THE HAMMER AND THE WORK

One year ago I was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. Not all cirrhosis of the liver is from alcohol. Mine is from a fatty liver and heridity. While it did not rock my world to find this out, I did begin to prepare my heart and life for what was to come if it be God's will for me. After all one of my favorite Bible verse that I have tried to live by is Phil. 1:21 "For me to live is Christ, to die is gain".

It's easy to make promises to God if we don't really think He will take us up on them. We may say, 'Lord all I have is Yours"; But what happens when He answers, "OK, I'll take it"?
When our precious child God gave us is sick, diease hits and shortens our life or the lovely home we were blessed with goes up in flames, a relationship gets broken or a job that provided food and shelter is gone, then what?

Can we say with Job, "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away" Job 1:22?
Our trials are very different. My trials are different from yours. Never think that someone else's trial would be easier to bear than what you may be ask to go through. To do so is to question the Most High and the wisdom that He has in allowing yours. Don't get between the hammer and the work that He plans to use to purify you to make you more like Him.
Read James 1:3 to find out what testing does in your life.
God is a teacher like no other. He does not test us to find out what is in us. He test us to show US what is in us and uses those testing to humble us and to put the old carnal, flesh in us to death. And over time when we get out of step in our walk with Him and the old flesh in us that tries to show its ugly head rises up....He sends another test.
Our part is to yield and wait to see what His plans in our testing is meant to do for us.
David learned to do a lot of waiting, read Ps.27:4 and he well understood James 1:3 before that verse was ever penned.
For 40+ years now I have been schooled in the classroom of repeats. But, I am getting it, and am learning, Job 13:15, "Though He slay me, yet will I serve (trust) Him".
How about you?

Hold Fast,
-Bren