God’s Refining
Jesus led by his example…. He walked the talk and talked the walk. In Matthew 6 Jesus continued his Sermon on the Mount. After teaching the multitude about treasuring treasures in heaven instead of treasures upon earth. He continued, You cannot serve two masters, either you will love one and hate the other. You cannot serve God and mammon… the material things of this world.
Therefore take no thought… don’t worry about the things of this life. Is not life more than food and clothing? Consider the birds of the air and the Lilies of the field…. They toil not neither do they spin, yet Solomon in all his glory.. in his regal regalia was not clothed like either of these. Are you not much greater than they the sparrow and the lily? Will God not take care of your needs? Therefore seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.
Seek God’s righteousness and not the righteousness that the world considers righteous. Righteousness is only in the things of God… the things of his Holy Spirit. For He who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
In Philippians 4:6-8, Paul said by revelation… be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanks giving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace that passes understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The context of this verse is about joy and the love of God…. To rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. To let your moderation, your yieldingness with in love in things that are insignificant, be known unto all men.
The word supplication in Greek means “request for needs.” What is it that we really need? God is the God of Providence. He is the Jehovah Gireh, the All sufficient one. He alone is our sufficiency. He is our all sufficiency for all things according to His will. Ultimately all I need is thee. According to the hymn Be Thou My Vision, Thou art my best portion by day or by night… Nought be all else to me save that thou art.
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul thought that his need was for God to remove his thorn in the flesh. He thought that he would be a better apostle for Christ without the pain. He prayed three times for God to remove this thorn. The first two times God did not answer. The third time, God answered Paul’s prayer, but it was not the answer that Paul expected. However, this is one of the great lessons of life, learned only through suffering, pain and tribulation. God’s answer was, My strength is made perfect in thy weakness… My grace is sufficient for thee. God is the God of grace… he alone is our sufficiency.
God will deliver us in the fire, through the fire or by the fire… for Tribulation, the pressures and trials of this world work patience when we endure the trial. Then patience produces experience… it reveals tried and tested Character. It proves God’s character within us. As the Psalmist said, the crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, but God tests and refines the heart of man. That which is left after the refining is the true character of the spirit… the character and the qualities of God in Christ in us.
Pete recalls that after his baby son died shortly after childbirth he went to the recovery room with his wife. Suzan had brought her daily devotional Come Away with Me and they began reading. The day’s devotional said, I deepen you in the furnace of affliction and prove you in the refining fire of trial and tribulation. Lean hard upon me and I will deliver you through what this present moment seems like a wind of destruction. My restoration will follow…. I have you in my own intensive care. Therefore draw upon the resources of my grace. Then you will go through the trial with a singing spirit. Peace in the midst of the trial is in The comfort of the Holy Spirit.
Through the trial and tribulation, tribulation works patience and patience reveals the proven Character of God, and this experience produces hope… that the sufferenings of this present time are not to be compared with the glory that shall follow. And the Hope of heaven maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.
The world looks at trials and tribulations as problems…. However from God’s perspective these trials are opportunities to know the meaning of hope and the love of God. LIfe’s greatest lessons are learned through the furnace of God’s refining fire… then the dross and slag of the contamination of this world will be burned away…. What endures is the character of God himself, the fruit of the spirit of life in Christ…. Love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.
Through God’s refining fire, we can sing to the praise of the glory of His grace! For thy strength is made perfect in my weakness, thy grace is sufficient for me!
That we may rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice! Therefore, rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks. For the Lord is good, His mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures forever….
… that we may ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael
