It will be six months in November.
I don’t have a job.
I have to start paying back my loans in December. A job is needed before then so that I will have adequate funds to pay back the thousands and thousands of dollars I owe the government.
There are options, I know, I know. I’ve looked into all of that. There’s something called an income based repayment plan. As the name indicates, I would make payments based on my current income. My rinky dinky restaurant job could significantly decrease my payments to a manageable amount.

Here’s my hangup, does it show a lack of faith if I apply for the income based plan? Would God be disappointed if He saw me down here, sheepishly filling out paperwork and making moves to cover my behind in case He doesn’t come through?  Therein lies the problem, in applying for the income based plan BEFORE my first payment is due, I am denouncing my faith in God’s abilities and pretty much saying I really don’t think He knows what He’s doing. This is a tough decision and it’s truly a test of faith, but God and I still have over a month to find something. I should trust him up until that first payment is due.

That is what I decided this morning after waking up to the sound of “I need a job” beeping rhythmically in my head like an alarm. I’m going to trust that God will provide. In all honestly I do have enough money to make the FIRST payment (but not enough to do it on a monthly basis) and as far as I can see there is no deadline to apply for the income based plan. Given this, I am going to trust and hopefully expect the Lord to provide.

If He does not see fit to provide, I will make the first payment, then apply for the income based plan.
My brother reminded me of a story in the Bible that many of us might have learned about in Sunday School. The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendego. Although my situation is not nearly as dire as theirs, it does provide solid foundational support on which to bolster my decision. In the story, after refusing to worship the King’s statue, the three men were warned that the consequences of refusal would be a tormenting death in a large fiery furnace. Their reply was, “if we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not…”
That last sentence, “But even if He does not” is indicative of the men’s total trust in God. They were fully assured of God’s ability to deliver them from the King’s punishment, but EVEN if He did not, they still trusted in God’s sovereignty, in His all knowing plan. As we all know, the three men were shortly thereafter thrown into the furnace. However, they were not consumed, nor were they burned by it and the King was amazed at God’s power. Because of their total faith in God, God was able to use their situation to bring glory to Him.

I think that in light of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith, I can wait a little while longer. If God does not see fit to deliver me from my personal fire, I must trust that I will not be consumed nor will I be burned. I have to trust in his sovereignty and His plan.
Still…I need a job… a decent paying one.
That was the last time. I promise.

• Their basic courtesy and respect are undiminished, however bold their words.
• They are completely unwilling to apologize for their stance. The wise believer never apologizes for God or for any of his attributes.
• They do not doubt God’s ability to save them, and they say so: God is not hostage to other gods, or to human beings, emperors or otherwise.
• But whether or not God will save them they cannot know—and the point is immaterial to their resolve. Faithfulness is not dependent upon an escape hatch. They choose faithfulness because it is the right thing to do, even if it costs them their lives.

Carson, D. A. (1998). For the love of God: A daily companion for discovering the riches of God’s Word. Volume 2 (25). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

There is a lot to be learned from Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego:

• Boldly we put our case, without ridiculing the view of others.
• In the present debate about multiculturalism, same-sex marriages, homophobia, etc,. we never apologize for God.  We are just the messengers, and if they want to shoot us, so be it.
• God is sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient and just.
• We don’t believe because we have a way out; we believe because we believe God – and He is our refuge.

Lord, make me like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego today.  Help me to not bow before the demands of the gods of this world.  Keep me faithful to Yourself.  Amen.

]]> http://outin2thedeep.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/the-plenary-nature-of-christs-redemption/ Fri, 12 Oct 2012 06:31:23 +0000 outin2thedeep http://outin2thedeep.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/the-plenary-nature-of-christs-redemption/

We’ve all been there.  Whether it’s one of those old bowling alleys or bingo halls, Grandpa and Grandma’s place for a visit, or any place, really, where smoking is still allowed these days.  We all know that smell.  The pungent odour that seeps into furniture and curtains and walls and carpets, that remains long after the last butt was extinguished.  In fact, even if no one has even lit up a cigarette recently, you still leave the place with the smell of it clinging to your clothes and hair. It is inescapable.  Smoke is just one of those things that ‘stays’ no matter how hard you try to get it off you (ask anyone who’s tried to hide the fact that they smoke from others).

In Daniel 3, we read of a time honored classic; a ‘main-stay’ of Sunday school tradition, in the story of three Hebrews (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), unwilling to bow to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image and thrown into a fiery furnace because of their faithfulness. In verse 24 we’re then told,

“Then king Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counsellors, ‘Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?’ They answered and said to the king, ‘True, O king.’  He answered and said, ‘But i see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.’”

Nebuchadnezzar has his mind blown by this and calls them out of the furnace, and we are then told this,

“[they all] saw that the fire had not any power over the bodies of those men.  The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.”

The miraculous salvation of these would-be martyrs is – in and of itself – profound and staggering.  But as i learn to understand and see more and more of Christ in the OT canon, (and, by the way, i believe this story includes not simply typology of Christ, but a literal Christophany [a pre-incarnate visitation of Christ in human history], which is one of the keys to the story’s significance.) the glaring correlation between Christ’s saving presence in the fiery furnace for those three men and Christ’s saving presence from the fires of hell in the life of every believer, comes into a sharp and singular focus.  Considering, also, what was just presented above about the particular properties and consequences of smoke, and the fact that Scripture tells us these three Hebrews came out of the fire not only unharmed but not even smelling of smoke, we are also given here a glorious vision of the consummate, plenary nature of Christ’s redemption.

In Hebrews 7:25, speaking of Christ’s unending role as our High Priest, we read,

“Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost, those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

Later in Hebrews 10:14 the author writes,

“For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”

2 Cor. 5:21 tells us finally,

“For our sake, God made Him to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God.”

-

Christ’s presence in the life of the believer is redemptive and transforming in such a way that, – like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – we are not only saved from the just wrath of a holy God in the fires of hell, but even the smoke from it’s flames cannot touch or cling to the one He calls His child.  Hallelujah!  What a Saviour!

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine … when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”  Is. 43:1,2

The favorite part of the story that I read over and over and over again is one of the ultimate trash-talking moments in the Bible.  It’s when the three men stand up to King Nebuchadnezzar and tell him how it really is:

Daniel 3:17-18
If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.

That response speaks volumes about their faith. To paraphrase, “We know God can save us. But if he chooses not to, we still will never serve your fake gods.”

Parenting will challenge you. Some challenges will stretch your faith more than others. Even though God has the ability to deliver us, He may ask us to walk through some of these trials. When we affirm His goodness in the face of potential suffering, our faith shines in a powerful and authentic way.

It doesn’t matter what difficult situation you find yourself in today, let your children and those around you see your faith in the way you respond to the trial.

Question: What is your favorite Bible story? How does it encourage you through the challenges of life? Click here to reply.

Photo: Ruth, Creative Commons

The Lord gave me this word for those of you that are going through fiery trials. Yesterday my doctor told me that he rarely seen a patient like me who pulled through so many things against all odds. When you survive something or achieve something against all odds, it is something which is impossible or very unlikely to occur in reality. Many of you are going through fiery trials which are against all odds in the natural. In the book of Daniel Chapter 3, King Nebuchadnezzar made a huge image of gold. He ordered everyone to bow down to it every time they hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music. He added that whoever does not fall down and worship the image shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to bow down. Nebuchadnezzar commanded that they be thrown into the fiery furnace and ordered to turn the furnace up seven times hotter. The fire was so hot that it actually killed the men who threw them in but it didn’t harm Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.

The Lord says trust Me in the situations in your life that are against all odds. Trust Me in the difficult times no matter what they may look like in the natural. You may be going through fiery trials but stand your ground. Don’t look at your circumstances, and don’t look at things as they appear because everything in the natural is subject to change. As you continue to press in no matter how things appear, breakthrough is assured. I will bring you through those difficult seasons and release you from those things that are confining and restricting you from moving forward. I will break down the walls and the barriers that are imprisoning you. I will release you from the restraints which are holding you in bondage so that you will be free from anything that is hindering you from a life of freedom. Don’t allow despair and heaviness to attach itself to you. Be careful not to go back to your old ways of living or allow the enemy to intimidate you by trying to steal your identity in Me. He could not terminate the plans that I have for you if you don’t give him permission. Allow Me to release you from anything that is deterring you from moving forward. Don’t give the enemy a foothold because he only has authority of what you allow him to.

Listen for My voice, so that you will no longer be misled by the voices of unbelief. Do not listen to anything that is contrary to My word. I Am the God that liberates and sets you free from all chaos in your life. I will deliver you and set you free from those things that are harming you if you will allow Me to. I am the supplier of all your needs. Trust me for your healing. Trust Me for your deliverance. Trust Me for your financial needs. Trust me in your marriage. I will release you from every situation that is burdening you as you submit to Me. See yourself healed and made whole. See yourself prosperous. See yourself strong and able to stand against any adversity that comes your way. See yourself as more than a conqueror. See yourself as the blessing that I have created you to be to the world. As you look at the glorious future that I have for you, your mind will be renewed and your life will be transformed and you will see My plans come to pass in your life and ministry says the Lord.

Job 42:2; Job replied I know that you can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted.

Daniel 3: 26 – 28; Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!

They quickly found an audience with the king, and he gave them “another chance” and they still refused.  In his rage, the king asked, “…what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?”  The 3 Hebrews were mere youth, but had a foundation in God.  They replied that their God was well able to deliver them from whatever fire the king had purposed, but if He chose not to, they still would not worship the golden image.  Nebuchadnezzar became more angry and commanded the furnace to be heated seven times hotter, so much so the attendants were dying obeying.

Now that sounds like a bad day!  In light of that, I don’t have ANY problems…

So as they are walking up imagine what is running through their minds.  Talk about encouraging each other in the Lord.  I believe they could feel the incredible heat, certainly they saw the dead bodies of those increasing the heat.  The furnace was their form of execution, and undoubtedly, they had witnessed others burned to their death and heard their screams.

NOW they find themselves walking the plank.  It isn’t fair… there certainly wasn’t the tolerance for other religions that we are constantly bombarded with… and it had sounded so great and even noble when they were making their speech to the king… but now… IT IS HOT!

They had served the Lord, proven themselves, found favor with the king, and none of that seemed to count for anything…  What do you think was going through their minds as they approached?  There certainly have been martyrs for the Gospel, and when they spoke with the king, they prepared their testimony for if they were consumed.  Without a miracle… they faced certain death!

But notice that God did not deliver them in front of king Nebuchadnezzar, or even walking up the plank, but rather God Almighty joined them in the fire.  They made it through the furnace!

Certainly there was nothing that could challenge their faith after that!  Can you imagine trying to go to sleep that night?  The next day… everyone saw the whole thing… What Nebuchadnezzar meant to prop his ego and the enforcement of his decree, God turned it into one of the greatest testimonies to the Almighty LIVING God!

