Day of Departure

"The time of my departure is at hand."

(2 Timothy 4:6)

Recently someone very dear to me found a friend of his, who he had just seen 30 minutes prior, slumped over in his chair, dead.

Gone.

Without warning, his friend stepped into eternity.

During the last few days I have had three extremely close calls in my business travels on the road.

In three separate instances, semi trucks suddenly drifted over into my lane when I was directly alongside them. I had nowhere to go and could only pray and hold on for dear life.

Had God not intervened, preserving my life, I would not be here writing this today.

The point is, none of us know when our day of departure will be.

Death can be so sudden, and it is final. There is no coming back.

"Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us." (Luke 16:25-26)

If you suddenly stepped into eternity today, do you know where you would go?

Are you absolutely sure where your final destination is?

"There is no heaven or hell! When you die it's all over!" you might say.

However, I believe that your conscience tells you otherwise.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart." (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Human beings are the only species in whom God has placed a conscience, and an innate conviction that there is indeed life after death. He has placed eternity in man's heart.

And there are only two choices when it comes to a person's eternal destination: darkness—or light.

The solution to this problem is good news indeed. And in two thousand years, the message has still not changed. Straight from the mouth of Jesus Himself: He is the way—the only way.

No matter how good a person you think you are, God will not judge you based on your worldly standard of "good." He will judge you according to His absolutely perfect standard of good—which is Himself.

But because of the love and grace of God, you can step into eternal love and light, instead of eternal pain and darkness—if you will open your heart to Jesus the Son of God.

The last six thousand years of world history proves that man, left to his own devices, will eventually destroy this planet and destroy each other. In a moral sense, mankind is clearly not evolving, but rather, devolving.

The real question is—do you personally know where you're going? 

Do you know absolutely know for certain where your final destination will be, on that day you step into eternity?

As my son did for me, call those near and dear to you today—don't wait—and tell them you love and appreciate them. 

Don't leave anything important unsaid.

...None of us know when our day of departure will be.

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Oil and Water

"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?" 

(2 Corinthians 6:14-15)

No matter how carefully you try to blend them, no matter how vigorously you shake them up, try as you might, oil and water just don't mix.

Their chemical makeup is different. Their molecules are different. 

They were never meant to blend together.

God, who is sovereign, has designed all kinds of simple illustrations, in normal daily things like oil and water not mixing, for our learning—to save us from a whole lot of grief and pain. 

I once heard a wise man say: 

"Sin is not bad because it's forbidden—it's forbidden because it's bad."

We see something or someone that may look perfect for us, and we go to great lengths to justify it to ourselves, and then attain it. On the surface, this perfect person for you may look like you've finally found your "soul mate."

A trap is a trap because it doesn't look like a trap. It looks good to the eyes. It looks sweet to eat. It will make us wiser. 

But it's still a deadly trap.

Just ask Eve.

"Oh, you're just being legalistic!" you might say. "Surely God will bless this relationship, because we're just so right for each other!" you might add. Or, "She'll change, if I just love her with God's love she'll hopefully want to be a Christian too!" you might reason.

Why do you think that God would give such a command that we should not be unequally yoked together with (married to, dating) an unbeliever?

"To deliver you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words, who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God. For her house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead; none who go to her return, nor do they regain the paths of life." (Proverbs 2:16-17)

That last part is extremely sobering...

"None who go to her return, nor do they regain the paths of life."

Sin is progressive, and it's a very slippery slope. 

You may start out slow. "Oh, we're just making out, but we're not sleeping together!" you might say to yourself.

"Well, we're sleeping in the same bed together, but we're not having sex..." you might lie, trying to justify your sin to a concerned friend or parent.

And, speaking from personal experience, before you know it, you dove into the deep end of the sin pool and you can't get out. 

You're in way too deep.

Had the careless son only heeded the wise warning of his Father...

