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Pure Gold!
Spurgeon's sermon, "WHITHER GOEST THOU?"
"When HE has tried me, I shall come forth as GOLD."
-Job 23:10
Trials come from God.
Job says, "When HE has tried me."
He sees God in his afflictions.
The devil actually wrought Job's trouble; but the Lord
not only permitted it, but he had a 'design' in it.
Without the divine concurrence, none
of his afflictions could have happened.
It was God that tried Job, and it is God that tries us.
No trouble comes to us without divine permission.
All the 'dogs of affliction' are muzzled until God sets them free.
Nay, against none of the seed of Israel can a dog move its
tongue unless God permits.
Troubles do not spring out of the ground like weeds that grow
anywhere, but they grow as plants set in the garden.
God appoints the weight and number of all our adversities--
If He declares the number ten they cannot be eleven.
If He wills that we bear a certain weight,
no one can add half an ounce more.
Every trial comes from God. Take courage.
The rod is one of the tokens of the child of God--
If you were not God's child you might be left unchastened;
but inasmuch as you are dear to Him, He will whip you when
you disobey. If you were only a bit of 'common clay' God would
not put you into the furnace. But as you are 'gold' and He
knows it, you must be refined; and to be refined it is needful
that the fire should exercise its power upon you.
Because you are bound for heaven, you will
meet with storms on your voyage to glory.
I cannot tell what troubles may come,
nor what temptations may arise.
But I know in whose hands I am, and I am persuaded that He is
able to preserve me, so that when He has tried me, I shall come
forth as GOLD. I go into the fire, but I
shall not be burned up in
it; "I shall come forth." Like the three holy children, though the
furnace be heated seven times hotter, yet the Son of man will be
with me in the furnace, and "I shall come forth" with not even the
smell of fire upon me.
"When HE has tried me, I shall come forth as GOLD."
-Job 23:10
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