God, our Father, is always with us.  We may not always see Him, or understand why we are in the circumstances.   But He will ALWAYS be with us, and if we remain in Him and keep our faith, we will make it to the other side – regardless if that is through a fiery furnace, the Red Sea, or the house in Jesus’ parable…  YOU ARE GONNA MAKE IT THROUGH… KEEP THE FAITH!!

“Don’t be afraid, for I have ransomed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.

2 When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up-the flames will not consume you.

3 For I am the Lord your God, your Savior, the Holy One of Israel…”

Isa 43:1-3 (TLB)

Yesterday, I blogged about how Daniel took a stand on not defiling himself with the food off the King’s table. It is a good thing when believers develop convictions and standards. What most don’t realize is those same principled convictions will get tested and tried. Listen to what eventually happened to Daniel’s buddies.

12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”

…. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Daniel 3:8-18

As I said, every principled conviction we possess will eventually get tested. These men purposed not to bow down and worship idols… even the King. The punishment in this case was to be thrown into an instant crematorium.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abed nego were not even phased by this threat. They didn’t blame God and they didn’t blame others. They stood on their principles and left the results to the Lord.

Here is the point… We are only able to withstand the tests and temptations of life when we internally value our relationship to God more than what we potentially have to lose in the flesh. Effective service in God’s Kingdom means we are willing to surrender everything in order to faithfully promote the Lord’s work. Even though it appeared that Nebuchadnezzar and his officials were in charge, the Lord was actually calling all the shots… He was in control of everything. Someone once said:

• He’s all the direction we ever needed: He is THE WAY.
• He’s all the revelation we ever needed: He is THE TRUTH.
• He’s all the fulfillment we ever needed: He is THE LIFE.

Character has been defined as “what you do when no one is looking.” When no one was looking these young men made a conviction not to defile themselves. When no one was looking these young boys made a principled conviction to follow God’s command not to worship any other gods except Jehovah.

So what would you have done when the test and temptation came to abandon your convictions in order to save your life? Surely God would have understood because your life was at stake. No, God doesn’t understand. He knows your character will grow as you take a stand on your convictions. The reality is you make these types of character decisions everyday in big and small ways. Every day you make choices that show whether you are courageous or cowardly. You choose between the right thing and the convenient thing. You stick to your convictions or you cave in for the sake of comfort, greed, or approval.

The big question we all need to ask and answer is… Is my faith for sale? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego proved they couldn’t be bought for any price. Most believers will stop having a quiet time for a few extra moments of “sleep”, much less a king ordering them to do so. It takes over 200 gallons of water to baptize a believer and just a few drops of water to keep that same believer from attending church on any given Sunday. What will cause you to forfeit your allegiance?

Somewhere in the “Believer’s Dictionary” is the definition for the phrase “sold out“. Being sold out means that no price in this world will buy or steal your affections from God. It takes real courage to be a Christian. You hear some people say that being a Christian is for weak people, cowards, old ladies, and sissy’s.  The truth is it takes courage to own up and confess to your sins. It’s not easy to repent and be honest before a Holy God. In reality, cowards are weeded out in the beginning. Our faith continues to be forged day-in and day-out when we stand on our convictions and principles.

A prophet once came to a city to convert its inhabitants. At first the people listened to his sermons, but they gradually drifted away until there was not a single soul to hear the prophet when he spoke. One day a traveler said to him, “Why do you go on preaching?” The prophet said, “In the beginning I hoped to change these people. If I still shout, it is only to prevent them from changing me.“

This is the question we all have to ask and answer… Is my faith changing my environment or is my environment changing my faith and altering my beliefs?

Blessings,

Pastor

Daniel 3:19-21 says, “Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.” We are called by God to stand firm for our faith. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 tells us, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” Notice how the Bible says we should do things: in love. If we can not do everything with an attitude of love, then there is no point in sharing your faith because you are not truly one of God’s children.

The reason we need to show love is because the Gospel revolves around love. Without God’s unconditional love for us, we would still be sentenced to be forever separated from God in Hell. But because God loved us so much, He sent His only son to die on the cross which was the most painful way of death for our sins.

If you have grown up in the church, then you have heard John 3:16 all your life. Just because we have heard it all our lives, doesn’t mean we should become jaded to it. A man who you never met paid the price for all your sins, every single one of them, by being nailed on a wooden cross, beaten and bruised, and hung there to die. We need to remind ourselves the importance of this undying act of love for us.

Another reason we need to act out love in all that we do is because 2 Corinthians 5:20 tells us, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” We show that we are changed by how we act. Others watch what we do and when others see a difference in the way we act, they ask themselves, “What’s different about that person?”

“Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. (Daniel 3:22-25)” God protects those who believe in Him.

