Refiners Fire

For those not familiar with an Anglican Service there are four Scripture Readings prior to the message. Today's readings are: Malachi 3:1-5; Psalm 126; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 and Luke 3:1-6

Let us pray... O' Heavenly Father. You are ... the refiner... of our souls. Help us to yield to your will, as you refine us and conform us more and more into the image of your Son. Burn away ... Father, ... burn away ... the impurities that lie within us. And allow your image to reflect through us. And ... it is in the strong and mighty name of your son Jesus the Christ that we pray. Amen!

A Christian article ... shared a story concerning a group of women ... who were studying the book of Malachi.

As they were reading chapter three, ... they came across verse three which states: BIBLE "He (God) will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." END (Malachi 3:3)

This verse intrigued the women .... and they wondered what this statement meant ... about the character ... and the nature of God. "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

One of the women ... offered to look into the process of refining silver ... and get back to the group ... at their next Bible study.

That week ... she contacted a silver smith ... and made an appointment ... to meet with him.

She did not mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver ... beyond her curiosity about the process of ... refining silver.

As she watched the silver smith, ... he held a piece of silver over the fire ... and let it heat up.

He explained .... that in refining silver, ... one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire ... where the flames were the hottest ... so to burn away.... all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a way ... over the fire ... then she thought again about the verse, ......... (Slow) "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."

She asked the silversmith ... if it was true ... that he had to sit there ... in front of the fire ... the whole time ... the silver was being refined.

The man answered ... that he not only had to sit there holding the silver, ... but he also had to keep his eyes on the silver ... for the entire time ... that it was ... in the fire.

If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, .... it would be ... destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment.

Then she asked the silver smith, ..."How do you know when the silver ... is fully refined?"

He smiled at her ... and answered, ..."Oh, that's easy.... (Slow) ... when I see my image in it." (Long Pause)

This day ... I want to speak to ......the refiner's fire.

Beloved ... It is a biblical concept ...... (Slow) and it involves each of us.

We are all going through the process ... we are all going through .... the refiner's ...fire.

We are each called .... Conformed ... to be transformed .... into the image of Christ.

Beloved ... This truth I can promise You .... God has a plan for your life....... REPEAT

And that plan calls for us to be refined in the fire ... to be transformed .... To be ...Christ-like.

The Scriptures are clear: Hear God's Word to the Believers gathered in Corinth: BIBLE "And we ... are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, ...who is the Spirit." END 2 Corinthians 3:18

Paul also told the believers gathered in Rome ......that: "We are to be conformed (REPEAT) to the image of his Son, ..." Romans 8:29

(Slow) Beloved ... It is a Command. We Are ...... We are ... to be conformed ... into the image of His Son.

God is calling us to be Christ-like....to be the reflection of Christ ... to the world.

The great writer and theologian C.S. Lewis put it this way: "Once we give God permission, .... by surrendering our lives to Him, ... He will not stop that process of purifying us ... no matter how painful ...or unpleasant it may be."

The Apostle Paul understood this process. Hear God's Word: BIBLE "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing ...with the glory.... that will be revealed in us." END Romans 8:18

The process of being purified... will result in ... glory.... That will be ... A Promise ... Glory that will be ... revealed ... where? ... In us.

It is God's purpose .... To refine us ... to purify us.