But what do we do in the meantime, while we are still in the heat of the furnace?

In August of 1995, I came before the Lord in brokenness and desperation. I cried out to God night after night, literally laying on the floor weeping. We had begun the work in the South Bronx only eight months before. I felt that we were getting absolutely nowhere. No signs of the smallest of breakthroughs. Great opposition had come against us from sources we did not anticipate. “Friends” betrayed us. Churches in the community accused us of being false prophets because, different from their legalistic standards, we allowed people to come into God’s presence however they looked, however they were dressed, whatever they smelled like. And my five-year-old daughter had been sick since we arrived in NYC almost a year before.

“I’ve missed Your calling, Lord! It was me who wanted to come here! This was not Your will; it was mine! Forgive me, Lord, and release me from this place!” were the cries of my heart.

After many nights of staining the carpet with my tears, God spoke so clearly it was almost audible:

“Be faithful, be obedient; Persevere.”

There was no promise of immediate relief nor a prophetic word that in a certain amount of time, things would improve. No, there were only five words: Be faithful, be obedient; Persevere. Yet, in these five simple words lay the profound truth of what it takes to win the favor of God.

It is not when we are obedient because we know when relief will come. It is not when we persevere because we know that the answer truly is around the corner. It is not when faithfulness is based on a revealed certainty that, “In three weeks, you will have your answer!”

No, it is when we have no idea, no clue when there will be breakthrough, no indication that even in the far off future this thing will change, but we choose in spite of those things to be faithful, to be obedient, and to persevere nonetheless because our faithfulness and obedience are not tied to an impending change or victory but to a heart that wants to please the One who called, the only One who deserves our worship and faithfulness, and the One who will never leave us or forsake us, even when we feel very, very alone.

Right now in whatever situation you find yourself: Be faithful, be obedient; Persevere. And as a result, may His fragrance go forth, His name be known, His heart content, and His glory revealed in and through your life.

Refining silver begins with valuable, precious metal. Although the dross must be separated from it, it is still a precious metal in its quality and character.

When God begins refining us, we are wretched, sinful, and undone. We do not begin the process precious in quality and character, but we are immeasurably loved and chosen to be precious in quality and character and purity of heart, created in His image and likeness to demonstrate the glory of our King!

God takes us as we are and begins the process of refinement, saying:

• When I found you, you were not fit for My favor, but I will make you fit for My favor and bestow My love upon you lavishly.
  
• I have made you a choice one.
  
• I designed you for great things.
  
• I will make you a vessel of honor.
  
• You are precious in My sight, and I love you.
  

The affliction, suffering, and trials of our souls bring forth good when our hearts are hungry for more of Jesus and our minds are fixed on Him. A bridled focus and unbridled passion for our Lord, His Word and His ways no matter our circumstances or situations of our lives, and a humble submission to Him brings us through to the end result that God desires most in us: the presence of the fragrance of Christ in our lives.

Will He truly accomplish these things in us? Isaiah 48:11 says so, “For My sake, even for My own sake, I will do it.”

Be encouraged by these others words from Isaiah:

From Isaiah 43:1-5 (NLT) “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fires of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior . . . You are precious to Me. You are honored, and I love you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”

Isaiah 54:10 (NLT)  “For the mountains may depart and the hills disappear, but even then I will remain loyal to you. My covenant of blessing will never be broken, says the Lord, who has mercy on you.”

Several years ago, while in the midst of a deep trial and threats upon our lives from our work in the city, the Spirit of the Lord led me through scriptures in Isaiah. God spoke deeply and profoundly to me as I sat at my desk. Literally feeling as if I was seated in the presence of my Savior, He taught me and encouraged me. Thank God for those times of refreshing in the midst of darkness.

The scriptures in Isaiah began to clarify our situation and help me see His protection and purpose in these things. Then He led me to these words:

“I have not refined you as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.”

The New American Standard Bible states the scripture in this way: “For I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”

Have you ever felt like you were in the furnace of suffering? Sometimes for such a prolonged period that it seems the heat is only being turned up hotter and hotter?

The Hebrew for refined is “tsaraph.” Listen to all of the meanings of this word:

I have founded you.

