The Refiner's Fire

Today I received this message below as a response to a Facebook wall post made by my good friend Thomas J "Capn Dawg 1" Shea. My good friend whom I have come to respect as a genuine Christian to the core. He never fails to amaze me.

Unbeknownst to CD1 today had been a really tough day for me. Trials had been happening all week and with each successive day this week the trials kept getting more serious. Today's trials were hands-down the most toughest out of all the ones we've struggled with recently. Just before logging into Facebook I found myself grappling with why??

I had been praying prior to this and lo and behold there is CD's post. I knew it was God and that He was reaching down to comfort and assure. As a Christian I know too well the importance of being "refined" and that it is a process we all go through to become more sold out to God as well as to learn reliance completely on Him through our toughest moments.

All along this week I kept thinking "higher level..BIGGER DEVIL.." but today I was reminded "BIGGER DEVIL..even BIGGER GOD!".

Yes life may come at you from all directions and yes we all go through those times when all we can do is hold on tight to God. I knew upon reading what CD shared that there was no doubt I would share this. In fact CD asked me to. I want to thank CD again for sharing this and at the opportune time he did as it was truly inspired by God and helped when nothing else could.

My hope is that this in some way also reaches someone who needs it and at the opportune time as well. Just know one thing God always is there..even in those storms of life. Those storms of life make us what we are. By passing through a refiner's fire..though painful..we are better for it and a true vessel of Him. Just hang on...He's truly there. I know 1000 per cent as below is my testimony of His love for me as well as His love for you too!

"Brenda...Received this from cpt_mac a few minutes ago-use it!.........."

Malachi 3:3 says:
"He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says:

"He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"

He smiled at her and answered,

"Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined and will test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will hear and answer them. I will say, It is My people; and they will say, The Lord is my God. ~Zechariah 13:9~


Because he has set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he has known My Name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him My Salvation.