Refined into His Image.....By Mary Southerland

 Refined into His Image

By Mary Southerland

“He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” – Malachi 3:3 (NIV).

The story is told of a group of women who met each week to study the Bible, hoping to learn more about the nature and character of God and how He works in our lives. The women were puzzled and even a little troubled by the description of God they found in Malachi 3:3, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” One of the women offered to do a little research on the subject and report back to the group at their next meeting.

The woman found a local silversmith and made an appointment to observe him at work, explaining that she was particularly interested in the process of refining silver. She watched as the craftsman carefully selected a piece of silver for his demonstration. She thought the piece of silver was already beautiful but evidently the silversmith saw something that she could not see. As he held the silver over the furnace, the craftsman explained that in refining silver, the silver had to be placed in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so all of the impurities would be burned away.

The woman was silent for a moment as her thoughts drifted to the fiery trials she was facing in her own life. Honestly, she did not get it. Why would a loving God allow His children to suffer when He could so easily deliver them? In fact, why does God even allow bad things to happen to people who are seeking Him and really trying to live for Him?

The woman asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. “Oh, yes!” he replied. “I cannot take my eyes off the silver. If it is left in the furnace even a moment too long, it will be destroyed.” The woman suddenly understood the beauty and comfort of Malachi 3:3, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”

Yes, there are times when it seems as if we will be swallowed whole by the fires of Hell itself. The pain seems too hard to bear. The fear is paralyzing. The doubt is overwhelming.

Is God really who He says He is?
Will He really do what He says He will do?
Will He really keep His promises?


Our trials are not random persecutions. Heaven is not in a panic. Where we are and what we are going through is no surprise to God. We may be knocked down and kicked around by life, but if we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we will not be destroyed.


I know and accept the truth that trials and hard times make me stronger and strengthen my faith, but there are times when I want it all to stop. I find myself asking, “How much is enough, Lord? How many trials do I have to endure? When will the pain and trouble end?”


"How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" the woman asked. The silversmith smiled and answered, “Oh, that’s easy. The refining process is complete when I can see my image reflected in the silver.”


God is not committed to our comfort. He is committed to our character. Only God can exchange the ashes of our sin for the beauty of His forgiveness and grace. God alone can replace our despair with His peace that passes all understanding. Hope can only be found in Him.

Grace-filled Presence.....Craig Denison Ministries

 Grace-filled Presence

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Grace is a gift most of us don’t know how to receive. We’ve been so inundated with the earthly systems of give-and-get and work-and-earn that grace is a concept few ever fully grasp. Yet it’s grace alone that has the power to transform lives. Grace alone has the power to bring freedom to the captives. By grace alone we are saved. There could be no better use of our time than consistently and passionately pursuing a greater revelation of God’s grace.

Scripture:“The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.” Numbers 6:25

Devotional:    

The most gracious gift God continues to give us as his children is his presence. Moses writes a beautiful and powerful prayer in Numbers 6:25: “The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.” Rest in the sweet imagery of that prayer for a moment. Reflect on the goodness of having God’s face shine upon you. Feel the peace that comes from God’s graciousness.

There is nothing better in life than encountering God because it’s only in his presence that we are truly satisfied. Scripture illustrates this truth in Psalm 84 when the Psalmist writes:

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

To encounter God is to experience his goodness. To spend time in his presence is to experience the very “favor and honor” that only comes from his nearness.

What would it be like to live your life entirely in the presence of God?What would change if you were to experience his goodness with every moment, waking or sleeping? How would the reality of his presence change the way you live your life for the better? The remarkable thing is that we have no reason to live our lives apart from God. When Jesus died, God tore the veil from top to bottom that separated us from him. His tearing of the veil symbolizes the entire reason for the death of Jesus: that God can once again dwell among his people. And furthermore, when you became a Christian you were filled with God himself. He’s closer to you than the very breath that fills your lungs.

