Daily Devotional – I’m Normal.™ I AM Ministries
“To promote Godly living in a culture committed to destroying it”
Monday, May 2, 2016
Purifications
Early in my career as a mining engineer, I was privileged to witness several gold pours at working gold mines. The process is fascinating. A huge crucible of gold concentrate is super-heated in a fire until the contents are molten. The crucible is then rescued from the fire and the contents poured into a smaller, cone-shaped container where it cools. This small receptacle is then inverted and lifted slowly. As the casing rises, for a while only the ugly, black slag can be seen. As the tip of the cone is finally exposed, a pure, shiny “bullet” of purified gold is revealed, capping the pillar of waste rock.
It was pleasant to gaze upon an object of such purity. The gold glimmered brightly and reflected the light of the furnace. Its purity seemed to reveal its intrinsic value, which has sparked “gold fever” in men’s hearts for centuries. Indeed, the gold had economic value. The purified bullets I witnessed had market values of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Gold has made many a man rich, but its value pales in relation to the spiritual riches we receive through purification in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:8)
Before we are able to stand before God, we must first go through a purification process as part of God’s normal plan of salvation. First, someone or some group of people must tell us about the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Next, we have to believe, becoming born again as a new person in Christ (John 3:3). Our sins are scrubbed clean by the blood He shed on the Cross. When we die, we rely on Jesus for that “special set of clothes” we need in order to be able to stand in God’s presence. We are clothed in His robe of righteousness with our darkest sins covered from God’s view.
Jude calls his dear friends to “Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others, show mercy mixed with fear – hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” (Jude 23-24). Looking back on my life, others have done that for me. I was a doubter, but someone cared enough to witness to me. I have been snatched from the fire and saved. Many of you have had similar experiences, as all of us needed someone to tell us the Good News. Part of that Good News is the normal change of clothing we will get when we arrive in Heaven.
Gold is unattractive, broken rock before it enters the crucible. We, too, are broken, dirty, and ugly in our sin, living wasted lives apart from Christ. The fiery refining process for gold liberates a beautiful and valuable purified object, separate and apart from the blackness. Spiritually, we, too, are refined by the blood of Jesus so our sins are covered and separated from God.
The robe of righteousness we will wear in Heaven has infinite and eternal value and is worth far more than the transitory riches of gold or rubies. It cannot be purchased, nor can it be borrowed from a relative or a religious leader. It can only be obtained through your personal commitment of faith to the LORD Jesus Christ. It is a gift to you, at no cost, purchased by Jesus Christ, with His precious blood on the hill at Calvary, so we may live again (Revelation 5:9, Romans 5:9, Hebrews 9:14).
It was a stunning sight when I first saw a bullet of pure gold emerge from the blackness of the dross. I also know it will pale to the sight in Heaven of my sins being covered and forever cast away by the robe of righteousness I will wear thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It’s hard to imagine how wonderful that scene will be. This is the promise of Christ: we will be cleansed and purified, and will wear perfectly clean, snow-white garments, because gold just isn’t pure enough.
The Doxology from Jude 24-25 gives us hope. “To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our LORD, before all ages, now and forevermore. Amen.” May your purification come through the grace, mercy, and sacrifice of our LORD Jesus Christ.
In His love and service,
Jeff Myers
A servant of Jesus Christ
><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·…¸><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·…¸><((((º>
`·.¸.·´¯`·…¸><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·…¸><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´`·.¸¸.·´¯
© Copyright 2016, I’m Normal.™ I AM Ministries, All rights reserved
If you find this devotional to be a blessing to you, please pass it along to others. You may become a subscriber by signing up at http://www.imnormal.com.
Complimentary copies of the eBook “I’m Normal. I AM” are available now at http://www.imnormal.com. Or, send your request to http://www.jeff@imnormal.com.
Paperback versions of the book “I’m Normal. I AM” are available through AuthorHouse Publishers at http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=38944
Are You Normal? What’s Normal about You? To find out, visit our website at http://www.imnormal.com
