My daughter's testimony:

http://1of8kids.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-testimony-part-2-as-written-november.html

more precious than gold...

1 Peter 1: 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

Psalm 34: 1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Isaiah 61 again, I do so love it, I can't help but put it on my blog again!

¹The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

 ²To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

 ³To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, 

to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Refining Silver - anonymous author

There was a group of woman in a Bible study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying chapter 3, they came across verse 3 which says:

"He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver..."

This verse puzzled the woman and they wondered what this statement means about the character and nature of God. One of the woman offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.

That week this woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for the interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver...". She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. For if the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh that's the easy part, when I see my image reflected in it."

Taken from http://christiandevotionals.blogspot.com/2006/03/refining-silver.html

A Still small voice! Kings 19:12 By Spurgeon

How does God touch our hearts? Our heavenly Father generally uses a soft, tender, gentle, quiet, calm, and peaceful – still, small- voice. Softly and gently, the Holy Spirit works like the breath of spring dissolving icebergs and melting glaciers. After winter has taken every stream by the throat and held it fast, spring sets it free. No hammer or file is heard as the icy bonds fall off; only the soft south wind blows, and all is life and liberty.

So it is with the work of the Holy Spirit when He comes into the soul. He can be a mighty rushing wind (Acts 2:2), for He comes according to His own sovereign pleasure. Yet when He brings the peace of God, He usually descends as the dove (Matt. 3:16) or as the dew from heaven – all peace, all gentle, and all quiet.

Satan can set the soul on fire with agony, doubt, fear, and terror.  Then the Spirit comes in tender love and reveals Christ the Gentle one.  He sets up the Saviour’s cross and speaks peace, pardon, and salvation.  This is what we want and need: the work of the Spirit of God coming in His own manner of living hope.

Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!

        

Psalm  66:5-12, 16-20 - NKJ

 5    Come and see the works of God;

         He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.

 6   He turned the sea into dry land;

         They went through the river on foot.

         There we will rejoice in Him.

 7    He rules by His power forever;

         His eyes observe the nations;

         Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves.  Selah 

        

 8    Oh, bless our God, you peoples!

         And make the voice of His praise to be heard,

 9    Who keeps our soul among the living,

         And does not allow our feet to be moved.

 10    For You, O God, have tested us;

         You have refined us as silver is refined.

 11    You brought us into the net;

         You laid affliction on our backs.

 12    You have caused men to ride over our heads;

         We went through fire and through water;

         But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.

                                       ***

        

 16    Come and hear, all you who fear God,

         And I will declare what He has done for my soul.

 17   I cried to Him with my mouth,

         And He was extolled with my tongue.

 18    If I regard iniquity in my heart,

         The Lord will not hear.

 19    But certainly God has heard me;

         He has attended to the voice of my prayer.

        

 20    Blessed be God,

         Who has not turned away my prayer,

         Nor His mercy from me!

**********