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Why we call our website

I remember praying really hard back in 2001, when YHWH (Hebrew: - most likely pronounced "Yah-way") caused me to quit my job and build a website (with no "donate" buttons!) designed to explain what Scripture was really all about. This website was to lead Jews to Yeshua, Christians to Torah, and introduce the truth of ADONAI ELOHIM and His Divine Messiah to atheists. Having been "Messianic" for only about 5 years at the time, I had no clue what to call this kind of a website - much less try to figure out how to actually build one! All I knew was that I wanted YHWH to be involved in every detail, right down to the name of the website. And so my late husband (Bill Welker) and I kept praying about it..

During that same time a Messianic song entitled, "Refiner's Fire" which we knew from the congregation we were attending, kept coming to mind - and, ironically, at the same time, a certain e-mail kept reappearing in my e-mail inbox, entitled, "Refining Silver." Its meaning - though simple - was extremely powerful. In short, it was a quick lesson on how a silversmith refines silver - a message that can be applied to the many ways YHWH "refines" His own Creations.

Refining Silver

Some time ago, a few ladies met in a certain city to read the scriptures, and make them the subject of conversation. While reading the third chapter of Malachi they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse: "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." One lady's opinion was that is was intended to convey the view of the sanctifying influence of the grace of Christ. Then she proposed to visit a silversmith and report to them what he said on the subject.

She went accordingly and without telling the object of her errand, begged to know the process of refining silver, which he fully described to her. "But Sir" she said, "do you sit while the work of refining is going on?" "Oh, yes, madam," replied the silversmith; "I must sit with my eye steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."

The lady at once saw the beauty, and comfort too, of the expression, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." Christ sees it needful to put His children into a furnace; His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for them. Their trials do not come at random; "the very hairs of your head are all numbered."

As the lady was leaving the shop, the silversmith called her back, and said he had forgotten to mention that the only way that he knows when the process of purifying is complete when he sees his own image reflected in the silver....

--Author Unknown

SO, THERE IT WAS IN A NUTSHELL! As YHWH's Creations, most of us have gone through "fire" in one way or another and, hopefully, we learned from the experience. Through our trials and tribulations, rough edges were smoothed and sharp edges were sluffed off, until we more closely resembled what we were meant to be. God allows us to go through hard times so that we may grow and become smooth and shiny. His goal is for us to become a reflection of Him that not only He can see, but also so others can see Him in us. The sooner we realize that, the quicker we become a valuable member of the Family of God....

WAIT! HANG ON! There's one more thing:

Ironically, when my husband tried to buy the domain name "Refiner's Fire," we discovered, to our dismay that it was taken, and that there were hundreds of "Refiner's Fire" websites on the internet, ALL of which were Christian (not Messianic) sites.

BUT YHWH CAME THROUGH! After a lot of diligent searching, Bill found the domain name "THE Refiner's Fire" ... and the rest is history. After almost a quarter of a century, The Refiner's Fire is still going strong - and we've never asked for, or received, one dime for it, because we've always made it all about HIM. Halleluyah! All glory goes to our amazing CREATOR!

A few scriptures referring to "refining fire":

Zechariah 13:2 But who can endure the day when he comes? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire, like the soapmaker's lye. 3 He will sit, testing and purifying the silver; he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold and silver, so that they can bring offerings to ADONAI uprightly.

Zechariah 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on My Name, and I will answer them; I will say, It is My people; and they shall say, Yahweh my Elohim is my Elohim.

Malachi 3:2 But who can endure the day when he comes? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire, like the soapmaker's lye. 3 He will sit, testing and purifying the silver; he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold and silver, so that they can bring offerings to ADONAI uprightly.

Isaiah 48:10 "Look, I have refined you, but not [as severely] as silver; [rather] I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Job 23:10 Yet he knows the way I take; when he has tested me, I will come out like gold. 11 My feet have stayed in his footsteps; I keep to his way without turning aside. 12 I don't withdraw from his lips' command; I treasure his words more than my daily food.