FWD: Morning Manna (June 19); BP: Job 23; RBTTY: Acts 4:23-37; Neh. 12-13

 
Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net

 

---

-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:59:20 -0500
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (June 19); BP: Job 23; RBTTY: Acts 4:23-37; Neh. 12-13
 

June 19                                                                                                                               “24-Karat Gold”

 

              “But He knows the way I take.  When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

                                                                                                                                                        Job 23:10

     The fires that purify may grow quite hot, but the end-result is always worth it.

     Gold.

     Of all the metals known to man, none is more precious.  Silver is good.  Titanium’s strong and shiny.  Brass glistens in the sun.  But, none of these can compare to gold—yea, 24-karat gold.  And, today’s testimony by Job is a brilliant one, especially when we consider all he’d been through to this point.

 

     As we know, gold mining is big business.  Nowadays there are many who buy elaborate equipment to go find a few nuggets here and there in streams out west.  Larger mining companies spend millions of dollars digging for gold, hoping to find the “mother lode.”

 

     But, all of the gold discovered—whether nuggets or ore—must pass through the fire before it becomes pure gold.  It is the intense heat that brings the dross to the top, transforming the impure gold into 24-karat gold.

 

     And, so it is with our “fiery trials.”

     Job was going through a difficult time.  Emotionally he was distraught.  Relationally he was in anguish.  Physically he was suffering.  Theologically he was perplexed.  But, inwardly, his faith was the only thing sustaining him. . .for he was confident the God of Abraham “knows the way I take.”  Simply put, God knew what he was going through—and he knew He knew that he’d always try to walk the “strait and narrow” even when he felt like giving up or was encouraged to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9).

 

     Likewise, somehow in the midst of it all, He knew God’s “grace would be sufficient” (II Cor. 12:9-10).  And, like Peter, he knew “the trial of his faith was more precious than gold that perishes though it be tried with fire” (I Pet. 1:7a) and trusted that he’d still be giving “praise, honor and glory to God” (I Pet. 1:7b) when it was all said and done.

 

     The Hebrew word “bachan” is used for “tried” and also means “to examine, investigate, put to the test, etc.”  Or, another way to put it is, “to find out what’s really there.”  Who of us would not want this to happen in our own lives, Pilgrim?  If we want concrete to be strong before it’s used as a foundation and steel to be tempered by fire before being put in a building or bridge bed, how much more so we should want faith that will emerge victorious when trials and tribulations come our way.

 

     Therefore, instead of fretting or fuming when things are going wrong or we keep running into dead-ends, we should say, “Thank you, Lord, for allowing this in my life.  I know You know what’s best for me.  You also know I love you and know You’ll always work everything together for good in my life.  And, thank You, Father, that when this time of testing is over that I shall come forth as gold—yea, fine, 24-karat gold.  For Your honor and glory I pray, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.”