The Bible and Life

Friday, September 19, 2025

Refiner Of Silver

Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!

Here is an article from an unknown source.

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There was once a group of women studying the book of Malachi in the Old Testament. As they were studying chapter three, they came across verse three, which says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”

This verse puzzled the women, and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.

That week this woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot – then she thought again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

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The man answered, “Yes” and explained that he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be damaged.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?” He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy. When I see my image in it.”

If today you are feeling the heat of this world’s fire, just remember that God is refining you. "You are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ!" Hallelujah.

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Women Are Not Weak

Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!

Women are not weak!

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During the Civil War, Maria met P. H. Woodworth, who had returned home from the conflict after being discharged with a head injury. She had a whirlwind courtship with the former soldier and soon married him. They took up farming, but nothing ever came of their labors. It seemed as if everything was failing.

Over the years, Maria became the mother of six children. So she tried to settle into a normal family home life while the Lord continued to call her. But Maria, exasperated in her role as a wife and mother, couldn’t answer the call. She was married to a man with no desire for ministry, she had six children to raise, and she was sickly herself.

Then real tragedy struck their home. The Woodworths lost five of their six children to disease. Maria was able to pull herself together after this horrible episode, but her husband never recovered from the loss. She did her best to help him while raising their only daughter. Through all these situations she never grew bitter against God, nor did she harden her heart as a result of the loss.

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But Maria needed answers for the nagging heartache that oppressed her because of the calamity that struck her family. Refusing to give up, she began to search the Word of God. And as she read, she saw how women were repeatedly used by God throughout the Bible. She read Joel’s prophecy predicting that the Spirit of God would be poured out upon men and women. But Maria would look to heaven and say, “Lord, I can’t preach. I don’t know what to say and I don’t have any education.”

Still, she continued to read and find truth in the Word of God while she struggled with her call. She would later write, “The more I investigated, the more I found to condemn me.”

Then Maria had a great vision. Angels came into her room. They took her to the West, over prairies, lakes, forests, and rivers where she saw a long, wide field of waving golden grain. As the view unfolded she began to preach and saw the grains begin to fall like sheaves. Then Jesus told her that, “just as the grain fell, so people would fall” as she preached. Finally Maria realized that she would never be happy until she yielded to the call. In response to this great vision from God, she humbly answered, "yes" to His call upon her life and asked Him to anoint her with great power.

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. If Maria had answered from her youth, possibly her children wouldn’t have died. I’m not saying that God killed her children. But I am saying that when we directly disobey God, our actions open the door to the works of the devil. His work is to destroy. God’s work is to bring life. So learn to obey God with boldness. Boldness brings the power of God and will leave your accusers speechless in your presence. Also find some strong women with solid ministries from whom you can learn. And allow these words of Sister Etter to stir you in your heart:

“My dear sister in Christ, as you hear these words may the Spirit of Christ come upon you, and make you willing to do the work the Lord has assigned to you. It is high time for women to let their lights shine; to bring out their talents that have been hidden away rusting; and use them for the glory of God, and do with their might what their hands find to do, trusting God for strength, Who has said, ‘I will never leave you.’ Let us not plead weakness; God will use the weak things of the world to confound the wise. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God. Should we not honor our high calling and do all we can to save those who sit in the valley and shadow of death? Did He not send Moses, Aaron— Miriam to be your leaders? Barak dared not meet the enemy unless Deborah led the van. The Lord raised up men, women, and children of His own choosing— Hannah, Hulda, Ana, Phoebe, Narcissus, Tryphena, Persis, Julia, the Marys and the sisters who co- labored with Paul. Is it less becoming for women to labor in Christ’s kingdom and vineyard now than it was then?”

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Seek the Spirit of God for yourself. If you are called, you will have to answer for it. Obey God without question. He will handle the details.

- God’s Generals ( Maria Etter Woodworth)

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Friday, September 12, 2025

Pray Militancy

Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!

Here is a short article by one of the giants of faith!

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Pray against the evil in our land.

