6 – NASB)

Whenever the church has become wealthy, it has generally lost its power to heal.

Now I know this is a generalization, and money is often needed to do the Lord’s work. But that’s not what I’m talking about. I am talking about a pre-occupation with money as the primary means to accomplish the mission of the church.

I once suggested to a denominational hierarchy the need to start a work in a certain area. Their response: We don’t have any money to start that work.”

I’m not sure if I actually told them this, but my heart answered, “You don’t need a lot of money. All you need is someone with a call of God upon them – someone with a passion to share the Gospel. That man or woman will find a way, with little or much, to spread the Word and win people to Christ.”

Not Silver or Gold

Give me a man, or a woman, or child

With the love of God in their heart and mind,

Rather than a church with treasure high piled,

Yet faintness of heart in the pew still find.

There’s nought to compare with a holy, zeal,

That will live or die for the Master’s cause.

To find a man who in his breast can feel

True love for God and His holy, just laws.

It’s a treasure beyond all earthly gain,

It will bring down upon you Heaven’s smile;

It will comfort the heart and banish pain,

And create a soul that is without guile.

Silver and gold you may not have to give,

But the power of love will cause men to live.

Check out my books for sale at My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
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Sprott Gold and Silver Coins, by Sprott Money. Copyright. Used under the Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) license: please note the Disclaimer. No changes were made to the photog