“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.” (v. 25)
In Daniel three, we have one of the more interesting Bible stories in the entire Bible. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace, they had a unique experience; they had the privilege of walking with Jesus! Had they not went through the fire, they never would have had the experience of meeting Christ face to face. What a wonderful Truth for us to consider. I have found that, until I entered the fire, I too did not really get to know Christ and to meet with him face to face. We need these fiery afflictions in our lives; they give us strength; they afford us victory; they grant us privilege. These three went into the fire as three Jewish servants, and came out as true men of renown, mighty in the faith. They too had gained the respect of the king. That’s the difference the fire made. It turns the mediocre into the outstanding, and the normal into the spectacular.
Another interesting fact that we must not overlook is that, though there were four men, loose and walking around, only three came back out! Christ is still there, in the fire, ready to meet us when we enter into its midst. Are you going through a fiery trail in your life? If so, prepare to meet the Lord there! He’s there, waiting for you, but first you need to enter in, or you will not see Him, as these three didn’t until they entered the fire. Yes, there is fear involved, that is expected, because we are flesh, but oh the joy of knowing that Christ is there with us, and we shall walk together, unharmed. How hardly we enter into the kingdom of God without suffering some sort of affliction or persecution, and how weak and beggarly we are without it. Let us face the trials as these men did, and perhaps, by the grace of God, we too will attain to their level, and become one of God’s mighty men. These men came out unscathed by the fire, and untainted by the smoke, and had gotten the victory because they had trusted in the same God that Daniel trusted in.
Lastly, notice that Nebuchadnezzar recognized the “fourth man” as the Son of God! How could he have known? Only be revelation; only God can make Himself known unto man. It doesn’t matter if it is a king, a pauper, or a slave, God can reveal Himself to anyone. He reveals Himself today to His church, but in a different way. We see Him today in the Bible, and He is revealed as the pages turn and our hearts are awakened to His presence there. Some of the boldest and most acclaimed professions of faith are made in the third chapter of Daniel.
Showing posts with label presence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label presence. Show all posts
This was such a blessing today I wanted to share it here.
Abiding Hope in Prison
Friday, August 14, 2009
by Dr. Paul Chappell
Acts 16:25
The presence of God is always reason for hope.
Darlene Deibler, a missionary in Indonesia during WWII, described the moment she was taken by the Japanese secret police and locked in solitary confinement for later interrogation:
The door closed upon me, and I dropped to my knees, eyes intent upon the keyhole. When I saw the key make a complete revolution, I knew I was on death row, imprisoned to face trial and the sentence of death.
I listened to the footsteps of the guard recede on the concrete walkway. When he was gone beyond hearing, I sank back onto my heels. My face and hands were wet with cold perspiration; never had I known such terror. Suddenly I found I was singing a song that I had learned as a little girl in Sunday school in Boone, Iowa:
Fear not, little flock, whatever your lot;
He enters all rooms, The doors being shut.
He never forsakes, He never is gone,
So count on His presence from darkness ‘til dawn.
So tenderly my Lord wrapped His strong arms of quietness and calm about me. I knew they could lock me in, but they couldn’t lock my wonderful Lord out. Jesus was there in the cell with me.
Even in prison, God gives His children “songs in the night” (Job 35:10). Paul and Silas provide an example of the abiding hope we can have in Christ in the most desperate circumstances.
When Paul and Silas were unjustly beaten and cast into prison for preaching the Gospel, they could easily have buckled under the persecution. They could have harbored bitterness toward their persecutors or to the Lord. But what was the response of these godly men? They prayed and sang praises to God at midnight!
Didn’t they feel the pain of the stripes on their backs and the shackles binding their feet to the stocks? Didn’t they experience fear of possible (even likely) execution? Didn’t they smart under the unjust treatment? To sing in a dungeon-like prison with open wounds, sticky with clotting blood, surely indicated that these men needed a reality check!
No, they were not in denial; they felt every bit of the pain. Yet, Paul and Silas understood the larger reality—God was with them in prison. As real as the pain, as real as the stocks, as real as the uncertainty, was the presence of the Lord.
