[The Mayor]

December 20, 2004

Tried By Fire

Read: Psalm 66:1-12

You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. —Psalm 66:10

Bible In One Year: Micah 1-3; Revelation 11

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The main end of life is not to do but to become," F. B. Meyer said. And for this we are being prepared every day. As silver is refined by fire, the heart is often refined in the furnace of sadness. The psalmist said in his sorrow, "We went through fire" (Psalm 66:12).

The refining process may be very painful, but it will not destroy us, for the Refiner sits by the furnace tending the flame. He will not allow us to be tried beyond our endurance; it is for our good.

We may not understand why we have to endure such misery year after year. The ordeal seems endless and pointless. Our days are wasted, or so it appears. We feel as if we are doing nothing of lasting significance.

But God is doing what matters—we are being refined. He is placing us into a crucible in which we acquire patience, meekness, humility, compassion, and the other "quiet" virtues our souls naturally lack.

So don't be afraid and don't fret. Your present trial, as painful as it may be, has been screened through God's wisdom and love. The Refiner sits beside the crucible tempering the flames, monitoring the process, waiting patiently until His face is mirrored in the surface. —David Roper

"As thy day thy strength shall be!"
This should be enough for thee;
He who knows thy frame will spare
Burdens more than thou canst bear. —Havergal

The fires of testing can produce a shining testimony.

[Dubya]

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2004 - The Stars and Stripes military
newspaper is offering a "unique new software product" for free
holiday gift giving.

The Stars and Stripes 2005 PC Desktop Calendar and Daily Planner
is a free software giveaway that lets users customize their
computer desktop calendar using their own family snapshots.

"Just upload 12 photos and enter an e-mail address. A few
minutes later, a link will be sent which allows users to
download their personalized and customized version of the 2005
Calendar and Daily Planner," said a Stars and Stripes news
release. "The link can then be sent to family and friends around
the world as a cool and very personalized Christmas gift."

Each calendar comes with a built-in link to Stars and Stripes
online versions, so readers are just a click away from the
latest military news updates. The daily planner lets users keep
track of all appointments on a personal computer with a calendar
that displays personal pictures of family, friends, pets -- the
user's choice.

Related Sites:
Stars and
Stripes 2005 PC Desktop Calendar and Daily Planner [http://www.stripesclub.com/home/Calendar.htm]
Stars and Stripes [http://www.stripes.com/]

[crabbie]

Good Morning,

In going through all my pings from last night, it seems that so many freepers are experiencing the death of loved ones so close to Christmas. I couldn't get to this thread with a dry eye.

Thanks for the words and coffee. I'm sitting in a warm sunny winter porch with Christmas decorations and a beautiful tree overlooking a dusting of snow outside and pondering all my family members who have passed and how they now seem to have been "refined".

[The Mayor]

Good Morning Billie!

[The Mayor]

I am going to run out and go shopping with Mrs Mayor..

She says I haven't been shopping with her in 17 years.
Maybe she's right, I don't know, but she is very Happy about it!

[Kitty Mittens]

Excellent Devotional, Mr. Mayor. Thank you for posting them daily for us.

[deadhead]

Christmas at Marines camp :
US Marines sit in front of a decorated tent in their camp
at the edge of the restive Iraqi city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad.

God Bless Our Military