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Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

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FIRE IN OUR HEARTS THE LORD TOOK HOLD OF BUGBROOKE<br />

and as we worshipped together a sense of brotherhood was<br />

born.<br />

God gave us wisdom urg<strong>in</strong>g commitment to each other. One<br />

of us saw a huge golden crown sh<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the darkness, and<br />

many jo<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> a circle to lift it <strong>in</strong>to the air. Its glory attracted<br />

many more, who helped to lift the crown. Others hung around,<br />

fasc<strong>in</strong>ated, but refused to shoulder the burden, and slowly<br />

shrank away <strong>in</strong>to the darkness. We saw that com<strong>in</strong>g under<br />

Christ’s authority meant unity.<br />

The path of discipleship seemed to blaze out before us from<br />

the Scriptures. <strong>Jesus</strong> compared the k<strong>in</strong>gdom of God to a banquet<br />

which, sadly, most were too busy to attend. He also likened<br />

it to a tower, and told his disciples to count the cost of<br />

build<strong>in</strong>g it (Luke 14). The church would never be built on<br />

‘cheap grace’.<br />

‘Grace is costly,’ Noel quoted from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, ‘because<br />

it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and<br />

follow him.’ 18 For us, this would mean a new lifestyle. ‘Any of<br />

you who does not give up everyth<strong>in</strong>g he has cannot be my<br />

disciple,’ <strong>Jesus</strong> had said (Luke 14:33). Some speak fearfully<br />

of these ‘hard say<strong>in</strong>gs’, but obedience to them was the key<br />

that unlocked God’s life amongst us.<br />

We also found baptism <strong>in</strong> water to be <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly significant.<br />

Alan was a busker and a registered hero<strong>in</strong> addict. With<br />

long blond hair and purple kaftan, he was a familiar sight <strong>in</strong><br />

London. When he heard about Rufus, Alan came along to see<br />

us. In the first meet<strong>in</strong>g he was born aga<strong>in</strong> and healed of addiction.<br />

In the second he was baptised <strong>in</strong> the Spirit. In the<br />

third he got baptised.<br />

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