Come Forth as Gold!

Based on Job 22-24, Acts 11

"If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, Thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, And the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, And thou shalt have plenty of silver. For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto God." Job 22:23‭-‬26

Job's friends are STILL at it, debating with him...but through these arguments, we see how to be a true, more Christlike friend...and we see that by thinking and doing the opposite of what Job's friends are doing! Eliphaz is begging Job to return to God, and if he does, he will be blessed with gold, and things beyond measure...almost as if he is bribing Job into a relationship with God that he doesn't want to be in! But turns out, Job IS in a relationship with God! Although he doesn't understand why God is allowing this all to happen, he still knows God is in control, and he is not cursing God! Maybe a lot of what his friends are saying is how THEY view God, and maybe God is using Job to correct THEM and teach THEM? Either way, it's not about the gold we receive, but the gold we BECOME as we stick with GOD!

"But he knoweth the way that I take: When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot hath held his steps, His way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food."

Job 23:10‭-‬12

Job has kept The Lord's ways. He has prayed about his situation. He has been willing to make sacrifices, because he knows that a relationship with God is more valuable than anything in this life, even gold! When God tries us in the fires of this life, will we come forth as gold? Will we be able to rely on God, instead of run from Him? God never gives up on us! He tries us to strengthen our connection and trust in Him! If we run, we won't make it...but if we rely on Him, we will come forth as gold!

"But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." Acts 11:9

We might think that there's no way certain people in our lives, and even ourselves, could come forth like shining gold...too much has happened, too many bad choices, too much distance between us & God...but Good News! God said that if He cleansed it, it's no longer common. It's no longer dirty. It should no longer be despised! GOD cleans. GOD tries. GOD creates the most pure gold out of a life that hasn't been so pure...but will we rely on Him? Will we be baptized in Jesus' Name & receive the Holy Ghost? That's where the true cleansing begins! That's where that pure connection starts! Are you ready to come forth as gold?