Tested By Fire
- Proverbs 17:3 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
- Proverbs 27:21 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.
- 1 Peter 1:7 These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
I love that last verse in 1 Peter, I think that lays it out. Of course there have been cultural changes since this was written... back in the days of Solomon, I am sure Gold was much more "precious" than it is today. But either way, it is a precious metal, that many people would LOVE to have on their body. It can symbolize royalty & someone of high importance. But it is clear that The Lord teaches us lessons through our trials.
I am becoming fascinated by the process of purifying Gold. They take a chunk of Gold that they have found in the earth, and put it in a Crucible (a really freakin' hot pot!). They can add in Lead, which, coupled with the heat, strip away much of the Gold's impurities. The impurities then rise to the top of the Crucible and form what is called "crud", the Goldsmith then skims the surface removing the "crud". This continues and more crud is removed until you have a pure piece of Gold that is now ready to be used to make precious jewels.
Now the thing that really interests me, is that in order for the Gold to become pure, you add a lesser metal... lead. This acts as the object that strips away the impurities, along with the heat. Now, look at your life. As I look at mine I now see that God has allowed people, places and things to come in my life to act as lead that will strip away some of my impurities. And He turns up the heat of my circumstances for sure! My tendency is to want to JUMP out of the crucible, but I will be extending whatever pain is in my life until I wait patiently on the Lord, and try to pull a lesson out of what I am going through.
I know that God is NOT done with me yet, and I have a LOT more crud to be skimmed off... just ask my wife!
Will you stay in the crucible? If so, I will probably see you there.
posted by Dan at 9:58 PM
3 Comments:
I googled "how fire purifies gold" ... and was led to your page within a few clicks... I want to thank you. although you wrote this 4 yrs ago, it just ministered to my spirit SO much. Thank you and God bless. I don't even have words to tell you what it means to me with how my life is right now. From the bottom of my broken(but healing) heart THANK YOU! sincerely, just what i needed.
Amy
I am a homosexual man. I am in the crucible and have been for such a long time. Does God love me. I cannot help my attractions but i still beleive in GOd even if he may not beleive in me. Somone please reply.
I am commenting to Joachim's words. God absolutely loves you. Your attractions are no different than the attractions a married man has for another women they are lustful. The word of God does not say we are born with a genetic switch by which we are by default homosexual but being that we are all born sinners we then have the tendency to by drawn to any and all sinful desires. There are men that are attracted to children as sexual partners and women as well but that does not make it right. The word specifically states that we must be born again so that our minds (hearts)my be "Transformed" Rom. 12:2. Your problem is not homosexuality but the sinful nature you were born with and that can be changed. God does love you and His desire is for you to truly experience Him, there your will find the strength to overcome.
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