The Fiery Trial

 

 

Kimberly Poteet -cbn.com

My husband has faint scars on his arms and hands.

It was not unusual to get the occasional burn at his former place of employment. He once worked at a die-cast factory, forcing molten metal into molds to form automotive parts.

The process began by putting chunks of impure metal into a hot furnace.

Then, once the metal melted, the refiner would throw in handfuls of granules that helped to separate the impurities from the pure liquid metal. These impurities looked like clumps of black lava as they broke loose and floated to the top of the silver molten liquid. The refiner then used a large metal tool to skim the surface and remove them.

This process continued until no further impurities floated to the top.

But the real way to know if the metal was free of impurities came when the refiner leaned over and looked upon the vat of liquid metal. When he saw his reflection—like looking into a mirror—he knew it was ready.

In 1 Peter 4:12-13 NLT, believers in Christ were told:

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.”

Most Christians would not consider fiery trials and suffering as reasons to be very glad. In fact, it seems logical that such things should be avoided.

In Matthew 16:21, Jesus told His disciples about how He would suffer terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He said he would even be killed. But He added that on the third day, He would be raised from the dead.

This did not make sense to Jesus’ disciples.

“Heaven forbid, Lord,” Peter said to Jesus in verse 22. “This will never happen to you!” 

Peter probably thought he was being loyal, even a good friend.

But in verse 23, Jesus said:

“Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

In verse 24, Jesus said to His disciples,

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”

Following Christ—even during the hard times—promises great rewards for believers.

This spiritual refining process helps Christians to identify with Christ’s sufferings. It also helps sanctify us from those sinful habits that try to weigh us down in life — to keep us from accomplishing God’s purpose for our lives.

So, when the Lord allows the heat to get turned up in our lives at times, it is not for nothing. He is the Refiner who removes these impurities from us so that His reflection is evident to all.

He is molding us into a strong creation that is not easily broken. He is shaping us into His own likeness.

The Thankful Heart

 

Aaron M Little -cbn.com

The soft plaster and drywall underneath the dining room window should have motivated a response long before the decay forced me to provide one. The hidden water damage was discovered shortly after moving into our family home in 2007, but it was an easily ignored nuisance in an under-used room. As a 29-year-old father with a pregnant wife, full-time job, and graduate school course load, there were more pressing matters at hand. At the time, I did not expect a delayed reaction to also include spiritual consequences.

Fast-forward to November of 2018 (yep, over a decade later) when an attempt to be a 40-year-old handyman resulted in an onion-peeling experience revealing just how serious decades of a small water offensive could be. As the baseboards disintegrated while prying them loose, the crumbling drywall exposed many completely rotted 2x4s that framed the window. This was an unwelcome nightmare of a problem to face right before Thanksgiving. Suddenly, gratitude and thankfulness were not residing in my heart. Hope had taken a serious hit as the holiday season would now kick off at a $2,000.00 deficit because of this unplanned repair expense.

I wish I could say that I immediately recognized this situation as an attempt by the enemy to steal my joy and peace. If only I had just shrugged it off and called the contractor without being stressed, frustrated, and even angry. The emotions of, “Why now?” and “Why me?” were overwhelming and my heart was way off from the appropriate place for the season of gratefulness. A focus on circumstances resulted in a hopelessly negative and defeated attitude.

In the same way, circumstances in today’s world can seem oppressive. Most of us are experiencing the pinch of finances in response to rising inflation. Political division is invading almost every facet of life. The government, media, and entertainment industries are racing to indoctrinate our children to abandon any semblance of a God-fearing existence. Hope is at a premium. Thankfulness is elusive. Circumstances appear bleak.

As Christians, we cannot afford to lose hope. We must prioritize gratefulness. In this, God’s word is clear:

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15, CSB).

Our hearts are our religious center. If we profess faith in Christ, He is therefore the cornerstone of our existence. Revering Christ naturally results in unending gratitude on our part, but also as the Scripture states, be prepared to share our hope. But we cannot share what we do not possess.

This world is in chaos. People are in pain. Christians must be the ambassadors of hope. We are to be a beacon of light amidst this darkness. Faith in Jesus Christ gives us more to be thankful for this season above any circumstance the world can throw at us. People are desperate for this hope. We have it. We must live in it. We must offer hope.

As we scurry through the holidays experiencing heightened stress and busyness, encountering challenges and frustrations in our paths, stop and reflect on God’s Word. Does your heart revere Christ as Lord? Is Jesus your center? If this is true, the way you live your life will attract attention. Those around you will notice your hope, so much so that they will ask, “How is it possible?” Are you prepared to give the reason for the hope that you have?

My dining room window was reframed. New drywall, plaster, and paint have been applied. Rehabilitation has occurred. Life is full of frustrations, challenges, and disappointments, but God is a God of restoration. He is calling us to live beyond our circumstances so that we can be sources of hope. Don’t let the discouraging situations of life rob you of a heart of thankfulness. Be grateful for hope. Share it. When people ask how you do it, be ready to give your answer this season and beyond.