"My son, pay attention to my wisdom; lend your ear to my understanding, that you may preserve discretion, and your lips may keep knowledge. For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, her steps lay hold of Hell. Lest you ponder her path of life, her ways are unstable; you do not know them." (Proverbs 5:1-6)

In my own willful dive into the deep end of the sin pool of adultery, I did not heed the warnings from my Father to flee from the lips of an immoral woman. Her words were sweet as honey—music to my ears. Her convincing explanation that "God wanted me to be happy" were smoother than oil to my hurting heart, in the midst of a troubled marriage that wasn't very happy at the time.

But as the warning from my Father clearly states: 

"Her ways are unstable—you do not know them." And "Her feet go down to death, her steps lay hold of Hell."

I was so far gone in my own sin and rebellion against God and against my wife, that I was actually planning to marry this other woman, who I allowed myself to be convinced, was my 'soul mate.'  But it was a trap.

But, praise God, He kept speaking to my heart, drawing me to Himself, showing me that this other woman was a trap from Satan.

God gave my wife and I grace, love and forgiveness for each other, to come back together, and give our broken marriage to Him to fix.

However, had I not obeyed Him, the sad result would have been...

"His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin. He shall die for lack of instruction and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray."  (Proverbs 5:22-23)

The man, or woman, who chooses to follow down the destructive path of sin and iniquity is caught in the cords of his or her own sin. It's like getting caught in a big spider web of your own choosing.

"Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; he who does so destroys his own soul. Wounds and dishonor he will get, and his reproach will not be wiped away." (Proverbs 6:32-33)

Spiritual death would have been my fate, had I walked away from God. It would have been impossible for me to get out of the trap I dove into, if I wandered past the point of no return—beyond repentance.

"For her house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead; none who go there return."

I was in so deep, I almost didn't make it out alive. 

It was only by the grace of God, and a lot of people praying for me, and a close friend who got in my face, who rebuked me, and shook me out of my sinful slumber—that I am still here today, happily married to my wonderful wife, and loving and serving God.

Many don't make it out alive.

If you will hear your Father's voice today, and heed His wisdom and instruction, then discretion will preserve you.

Don't make the same mistake that I made. You may think you've found your soul mate. He or she may look like the "perfect person" for you.

But if he or she is not a born again follower of Christ—and you are—you will only bring grief, heartache and destruction upon yourself and upon others, if you choose to continue down a path of sin that your Father in Heaven has warned you about, and commanded you not to pursue.

Oil and water do not mix.

-They were never meant to.

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Our Need For Discernment

"Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy."  

(1 Timothy 4:1-2)

The Bible warns followers of Christ that in the last days, if it were possible, even the elect of God could be deceived. 

Jesus gave several warnings that many would "come in His name" and that we are to be on the alert, knowing false teachers and false prophets, or "false Christs" will come, and already have gone out into the world.

These deceivers are also referred to as "wolves in sheep's clothing." 

The photograph above is a telling portrayal of such a person.  At first glance, the face of a gentle lamb appears. But looking closer, beneath the surface, a scheming, ravenous wolf lies hidden within.

Have you run across people like this?

They are on the news every night.

They may be an eloquent orator, and appear at first glance to be a good person. They may say they are a "christian" and make a couple of public appearances at church at convenient times each year. They may be smooth talkers who say all the right things. 

But the Bible says we are "known by our fruit"—by the day to day produce of our life, our character, and our heart.

Paul writes to Timothy, his son in the faith, that the Holy Spirit expressly says that some who we thought were Christians will depart from the faith. These people have stopped going to church. They no longer read the Bible, nor do they care what it teaches. They do not fellowship with other followers of Christ. Their life no longer bears the fruit of someone who once professed to love and follow Jesus. They are selfish, proud loners who have gone their own way, not caring for, or serving others.

These apostates have given heed to deceiving spirits.

The religious world is full of materialistic, greedy, prosperity preachers and people who have found all sorts of false teachers to tell them what they want to hear. These people absolutely believe that the Bible promises them continuous health and wealth—conveniently forgetting that even the great apostle of faith—Paul—had a thorn in his flesh that God did not heal. And even the Lord Jesus—rich in love and mercy—said He did not even have a place to lay His head at night.