Daniel 3:26-30 reads, “Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, in the province of Babylon.”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s story shows us that God protects His people. We need to rely on God to provide for us and protect us. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

So first of all King Nebuchadnezzar is the perfect picture of a man full of pride. What a fool that makes him. Have you ever noticed that? When was the last time you said to yourself that someone was full of pride without also thinking they are being foolish. Yeah. Pride and foolishness go hand-in-hand. Foolishness and rage go together as well. This king demonstrates that for us in verse thirteen. When he is quickly enraged by the three. This King builds this large gold image to be worshipped by all and in plain site. Foolish disobedience to God. This can not go well. The king has decreed too that whoever fails to worship will be burned alive in a fierce fire. But this is not enough to deter Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These guys refused to worship any golden image because they serve the One True God. The answer that these men give to the king is an answer of faith in their God, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” They essentially were saying to the king that there is a higher authority that they serve. They rejected the rule of the king because they were loyal to the higher authority. I am greatly encouraged that Shadrach, Meeshach and Abednego agree together that God is able to save them. That is, He has the power and ability. But even if He does not save them, their allegience remains with God and not to the king nor his golden image. This is faith. Faith gives them courage. Faith is having complete trust in God. This faith is such that it can not be altered by any circumstances, even in the face of death. You too can have such a powerful faith. Faith in God also is provided to you by God. You do not have to muster up your own faith. God himself can and will give you this faith. You can have confidence that God is powerful and that He will provide for you and protect you. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were not amazing men. They were ordinary men like you and me. They were ordinary men with extraordinary faith in the Mighty God of Heaven and earth. Ask God to give you faith in Him. It is a faith that is powerful to save. God truly is who He says He is. He will do what He has promised.

Last night, I dreamed a dream…

I’m plowing my way through the Old Testament and I finally reached the book of Daniel, one of my favorite books. Yes!  Almost done.  I think I’ll be in the New Testament by the end of this month.  Finally! 

Daniel starts right away with King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon gaining victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah.  Nebuchadnezzar took sacred objects from the Temple of God, and took some special people,too: choice young men of Judah’s nobility and royalty.  Ashpenaz, chief of staff, was instructed to select only “strong, healthy and good-looking young men” (possible additions to the Babylonian gene pool?), “well-versed in every branch of learning…gifted with knowledge and good judgment (sometimes mutually exclusive), suited to serve in the royal palace” (Dan. 1:4).  The scripture goes on to say that they will be trained in the language and lit of Babylon.  They would receive a daily ration of food and wine from the royal kitchen and would train for 3 years, after which time, if deemed fit, they would enter the royal service (Dan 1:5). Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were among these young men, abducted from their country and forced to learn and live in a new land.  I guess maybe they considered themselves lucky.  They weren’t killed like a lot of the other men were.  They received favor along with new names – Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego.  This was all part and parcel of the brainwashing process and creation of a new identity attached to the victor state.

Daniel determined not to defile himself with eating the food and wine provided by the king.  He didn’t want to sin against God by eating unclean foods – pigs, crustaceans, blood, insects, the usual suspects. I suppose you could say it was a way of keeping some semblance of self in his new home. Ashpenaz took a liking to Daniel and wanted to honor his request, but basically said, “No way.  If you get pale and thin compared to the other boys, my head will roll”.  Daniel urged Ash to give him a 10-day trial period, what we in modern times have deemed a “Daniel fast”:  vegetables and water only.  And after that period, the boys looked better nourished and healthier than their compatriots.  Thus everyone’s diet got modifed.  I bet the other guys were thinking, “Thanks, Daniel!  No more beer? Geez.”

The second chapter of Daniel  goes on to describe the king having a dream which he wanted his sorcerers/wise men to recount AND decipher.  They, being mere mortals, wanted him to at least tell them the dream. In fact, they said “only the gods could tell you that, and they don’t live around here”.  The king refused, and in a rage set out to kill them all.  Daniel intervened and prayed and entreated his friends to pray as well.  The Lord revealed the dream and the meaning.  He saved the lives of all the wise men. Daniel grew in the king’s esteem even more. 

In chapter 3, King Nebuchadnezzar erects a 90-foot statue of himself out in the desert and commands everyone to bow and down and worship it upon a musical signal. Some of the astrologers, perhaps jealous of the favor shown the Hebrew children, tattle on their lack of loyalty. Daniel’s friends indeed refuse to bown down and are threatened with death by fiery furnace. Their reply - “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us.  He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.  But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up”.  This didn’t sit will with Nebbie.  He heated the furnace seven times hotter than usual.  Not sure how they measured that.  The king’s strong men bound the boys and threw them in the fire, tightly bound and fully dressed. The soldiers who tossed them in died on close contact with the fire.  But the boys survived, and were walking around in the fire, unbound.  In fact, there was fourth man  in there with them who “looks like a god” (Dan. 3:25).  The boys’ bravery proved God’s faithfulness even upon the pain of death. The king quickly reversed his opinion on the Hebrew God and threatened anyone with death by maiming if they speak against Yahweh. Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego got promoted.

I think what hit me this time as I started the book is that in no part of the book do you ever read that Daniel and his pals railed against the king, his whims or injustice.  Never.  Nor do you hear that the Jerusalem boys held back their best in service to this king who took them captive.  Was it Stockholm Syndrome?  They brought their best, every day, to a godless tyrant.  There’s a correlation here to bringing your best in the secular marketplace, no  matter your supervisor. They were serving God through their excellence.

The other thing I noticed is that they expected no less.  They were not surprised or taken aback by the capricious nature of the king’s whims – wanting dreams interpreted without telling the dream, erecting a 90-foot statue of Himself in the desert for his subjects to worship.  They went with it.  And they stayed steadfast.  In a lot of ways I can see that they were an example to the king.  They stayed the course, learned and were true to what they believed in the face of incredible obstacles. The king’s petulance didn’t sway them.

Daniel and his friends decided to keep their faith in a foreign land. Their parents trained themwell in the laws and traditions of Yahweh worship, long before they were taken captive. Daniel especially had an intimacy with God that the narrative doesn’t fully describe but is revealed through his actions. The “fourth man” was possibly a pre-incarnation of Christ, a reminder that even when the heat is on, we are not alone. All we’ll lose is our bonds.

