" I AM IN THE FIRE FOR A REASON! GOD PLEASE HELP ME TO HOLD ON"

MALACHI 3:3 SAYS:

"HE SITS AS A REFINER AND PURIFIER OF SILVER>"

THIS VERSE PUZZLED SOME OF THE WOMEN IN THIS BIBLE STUDY AND THEY WONDERED WHAT THIS STATEMENT MEANT ABOUT THE CHARACTER AND NATURE OF GOD.

ONE OF THE WOMEN OFFERED TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE PROCESS OF REFINING SILVER AND GET BACK TO THE GROUP AT THEIR NEXT BIBLE STUDY.

THAT WEEK, THE WOMAN CALLED A SILVERSMITH AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO WATCH HIM AT WORK. SHE DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT THE REASON FOR HER INTEREST BEYOND HER CURIOSITY ABOUT THE PROCESS OF REFINING SILVER.

AS SHE WATCHED THE SILVERSMITH, HE HELD A PIECE OF SILVER OVER THE FIRE AND LET IT HEAT UP. HE EXPLAINED THAT IN REFINING SILVER, ONE NEEDED TO HOLD THE SILVER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIRE WHERE THE FLAMES WERE THE HOTTEST AS TO BURN AWAY ALL THE IMPURITIES.

THE WOMAN THOUGHT ABOUT GOD HOLDING US IN SUCH A HOT SPOT; THEN SHE THOUGHT AGAIN ABOUT THE VERSE THAT SAYS:

"SHE SITS AS A REFINER AND PURIFIER OF SILVER."

SHE ASKED THE SILVERSMITH IF IT WAS TRUE THAT HE HAD TO SIT THERE IN FRONT OF THE FIRE THE WHOLE TIME THE SILVER WAS BEING REFINED.

THE MAN ANSWERED YES, HE NOT ONLY HAD TO SIT THERE HOLDING THE SILVER, BUT HE HAD TO KEEP HIS EYES ON THE SILVER THE ENTIRE TIME IT WAS IN THE FIRE. IF THE SILVER WAS LEFT A MOMENT TOO LONG IN THE FLAMES, IT WOULD BE DESTROYED.

THE WOMAN WAS SILENT FOR A MOMENT. THEN SHE ASKED THE SILVERSMITH;, " HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE SILVER IS FULLY REFINED?"

HE SMILED AT HER AND ANSWERED, "OH, THAT'S EASY-----WHEN I SEE MY IMAGE IN IT."

IF TODAY YOU ARE FEELING THE HEAT OF THE FIRE, WHILE GOING THROUGH A TEST, REMEMBER THAT GOD HAS HIS EYES ON YOU AND WILL KEEP WATCHING YOU UNTIL HE SEES HIS IMAGE IN YOU.

PASS THIS ONE. THIS VERY MOMENT SOMEONE NEED TO KNOW THAT GOD IS WATCHING OVER THEM, AND WHATEVER THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, THEY'LL BE A BETTER PERSON IN THE END.

GOD BLESS YOU!
MUCH LOVE
SISTER BETTY