Paul and Silas’s spiritual response to persecution demonstrates to us that the hope and joy which triumphs in all circumstances cannot be self-manufactured; it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” (Galatians 5:22). We, too, can have this abiding hope that enables us to sing joyful praises to God, even during difficulties, when we surrender to the Holy Spirit’s control.
Is your spirit bound in a prison today? Has despair tried to wrap its heavy chains around you? Have the actions of others wounded you? Remember Christ is with you. There is no prison where He cannot enter. Trust God’s promise that He will never leave you and that He will make all things work together for good. Like Paul and Silas, sing and praise God—even in the prison. The presence of God is always reason for hope.
To learn more about Pastor Chappell's books, Sunday school curriculum, and spiritual leadership resources, please visit strivingtogether.com, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter. http://kjvdevos.blogspot.com/
Friday, August 14, 2009
by Dr. Paul Chappell
Acts 16:25
The presence of God is always reason for hope.
Darlene Deibler, a missionary in Indonesia during WWII, described the moment she was taken by the Japanese secret police and locked in solitary confinement for later interrogation:
The door closed upon me, and I dropped to my knees, eyes intent upon the keyhole. When I saw the key make a complete revolution, I knew I was on death row, imprisoned to face trial and the sentence of death.
I listened to the footsteps of the guard recede on the concrete walkway. When he was gone beyond hearing, I sank back onto my heels. My face and hands were wet with cold perspiration; never had I known such terror. Suddenly I found I was singing a song that I had learned as a little girl in Sunday school in Boone, Iowa:
Fear not, little flock, whatever your lot;
He enters all rooms, The doors being shut.
He never forsakes, He never is gone,
So count on His presence from darkness ‘til dawn.
So tenderly my Lord wrapped His strong arms of quietness and calm about me. I knew they could lock me in, but they couldn’t lock my wonderful Lord out. Jesus was there in the cell with me.
Even in prison, God gives His children “songs in the night” (Job 35:10). Paul and Silas provide an example of the abiding hope we can have in Christ in the most desperate circumstances.
When Paul and Silas were unjustly beaten and cast into prison for preaching the Gospel, they could easily have buckled under the persecution. They could have harbored bitterness toward their persecutors or to the Lord. But what was the response of these godly men? They prayed and sang praises to God at midnight!
Didn’t they feel the pain of the stripes on their backs and the shackles binding their feet to the stocks? Didn’t they experience fear of possible (even likely) execution? Didn’t they smart under the unjust treatment? To sing in a dungeon-like prison with open wounds, sticky with clotting blood, surely indicated that these men needed a reality check!
No, they were not in denial; they felt every bit of the pain. Yet, Paul and Silas understood the larger reality—God was with them in prison. As real as the pain, as real as the stocks, as real as the uncertainty, was the presence of the Lord.
Paul and Silas’s spiritual response to persecution demonstrates to us that the hope and joy which triumphs in all circumstances cannot be self-manufactured; it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” (Galatians 5:22). We, too, can have this abiding hope that enables us to sing joyful praises to God, even during difficulties, when we surrender to the Holy Spirit’s control.
Is your spirit bound in a prison today? Has despair tried to wrap its heavy chains around you? Have the actions of others wounded you? Remember Christ is with you. There is no prison where He cannot enter. Trust God’s promise that He will never leave you and that He will make all things work together for good. Like Paul and Silas, sing and praise God—even in the prison. The presence of God is always reason for hope.
To learn more about Pastor Chappell's books, Sunday school curriculum, and spiritual leadership resources, please visit strivingtogether.com, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter. http://kjvdevos.blogspot.com/
My New Favorite Song!
Many years ago I gave my heart to You,
I humbly asked You, Lord, to lead in all I'd do;
But now the burdens seem so heavy You've given me to bear,
Before I press on any farther, I need to know that You're still there.
ch Lord, if Your presence go not with me, I don't want to go;
And if Your Spirit is not leading me, Lord, I need to know.
You have placed me here, I'll do Your will, Your love I'll try to show;
But if Your presence go not with me I don't want to go.
2. You've been so good to me I don't mean to complain:
You've healed my heartaches, dried my tears, and soothed my pain.
