SEND THE FIRE!

I have posted this video especially for the evangelism class I teach at the Bible College.I tried to play it last week in the class but the volume of the laptop was not loud enough for everyone to hear!The song was written by William Booth,the General and Founder of the Salvation Army.Booth was an incredible individual.One of the best biographies about him is 'The General next to God', which is difficult to read and not be inspired to reach out to the lost in evangelism and social action.Like his mentors and heroes before him,John Wesley and Christ Himself, there was no conflict between these two duties of the Church. Booth, before preaching in a certain town, prayed that God would convert the worst sinner in it, in order to be an example to the rest of God's grace and mercy.No wonder the Salvation Army was full of prostitutes, thieves, thugs, alcoholics,pimps,wife beaters-EX, who were now saints.This Army of grace also suffered a lot of persecution from gangs paid by the brewries and bookmakers who were losing trade due to the conversions that took place.My own grandfather who had fought in two World Wars,a short time after the second one, ended up at one of their meetings.That night he responded to the altar call and left behind his Woodbine cigarettes-he was never to smoke again!

This hymn is a prayer for God's Holy Spirit to come upon us and fill it with His fire,in order to burn off our sin,our lukewarmness and our lack of passion for God and the lost.Come Holy Spirit and fill us with your fire today.