Monday Writing..."Remove the Dross...8/7/17

Good Morning,

Today's writing, "REMOVE THE DROSS," was written by Pastor Larry Ihrig, who was willing to have it shared here. The theme of the writing, that there are times in life when we feel are beyond dry, and are so challenging and painful. It is during these times that God is working on a person to bring him or her to a new level where the understandings that they have are elevated by the experience. That is when God can use a person for a "job" He has for him or her. Pastor Larry wrote, "He's melting you down because he believes in you and has a great future for you. He alone knows the value of your usefulness and He's wanting to remove everything that is unnecessary for the future He has determined. So, stay the course, endure the season, and embrace the reality that God is in control of everything that touches your life. It won't be long until He is able to do significantly more through your life than what has been accomplished in the seasons past."

We can look at those times of challenge as a blessing because of God's high regard for us.

God bless,

Pastor Larry and Corinne

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Today's Devotional

Written by
Pastor Larry Ihrig

"REMOVE THE DROSS"

"Remove the dross from the silver,
and a silversmith can produce a vessel;"
Proverbs 25:4

Ask almost any Christ follower if they want to be useful to God, be a vessel for His purpose, and the unequivocal response would be affirmative. But not everyone understands the necessary process for usefulness or the deep discomfort associated with that process. Before God can even begin the creation of a useful vessel, before He can shape the form of your future capacity, and before He frames your life to be suitable to fill with His purpose, you must FIRST be transformed by the fire of His bellows.

The temperature necessary to melt the molecular structure of who you really are is determined only by God, and it is when you are completely broken that the unnecessary part, the impurity deep within, can slowly rise to the surface so it can be dealt with and removed. Asking him to turn the temperature down, praying that he will make your path easy, trying to convince yourself you already worked through all of your problems, or demanding to have things your way maybe proof alone that there still remains a remnant of impurity that God knows must be revealed and removed in order to fulfill His destiny for you.

It is not a comfortable season, and it's not an easy path, but nonetheless it is the means through which God can use you for his purposes in the future. God isn't turning up the heat just so he can see how much you can take. He's melting you down because he believes in you and has a great future for you. He alone knows the value of your usefulness and He's wanting to remove everything that is unnecessary for the future He has determined. So, stay the course, endure the season, and embrace the reality that God is in control of everything that touches your life. It won't be long until He is able to do significantly more through your life than what has been accomplished in the seasons past.

Written by 

Pastor Larry Ihrig
Facebook
7/25/17

"I'll Never Be The Same Again"

sung by Hillsong

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Here is an uplifting graphic

for you to think about.

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Prayers are lifted up daily for you
by the Staff Writers of 

Women's Focus Ministry

  Jan Andersen,  Cathy Friberg,  Sandy Billingham, Beverley Napier, Shelly Keith, 

Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward,  Karen Bennett, 

Carol Steficek, Amie Spruiell, and  Corinne Mustafa

Occasional Contributors
Kathy Bireley,  Lynda Kinnard, Mary M. Wilkins,

Terri Baker, Beverley Napier, Kelly Dobyns

Glenna Williamson, Lisabeth  Lipp, Nandita Bhatnaga