And I'm still willing, Lord, to follow, no matter where You lead;
I'm only asking for assurance that You'll still be near to me.
ch Lord, if Your presence go not with me, I don't want to go;
And if Your Spirit is not leading me, Lord, I need to know.
You have placed me here, I'll do Your will, Your love I'll try to show;
But if Your presence go not with me I don't want to go.
3. He said, "My child, I have a place for you, and here you can abide;
I'll be your Friend, your Cleft, I'll cover you, I'm still your Faithful Guide,
I'll keep you safe through all your storms and doubts, in Me you can confide -
I have a special place for you, my child, it's here close by My side.
I'll keep you safe through all your storms and doubts, in Me you can confide -
I have a special place for you, my child, it's here close by My side.
It's on the playlist here.
I humbly asked You, Lord, to lead in all I'd do;
But now the burdens seem so heavy You've given me to bear,
Before I press on any farther, I need to know that You're still there.
ch Lord, if Your presence go not with me, I don't want to go;
And if Your Spirit is not leading me, Lord, I need to know.
You have placed me here, I'll do Your will, Your love I'll try to show;
But if Your presence go not with me I don't want to go.
2. You've been so good to me I don't mean to complain:
You've healed my heartaches, dried my tears, and soothed my pain.
And I'm still willing, Lord, to follow, no matter where You lead;
I'm only asking for assurance that You'll still be near to me.
ch Lord, if Your presence go not with me, I don't want to go;
And if Your Spirit is not leading me, Lord, I need to know.
You have placed me here, I'll do Your will, Your love I'll try to show;
But if Your presence go not with me I don't want to go.
3. He said, "My child, I have a place for you, and here you can abide;
I'll be your Friend, your Cleft, I'll cover you, I'm still your Faithful Guide,
I'll keep you safe through all your storms and doubts, in Me you can confide -
I have a special place for you, my child, it's here close by My side.
I'll keep you safe through all your storms and doubts, in Me you can confide -
I have a special place for you, my child, it's here close by My side.
It's on the playlist here.
Psa. 119: 105-112
“My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.” (v. 109)
Temptation is probably the greatest bane we face in life today. When it is ever before us, and constantly around us, is when it is the strongest, and we, the weakest. David mentions here that, in spite of death threats, and degradation, and famine and various trials, he managed to remember what was right to do, and honored it. We need to realize from this that when trials come, and temptations abound, we have a decision to make, and our very soul could depend on which way we go! Once we are saved, we can still afflict our soul with problems because of wrong decisions in our life, but if we remain faithful to the Lord we will always come out on top. Yes, in a sense, we too can say “My soul is continually in my hand” and it is up to me which way I go, and up to you which way you go. Our destiny is in our hands, will we forget God’s laws?
We need to be aware of God’s eternal presence, and be mindful of Him, (or have our mind full of Him), in order to even approach unto this position. What hope have we without His eternal presence, and our awareness of it? We must keep our minds on Christ all day, every moment, and in every way. This may not be as hard as we think. We can praise the Lord in song for a time, then spend some time witnessing for Him; we can read His Word for awhile, then we can spend some time in prayer; we can then meditate on scripture, and commit it to memory; we can look for those who need help, and give them a helping hand; we can listen to good gospel music, and take some time to thank God for all His blessings, and we can do all this while doing other things, as we go about our way! We could even spend a little time studying the Word of God and looking for great Truths. Our souls may be in our hands, in a way, as we plan our lives, and walk through this life, so when the trials come, let us be prepared by the Bible to face whatever may come our way, and not forget God’s law. Whenever temptations come our way, and they will come, we must decide if we are going to follow their lead, or do right. No one can make that decision for us, and no one will answer for it for us.
Temptation is probably the greatest bane we face in life today. When it is ever before us, and constantly around us, is when it is the strongest, and we, the weakest. David mentions here that, in spite of death threats, and degradation, and famine and various trials, he managed to remember what was right to do, and honored it. We need to realize from this that when trials come, and temptations abound, we have a decision to make, and our very soul could depend on which way we go! Once we are saved, we can still afflict our soul with problems because of wrong decisions in our life, but if we remain faithful to the Lord we will always come out on top. Yes, in a sense, we too can say “My soul is continually in my hand” and it is up to me which way I go, and up to you which way you go. Our destiny is in our hands, will we forget God’s laws?
