Through the Fire #2

After the PROMISE comes:
2. The PROBLEM:
 Right around the corner from the promise the Lord has shown you, blessed your heart with, or opened your eyes to, comes the affliction and you find yourself IN THE FIRE! You may have been blind-sighted by it, or had the insight that it was on the way. Either way, you have walked into it or have been thrown into it. You are now in flames and it's hot! When we look around us, we see the flames, feel the heat, and it starts to affect us. WE  wonder what in the world is going on from our view point. BUT,  from the Lord's viewpoint, we shouldn't be looking at it this way. " Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, WHICH IS TO TRY YOU, as though some strange think happened unto you." I Peter 4:12.  The Lord says that our trial is  PRECIOUS. " ...though now for a season, IF NEED BE,  ye are in HEAVINESS through manifold  temptations. That the trial of you faith, being much more PRECIOUS than of gold which perisheth, though it be tried with FIRE, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." I Peter 1:6 & 7.  The Lord has a PURPOSE to our affliction.  When gold is put into the furnace, it is to PURIFY IT! The Lord sees our heart and knows all! He sees the sins that we do not, and our imperfect ways when we don't. As the verse says, the gold may perish, but WE WON'T! "...that whosoever believeth in Him, SHOULD NOT PERISH, but have everlasting life." John 3;16. It takes the fire to move imperfections to the surface where WE CAN SEE THEM!  WE don't need to panic when we are in the fire, but " BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD." Psalm 46:10. Is that easy to do?????? NO, AND I AM THE FIRST TO WANT TO PANIC!!! BUT, thank God for that STILL SMALL VOICE, that comes to us INSTANTLY, to remind us HE IS IN THE FIRE WITH US!!!!!! "...I will NEVER LEAVE THEE, nor forsake thee!." Heb. 13:5. The POTTER  is not only IN THE FIRE WITH US, HE IS THE ONE CONTROLLING IT!!!!