September 17th - 2 Samuel 13; 2 Corinthians 6; Ezekiel 20; Pslams 66-67

2 Samuel 13 / 2 Corinthians 6 / Ezekiel 20 / Psalms 66-67----------------------------------------"But shall we come out the same as we went in? Ah, No! 'we shall come out like gold.' It is this that sweetens the bitterest cup; this brings a rainbow of promise over the darkest cloud. Affliction will certainly purify a believer. How boldy he says it: 'I shall come out like gold!' Ah, how much dross there is in every one of you, dear believers, and in your pastor! 'When I would do good, evil is present with me.' Oh that all the dross may be left behind in the furnace! What imperfection, what sin, mingles with all we have ever done! But are we really fruit-bearing branches of the true vine? Then it is certain that when we are pruned, we shall bear more fruit. We shall come out like gold. We shall shine more purely as 'a diadem in the hand of our God.' We shall become purer vessels to hold the sweet-smelling incense of praise and prayer. We shall become holy golden vessels for the Master's use in time and eternity." -Robert Murray McCheyne

A women's Bible study was going through some of the minor books of the Old Testament, and came across the verse of Malachi 3:3, which reads, "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver..." Not exactly knowing what a metal refiner does, and desiring to know more about this verse, one of the women agreed to talk with her brother-in-law, who was a metalsmith.She called him and set up an appointment to watch him work, explaining the situation.On the day of their meeting, she sat to watch him work and asked him to explain in detail what he was doing in the refining process and why.He said, "I take this unrefined metal and place it over the hottest part of the fire. In this way, all of the dirt and grime and flaws and impurities bubble to the surface. This is called chaff, and I wipe it away and place the metal back into the hottest part of the fire."I must watch the metal very carefully. If it remains in the fire too long, then it will burn up and be destroyed. If I don't hold it in the fire long enough, impurities remain.""Wow," the woman replied. "With so much at risk, how do you know exactly when to take it out?""I can see my image in it."