| Reacting or Responding to Fire... |
| All scripture referances are from The International Version of The Bible. |
| SoaringWings Ministries |
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this
world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the
world.” – Jesus (John 16:33)
I hear it everywhere I go. It seems that many of my brothers and
sisters in Christ are in a fire of adversity. Job, in the midst of his
fire, made this startling statement, “…when he has tested me, I will
come forth as gold.” Here the Hebrew word for “tested” is a
metallurgy term meaning to refine gold or silver. Gold in poetic
scripture, such as Job, represents the righteousness of God.
Perhaps no one experienced more testing than Job. He didn’t
understand why all of this misery fell on him. He had many
unanswered questions. Yet in the midst of his anguish, he learned
this undeniable truth; the Sovereign LORD was still good and he
had a purpose for Job’s life.
Then Job replied to the LORD:
“I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.
You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without
knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things
too wonderful for me to know.
“You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you
shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have
seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
(Job 42:1-6)
Fire is the refiner’s tool. The metallurgist uses fire to remove the
impurities from the ore. God also wants to remove the impurities
from our lives and he uses the fiery trials of life to do it. The end
result of this divine fire is summed up in Job’s words, “…when he
has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” In other words, Job’s life
would become a expression of the righteousness of God. Romans 8:
29 says, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be
conformed to the likeness of his Son.”
It’s not so difficult to remain faithful and trusting toward God when
everything in our life is just peachy. However, what do we do when
our faith is put to the test?
But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me. Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have
fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
(Micah 7:7-8)
It’s those who have faced-down an inferno hell-bent on consuming
them, whose lives express God’s righteousness. It’s those tried and
tested saints of God who deal with sickness, financial struggles,
marriage and family problems, or even the loss of a loved one, but
have fought to continue trusting their God who come forth as gold.
Divine fire; it’s not much fun but the resulting effect on one’s walk
with God is well worth enduring the anguish. So be encouraged and
trust God who is always good and don’t fight the process. You may
not see it now, but you will.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great
mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance
that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you, who
through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the
salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly
rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief
in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith–of greater
worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be
proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus
Christ is revealed. (1Peter 1:3-7)
Wholly devoted
I immerse myself in you
Baptize me in your love
‘Cause drowning in the thought of you
Floods my soul
I’m taken by the things you do
God you know
It doesn’t matter what I lose
I’m yours*
* Consume me, recorded by DC Talk on their album entitled
Supernatural Emi Cmg Distribution /1998
world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the
world.” – Jesus (John 16:33)
I hear it everywhere I go. It seems that many of my brothers and
sisters in Christ are in a fire of adversity. Job, in the midst of his
fire, made this startling statement, “…when he has tested me, I will
come forth as gold.” Here the Hebrew word for “tested” is a
metallurgy term meaning to refine gold or silver. Gold in poetic
scripture, such as Job, represents the righteousness of God.
Perhaps no one experienced more testing than Job. He didn’t
understand why all of this misery fell on him. He had many
unanswered questions. Yet in the midst of his anguish, he learned
this undeniable truth; the Sovereign LORD was still good and he
had a purpose for Job’s life.
Then Job replied to the LORD:
“I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.
You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without
knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things
too wonderful for me to know.
“You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you
shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have
seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
(Job 42:1-6)
Fire is the refiner’s tool. The metallurgist uses fire to remove the
impurities from the ore. God also wants to remove the impurities
from our lives and he uses the fiery trials of life to do it. The end
result of this divine fire is summed up in Job’s words, “…when he
has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” In other words, Job’s life
would become a expression of the righteousness of God. Romans 8:
29 says, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be
conformed to the likeness of his Son.”
It’s not so difficult to remain faithful and trusting toward God when
everything in our life is just peachy. However, what do we do when
our faith is put to the test?
But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me. Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have
fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
(Micah 7:7-8)
It’s those who have faced-down an inferno hell-bent on consuming
them, whose lives express God’s righteousness. It’s those tried and
tested saints of God who deal with sickness, financial struggles,
marriage and family problems, or even the loss of a loved one, but
have fought to continue trusting their God who come forth as gold.
Divine fire; it’s not much fun but the resulting effect on one’s walk
with God is well worth enduring the anguish. So be encouraged and
trust God who is always good and don’t fight the process. You may
not see it now, but you will.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great
mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance
that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you, who
through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the
salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly
rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief
in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith–of greater
worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be
proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus
Christ is revealed. (1Peter 1:3-7)
Wholly devoted
I immerse myself in you
Baptize me in your love
‘Cause drowning in the thought of you
Floods my soul
I’m taken by the things you do
God you know
It doesn’t matter what I lose
I’m yours*
* Consume me, recorded by DC Talk on their album entitled
Supernatural Emi Cmg Distribution /1998