Deceiving spirits and teachers all want to cause you to stray from the Deity and simplicity of Christ. 

"He was just a god" they say, "but not The God."

Others say that "what He did on the cross was not enough." They say you can only be saved "after all that you can do."

And still others say that Jesus was "a good man, and a great teacher." But they say He was certainly not the Lord of Glory.

Paul warns us that these teachers are demonic in nature—"anathema"—cursed.

Other deceivers hide out in the political arena. They talk the smooth talk, making great speeches and promises, but somehow they always seem to fail to keep them. They are liars and hypocrites.

Or worse, these political charlatans try to pass themselves off as humble sheep—or followers of Christ—but the fruit of their personal beliefs and policies reveal them to be godless, wolves in sheep's clothing.

"But he seems like a good guy!" you may say.

"Good?" 

According to whose standards?

If Jesus were here on the earth today, would He approve of the policies and actions of these people?

"For the Word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

Our need for spiritual discernment does not apply to just politicians or preachers. 

How about what books you're reading? Or the movies you watch? Or even the person you're dating, or interested in, if you're single?

One need remember that the Bible says that the "whole world lies under the say of the wicked one."(1 John 5:19)  

The whole world system—including world politics and culture—are manipulated and swayed by Satan; also referred to as the "god of this age." He is the diabolical madman—the "Oz" behind the curtain pulling the strings. Everything he is and does, is against God and His people.

When you watch that movie, have you ever considered who is ultimately behind the making of it? Have you asked yourself, "does this glorify God?" Better yet, have you ever asked God, "Lord, does my watching this movie bring you glory?"

My intent is not to single out bad movies. The point is, what are you using for discernment in your beliefs, choices, decisions, practices, views and opinions these days?

If it's not the Bible—the Word of God—I urge you to re-think your choices, and then turn back to God, asking Him for His spiritual wisdom and discernment, in these perilous times that we are living in.

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. From such people turn away." (2 Timothy 3:1-6)

Look closely at the kind of religious people that Paul describes in the above passage. They are selfish, self-absorbed,  "lovers of themselves." They are apostate, hedonistic "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." But they appear to be "good people." They have a "form of godliness" looking like a follower of Christ on the outside. 

But they are wolves in sheep's clothing. 

Jesus warned us of these kinds of people:

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:15-16)

They look and sound really good on the outside—but inwardly—in their hearts—they are ravenous wolves.

Before listening to that person's teaching, before going out with that girl or guy, or before voting for that candidate, have you prayed to God and asked Him for wisdom and spiritual discernment about them?

You have to ask your Father in Heaven first.

Father knows best.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)

Ask God before making any moves or decisions. Don't go by your feelings or even a 'gut reaction.' Test any "voice" you may hear by the Word of God.

—Do not give heed to deceiving spirits.

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Act Like Men

"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

When you read the title to this post, I've obviously written it to men. But the spiritual principles contained within certainly are applicable for women as well. 

1.  We need to "Be on alert."

Peter the apostle writes:

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

Because the enemy of our souls is on the prowl 24/7, we must constantly be on alert, being sober and vigilant. God has established His men as "watchmen on the wall" (See Isaiah 62:6) to pray and be the protectors and providers for our families.

2.  We must "stand firm in the faith." 

It can get very lonely and wearisome spending so much time as a watchman on the wall, and you can't accomplish it by your own strength. Jesus said, "Without Me you can do nothing." We can only do so by faith—as Christ strengthens us. 

And let's face it—praying without ceasing is hard work. It's easy to spend 5 minutes of your day asking God to bless your finances or whatever you have on your shopping list for Him to provide for you. But God is not your divine Santa Claus. And He does not call us to pray a 5 minute shopping list to Him. No, you must "labor fervently in prayer" for your families, for this nation, and for one another. (See Colossians 4:12)

The key is, you have to ask your Heavenly Father for the strength that His Spirit supplies. Jesus was very clear on this:

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it shall be opened to you." (Luke 11:9-10)

3.  We must "act like men and be strong." 

This does not mean trying to be a macho man, attempting to lift 300 pound rocks above your head, attending assault weapon shoot-em-up fests, and crushing beer cans against your forehead. 

