The Refinery

Good Day

  

   Engineers, scientists and vast numbers of professionals are employed around the globe by the largest and most powerful organizations on the planet. They are tasked with refining petroleum and other products for use in the global economy. Oil refineries and pump stations are a familiar sight here in El Paso and most of Texas. Oil is still the lifeblood of the economy, large scale mining is another a source of immense power and wealth on earth. There are a few striking similarities and parallels between the kingdoms of the earth and our fathers Heavenly Kingdom.

  

  Human souls, for the sake of making my point, can be equated to crude petrol or unrefined precious metals and minerals. There are vast amounts of us, several billions of us on earth and many of us are literally crude in our behavior and attitudes. 1st Peter 2:5 Peter refers to us as "living stones": Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Coincidentally oil shale is a form of rock that can be processed to reveal petroleum.

  

  So how do we go from being crude minerals and hidden gems to becoming well lit lamps and solid rocks in the foundation of His Holy Temple? Zechariah 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
Amen, we must be refined!

  

  Peter refers to the "spiritual sacrifices" and in Zachariah the context is in relation to end times and references the book of Revelations. God has been speaking to my inner man over the past few weeks regarding the refining going on in my heart and in my own life. There is coming a great purification by fire, there are several biblical references to this coinciding with the return of the our Messiah Y'shua Hamashiach.

  What are spiritual sacrifices? Here's a fairly succinct explanation: http://www.ucg.org/christian-living/treasure-digest-qa-what-are-spiritual-sacrifices/. So what does this all mean in relation to current events? In my opinion and many experts will agree; The greatest test we have yet to experience is one involving, what we perceive, as our own physical life and when it is threatened by an outside force. Truthfully, the only way God can know we will choose him over our own self is a test of life and death.

  When we are tested it will be the real deal. There is no avoiding the test either, everyone will be tested by fire and according to his word only a 1/3 will make the grade. We are left to wonder whether the statistic is based on humanity as a whole or if it is only 1/3 of those who claim to be followers of "The Way". I am led to believe the latter given humanities current situation. Let us use our short time we have left in this realm to help others become aware of the coming tests. Let us use this short time we have left to reaffirm our dedication to our Holy God the Father, his Son, Jesus and The Comforter the Holy Ghost.

 

 

Amen