Ashes

God gives beauty for ashes.

I was thinking about this: Ashes are only found where there has been a fire. Without a fire, there are no ashes. I used to think there is a "good" fire, and a "bad" fire, but now I see that fire is just fire, and that in fact, God is a consuming fire.

God's desire is to purify you through fire, like gold. Picture this: more coal = more fire = more ashes. So when you are confident of yourself in God (and every child of God needs to be), when the fire intensifies in your life–meaning that the Master is adding more coal or allowing more coal to be added (and some of you know exactly what that means)–no worry, hang on the tighter. It means that He is wanting to bring out a greater work 'in' you for the great work He wants to do 'through' you. To whom much is given, much is required. But He will not give you much except He prepares you; except He knows that you can handle it....Him purifying you further, making the fire hotter, is a way of His making sure you will be able to handle the task.

Don't fear the fire. Instead praise Him and thank Him for it. Because, obviously, He is seeing so much more in you than you could ever see in yourself (and isn't that part of what makes Him so amazing!? ) If it were up to us we would shy away from the fire and thus miss out on the great destiny and the great blessing that He has in store for us...After all, He had promised to always be with us and to never give us more than we can handle. With Him we can do all things....

When we ask for more of His reality in our lives, and when we long to be closer to Him, let's remember that the fire will be hotter because we must be thoroughly cleansed and purified. "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?  and who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart..." Psalm 24:1. That's the only way to get near to the Father.

Father, search me through and through. Purify me to the core. Let me be nothing but ashes, completely consumed by Your fire, where none of me stays alive...ashes are dead. Let me be dead to me...So that I may have life in You.

I love you fam, and the Lord Jesus loves you most. Be blessed🌹

Bénie

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