Righteous Readings: June 2019


96lioness

QUEEN LIONESS!!!
Forged from Fire: Refined Silver in Christ Jesus


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And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness- Malachi 3 (KJV)

During the process of refining silver, the Silversmith would hold a piece of silver over fire and allow it to absorb heat. While in the fire, the Silversmith would hold the silver in the middle of the fire, where the flames were hottest. During the refinement process, the Silversmith would sit directly in front of the fire the entire time. It was imperative that He kept His eyes on the silver every second of the process. If taken from the fire too soon, the silver would contain impurities mingled with the silver. If kept too long in the fire, the silver would be too damaged to be effective or useful for its purpose.

While the process of refining silver is the same, the amount of time spent in the fire is not. Some pieces require longer periods in the fire, some require less. But’s not the amount of time in the fire that determines whether the silver is effective and ready for use……. it’s when the Silversmith can see His image in the silver!


This piece was given to me by a co-worker a few years ago. I thought it was beautiful back then, and held on to it. Today, in 2019, I thank and praise God that I did!



........TO BE CONTINUED............
 
Forged from Fire: Refined Silver in Christ Jesus (Part 2)

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory shall revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy!”- 1 Peter 4: 12-13 (KJV)

January 29, 2018, my sister and I were hit with some news that changed our lives. Our mother was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer (left lobe). I remember when I heard the news and thought it was strange that I didn’t cry. I remember before her diagnosis, when the biopsy was recommended, I confess that I was anxious; yet, when the diagnosis was given, I wasn’t very surprised. My mother had smoked since before my sister (2 years older than me) was born, and at that time my sister was 48 years old. My mother underwent almost 7 months of chemotherapy, and additional 35 days of radiation. During this process, my mother had several CT, bone, and PET scans, to determine if the treatments were successful, and God allowed them to be successful, with only scar tissue (from the chemo) to remain on my mother’s left lung.

Fast forward to March 24, 2019. On an issue un-related to the cancer, my mother was admitted to the ER and spent 11 days in the hospital. While there, she became weak (she’s known anemia) and wanted therapy, so she was discharged to a nursing/rehab home and underwent physical and occupational therapy. Soon after her admission there, I noticed she had trouble with words. She’d get to a word and would struggle for a while before it came to her. My sister noticed that she would favor one hand (right) over her left (but she is right-handed). My sister and I thought it might have been possible that our mother suffered from a mild stroke. The day of her discharge, April 27th, she had a cold and spent the next day in bed (chills). My sister and I again discussed the possibility that momma may have had a stroke and since she was sick, we scheduled an appointment with her PCP. It was my sister’s turn to take her to the doctor, and I reminded her to tell her doctor about our concerns. On Wednesday, May 1, 2019, while in Intercessory Prayer, my sister called me. I decided to call after I came out of prayer when the Holy Spirit told me, “Go to the chapel before you call your sister”, so I obeyed. Expecting to hear that my mother did suffer from a mild stroke, I instead heard my sister say, “Stephanie, they found tumors on momma’s brain”. Those words still echo so loudly in my ears to this day.

After an emergency MRI, we learned that 10-13 “intercranial lesions” (fancy word for tumors) are on my mother’s brain, the smallest the size of a green pea, the largest the size of a small grape. Momma must undergo radiation AGAIN. After 13 days of radiation, momma must undergo a PET scan again. On June 3rd, one week after her PET scan, again while sitting in church during VBS, I was informed that my mother has a mass in the center of her chest that is metastatic (spreading), 2 small masses on her right lower lung, a mass on her liver, and one bone lesion on her L3 (3rd lumbar) of the spine.

In the first epistle that bears his name, Peter says in the 4th chapter, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the FIERY TRIAL which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you”. From the time of my mother’s diagnosis in January 2018 to June 2019, I would often think of this verse and wonder why I’d concentrate on the “FIERY TRIAL”. But the words of our Lord Jesus Christ are so perfect and true:

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, shall teach you all thing and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, MY peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you” (John 14: 26-27 (KJV).


In my reflecting on the “FIERY TRIAL” in 1st Peter 4, the Holy Spirit brought to my memory “offer unto the Lord an offering of righteousness” in Malachi 3! While I spent so much focus on the "FIERY TRIAL" going on in 2019, the Holy Ghost reminded me of another wonderful opportunity to "offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness", the Scripture from Malachi 3:3 given to me by my co-worker back in 2017!

Brothers and sisters in Christ, it is important to remember that while God may allow the flames of life to get their hottest, we MUST NOT/CANNOT focus on the flames. Instead, remember Who it is holding you while you’re in the flames, knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ (the Silversmith) has His eyes on you every single second. Trust in Him (the Silversmith) as you go through the process of refinement, knowing that He will not allow you to become damaged by the bad news or the bad health or the challenges you undergo. Trust in Him (the Silversmith), knowing that whatever it is that’s keeping you from total surrender to Him will melt away as you undergo the flames! And when He pulls you out from the fire, rejoice, knowing that He now sees Himself in you, and has made you ready to fulfill His purpose in your life!


The ever-sustaining grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is made perfect in our weaknesses, be with you always!
 
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@96lioness, thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Continued prayers are lifted for you and your family, and for all others who may be going "thru" similar "trials".
 
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