One of man’s greatest discoveries is how to make iron. It has changed the course of history. The rocks God created are made up with raw metals in them. To extract these metals from the rock there is a process called smelting. First the rock is crushed to remove dirt and other impurities. Then the ore is heated up in a blast furnace where it liquefies and the iron sinks to the bottom of the furnace and the impurities or slag rises to the top where it is removed. Depending on how pure they want the iron the process is repeated. Once this is done the iron is ready for forging. There two types of forging called “free forging” and “die forging”. Free forging is where the iron is hammered or pressed into the desired shape. Die forging is when a die is made in the shape of the desired object and the molten metal is poured in it and cooled.

Our lives as Christians undergo the same processes. God knows the raw potential in us but first He must remove the impurities to get to them. He does this by crushing us under the weight of our sin at the cross of Calvary. It is at the cross where we humbly confess our sin and accept His Son as our Savior, that the main impurity in us (sin) is removed. 

But this is just the beginning of the lifelong process. So now here we sit as a clump of unrefined ore. Hebrews 12:29 says that “Our God is a consuming fire”. God starts turning up the heat in our lives through trials and testing to remove more of the slag in our lives. He wants to build our tensile strength so we will not break under the stresses of life.  As He removes more slag from our lives He then starts to apply the forging process to us. God does not use the die forging process but the free forging process because each one of us is a unique creation of His. Part of this process is in our hands because we have free will. We can either allow God to refine us or not. One of the ways we can allow God to refine us is to keep a strong relationship with Him. This is accomplished through prayer, bible reading, and church attendance, groups, serving at church and serving in our communities. As we grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus, He continually hones and sharpens us to be instruments of His Righteousness. 

Hebrews 4:12 states “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Ephesians 6:17 says the “sword of the Spirit is the Word of God”.

The Word of God is the hammer that forges us into who God wants us to become for His Glory.  The sharper our sword, the more useful we can be to God. One of my favorite pair of verses are 1 Peter 4:12 & 13 “Dear friends, don’t be surprised by the fiery trials you are going through, as if some strange thing is happening to you. Instead, be very glad- because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world.” 

Our trials are temporary. The joy of God’s glory is forever.

Just as the discovery of iron changed the course of history, allowing God to purify you will change the course of your life.

Are you being forged in the fire and allowing God to shape and mold you?

Every single one of us are in the ‘same boat’, we’re just facing different storms. 

For my wife and I, we are only dealing with a drizzle. We are both blessed to be able to work at home and our kids are doing online classes fairly well. So far so good.

Many of you are going through horrendous storms: 

• Those of you working in healhcare

• Loss of loved ones

  Loss of jobs

• Business owners who are not sure what the future holds

• A higher level of anxiety and depression than ever before

• A new fear

• A lot of unknown. 

We have two choices here:

Feed your fear or feed your faith

• We FEED OUR FEAR by watching the news for far too long everyday

• We FEED OUR FAITH by spending time with God through prayer, reading and being with other believers. (Clearly, the ‘being with other believers’ cannot be physical today but there are many options: phone call, video chat, zoom virtual groups, text, etc..) 

In these moments where it feels the most hopeless, we need to go to the only One who can help. God did not cause this but He is allowing it. It certainly feels as though all of us will come out of it changed – hopefully for the better. 

Many of us (not all) now have a bit of extra time in our lives. Some of us can no longer make weekend plans, some of us are no longer are driving our kids everywhere, and some of us are not even commuting to work! With this ‘new normal’, we have a little more margin in our lives. The question becomes, “What are we doing with this margin?” So many of us (including me) were actually praying for more margin! I was praying for more quality time with the kids, more time with God and more time with friends and family. Well, careful what you pray for! Now it’s here and how will I (we) respond?

When I look back at this time, I do not want to regret not taking advantage of these opportunities. I would hate to look back and see this extra time was put only into binge-watching shows, playing video games, and being on Social Media. I’d love to look back and see more time with God through reading and praying, more time with family including dinner together every evening, and a new appreciation of the many things God has given me (us). I hope you see the blessings in this no matter where you are today. 

God has allowed us to all slow down. 

Are we listening? Are we aware? Are we taking advantage of it? 

Don’t miss out on what God is doing here. He is always at work despite how it may look. I cannot wait to hear all of the God stories we will hear when this is all over. 

GUEST BLOGGER: Jeff Caiola

I honestly thought I was done writing, I thought I had no more words to say.  But these past few weeks have stirred up a place in my heart, which makes it difficult to remain silent. 

