An Introduction: To Begin With...

This blog FROM The MIND of FIRE is now more than four years old and will soon be just about five! I thought it would be a good idea to produce a new introductory entry/article that would cross the expanse of the many articles posted on this blog and explain how this whole thing started, what's involved in creating articles currently, and where I hope to take it in the future.

WHY THIS TITLE?

Some have thought it a rather egotistical gesture to create a blog with my name in it, and believe its presumptuous of me to think any would spend their valuable time reading what's on my mind.

However, in all honesty, when I thought up the name, I intended it as a kind of pun (as I am prone to such things). You see our God is a consuming fire (DEUT 4:24; HEB 12:29) and the Word of God, which in the Greek is logos, means "order, word, logic, thought and mind" of God.

God's mind literally conveyed the Truth of His Word to the minds of various prophets and apostles, holy men of God - 2 PET 1:21 and so FROM the MIND of FIRE became the title for this blog as its primary intent was and still is to share the Word of God through exhortations, study and commentary on the church and the world at large.

The fact that my last name happens to be Fire, proved useful in employing this pun (something I couldn't resist)!

WHY ME?

Why have I taken it upon myself to create this blog?
Well to begin with, if I do possess any talents or gifts, I must give God the glory for them, as He has given me all things and I can claim credit for nothing other than my own sin. The LORD has granted me a gift for writing (and there are many that have said so to me) as well as the gift of teaching and exhortation and encouragement (how well I do at exercising these gifts remains a question I will have to ultimately deal with on Judgment Day when I see our LORD Face to face for His Holy evaluation at the bema seat of Christ).
If in fact God has blessed me in these ways, then I could prove to be a vessel through which the LORD may bless others, and I could never ignore such a potentiality!

WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN?

Initially I was writing up studies to share with a group that came over to my house for the very intention of learning the Bible. Someone in that group suggested that I write a book on the subject we were studying at that time. But once I heard about this business about 'blogging' (I really had no idea what this was until I did a little online investigating!), I thought, well here's a vehicle I could use and without all the hassle of getting book agents, editors, publishers, etc. and write as much as I want, as often as I want. Back then, my blog was on AOL, but as they were downsizing their site in those days, they transferred every one's blogs over to e-blogger, and I've been here ever since.

DO I GOT IT COVERED?

Most of the articles here are thematic, and topical biblical studies in nature; to date there is only one expositional study that I've completed thus far, and that's on the epistle to the Ephesians. Here is one of the first studies (by the way, you can read an expanded and updated version of these studies on our mother site, The TRUTH Under FIRE, here!

Other expositional studies are planned for the future, but many more topical studies will find their way here.
A great many articles posted are rather exhaustive (which is to say that they are of considerable length and cover a lot of information; but also readers have told me that they are exhausted after reading them, lol!). Here are some, if you dare to have a look!

WANTED - Righteous Raiment, Purified Gold and Sanctified Salve

The CROSS, The KINGDOM and The CROWN

I also have something new on this blog, which is the idea of 'Smoke Signals' from the mind of FIRE... and like they say, where there's fire, there's smoke! ...? or something like that ...
These are relatively shorter articles that capsulate a primary idea and then just quit without a lot of elaboration.
Here is an example of one of these:

In addition, there are some poems as well which I myself have written. More of these to come too! Here's a latest:

The NEW BORN MESSIAH-KING

Here is an older one:

"HEARKEN"

Not all of these articles are written by me; occasionally I will solicit others to contribute articles of their own or I will post articles from other ministries along with my own commentary; like these:

INVASION OF THE “BODY” SNATCHERS? (this article is actually written by Anne Kisly, the co-writer and founder of The TRUTH Under FIRE; www.thetruthunderfire.com)

SMOKE SIGNAL - Emergent Authors & Their Errors - by Diana King

And some of these are personal testimonies on how JESUS saved souls!

TRANSFORMATION to LIGHT - Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 - the testimony of David 'Spoon' Fiorenza

Anyone viewing this site will notice I have plenty of links to various other sites, and these I have carefully chosen as sources of edification and good spiritual 'provender' for God's sheep. Two such links are from among some of my favorite ministries - www.khouse.org and http://www.thebereancall.org/.

There are comment sections of course, and an email address where I can be reached as well (KNYHTF1RE@gmail.com); I do hope that those who read these articles, poems, studies, etc. will respond and share how these may have blessed and encouraged them, or ask questions or make suggestions and comments. These are available to you and for you all.

SCOPING OUT THIS MIND -

I just had to include a search engine on this thing! Not only for readers, but for myself as well, because accessing just the right article which I'm searching for can be a challenge, especially as I'm getting closer to the triple-digit in numbers of articles!

REACHING and TEACHING -

In this day and age where we who are lovers of God's Word of Truth can readily see how there are many "falling away from the faith", something known as the apostasy, and perhaps are finding it difficult to find a good church may well have need of feeding ourselves. Such online blogs, web sites and resources will prove most valuable towards this means of edifying the saints. It is my sincere prayer that what I share will reach others, and provide some measure of teaching as well.

WHAT'S IN STORE -

Where will all this be heading? God only knows for sure! One day I hope to have an entire library of expositional studies of my own made available here. LORD willing I may venture into video-blogging on youtube, and post links to these here on my blog.
This site is actually one of two that I write for; the other is The RED PILL Consortium, (I haven't touched this site in years, but as the LORD provides the leading and the time, I hope to get back into it!) and in addition to these two, there is the mother site, The TRUTH Under FIRE: (www.thetruthunderfire.com) . . .
I know what you're thinking - "Doesn't this guy have a life? Is this all he does is write? Does someone have him trapped in some sort of polymer bubble and force him to do nothing but work on these sites??"

The answer is, 'no' . . . just thought I'd mention that! :o )

What I would like to see eventually, LORD and time permitting is an entire team that would write articles, do research, investigation, as well as their own video-blogging on youtube (to be linked on these sites of ours). Your prayers for both myself and Anne Kisly are deeply appreciated as we explore these and other possibilities.

MY HEARTS DESIRE -

Early on in my Christian experience, the LORD made something very clear to me: 

There are three things that are important in this life and in the one to come, and nothing more than this:
GOD, people, and their love for one another.

The LORD has gifted me with a fair mind and a considerable (though not exceptional in my ... uh, mind) intelligence. He has given me various talents too; but as the Word says, we can do much in His Name, but if we have not love, we are nothing (refer to 1 COR 13:2-3).

My hearts desire is to convey the love of the LORD through my life, my actions and my words, both to saints and sinners; it is my heartfelt prayer that whoever the LORD allows me to encounter in this world, that by His grace I may leave them in a better condition than when I found them.

It is my passion to share the Truth of GOD's WORD and the love and grace that these proclaim, as well as its standard for holiness and the call to worship with reverence, the GOD of all creation and the Redeemer of all mankind!

And so there we have it: this is my introduction to this blog, FROM the MIND of FIRE. It is my prayer that the LORD will bless us all, WAY TOO MUCH!!

agape, grace & peace,
brother James J. Fire, associate pastor of SHINE BRIGHT Church </><