But Not Into Silver

'I have refined you, but not in the way silver is refined.
        Instead, I try you in the furnace of suffering.' Isaiah 48:10 (VOICE)

It is comforting to know that God does refine me. He says that He has refined me in the furnace of affliction. Not as men refine silver, for there would be nothing left of me. But instead, in a more kinder, gentler, God loves me kind of way He is melting me and He is molding me. He is making me into something new. He is stretching me. He will secure His honor by delivering me out of the bondage that I myself have created and found myself in.

Through Him I have found freedom. Through Jesus, I have been made clean. He delivered me from my sin and from myself so that He could use me as His instrument. I am now His, an instrument of praise. I was created to worship Him. As He has suffered, it was also His plan to put me through the suffering for His own sake all along. For the sake of the Glory of His Grace He saved me. I have passed the test of the afflicted. I have been tested and put through the fire and He has purified me. He has melted me and molded me so that I might see more clearly the things that break His heart.

Oh no. Not now, and not in a way to bring us pain Lord. But yet, break our hearts to what breaks Yours. Even now, stretch us in a way that brings You Glory!

Dear Father. Thank You for loving me enough to take me through the fire and to stay with me through those most difficult days. Thanks to You I have passed the lifetime and eternity test. I thank you for the Glory of Your Grace Jesus. I thank You for the refining Holy Spirit fire which brings on more testing. Remove all of my impure thoughts and deeds. Stretch me and use me. Save us all. Use us as your instruments of praise to bring You Glory. Amen.
Image result for isaiah 48:10 picture quote 

Source: Biblegateway.com; Biblehub.com; Familylife.com; google.com.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Called Forth to Life

Image
'When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last—  the Living One. I was dead and, see, I am alive forever and ever! I also hold the keys of death and hell .' Revelation 1:17-18 (EHV) Dear Father.  Because of You and who You are I do not fear. You are Divine. You are Eternal. You are God. You were here before the world began and will be here at the end. Thank You, Father, for sending Your Son Jesus Christ, the Living One, to die for me. I recognized that I was a sinner and I made Jesus Lord of my life. Though You suffered and died, I know that Jesus lives and that He is my life source. Without Him I am nothing. He has complete authority. He has the power over life and death. He controls not only when I die but where I will go after I die as well.You comfort me with Your Word.  Let me be forever grateful and obey Your Word and live my life for Him. Jesus, You alone hav
Read more

Sending Out Invitations to the Concert

Image
'We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. ' Romans 8:28 (VOICE) One example of God's love can be seen in the book of Esther. Lessons from the Bible can reassure us of God's love for us and they show us that His ways are good and so much higher than our own. How powerful. In Chapter three, the evil ideas of Haman, to have all the Jews exterminated, had been decreed by the king, and the money set aside in an account for the diabolical deeds and the date was set on the calendar for the bloodshed! That part is so incredible, that one man was given that much power. Just imagine it if you were a Jew. The date for the destruction of your entire race was set and the preparations to follow through with it were being made. Thankfully, our God is greater. Our God is able. He is able to confuse the bad plans of men in power. O
Read more

To the 7th Degree

Image
  ' Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual' Daniel 3:19 (NIV) To the leaders that are unprepared for the likes of young people full of passion. For the wicked rulers who demand men to bow a knee to them, and worship them like gods. To the world that has lost its way and punishes the faithful to the extreme, even death. We pray for thee. Let the world know that we worship no one but the One True God. Amen. Dear Father We pray for evil leaders that desire to turn their nation into evil. We lift up righteousness and righteous leaders, we lift You up. You are the One True God in whom we serve. You are the Holy God in whom we believe. You provide the God-fearing leaders that we need when we need them. We pray for those leaders. We pray for more people with courage to refuse to bow the knee to mere man. Even when we live in times when there seem
Read more