We all ask God to make us more like Him. But at times we give up when the heat is turned up and things become difficult. Well, God ALWAYS finishes what He started and the results are magnificent.
The refiner’s fire and fuller’s soap are used to stress the thoroughness and severity. The heat of the refiner’s fire was intense in order to separate the dross from the molten pure metal. The fuller washed clothes using lye soap, after which the clothes would be placed on rocks and beaten with sticks. If we as sinners prefer the Lord’s cleansing work rather than His judgment, this is the price that must be paid.
We as human beings needed a human Savior – thus Jesus became human in every sense of the word. The death and rising up of Jesus cleanses our sins and destroys the death grip of the devil, and gives hope and deliverance to those who are in slavery. Satans power is not absolute – it is under the control of God who ultimately rules over life and death. Satan does have the power to harm people to some extent. But Christ defeated satan when He rose on the third day. Because Jesus went through all the temptations as well as suffering a brutal death, He did not sin. He is our sympathetic and merciful high priest who knows our human spiritual infirmities and will help us through the difficulties and purifications.
A group of women were studying the book of Malachi. They were intrigued by Malachi 3:3 “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.” They wondered what this statement meant.
One of the women offered to look into the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.
She contacted a silversmith and made an appointment to meet with him and to watch him at work not mentioning anything about the Bible verse, but just that she was curious about the process. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up.He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were the hottest so to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a way over the fire then she thought again about the verse - "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."
She asked the man if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined?
He answered yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he also had to keep his eyes on the silver for the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the him, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"
He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy....when I see my image in it."
Just like the refiner - God is ever watching us so that we do not burn and become destroyed. We are being purified so that only the true metal remains and that God can see His image in us. When life is too hard, problems are too big, remember that God is watching over us – that He is the refiner and He is getting rid of our impurities so He can see His reflection in us.
The Scriptures are very clear: 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
The term unveiled face is when the veil is removed and we see God’s reflection in us. The image of God includes every way in which we are like God, such as moral character, God given abilities, true knowledge.
Romans 8:29 “...For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son...”
And this I promise you... God has a plan for your life!!
God chose us to become the image of His Son Jesus Christ. This is a command – that we be conformed to the image of His Son. God is calling us to be the reflection of Christ to the world.
The great writer and theologian C.S. Lewis put it this way: "once we give God permission, by surrendering our lives to Him, He will not stop that process of purifying us no matter how painful or unpleasant it may be."
The process of being purified will result in glory and honor and praise. It is God's purpose to refine us and to purify us.
And God has a plan to purify us - it is a twofold plan.
1) God's part ....was sending his son..... Jesus.
2) We are called to yield to his will...To yield to the refiner's fire
Titus 2:14 "...who gave Himself for us, to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. "
Jesus died on the cross to not only provide us with such a great salvation- but also to refine us, to purify us. To forsake godliness is to forsake the sacrifice of Christ. It is His will that we become pure, but it will not happen unless and until we yield to Him and accept Him totally.
2 Corinthians 7:1 "Therefore, since we have these promises, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."
Holiness involves purification in all aspects of life, including on how we treat and use our physical bodies, as well as purity in the realm of their spirits, affecting their inward thoughts and desires.
God desires us to be holy.
He is calling us to be pure.
He wants us to be Christ-like.
He wants us to reflect the image of His Son.
A silversmith never leaves the silver over the fire but continuously watches it. He does not stir it - he does not move it away from the flames. He watches the silver until the moment he sees his image reflected on its surface, then he removes it from the flame.
God's work in you will not be left undone. He will finish what He started – He will finish the purification process
He will complete His purpose in you.
Philippians 1:6 "And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion...”
Peter states this truth so very clearly: 1Peter 4:12-13 "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
Do not be surprised. Do not think it is strange when trials come your way. They may not feel very good. But it is often a part of the purifying process.
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
We must pray that your eyes would be opened. And when the Holy Spirit reveals our impurities we need to confess them to the Jesus. Then allow God to be the refiner.
Romans 12:1-2 God wants those who call Jesus their Savior and Lord to be like his Son. To be the image bearer of His Son.
To live a pure and holy life. Be transformed into the image of Christ..
