Several things today popped up about being refined. I listened to a sermon this morning about digging deep into your thoughts and motivations then got home and started reading devotions. The first book I picked up is called Everyday Life in Bible Times .  I haven't picked up this book for months. It is a beautiful book of pictures and rich descriptions of things, terms, and concepts in the Bible. I started where I left off last time I read it. The word was smelt (to refine metal). Next, in my chronological Bible , I am to a grouping of Proverbs full of verses about examining motives and the heart and references to refining.  Proverbs 16:2   All a person’s ways seem pure to them,      but motives are weighed  by the  Lord . Proverbs 17:3   The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,      but the  Lord  tests the heart. Proverbs 27:21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for  gold ,  ...

My book is full. Almost exactly a year ago, I started writing down passages or verses of the Bible in my little wire-bound book on September 29, 2009.  The journal has a beautiful blue cover with a pair of yellow flowers. The cover says "He has made everything beautiful in its time". ( Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV)   That is only part of the verse but that is the way I've been writing passages.  Writing these down this past year has helped me remember where some passages are.  Now if someone references Jeremiah 29:11, I know what that verse is, even if I can't remember the whole, exact sentence. I've also grown in appreciation for the diversity of the Bible. There are poems, songs, stories, biographic tales, autobiographic entries, commands, comforts. There are cries for help, justice and pleas for mercy and grace. There are bits that we can't fully appreciate. For example, since we don't know the Hebrew alphabet that was used for a particular acrostic we can...

Proverbs 27:21b (NIV) but man is tested by the praise he receives . People, me included, like to be praised.  "Hey, like your hair."  "That dress looks nice on you."  "I wish I could lead a Bible Study like you do." "I wish I had your voice."  We take these as words of encouragement.  We feel a pat on the back - job well done. I never thought of praise as a test.  But it is right there in the wisdom book of the Bible, Proverbs 27:21b .  " but man is tested by the praise he receives."  How can words of encouragement be a test?  We don't get much additional guidance about this from the rest of that verse: " The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold".  It is really a stand-alone verse as though we should know exactly what it means. Here are my thoughts. Silver and gold go through refining processes (crucible and furnace) that make them pure.  All the impurities or bad stuff comes out during the processing.  I th...

Proverbs 19:23a   - The fear of the LORD leads to life,    and whoever has it rests satisfied;.... I've been reading the same prayers for pastors for 4 straight months  plus a month or two late last year).  That means that I've read the same Bible verses (from the Bible, I might add) at least 4 - 6  times in the last 6 - 7 months. Today, I read this passage differently or with different eyes, or something. Here is what I see. I need to start by explaining the word "fear".  The original word has no equal translation in English but the original meaning is closer to a combination of awe, respect, devotion, love, fear like what you'd have for a good father/authority figure.  Fear is what you'd feel for someone you respect, don't want to disappoint, fear when you do disappoint, hold in high esteem want to please and do as they what you'd to do. Now my thoughts of the passage: The fear [as described above] of the Lord [our Heavenly Fathe...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." How many times do we say we trust the Lord, we believe in His ways, we will follow? Yet oftentimes we will argue with another or demand our own way when it comes to what the Bible says. Each time we do this, we are in effect limiting (what we believe to be) God's power. I know this is a tired debate but I want to bring it up anyway. No where in the Bible does it say that there is no such thing as evolution. There is nothing in Genesis that says "on the first day that God did anything, he created xxx, then on the very next day that God did anything, he created xxxx." No, Genesis uses terms like (Yes, I know the terms are translations from the original text - which was also not the original because the original was not text at all but rather an oral history!) anyway, Genesis uses phrases like "the first day", "the second day", "the third day". ...