The story continues in Daniel 3. Daniel 3:8-12, “Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” This is the beginning of a great example of standing up for your faith. We are all called to stand up for our faith.

Matthew 24:9 tells us exactly how the world will respond to our faith, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.” Christianity is not an easy relationship. Many will hate what we stand for. They will call us intolerant when we are being faithful to God they will, they will call us weak when we turn the other cheek, and they will call us foolish for believing in the One True Living God but even with all things we must stand firm. That is why it is important to surround yourself with Godly friends that will be with you through both the hard and good times of your life because it is in both of these points in our lives we need God. Just because everything is going well for that moment doesn’t mean you don’t need God, if anything we need Him all the more.

Matthew 12-13 says”And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” This verse reminds us what reward is waiting for us after this life.

Daniel 3:13-18 tells us what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego tells Nebuchadnezzar, “Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are prime examples of men standing on God against all others who obeyed without question. They could have easily just bowed to the golden idol to avoid the furnace but they believed in God’s power and His ability to deliver them from evil. Psalm 46:1 says “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Imagine yourself at a crossroads with two paths. One lead towards certain immediate death but preserves your integrity; the other towards the postponement of death but requires compromise. In the end, both paths bring the traveler to the same end. The only difference is the journey. Which would you choose? The shorter life of integrity or the longer life of compromise?

That was the choice facing three young men many years ago. They were in a foreign land being ruled by a foreign king. In this land, the people worshiped pagan gods and built and served man-made idols.

The king? Nebuchadnezzar. The foreign land? Babylon. The three young men? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three brave friends chose the shorter path. Responding to the King’s threat of death by fire, they said this:

“Your Majesty, we will not try to defend ourselves. If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then he will. But even if he doesn’t, Your Majesty may be sure that we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down to the gold statue that you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18).

They were dead men walking. Men like this possess more power than kings. They cared not for their own lives. Why? Because they lived for a higher calling, a divine purpose. Their brave actions display in living color the attitude of their hearts: life was all about God.

They were cast into the fire only to walk out a few moments later alive, unharmed. They eventually died as everyone does, but their story of courage remains. What a legacy!

The reality is that every day we stand at that pivotal crossroads of life and death, obedience and disobedience, blessings and curses. And with each choice we make, we compose our own legacies.

Lord, by your grace and mercy, make my life resemble the legacy of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Amen.

The men had disobeyed the king, and rightfully so.  The arrogant monarch had decreed that all his subjects were to bow down to worship a golden statue that bore his image.  When the court musicians played, the people were commanded to kneel.  It was an awe-inspiring sight to see the rippling effect of hundreds, if not thousands, of  men and women falling to their knees and bowing their faces to the ground.  As the king looked over the humbled masses, pride filled his chest, and he lifted his chin a little higher.

Suddenly, his moment of glory was spoiled.  In the distance, were there really three men standing upright—tall, resolute, and steadfast?

Yes, there were.  Enraged, the king demanded that the three men be arrested.  As they were brought before him, the king was surprised to recognize them as three of his most trusted and loyal servants.  “What?  Why hadn’t they bowed down?  Didn’t they understand what I can do to them?” he wondered.  ”Surely, they can be brought to their senses!”

Willing to give these men a second chance, the king declared, “Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound . . . of music, fall down and worship the image that I have made.  But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire, and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” (Daniel 3:15)

At this point, the three men, named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, responded to the king with what I have personally found to be one of the most inspiring and strengthening declarations of God’s people in Scripture.  They replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18).

“Even if He does not . . . “  I love that.  I love the resolve, steadfastness, and faith.  I love the confidence, conviction, and complete abandon to the will of God.  I love the looking at opposition in the face, and the knowing that there is Someone greater with Whom to reckon and in Whom to find refuge.  Imagine all the praying that Shadrach, Meschach, and Abed-nego did that day!  They prayed expecting God to answer positively, and they were committed to serve and worship the one true and living God . . . even if His answer was “no” to their prayers for deliverance.

Years ago while in graduate school, I placed Daniel 3:16-18 on a card and taped it to my bathroom mirror.  My husband and I were praying for financial stability and a second child.  The answers were repeatedly, “No.”  The fear and discouragement were sometimes overwhelming for me.  But, the Lord used these verses to strengthen my faith in Him regardless of my circumstances.  Like the men in Daniel 3, I believed that God was able to deliver us and favorably answer our prayers.  But even if He did not, was I going to continue to trust and obey Him?

And now, here I am again with a request I have been repeatedly bringing before the Lord.  For some time, the answer has been “no.”  Maybe God’s answer is actually “wait,”  but I don’t know that for sure, do I?  For now, His answer appears to be simply “no.”

Have you received a “no” answer to a prayer?  You and I are not alone.  We find ourselves in the company of Job, a man who suffered much before God delivered Him, and for a long time he wondered where God was in his situation.  Nevertheless Job declared, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21), and “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him” (Job 13:15).

Is that your declaration?  I desire it to be mine.  Even when God’s answer is “no” to our prayers, by the enabling of God’s grace let us submit our desires to the Lord, praise and hope in our Savior, and be resolutely steadfast in our devotion to Him alone.

Philippians 1:20 “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have
sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,
whether by life or by death.”

