A FAITH WORTH HAVING
DANIEL 3:1-30
INTRO-
*** YOU BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT FAITH AND YOU CAN OPEN A WHOLE CAN OF WORMS.
***SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT HAVING FAITH IN ANYTHING THAT YOU CANNOT SEE IS A CRUTCH FOR THE WEAK.
***WE CAN GO FROM A CRUTCH TO THE OTHER EXTREME OF NAME IT AND CLAIM IT ....JUST HAVE ENOUGH FAITH
***MOST PEOPLE, THOUGH THEY DO NOT HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD, WILL TELL YOU THEY BELIEVE IN SOMETHING
***THEY CANNOT GIVE YOU A GOOD EXPLANATION OF WHAT THEY BELIEVE, BUT THEY HAVE IT.
ILLUSTRATION-
AUTHOR TIM HANSEL TELLS THE STORY ABOUT THE DAY HE AND HIS SON ZAC WERE OUT IN THE COUNTRY CLIMBING AROUND SOME CLIFFS. HE HEARD A VOICE FROM ABOVE HIM YELL “HEY DAD, CATCH ME” HE TURNED AROUND TO SEE ZAC JUMPING OFF A ROCK STRAIGHT AT HIM. ZAC HAD FIRST JUMPED AND THEN YELLED “HEY DAD”...GIVE ME A GOOD REASON WHY YOU DID THAT SURE YOU’RE MY DAD
***SOCIETY IS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN, WANTING TO FILL A VOID IN THEIR LIFE, AND WANTING TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING THAT IS BIGGER THAN THEY ARE.
....THAT IS WHY A CHILD PUT HIS TRUST IN THEIR PARENTS
....THAT’S WHY EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT PERFECT, IT IS EASY FOR THEM.
***FAITH IS A FUNNY THING
*SOME SEARCH FOR IT, AND THEY FIND THEY HAD IT ALL ALONG
*SOME COULDN’T IDENTIFY FAITH IF IT HIT THEM IN THE HEAD
DANIEL CHAPTER 31-30 PARAPHRASED BELOW
KING NEBUCHANEZZAR FROM BABYLON, THE SAME KING THAT SADAM HUSEIN THINKS HE IS REINCARNATED FROM AND HAS GOTTEN A VISION FROM.
***TO FULFILL HIS OWN LOVE OF SELF, AND REQUIRING OTHERS TO WORSHIP SOMETHING BIGGER THAN THEMSELVES, HE MAKES A RIDICULOUS MANDATE TO WORSHIP A STATUE OF HIMSELF.
***IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT, NOT BOWING DOWN TO THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD, THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE AGGRAVATED AND TEST YOUR PATIENTS, TEST YOUR CHARACTER, TRY TO DESTROY YOUR REPUTATION, EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO LIE TO SUCCEED TO DO IT.
DANIEL 3-V8-15- READ
*** YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY GOT SOME BUSY BODIES TRYING TO KISS UP TO THE KING- O KING LIVE FOREVER YOU HAVE ISSUED A DECREE
V12- BUTT - THERE ARE SOME JEWS WHOM YOU HAVE SET OVER THE AFFAIRS OF THE PROVENCE OF BABYLON SHADRACH, MESHACH, ABEDNEGO-WHO PAY NO ATTENTION TO YOU O KING
THEY NEITHER SERVE YOUR GODS, NOR WORSHIP THE IMAGE OF GOLD YOU HAVE SET UP.
***THEY ARE NOT........LISTENING TO YOU O KING
***YOU NOW HAVE A FURIOUS KING, WHO CONFRONTS THESE JEWS AND ASKS THEM IF THIS IS TRUE.
I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE HERE, IF YOU WILL BOW DOWN AT THE SOUND OF THE MUSIC AND WORSHIP ...THIS WILL GO AWAY
BUT IF YOU DON’T...V15- THEN YOU WILL BE THROWN IMMEDIATELY INTO A BLAZING FURNACE.
***WE KNOW THE 3 ARE CONFRONTED WITH A FACT.
REMAIN TRUE TO THEIR BELIEFS OR DIE IN A BLAZING FURNACE.
V16-18- READ
HADRACH, MESHACH, ABEDNEGO, REPLIED TO THE KING, O NEBUCHANEZZAR, WE DO NOT NEED TO DEFEND OURSELVES BEFORE YOU IN THIS MATTER. 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 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.
***WE KNOW THE STORY, THE THREE ARE THROWN IN. THE FURNACE IS FIRED UP, AND THE GUARDS MANNING THE FURNACE ARE BURNED AND KILLED FROM THE HEAT
3 ARE THROWN IN AND THEY SEE 4 PEROPLE WALKING AROUND IN THE FURNACE. ONE MORE THAN WAS THROWN IN.
***WE NEED TO GET A LITTLE EXCITED
NOW LETS LOOK AT FAITH
***ONE- YOU’VE GOT A KING , ALL FULL OF HIMSELF THAT BELIEVES IN MANY GODS, BELIEVES EVERYONE SHOULD BOW DOWN TO A STATUE 90 FEET TALL AND 9 FEET WIDE OF HIMSELF.
YOU GOT A BUNCH OF OFFICIALS WANTING SHADRACH, MESHACH, ABEDNEGO’S JOB AND ARE JEALOUS THAT THEY DON’T HAVE IT,
THEY ARE WILLING TO DO WHAT EVER THEY CAN TO DESTROY OR KILL THEM.
YOU GOT 3 FAITHFUL JEWS THAT LOVE GOD AND ARE DETERMINED TO LOVE GOD NO MATTER WHAT.