I have melted you.

I have purified you.

I have purged away.

I have tried you.

This one stands out to me:  I have fused you to Me. By heating us up to that melting point, Christ has fused us unto Himself!

He is also saying, “I have joined you to Me … I have made you acceptable … I have brought excellence out of you … in the furnace of suffering!!!”

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9, NLT).

[ To be continued ... ]

Surprising words from a celebrated champion! Lance went on to say,

“Pain is temporary: It may last a minute, an hour, a day or a year, but eventually it will subside and be replaced by something else. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”

The scriptures are filled with God’s promises for strength to endure. “They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength …” (Isaiah 40:31). Never quit! Your answer will come. God will teach you deep truths that you could never learn without being in the valley.

I do not share these words without understanding the depths of suffering: The pain of tragic loss, the wounds of betrayal, the shame of failure, the reality of death threats, the disappointment of deceit. All of these and more can bring one to deep discouragement. But in God’s grace, they can also bring one to the depths of the reality of Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” In each situation we have endured, we have learned something deeper about His grace, His love, His salvation, His Word, and His heart. And we have learned the beauty of these words in Isaiah 48:10 (NLT), “I have not refined you as silver is refined; I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.”

Not leaning on our own understanding can result in the greatest of “leanings” – leaning on and resting in the arms of Abba Father who cares more intimately for us than we can ever begin to understand.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9, God speaks an everlasting truth that I pray will encourage you this day and it has us so many, many time: “My grace is sufficient for you…”

Lean on Him today. His grace is sufficient for you!

And remember Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4:16 (NLT)  “This is why we never give up!”

“Grace is more powerful than sin, more powerful than shame, more powerful than guilt, more powerful than our mind and flesh, more powerful than what we have done and what’s been done to us.

“By grace, we can come boldly to God in prayer. By grace, we can overcome temptation. By grace, we are given the ability to live for God and to please God.

“The law says,”Do this and live!”  Grace says, “Live! And do this …”

“The law brings condemnation and death. Grace brings justification and life.

“The law demands holiness. Grace gives holiness.

“The law focuses on what man must do for God. Grace focuses on what Christ has done for man.

“The law cries, “Condemn that man!” Grace cries, “Embrace that man!”

“God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT)

Discipleship sometimes manifests the ugly before the beautiful. Christ-likeness is formed. Working out our salvation is a behavioral change. Our behavior will be significantly challenged as He makes us. This behavioral change is worked out through the choices we make in every situation. Thus, every choice is important, and the choices that lead us to the complete surrender of our lives into the hands of Almighty God will change our lives forever.

God is always moving. His purposes never cease! His desire is to keep His hands working in and through our lives at all times, continuing to mold and shape for His glory and pour out from us into the lives of others. As Paul said in Philippians 2:13, “God is at work in you to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

How then can we measure success? Simply allowing God to have His way in our lives, seeking Him wholeheartedly, being truly available and faithful to all that He has called us to do.

Don’t get off the Potter’s wheel. Let the Master Maker’s hands mold and shape and trim and prune as He who knows all things, knows best.

Remain in Him and He will remain in you. He will make us fruitful in every good work, and we will see His glory.

“In praise of Thy goodness, I must confess that Thou didst try with all Thy means to draw me to Thee. Sometimes it pleased Thee to let me feel the heavy hand of Thy displeasure and to humiliate my proud heart by manifold castigations. Sickness and misfortune didst Thou send upon me to turn my thoughts to my errantries.”

Then this prayer appears, one which all of us can pray from our hearts to our Maker:

“One thing, only, O Father, do I ask: Cease not to labor for my betterment. In whatsoever manner it be, let me turn to Thee and become fruitful in good works.”

He reveals; we respond.

He discloses; we respond.

He unveils; we respond.

He loves; we respond and love in return.

He calls; we respond and answer.

He leads; we respond and follow.

Worship begins and ends with God.

Your attitude of worship can turn any mundane task into an offering unto God.

Worship should really matter to you, because whatever you worship, you imitate, and whatever you imitate, you become.

Worship is not about us; it is wholly and completely about God. And the focal point of worship is the cross – the place of unconditional love where grace and merciful forgiveness flow freely.

True worship begins at the cross and becomes a whole-life response to God’s grace, greatness, and glory.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.” (Romans 12:1 NLT)

Speaking in a graduation ceremony to 800 students in England several years ago, Michael began to cry. His tears turned into weeping, so much so that a student rose from the audience and brought a tissue box to the podium. Upon gaining composure, Michael stated, “All I have ever wanted is to be loved by my father.”

This Sunday will be a different Father’s Day for me. My dad passed away last July. I have so many memories leading up to this day of my time with him, his words, his laughter, his joy, his counsel, his teaching, pitching baseball almost daily in the back yard, learning to drive, riding bikes, walking together, listening for hours to my piano playing, watching classics like Hawaii 5-O, Gunsmoke and Wild Kingdom. I remember sitting on the floor outside his office door listening to him pray and prepare his sermons. I remember talking to him about being a husband, being a dad, being a minister and pastor, seeking his advice, listening to his words … I remember his prayers.

I give honor to this great man whom God used to form me, guide me, inspire me and cover me with prayers and Biblical direction. I give honor to this husband, father, grandfather, pastor, and leader. I give honor to my dad.

But I also think about the many Michael Jackson’s in this world, especially in the inner city where we focus our ministry. So many are like him. A pastor from Detroit recently told me about his teenage daughter’s friend coming home from school and staring intently at him. She eventually asked the pastor’s daughter, “Who is that man in your house?” The daughter replied, “That’s my dad. He lives here.” The friend replied, “I’ve never been in a house where a man lives there.”

This may be extreme, but not abnormal. Fathers are absent. They have disappeared from the lives of their children. More than 85 percent of children in the South Bronx are fatherless, and our government has aided the process by robbing from men the role of working and supporting their families. “We don’t need you to do that in poor communities. We will do it for you.” And men are reduced to making babies. And children grow up with a vacuum and a lack of understanding of and relationship with fathers. And the enemy of our souls takes advantage of it by screwing up their understanding of Father God.

Despite all of these things, these words are true: He is a father to the fatherless, and He brings the orphans into a family. God does this. Through His blood, His mercy and His grace, He repairs the wounds of father absence, neglect and abuse and heals the hearts of the wounded. He is faithful. He is loving Father and Healer, Friend and King.

Let us not forget that He chooses to be Father through us, His church. To what wounded soul can you be a godly man who points to the wonder and majesty of Father God?

God is always about His purposes, moving and working the things in our lives and the things around us to accomplish the plans He has foreordained in us and through us to make a mark in this world for His glory. It’s not about us; it never has been. But it is about us being faithful, holy and available when He calls to use us.

Are you ready to be used by Him in 2010?

Isaiah 26:8 says, “… Your name and Your reknown is the desire of our hearts.” If this were true in God’s church, nothing could stop us from turning this world upside down through the power of our Savior Jesus Christ in and among us.

I look and wait and long for the day when Jesus Christ reveals Himself however He chooses to the nations. I look and wait and long for the day when the book of Acts is reality in my nation as it is in so many places around the world. Like Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones, I want to be there to see it, and I want to be an active participant in whatever HE chooses to do around me and wherever He chooses to take me!

When your mission becomes God’s mission, then and only then can powerful, anointed and great things happen.

Let us not tie ourselves down to what is humanly possible in 2010. This could be our last year on earth. Let us be those who take the kingdom by force, who are unafraid of the Lion’s den or fiery furnace and stare it in the face with faith, vigor and an unshakable commitment unto death; who have the faith of a mustard seed to say to this mountain, “Be removed and cast into the sea!” and persevere until it is accomplished!

Let us be accused of turning our community, our city, our nation and the world upside down for Christ because He is worthy of our faithful commitment to live co-crucified with Jesus and walk under the power of the Holy Spirit in humble submission to the Lordship of Christ and passionate pursuit of the glory of God among us! As Paul said to the Ephesians, let us “lead a life worthy of our calling, for we have been called by God!”

O Lord, I want to be wholly Yours, completely surrendered, deeply grateful for Your grace, broken under Your mercy, faithful and ready for Your call.

O God, accomplish Your purposes in me!