Courage, such an over used word thats definition has been blurred over time. Today, true courage is lacking in so many people. We lack the courage to be disciplined and are often ruled by our stomachs and desires. We walk on the other side of the proverbial road when we see others in need. Or, we christians have a sudden deaf ear to the Holy Spirits direction to serve someone else who might look not like us. Many folks are riddled with unnecessary drugs because we lack the courage to face our problems and get help.  Sadly, today most men in the home, if they are there at all to participate, don’t have the courage to lead their families in a godly lifestyle.

Where today, are the people who will stand up for what’s right; like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? They would not bend down to any idols. Having courage and faith, they knew they had to do what’s right; even unto death. What an example of courage to hold firm and still!

I used to go to church with a man named Frank. He had similar health conditions like me; but much worse. I remember his joy, they way he was faithful to God and his family; even though his health had gotten worse and worse no matter what he did. Frank had the courage to put one more foot in front of the other and make special the remaining time he had left. Did he have moments of confusion and doubt? I am sure he did; but I will never forget his courage and faithful witness. His “Job-like” example gives me the hope that my courage will mature in me due to Christ’s sacrifice and grace.

This is not a Vince Lombardi-like pep talk. I will not scream it directly at your face. Jesus is there for you, YES, you. He is there for the thief, the liar, the murderer, the cheat, the broken, the abused, the actor and the saints. He takes a wilted flower and pours His water of life on us so we will never wilt and die(John 4:14). If we are to change our homes, our streets, our countries and the rest of the world, we have to be willing to take the courage that Christ gives us and be the impetus. We need to start the change, knock on some neighbor’s doors and introduce them to Jesus. If we only had the courage to undertake that journey.

The Great Plains Poet, seeker of God’s courage and obedient to the call.

Please enjoy the poem, comment, subscribe and most of all, tell others what you heard here today. God bless you all as you take courage to live what is right.

The Call To Courage

a poem by Chris T.

Even though the chatter of my teeth can be heard for miles,

And shake of my bones is like a dead man’s rattle,

When more resolve is needed for my trials

I can still hear the faint call to courage.

For it’s trumpet is blown with love and grace,

Singing a melody of faith that endures.

When I feel just stuck in my place,

The call to courage is sound and true.

For, the Lord’s courage stabilizes weak knees and quivering lips.

It gives a coward the faith to hope for the thing unseen,

The salvation that lies just out of reach; that we didn’t even know was there.

Courage activates in me a fixing of my eyes.

Up into heaven from which the only help will come,

My eyes will search with anticipated joy.

I am a watchman at my master’s post;

Who waits eagerly for His return.

The Lord’s courage can take me into the burning building,

Even though ever fiber in my body tells me to stay put.

Oh merciful God, you alone have strength,

Power worth delivering and might that never disappoints.

I will bless your name; for you are willing and able,

To unleash these concrete boots and send my feet a flight,

Into the daily fray, if I’ll  answer the call to courage.

The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar made a giant gold statue of himself and made people worship it. The punishment for any person not worshiping the statue was being thrown into a huge, blazing furnace. Naturally, God really didn’t like that the king made a huge statue of himself. That, and he kind of had an entire kingdom which he gave himself all the credit for. The Israelites Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego all knew the right person to worship–rather than a giant gold statue–God. So what happened when they told that to Nebuchadnezzar?

 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”" Daniel 3:16-18 

The three men were thrown into the furnace and King Nebuchadnezzar ordered it to be seven times hotter than it originally was. In fact, it was hot enough to kill the soldiers that took them into the furnace, and those soldiers were some of the strongest of Nebuchadnezzar’s army, one of the biggest in the world. There were only three men in the furnace, but those present saw four men in the fire. Nebuchadnezzar said that the fourth man looked like a son of the gods (or the son of God), for he was actually Jesus. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego all walked out of the flames unscathed. Later King Nebuchadnezzar basically lived like an animal until he had humility enough to respect God, upon which he returned to Babylon.

We can all live through the fiery furnace of a sinful life if we turn to God just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. If they could walk through an actual fire, you can walk through a figurative one, right?

Sometimes I get frustrated with myself and think that I should be further along in the process.  Forgetting completely that the process is not linear and that it is a process.

I got a call from a very dear, very close, very loved friend last night right before doing my Wednesday night deal.

Her father committed suicide last night.

Baby, I am so sorry, I am so sorry for your loss, for your heartbreak, I just wanted to smother you and hold you and hug you and all I could do was say let me help, let me hold your hand, let me be there for you.

So, I am.

I am getting to be of service.

I will be house sitting for her and her husband while they travel toward the family and do what families do at times like this, gather, like wild geese at midnight, soughing with their cries of pain through the whistling midnight air high above the earth.

They got on an airplane this evening at 10 p.m. and headed to the East Coast.

I got done with work tonight, muffled, my heart aching for them, and rode my bike home.  I had an assignment to do, some sitting that had to be done.

Challenging at first to sit, to be still to let myself get into the rocking chair by the window and ignore the texts and the calls and the Facecrack updates and just be.

I pulled the book down from the shelf and looked over the first five proposals.  Had I left anything out, had I shared all that I had to share?  Was I setting my foundation with mortar or sand.

I left it all out on the kitchen counter in Noe Valley with Carolyn, my trusted advisor, and then went to work.  I did not have the time to take the hour before work.  I went in, told my GM I was taking a long lunch off site and when one o’clock rolled around I punched out and got in my friend’s car and drove with him up to the Castro.

