| When You're In The Fiery Furnace |
| Luke 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
2Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. The Word of God tells us that the trying of our faith worketh patience. Every true Believer goes through trials in their Christian walk. The godly suffer persecution. All over this world, at this moment, there is persecution of Christians taking place. The media doesn't take an interest in the Christian's suffering but God knows every Saint who is suffering for the name sake of Jesus Christ. And although they are persecuted on every side, it is the Lord who is with them, giving them the grace needed for every trial. They are never alone. Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. We, in the free world, are not persecuted in the same sense as so many in other countries but we still go through trials in our lives. And in these trials, we are NEVER ALONE. Let's examine briefly the three Hebrew children in Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.They refused to deny the God of Israel. They would not bow down to Baal. They would rather die than to deny the Lord God. Daniel 3:20-22 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. 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. These three young men were speedily sentenced to execution, and thrown into a furnace so hot that the men who threw them in, themselves perished from the extreme heat. Yet Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were securely safe in the raging inferno. Why? Because the LORD was in their midst. He was in the fiery furnace with them, protecting them and they were safe from all harm. Daniel 3:23-25 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 astonished, and rose up in haste, and spoke, and said unto his counselors, 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. The three Hebrew children fell into the fire bound up but Nebuchadnezzar saw four men loose walking in the midst. What an awesome testimony to the saving power of the Lord. And our Savior, today, is with us-- regardless of what comes our way. Dr. A.C. Gaebelein wrote in his Our Hope Magazine of 1900, "If you cannot see Christ with you in the furnace, you can be quite sure He IS there... Whatever the place I am brought into, I shall find sweetness if He is with me. O do not let Christ have second place! It is to be nothing else than Christ and you, and you and Christ all the way through the wilderness. Let Him always be the only object before your mind. Refuse to see anything save with Him. Having Him you will find strength for everything." Yes, we may go into the furnace but we don't go in there alone! We may suffer persecution but we are never alone. The Lord Jesus is with us-- never to leave us, nor forsake us. We have placed our trust in Him. He loves us and He will be with us till the end. Remember that the Lord promised never to leave you. Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 1Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ ©2008 Cobblestone Road Ministries All Rights Reserved ---------------------------------------------------- Further Reading: Trust in God, Hope In God The Pilgrim's Path - Following Jesus Christ The Power of His Might The Faithfulness Of God Are You A Rocking Horse Christian? The Word and Prayer Running The Christian Race "Precious" Things Found In The Epistles of Peter "HELP, LORD" - The Prayer of Every Christian |
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