Many abortion clinics in Ohio went bankrupt because of a young minister's militancy against them. So much damage was done that they sued him for $11.5 million dollars. Then they saw that Rod Parsley was happy about the suit as he went Pray Militantly around gathering lawyers to fight them.

So they said, "Well, just forget it. We have decided not to sue you." His church prayed militantly. When they went out on the street corners, they prayed with strength and vigor and power and will. They went out in the whole armor of God.

Prayer is one of our main weapons in these spiritual battles, but unless we pray militantly, our prayers are not effective. Prayer also allows us to learn God's strategy in every situation. Get alone with the Lord, and pray militantly. You will receive inspiration and creative ideas from the Holy Spirit which will bring victory.

- Lester Sumrall ( The Militant Church )

Tuesday, September 9, 2025

A Burning Desire

Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!

A Burning Desire.

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Many people just pray casually, “God, answer my prayer,” and before walking out of the church have forgotten all the things they prayed for. That kind of attitude will never bring the faith and touch of God. You need to have a burning desire.

Proverbs 10:24 reads, “The desire of the righteous shall be granted.” Psalms 37:4 says, “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” You should have a burning desire for a goal, and you must keep on seeing that goal accomplished.

When I started my ministry, I had a burning desire in my soul, a burning goal to build the largest church in Korea. That desire was burning in me so much that I was living with it, sleeping with it, and walking with it. Now after twenty years it has been said that my church is the largest church in the world.

You have to have a burning desire in your heart. If you do not have a burning desire, then wait and ask God to impart His desire to your heart. God does not like the lukewarm, for He specializes only in the red-hot; if you have that red-hot burning desire, then you are going to have results.

- Dr. Yongi Cho ( The Fourth Dimension)

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Friday, September 5, 2025

The Old-Timers Holy Spirit

Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!

Here is a short article by an old time Holy Ghost evangelist.

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Why does it seem the old timers operated in such Holy Ghost power generations ago? But, today there seems to be a famine of the power of God in operation and the miracles?

Because, they were connected more to another realm then they were to earth. These days so many people are connected to the things of this world, temporal things! Woodworth-Etter, Lake and Wigglesworth operated in such power, because the world didn't have its hooks them! That's a key that has been lost for generations, being connected to a place called heaven.

The problem with a lot of churches is they got so modern and polished, they don’t give place for the Holy Ghost to move in a service. They’ll make sure they’ll get their sermon done, but they won’t give the Holy Ghost no extra time for ministry. That’s what the old timers did and that’s why they saw all the miracles they saw.

- B.E. Taylor

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Tuesday, September 2, 2025

312 Azusa Street

Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!

312 AZUSA STREET

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Everyone knew another meeting place had to be found quickly. The Asbery home could no longer accommodate the crowds. So on April 14, 1906, Seymour and his elders set out to find the perfect place. They wandered around the city near their area until they came upon a dead-end street that was about a half a mile long. It was there, in the industrial business section of Los Angeles, that Seymour found what had once been an old Methodist church.

After its use by the Methodists, the building had been remodeled for a different purpose. It had been divided in half, the top section having been turned into apartments. But a fire had destroyed the floor, and the cathedral-shaped roof had been flattened and covered with tar.

When Seymour acquired the building, the top floor was being used for storage, while the bottom floor had been converted into a horse stable. The windows were broken, and bare electric light bulbs hung from the ceiling. Seymour was offered the building for eight dollars a month.

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As the word got out, people came from everywhere to help restore the building. A. G. Osterburg, the pastor of the local Full Gospel Church, paid several men to help renovate the building. Volunteers swept the floors and whitewashed the walls. J. V. McNeil, a devout Catholic and owner of the largest lumber company in Los Angeles, donated lumber for the cause. Sawdust was placed on the floor, and planks were nailed to wooden barrels for use as pews. Two empty crates were nailed on top of each other to act as Seymour’s pulpit.

It was in this humble, skidrow-like setting that Azusa Street prepared themselves for international revival.

- God’s Generals ( William J. Seymour )

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William James Roop