My darling sweet girl, sitting in piles of photographs, packing, sifting, red tear-stained face, aching heart, oh, love, I feel your loss.

I got the keys to the house, the instructions on how to feed the fish, where to take the recycling, how to separate out the kitten from the big adult cat.  I got to hug my friend, I wish I could have just hugged her a little longer,  a little stronger, a little harder.

But I left her knowing that her house and her babies, because your kitties and your fish are your babies, don’t let any one tell you different, were going to be ok.

I will be up in the Castro for the next three weeks until they have taken care of all that has to be taken care of.

I pray that she remembers to take care of herself.

She is very much in my heart right now.

Very much.

I got a lift back down to the bike shop and frankly, I just quietly did my job.  I put a smile on my face and a polite wall up.  I just did not have a whole lot to give.  I did what I had to do and left right on the nose at seven p.m.

I rode home with the chill fog whirling around me.

I associate fog with death.

Five years ago when it would get to overwhelming at General I would walk to the window on the third floor of the ICU and I would watch the fog swirl down over Twin Peaks.

Shadrach lay quietly, a cathedral of love, in the locked doors behind me to the left.  I would turn off my phone and press my face against the window and feel that cold fog pressing over the hill and onto the hot red pain of tears streaking down my face and I would just try to breathe.

And here I am again.

Losing myself in the hollowed out hills of pain.

I have learned an awful lot about love since that time and loss.  Loss by the way is not loss, but an opportunity to make space for more love.

If I could just catch my breath.

If I could just sit.

Sometimes I would slide down onto the floor of the hospital corridor and lean into that window and if I had remembered to turn off the phone and there was a lull in the visiting hours I would have moments of serenity.

I did not know that was what it was.

It was either that or shock.

I was hollowed out.

I met Shannon on the AIDS ride training three years ago.  I did the AIDS ride for Shadrach.  She and I bonded, became friends, and now here I am taking care of the epicenter of her life while she goes to bury her father.

I met Jefferson at the Decompression party that Shadrach threw at his loft in the Dog Patch.  Jefferson was my wing man, my steady right hand, the arms I collapsed into when I could not hold the grief any longer.  Jefferson took me to Burning Man.  Jefferson is prodded me into doing the AIDS ride, where I met Shannon and her soon to be husband Alex.

Jefferson is now my boss and still my good friend.

I rode my bicycle past the gorgeous Annie, who I met five years ago, sitting behind me, in a dingy room in the Mission, weeping my eyes out over my friend laying in state.  She went to Burning Man, grew up, went back to school graduated, moved in with her boyfriend and only gets more lovely with time.

It really felt like that, he was lying in state.  He was with us for a week before they harvested him and spread his joy over the world.

David Allen.

John Ater.

ACK.

Shadrach introduced me to John Ater one dark and wonderous night at the corner of Castro and Market.

John Ater for whom I cannot ever express my love and gratitude enough for.  This gentle bear of a man who held me and let me sob on his shoulder, who took my abuse, and wiped away my tears, sometimes with a roll of paper towels.  Sometimes with the sleeve of his shirt.

John who taught me how the fuck to grow up and own my dreams.

John who gave me something I get to pass onto others–the gift of being loved and lovable and worthy of love.

Shadrach you gift giver you.

I sat for an hour.

Tears drifted down my face like the soft heart of sea salt fog and now the fog is not a death, but a balm, a separating and a love, a soothing embrace.

I recall a ride I took recently, we rushed over the hills up into Noe Valley and the fog, dense, wet, heavy, drifted in drowsy with sea salt and the pull of the moon high hiding behind the masses of clouds and vapor.

I was overwhelmed by the near invisibility and the fast rush of the cycle as it climbed the hills.  My heart in my mouth, I just closed my eyes and held on.  I was carried where I was supposed to go.

Church and Market.

And Elizabeth said to me, “Go write down those things that are easy for you to see the go(o)d in.”

My cat Uni purring

Fresh flowers in a mason jar

The smell of verbena

Clean sheets

My rocking chair (same chair I sat in tonight)

The smell of wood burning

Dancing

A really hot shower

Coffee

Hummingbirds when they are perched

Salt

The drive to Sky High Orchard through Devil’s Lake State Park.

The fog rolling over Twin Peaks minutes after sunset

Ice cubes

Cold water when I am thirsty

The way grass feels on my bare feet

The giraffe that winked at me at the Decompression party

The way Madeleine’s arms felt when she was five, heavy, sweet, wet from the pool, the whisper of her voice as she kissed my ear and said, “I love you.”

The sunset from the rock of Gibraltar when I was five

The low-lying mist burning off over the cornfields in the morning

Sitting by myself in the dark looking at the lights on the Christmas tree and that feeling that always comes over me

Finding shells on the black sand beach when I was four

Reading Watership Down for the first time

Arthur as a boy in T.H. White’s the Once and Future King

Lizz’s hugs

Singing to Storm when she was a baby

Talking with Alex on the phone

Not recognizing myself in the mirror.

Having dreams and knowing that as long as I stay sober I will be graced with love.

Shadrach kissing my forehead at Room to Grow and making me laugh

Last line of the first list, 10/21/05

Shannon I love you.  Shadrach I love you for all the amazing people who are in my life because of you–Wendy, Fred, Paine, David Allen, John Ater, Bradley Merle Smith, Tom Jarman, Matthew, Jayne, Jefferson, Claudia, Barnaby (thank you, I still get amazing compliments on my memorial tattoo), Grecia, Scott Hirsch, Robert Cameron, Mark Henry, Tricia, Jackie, Calvin, Kevin, Zefrey, Megan Miller, my God the list is so long and I can’t remember it all.

