I got up one Saturday morning, measured some cups of beans and began selecting the good ones from among the combination of beans, stones and chaff.
I really needed to conduct this selection and separation to make sure that I picked the good quality beans. After this process, I washed the good grains and put them in the pot, placed the pot on the gas burner, applied the heat and started cooking.
I returned to the other side of the kitchen cabinet to tidy up, and behold, ONE GRAIN of beans was lying helpless and lonely in the washing basin/sink. I picked up this grain, examined it critically and noticed that it was good and among the ones picked out to stand the test of the fire and eventually become more useful to man. But alas, it strayed and found itself in the lone and dreary world in the sink!
I exclaimed, THIS GRAIN COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE FIRE. Where am I going?
Beans is good and quite nutritious, but it obviously can not be all that by itself. All the qualities of the beans are tried, tested and ascertained by the test and appetite of man. Above all, it must go through the fire to prove its worth.
That stray bean I found in the sink has missed it, it rebelliously fell out, and I did not hesitate to pick it up and fling it in the dust bin where it will be burned along side the heap of rubbish.
Man is like this grain of beans. Man is full of rebellion. When man is about to pass through the refining fire of God, he quickly jumps out, thinking he is smart. He goes out into the lone and dreary world, where he will be welcomed by wolves in sheep\’s clothing; he lands himself in the company of cannibals who will quickly devour him.
Hear me this day, dear reader, there are three kinds of fire.
1) THE REFINING FIRE OF GOD,
2) The Fire of the Holy Ghost, which quickens us to do good even as it protects us from harm.
3) THE CONDEMNING FIRE OF HELL.
The refining fire is the fire that cleans one up, burns up all the debris and leaves one clean enough for the Kingdom. This refining fire is the test that man has to pass through before becoming the real image of the Father. When the Lord takes us up from this fire, He looks at us, and as soon as He sees His Own very image, He knows that we are good to go.
Today\’s Matter is taken from the Bible Books of Zachariah 13:9 and 1Peter 1:7. Zachariah 13:9 says: \”And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, The LORD is my God\”.
1Peter 1:7 reads: \”That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ\”.
We become better and useful after we have gone through fire. Gold is priceless, how much more man made in the very likeness of God. Just as I sat close to my pot of beans on the fire, watching and making sure it does not burn or cook beyond its usefulness, but good to the taste of man and ready enough for its purpose, so does Jesus Christ sit and watch us. As soon as His image appears in us, He brings us out to shine to the world thereby fulfilling our purpose in life.
Prepare yourself to make it through the fire. You will not be burned, you will not be consumed, you will not be forgotten in the fire.
He who has called you is faithful.
Please read up Malachi 3:2-3.