Acting like strong men who claim to be followers of Christ, means that the things that are important to God are important to you—and the fruit, or produce, of your life proves it. The Bible says we are "known by our fruit." 

The fruit of the Spirit should be manifest in your daily life.

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23)

How many of you demonstrate that entire list of the fruit of the Spirit in your daily life?

4.  Finally, and most importantly, "Let all that you do be done in love."

If we go to Bible studies four nights a week, and donate hundreds of dollars to missions, and serve as an usher at church, and even sell all that we have, to go up and down the highways carrying a cross for Christ—if it's not done sincerely, unselfishly, and in Christ's love—it means absolutely nothing to God. (See 1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

Here is what the love of, and for Christ looks like:

"Love suffers long and is ind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Oh, and for all of you single or divorced men who are still "looking for the right woman"—any woman worth having as a wife, is looking for a man who is strong in Christ's love and faith—not strong in a worldly sense. 

The world's version of a 'strong' man is a whiskey drinkin', tobacco-chewin', cage fighter, who wears camo t-shirts and drives a huge 4x4 truck. 

But a man who is strong in Christ humbles himself and wages battle in the Spirit by loving and praying for the needs of others, before he even thinks about his own needs.

A man who is strong in Christ also walks what he talks.

If you can quote Bible verses and say "amen brother!" to a good message at church, but you never actually take the time to reach out to someone in need, then you are a spiritual impostor—just another religious poser.

You can't just look like a man of God—you must act like one.

Jesus demonstrated His love for people at great personal cost and inconvenience.

—How about you?

"Let all that you do be done in love."

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Under Cover

"How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings—but you were not willing!"

—Jesus

As He stood on a hillside overlooking the city of Jerusalem—Jesus wept for His chosen people, Israel—because they rejected Him. They turned Him away, mocking Him, and were plotting to kill Him, arrogantly saying: 

"We will not have this Man rule over us!"

For years I had the same arrogant attitude towards Christ.  

"I'm fine. I don't need a Savior!"

Look at the love and gentleness of the mother hen in the picture above. She tenderly gathers her chicks under her wings. There is warmth, safety, and most of all—closeness and intimacy—under the "shadow of her wings."

That loving tenderness is the heart of Jesus towards you and me.

Jesus does not want to rule over you like a tyrant or a bully. He wants to gather you to Himself, where He can care for you, talk with you, teach you, help you, protect you, provide for you, and just love you.

The question is—are you willing?

My sweet mother, now in Heaven with Jesus, preached the loving truth about Jesus' love to me for years. And, loving my mom as I do, I always politely said to her, "Mom, I'm really glad that you found something that works for you. But I don't need that. I'm a good person. I don't need a Savior."

"I'm fine."

But the sad truth is, I was not "fine."

It was the early 80's and my wife and I were not yet married at the time. We were living together, and we were as selfish and self-centered as any two people you could ever meet. Our life together was an emotional roller coaster. We were high as a kite on 'love' one day, and hatefully tearing each others hearts out the next. I shudder when I think back on how brutal, spiteful and malicious our words and actions were towards each other in those early years together.

I was oil, and she was water. We just didn't mix.

We finally got married in 1987, but I had to ask her to marry me four times before she said "yes."

However, over a period of about ten years, we went through six or seven separations, two divorce proceedings, and I betrayed her by committing adultery. By the world's standards, without question, we should absolutely be a divorce statistic today.  

But in spite of our destructive and tumultuous roller coaster life, destined for divorce and heartache—here were are, 30 years later—happier together than I ever thought possible. How I always hoped it would be.

How can this be?

We surrendered our hearts and our hurts to Jesus—allowing Him to gather us to Himself, as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings. And we are now just like the two little chicks in the picture above.

