Malachi 3:3 says

Malachi 3:3 says:

"He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled some people in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

So someone offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest 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 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 that says:
"He sits 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 that 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. If the silver was left 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 easy -- when I see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them. And whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.

4 Nov 2009

I've been wasting the past weeks or so. Last week was stuvac, I've only taken the Vac part of the word, and not the first bit.

But it was a nice time off to spend some little time with parents, and share with them what's going on, like how I'm no longer allowed to teach yr11-12 next year. And about how big my favouritism has blown up into.

But I think Thursday was when I saw You the most. I spent the afternoon with a sister and brother, to buy baptism presents. Penrith is heaps far, whenever I lift others back to places like West Pennant Hills or something, deep inside I'm like "sigh... so far..." But some people you don't need to count what you've done, and what they've done for you (quoted from someone last night). So is that how Jesus can pay for all our stuffs without feeling ripped?

The brother reminded me of how much money others owe me, and I thought, well, my bank account is down to 1/3 of what it was before. But I don't care. Because with some people, money isn't that important. Oh biasedness.

2 members of the English congregation was baptised on Sunday. One was my ex-student, and one was a little trainee kid who I've spent time with. I was like the proudest parent ever, because even their own parents only parented one of them =p and I had both.

Yesterday I was talking to someone who I never talk to, and she randomly said how she wanted devotional material. So I kind of regurgitated what I did on devotion yesterday. At night, she replied to my email with what she got from the devotion... and questions she had for me... =/ Saddening. Someone who doesn't even treat me as a leader, a mentor, would treat my work so seriously. And people I'm trying to mentor, doesn't.

Today You put an idea in my head, a prayer page? Really? To keep track of how You keep to Your words? Okay.

Daniel 9:4-18 - Confessing for your group

We've heard these stories numerous times, and I remember us thinking the Israelites were so stupid: "How can you not listen to the prophets even though they were obviously right?" It's always easy to judge as an outsider, but come to think of it, we do the same.

God appointed certain people in Israel to remind the people, and lead them back to Him. During bad times, there's sometimes 2 prophets lurking around simultaneously.

Today, we also have similar people, they're not called prophets, but they do a similar thing - bringing people back to Him. And... how often do we listen to these people again? We've also turned a deaf ear to your servants, and all we have to show is our guilt and shame.

Turn your ears our way, God, and listen. Open your eyes and take a long look at our ruined group, this group named after you. We know that we don't deserve a hearing from you. Our appeal is to your compassion. This prayer is our last and only hope.

sensationsofpain

Last night... all I could think about... was how many ways I have to die...

I couldn't sleep... every time I closed my eyes... the same reoccurring nightmare appeared...

Why...

oh Lord.. the knife seemed just so tempting...

The cool sensation as it glides, the blade drawing a line and finally dipping into my veins...

I licked my juicy blood... mmm... tastes like metal ^____^

Is that really you?

I honestly can't say that I know you... and we actually don't talk much at all. We don't do things together, we don't spend time together and we don't share our walks, well not anymore.

But your close friend thought we were tight, so she asked me about you. LOL Is that the image we give out to others? That we're super tight? I told her I don't know anything... for reals. Then she told me why she worried.

Now I'm worried too. I woke up at 8am on my day off today for no reason, thinking about you.

From childhood until now, not that I really noticed you, I've never seen you at such a state. Are you stressed? Or is anger/frustration not something that you like to let on in front of us, your other friends? (are we friends?) I tried to visualise what you did, but I can't. Your facade is better than mine, I guess. I do believe your friend isn't lying to me, but, really? You can do such things?

Girl, there's a lot of people around you, they are always there for you and have been there for you. Don't hurt them anymore. It's a blessing to have someone try so hard, for so long.

You're too easily influenced, or should I say, you are so nice to the extent that anything goes? Come back. Please. There are people waiting for you, praying for you.

