PURIFICATION PURPOSE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

ARE YOU SEEKING?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Is this a test?

You know about every month or so the emergency broadcast system interrupts the air waves with a “test”. A voice comes across the airwaves with, “This is a test of the emergency response system this is only a test.”

You know sometimes I think GOD interrupts our “daily” pattern with tests. In fact I know that GOD issues the occasional “test” of our emergency response system. (our faith J)

And while GOD never tempts us in any way…

James 1:13

New Century Version (NCV)

¹³ When people are tempted, they should not say, "God is tempting me." Evil cannot tempt God, and God himself does not tempt anyone.

…God does allow trials in our lives in order to test our faith.

Now make sure you get that straight.

GOD never TEMPTS us in an effort to trip us up or cause us to fail. He does not test our faith with that in mind.

However GOD does allow trials and adversity in our lives in an attempt to draw us nearer to Him, to learn greater dependence on Him and to develop an increased assurance in His power over the world.

Why?

Because unproven, untried faith is not worth much.

I mean think about it. How do we know what we can endure in life if our faith has not been tested?

How can we reach our potential if we never face a test, competition or situation that stretched us or pushed us?

Look at it this way.

What if you had a great mind for math, but never pushed yourself past multiplication. How would you know how GREAT a mathmetician you could be?

What if you were an accomplished bowler but never bowled a game without the little bumper railings in the gutters.

How would you know how GOOD YOU COULD REALLY BE; what your potential COULD BE if you never pushed your limits or were tested beyond your comfort zone?

You see with the tests come the possibility for promotion and for advancement in our relationship with GOD.

Never forget, GOD wants to see you MEET your potential. He has gifted you in a unique way! He will do what is necessary to see you meet that potential.

And the tests and trials of life are one way He uses to refine your faith and thereby advance your testimony and EFFECTIVENESS FOR HIM!

So there is always PURPOSE in our trials.

1 Peter 1:6-7

⁶ With this hope you can be happy even if you need to have sorrow and all kinds of tests for awhile.⁷ These tests have come to prove your faith and to show that it is good. Gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire. Your faith is worth much more than gold and it must be tested also. Then your faith will bring thanks and shining-greatness and honor to Jesus Christ when He comes again.

All of go through some painful periods in life. Job challenges, family issues, times of grief, and painful relationships.

But when we respond to those trials by drawing on God’s strength we become a powerful testimony to those who do not know Christ, we become stronger in our FAITH. "WE BRING GREATNESS AND HONOR TO JESUS!"

So we must remember, as hard as it may be at the time, that trials in our lives are there to PURIFY and to refine us and not to destroy us.

That verse from 1 Peter in THE MESSAGE phrases it like this ”pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine.”

So if you feel as if you are being tested this week or are starting to wilt under the pressure or up against some stiff competition, remember God has a purpose for every challenge He allows to come your way.

Stand firm and allow Him to accomplish His will in your life—by whatever means He deems necessary.

There is always a PURIFICATION purpose!

2 Corinthians 7:11
And now, isn't it wonderful all the ways in which this distress has goaded you closer to God? You're more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible. Looked at from any angle, you've come out of this with purity of heart

I love you all.

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney