Making Gold

     I have a classic devotional book called Streams In the Desert. I like to read it because it has, I feel, a true perspective on suffering and trials in this life, which is absent in most of today's literature. May I propose that in this day, as our prosperity level changed, so did our belief system. This should not be so, as what it truth is truth under God, and His truths are unchangeable.
     Where does the presence of our trials and sufferings fit into the "gospel" that promises everything is good and even suggests that if everything is not, than something must be wrong  with you? Now, I do believe that everything is good because we have Christ in our lives, and so it is good. He is our riches and satisfaction. But, the "you can have it now gospel" seems to define "good" as everything going our way, and, I feel, is a shrine to the lust of the flesh of man.
     God has other purposes. He wants to make gold out of us, by putting us in the fire of His grace, and forging us into a  "new man," so that we can become fit for His use. Accepting that reality brings an understanding of the trials and sufferings we go through. He uses all these things, to bring many sons to glory, or to conform us into His image. Insisting on our own way, or desiring things to always go "good" or smooth, puts us into a position of being deceived by the false doctrines God warned us about in these last days. We need to be spirit men, and not flesh men. To become that , we need to ask God to have His way in us, and then not run away when the fire does come. He is making gold out of you.
     Below is some of what was written in my book.

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
Psalm 51:17

"Those people God uses most to bring glory to Himself are those who are completely broken, for the sacrifice He accepts is a 'broken and contrite heart.' It is not until a beautiful kernel of corn is buried and broken in the earth by DEATH that it's inner heart sprouts, producing hundreds of other seeds and kernels. And so it has always been down through the history of plants, people, and all of spiritual life-God uses BROKEN THINGS.
Those who have been gripped by the power of the Holy Spirit and are used for God's glory are those who have been broken in their finances, broken in their self-will, broken in their ambitions, broken in their lofty ideals, broken in their worldly reputation, broken in their desires, and often broken in their health. Yes, He uses those who are despised by the world and who seem totally hopeless and helpless, just as Isaiah said, 'The lame will carry off plunder'" (Isaiah33:23)

     I use these truths and many more like them from my devotional to combat the heretical "me" message of the new gospel out there, as I let God re-iterate these pure and precious truths to me. I believe they are His truths, and the joy that is set before us, as we submit to His dealings with trials and sufferings, is that He is making us to be someone who will bring Him glory. In that way, I can truly say, "Give me that old time religion." Not my will, but yours, O God.