“Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.” 27So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:26-27 AMP

In the book of Genesis, we read the account of the creation of the physical world as we know it today. It is important that we understand how things were before sin marred the image and fingerprint of God. There was an order to the creation of the physical world and God was pleased with the results.

“God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good and He validated it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.”

The stage was now set for the ultimate creation, man. Man would be much different than anything else that was created. He would be given the qualities and abilities to be a reflection of his creator. This being would be given “free-will,” the ability to choose to love His creator and walk in His ways or reject them are suffer the consequences! So, the day came that a choice should be made. 

We all know the story and the results of the choices Adm and Eve made that fateful moment. Daily we suffer under the weight of our sin nature seeking to please God and maintain our relationship with Him. Despite all of that, God is still at work to restore us to His image that those who see us will give glory and honor to Him! Refining if the process of reducing the number of impurities in a substance. Generally speaking, metals are found in nature combined with other elements. The metals must be heated up and the impurities allowed to separate resulting in usable material. Depending on the purity of the metal needed, this process may have to be applied a number of times with increasing heat!

A similar process occurs spiritually within every Christian. God refines every Christian to remove their “impurities” and make them more like Christ. This refinement is both a natural and painful part of being a Christian. And so my challenge to each one of you is this: to stop resisting the refinement of God in your life, but rather embrace it. It will be painful, it will be challenging, but it will be worth it. You will have joy inexpressible and peace that passes all understanding, but more than anything else, you will be more Christ-like. James give us some valuable information about this process.

“Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. 3Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. 4And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 AMP

“Consider it joy?” Is he crazy! We must remember that refinement is the process of allowing the image of our creator to shine brightly through us to the world! Basically, it is the process of sanctification. Sanctification means to be set apart for a specific purpose; in our case that purpose is to be made holy, or as it says in the book of Romans to be conformed to the image of the Son, in other words to be more like Christ. Sanctification is the calling that God has on all Christians and refinement is the mechanism by which He accomplishes that. Peter put it this way.

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test you [that is, to test the quality of your faith], as though something strange or unusual were happening to you. 13But insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, keep on rejoicing, so that when His glory [filled with His radiance and splendor] is revealed, you may rejoice with great joy.” 1 Peter 4:12-13 AMP

As we contemplate the reason for the season, let us not forget that God gave of His only Son that we may be restored to His image! Have a blessed day! Pastor Ken