Set Apart By God

 

Janice Moore – cbn.com

Peter understood the mission of the people of God. He beautifully describes it in the following Scripture:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9 NIV).

Peter is saying we are of the office or of the position of a priest (priesthood)—and not just a priest but a splendid, magnificent, royal one.

When I first read this, I thought, really me? A severely withdrawn girl from the westside of Chicago, called out of darkness to be a part of a holy nation, a kingdom of priests?

I know now, yes, I am—and so are you. God’s priests. We are set apart for the very same reason priests were set apart in the Bible. Priests were set apart, called, and made holy for a purpose, a job, a ministry, and most importantly, to carry out the mission of God. Priests were not set apart to be isolated from people or pompously parade around the community, nor to condemn. God says be holy for I am holy. Priests are called to live out the character of a loving God—to be the hands and feet of our Lord—and so are we.

Our priestly calling brought us out of darkness and the muck and mire of sin into His marvelous light to bless His people and to live out our lives shining His truths and love throughout our world.

Several years ago, I volunteered at a pregnancy resource center as well as clinics for women. There, I spent time talking and ministering to them. It was the most rewarding time of my life. It was my calling, my priesthood, my ministry. As a ministering vessel, God used me to minister to many individuals at those facilities.

Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15:

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

We need to be ready, in season and out of season, to share our hope and faith. We may not always see the salvation of the Lord in people we minister to, but our mission is to share our hope in God. And God will shine His face upon them, lift up His countenance to them and give them His peace. Basically, He will do it all.

Lord, I pray that we realize we are Your chosen ones, Your priests called out of darkness to be set aside and sanctified to declare the works of the Lord. We, as ministers and priests, are to let our light shine so you, Lord, are seen and You are glorified.

Please Pass the Blessings

 

 

Gordon Robertson – President and CEO, CBN

The story of Jacob sounds like a soap opera, yet God was in the midst of it. Jacob and Esau were the twin sons of Isaac and grandsons of Abraham. Before their birth, God told Rebekah,

“Two nations are in your womb … and the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23).

Jacob tried to be first from the beginning, grabbing Esau’s heel as he was born; thus his name means heel-grabber.

Jacob was also a good cook, and it was for a bowl of his stew that Esau traded away his birthright as the eldest son. Later, Esau took two Hittite wives who were a grief to his parents. Rebekah then helped Jacob trick Isaac into blessing him instead of Esau. When Esau planned to kill Jacob, Rebekah convinced Isaac to send Jacob away to find a wife among her relatives.

Genesis 28:10 tells us, Jacob went out from Beersheba. Often, when you take that first step of faith on a journey, God meets you there. Jacob dreamed of a ladder from earth to heaven—and there God spoke to him.

Although he fell in love with Rachel, Jacob the trickster was tricked by his Uncle Laban into marrying her older sister first. The two wives were bitter rivals, involving their servants in a race to have children—twelve sons total. When Jacob finally headed home with his family, he didn’t know if Esau still wanted him dead.

He wrestled all night with God, who said,

“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:28).

If life had been easy, would he have persevered and prevailed?

The key is that Isaac had blessed Jacob:

“May God Almighty bless you and give you many children. And may your descendants multiply and become many nations! May God pass on to you and your descendants the blessings he promised to Abraham” (Genesis 28:3-4 NLT).

This was God’s plan. The blessings God gave Abraham were passed to Isaac, who bestowed them on Jacob. Through him came the twelve tribes of Israel, then the Messiah.

So this Thanksgiving, give thanks for what God has done, then pray over your family and bless them all. Pass along the wonderful blessings that God has freely given to you. As Galatians 3:14 says,

“Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham” (NLT).

God bless you.

Finding Strength by Giving Thanks

 

 

Gordon Robertson – President and CEO, CBN

Only two cultures in the world have existed 4,000 years: the Han Chinese, who never had to leave their land; and the Jews, who miraculously survived much of their history without a country.

We can learn from our elder brothers in the faith about how to maintain faith in the midst of a culture that opposes you.

The Lord chose Abraham, knowing he would teach his children God’s promises. How faithful are we to share His Word with the next generation? We must tell them, because the world will not. There is great joy in seeing children grow up into spiritual maturity, and their children after them.

The Jewish people have also kept their culture by keeping the Sabbath—honoring God with a weekly remembrance. It begins every Friday evening as mothers light candles and pray.

Psalm 92, often attributed to Moses, is a song for the Sabbath. The psalm opens with thanksgiving:

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night (vv. 1-2)

Are you discouraged? Give thanks and see what happens. Thank God for His faithfulness and the victory that is about to come. Declare His lovingkindness, and praise Him for the covenant He made in His own blood for you.

Verse 4 says,

For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work.

This is key to finding deep satisfaction—joy from seeing what God is doing. It’s why my father has always challenged me to pray, “God, can I be part of your plan?” There’s a gladness to be part of God’s purpose that will last for eternity.

Do you feel weary and dry? Verse 10 promises,

I have been anointed with fresh oil.

