Month: August 2019

The Lord is looking to see His reflection in your life!

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George Whittenby George Whitten

1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it tested with fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

We’ve been in full-time ministry just over 20 years now, and boy, have we had our share of trials and tribulations!

Sometimes when we are in the midst of trials we start to wonder — Lord, will it ever end? In case you haven’t noticed, it doesn’t. But the good news is that with each faith-testing experience, our ability to deal with these trials and tribulations becomes better and our faith grows stronger!

In this scripture, God compares our faith to a most precious and beautiful metal — gold. But when mined, this precious metal doesn’t look very precious! It’s dirty looking and black. How does gold become beautiful? A refiner takes the gold and carefully melts it in a melting pot — slowly raising the temperature — but never to the point where it boils. As it melts, slowly the impurities rise to the surface and he will scoop away the dross leaving a beautiful pot of gold, ready to become your next ring or bracelet. Here’s the amazing part. The refiner knows his job is done when he can look into the melting pot and see a reflection of himself.

The only way gold will become more precious is when it’s placed on the fire! In the same way, the impurities of our lives must be exposed to the fire so that the Lord can scoop up the filth that shows itself when we get hot!! Notice, though, that He’ll never allow us to boil! And then, when it’s all said and done, He can look upon us and see the beauty of His reflection!

Let’s not despise the trials we’re facing today — on the contrary, let’s embrace them! The Lord is using these things to prepare us to do great things for Him! Respond to the Lord today by saying what do you want me to learn from this today, Lord? And watch how the Lord blesses you through the fire!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love

by George Whitten

We Become What We Behold

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David Wilkersonby David Wilkerson

Stephen saw an open heaven and a glorified Man on the throne whose glory was mirrored in him to all who stood nearby. “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’” (Acts 7:55-56).

Stephen represents what a true Christian is supposed to be: one who is full of the Holy Spirit with eyes fixed on the Man in glory. One who mirrors that glory in such a way that all who see it will be amazed and filled with wonder.

Stephen was in a hopeless condition, surrounded by religious madness, superstition, prejudice, and jealousy. The angry crowds pressed in on him, wild-eyed and bloodthirsty, and death loomed just ahead of him. Such impossible circumstances! But looking up into heaven, Stephen beheld his Lord in glory and suddenly his rejection here on earth meant nothing to him. Now he was above it all.

One glimpse of the Lord’s glory, one vision of his holiness, and Stephen could no longer be hurt. The stones, the angry cursing, all was harmless to him because of the joy set before him. Likewise, a glimpse of Christ’s glory places you above all your circumstances. Keeping your eyes on Christ, consciously reaching out to him every waking hour, provides peace and serenity as nothing else can.

Stephen caught the rays of the glorified Man in heaven and reflected them to a Christ-rejecting society: “with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord … being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

It is so true that we become what we behold. Stephen became a living mirror in which men could see the glory of Jesus reflected. So, should we! When the enemy comes in like a flood, we need to both amaze and condemn the world around us by our sweet, calm repose in Christ. This is accomplished by keeping our minds on our Savior.

by David Wilkerson