You see, it’s by God’s grace that we have his presence. It’s by his love that he makes himself near to us. God’s word tells us we can never escape his presence. Psalm 139:9-10 says, “If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” Acts 17:27-28 says, “Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’” Your greatest gift is always available to you. No matter where you turn, God will be there. No sin can separate you from his presence because his presence comes to you by grace, not by your works. So great is God’s love for you that he offers you his gracious presence regardless of anything you do, right or wrong.

All that is required of you is to open your heart and receive the gift he offers. There is an endless amount of God’s presence to receive. He is a vast and endless ocean that will never be fully discovered. But still he calls you to come and dive in. The Bible commands us in Ephesians 5:18 to “be filled with the Spirit,” to be filled with God himself. This passage is better translated, “Be being filled.” God asks us to constantly be filled with his presence because he knows it is our greatest gift. And the death of Christ has paved the way for us to receive this gift constantly.

Spend time today simply being filled with God’s presence offered to you by his grace. May you experience the “favor and honor” that can only be found by resting in the presence of your heavenly Father.

Guided Prayer:           

1. Meditate on Scripture about God’s presence. Renew your mind to the fact that he is with you right now and that his presence is your greatest gift.

“For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!” Psalm 84:10-12

2. Receive God’s presence. Open your heart and ask him to come near to you. Take note of how you feel different in response to his presence.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8

“But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” Psalm 73:28

3. Live today in the continual presence of your heavenly Father. If you notice yourself living outside of the nearness of God, just take a minute and receive his presence again.

“If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:9-10

“Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’” Acts 17:27-28

As you go out today in pursuit of the presence of God, keep this quote from Brother Lawrence close to your heart. May it fuel you toward the goodness and simplicity of encountering your heavenly Father in all that you do.

He does not ask much of us, merely a thought of Him from time to time, a little act of adoration, sometimes to ask for His grace, sometimes to offer Him your sufferings, at other times to thank Him for the graces, past and present, He has bestowed on you, in the midst of your troubles to take solace in Him as often as you can. Lift up your heart to Him during your meals and in company; the least little remembrance will always be the most pleasing to Him. One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us than we think (Practicing the Presence of God).

Extended Reading: Psalm 84

From the Mouths of Babes.....KIRSTEN WATSON

 From the Mouths of Babes

KIRSTEN WATSON

“For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” John 13:15 (ESV)

It turns out newborns are great theologians. Who knew?

Babies don’t know why they cry. They just know something’s not right. You can lovingly pick them up and coo and coax, but they’re still going to be upset until you supply what they need — the things they can’t ask for yet.

I’m a lot like that, if I’m honest. I push, pull and try so hard to make things happen. My need for control can be overwhelming.

What I’m trying to do is learn from my children. What if I surrendered? What if I lifted up my open hands and said, “God, I don’t know what I need, but You do. Help me.”?

Before my firstborn, Grace, came along, my husband, Benjamin, and I had a good groove going. We were at work during the day, but we’d meet up for dinner, share about our day — who we’d talked to, what we’d accomplished.

Then Grace was born, and it was like everything stopped for me. I was on a new planet where there were no other humans — at least nobody who could talk.

Being a “people person,” I started singing and talking to her almost constantly just to hear the sound of someone’s voice. Practically overnight, my life became unrecognizable to me.

It was a rude awakening. Everything was about the baby, as it should have been, but I wasn’t quite prepared for my whole world and timeline to revolve around this little human. Even a simple thing like when to take a shower or run to the grocery store had to be carefully timed. If she fell asleep in the car, it could throw us off course for hours.

I deeply loved her and felt so grateful to be her mom, and at the same time, I had never felt so alone. I wondered if my education and my career and everything I’d worked for were meaningless. I felt like I was losing a part of myself because I wasn’t sharing myself with anyone. It was just me and my baby, cut off from the world.

I couldn’t help but wonder if this motherhood thing was going to be enough.

