EthniClay
"Expressions of God's Grace"
Modelling Clay Figurines
Artwork & Photography by Grace Wiebe - © Grace Wiebe, EthniClay™, 2006
26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."[e] 27The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29for our "God is a consuming fire."Hebrews 12:26-29 (NIV)
This figurines symbolizes the Consuming Fire burning up the dross,
hay and stubble in our lives as we increasingly submit to Him in His refining
processes (http://ethniclink.net/EthniClayProcesses.html).
It is in the midst of the excruciating pain and weakness which we experience
in these processes that we as the Bride of Christ increasingly become one
with Him and more aflame with His love, power and glory, becoming increasingly
transformed into His likeness so we can know Him more intimately and bear
much fruit that will remain.
See encouraging article below
The Flaming Heart of the Fire Bride - very encouraging article for those going through similar journeys!
"The fire bride is a bride who is on fire. What does fire do? It
consumes. What does it consume? It consumes dross, chaff, and all things that
will not stand the test. In the end, nothing of the flesh is left, and only
God, our consuming fire is left. He is all that is seen, He is all that exists.
The bride has become united, one with Him.
Is being on fire comfortable? Does it cause pain? Does a person readily submit
themselves to the flames? The fire begins with love, and it works in us a
calling, a wooing to come higher, closer to Him, to His ways. It's almost
like the insects at night that are drawn to the light. They are drawn by a
force beyond themselves, their own understanding, and this force brings about
their own death.
What is "The Fire Bride"?
The fire bride is one who is aflame with God, in turmoil with her own shortcomings, her sins, her faults. Perhaps in her past she has played with fire, strange fire, the fire of idolatry. Surely she has struggled with different fires, fires of the soul, and fires of the flesh. How could God choose her, and forever set His seal engraved on her heart? Failings, disappointments, anger, jealousies try to interrupt the flow of love between them. If the bride could only understand - He knows and sees all this. All He wants is her love. His love is big enough to cover all her weaknesses, her needs, her ailments. He has already made full payment, full provision.
She sees, she begins to understand His ways, His love, and as the flame begins to burn more intensely within her, she runs to Him and cries out, "Help me, oh my God!" As she runs, the flow of the air feeds the fire, making it grow. The faster she runs, the intensity of the fire grows, causing the dross and chaff to be more quickly consumed. She is being burned alive!
The Heart Aflame
And then, a transformation begins to happen. She cries out, "More fire! More fire!" She is beginning to see Him like never before. Her heart cannot be turned ever again to the old enticements of her past. The intense heat of the fire has tried her heart. It is becoming transformed into gold, precious gold, a kind of enduring gold that will never be consumed by any other kind of fire. It is pure. It is holy. It is complete in Him. It is Him.
Her life, now, is completely lost in Him. Her heart is now not hers, but His. Her will is His. She is His totally and completely, forever.
He Has Rescued Us from Ourselves
There is a hunger arising in us today. We want to run to Him. We want to experience His fire, but we are afraid to run into His flaming arms. We are afraid of the pain, the process of getting there. There are things in our hearts that we want to hang onto. Will He ask this of me? Can I keep this? And as we ask these questions, we realize we have hidden treasures that should not be. We struggle with condemnation because we know we should not consider these things as treasures. We know we should want Him, want Him alone, and we don't, so we come to the conclusion that surely we don't "qualify". Hopelessness tries to take us on a downward spiral, but, something happens. In the midst of our struggle, our discouragement, a Man is standing in front of us. He is pure light, pure cleanness, pure sight. As He looks on us, He captures us with His heart, so tender, so huge with love. Our eyes are drawn away from our faults, and now, all we can see are His eyes, with His heart communing with us, through them. Ah, He has rescued us from ourselves. We begin walking toward Him. Walking becomes too slow...He is so wonderful! We begin running, the match is lit, and we become aflame with passion for Him. We become the Fire Bride!
Many Blessings!"
Michal Ann Goll
Ministry to the Nations
www.MichalAnnGoll.com
Quote - "As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the
person."
~Proverbs 27:19