It started on Easter Sunday and seeing all the signs that people made, what they were like before they found Christ and who they are today. It was a defining moment for me. It blew me away. I am not alone and the tears started to flow.

Then I heard several conversations where people were associating suffering with punishment from God. Then the tears flowed again but for a different reason.

So many people are hurting from the trials of this world and they are associating their pain with God’s wrath.

I have been in this boat so many times where I blamed myself and thought God was punishing me. It started long ago and I started to believe the words of this world. I had my share of being bullied where I was called some pretty rotten words. After a while, it started to wear on me. I developed a deep fear of being rejected and became tired of the name calling. 

Then later in life, more tragedy would come which was totally out of my control. This became a pivotal point for me because there was nothing I could do. It made me so angry, I kept asking myself “what did I do?”  I brought my anger to God, because my heart was crushed. I just couldn't understand.

But God had a plan that I was totally unaware of. What seemed to be the most horrific parts of my life became the start of my journey home.

I was too busy with my own thoughts that I could not hear God. But things started to clear up when I first started reading the Bible. I was stuck on the following verse and could not figure out why….

John 9:1-3, Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind As He went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 

 Years later, I would start to see what God was working on. It still blows me out of the water. What seems to be a tragedy to us, might be an opportunity to show us who He is. 

In fact, these tragedies have brought me to Christ… and today I know that I am loved by the great ‘I AM’!

So what if we have it all wrong? 

So often, we define what is going on in our fallen world by our wisdom. 

What if we are missing God’s invitation to walk with him?

Genesis 3:8-9 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

 What if God turns the trials of this world into an invitation? 

What if He is just looking for you? 

 After all God Loves you!

 

I was listening to worship songs on my iPod yesterday. Since I don’t have a lot of songs on it, it can get repetitive. As I was listening, the song “In Christ Alone” came on. I have to be honest, I’m kind of burnt-out on this song. As I was reaching to skip it, I felt something telling me to listen to the song. As I was listening, I starting thinking about Mordecai’s words to Esther “If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

I thought that we are actually lucky because we are alive at such a time as this because we have the hope needed at this time. God knows that we have the answer to everyone’s fear and anxiety. If we keep quiet the people that need that hope won’t hear it. That’s one of the reasons for these blogs the church posts. So as I was thinking these things the words of the song started to hit me. This is our message for such a time as this:

In Christ alone my hope is found, he’s my light, my strength, my song. He’s our cornerstone through the fiercest drought and storm. (We’re in a storm now but He’s the captain on who we stand) He stands in victory and sin’s curse has lost its grip on me. (He’s made us free) I am His, He is mine. No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the POWER of Christ in us. (Death where is your victory, oh death where is your sting?) No power of hell or scheme of man can pluck us from his hand. (We are secure and safe in Him)

Then the bridge drove the point home:

I find my strength, my hope, my help in Christ alone. When fear sets, and darkness falls I find my peace in Christ alone. I give my life, I give my all, I sing to Christ alone. The King of Kings the Lord of all, All Heaven Sings to Christ Alone! 

We have the message of hope. The world shouts it’s negative message. Let’s give our lives and give our all, to shout and sing God’s positive message. The God who created the universe loves us. No one is insignificant in his eyes. He has given us Christ. Until He returns or calls us home let’s stand in the power of Christ!

And the next time you feel like skipping a song, don’t! It may just impact you in ways you can’t even imagine!

There is a TV show that has been on for two seasons called “God Friended Me.” It is about an atheist that gets friended supposedly by God on Facebook. God then sends him friend requests for people who need help or are about to have difficulties they don’t even know about. His job is to find the people, figure out what their problem is and then solve it. Since he does not believe in God all the while he is helping people, he and his two friends are trying to find out who is behind what they call “The God Account”.  

What I like about the show is the fact that God really has friended all of us.

In the Old Testament, Enoch was such a close friend to God that one day when he was walking with God, God took him to live with him. Abraham is called the friend of God. King David was a friend of God because he was a man after God’s own heart.

In the New Testament Jesus friended Peter, James, John, Paul, the other disciples, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and just about everyone he came in contact with. Today, He is still friending people. 

He friend’s people through us and the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Every day that God gives us, He sends us friend suggestions because we are His friends. These are people we meet each day or the people He lays on our heart. 

Jesus tells us in John 15:14 “You are my friends if you do what I command.”  Then John 15:12 tells us what He commands, “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”

 In the TV show, not even realizing it, they are showing God’s love to people. We are called to love one another.  Matthew 25:35-40 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Today, more than ever, we have a great opportunity to show God’s love. Let’s reach out to those around us, our neighbors, families, friends, and our church families, especially those who are single or single parents. They need the hope we have. Some just need to hear a friendly voice. When you go shopping, if possible, buy a couple items and drop them off at the food pantry. The need is great. God is greater!

