Seeing God in the Fire

Christina Weidner - June 23, 2024

Do you see God?
1. Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
  1. Greek Word for Pure: katharós “without admixture” (BAGD); what is separated (purged), hence “clean” (pure) because unmixed (without undesirable elements); spiritually clean because purged (purified by God), i.e. free from the contaminating (soiling) influences of sin.
  2. Religion makes us think Purity is the Goal and that only few can attain it. It is this untouchable, unrealistic, archaic, not relevant concept that most of the modern church has decided isn’t for today. Purity is what my Grandma talked about in 1950. God is a God of mercy right. I’m covered by the blood right? What is the purpose of purity?
  3. A Pure Heart is not the end Goal! Seeing Jesus is! Pursing purity for the sake of being pure can be an overwhelming, even self-righteous pursuit where we quit before even start. Pursing our own purity makes it about us! But isn’t about us is it? It’s about Jesus!
  4. In the process of Pursuing Christ, He makes us Pure.
  5. Purity is the Process to the end Goal, which is Seeing Jesus.
  6. Today we will talk about
  7. Being Made Pure,
  8. Purifying ourselves and
  9. Seeing Jesus in the Fire!
  10. We cannot See God without pure hearts and we can’t have a pure heart apart from the FIRE!
  11. Nobody like to be in the Fire! So we pull back when God starts his purifying work in our life to remove the sin which hinders from seeing who he really is!But today. I say! Let us Lean In to the Fire!
Where am I at today with my vision of God?
1. Ask yourself these question?
  1. Do I see God?
  2. Make it personal. Based on your encounters, revelations and personal knowledge with God, How do I See Him?
  3. When you picture God, what words do you have that describe who He is to you?
How We See God effects every aspect of our Life and relationship with Him.
1. If you believe in Him and accept Him as your savior.
2. Your obedience to His Word even at great cost
3. How you talk about him
4. Whether or not he gets blamed or gets the credit
5. It determines if you run to him or run from him
6. If you Seek Him out or Hide from Him
Made Pure
1. It starts with a Desire to be made pure.
  1. “God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”—Psalm 51:10
  2. “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.”—Psalm 139:23-24
  3. “Who can discern his own errors? Cleanse me from my hidden faults.”—Psalm 19:12
2. God’s Purification Work:
  1. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1:9
3. Purifying ourselves:
  1. Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Corinthians 7:1
  2. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded James 4:8
Purification in the Fire! Seeing God in the Fire!
1. Purified Like Silver- IN the Fire!
  1. Psalm 66:10 For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.
  2. PSALM 12:6 NASB “The words of the LORD are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.”
  3. “The process of refining silver involves an intense heating process that melts the required minerals into a liquid, and in that liquid state, the incompatible impurities float to the top. This can be referred to as slag or dross. At that point, the impurities are removed, and the silver metal below is left purer than before the process began. If necessary, this process is repeated again and again in order to achieve a satisfactory level of purity for its intended purpose.”
2. Pure Hearts! Undefiled by their World!
  1. These Men’s hearts were pure before God, Untainted by the temptations of the World around them, unaffected by the idolatry sounding them, and refused to be influenced or given to fear even in the face of death.
    1. Daniel 3:16-18 – 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
  2. Lean Into the Fire! Jesus is in the Fire! You will see Jesus in the the Fire!
    1. Daniel 3:19-27 – 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” 25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
  3. When We See God in the Midst of the Fire, So do the people around us!
    1. Daniel 3: 28-29 – 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”