Daniel 7:11-14 - King of the Universe

I never really understood for real how God rules as King. If you think back to all the good kings in history, for example all the 1st-2nd kings of each Chinese Dynasty, they rule well in general, and all the peasants love them for they are indirectly benefited.

But we expect God's kingly rule to affect us directly all the time. Like controlling my path directly, and giving me things I want directly.

I thought of Bruce Almighty. He can't just say "yes" every single time. Well He can, but look what happened.

Every time you see nature at its best, that is evidence of God's reign. Even when you look at withering plants, you still see the life that was once there. But we don't seem to link that with his Kingship, because we select what we believe fits the image of a good king.

If God is in charge, right, then we don't really have to be. And I don't know whether it's a habit, because I'm the decision maker a lot of the times, I think deep down I don't really want that. I want to make decisions and God fulfills it for me.

Hm... "Everyone - race, color, and creed - had to serve him". Looks like I've reversed the role, again.

Remininisces

A song came up on my iTunes playlist, I couldn't stop playing it. And I thought about someone.

復刻回憶

歌手：薛凱琪 + 方大同

作曲：桑田佳祐

填詞：易家揚
你還好嗎 好久不見 又來這裡 這個老店
後來的你 喜歡了誰 我們 聊聊天

現在的你 一樣美麗 至於愛情 是個回憶
她不愛我 他離開妳 愛會來 就會去

在不同的城市努力 偶然也會想想你
這樣的我 那樣的你 要很久才相聚

我們都沒說那遙遠的曾經 我們也沒提那故事的原因
青春的復刻回憶像一片雲 沒法子抓在手裡?
我們的眼淚在複習著過去 我們的微笑是彼此的氧氣
復刻的回憶是封掛號信 多遠都可以找到你

窗外的樹 愛哭的風 煩惱的我 聰明的妳
愛是什麼 什麼人懂 所以 別難過

心還痛嗎 請忘了吧 所謂幸福 是個童話
後來的我 一切隨意 所以 沒關係

午後的悶熱的窗外的一場大雨
讓我們看見了以前的自己
把時光倒轉回到那一季 那年的夢 他鄉的你
While I was reminiscing, and self pitying, someone showed me another childhood crush. That was more pleasant, less tragic. But why can't we ever get over past feelings?

Daniel 6:6-10 - When doing the right thing is against the law

It's true, we always remember Daniel being the person in the den, but much less focus is placed on why he needed to be chucked into the den in the first place.

He knelt and prayed to God 3x a day next to his window facing Jerusalem, even after the decree was signed that nobody's allowed to pray to anyone except King Darius.

What would I have done if I were in Daniel's position. Someone who's so used to relying on prayer whenever anything happens. Like, if anything happy happened, or anything sad happens, I'm just so used to saying short prayers or thanksgiving or pleas that I don't think I can stop that altogether. However, I probably won't have the courage to pray next to the window. I imagine myself to pray secretively in a corner where nobody can see, or just pray with my eyes closed not even kneeling down.

The main thing is that Daniel feared our Lord more than he feared Persia and their laws. It requires great discernment to see the difference between what's right and what's lawful, especially now that our moral values are based largely upon what the law says.

I pray that I'll have Daniel's discernment to see what I should do to be Godly, and that He can be glorified like He was when Daniel was thrown into the den.

Daniel 3:19-27 - Not a scorch mark

Who was the 4th person? What purpose did he serve in the story?

I tried... this miracle has no impact on me at the moment. Maybe we're just too numbed by the awesomeness of God. We just accept that He's awesome, without really thinking through what He does and who He really is.

The fire is a good reminder though. Those who walked in with God, stayed unscorched. Those who went in with them without protection, perished.

Daniel

Devotions on the Book of Daniel

Daniel 3:19-27 - Not a scorch mark

Daniel 6:6-10 - When doing the right thing is against the law

Daniel 7:11-14 - King of the Universe

Daniel 9:4-18 - Confessing for your group

Daniel 12:1-3 - The right path to life