1 John3:18 “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”

 Who has God laid on your heart today?

“It’s a conspiracy I tell ya!“ 

 The internet is filled with conspiracy theories: 

• A second shooter in JFK’s assassination

• The moon landing was filmed in a Hollywood studio

• Chemtrails

• Flat earth

• The New England Patriots

• The Clintons

• The Bidens

• The Trump

• The Coronavirus 

…..and the list goes on. 

 What is a conspiracy theory?

It’s a theory seeking to explain a disputed case or matter as a plot by a secret group or alliance rather than an individual or isolated act. To conspire means “to join or act together; to plan or plot secretly.”  

Now most conspiracies are concerned with committing a crime or subversive act. But could there not be conspiracies for good?

Here is an undisputed fact (unless you are a conspiracy theorist): In everyday of your life, in fact, in every decision you make there are two conspiracies going on. 

One is plotting subversive acts and the other is plotting good acts.  

These two groups are none other than the devil and his demons and God. Now we know the devil and his demons are constantly scheming against us to keep us from knowing God.  The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8 “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”  

But what about God you say, “how can He be a conspirator when your definition of conspiracies and conspirators states that they are alliances not individuals that act together to plan secretly?” 

Because God is an alliance. 

He is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. 

Three in one, the Triune God. 

Jeremiah 29:11 states- “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Ephesians 2:10 tells us “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew inChrist Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” 

God has a plan for every one of us that He ordained before the beginning of time and His plan is kept secret until we are ready to carry out the next step of that plan.  God even has the answer for us when the devil tries to tempt us with his own evil plan in 1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit always have our backs! Sounds like a conspiracy to me!

 So there are two conspiracies out there, one for good and one for evil.

Which conspiracy are you going to work for?

In the book of Job, Satan showed up at God’s throne and God asks him where he had come from. He answered “I’ve been going back and forth across the earth, watching everything that is going on.” 

God asks “have you checked out my man Job and seen that he’s the finest man on earth and a man of integrity?”  God, like a good lawyer, never asks a question the doesn’t already know the answer to. “He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.” 

Satan being the accuser replies, “Well you’ve protected and blessed him so much, take it away and he will curse you.” It’s kind of like us in America: we are so blessed and protected, that some people probably think we are God’s chosen nation. But Israel still is.

Well God allows Satan to test Job and in quick succession Job loses his crops, his livestock, his children and his health. His wife tells him to let go of his integrity and curse God and die. Then three friends come by and seeing how badly he is suffering, they sit with him for seven days and nights not saying a word. Unfortunately for Job, his friends start talking and their words are more accusatory than healing. Job reaches the point where he wants to argue his case before God because he knows he has not done anything wrong. God answers Job complaints and sets him straight about who is who in this world.  Yet in all of this Job does not sin and God restores everything to him twice over.

What can we learn from Jobs life and apply to our lives now?

• We are blessed and have more than we deserve. So be grateful.

• Satan is always accusing us. So trust Jesus as your intercessor.

• God allows testing to build our character and faith. So persevere  

• We will probably never lose as much as Job did and he never cursed God. So revere God

• The people in your life can either make you or break you. So choose your friends wisely.

• it is okay to question God but the answer may not be what you expect. So be careful what you ask for.

Probably the most important words Job spoke were “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”  

So bless God’s name no matter what you have in this life. 

Our true treasures are in heaven!  

GUEST BLOGGER: Our Founding Pastor - Stephen Eiss

As l have been following the church across the world this week (Holy Week), we certainly find ourselves this year doing church much different. 

The question begs to be asked is it really different?

Yes, in a way we are forced to be different especially with things like doing communion. At our local church here in Aiken, SC. on Sunday and now with so many other churches around the world throughout this week, things are certainly different. They have to be. This Coronavirus changed everything.

All this reminds me of a several things:

• First off, the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.  Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new.

• Secondly, back in my second year class in Church History, I learned that the Church of the New Testament never had church buildings until the third century. How did they do communion in the same way we are this week?

• Lastly, does not dwell in buildings but in a body, His body of believers. No wonder Jesus said where two or three people are gathered together there am I (Matthew 18:20).

  The lesson for all of us is this: Jesus puts his emphasis on the Body of Believers over a building.

  That brings such comfort to me and i hope to you as well during this time of testing, prayers to all of you.