“Beauty from Ashes” > Episode #1 > What does it mean to “stay in faith” while we’re still in the ashes, the devastation, the loss?

We stay in faith because that is who we have become in Christ! We are people of “the Way” “His Way”, and that is what we do. Unless of course, we are not. If someone cuts us, we bleed faith, because we know our God, and hear His voice. We have become like Him. We would be fools to do otherwise. We would be like the world, and we are not. We Kung Fu our Bible and make the enemy regret what he did, while we show the world how good God is to His people.

So our 150,000 dollar old barn burned down that we had 19,000 of insurance on. It was one of those barns made in the old ways. No metal nails. Wooden nails, spikes, and interlocking joints. Really something to see the craftsmanship involved. Yes, sad that it is gone, but what is God doing in all this? Because my faith knows He’s up to creating something. He is creating something good to come out of this bad. What could it be?

Isaiah 61:3 > “To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes,…”

Jesus looked on the city of Jerusalem and wept for them, knowing what was coming because they had failed to learn. Learn what?

“Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” (Luke 19:41-42)

The things that make for our peace? What things? What specific things is He referring to? It sounds very specific to me. In fact I know it is, because I have learned many of them, and they are specific things. A specific way of life. A specific way of reacting to things that happen, and dealing with them by supernatural faith rather than human stress, fear, worry, and force.

This is the beginning of a story. This will be the story of what God will bring out of these ashes. I suspect most of my articles from here on will revolve around this unfolding story. But I must pull the right levers for God’s will to be manifested as He desires it to be for me. And you must do the same for you. When I think of levers, I also think of leverage. In this case, supernatural levers and leverage!

Someone once said, Give me a place to STAND, and a big enough STICK, and I will move the world. God’s Word is the ground God has given me for which to STAND. And God is the BIG STICK! Through faith and obedience I will STAND upon God’s promises, placing the BIG STICK upon His ROCK, and lift a burden I could never lift in my human strength. I will not deal with this in my humanity, but in my awesome God!

One leading from God has already revealed itself. We still have a big mess here, and winter is rushing in. But it appears God intends to do a Christmas outreach to our surrounding neighbors, who are many! I’ll try to show pictures, and give out the details as I can.

First thing happened was a complete stranger from down the road, in the big housing community, stopped in to see if we needed any help? His name is Tim. We have become friends, and he is well connected in the community. Tim has partnered with me to pull off this Christmas outreach at the teepee! Much work has begun. It will be a thing of beauty. Actually, it really already is, with even more to come!

So what does it mean to stay in faith while in the ashes? It means we do not abandon the supernatural WAY we have learned in Christ while we are waiting for God’s promises to manifest. We will teach much more on this. Like what are these supernatural levers we refer to? And how do we work them? But for now, let me see if I can share pictures of this 24 foot cross now gracing the charcoal burned panels of my teepee. Three panels have been replaced with new. Much yet to do. But right now those burnt black panels are a picture of God taking ashes and supernaturally birthing beauty.

God has given me a great task. At age of 70 it is a challenge, but is doable with God’s help. God and I are working together to manifest this beauty from ashes. I’m loving it. And my whole family is watching and enjoying the show! People are amazed and talking. Kinda like Noah, but a much smaller scale. LOL.