I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified in the fire, in order that you might be rich, and white garments, in order that you might be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness might not be revealed, and eyesalve to anoint your eyes, in order that you might see. Rev. 3:18.
The gold purified in the fire represents the kind of faith that lasts to the end. I believe that faith is primarily a gift from God, but we can do some things to increase it.
When I was working on my doctorate, I spent the majority of my waking hours at a small desk in the library. While the general atmosphere of the library was quiet, sometimes on our little corner vigorous discussions would take place among two or three doctoral students. During one of those times a colleague shocked me to the core. He had worked many years as a pastor outside of North America. He told me that where he came from the number one topic of discussion among ministers was whether or not God exists! I don't share this to poke fun or vent my horror, but simply to point out that maintaining a living walk with God in the midst of a highly secular technological age is no easy matter. We live in a time of spiritual crisis.
In the Western world this spiritual crisis particularly afflicts those that grew up in the turmoil of the 1960s. Many things once handed down as certainties have proved to be questionable as fact. Some things taught as "God's truth" seem to have been more about keeping certain people in power. As a result, my generation has felt betrayed and has tended to lay everything open to question.
The advent of computer technology and the internet has fundamentally changed the way people think and reason. The speed and complexity of life have accelerated rapidly. Nothing seems stable anymore. Jobs get downsized the minute your salary becomes comfortable. Where you live seem subject to chance more than intention. As a result, extended families find themselves ripped apart.
In these challenging times we need to consciously and intentionally cultivate a relationship with God. One of the best ways to do so is to talk about it. Speak about it often and in a wide variety of contexts. Faith strengthens when we share it. In the words of Ellen White: "The more you talk of faith, the more faith you will have." Spend time with people who are full of faith. Every day remind yourself to accept the gold that Jesus offers and allow the circumstances of life to polish that gold into an enduring luster.
Lord, in the busyness of the urgent it is so easy to live from hour to hour without reference to You. I want to keep You at the center of attention today. Increase my faith.
The gold purified in the fire represents the kind of faith that lasts to the end. I believe that faith is primarily a gift from God, but we can do some things to increase it.
When I was working on my doctorate, I spent the majority of my waking hours at a small desk in the library. While the general atmosphere of the library was quiet, sometimes on our little corner vigorous discussions would take place among two or three doctoral students. During one of those times a colleague shocked me to the core. He had worked many years as a pastor outside of North America. He told me that where he came from the number one topic of discussion among ministers was whether or not God exists! I don't share this to poke fun or vent my horror, but simply to point out that maintaining a living walk with God in the midst of a highly secular technological age is no easy matter. We live in a time of spiritual crisis.
In the Western world this spiritual crisis particularly afflicts those that grew up in the turmoil of the 1960s. Many things once handed down as certainties have proved to be questionable as fact. Some things taught as "God's truth" seem to have been more about keeping certain people in power. As a result, my generation has felt betrayed and has tended to lay everything open to question.
The advent of computer technology and the internet has fundamentally changed the way people think and reason. The speed and complexity of life have accelerated rapidly. Nothing seems stable anymore. Jobs get downsized the minute your salary becomes comfortable. Where you live seem subject to chance more than intention. As a result, extended families find themselves ripped apart.
In these challenging times we need to consciously and intentionally cultivate a relationship with God. One of the best ways to do so is to talk about it. Speak about it often and in a wide variety of contexts. Faith strengthens when we share it. In the words of Ellen White: "The more you talk of faith, the more faith you will have." Spend time with people who are full of faith. Every day remind yourself to accept the gold that Jesus offers and allow the circumstances of life to polish that gold into an enduring luster.
Lord, in the busyness of the urgent it is so easy to live from hour to hour without reference to You. I want to keep You at the center of attention today. Increase my faith.
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