FROM THE DAWGhouse…..
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4
Can You See My Reflection Yet?
Topical On Suffering
Think About It.
If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. Booker T. Washington
There is not even one of us who has lived for even a day, that has not had to suffer or had pain or looked any trial right in the eye and our first impulse is to consider it pure joy! I have not met a single person ever in my life whether good friend or we just met, that if we got onto the subject of pain, suffering or a trial of any kind, that they started out telling me their story with a smile on their face. Think about it, when you are in the middle of any of the above issues, do you remember yourself singing out loud or even to yourself praises of joy to God or whoever it is you believe in? Do you remember skipping to work for joy during any of these times, or even going to worship on Sunday feeling all joyful when those issues are alive and resent in your life?……………………………….
Can You See My Reflection Yet?
So how can Jesus ask us all to feel this way when I am pretty sure there is no one, short of Him that ever felt this way during the time of the pain, suffering or trial? I sat and thought about that for awhile this morning as I wrote this and what occurred to me is that is always the way I feel as soon as any of the pain, suffering or trail is over, because I can clearly see the at work Jesus was during that whole time! I remember a time, back in May of 2003, when my company was again on the verge of going bankrupt. I went bankrupt prior, in 1987 and it was that painful and almost marriage breaking event, that caus3d me to come to give my life to Jesus in June of 1989. There was not one second of that 1987 event that brought me any joy, but the aftermath changed my life forever! Now this event in May of 2003 was about to turn my life over again, but this time, I was a Christian and was not going to find Jesus again, but what I did discover this time, is that I knew that I was not alone. Someone shared with me the refiners fire about silver and that got me through another one of the most difficult times in my life!…………………..
Can You See My Reflection Yet?
A lady took some silver to the silversmith to have a piece of jewelry made and he allowed her to stay and watch the process. He told the lady that to melt the silver down to use again, you had to hold the silver in the crucible at the hottest point of the fire, being very careful not to allow it to sit at the highest point of the heat, for in an instant it could burn the silver up. There were impurities in the silver that had to be burned off, but it was tricky to not burn up the silver in the process. So, the lady asked the silversmith how did he know then when the silver was ready, since it could be burned up if held at the hottest point of the fire too long, and he looked at her ad said, :When I can see my reflection in it!” When I was told that story, I knew exactly where I was as compared to this story. Jesus was the silversmith, and He was melting me down, holding me at the hottest point of the fire to get the impurities out of me, but He was not going to allow me to burn up, because He was waiting until He could see His own reflection in it!! How long have you been being held at the hottest point of the fire today? Ask Jesus this………………………………………….. Can You See My Reflection Yet?
This prayer is here for those who need to ask Jesus to be the Master of their life. If you are prompted by The Holy Spirit, make your move!
Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. I need you. I believe that you are the Son of God and that you died on the Cross for ALL of my sins in the past, ALL of my sins that I commit today, and ALL of my sins that I will commit. Please forgive me and accept me into your Kingdom. I want to be born again, new with you, the master of my life and heart. Thank you Lord Jesus for hearing and accepting my prayer…Amen. Alleluia! If you just prayed that prayer, then welcome to the family……
-Scott McCurdy
