"For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap."Malachi 3:2
The Lord has a specific way of preparing His people for useful service. God desires to turn His children from rough, hard-edged stones into smooth gems of gold and silver. He will patiently put us through the process of refining.
"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years" Malachi 3:3-4
The refiner's fire can only accomplish its purposes when the heat is turned up to extremely high temperatures. It breaks down the metal in order for it to become moldable and shapeable. Only when the temperatures reach this level can the work be fully accomplished. So it is in our lives. We are currently being refined. We have been placed into an uncomfortable position beyond our control and are feeling the heat of uncertainty. The heat has been turned up and we now have to trust God in ways many of us have not had to before.
Until the Lord put us through His refining process, the offerings we make are not made in righteousness and cannot be acceptable. Thank God that Jesus is our righteousness and that there is no righteousness apart from Him. Still, the Lord continues to purge all that does not reflect His righteousness out of our lives. This comes through tests and trials that bring each of us to the end of ourselves in order that He may only reflect that which is Himself.
When God takes you through the refiner's fire, be encouraged because it is His overriding commitment to turn you from a rough, hard-edged stone to a smooth and precious stone that shines for His Glory. He will do this through certain events in your family, workplace, your relationships, and other circumstances in your life such as the current pandemic we are facing. Our job is to resist the temptation to try and blow out the fire or remove ourselves from the process, to endure and allow God to purify, shape and mold us into the person He created us to be.
How is God refining you during this time?
What is God saying to you right now?
What is God attempting to purge from your life?
Let's endure and trust God to take us through this process.
Much Blessings & Love, Amazingly Graced, Your Servant,
Pastor John Masis
The song, Refiner, has been ministering to me over the past two weeks. I believe it will bless you as well. Here is the link:
Let's keep our Faith Level above our Fear Level
Our Worship Level above our Worry Level
Our Praise Level above our Panic Level
We declare in Jesus Name:
No evil shall befall us, nor any plague come near our dwelling. Psalm 91:10
He will keep in Perfect Peace, whose mind is stayed on Him! Isaiah 26:3
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will trust in the Name of the Lord Our God! Psalm 20:7
Let’s keep praying for each other, wisdom for our gov’t leaders, God’s healing virtue to flow to the sick, the church to respond with God’s compassion & heart & an eradication of this virus once & all