We need to be aware of God’s eternal presence, and be mindful of Him, (or have our mind full of Him), in order to even approach unto this position. What hope have we without His eternal presence, and our awareness of it? We must keep our minds on Christ all day, every moment, and in every way. This may not be as hard as we think. We can praise the Lord in song for a time, then spend some time witnessing for Him; we can read His Word for awhile, then we can spend some time in prayer; we can then meditate on scripture, and commit it to memory; we can look for those who need help, and give them a helping hand; we can listen to good gospel music, and take some time to thank God for all His blessings, and we can do all this while doing other things, as we go about our way! We could even spend a little time studying the Word of God and looking for great Truths. Our souls may be in our hands, in a way, as we plan our lives, and walk through this life, so when the trials come, let us be prepared by the Bible to face whatever may come our way, and not forget God’s law. Whenever temptations come our way, and they will come, we must decide if we are going to follow their lead, or do right. No one can make that decision for us, and no one will answer for it for us.
Spurgeon Today
“Nevertheless I am continually with thee.”
- Psa_73:23
“Nevertheless,”-As if, notwithstanding all the foolishness and ignorance which David had just been confessing to God, not one atom the less was it true and certain that David was saved and accepted, and that the blessing of being constantly in God’s presence was undoubtedly his. Fully conscious of his own lost estate, and of the deceitfulness and vileness of his nature, yet, by a glorious outburst of faith, he sings “nevertheless I am continually with thee.” Believer, you are forced to enter into Asaph’s confession and acknowledgment, endeavour in like spirit to say “nevertheless, since I belong to Christ I am continually with God!” By this is meant continually upon his mind, he is always thinking of me for my good. Continually before his eye;-the eye of the Lord never sleepeth, but is perpetually watching over my welfare. Continually in his hand, so that none shall be able to pluck me thence. Continually on his heart, worn there as a memorial, even as the high priest bore the names of the twelve tribes upon his heart for ever. Thou always thinkest of me, O God. The bowels of thy love continually yearn towards me. Thou art always making providence work for my good. Thou hast set me as a signet upon thine arm; thy love is strong as death, many waters cannot quench it; neither can the floods drown it. Surprising grace! Thou seest me in Christ, and though in myself abhorred, thou beholdest me as wearing Christ’s garments, and washed in his blood, and thus I stand accepted in thy presence. I am thus continually in thy favour-”continually with thee.” Here is comfort for the tried and afflicted soul; vexed with the tempest within-look at the calm without. “Nevertheless”-O say it in thy heart, and take the peace it gives. “Nevertheless I am continually with thee.”
- Psa_73:23
“Nevertheless,”-As if, notwithstanding all the foolishness and ignorance which David had just been confessing to God, not one atom the less was it true and certain that David was saved and accepted, and that the blessing of being constantly in God’s presence was undoubtedly his. Fully conscious of his own lost estate, and of the deceitfulness and vileness of his nature, yet, by a glorious outburst of faith, he sings “nevertheless I am continually with thee.” Believer, you are forced to enter into Asaph’s confession and acknowledgment, endeavour in like spirit to say “nevertheless, since I belong to Christ I am continually with God!” By this is meant continually upon his mind, he is always thinking of me for my good. Continually before his eye;-the eye of the Lord never sleepeth, but is perpetually watching over my welfare. Continually in his hand, so that none shall be able to pluck me thence. Continually on his heart, worn there as a memorial, even as the high priest bore the names of the twelve tribes upon his heart for ever. Thou always thinkest of me, O God. The bowels of thy love continually yearn towards me. Thou art always making providence work for my good. Thou hast set me as a signet upon thine arm; thy love is strong as death, many waters cannot quench it; neither can the floods drown it. Surprising grace! Thou seest me in Christ, and though in myself abhorred, thou beholdest me as wearing Christ’s garments, and washed in his blood, and thus I stand accepted in thy presence. I am thus continually in thy favour-”continually with thee.” Here is comfort for the tried and afflicted soul; vexed with the tempest within-look at the calm without. “Nevertheless”-O say it in thy heart, and take the peace it gives. “Nevertheless I am continually with thee.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)