The flame of passion - Set apart or consumed?

Life is full of many things, but when you boil it down to it's essential core your are left with a very few deep seated, human desires and passions. Paul wrote to Timothy in his second letter, Chapter 2 verse 20 (NLT):

In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use.

Notice the distinction between common every day things and things that are meaningful in your life, the events that count for something. I'm referring to the gold and silver in your life, the gifts and callings of God on your life. These are the purposes you were brought to this earth for, the mission you were designed to accomplish.

Paul continues to Timothy in verse 21:

If you keep yourself pure, you will be a utensil God can use for his purpose. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.

In order to find that gold and silver within, that "good work" which could be your next job promotion, a new ministry opportunity, a greater increase in your personal walk with God, whatever this "good work" may be, we must be pure. This is the condition God lays out in his Word. To be pure is to be "unmixed with any other matter", to be free from that which weakens and pollutes. It is to be free from things that do not properly belong.

As disciples of Christ it is our duty to ensure that the passions and flames burning within us offer up a pleasing incense to heaven. It is our duty to ensure that we keep ourselves "unmixed" and "free" from that which would take away from his call and purpose for our lives. On that day the Word says (insert verse) we will have to give an account for all that we have done and it will be tried by fire. I want to live my life in a way that I will arrive with the precious good works in hand, ready to receive my reward. I don't want to to be left wanting, having produced wood, hay, and stubble - things that are of little value. Things that will be burned in the fire.

Every day we offer our lives on the altar of God. The altar is the place of sacrafice, the place where we offer up our works to him from earth and he recieves or rejects them. Throughout the old testament the altar was the place of communication between God and man. It has always been a place of sacrafice, a place we we offer up a sacrafice to God. Abraham offered sacrafices of animals and fire, David offered sacrafices of rams, Jesus was the ultimate sacrafice, offering his life to God. What is your sacrifice? What is your life bringing to God on the altar? What fire, or passion, is burning within you as you live your life as a daily offering? Is it an offering that is pure and pleasing to the Lord? Or is it a stench in his nostrils? An insult to all he has given you?