JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons

Are you willing to be made pure? Malachi 3:2.

Malachi 3:2

"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like launderers' soap."
NKJV

Have you ever watched a goldsmith in action? It's an amazing thing to watch him heat up this precious metal and pour it into molds to harden so that it can be handled. But before he is able to pour it into a mold, he must first remove any impurities. These impurities, or dross, cannot be cut out of the gold or rubbed off. In order to remove the dross, the goldsmith must first heat the metal to incredible temperatures. Once this is done, the dross rises to the top and the goldsmith is able to scrape it off thus purifying the metal.

Friend, this is what our Father in heaven desires to do in each and every one of our lives. He desires to mold us and shape us more and more into the image of His Son, Jesus. To do that, He must often lead us into His refiner's fire where He will skim our imperfections off the top. Most of the time this is not a pleasant process, but we can trust that God has our best interest at heart. Like the ultimate goldsmith, God knows how much heat we can endure and how much handling we require. It's in His loving hands that we are refined so we reflect our Father's handiwork.

Life Lesson: God desires to act as refiner and purifier in our lives.

Dear Father,
Thank You for loving me. Thank You for Your work in my life and for Your refiner's fire. While it may be difficult during those times of trial and purifying, I praise You because I know it is for my good. Lord, continue to skim the dross from my life so that I may be a shining example of Your love and grace. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say, Pastor David McGee

My Comments: God's Word tells us He is refining us yet it also says He goes through it with us. We do not rely on our own strength to go through it we rely on His. Isn't that a wonderful thing? I cannot tell you all that I have been allowed to go through in my life and regrettably how many things I have put myself through by my wrong choices. I have learned from both yet I have learned because of the consequences I would rather God allow the lessons and give me His strength to go through them because I come out purer through His refining fire than the hard lessons of life.

They have things to teach yet it is best to let the God who created us and knows what is best for us be the teacher, refiner, director of our lives.Okay, a few of the things I have been refined with are Polio (though I think that was more for my family as I was young and though I did learn lessons and become stronger my parents and Grandparents and Grandparents had to endure a child in pain and they had to go through the uncertainty of would I be on a lung machine or walk or die?), Scarlatina, two rounds back to back of German Measles as well as all the childhood ones being extreme (I was learning patience and being calm), nearly drowning and someone trying to drown me (I learned forgiveness early), molested and raped by males and females (yes I forgave them and asked the Lord to heal them and make them His), I was beaten by my first spouse and other things and God showed me how to love him in spite of what he did and pray for him and his wife that they would be Children of God, I have been beaten by other family through the years and lied about, gossiped about (sometimes true and often not and often by family and not to help but to hurt yet God loves them and so do I and my prayers are for their salvation).

 Those are a few and I know many who read this can relate to these things and I pray all who have endured pain, humiliation and sorrow will be able to forgive and turn to God. And if you do not know what He is allowing you to learn, what dross He is burning off of your sin nature, or how He is strengthening you then ask. Read His Word and lean not on your own understanding. Remember forgiveness is important to your growth and how can we ask God to forgive us if we are unwilling to forgive others?

Pray for those who have wronged you and you will grow more than you could ever imagine. We often feel we are better than others because.... you fill in the blanks. Yet this is so not true! We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Only one was born sinless and He died for our sin. Could you or I die and save someone from their sin? No! Absolutely Not. Can an animal die for our sin and remove it as far as the East is from the West (totally far away)? Again the answer is No. Only the one sinless one, dieing on the Cross, could save us from our sin completely and forever yet we have to accept it for the gift to be ours. This is why I can forgive and why everyone who wants salvation has to forgive. It is not a suggestion it is a command and is part of the contract, if you will, for salvation. We cannot say, "I want to be saved," and I will not forgive.... because....(again fill in the blanks).

There are no exceptions and yes, I know there are some horrendous things people can and have done to people yet there are no exceptions on our part. Only God can do what needs to be done in regards to them. Vengeance is mine saith the Lord. Though I have not sought vengeance only their salvation and I pray they all turn to Abba and become His children through the Blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus the Messiah (Christ).

Abba we thank You and praise You for all you allow into our lives and we pray You keep all evil from us and keep our souls Yours. Refine us Father and give us Your strength to endure the process. Steep us in Your Word that we will always keep our eyes on You and our ears ever tuned to Your voice. Keep our hearts as Yours for all who are a part of the refineing and keep our feet from stumbling. Wash us with the cleansing blood of the Lamb and the launders soap so we will be white as new snow. Firmly plant our feet on the Rock of our Salvation (Jesus) and may our path always be the straight and narrow one that leads to You. All glory be unto You my Lord and God for keeping us the apple of Your eye and bringing salvation to us by teaching us how to suffer and forgive as Your Son Jesus' did who was innocent and pure. We only can stand in Your Holy and awesome presence because we have accepted Your Son and His sacrifice and are now adopted sons and daughters of the King. Thank You Father for the refiners fire. In His name we pray. Amen.
Rebishka