Every day, He will give you a fresh anointing, vision and hope.

The psalm concludes:

Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age … to declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him (vv. 13-15)

Think of the Jewish people singing the song of the Sabbath every week to guide them through the centuries. When looking at all the uncertainty in the world, remember—He is working, and He is faithful to see it through to completion.

So, this Thanksgiving, take time to give thanks for what God is unfolding in the world today. Our hearts can be glad because of who He is. He is using us to preach the Gospel and usher in His kingdom. In that kingdom, every day is a holiday and a Sabbath because we can rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ. God bless you.

A Flood of Thanksgiving

 

 

Jonathan Macnab – Writer – cbn.com

My heart sank as I awoke to find the floor of our camper trailer soaked with water. All I could think was, “No! Not again, Lord…” I’d rushed for days to tear out the inside of the aging RV, remove any mold, and lay new plank flooring so our two toddlers could run around safely—all while living in it as a family of four with two dogs. Throughout the project, one thing after another had gone wrong, and I’d been injured multiple times. Now, I needed to rip out the floor and start again.

I couldn’t afford this kind of mistake. The worst part was how hopeful we’d become the night before, only to have it snatched away. A terrible storm had buffeted the trailer all night, and we’d just been praising God that no water had come in. Instead, the place managed to flood from the inside, as my tub overflowed from a leaky faucet. Shock gave way to desperation, and then my heart began to fill with rage. How could God let this happen? We had an agreement. I’d asked for help, and He was supposed to answer!

As it turns out, His Word had an answer:

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (James 4:1-3 ESV)

God showed me something in my heart that fateful day in the RV. My passions were at war within me. My heart was stealing my joy in the Lord and keeping me from being able to react decisively to solve the situation—which affected my family.

There was no solution but thankfulness—through a return to the cross. God has called us to give thanks in all circumstances, but I couldn’t do it that day. I had to bow before God and yield my sinful self to Him. God had promised that I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. (Galatians 2:20)

Jesus had given His life to win me a place at the Father’s side and offer me a glorious inheritance for eternity, and He had promised His presence in life now. I had good reason to be thankful! And my angry, fearful old identity had been nailed to the cross. It was buried. I didn’t have to be that man anymore.

As a new man, I could give God thanks for a new nature and His covenant promises, and I could rise up to care for my family with joy through trials. God was enough, as His Word reminds us, be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

This Thanksgiving, turn your heart towards God in thankfulness. Let Him become the passion of your soul, and none of this world’s challenges can break you, because He will never leave.

Life Lessons From the Kitchen Cabinet

 

 

Kimberly Poteet – cbn. com

I could take you to the exact spot, along that Nashville highway, where I felt that dagger plunge into my heart as I drove home one afternoon. Words were the weapon—instead of steel—but they cut just as deep.

I fought back tears as I struggled to find a response to my young son’s comments he whispered, under his breath, from the backseat: “I wish you were not my mother.” At that moment, many words flashed through my mind: angry words, tearful words, words of correction. But I realized that a quick response would not carry the weight I wished to share. My son lashed out when he did not get his way, not truly understanding the significance of what he said. And I needed him to understand.

In silence, we drove home. My son tried to talk to me as I got out of the car and walked inside, but I remained quiet. I walked into our kitchen, opened a cabinet door, and retrieved a 5-pound bag of cornmeal. I asked my son to follow me as I carried the cornmeal to a small patio that overlooked our tiny backyard. He curiously complied.

Reaching into the paper bag, I extracted a handful of the yellowish-white cornmeal and flung it across the yard. The powdery plume quickly fell and settled into the crevices of so many blades of grass. Then I turned to my son, extended my empty hand, and asked him to pick up every fragment and return it to my hand. With an excitement that only comes from youth, he raced into the yard, not even hesitating before he began this impossible mission. I stood, with my hand extended, as he made multiple trips to place a tiny portion of the powdery grain in my hand. Finally, he tired of this task, admitting he could retrieve no more.

“Was this how much I threw out?” I asked. He admitted that the contents of my hand—cornmeal mixed with weed fragments—was not anywhere near as much as I had broadcast across the yard. We stood there in silence a moment longer. Then I told him that our words are like that cornmeal. Once we throw them out so carelessly, we cannot fully retrieve them.

I did not rush this conversation. I wanted it to penetrate the crevices of his heart and mind so he understood. I then reminded him of those hurtful words he said in a moment of anger. Those words could never be fully taken back. So, that is why we should choose words carefully.

Of course, I forgave my son. He was a child who behaved … like a child that day. But now, I see so many adults who also lash out and broadcast hasty words to any who will hear—in person, on social media, everywhere!

The third chapter of the book of James warns us of the power of our words—for good or harm. In verse 5, the tongue is compared to “a tiny spark” that can “set a great forest on fire.” I know we’ve all seen reports of wildfires that often start small but soon destroy thousands of acres, homes—even lives! That is God’s warning about what our words can do in a moment of carelessness.

But God wishes for us to speak words of life—not destruction.