The Refining Process

One more bible study on "character"...

Character:
The Refining Process

This Bible study on the refining process can be used by one person alone or in a small group. It is short (20 to 30 mins) but if you read each passage, reflect on it, and discuss it, you'll gain a good sense of what refining really means, its demands, and its rewards.


For Christmas, anniversaries or birthdays, jewelry is always a popular gift item. Gold jewelry is made from 14-karat, 18-karat, 22-karat, or 24-karat gold. What’s the difference between them?

What do you know about the metal refining process that brings about such beauty and quality?

In the dictionary, “Refine” means several things:
1. to reduce to a pure state, as with sugar, metal, or oil
2. to free from moral imperfection
3. to improve by pruning or polishing
4. to free from what is coarse, vulgar, or uncouth, as with a refined person

When the Bible speaks of “refining,” to which of these definitions does it refer?

What does the Bible say about refining?

a. Metal is refined and purified in a furnace; the Lord purifies and tests the heart. (Read Proverbs 17:3)

b. We must be refined before our offerings are acceptable to the Lord. (Read Malachi 3:2-4)

c. The Lord’s people will be tested in the furnace of affliction (or great suffering). (Read Isaiah 1:25, 4:4, 48:10 and Jeremiah 9:7)

d. The Lord examines your heart and mind. (Read Jeremiah 17:10)

e. Those who survive will be refined and tested by the Lord. (Read Zechariah 13:9)

Describe a recent situation that at the time was difficult but later you could look back at it from the point of view of refining your character.

To Do:

1. Remember, refining does not come from listening to sermons or reading the Bible. It comes from being exposed to difficult situations and enduring affliction.

2. Pray that you recognize the hand of the Refiner in difficult situations.

Highlights from The Gospel of Mark (Ch. 1)

This past Christmas wife my bought me yet another new bible. Of course I actually wanted this bible, because it's new to me, and because it's a King James bible. And to be honest, I ordered it myself, but gave credit to my wife! This particular bible is "The New Defender's Study Bible" by Henry M. Morris. If I can convince any of you to switch to, or stay with the King James, I'd very much recommend this edition. I've started going through the gospel of Mark recently during my morning devotionals. This time around certain passages have struck me and have special meaning at the time of my readings each morning. I thought I'd share these highlighted sections of the first eight chapters that I have gotten through over the past few weeks:

1:1 "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;"

The simple pronouncement that Jesus was and is God's Son.


1:7 "...There cometh one mightier than I after me,"

John the Baptist is acknowledging the coming of Jesus, and that He is Mighty!


1:8 "I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost."

John the Baptist has already been made aware of the fact that Jesus will have the ultimate power to baptize people with the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit).


1:10 "...the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:"

Jesus is being baptized by John here. Can you imagine what the "heavens opened" must have looked like? me neither! It's got to be more awesome than anything we can image. Here's the Holy Ghost making his great entrance into the created world via God's Son. Thank you Jesus for sharing your Spirit with us!


1:11 "...a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Obviously the "voice from heaven" is God the Father. Any time that people audibly hear God speaking, we better pay attention! If God is "well pleased" with Jesus, He must have been doing something right! We'd be wise to follow Jesus' examples.


1:14 "...after that John was put into prison,"

Apparently soon after Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, John is put into prison. Since this is the start of Jesus' main missionary time (the approximately 3 years), it's no wonder that some people thought that Jesus was really John the Baptist come back alive.


1:16 "...Simon and Andrew"

DISCIPLE #1 - Simon (Peter): fisherman
DISCIPLE #2 - Andrew, Simon's brother: fisherman


1:19 "...James the son of Zebedee, and John"

DISCIPLE #3 - James, son of Zebedee: fisherman
DISCIPLE #4 - John, son of Zebedee, James' brother: fisherman


1:22 "...he taught them as one who had authority,"

Jesus, without a doubt, had authority to teach the word of God!


1:24 "...the Holy One of God."

An example of the fact that the enemy's evil spirits are well aware of who Jesus truly is.


1:35 "...prayed."

If Jesus found it necessary to pray to His Father, don't you think that each of us should make that an important part of our daily lives, walking with Him?


1:44 "...those things which Moses commanded,"

It's extremely important to realize that Jesus refers to the Old Testament and its teachings many many times during His walk on earth. Churches and Christians today CANNOT throw out the OT and try to just follow the NT - they are woven together.

Problems with "New" Bible Versions - Part 1

I (Rich) started this back in November 2008 - I plan to add to it in the near future:

Problems with the “New” Bible Versions:
(Any versions other than the KJV)

1. The “new” bible versions use scriptures that were perverted in Alexandria, Egypt instead of the preserved scriptures found in Antioch of Syria (where the disciples were first called “Christians”).

2. The “scholars” of Alexandria couldn’t agree on anything regarding the bible. The main source of the resulting false bible was Origen:
Origen was not a bible-believer
Origen did not believe in the Old Testament miracles
Origen did not believe many of Jesus’ words or stories
Origen did not believe the Holy Spirit was eternal
Origen did not believe that Jesus Christ is Almighty God
Therefore, Origen freely removed Jesus’ words and changed verses as he saw fit. He made up his own version of the bible. It contained his own modified Greek Old Testament, mixed in the “old folk tales” called the Apocrypha, and added his own perverted New Testament.

3. Origen called his modified Old Testament mixed with the Aprocrypha: the “ancient” Septuagint.

4. The combined Septuagint and Origen’s perverted New Testament are called the Alexandrian Bible.

5. Origen is today considered a “saint” even though he wasn’t a real Christian!

6. The “scholars” at Alexandria wrote 3 bible perversions:
Sinaiticus (about 350 AD)
Vaticanus (before 400 AD)
Alexandrinus (about 450 AD)

7. The Vaudois from northwest Italy (east of France) went to Antioch of Syria to receive God’s words in about 120 AD. For the next 37 years they translated the bible into Latin. This true bible was known as the Old Latin Bible. This bible was also known as the Common Bible or the Vulgate Bible. (This “vulgate” is not to be confused with Jerome’s false “vulgate” published later).

8. Rome’s last Caesar, Constantine, gave himself a new title: Pontifex Maximus (a.k.a. Pope).

TO BE CONTINUED...

God Is with You

We got this bookmark recently...

"Although each day
brings challenges
and things that are unknown,
You needn't face them
by yourself
or deal with alone,
For others care about you
and will keep you
close in prayer
And, above all,
God will guide you -
for His love is
always there.

by Emily Matthews

We thought we'd share this with you during these challenging economic times! Hang in there!