I Will Refine Them

"You live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,” declares the Lord. 7Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: “See, I will refine and test them, for what else can I do because of the sin of my people?" - Jeremiah 9:6-7

Have you ever felt like you were being tested by God? He does that you know. God tests us and refines us. Why? To strengthen us and to make us pure.

I have heard it said that 'justification' (through faith in Christ) is immediate, sanctification takes a lifetime. Sanctification = refinement.

As we read God's Word, we learn new things or are reminded of them. This is refining. God teaches us lessons too as we live our lives. Some of them come with price tags on them. Some can be very costly if we are unwilling to be refined.

Look at the world we are living in today. Do you think we need to be refined? Or do you think it's too late for refinement to take place and God is ready to take His children out of this place and create "a new heaven and a new earth" (Revelation 21:1)

Chapters two and three of The Revelation of Jesus Christ are letters of refinement to God's churches. Like a good Father, God praised His churches for a few things but then corrected them regaring other things. Consider the church in Ephesus:

“To the church in Ephesus . . . I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first." - Revelation 2 1-5

Many of the churches of today have forgotten their first love. The same can be said for many of us as well. Jesus gave us three things to do, given our fallen nature these days.

1. Consider how far we have fallen
2. Repent
3. Do the things we did at first.

As we read the Bible, what things stand out in our hearts that need refining? Is there a particular verse that hits us extra hard? We need to repent and fix our error. Let God refine us. The refinery won't be open that much longer.