December: Trials and PainThe devil, things and people being what they are, it is necessary forGod to use the hammer, the file and the furnace in His holy work ofpreparing a saint for true sainthood. It is doubtful whether God canbless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.The Root of the Righteous, 157.December 2Trials and Pain: Piles of AshesNow no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful;nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit ofrighteousness to those who have been trained by it.--Hebrews 12:11If God has singled you out to be a special object of His grace youmay expect Him to honor you with stricter discipline and greatersuffering than less favored ones are called upon to endure....If God sets out to make you an unusual Christian He is not likelyto be as gentle as He is usually pictured by the popular teachers.A sculptor does not use a manicure set to reduce the rude,unshapely marble to a thing of beauty. The saw, the hammer and thechisel are cruel tools, but without them the rough stone mustremain forever formless and unbeautiful.To do His supreme work of grace within you He will take from yourheart everything you love most. Everything you trust in will gofrom you. Piles of ashes will lie where your most precioustreasures used to be. That Incredible Christian, pp. 122-124"Lord, give me the grace to withstand 'the saw, the hammer and thechisel.' I want the finished product; I often chafe under theprocess. I submit myself today to Your working. Amen."
Oh dear Sister... Who showed us all of this at the beginning of our pilgrimage?Quote:"It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply."Question: What god is this? Answer: The True God. Terrifying...at first, yet He becomes the God of ALL COMFORT to us who submit to His will and trust in His great and precious promises.Quote:"Lord, give me the grace to withstand 'the saw, the hammer and the chisel.' I want the finished product; I often chafe under the process. I submit myself today to Your working. Amen."Oh... bless Him and His Holy Name Forever.Be well today,Doug
The problem in much of the church today is that the message is "Come to Jesus and He will make you happy," when it ought to be "come to Jesus and He will make you holy", "Come to Jesus and die to self". Yes, Jesus does give us "joy unspeakable and full of glory", but the purpose of God is to conform us to the image and likeness of His Son, and we will have to go through many dealings of the Lord to come to that place. Mike
_________________Mike
If God has singled you out to be a special object of His grace youmay expect Him to honor you with stricter discipline and greatersuffering than less favored ones are called upon to endure...
_________________SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
I have been in this school for quite awhile.....I am "almost" totally yielded, but there is this teeny, tiny corner of my heart that is holding on for dear life....Oh the condition of the human heart!!! And I am passionate about a life lived for Jesus Christ - truly it is ALL of Him, and NOTHING of us...