Refiner's Fire

Luke Chapter 22

Scripture:

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:31-32)

Observation:
There are so many things going on in the larger context of today's reading, I just don't have the space to go into all of it. But I ask that you take the time to read the whole chapter, put it into context, and know where this fits within the rest. Today I am narrowing the focus to a tight beam and highlighting two verses spoken to Simon, who is also known as Peter.

There are some things that are interesting to me about this scripture:

Satan knows Simon Peter by name, and asked permission to sift him like wheat. (The Greek "you" here in this scripture is plural implying the church will be sifted, since Jesus calls Peter "the rock on which I will build my church" Mat. 16:18) It also reminds me of the trials of Job, where again, Satan has to ask permission to interfere.

Jesus comforts Peter by telling him that he has prayed for him, that his faith would not fail. (And likewise he prays for us John 17:20-26)

Jesus says "when you turn back". He offered reconciliation to Simon Peter, even before he sinned! (Romans 5:8) What a powerful message for us today!
He said "Strengthen your brothers" I have more to say on that in a minute.

Application:
Where are you at today in your journey? Are you in obedience? Or have you turned away? Christ stands ready to reconcile with you. He doesn't hold your sin over you to beat you up. Instead, agree with him on what your sin was, confess it and make it as right as you can - then return to Him! No matter what you have done, he desires reconciliation and another chance for you to use what he gave to you in service to your brothers and sisters.

The lesson of the crucible is this: Within every Christian is the pilot light of the Holy Spirit and our own sinful natures, all mixed in together. When hard times come, the heat is turned up in the form of "trials of many kinds". (James 1:2-4) This causes the impurities in our life to be highlighted and separate out, just as the refiner's fire intends. (you may think "how can God love me when I don't even like myself?")

Do you want to be clean? Do you want to be pure? Then confess those sins that have risen to the surface while under great stress, and submit them to God. Don't justify them, hide them, nurse them or call them anything other than what they are. Don't let the enemy trap you with lies. Agreeing with God that the sin part of your old nature, and that you don't want them any more, lets you release those hungers and drives that control you so often when you are under stress.

Prayer:
Lord, knowing that you have given your permission for us to be "sifted" is a hard thing. Many of us don't want to think that a loving God would allow sin and suffering in the world. So I pray now for those who are in their own crucibles, where they may be under great pressure and pain, wishing for relief. I beg you to bring light into their dark corners, and give them to courage to turn back to you. I pray for brothers and sisters to strengthen each other, encourage one another with the Word of truth so that the lies of the enemy are laid bare. Amen.

Ambassadors

Luke Chapter 17 

Scripture: 

Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”  (Luke 17:20-21) 

Observation: 

Concerning the Kingdom of God: is it a place that believers go to or is it a state of being? 

The answer is: Yes. 

The bible says that no one can not enter it unless he be born again. (Luke 18:25-26)  This means to me that it is a literal place with an entrance.  Revelation has lots to say about the New Heaven and New Earth and New Jerusalem. 

And if we have been saved, then it is within us. (Since that is where the Holy Spirit resides.)  

Yet, when Jesus is at the Last Supper and blessing the wine, he says he won't drink of it again UNTIL HE IS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.  (Mark 14:24-25)   

So how can it be a place, but not a place at the same time? 

The answer lies in the prayer Jesus taught us to pray: "thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."  (Luke 11:1-4) 

God's sovereignty as King, and our adoption into his family - gives us citizenship into heaven - that makes us His ambassadors. (2Cor. 5:20)  That means that our bodies are an embassy, a heavenly representation of his authority on foreign soil, with diplomatic immunity from sin.  (Not that we don't ever sin, but that it we are not prosecuted for it.) "You are no longer your own, you were bought at a price" (1Cor. 6:19-20)  He paid for the right to exercise his authority over foreign ground, (our sinful natures) and every time we submit to his authority in our life, we demonstrate what the Kingdom of God looks like to this world. 

Application: 

I urge you, brothers, to be good ambassadors by living out the differences from the heavenly realm and this one as it is worked out in your own life.  Do it by the submission of your will, to His; by obedience to His authority.  (Mat. 28:18) 

Prayer: 

Father God and Sovereign King, I thank you for adopting me into your family.  I am so thankful for the precious blood of a Savoir Servant, your son, who loved me so much that he made a way for me to be with Him, even though I lived in a hostile country.  Amen!

The Centurion's Faith

Luke Chapter 7 

Scripture: 

For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”  Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.  (Luke 7:8-10) 

Observation: 

This is the only time recorded in the bible where it says Jesus is amazed about another's faith, that he hasn't found a greater in all of Israel.  That included his disciples, his parents and even his cousin, John the Baptist.  That's a pretty bold statement! 

This made me sit up and look a little closer.  What could he have meant by this declaration?  What made this centurion different?  Could it be that the crowds and disciples following him all had clouded agendas, without really understanding who he really was?  The centurion saw clearly that he was sent from God and only did what He told him to do.   

Jesus was concerned that those who followed him would want to make him their "war king" and deliver them from the Romans, or a "good teacher"  some even followed him for the miracles he could do, or the possibility of his healing them from their afflictions - all of those versions of who Jesus was, depended on what he could do for them and weren't about the reason God sent him at all.  Remember the times Jesus asked: "Who do the people say I am?"  "Who do you say I am?"  He was very worried that the people would lose sight of who he really was, that they would be distracted by all the things he could do. 

And in the middle of this intense teaching time, trying to get the people to understand that he wasn't who they thought he was, but something bigger and better - in walks the gentile enemy, who astounds Jesus with his clarity.  His faith wasn't centered in what Jesus could do for him (though he had a need that brought him) but rather, his faith was grounded in the God who sent him, and held all the authority and power.  Astounding! 

I once heard a line from a movie that said "It doesn't matter what you believe, just as long as you believe."   I've seen enough "coexist" bumper stickers on the road to see that many people have adopted this attitude of "just believe." 

Application: 

Who do you say Jesus is?  Do your actions, reflect this belief?   

Prayer: 

Father forgive me for coming to you with my own agendas, wanting you to do things for me.  Help me remember that it's not about me, but about you.  Let me see you clearly, as the centurion did.  Amen