STEP 4: THE FIRST FIRING
Almost immediately, the Lord takes you out of the wilderness and places you in large room with other dried vessels. At first you are relieved but as the fire starts to come through the floorboards and the top of the ceiling, you panic.
The Lord has moved you from the shelf to the kiln, from the wilderness to His consuming fire. You can sense the heat. You can feel the relentless blaze. Perspiring yourself, you suddenly look over at the sweaty people next to you and realize you don’t even like them!
The Lord never fires just one vessel at a time. He takes a church, a family or a group of friends and sets them on fire to expose everyone’s hearts. In the intense heat, all the impurities of the soul come to the surface. Resentment, bitterness, anger and greed are revealed.
As the fire gets hotter the pain increases, you cry out, “Lord! Everything in my life is dying!” Relationships with family and friends become strained, you experience persecution at work, and you can’t get along with the people at church.
“God, if you love me, You’ll turn off the heat!” you complain. But the fire continues to blaze even hotter. Finally, the doors open and the Lord removes the clay vessels and places them back on the shelves.
Now you’re actually happy to be in a hidden place. You decide to sit in the back of the church and not give prophecies or be a part of the prayer team anymore. Oh, yes, you still raise your hands and occasionally pray for people, but you’ve become lukewarm. When the Holy Spirit stirs your heart to give a word, you say, “No! If I give a word, others will judge me. No, Lord, find someone else.”
For a while, God tolerates your pulling back. Then He begins to nudge your spirit. He says, “Are you willing to settle for this, or do you want more of Me? Do you want to become My anointed bride?”
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Have you ever been in a place in your walk where the fire got so hot you just wanted to shrink back and rest for a while? Silly question, I know. I’m sure we’ve all been there.
Wow to Lori for stirring the pot. And Wow to Judy for writing my reply. I’m going to be 64 and feel like I have hit mid life crisis – and I feel exactly like you do. We’re all in this together. (PS – Just signed up today and just started watching Jim & Lori in the morning. Thank you for being there)
You hit the nail on the head Lori! I have been there and done that also. Today I’m finding it difficult to find a home as I just don’t feel the Lord wants me in some of the places I try. I’m looking for where it is he will have me to be. It will come I know as soon as I quit trying to lead ! Kind of like you and a dance partner and both of you are trying to lead. I need to stop and just follow his lead. He has been working on me for a very long time! He has taken me from a little girl with a love for God but no family lead to an old woman and I could write a book on the things he has had me do , the things he has lead me to and then lead me through. Some thing have been a wonderful trip and others have been some serious learning experiences and then others have been wonderful times when he has saved me from disaster at the very last minute. He is a loving God and I love him. God Bless
I’m having a hard time loving people. I do love Jesus with all my heart and soul. But I fing that many people are so mean and jealous. How do I love people with all my heart too.
Michelle: I know how hard it is to love somebody who has been hurtful to you, but I have come to realize that the best thing to do is PRAY for them and try to find another way of showing God’s love to them, it could be just a smile, stepping back and let them come to you( hurting people, hurt people and sometimes they don’t even know it). Ask God to give you His Love so that you can love them through Him and as the old saying goes, let it go in one ear and out the other, don’t hold onto the hurt give it all to Jesus and when the feelings of hurt come upon you, Stop, Pray and give it all to Jesus, He knows how to love them far better than us. Ask God to show you the good in them
Excellent! Bravo!
This story is very heart touching Lori, thank u, very well put.