But, If Not

BUT, IF NOT

DANIEL 3:13-18

RUDYARD KIPLING IN THE LAST STANZA OF HIS POEM ENTITLED “IF” WROTE:

IF YOU CAN FILL THE UNFORGIVING MINUTE

WITH SIXTY SECONDS WORTH OF DISTANCE RUN,

YOURS IS THE EARTH AND EVERYTHING THAT’S IN IT,

AND – WHICH IS MORE – YOU’LL BE A MAN, MY SON!

KIPLING WAS SUGGESTING THAT NO MATTER HOW DAUNTING, HAUNTING, OR TAUNTING THE SITUATION THAT YOU MAY BE FACING KNOWN AS A FIERY FURNACE, IF YOU CAN MANAGE TO SEE GOD, GOD WILL MANAGE TO SEE YOU.

CONSIDER OUR TEXT . . .

DANIEL 3 IS THE FAITH JOURNAL OF THREE YOUNG MEN WHOM YOU MAY KNOW AS SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO, BUT ACCORDING TO DANIEL 1:6&7 THEIR NAMES WERE ACTUALLY:

HANANIAH: THE LORD SHOWS GRACE

MISHAEL: WHO IS WHAT GOD IS

AZARIAH: THE LORD HELPS

I MENTION THIS BECAUSE SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO WERE THE NAMES ASSIGNED TO THEM BY THEIR CAPTOR. ALL TOO OFTEN WE HAVE BEEN GUILTY OF RESPONDING TO NAMES OF CAPTIVITY.

GROWN MEN RESPONDING TO: WHAT UP DOG?

GROWN MEN RESPONDING TO: WHAT UP BOY?

WOMEN RESPONDING TO BEING CALLED A GARDEN TOOL, INSTEAD OF DECLARING “I’M NOT FOR SALE AND I WON’T BE USED.”

WOMEN CALLING ONE ANOTHER TRICK, INSTEAD OF REPLYING “TRICKS ARE FOR KIDS AND I’M A GROWN WOMAN!”

YOU HAVE TO HAVE A KUNTA SPIRIT: YOU MAY CALL ME TOBY, BUT MY NAME IS KUNTA!

TEXT INFORMS US THAT KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD A STATUE MADE IN HIS HONOR THAT STOOD 90 FEET TALL AND 9 FEET WIDE . . . SOUND OF MUSIC . . . BOW DOWN. . .

SUGGEST TO SOMEONE BE CAREFUL OF THE MUSIC YOU ALLOW TO ENTER YOUR SPIRIT – BOW DOWN TO THE WRONG THING.

SAVED, BUT LISTENING TO R. KELLY’S “I DON’T SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH A LITTLE BUMP/GRIND” – WHY NOT?

SAVED, BUT HUMMING THE OPENING WORDS TO MARY WELLS “I’VE GOT TWO LOVERS AND I AIN’T ASHAMED.” – WHY NOT?

DRIVING AROUND DEPRESSED BECAUSE OF THE MUSIC YOU ARE ALLOWING TO ENTER YOUR SPIRIT.

TEXT: SET TIME, THE DEEJAY WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN THE TURNTABLE AND V.7 STATES THAT ALL KINDS OF MUSIC WOULD GO THROUGHOUT THE LAND. EVERYONE BOWED DOWN EXCEPT HANANIAH, MISHAEL, AZARIAH.

VS. 8 -12 ASTROLOGERS NOTED THE BEHAVIOR OF HANANIAH, MISHAEL, AZARIAH AND REPORTED SUCH TO THE KING . . . WATCHING YOU TO SEE IF BOTH YOUR PUBLIC/PRIVATE LIFE LINE UP.

V.13 NEBUCHADNEZZAR BECAME ENRAGED AT THE HEBREW BOYS

- THEY WOULDN’T BOW

- HE COULD NOT CONTROL THEM

[TOLD YOU BEFORE,] SOME PEOPLE CAN ONLY HANDLE YOU AS LONG AS THEY CAN CONTROL YOU, BUT IF EVER YOUR GIFTING CATCHES UP TO YOUR ANOINTING – PROBLEMS.

V.14-15 NEBUCHANEZZAR “GIVE YOU ANOTHER CHANCE”

- TO GROOVE TO MY MUSIC

- IF NOT, YOU SHALL BE TOSSED INTO THE FIERY FURNACE

16-18 HEAR THE FAITH OF HANANIAH, MISHAEL, AZARIAH

- IF WE ARE THROWN INTO THE FURNANCE

- THE GOD WE SERVE IS ABLE TO:

o SAVE US

o RESCUE US

o DELIVER US

BUT, IF NOT . . .

GOD CAN KEEP CANCER FROM ME . . .

GOD CAN KEEP ME FROM GOING THROUGH . . .

GOD CAN CHANGE THIS SITUATION . . .

KNOW THAT WE WILL NOT SERVE YOU

WE WILL NOT WORSHIP YOU

WE WILL NOT BOW DOWN

IF THE WORST HAPPENS – STILL GONE PRAISE/WORSHIP/THANKS

V.19 NEBUCHADNEZZAR SEEING THAT HANANIAH, MISHAEL, AZARIAH MINDS WERE MADE UP – GREATLY ENRAGED – HEATED THE FURNACE SEVEN TIMES HOTTER THAN NORMAL AND TOLD HIS STRONGEST MEN TO TIE AND BIND HANANIAH, MISHAEL, AZARIAH AND THROW THEM INTO THE BLAZING FURNANCE.

THAT WAS THE KING’S FIRST MISTAKE: HE TOSSED THEM IN THE FIRE, UNAWARE OF THE FIRE IN THEM! GOD DOES NOT HAVE TO TAKE YOU OUT OF THE SITUATION; HE CAN KEEP YOU IN THE SITUATION AND MAKE YOUR TEST YOUR TESTIMONY OF WHAT HE CAN DO.

JOHN 4:4 “GREATER IS HE THAT IS WITHIN ME . . .”

CAN I TELL YOU THE KING’S SECOND MISTAKE? VERSE 21 SAID THE KING HAD HANANIAH, MISHAEL, AZARIAH TOSSED INTO THE FIRE WITH THEIR ROBES, TROUSERS, TURBANS AND OTHER CLOTHES ON. IN OTHER WORDS HE TOSSED THEM INTO THE FIRE UNAWARE THAT THEY WERE COVERED FROM HEAD TO TOE.

I HOPE I DON’T GO THROUGH THIS . . .

I’D LOVE NOT TO GO THROUGH THIS . . .

I BELIEVE IT WILLWORK OUT FOR THE GOOD . . . I’M COVERED FROM HEAD TO TOE

CAN I TELL YOU THE LAST MISTAKE THE KING MADE? VERSE 21(B)”THE KING HAD HANANIAH, MISHAEL, AZARIAH BOUND TOGETHER AND TOSSED INTO THE FIRE.”

ANOTHER MISTAKE BECAUSE THE KING TOSSED THEM INTO THE FIRE UNAWARE THAT WHEN TWO OR THREE TOUCH AND AGREE GOD WILL BE IN THE MIDST. MATTHEW 18:20 DECLARES “WHERE TWO OR THREE . . .”