Proverbs 17:3

Introduction - Proverbs 17:3

Proverbs 17:3 KJV 1900

The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: But the Lord trieth the hearts.

We are in the section of Proverbs that does not follow a particular order.

Verse 1 may not be connected with verse 2, and verse 2 may not be connected with verse 3.

Even though there is no common subject area, they are largely bout character.

The way I want to tackle this Proverb is by asking questions

Who

As the heat from the fining pot and furnace tries silver and gold, God tries the hearts of man.

The owner knows what is necessary to refine the metal - as God knows what is necessary to refine our life.

This is good news

God loves us - Romans 5:6-8 “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

The strength of this love is Jesus Christ

John 14:21 “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

John 16:27 “For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.”

Matthew 17:5 “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

God works for good

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

God is omniscient

Psalms 147:5 “Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite.”

John 21:17 “He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”

Isaiah 46:10 “Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times the things that are not yet done, Saying, My counsel shall stand, And I will do all my pleasure:”

Every fire we go through has been orchestrated by God who knows what is best for us from a panoramic view of our life and everyone else.

God’s purpose is noble

Noble could be too shallow of a word if we relate it to man; however, when we associate nobleness with holiness it magnifies God’s purpose not just from the authenticity of God but His authority and aspiration for our life.

God knows what is best for us!

Job 23:10 “But he knoweth the way that I take: When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

Where - Proverbs 17:3

Proverbs 17:3 KJV 1900

The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: But the Lord trieth the hearts.

The owner knows what is necessary. As fining pot and furnace are the proper places for silver and gold to be purified, God provides the proper venue for our purification.

Examples

Samson

Lost the presence of God

Lost his strength

Lost his sight

Lost his freedom

Job

Lost much

Could not find God - Job 23

Joseph

Thrown in a pit

Sold to the Ishmaelites

Purchased as a slave by Potipher

Cast into prison

David

Run from King Saul

Peter - Sea of Galilee

Disciples - storm - Matthew 14:22-33

What is being tried - Proverbs 17:3

Proverbs 17:3 KJV 1900

The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: But the Lord trieth the hearts.

Solomon mentions our heart - in what aspect?

Our compassion?

Our love?

Our fidelity?

I believe it has to do with the heart of our faith.

This is supported by 1 Peter 1:7 “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

Faith needs to be purged so as to increase the value of faith - not from God’s perspective but from our’s

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Romans 14:23 “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

We paralyze our faith

Our faith being tried is important

Faith is the most valued part of our life

We can never accept the first 2 points without faith.

Faith is the means whereby we receive grace

Our hope is bottled in faith

Faith is intertwined with God’s word.

Trying our faith puts into practice what we know by observation to be true

Kids stories

Walls of Jericho

Daniel and the lions den

Three Hebrews in the furnace

Lazarus

Are they just stories?

Illustration: man I worked with who was anti-american

Many of the people mentioned in Hebrews 11 come from the arena of adversity, tension and conflict

It tells us our faith is real

Process

Houston Astros

2011-13 lost 65%

Four world series in last 8 years.

1 Peter 1:7 “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

Praise

Honor

Glory

Why

Preparation

Joseph - Perspective

Genesis 37 -

Focus was on him

Reaction - Hatred, animosity and rebuke

Notice the change in perspective - Genesis 41 -

Genesis 41:16 “And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

Genesis 41:25 “And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.”

Genesis 41:28 “This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.”

Genesis 41:32 “And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.”

Genesis 41:33 “Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.”

David - Waiting on God - 2 Samuel

Corrective Action

Proverbs 21:2 “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: But the Lord pondereth the hearts.”

Proverbs 16:2 “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; But the Lord weigheth the spirits.”

Illustration - Jonah.

Godliness with contentment is great gain

1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

2 Corinthians 11:23 “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.”

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

To be more like Jesus - Romans 8:28-29 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Conclusion