(This post was written by Michele Stephens, Worship and Creative Arts Director)

Have You Lost It?

(Lessons From the Dross)

There is an old illustration about the silversmith that as the heat elevates, the dross (impurities) rise to the top at which time the silversmith scrapes it off the top. There is not a formulated time frame how long this happens or how many times it will take; however the silversmith knows the silver is ready/refined when he can look into the silver and see his reflection.

The last six months in the life of fpWorship have been just that. God revealed that we should begin interceding for the Spiritual Temperature to change.  At first I wasn’t sure what it all meant and as the heat was and continues to be turned up there sure is a lot of “dross” floating to the top.  Through God’s grace, wisdom and discernment we wait for Him to scrape.

I have to admit that I’ve wanted to scrape some things myself however it wasn’t ready; everything for that particular time had not surfaced fully. I also realized that I myself was in fact, particles of dross that needed to be drawn out and refined.

Through one particular scraping session the Lord reminded of a passage in Revelation 22:2-5 about losing your First Love:

“2 ‘I know your deeds and your toil and [b]perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have [c]perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the [d]deeds you did at first…”

Here is the scraping point for this particular Dross Lesson:

Applying this scripture to one’s relationship with Christ are three steps to getting back your “First Love”:

1.  Remember Where You Have Fallen

2.  Repent (turn from)

3.  Go Back and Do the Things You Did At First

Here’s the scrape – have some people lost their “first love” (passion) in serving in fpWorship Ministry (or insert any ministry)?  I believe so – due to disillusion, stress, seasons of life, lies from the enemy, frustration, communication failure and the list could go on and on. I encourage you re-ignite the passion of your “first love” – the ministry area God gifted you in and called you to:

1.  Remember – ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what it is that caused you to “fall away” or caused the passion to dwindle.

2.  Turn Away – sometimes this is difficult when it has become emotionally attached or wrong perceptions have developed. Take the steps in faith knowing that God is going to re-kindle, refresh and revive your passion to do what He’s called and purposes for you to do. Keep “the people” whose lives will be changed in your focus.

3.  Go Back – remember when you first came to FPC (or insert where you are), how excited you were, what you we experiencing in worship and what drove you to want to be part of the fpWorship Ministry?  The drive and passion – that’s it – find it!

This is a journey that could be painful as we let the Master silversmith scrape the surface remember at some point He’s going to see His face in our reflection.   Endure the burn – until next time…