<FONT size="3"><FONT COLOR="purple">Do you smell that, it smells like something burning. That is a phrase we have all probably used more than once in our lives. It is also one that you would not want to hear at night, in your home. It is though something that happens, to some degree, to all of us as we traverse this life. We are walking with the Lord and doing our earthly best to become more like Him and then “sniff, sniff do you smell that…” Trouble. That sums it up nicely, trouble. God never promised us that while we were walking to Him that we would live an uninterrupted life. Our life is full of ups and downs, trials and tests. More often than not our trials are NOT brought on by God, but make no mistake Christian, God will use them to teach you and others! In the Old Testament there were a couple of fellows, boys really, who had some trouble that was brought on by an ungodly king. It wasn’t that they had a trial but how they handled it that was important.</FONT c>

The Word:
Daniel 13:14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? [15] Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"

<FONT COLOR="purple">Now who can say that this trouble was brought on by the boys? These same boys were taken by the kings men the same time as Daniel. I am sure they were all the same age and were friends growing up. They had, a short season earlier, been asked to serve the king specifically because he was impressed with their maturity and skill. They did nothing to get set up for a fall, yet it happened anyway. How often in our life does something happen that is outside our control and when it does, it looks like it will be the end of us? Do we always place our trust in the Lord and do or say what is right, knowing full well that things may just get worse because we are going against the wishes of a carnal world? These boys just heard that they could face death by not simply worshipping this idol. They could have even “pretended” to and the king would not have ever known the difference. </FONT c>

The Word:
Daniel 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. [17] 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. [18] 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."

<FONT COLOR="purple">Well that just sealed their fate! Knowing full well that they may well die for doing what is right, simply because it is right, they did it. Now there is a couple of teenagers to learn from! They knew that God could save them, but also acknowledged that His plans were more important than theirs and accepted that He may not. Our obedience to God is something that tested time and time again as we go through life. Almost every trial or hard period in your life will present an opportunity for your obedience to be tested in some way. How many trials have you been in that you stood for God and not given to the pressure of the world? Those teens were in for it as far as the king was concerned.</FONT c>

The Word:
Daniel 3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual [20] and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. [21] So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. [22] The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, [23] and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

<FONT COLOR="purple">There, they were cast into the fire. I have and I am sure you can identify many times when you have been thrown into a fire. No, not a physical furnace but how about an emotional one? One where perhaps your family is ripped apart. How about a spiritual furnace, one where it seemed as if you were all alone and you couldn’t hear God? These teens who had made a godly decision and stood on the commandments were pitched into a fire for it. The fire these teens were in was hot enough that people around them were dropping dead. Have you felt that way? Friends leaving you, family that turns their backs, a spouse that seems oblivious to what is going on in your life? </FONT c>

The Word:
Daniel 3:24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." [25] He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."

<FONT COLOR="purple">They stuck to God’s commandments and God stuck to His promises! That wasn’t just an angel walking around in there! That wasn’t a “son of the gods” that was THE Son of THE God. He walks on water why should fire be any different! God never said that it would be easy He just said that if we were obedient that HE would be there, with us! Walk and act and speak in obedience and watch Jesus show up in your fire! Watch what happens.</FONT c>

The Word:
Daniel 3:26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, [27] and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

<FONT COLOR="purple">Glory to God, look at that! It wasn’t that God stopped the fire, He didn’t stop them from getting thrown into it either, both of which He could have done. He let them go through the fire, but not alone! We are going to have fires in our lives. We may even get thrown into a furnace by the ungodliness of others. If, and this is the big if, we are obedient to God and honor Him in spite of the world and the orders of our own ungodly king of the moment, He will go through the fire with us. Not only will He go through it with us, but it says that like those boys we will come through without even SMELLING like smoke!!!! It is easy to obey God when things are going smoothly. When the chips are down and we are facing the furnace, that is a whole other scenario isn’t it. Know that God will be there for you, He loves you and will not let any harm befall you. That doesn’t mean that the fire won’t be hot though!</FONT c>

<FONT COLOR="red">Pray with me: Father thank you for promising to show up in my fires. I love and honor you. Lord, I need your help though, my flesh often gets the upper hand when the furnace gets hot and instead of standing on your word I give in to what the world wants. Father I need your support and strength for when the times get hard. Help me to walk in obedience to you, Father, I am in now or I know there is a fire coming soon. Come to me Lord, in my fire, keep me from even smelling like smoke! I ask this in Jesus mighty name! Amen</FONT c></FONT s></FONT f>


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<FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Helvetica, Arial">This message has been edited by SLattier on 03-20-2001 at 01:00 AM</font>

Great Word Steve, I really like this one. It reminds me of that line in a movie recently: "Just because God blesses you doesn't mean there isn't another sneeze coming..."

It also means that God still blesses you...

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- Allen