1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, don't be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you.
1 Corinthians 3:13 each man's work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man's work is.
When I was growing up, we used to have fire drills in school at least once a year. The fire alarm went off, causing you to shake from the sudden loud bell momentarily, but it was only seconds before you knew.... it was only a drill; you really didn't expect a fire. Nevertheless, everyone present was expected to rush out the door (in an orderly fashion) to the parking lot. It was a nice break from class, that yearly fire drill.
These days, we get alerts on our TV from the Emergency Broadcast System. The annoying long "beep" noise is finally followed by the same drill-like announcement, "This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. If this was an actual emergency ..."
These tests are not supposed to be "crying wolf" but actually serious rehearsals to prepare people for an actual crisis should one arise.
Throughout our lives, we face potential or actual dangers, threats, and real crises, various trials. Is it possible to see them as "drills" preparing us for eternity? I think so. Our whole life on Earth can be understood as a trial period, a God-ordained drill, a preparation for the real "fire" which will test every man's work at the judgment seat of Christ; [2 Corinthians 5:10]
Your trials, fiery as they may be, are God's drills, testing, shaping, and preparing you, even equipping you for the good works which will be richly rewarded in the world to come. Fiery trials produce gold, silver, and precious stones. Don't panic, don't succumb to fear, or be discouraged. Pray for the Lord's grace to endure every drill, every test. The Lord is a refining fire; His work in and with you will endure forever, and the rewards will be amazing.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Over the past week, the world has experienced some severe birth pangs. If you’ve been reading Worthy News, you’ve read the situation in Ukraine has intensifed with the Russians massing their troops along the border with the West condemning the referendum taking this weekend in Crimea. In Israel, scores of rockets were fired out of the Gaza Strip and rockets continue to be fired despite a "ceasefire". The Iranians continue to threaten the destruction of Israel as an Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander stated, "Islam has given us this wish, capacity and power to destroy the Zionist regime so that our hands will remain on the trigger from 1,400km away for the day when such an incident (confrontation with Israel) takes place." Wars and rumors of wars embrace the headlines! The world is on the brink of going over the edge!
In Israel, it’s amazing how many trees are being planted all the time. In fact, the green line that you hear about so much in the news isn’t an actual drawn borderline, but it is a visible line you can only see from the air. It’s where Israelis stopped planting trees.
Laodicea was known for its Temple dedicated to Asklepios, worshiped as the god of medicine, and associated with a renowned medical school. Most historians believe that the school developed a medicine known as Phrygian power which was used to produce eye salve.
Shabbat can help us to understand our stewardship of earthly goods as we enter a day of rest. Since everything in and on Earth belongs to the LORD, all we own and all we are responsible for belongs to Him and is under His primary care. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” [Psalm 24:1]
Driving throughout the United States we're noticing more construction sites than ever. In part, it's because we normally travel during the winter when many construction areas are not active, but now during the summer, they seem to be EVERYWHERE! Construction sites are normally messy, as wood, concrete, supplies, and equipment are strewn all over the place. Yet, it's well understood that the architect and his foreman know exactly what's going on toward accomplishing the finished product.
The word "Amen" (אָמֵן) properly pronounced in Hebrew "ah-mehn", means "so be it" or "may it be so", and also, "Yes, it is true!" Some scholars suggest a connection with the Hebrew word for truth, "emet" (אֶמֶת), because of the two similar root letters, "aleph"(א) and "mem" (מ). Truth ought to be confirmed. At the end of a prayer, saying "Amen" expresses the desire to affirm and confirm what was requested or proclaimed. Leha'ameen, (להאמין) means "to believe, trust or confide in", and all variations of this root (אמן) relate to "emunah" (אמונה): faith, belief, or faithfulness!
In connection with the Hebrew Word "Amen", meaning "faith", "truth", "belief", and "trust", consider this revealing passage in Isaiah which further amplifies the dimensions of the word in the most wonderful and comforting promise:
“He who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth ["Amen" in Hebrew]. ...