THE PURPOSE OF LIFE - COOPERATE WITH GOD IN THE FIRE

Are you someone who enjoys wasting money ? Do you like to spend lots of time doing things that amount to nothing ? More than likely, you will answer no. There are not many people who could truly find pleasure in devoting 100% of their resources, energy and time to investments with a potential gain of zero. The same thing can be said for God. His efforts for our salvation are not part of a fruitless adventure.

The fact that we are called upon to endure trial shows that the Lord Jesus sees in us something precious which He desires to develop. If He saw in us nothing whereby He might glorify His name, He would not spend time in refining us. He does not cast worthless stones into His furnace. It is valuable ore that He refines. The blacksmith puts the iron and steel into the fire that he may know what manner of metal they are. The Lord allows His chosen ones to be placed in the furnace of affliction to prove what temper they are of and whether they can be fashioned for His work.  

This world is the scene of our trials, our griefs, our sorrows. We are here to bear the test of God. The fire of the furnace is to kindle till our dross is consumed and we come forth as gold purified in the furnace of affliction

So long as we are in the world, we shall meet with adverse influences. There will be provocations to test the temper; and it is by meeting these in a right spirit that the Christian graces are developed. If Christ dwells in us, we shall be patient, kind, and forbearing, cheerful amid frets and irritations. Day by day and year by year we shall conquer self, and grow into a noble heroism. This is our allotted task; but it cannot be accomplished without help from Jesus, resolute decision, unwavering purpose, continual watchfulness, and unceasing prayer. Each one has a personal battle to fight. Not even God can make our characters noble or our lives useful, unless we become co‑workers with Him. Those who decline the struggle lose the strength and joy of victory.   

Stay tuned for the next post in this study..

Isaiah 13:13/1 Peter 1:7, 4:12,13/James 1:12/Revelation 3:18/2 Timothy 2:3/

Romans 5:3/Mark 13:20,21/1 Peter 5:10

© 2013 Tyrone Keels

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