Baptist City Blog

Glorifying God in the Fires

Isaiah 24:15

"Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea."

God commands us in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." In other words, no matter what we face in life we are to be sure to glorify God. Does that mean we are to glorify God in the fires of life? According to the verse above, whenever we face the different fires of life we are to glorify God. What does it mean to glorify the LORD? It means that we are to magnify and honor God. In other words, to glorify the LORD in the fires would mean that we are to be sure that He is magnified because of the fire. In the Scriptures there are three fires that I find where we are to glorify the LORD.

First, we are to glorify the LORD in the fire of persecution. I am reminded of the three Hebrew children who faced Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace. When they were threatened to go through the fire they did not flinch in their stand, but they were willing to face the fire of persecution for the LORD's sake. When they were thrown into the fiery furnace, Nebuchadnezzar saw that there was a fourth "like the Son of God." The three Hebrew children certainly glorified the LORD in the fire of persecution.

Christian whenever you face the fires of persecution, be sure that the LORD is glorified. The best way to glorify God in these fires is to be sure not to compromise what you believe. Persecution will come to the Christian who stands for truth. When you stand for truth on the job and in society, there will be those who hate you and will try to do everything in their power to be sure to get rid of you. It is in these times that you must be sure that the LORD is magnified in your life so that He gets the glory.

Second, we are to glorify the LORD in the fire of refining. Throughout the Scriptures you find that God talks about gold coming from the refiner's fire. God often compares the refiner's fire to the Christian. God says that one of the reasons He sends us through the fire is so that we can come forth as gold. When God decides to send you through the refiner's fire, you need to be sure to glorify the LORD. No, the fire is never pleasant, but God is trying to make something better out of you.

Third, we are to glorify the LORD when we go through the fire that tries our faith. In 1 Peter 1:7, God talks about trying our faith with fire. In other words, there will be times when the LORD will test your faith in the fire so that it can grow. Your faith will never grow without being tried in the fire. You can want to be a better Christian, but you will never become one without the fire.

The key to glorifying the LORD in these three fires is found in the last part of the verse above when God says, "...glorify ye the LORD in the fires,..." You will notice that we cannot glorify the LORD outside of the fire, but we glorify Him in the fire. If you run from every hardship of life, then you will fail to bring glory to the LORD. Christian, though you may not enjoy the fires that God sends you through, you must endure those fires, for it is while you are in them that the LORD receives the glory. The LORD received the glory while the three Hebrew children were in the fiery furnace. If they had avoided the fire, then God would have never received the glory. Don't run or avoid the fires that God sends you through, for it is while you go through them that the LORD receives the glory He deserves. No, we don't have to enjoy the fires, but we can thank the LORD that He counts us worthy of receiving glory through our lives.