Kay Arthur is the teacher and author who uses God's word and her own words to touch people all over the world. She has won numerous awards for her writing. She and her husband, Jack, founded Precept Ministries International forty years ago. Today the organization reaches people in 150 countries in 70 different languages. Her latest book is As Silver Refined.
Teachings of As Silver Refined
Everyone at some point or another in their life has faced disappointments. These disappointments range from job troubles to marriage troubles to troubles with other family members to money troubles. Many people when faced with these problems fold in upon themselves experiencing depression, discouragement and at times despair. Kay Arthur offers a different approach.
The book opens with the story of a silver refiner. The silver refiner spends hours and hours heating the silver until it is just the right gloss and purity. The task can seem tedious and many modern readers would wonder why the ancient silver refiners went to so much work.
A comparison through the Bible's teaching about refining is then made. Arthur says life's struggles are God's way of getting rid of the junk in our lives and making us more holy and Godlike.
She goes on in subsequent chapters to discuss the different types of disappointments. She says the two most dangerous are our present failures and past regrets. She says the regrets should be left where they are in the past and the failures will help us learn to be better people now.
Arthur teaches that God's sovereignty leads all of us to the victory we desire over our failures and disappointments. She tells us that if we listen to God's teachings, we will see that He is using these things to refine us to be more like the perfect silver the refiner is looking for. She reminds us that God is the God of second chances and that He would want us to rise from our disappointments and press on.
Extras in As Silver Refined
The teachings of this book are tied closely to the teachings of the Bible. Bible verses throughout the book lead the reader to find the information in God's word to correspond with Arthur's teaching. These Bible verses give the reader strength to continue on.
The book includes a 13 lesson study guide. This guide would be perfect for a Sunday School class or another small group who wished to use the book. The guide could be used by an individual as well. The lessons correspond with the chapters in the book and are divided among specific teachings: facing disappointment, learning meekness, believing God's sovereignty and finding courage.
This is an excellent book. It gives the reader hope that life's disappointments don't have to destroy her. I would recommend this book to anyone facing struggles or anyone who just wants to know more about God's refining power.
As Silver Refined: Answers to Life's Disappointments by Kay Arthur
Waterbrook Press, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4000-7348-1
Kelley Huston - A reader of all kinds of books, Kelley is an teacher who loves crafts and scrapbooking. She is a Disney fan who loves all things Disney.
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