Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 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: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: I Peter 1:6-8

I adore the analogies we find in the Word that breaks it down to us simply so that we can understand what God is saying to us. Such as this one today, as it speaks on our spiritual purification in comparison to a natural purification of an item that we consider valuable by the world's standard. If you studied the process for gold, you would read statements such as "as it's heated to over 2000 degrees, it begins to remove unnecessary elements"; "frees it from every improper mixtures"; "to show its quality, its properties, and its true nature." Therefore, it's simply, just a process. I'll let you think about that spiritually for a moment.

If we could only but see the trial of our faith being tried by fire, as a process! The necessary process that burns off and removes unnecessary elements that keeps us from getting to person God has called us to be; therefore being able then to bring glory and honor to God; a process that is designed to free us from every improper mixture (thoughts, actions, habits, ways, etc), as well as getting us aligned with the Word of God; mixtures that keep us weighed down (Heb 12:1-2) and keeps us from praising God. Who wouldn't want to praise God without restrictions and without restraint? Think about how liberated you'll feel once all the “stuff” has burned off.

Faith that's been tried with fire shows its hidden qualities, its beautiful splendor; its outstanding properties, and most importantly, its true nature! Have you seen gold in its finest state? I'm not a gold lover, but gold that has been processed, all polished and shiny, is a beautiful sight to behold. Such are we, when we’ve been taken through that process and the scripture states that we are even "much more" precious than of gold. Gold brings no glory to God but as God tries the content of our character in Him through our various trials, it takes us from faith to faith and from strength to strength; it will bring deserving praise, honor and glory unto the Lord.

We are walking by faith and not by sight... loving and believing Him, whom we have not seen, yet trusting with peace and with unspeakable joy... something that the world can't give and certainly can't take away! Remember that the next time your faith is on fire, it's just a process going on that will be for your good and God's glory!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalms 19:12-14

David tells us that God’s law is perfect, it converts the very soul; and that he knew the testimony of the Lord was unquestionably and undeniably the truth. This is an absolute truth, His laws and statues are right; they are pure, and they endure forever. David said that they are to be desired more than the finest of gold and they are sweeter than a honeycomb! He also tells us that there is great reward if we keep them.

What impresses me about David is his explanation of things; first he lets us know about the wonderment of God, His laws and His nature; then he tells us his concern regarding the condition of his heart. He was always searching himself, going to God and coming clean by pouring out his heart to Him. He knew that God was his very present help especially in the time of need. Think of what would happen in us and around us, if we would just have the heart of David, search ourselves in the same manner and ask God to cleanse us and help us in our thoughts, in our words, in our lives, and in our times of need. Search me Oh Lord is a wonderful way to start the day and if you find anything in me that shouldn't be, take it out ... amen?

I love this phrase in the scripture, “who can understand his errors.” Which translates into, how do I keep my mind and my heart from wandering? How do I discern what or when I do wrong? How do I keep from straying from the law, from the things I know are not right? How do I know all the sins that are lurking in my heart? As quickly as he asked those questions, he simply asked God to cleanse me from the secret faults and mistakes, the ones that are hidden from the natural eye; the ones that no one can see but you, Lord. He continues by saying, Oh God, please keep me from the rude, arrogant, inconsiderate, disrespectful, overconfident, big-headed, and conceited sins, (you know those sins that we don’t even consider sins); and those secret sins, so that they don’t have control over me, so that I can be blameless and innocent from violating your laws and most importantly, that I don’t sin against you ... that I can live according to the manner in which you expect from me and then I can continue to be blessed by You and You in turn, receive the glory.

How many of us ask those same questions or find ourselves in the same position. We first want to acknowledge the need and then ask the Lord to create in me a clean heart, renew the right spirit within me (Psalm 51). Let every word that comes from my mouth be pleasing in your ear. Let the thoughts, the intents and the mediation of my heart, not only be pleasing, but acceptable in your sight at all times. Help me to have the pleading heart of David, because I am concerned about the condition of my heart. Let my heart continually have intercession with you, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde