For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. (Isaiah 48:9-11)
Today's Morsel: I often wonder why some of the best Christians seem to be those who come out of great distresses, those who have been oppressed, or those who are inundated with many troubles. It seems that once many of these people are filled with God's Spirit, they have a great desire to do something for the Lord. The Lord said through the Prophet Isaiah, "For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." Maybe this is what the psalmist meant when he said, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all" (Psalms 34:19). When afflictions are taking place in our lives it could be God's way of refining us for His glory. As Paul said, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). If it feels the fire is hot, hang in there and you will be purified to be the real thing.
Sing: I've got a fire! I've got a fire burning, burning inside of me. I've got a fire! I've got a fire burning, burning inside of me. Your presence is my passion, when you captured my gaze, you set me ablaze with your fire, fire, fire, you baptized me with your Spirit and fire.
Thought for Today: You should never want to be a half-done Christian.
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