I just feel you all.  I feel you in the whisper of fog and the kiss of moisture on my forehead and I open my heart and thank God from the bottom of it for getting to know him better.

I have an arch way, a solid rising ring of love to walk beneath.  My mortar is set, my heart beating fresh alive, outside my rib cage burning with the divine and the salt of pain and loss which invigorates me and fills me up, renders me whole, despite feeling split asunder.

Thanking God from the bottom of my heart that I get to know him better.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

i was chatting to the leaders this morning as we sought to hear God on some stuff and just vibed about how things could look tonite and i was reminded as i was speaking to them that while one of the great things about some of the amazing stories in the Bible is how they turned out when God pitched up, one of the worst things can be that we start to read those stories from the perspective of knowing how the story finishes and it can lose some of its power…

take for example Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego facing King Nebuchadnezzar and boldly refusing to bow down to his statue when the band played even though they were threatened with being thrown in the furnace [Daniel 3] – they are confident God can save them but leave a little proviso that “even if He doesn’t, we still refuse to worship your idol” and so there seems to be an element of “man, i really hope He shows up” and i imagine to them that God showing up would look like them not being thrown in the furnace… but it didn’t – they got thrown in but didn’t burn up [and i imagine when they got home the first thing they did was change out of their urine-stained robes!]

we see David, the little shepherd boy, standing in front of a giant who is terrorising the whole Israelite army and we know how the story ends so we read it knowing he will defeat Goliath with a little stone slung from his sling… but David doesn’t know how it ends when he accepts the challenge and walks out to meet him… we can’t hear the beeps that the censors had to put in to cover what he was really mumbling as he strode forward…

Elijah climbing on top of a dead kid [he lays on him three times and the kid comes back to life - imagine if he hadn't...], Jesus inviting the disciples to feed the crowd of 5000 men [and women and children - what is interesting about this story is that the food does not get multiplied before they start feeding - they start handing it out and as they do so it doesn't run out - it required an action of faith] and Peter climbing out of the boat because Jesus had called him to walk on water…

we know how it ends, but they don’t.
as each of them stepped into a action of faith, i imagine each one of them is quietly screaming out to God “please show up, please show up, please show up!”

and tonite, some committed youth leaders who have lead this youth week for years, and who only met me on Saturday, have given the yes to a nite of stepping out in action linked to a similar kind of faith and if God does not show up tonite then i [and probaly them] will be embarrassed – we have discerned what we believe God is calling us to and trusting that He is going to show up and do the stuff He needs to do.

[and i need to write this now because it is a much easier blog to not write later if things don't go well]

for a chance of a great miracle, there has to be the chance of a great flop or embarrassment… and i am okay with that, because i know the God i serve is faithful – i don’t always understand the ways He works or chooses not to sometimes and as He says in His word, His ways are definitely not my ways…

i have invited 30 plus people [as an echoing of David's Mighty Men] to be praying around the world for tonite and some of them have grabbed groups of people together and there are people in this church who are and will be praying and together we will all anticipate God showing up and blowing us away by How gracious and loving and mighty and powerful and healing-filled He is… reminded that He loves every single person coming tonite way more than any of us can and ever will.

so we will step out of the boat… and if He shows up then we will celebrate and watch Him work mightily…
but even if He doesn’t [or doesn't in the way we are expecting or hoping] we will still proclaim that our God is a mighty God
our God is a God who saves…

to read what happened next, click here

Not only were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego blessed physically, they also found favor with God: “God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom.”

I could stop right here and their lives would seem perfect. Three gorgeous, smart men with the perfect job and the trust of the king…. they had it all!

Yet, none of them allowed their earthly blessings to take away from their relationship with God.

“Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon…. Then a herald cried aloud: ‘To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.’“

The King had spoken. The law was made. Everyone, including those who worked for the king, including God’s chosen people, were supposed to bow before the golden idol.

If they didn’t bow, they would die.

But, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego knew what they had to do. Following God was more important to them than keeping their job or honoring the king. Simply letting go of their fleshly pursuits, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego resigned everything over to God’s immediate care.

“Oh Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.“

We’re all familiar with how the story ends. King Nebuchadnezzar, furious with their reply, has them thrown in the furnace, which is heated seven times hotter than usual. But, an angel entered the furnace with them, and God delivered Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the king’s hand.

The story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is one of my favorites. I love the ending, when good triumphs over evil and God’s power is seen, but that’s not why it’s my favorite. I love this story because despite everything Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had; despite their physical attractiveness, their knowledge, their job, their contacts, despite every good thing in their life (which had been given to them by God), they gave it all up to obey the one, true King.

I sit here and think about the idols in my life, the things that I deem so important that I forget to read my Bible everyday or spend time in prayer. Weirdly enough, they are the same things Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had: beauty, physical fitness, money, power, friends. I spend a lot of time worrying about what the world wants from me rather than what God wants from me.

1 John 2:15-17 says: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life – is not from the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

God has already blessed me with so much, and He continues to bless me everyday. I serve a God who wants to give me the best life, just like He gave Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. But, in order to receive I must give. I must give over my life to a God who wants to give me the best of His world. 

We serve a God, not because He’ll make our lives easier or better, but because He is better than life.

Let’s begin today by giving God immediate control over our lives, willing to give up everything to step out in faith with Him.

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

*Quotes taken from Daniel 1 and 3