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***Join us for Day 5 of The Festival of Lights journey - see information and link below.
Day 38
His Hand turns up the heat
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Dear Praying Friend,
In the Old Testament, we find that the Lord allowed His chosen nation Israel to be thrown into the furnace, in order to refine them and purify them so they would understand how serious His covenant commitment is. He is a Jealous God who will not share His glory. "See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another" (Isaiah 48:10-11).
As we meditate on Psalm 102:3-11 today, the psalmist is in such agony he uses some dramatic descriptors to illustrate the serious nature of his pain: "For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers" (v.3). He is in the midst of his own "furnace of affliction" and longs to be set free. Our Lord is a "consuming fire" and He will do whatever is necessary to restore His people to their proper relationship with Him.
"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace,
the God we serve is able to save us from it,
and He will rescue us from your hand, O king."
(Daniel 3:17)
Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You that Your hand is always upon us. We do not always like when that hand comes as the refiner's fire or the launderer's soap, but we realize You need to do what is necessary to make us clean and holy so we can be with You. When You turn Your hand against Your people it is painful, but You are at work thoroughly purging away the dross and removing all the impurities. How much we would rather experience the fire that Jeremiah did when he said, 'His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I can not". Set us on fire, Lord, whatever is necessary to get us to that place, we will rejoice -'knowing for a little while we may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that our faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.' Lord when You return for Your Church You want to see a radiant, beautiful bride. Give us strength to stand as You cleanse Your people with the Spirit of judgment and the Spirit of fire. Lord, purify us, so we will not destroy ourselves. Refine us so we can be restored and accomplish the work You have called us to do. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Steadfast in prayer,
Traci Alexander
Trumpet and Torch Ministries
Psalm 27
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Prayer Scripture References: Isaiah 1:25; 4:4; Jeremiah 20:9; Malachi 3:3; 1 Peter 1:6-7. | 
