You will Not be Burnt

Text: Dan. 3:1-27
MORE LESSONS: Isa. 43:1-5
Bible Reading in one Year: Psalms 31-33

God honours the man who stands when others bow. Our fathers faced the challenges you are facing today but they never failed God. They even faced greater challenges to their faith than we face (Daniel 3:15). The three Hebrew youths were to bow down and worship an idol that was set up by the king of Babylon or be thrown into a fiery furnace if they refused.

That was the challenge of faith to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. If you were the one, what would you do? Many have not faced challenges of such nature today but they have run out of church, they have denied the faith, and denied God, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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: vs16-18. The three youths did not bow but stood their ground when others bowed.

Where are the Shadrachs of today who will stand their ground in their working place, who are undaunted when asked to change their faith to retain their job? I know a very big man who changed his faith to maintain his position. Where are the Shadrachs of today? Where are those people who will say, I know my God will deliver me. And let it be known that if my God does not deliver me, I am ready for whatever comes out of it . Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stood against the harassment of the status quo of that time, of the laws and the government of the day. They refused to change their faith or worship the idol, they were determined. They had confidence in God. How many people have the ability to believe that God is able to do what He says He will do?

Truly, the three youths were thrown into the fiery furnace, but the king saw what he had never seen before. The king testified that he saw the Son of the Most High God in the fire with the boys. In your working place, have they testified of your God? Have you shown your faith in God that the head of department wondered who you are? Which God you serve? The king of Babylon saw Jesus in the fire and he said that all who persecuted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego should be thrown into the fire. If you honour God by standing for righteousness in an impossible situation, He will not forget you inside the fire; God will honour those who honour Him.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that you will not fail God in the time of trial.
* Pray for several Christians being persecuted globally that they will find strength and courage in God.
* Pray that God will defend His Church as He did in the days of old.

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