Allow Jesus to be not only your Savior but the Lord of every aspect of your life. Be open to the refiners fire, yield to his will -and if you do, you will be renewed and transformed into the image of his Christ.
Can God see His reflection in your life?
Blessings Alta
We as human beings needed a human Savior – thus Jesus became human in every sense of the word. The death and rising up of Jesus cleanses our sins and destroys the death grip of the devil, and gives hope and deliverance to those who are in slavery. Satans power is not absolute – it is under the control of God who ultimately rules over life and death. Satan does have the power to harm people to some extent. But Christ defeated satan when He rose on the third day. Because Jesus went through all the temptations as well as suffering a brutal death, He did not sin. He is our sympathetic and merciful high priest who knows our human spiritual infirmities and will help us through the difficulties and purifications.
A group of women were studying the book of Malachi. They were intrigued by Malachi 3:3 “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.” They wondered what this statement meant.
One of the women offered to look into the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.
She contacted a silversmith and made an appointment to meet with him and to watch him at work not mentioning anything about the Bible verse, but just that she was curious about the process. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up.He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were the hottest so to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a way over the fire then she thought again about the verse - "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."
She asked the man if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined?
He answered yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he also had to keep his eyes on the silver for the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the him, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"
He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy....when I see my image in it."
Just like the refiner - God is ever watching us so that we do not burn and become destroyed. We are being purified so that only the true metal remains and that God can see His image in us. When life is too hard, problems are too big, remember that God is watching over us – that He is the refiner and He is getting rid of our impurities so He can see His reflection in us.
The Scriptures are very clear: 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
The term unveiled face is when the veil is removed and we see God’s reflection in us. The image of God includes every way in which we are like God, such as moral character, God given abilities, true knowledge.
Romans 8:29 “...For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son...”
And this I promise you... God has a plan for your life!!
God chose us to become the image of His Son Jesus Christ. This is a command – that we be conformed to the image of His Son. God is calling us to be the reflection of Christ to the world.
The great writer and theologian C.S. Lewis put it this way: "once we give God permission, by surrendering our lives to Him, He will not stop that process of purifying us no matter how painful or unpleasant it may be."
The process of being purified will result in glory and honor and praise. It is God's purpose to refine us and to purify us.
And God has a plan to purify us - it is a twofold plan.
1) God's part ....was sending his son..... Jesus.
2) We are called to yield to his will...To yield to the refiner's fire
Titus 2:14 "...who gave Himself for us, to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. "
Jesus died on the cross to not only provide us with such a great salvation- but also to refine us, to purify us. To forsake godliness is to forsake the sacrifice of Christ. It is His will that we become pure, but it will not happen unless and until we yield to Him and accept Him totally.
2 Corinthians 7:1 "Therefore, since we have these promises, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."
Holiness involves purification in all aspects of life, including on how we treat and use our physical bodies, as well as purity in the realm of their spirits, affecting their inward thoughts and desires.
God desires us to be holy.
He is calling us to be pure.
He wants us to be Christ-like.
He wants us to reflect the image of His Son.
A silversmith never leaves the silver over the fire but continuously watches it. He does not stir it - he does not move it away from the flames. He watches the silver until the moment he sees his image reflected on its surface, then he removes it from the flame.
God's work in you will not be left undone. He will finish what He started – He will finish the purification process
He will complete His purpose in you.
Philippians 1:6 "And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion...”
Peter states this truth so very clearly: 1Peter 4:12-13 "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
Do not be surprised. Do not think it is strange when trials come your way. They may not feel very good. But it is often a part of the purifying process.
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
We must pray that your eyes would be opened. And when the Holy Spirit reveals our impurities we need to confess them to the Jesus. Then allow God to be the refiner.
Romans 12:1-2 God wants those who call Jesus their Savior and Lord to be like his Son. To be the image bearer of His Son.
To live a pure and holy life. Be transformed into the image of Christ..
Allow Jesus to be not only your Savior but the Lord of every aspect of your life. Be open to the refiners fire, yield to his will -and if you do, you will be renewed and transformed into the image of his Christ.
Can God see His reflection in your life?
Blessings Alta