The Fire

In our daily lives, we tend to forget that God defines Himself as "a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29) God uses the fire for many purposes. We're most familiar with how fire destroys. Deuteronomy 9:3 and Psalm 97:3 says that God uses fire to devour the enemy. Hebrews 10:27 says that a raging fire will consume the enemies of God after their judgement. When we think of Hell, we think of fire. (Matthew 25:41,46; Revelation 19:20;20:10) God has used fire to show His wrath, but He also uses it for good.

If you're walking through the fire, if you've stepped out in faith, trusting in God (like Radshack, Meshack,and Abednego), then know that He walks with you through it. The fire refines when God is in it. He uses the fire to purify and bring to the surface those things which need to be removed. He refines us a silver and purifies us like gold. (Zephaniah 13:9) Allow God to do His work in you. Understand the fire for what it is. When you're trusting in God, He goes to great lengths and extraordinary measures to perfect your faith. And more often than not, it takes the fire.

Let us not forget God's truth. When we're crying out to the heavens through our suffering, let us remember Truth and allow God to do His work within us.

"For you have been given not only 
the privilege of trusting in Christ,
but also the privilege of suffering for Him."
Philippians 1:29

As the Chinese Christians say, "True faith does not fear the fire."