The sifting
Posted by appolus on March 27, 2020
A sieve is an apparatus that allows the finer particles through while trapping the courser elements. The process is known as sifting. In Isaiah 30:28 the prophet describes God in this way “His breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity.” This sieve is designed to catch and separate vanity-the proud. The sieve requires shaking in order to find what it wants to reject and to let pass through what is desirable. His breath is like a raging river which reaches up to the neck. Imagine that. In a flash flood it only takes six inches of water to knock a man off of his feet, yet here we see the raging river of the breath of God reaching up to the neck. Who can stand when the Lord moves? Only those who stand upon the Rock.
What particular pride are we seeing here referred to by Isaiah? In the previous verse, verse 27 it says that: Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire. The name of the Lord had been blasphemed against by Rabshakeh, the Assyrian general. He likened the one true God to every other god whom had fallen before them. Now that name, the name he took in vain, has come and He would be like a devouring fire who would overthrow their pride and they would be helpless in the midst of it all.
The world has mocked the one true God. They want nothing to do with Him and in their vanity they ridicule Him. They have systematically violated His word. He says that Homosexuality is an abomination, they say that no, in fact this is merely an expression of Gods creation. He says that He made man and women, they say no, there are many genders and you can be anything you like. He said that those who pass their children through the fire are an abomination, they say,no, it is a moral right to be able to kill your unwanted children. He says that He is the way the truth and the life and no man comes to the Father but by Him. They say that there is no heaven and if there is there are multiple ways to get there. He says that the name of Jesus is high and lifted up, they use that name as a curse. He says suffer the little children to come unto me and woe to them who hurt them. they indoctrinate these children from the early age in defiant rebellion against the one true living God.
God also sifts those who are called by His name and there are multiple siftings. Fire and storm is a form of sifting. As the heat intensifies, many called by His name fall away. As the world makes ever greater demands for compromise, many more fall away. As the cost begins to rise for bearing the name of Jesus, more fall away. As Jesus reveals that His people must suffer, more fall. As He removes all of the trappings of religion, again the chaff blows away in the wind. God will have a refined people when He returns for His own. He will come back for a pure and spotless Bride. Brothers and sisters, we live in the midst of such days. We are called to withstand in the evil day, meaning to resist, stand against, and having done all, cloaked in the armor of God, to stand and not fall.
Stand against who or what? Principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but rather the spiritual reality of what lies behind flesh and blood. The battle takes place in heavenly places. It requires violent men in terms of the spirit. Men and women who can resist, and who will resist and who are covered by the Blood of the Lamb, have the word of their testimony and who love not their lives unto death. This is the few and our enemy is the spiritual reality behind the many. Remember brothers and sisters, greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.
A Call To The Remnant 
Kimberly Mcbride said
Please dear brother I will- to my own detriment- speak my mind here. I have been suffering physically for a while now . where in years past I used alcohol or pills to numb the nerve wracking discomfort in my body.I stopped completely 6 years ago. I am being tried and feel as though I am failing miserably. I know the Lord will never leave or fosake me. We have been without other believers fellowship ( by the Lord’s design) for over 16 years now. I have reached out a few blogs.yours being the main one. I read you posts regerally and usually come away feeling very encouraged. But because of my own failings in my trial I fear that I am not enduring to the end. I have been through many fires in my walk. Being on the streets, in homeless shelter, in rehab center for 17 months without my children. Forsaken by my first unbelieving husband after 17 years. And the suicide (by hanging) of my 23 year old daughter in 2009. I am saying all this to let you know, this current trial is not my first rodeo. But I at times get into despair that I will be eternally lost. I am in a wrestling match, and with the physical part I am not faring well please forgive the length and content of this post. I want to be counted among the few and not the many, I know there are many out there who are suffering for worse than I can imagine 1Pet : 9
Prayers for myself and all who love Our Lord Jesus in sincerity !!
appolus said
Dear sister, you are a mighty woman of valour, you will stand by the power of God. He has brought you through the fires and flood and taken you from the gates of hell. Why would He do all that just to see you fall away? He is an ever present help, a strong high tower. He has kept you and He has loved you. He loved you and died for you while you were yet in your sin, how much more does He care for you now that you are a daughter of the most high God. He is the author and the finisher of your faith and He is faithful to complete the work that He has begun for His will and for His good pleasure. Your job is to acknowledge Him in all of your ways and it is He who will lead you and guide you. Take heart sister, the gross darkness is behind you and His light is before you. Even if you made your bed in hell the Lord would come for you. Even if you took the wings of the morning and flew to the uttermost parts of the earth, He would already be there. I have suffered from chronic pain for many years and I know how it can wear you down. Many days it is just one step in front of another. I have surgery on both shoulders, three bulging discs in my neck, on in my lower back which cause sciatica. Three years ago I was in a car crash and my ulnar nerve was badly damaged and has left me in almost constant pain. I have had two surgeries on it and I think it is worse than before. Yet, despite all of that sister , whwere would I be without Him? Where would we be without Him. Jesus our Lord is our light and He is our hope and somedays you are hanging on with everything that is in you and other days are a bit better but every day is His and every day is a day that we probably would not even have without Jesus. God bless you right ow sister and may He visit you on your sick bed and touch your body and give you relief. I pray that you would begin to sleep well by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. May He baptize you afresh for His glories sake. God bless you Kimberly…………………..bro Frank
Sandy said
I am praying for you Kimberly. Sandy