Even now, with a big family and the joy they bring me, a snide little voice in my head sometimes says, This job is so beneath you. When this attitude starts to get its claws into me, I recall how Jesus washed His disciples’ stinky feet.

Can you imagine how horrifying that must have been for those disciples — to have the God of the universe pick up their stinky feet and start washing them? The Bible doesn’t describe their feet, but I feel sure those guys hadn’t just come from getting pedicures!

At first, Peter objected to having the Son of God stoop to such a menial task, but Jesus turned it around. He said, “If I then … have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15, ESV).

Jesus always turns things upside down, doesn’t He?

When I’m up late with one of the kids or one has a fever and I’m cleaning up vomit from the floor, frantically sanitizing everything to avoid an outbreak — I remember Jesus’ model of servanthood.

He has a way of making a proud girl humble.

God, give me my manna for the day. Nothing more and nothing less. Give me a servant’s heart to use what I have to minister to others in Your name. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Do Not Neglect Your Spiritual Gift.....Dr. Charles Stanley

 Do Not Neglect Your Spiritual Gift

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Timothy 4:12-16

Every Christian is given at least one spiritual gift with which to serve the Lord and build up the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:7). But many believers neglect this special empowerment of the Spirit. Although Timothy had some good reasons to forsake his calling from God, Paul advised him to "take pains with these things" and "be absorbed in them" (v. 15). As you look at Timothy, ask yourself if either of the following situations are hindering you from fully serving the Lord.

Age: No matter how old we are, the Lord wants us to use our spiritual gifts. Because Timothy was young, he could easily have been intimidated by those with more experience. However, youth isn't our only excuse. Some believers think they're too old to serve the Lord. Even though our areas of ministry may change over the years, we're never called into spiritual retirement.

Inadequacy: Have you ever avoided a service opportunity simply because you felt totally unqualified? That's probably how Timothy felt about leading the church at Ephesus. Our spiritual gifts rarely come to us fully developed. God often requires that we step out in faith and trust Him to work in and through us. Over time, as we obey and serve Him in our areas of giftedness, He increases the effectiveness of our ministry.

Is anything keeping you from using your spiritual gifts? Though given to us, these abilities aren't for us; they're for the church. To neglect them would not only deprive fellow believers but also rob ourselves: there is joy and blessing in serving others and doing the work God has designated for us.

How Do We Walk with God?.....by Anne Peterson

 How Do We Walk with God?

by Anne Peterson

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." - Colossians 2:6-7

I still remember the day I accepted the Lord. I went from hoping I would one day go to heaven, to knowing I'd go to heaven. It stopped being about me and what I did and didn't do, and instead was about the Lord Jesus and all He did. I was immediately instructed to get into the Bible where I'd learn about God's character. Our Bible teacher, Lois, didn't give us a pair of rose-colored glasses and hand out platitudes when we struggled as baby Christians. I remember at times she would say, "Smile, it's gonna get worse."

Was that a pessimistic view? No. She wanted us to know that there would be trials coming. And she was right about that, among other things. Those were wise words Lois taught us. Words I've never forgotten. But honestly, it doesn't mean I didn't sometimes question God when going through difficult times, times that seemed impossible. Most people question God at one time or another.

And yet, being in God's Word was the best place to be, to get prepared for the trials of life. Does the Bible have specific answers to what we will face? I can tell you this, the Bible teaches us all about God's character. And when we learn that, we know that we can face whatever is before us. For He is with us. Will it be easy? No. But we won't have to face it alone.

When I was younger in the Lord, I thought the verse for today meant we received Christ by faith, so we just need to walk in Him like that, by faith. And while faith is the key that unlocked the door, the rest of the verse explains how we're to do that.

...rooted and built up in Him
There's no way to be rooted up in Christ without going through trials. And as things we face become difficult, our roots go a little deeper. We learn to trust in God's ability, not our own. And sometimes, that's a hard lesson to learn. We may not be capable of handling the things before us, but our God can. He tells us to cast our burdens before Him (Psalm 55:22). 

