Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Good Afternoon
On yesterday we learned that we are unbreakable. We learned that our situations make us stronger. We learned that we are not easily broken. Today we will learn despite our situations we must continue to keep the faith.
I would like to continue focusing on Daniel's journey. We saw examples of how Daniel stood confident as He walked with God and despite his test, he remained faithful. Today we will learned about his friends and their confidence in God.
As we come to Daniel 3, we find that the King Nebuchadnezzar has ordered everyone to worship his god statue when the music plays and anyone who refuses would be thrown into the fiery furnace. Daniel’s friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who had been appointed over Babylonian affairs refused to worship the gods and the gold statue. This sent the king into a rage.
How many times has someone try to get you to act outside your character and the moment you don't give in, they threatened you? How many times have you been placed in front of someone who used scare tactics to knock you off your path and you gave in? We will find that no matter what the king was saying these men kept the faith and did not bow down to the king or his gods.
He ordered that they be brought before him and asked if what he heard was true. He told them he was going to throw them into the fiery furnace and asked “what god would save you then?” They told him that they were not going to and that they were not worried because they knew their God was able to deliver them. They told him even if He doesn’t, we still won’t serve your gods or worship your golden statue.
Today I encourage us all to get to a place where we would have the fiery faith of these young men and despite our situations not give in because our God is able to make a way! Despite how our situations look and may seem, we need to know we serve a God that is able to do more than we ask, think or imagine! So today it is time to stop allowing folks to get the best of us and rely on God because He wants the best for us.
Moving along in the story we find that the king was even hotter at their response and commanded the furnace be turned up seven times higher. He called for his strongest soldiers to throw them into the furnace. As they threw them in the flames leaped and killed them, leaving Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego bound in the furnace. At this point seeing all of his men killed by the flames the king should have realized he was making a bad decision, because the three men were not harmed.
To the king’s surprise he called out “didn’t we throw in three men?” His advisors responded “yes.” Have you ever been in a situation where someone pulled every trick out the bag to get you to do what they wanted you to do? When you didn't do it they threatened you with all kinds of things. Well in this situation we will see how God is also able to work in our lives. I want us all to know that no man can take from us what God has planned for our lives. We must get to a place where we put our trust in God.
The king was amazed because he knew he threw in three, but he saw four men and none of them were affected by the flames. The king called them out because to him the fourth man looked like a god. He yelled “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God! Come out! Come here!” So they stepped out of the fire.
As I read this story I think about all the different things we are faced with in life. We have all been thrown into the fire on our jobs, in our homes, in our schools and in our churches. It has become the way of life for some folks. They will abuse their power on Earth and think they can do whatever they see fit if people don't bow down to their ways.
Today God is saying have the fiery faith of Daniel’s friends and trust in Him and you too will be called to step out of the fires in all areas of your life. We can learned from the three men that the fires are not meant to hurt us, they are meant to allow God the opportunity to show up and show out in our lives. We have to strengthen our faith because the same God that made himself available to show up for them will also show up for us. When they think they got us where they want us, our God will turn it all around in our favor. It will all be for His glory.
One would have thought that the king knew who God was and what He was capable of after Daniel revealed the dream to him in Daniel 2. I say that to say be mindful that the same ones God rescue us from one day will try us again another day, but we must remain faithful to Him. He will always show up and show out on our behalf and He needs us to trust in Him. It is time to step out with fiery faith towards your goals, dreams and desires! I have been sent to tell you that along your journey you may be thrown into fires, but God will not allow you to get burnt!
Blessings,
Tennille L. Whittington
Prayer for Today
As I read this Lord lead me in strengthen my faith, Lord I want to have the fiery faith of Daniel’s friends, Lord I am ready to step out of the fire on my job, in my relationship, at my school and in my finances, Lord there are a lot of Nebuchadnezzars in my life and it’s time they recognize who you are in my life, Lord it’s time I get positioned to where You need me to be! Strengthen my faith today! In Jesus name, Amen!
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