We are under cover. 

God has given every human being the gift of free will. And our free will can be either a blessing, or a curse.

It's all about what or Who we choose.

"How precious is Your loving kindness O' God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings." (Psalm 36:7)

My wife and I, by our own free will, had to choose to place our trust in Jesus. Our marriage was in a slow, downward spiral into destruction and darkness. But all the while, Jesus, with outstretched arm, was reaching out to us, calling us to come and abide under His love and protective covering.

And we still have to choose every day to remain under His covering. 

He promised that He will never leave us or forsake us. But if we choose to step outside of His protective covering and live in a way that is contrary to His will, then we put ourselves in harm's way. 

Think of the story of the prodigal son.

"A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of inheritance that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

But when he came to himself, he said, 'Father I have sinned against Heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son..."

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’" (Luke 15:11-21)

What really stands out to me in this story is that the father never goes out and chases after his son. He waits patiently for him to come home. Finally the son comes to his senses and heads back home to his father. And, seeing his son coming from a distance, he has compassion and rushes out to meet him, and hugs him and kisses him.

That's how God is with us. 

He is always there for you. He never changes, He'll never leave you or forsake you. But you can choose to leave and forsake Him. You can choose to step out from under His protective covering.

The little chicks in the picture above are safe and warm under mama's wings. There is closeness with her. There is intimacy of relationship. There is protection. There is provision.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord; 'He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him will I trust." (Psalm 91)

Jesus wept for His people because they chose to reject His love. 

He came to gather His people to Himself—just as a mother hen tenderly gather her chicks under the warmth, closeness, and protection of her wings.

But they were not willing.

—Are you willing?

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Why Are You Depressed?

"Why are you downcast O' my soul? And why are you so disturbed within me?"

(Psalm 42:11)

Staggering, are the statistics of the untold millions of people who suffer from depression. 

And many people suffer from 'clinical' depression or mental illnesses, of which, I have very limited understanding.

But while I don't pretend to be a psychologist, I can speak from long, painful, personal experience of what caused my own depression—and that is an inordinate self-focus and a willful self-isolation.

My heart truly goes out to anyone who is suffering from the painful loneliness of depression, and I am not without compassion. But what I have had to personally learn the hard way over the last forty or more years, is that I brought this on myself.

How?

By my sitting around constantly wallowing in my own self-imposed self-pity and isolation. By putting all of my focus on me. 

"What about me?" 

My heart and my intent is not to be insensitive, but to offer the only solution that I have learned over time. 

Believe me—I know all too well from personal experience that loneliness and depression is perhaps the most painful experience in the human existence. 

Again, speaking solely from my own life experience in this area, I have found that the worst place to be, is sitting by yourself in an empty house or apartment, wondering why no one is calling you, or inviting you out to lunch, or to go have coffee, etc.

The more that you isolate yourself from others, the more the enemy of your soul will pour his gasoline on the fire of your self-pity. "Nobody loves ME!"  "Nobody wants to spend time with ME!" "Nobody cares about ME!" The intent of the enemy of your soul is to isolate you, taking your focus off of God, and instead, do everything he can to try to get you to feel sorry for yourself.

And so you isolate yourself even more, shutting yourself off from the world.

Do you see the dangerous cycle that your self-pity perpetuates?

You have to choose to get off that merry-go-round of self-loathing and self-absorption.

"How can I possibly do that?"

Look at the second half of Psalm 42:11. Speaking to his own disquieted soul, the writer of this Psalm admonishes himself to:

"Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him—my Savior and my God."

You can't pull yourself up by your bootstraps and put on a happy face. 

That's an illusion.

But what you can do, is start by exercising an act of your own free will—crying out to God—placing all of your hope in Him—asking Him to lift you up out of the self-imposed darkness of depression that you have chosen to lie down in. You have to confess to Him that your self-absorption is actually willful self-idolatry.

You have to be willing to confess to God that you have chosen to wallow in your own self-pity.

