Quote for the Day
“…and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God…”
Today's Prayer
This week focus on your relationship with the ETERNAL God. Pray that God will continue to grow in your heart as you focus your thoughts on Him alone. Pray that those traveling will see the POWER of God and His joy in their life, not the rewards of this world.
Daniel 3:19-30
Daniel 3:19-30 (NIV)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.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.”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.28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the .
Message
Well, King Nebuchadnezzar is getting closer, but still not quite there in his relationship with God Almighty. (Maybe another dream or two will help!)) He becomes furious with these three men and their defiance of his ego, so he is going to insure that they suffer and die. He orders seven times the normal heat for these undeserving men. Again he is wrong. Their God does have power and abilities!Nebuchadnezzar’s response to God’s rescue seems very generous and proper, but a closer look reveals it has NOT changed his own relationship to God. He does refer to God as, “Most High God,” in verse 26 when he calls them to come out to the fire, and he does command the entire nation to not talk bad about the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and then gave the young men a promotion. However, poor Nebuchadnezzar is still focused on the earthly things and on rewarding egos, not on serving God.God Almighty is not a mere god who we should not talk bad about. He is the one and only God who expects nothing less than 100% allegiance to Him alone. Nebuchadnezzar still does not understand why these three men were willing to risk their lives. He is simply impressed that they have been rescued. He STILL has NO personal relationship with the only God who desires a relationship with him. The only God who desires (or even can!) is The Most High God, and the ONLY God.Where is your heart this week? Trapped in your earthly ego and responsibilities, or focused on worshiping the one true God?