Firebrand Fellowship
““I overthrew some of you, As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; Yet you have not returned to Me” Says the LORD. “Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”” Amos 4:11-12 NKJV http://bible.com/114/amo.4.11-12.nkjv For a child who is observed to become obsessed with certain social or worldly attractions and entertainment, a time-out strategy appears to encourage a return to a good family relationship. Whereas, in some extreme circumstances like in the relationship between God and Israel in the days of prophet Amos, a time-out strategy did not work. There are something specially refreshing in a good firebrand fellowship with the Father - the burning closeness, affection, and communication - that gets withdrawn with every time-out strategy. However, when stubbornness and disobedience develop a coping strategy with the entertainment of this world turned rel...