Transforming Trials: Embracing God's Refining Process
Devotional
Sermon Summary
Sermon Clips
"Obstacles do not get in the way of God's plan for your life; they are a vital part of God's plan. Say that with me: obstacles do not get in the way of God's plan for your life; they are a vital part of God's plan. Now if obstacles are, how did the message put that, a sheer gift, what are we to do with that gift?" [00:02:22]
"The Bible is crystal clear about the fact that all of us will face trials, all of us will face tribulations, and all of us will face problems, and all of us will face pain in this life. No one is exempt. Nobody. In John chapter 16, verse 33, Jesus said, I told you these things so that you can have peace." [00:05:41]
"Now, being all tore up or pulled apart is a normal part of a normal life. Now here's the deal, gang. None of us want to accept that. Look, can I tell you the only people not experiencing stress? Dead people. When you're laying in your box, ladies and gentlemen, or if you decide to be cremated and sit in an urn, whatever your situation might be, when you're there, day no stress." [00:07:17]
"It doesn't mean that we like it. It doesn't mean that we wish it wasn't so. It just means that we accept that obstacles are a part of life and that in Christ and by Christ and through Christ, watch this now, we can overcome them. We can overcome them." [00:08:44]
"June Hunt in her blog, Hope for the Heart, shares the following. Isaiah chapter 48 verse 10 says, I have refined you, though not as silver. I've tested you in the furnace of affliction. In both the Old and the New Testament, we find numerous references to God refining his children through fiery trials in much of the same way that an earthly refiner uses fire to purify gold or silver." [00:11:51]
"Malachi chapter 3 verse 3 says, He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will purify and refine them, meaning you and me, like gold and silver. And that's exactly what God intends when He allows trials to enter your life. If you're willing to surrender your will, I don't want to do that. I don't want... That's your will. That's your want to." [00:14:00]
"To produce in you Christ-like character. Christ-like character. June then shares that we don't develop Christ-like character all at once. Character is forged over time, especially through fiery trials. We can gain much insight by understanding the refining process. Psalm 66 verse 10 says, For you, God, tested us. You refined us like silver." [00:14:32]
"The refiner raises the temperature to higher degrees. The heat extracts the dross. Listen, you can't get rid of that stuff in your life that is preventing you from being all that God wants you to be unless you have the refiner turn the heat up. He turns the heat up and then the impurities are emitted during the refining process." [00:24:06]
"Again and again, impurities rise to the surface. Again and again, the crucible is returned to the furnace to extract the dross. And why the higher heat? Our refiner knows the exact temperature needed to extract the dross. And He knows that only certain impurities are released at certain temperatures." [00:26:18]
"The Bible tells us that we are predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus. You see, God loves you just the way you are, but he loves you so much he will not allow you to stay that way. Why? Because he wants you to be just like Jesus." [00:29:16]
"As we trust God to use our pain to purify our hearts, our character, who we are when the lights are out and nobody's at home but us, who we are truly. As we trust God to use our pain to purify our hearts, our character will come forth like that gold." [00:30:27]
"You persevere by pressing close to the heart of the one who allowed the trial. You trust in his perfect plan for your life. You humbly yield your will to his will. And when you do, you will experience the timeless truth of God's Word. Isaiah 32, 2 says, When you walk through the fire, God, this is good. Anybody walking through some fire?" [00:33:18]
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"The Bible is crystal clear about the fact that all of us will face trials, all of us will face tribulations, and all of us will face problems, and all of us will face pain in this life. No one is exempt. Nobody. In John chapter 16, verse 33, Jesus said, I told you these things so that you can have peace." [00:05:41]
"Now, being all tore up or pulled apart is a normal part of a normal life. Now here's the deal, gang. None of us want to accept that. Look, can I tell you the only people not experiencing stress? Dead people. When you're laying in your box, ladies and gentlemen, or if you decide to be cremated and sit in an urn, whatever your situation might be, when you're there, day no stress." [00:07:17]
"It doesn't mean that we like it. It doesn't mean that we wish it wasn't so. It just means that we accept that obstacles are a part of life and that in Christ and by Christ and through Christ, watch this now, we can overcome them. We can overcome them." [00:08:44]
"June Hunt in her blog, Hope for the Heart, shares the following. Isaiah chapter 48 verse 10 says, I have refined you, though not as silver. I've tested you in the furnace of affliction. In both the Old and the New Testament, we find numerous references to God refining his children through fiery trials in much of the same way that an earthly refiner uses fire to purify gold or silver." [00:11:51]
"Malachi chapter 3 verse 3 says, He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will purify and refine them, meaning you and me, like gold and silver. And that's exactly what God intends when He allows trials to enter your life. If you're willing to surrender your will, I don't want to do that. I don't want... That's your will. That's your want to." [00:14:00]
"To produce in you Christ-like character. Christ-like character. June then shares that we don't develop Christ-like character all at once. Character is forged over time, especially through fiery trials. We can gain much insight by understanding the refining process. Psalm 66 verse 10 says, For you, God, tested us. You refined us like silver." [00:14:32]
"The refiner raises the temperature to higher degrees. The heat extracts the dross. Listen, you can't get rid of that stuff in your life that is preventing you from being all that God wants you to be unless you have the refiner turn the heat up. He turns the heat up and then the impurities are emitted during the refining process." [00:24:06]
"Again and again, impurities rise to the surface. Again and again, the crucible is returned to the furnace to extract the dross. And why the higher heat? Our refiner knows the exact temperature needed to extract the dross. And He knows that only certain impurities are released at certain temperatures." [00:26:18]
"The Bible tells us that we are predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus. You see, God loves you just the way you are, but he loves you so much he will not allow you to stay that way. Why? Because he wants you to be just like Jesus." [00:29:16]
"As we trust God to use our pain to purify our hearts, our character, who we are when the lights are out and nobody's at home but us, who we are truly. As we trust God to use our pain to purify our hearts, our character will come forth like that gold." [00:30:27]
"You persevere by pressing close to the heart of the one who allowed the trial. You trust in his perfect plan for your life. You humbly yield your will to his will. And when you do, you will experience the timeless truth of God's Word. Isaiah 32, 2 says, When you walk through the fire, God, this is good. Anybody walking through some fire?" [00:33:18]
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