Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a You Tube video of Chris McClarney singing … Beauty for Ashes, poignantly declaring witness to God’s deliverance from the fiery trials of life.
Highlight Passage: James 1:2 [NKJV] …
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, …
… James knew that God uses the trials of life to produce Christlikeness in His Brother’s disciples.
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Highlight Context … James 1:2-12 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus’ brother writing to Christians (you and me, too) who were facing great stresses.
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Reference Passage #1 … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Solomon knew that believers must learn to trust God no matter how hot the trials of life would get.
Reference Passage #2 … Daniel, Chapter 3 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus comes into the fiery furnace to save three who trusted in Him.
Reference Passage #3 … John 16:33 [NKJV] …
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
… We are not promised deliverance from trial … only to follow the One Who has overcome those tribulations.
Reference Passage #4 … Romans 8:28 [NKJV] …
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
… Yes, even the hottest of circumstances or trials … they are ALL for our good.
Reference Passage #5 … 1st Corinthians 10:13 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Remember the word “temptation” in this passage can also be translated “test, trial, tribulation, or trouble” … which means God promises to help us thru any/all fiery trials.
Reference Passage #6 … 1st Peter 1:7, 4:12 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Peter also taught about facing the fiery trials of life, knowing that Christians were going to have to face them to be reshaped into the image of our Savior.
My Journal for Today: … Our Daily Bread author, Bill Crowder, used a rather common biblical word picture to teach about facing the trials/challenges of life. He wrote: Fire can be one of the worst enemies of trees. But it can also be helpful. Experts say that small, frequent fires called “cool” fires clean the forest floor of dead leaves and branches but don’t destroy the trees. They leave behind ashes, which are perfect for seeds to grow in. Surprisingly, low-intensity fires are necessary for healthy growth of trees.
Similarly, trials—pictured as fire in the Bible—are necessary for our spiritual health and growth.
In today’s highlight Scripture, ODB author, Crowder, uses a very common teaching tool used in the Bible to depict what believers, more specifically we Christians, must face in order to allow God to refine, reform, and remake us into His image. And I have recopied or linked many of those biblical teachings or exhortations about facing the fiery trials of life above.
So, if any reader with me today has taken in the attached photo, the You Tube song by Chris McClarney, and all the Scriptures I’ve provided above, I could not add one ounce of word power to those expressions of God’s truth. … So, I won’t!
Today’s Prayer: Lord, THANKS YOU for even the fiery trials I go through to become more like You. Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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