But I promise you, that if you will do these things—crying out to God—asking Him to lift you up—confessing your sin of self-idolatry to Him—He will lift you up out the pit of your self-imposed, self-pity. 

And then He will help you to turn your eyes off of yourself and off of your problems, and He will absolutely bless you by showing you people all around you who need His love, mercy and encouragement.

Jesus said: 

"The Son of Man did come to be served—but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for many."

It truly is far better to give than to receive.

Over the years, I have endured several long periods of unemployment where I let myself get into a pattern of behavior where I would eventually give up hope of finding a job. And then I would slowly give up even looking for a job. Soon, I would isolate myself and sit around feeling sorry for myself and depressed about the whole situation. 

And because I would isolate myself from everyone around me—any thought of other people who might need God's love, mercy and encouragement were not even on my radar—because I was so self-absorbed.

Putting yourself into the "Poor Me" cycle, is a guaranteed downward spiral into self-destruction.

This kind of self-absorbed life is not God's will for you at all.

When the Prophet Elijah ran away and hid in a cave, wallowing in his own faithlessness, fear and self-absorption, God came to him and said, 

"What are you doing here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:9)

Just like He did with Elijah when he hid himself in self-absorbed isolation, God is calling you out of your self-imposed cave of isolation and self-pity.

God has a purpose and a calling for your life. And that purpose is to worship and glorify Him. And then to love and serve others—not wallowing in self-absorption, self-pity and self-isolation.

Just as the Psalmist did, you and I need to speak to our souls and admonish ourselves with these words:

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him—my Savior and my God!"

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Let it Rise

"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you." (1 Peter 4:12)

Without heat applied, these heart-shaped biscuits could not have risen, and they would have remained colorless and flavorless dough.

Without the heat of being placed into a hot oven, they would be inedible.

In much the same way, without the heat of fiery trials applied to our lives, we too would remain colorless and flavorless.

Viktor Emil Frankl, who personally endured and survived the horrors of the fiery trials of Auschwitz during the Holocaust wrote:

"What is to give light must endure burning."

Frankl, who lost his wife and most of his entire family to the murderous Nazis, wrote the the following from his experiences during the Holocaust:

"For the first time in my life I saw the truth as it is set into song by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The truth—that love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love. I understood how a man who has nothing left in this world still may know bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved. In a position of utter desolation, when man cannot express himself in positive action, when his only achievement may consist in enduring his sufferings in the right way—an honorable way—in such a position man can, through loving contemplation of the image he carries of his beloved, achieve fulfillment. For the first time in my life I was able to understand the meaning of the words, "The angels are lost in perpetual contemplation of an infinite glory."

Honestly, I don't know if I personally could have endured all that Frankl endured, losing his wife and family in the way that he did, and be able to proclaim the above statement.

But the Word of God tells us to rejoice in life's fiery trials.

Rejoice?

How do I do that?

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:6-7)

Our faith—which is not of ourselves, it is a gift from God—is said to be "much more precious than gold." And this precious gold must be "tested by fire."

Why by fire?

A refiner of gold uses extreme heat to bring the dross, or impurities of the raw gold to the surface, where he can sift it off. The refining and sifting is a process. The way the refiner knows that his gold is pure, is when he can see his own reflection in the shiny gold. Our God is the Great Refiner, and He uses the fiery heat of trials to bring our impurities to the surface, where He can sift them off—as we confess them.

Our precious faith must be tested. And it's going to burn at times.

But when Jesus Christ is revealed and we, once and for all, see Him face-to-face, we shall truly rejoice, because the Word says, "When we see Him, we shall be like Him; and we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2)

Personally, I can't wait for that Day!

But until that glorious day comes, be patient, and let your Great Refiner have His way in you. Surrender yourself to His refining fire process. Through this fiery process, Jesus is making you more and like Him, every day.

When He comes, He will see sons and daughters that are like Him.

"Love endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13:7)

Bread can only rise in the heat of the oven.

Let it rise!

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.