Beauty For Ashes

The Hebrew word for ashes is epher and the Hebrew word for beauty is pheer. Just move the e and you have a new word. And just as quickly as it takes for you to move one letter God is going to turn your sorrow into joy. He speaks and it is already done.

Whatever your situation is, whether it seems there is no solution in sight for your problems, or you are sick and down trodden, or you don’t even have any affliction, but you just desire a better life, no matter what your state is, God is still in the business of making things better. So whether you are afflicted or not, God is saying to you He will give you beauty for ashes. God is working to create a miracle out of your afflictions, He is working in your storm to produce peace, and is working in your ashes to give you beauty.

He desires the best for you, and therefore invests His best in you. As parents go to any length to ensure the best for their children, so that they can be proud of them when they grow up how much more God, He also wants to show you off to the world and tell the world He is proud of you. So no matter what you are going through right now, look to the end, it will reveal the glory of God. No matter how dark the night is, the dawning of a new day shall be glorious. When something is burnt into ashes, it seems there is no hope for it anymore, but God who specializes in impossibilities will surely turn that hopelessness into a thing of beauty. So don’t look down on yourself, don’t be discouraged, for that is exactly what the devil wants you to believe. If you give up, God is not going to be glorified, and Jesus won’t be able to fulfill His ministry in your life.

In Psalms 50:2, Zion is called the perfection of beauty, and Zion is symbolic of the church, which is you and I. Psalms 76:2 says Zion is the dwelling place of God. Joel 3:17 also says Zion is where God dwells. Jesus died for the world (sinners), but He lives for the Church. He has already died once and for all to save sinners but the reason He’s alive is because of you and I, so that the Church can be beautified. Hebrews 7:25, Jesus is praying for you right now.

Exodus 15:22-27 Bitter waters made sweet From this story we learn about a young nation that has just been freed from bondage, for 430 years they had been under slavery in the land of Egypt. They were under the oppression of their task masters, the Egyptians, who treated them cruelly. And the Bible says God delivered them with a strong and mighty hand. After they left Egypt, God had parted the Red sea and they had walked safely on dry ground, while the Egyptians pursuing them had perished in the same sea. Afterwards, they broke out in songs led by Mariam and Moses, singing about God’s mighty deliverance from their enemies. This story illustrates the life of a believer that has just been delivered from bondage, who has enjoyed the grace of God and outstanding victories.

*What Should I Know/Do?*

The Bible says that he will give us beauty for ashes. In Bible times it was the custom for the people of that day to in great times of mourning and difficulty lay in ashes. Just think about that. You’ve got a problem in your life and you just sit down in a pile of ashes. There is nothing beautiful about ashes.

But the scripture says he is going to take your difficult, disgusting, depressing and horrible situation and give you beauty. He is going to pick you up out of the ash pile of life and make something beautiful out of you.

You may feel like your life is ugly and insignificant right now. But sometimes things that appear ugly just need the right climate to grow. There is a species of century plant called the “Maguey”. It grows for years with great course leaves as thick as two hands put together. It’s three inches thick and very long. It puts out sharp thorns and it’s just as ugly as can be. The longer it’s alive and the more it grows, it just gets uglier all the time. But suddenly it shoots up in just a couple of days and a great shaft tall and thick begins to grow. It decks it’s spreading head with thousands of flowers and becomes a beautiful plant.

The possibility of all that fragrant beauty was always in that detestable ugliness. Just as the fragrant beauty of your life is sometimes hidden underneath the calloused ritual. It is smothered by daily schedules and monotonous grind. Sometimes painful experiences cause beauty to come forth.

*Lifting Prayers*

Heavenly Father, in a mighty dimension, release the fire of the Holy Spirit on my life. Set my spiritual life; my prayer life, bible study, faith and ministry on fire that there will be no room for spiritual ashes in my life. Make me a flame of fire for you not someone who is spiritually dry and weak. Let my spiritual life be alive with your fire not dead with ashes. Lord, baptize me afresh with the Holy Spirit. Fill me with the fire of the Holy Spirit so I am untouchable to any evil fire, dart or arrow. I stand against every evil conspiracy and oath that has been taken to cut short my life or the lives of my family members. I declare that I shall live and not die. My family members will not mourn over me this year, I will not mourn over any family member. O Lord, give me beauty for ashes. Turn my mourning to dancing. I refuse to wear garments of mourning, sadness and sorrow. Father, this year and beyond, let my life be full of celebrations, thanksgiving and rejoicing In Jesus Mighty Name. Amen!

Do have a victorious Wednesday
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Further Scriptural Reading: Psalm 30:11, Heb 1:7, Jeremiah 30:19, Dan 3:26-27, Psalm 105:15.