Often, we take on things that were not meant for us to carry. But nothing is too big for our Father's hands. When we trust in the Lord, He honors that trust, and we are built up. Not in ourselves, which would make us proud. But instead, we learn that God is the one who gives us strength and power when we merely have 5 stones and a slingshot. Like David, we can face our Goliaths, because God is with us.

…strengthened in the faith
We can't get strengthened in faith without learning how to flex our faith muscles. Just like the strength of a ship is not known without going through a storm. When we go through hard times, we experience that God is always bigger than what we face. He is, after all, God.

…overflowing with thankfulness
I don't know about you, but I have a hard time with this part of the verse. It sounds a lot like the verse that tells us to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18). Does it mean when you've lost a loved one you are to thank God? I believe we need to thank God for who He is, even when we don't understand what is happening. God understands, and that's enough. Even when I've stood before the graves of those I've lost, which I've done many times, I knew I was not alone. God promised me that in His Word. And God always keeps His promises.

Intersecting Faith & Life:
One thing that's helpful in growing our faith muscles is to look back on times that were difficult and remind ourselves how God brought us through those times. David was good at doing that. The enemy of our souls tries to convince us that this time is different and that God is tired of helping us. The Bible tells us that God is immutable, He doesn't change. And he never grows tired or weary (Isaiah 40:28).

How do we walk with God? One step at a time. We learn to walk in His steps. And when we're unsure of our next step, we can be thankful God already knows.

Lord, help me to trust you when I'm not sure what to do next. Thank you that you are never unsure. Thank you for Your Word, which can light my path when things seem so dark.

Further Reading: 

• Proverbs 3: 5-6

A Prayer for Our Boys to Grow Strong in Christ...By: Chelsey DeMatteis

 A Prayer for Our Boys to Grow Strong in Christ

By: Chelsey DeMatteis

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” - 1 Corinthians 16:13

I’ll never forget the day I found out I was carrying a little boy in my womb. My heart burst knowing I was carrying a little boy who would one day become a man. God has entrusted to me a son to raise up to know how to love and lead his family. God entrusted me to teach him what God thinks of him, loves about him, and commands of him.

Now, you might be reading this thinking: Okay, that’s great for you, but I’m not a mom of a boy, or, I’m not a mom at all. But, if I had to guess, there is a boy in your life through family or friendships. This means the Lord has also entrusted you with loving and leading a boy into godly manhood, too.

Our secular culture has made it a point to diminish men and the gift they are to this world. Boys are taught at a young age to suppress their strength, their tenacity, and their God-given designed ways of thinking. We see in 1 Corinthians 16:13 that the Lord commands, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” God made men to be strong and protective. He knit them to have a desire to lead and to be willing to fight for his family.

Instead of suppressing these things, we need to pray for them. We need to be praying that the boys the Lord has entrusted would grow up to honor God and obey His commands. We should be training up these boys to know that the way God knit them together was perfect and without error. We need these boys, who will one day be the men of this nation, to know that they are desired in this world.

Often, I find myself praying for my son to be a bold leader of men and a steadfast, unwavering follower of Christ. This is what our boys need. They need people pouring into them, praying over them, and leading them to what God says about them. They need those who shepherd them to remind them of who they are in Christ and that God handpicked them. They need to know that their confidence is rooted in God Almighty and that the world will never be able to strip them of His promises.

Our boys, who will grow up to be men, need to know that we are for them. We desire them. We want to honor them. Let’s pray now for our boys to grow in stature with the Lord.

Pray with me…

Lord, thank you for all of the boys you’ve knit together. God, we pray that your Almighty hand would be upon them and that they would know who they are in Christ. I ask that you stir up in us, who have the honor of leading boys, a desire to teach them to be bold for the Kingdom of God. May they not for a second question the gift they are to this world. I pray they know when you created masculinity it was not by mistake but by divinity.

Thank you, Lord, for our men.

In Jesus's name, Amen.