Embracing the Furnace: The Spiritual Refinery of Affliction
Isaiah 48:10
Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
Affliction is that which the Lord uses to bring out the best in us! We ought to be grateful that the Lord thinks so much of us that He takes the time to refine us. If it were not for the sin nature, we would have no need for refinery; however, we DO have the old sin nature to contend with in the flesh, so our Lord puts us through a series of tests to work out the impurities in our hearts. To refine is to purify. As applied to metals, it is to separate the metallic substance from all other matter, whether another metal or alloy, or any earthly substance! Oh, the beauty of the Child of God who has been refined, and who has been separated from any earthly substance.
Friends, we are in the world, but those who are saved are no longer of the world. Salvation pulls you out of the pit, but sanctification pulls the pit out of you! God wants us to shine like gold, so as to reflect His image to a lost and dying world that so desperately needs Him. However, the only way we can most clearly reflect His image to this world is when we are not mingled with the same elements that blind their minds to the truth!
It is difficult to see the gold in a pile of dirt, rocks and roots. It is when the sifting occurs that our best is extracted from our worst; that our trashy elements are washed away under the cleansing current of the Word of God! Oh, the process of refinery we must go through! We are pulled out of the rubble, filtered from the earthly elements, washed with the water of the Word, and then put through the fiery furnace of affliction which is to burn out any remaining impurities which would hinder us from accurately reflecting the image of Christ!
1 Peter 4:12-13 says, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” At the end of your trial, you’ll shine for Jesus!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
Affliction is that which the Lord uses to bring out the best in us! We ought to be grateful that the Lord thinks so much of us that He takes the time to refine us. If it were not for the sin nature, we would have no need for refinery; however, we DO have the old sin nature to contend with in the flesh, so our Lord puts us through a series of tests to work out the impurities in our hearts. To refine is to purify. As applied to metals, it is to separate the metallic substance from all other matter, whether another metal or alloy, or any earthly substance! Oh, the beauty of the Child of God who has been refined, and who has been separated from any earthly substance.
Friends, we are in the world, but those who are saved are no longer of the world. Salvation pulls you out of the pit, but sanctification pulls the pit out of you! God wants us to shine like gold, so as to reflect His image to a lost and dying world that so desperately needs Him. However, the only way we can most clearly reflect His image to this world is when we are not mingled with the same elements that blind their minds to the truth!
It is difficult to see the gold in a pile of dirt, rocks and roots. It is when the sifting occurs that our best is extracted from our worst; that our trashy elements are washed away under the cleansing current of the Word of God! Oh, the process of refinery we must go through! We are pulled out of the rubble, filtered from the earthly elements, washed with the water of the Word, and then put through the fiery furnace of affliction which is to burn out any remaining impurities which would hinder us from accurately reflecting the image of Christ!
1 Peter 4:12-13 says, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” At the end of your trial, you’ll shine for Jesus!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill