CRUCIBLE == GENUINE! HOT TRIALS!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
We go through seasons of tests. Sometimes the trials are so hot we almost seem hopeless. HANG ON!
Proverbs 17:3 The firing pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.
Psalm 66:10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
THERE IS A SPIRIT OF GRADUALNESS WHEN WE FACE TESTING. HOT? LUKEWARM? COLD? WHAT IS HOT GETS COLD. WHAT IS COLD GETS LUKEWARM. BE PREPARED. BE READY.
I have been told that if you keep a dog chained up, he will test the length of the chain. The dog will run until the chain stops him in his tracks. After pulling on the chain, the dog will learn the limitations of the chain and stop. I am also told if you take one link a day out of the chain the dog will not realize the slow reduction of his movement. LET US CALL THIS THE SPIRIT OF GRADUALNESS.
* Our enemy works the same way. He works by the spirit of compromise to gradually lower our expectations and standards as the norm. We often change by the test of hot fire. Change often comes imperceptible degrees, baby steps that occur to change slowly by small degrees. TEST: OUR ENEMY DOES NOT COME KNOCK ON YOUR FRONT DOOR ANNOUNCE HE IS HEAR TO DESTROY YOU. He is subtle and sneaky. BEWARE TEST ARE SURE.
ZECHARIAH REFERS TO THE LAST DAYS, THE END OF TIME, AS WE KNOW IT WILL COME IN THE CRUCIBLE OF HOT TRIALS. GOD WORKS WITH HIS PEOPLE THE SAME WAY THAT SILVER AND GOLD ARE REFINED --THE SAME WAY. THE FATHER’S PLAN IS TO REFINE AND PURIFY THE CHURCH BY USING HOT TESTS AND TRIALS.
Zechariah 13: 7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
*1948? WE PUT THE GOLD IN A CRUCIBLE AND PLACE THE CRUCIBLE IN THE FURNACE. 1948
IS THE TEMPERATURE WHERE SMELTING GOLD OCCURS… AT 1948 DEGREES GOLD STARTS THE PROCESS TO BE PURIFIED. DO YOU KNOW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF 1948?
1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1 Peter 1:7 (NIV) These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
On May 14, 1948 at midnight a new state was proclaimed to the world --- ISRAEL! Golda Meir raise funds from around the world to re-establish Israel, the HOLY LAND, as a nation.
WHAT CAN A FIRE PROVE? WHY 7 TIMES HOTTER? HEAT THE FURANCE 7X’S HOTTER? WHY? THE KING WANTS TO SHOW HIMSELF.
Daniel 3:19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
ARE THEY WALKING AROUND TO STAY WARM? THEY FELL DOWN BOUND? WEREN’T THERE 3 MEN?
Daniel 3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He
answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
WE MUST UNDERSTAND TRIALS AND SUFFERING HAS A PURPOSE… TEST ARE NOT MEAN!
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 (NIV) Test everything. Hold on to the good.
TEST HAVE A PURPOSE! WHAT ARE REAL LIFE TESTS WE FACE? HAVE WE IDENTIFIED THE KINDS OF DAILY TEST? DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU ARE IN A SEASON OF TESTING?
Psalm 66:10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
I worked at a mall. A man came in the store where I worked and he offered me a two carat diamond ring for $150. He told me it was worth $1,500. I got the keys to lock the door. The man said where are you going? There was a big Jewelry store two doors down. I told him I was taking the sparkling ring to get it appraised. I said I will give you $150, if it passes the test. He grabbed the ring out of my hand and ran out of the store. He disappeared quickly. IF THE RING WAS REALLY A TWO CARAT DIAMOND HE WOULD NOT HAVEMINDED THE TEST. I would say it was cubic zirconia or glass? What would you have said?
WHY DOES GOD ALLOW US TO BE GO THROUGH TRIALS, SUFFERINGS AND SEASONS OF TESTING?
• Testing is part of learning and growing. Test show if we have learned or if we need to repeat the lesson.
• PRETEST, TEACH, TEST AND RE-TEST. Test will show strengths and weaknesses. Test will teach us how physically, mentally , emotionally and spiritually we have grown.
• Test show what we have learned or failed to learn.
• Test reveal the security of your foundation.
• Tests can tell you if you are right or wrong.
• The purpose of test will show progress/growth or the test will reveal the standards have not been learned.
• Tests provide evidence of where we really are.
• We tend to get anxiety/ stress about testing. Why, it is normal!
• Test reveal if we are qualified to be promoted.
• Tests can help us understand where you are.
• Tests can show you weaknesses you need to correct.
• Test will evaluate the level we have achieved, You can evaluate what you know.
• Test will show growth patterns and weak areas.
• Test will prepare us for the road ahead.
• Test will reveal the strength of your faith.
• Test teach persistence, keep trying.
Galatians 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
Galatians 6:4 (NIV) Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.
1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1 Peter 1:7 (NIV) These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
CONCLUSION: THERE ARE TEST, THEN THERE ARE CRUCIBLE TEST. GOD PERMITS SEASONS OF TESTING TO REVEAL YOUR TRUE MOTIVATION? YOUR TRUE COMMITMENT? GOD WILL SHOW YOUR MATURITY LEVEL? TEST REVEAL IF YOU ARE OBEDIENT. ASK ADAM-EVE? JOB? DAVID? ELIJAH? ELISHA? PETER? RUTH?
WHAT TEST ARE WE FACING? DO WE UNDERSTAND WE WILL FACE CRUCIBLE TEST! ARE YOU GENUINE? MATURITY?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