***WE ARE GOING TO SEE THAT FAITH IS NOT EASY,
IT IS NOT ALWAYS POPULAR,
AND IT CAN COST YOU AS MUCH AS YOUR LIFE.
***WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT IN THIS COUNTRY YET, BUT WE WILL ONE DAY HAVE TO DECIDE ON OUR FAITH OR OUR LIVES.
***IT HAPPENED IN LITTLETON COLORADO
***IT HAPPENED IN A AMISH SCHOOL IN LANCASTER PA.
ILLUSTRATION-
IN HIS BOOK-WE LET OUR SON DIE, LUCY PARKER RECOUNTED THE TRAGIC STORY OF MISGUIDED FAITH IN PAINFU DETAIL, LARRY AND HIS WIFE PAINT THE PICTURE OF HOW THEY HAD COME TO BELIEVE THAT IS THEY IF THEY JUST HAD ENOUGH FAITH, GOD WOULD HEAL THEIR DIABETIC DON. EVENTUALLY WESLEY NEEDED INSULIN. BELIEVING THAT GOD WOULD HEAL WESLEY, THEY WITHELD THE INSULIN AND PREDICTABLY, WESLEY LAPSED INTO A DIABETIC COMA. THE PARKERS, WARNED BY MANY ABOUT NOT HAVING ENOUGH FAITH, BELIEVED GOD WOULD HEAL
A TRAGIC STORY YES
....BECAUSE THE CHILD DIED
....BECAUSE THEY HAD A FLAWED IDEA OF FAITH
FLAWED CONCEPT OF FAITH LEADS PEOPLE TO SHIPWRECK, SOMETIMES SPIRITUAL, SOMETIMES PHYSICALLY, SOMETIMES BOTH.
MANY CHRISTIANS BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE TEACHES FAITH IS CONFIDENCE IN A CERTAIN OUTCOME.
IF THAT IS YOUR BELIEF, IT IS FLAWED
***MOST THINK IT IS SHADRACH, MESHACH, ABEDNEGO FAITH THAT SAVED THEM, BUT IT WAS NOT GOD CHOSE AT THAT TIME TO RESCUE THEM FROM THE FURNACE.
***MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE WHEN SOMETHING DIDN’T TURN OUT THE WAY THEY WANTED IT TOO....THEY JUST NEEDED MORE FAITH
***WE HAVE PEOPLE IN 3RD WORLD COUNTRIES EVERY DAY THAT ARE FACED WITH DENOUNCING THEIR FAITH OR DYING, ALL BELIEVING THAT THE LORD CAN SAVE THEM, AND THEY LOSE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR FAITH.
BUT IT IS STILL FAITH
WHAT FAITH IS NOT
I. FAITH IS NOT FAITH IN OUR BELIEFS
FAITH IS NOT FAITH IN OUR FAITH-
*** WE TRY TO CONVINCE OURSELVES THAT IF WE PUMP OURSELVES UP, STAY POSITIVE AND NOT LET DOUBT IN OUR MINDS AND OUR LIVES...THAT IS FAITH
***FAITH LIKE THAT PUTS TRUST IN HOW MUCH WE CAN MUSTER UP, WHAT YOU CAN DO.
SHADRACH, MESHACH, ABEDNEGO, DID NOT HAVE FAITH IN FAITH.
THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
THEIR FAITH WAS NOT MEASURED BY THE QUANITY OF BELIEF...BUTT BY THE GREATNESS OF THEIR GOD
THERE TRUST WAS IN GOD ALONE
II. FAITH IS NOT TRUST IN WHAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN
***HAVE YOU EVER REASONED WITH GOD TO DO SOME “SPIRITUAL” THING THAT YOU DECIDED NEEDS TO BE DONE.
***WE BEGIN COUNTING ON THINGS WE WANT TO HAPPEN, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE THINK IT IS IN GOD’S BEST INTEREST.
***OUR FAITH CAN GET SHATTERED, NOT BECAUSE GOD WAS UNFAITHFUL, BUT BECAUSE WE PUT OUR FAITH IN WHAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN INSTEAD OF TRUSTING GOD.
WHAT FAITH IS:
BIBLICAL FAITH IS TRUST IN GOD ALONE.
SHADRACH, MESHACH, ABEDNEGO SHOW US THAT IT IS NOT TRUST IN OUR BELIEFS, TRUST IN WHAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN. NOT OUR ABILITY TO GUESS WHAT GOD’S WILL IS
IT IS TRUST IN GOD
IT IS RESTING UPON THE TRUTH THAT GOD IS GOD AND WE CAN TRUST HIM...NO MATTER WHAT
CONCLUSION-
THE TRUEST TEST OF YOUR FAITH IS WHEN GOD ANSWERS “NO”
WHEN THERE IS NOT A HEALING
WHEN DELIVERANCE IS FAR AWAY
WHEN YOU POUR YOURSELF OUT TO GOD AND HEAVEN SEEMS QUIET
***YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A CHRISTIAN VERY LONG BEFORE YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF IN A TOUGH SITUATION
V18- “BUT EVEN IF HE DOES NOT, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW O KING, THAT WE WILL SERVE YOUR GODS OR WORSHIP THE IMAGE OF GOLD YOU HAVE SET UP.”
***IT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT CHRISTIANS CAN GIVE THEIR LIVES WHEN CONFRONTED WITH DEATH.
***YOU CANNOT TAKE MY LIFE, BECAUSE I HAVE ALREADY GIVEN IT TO THE LORD. “FOR MY LIFE IS FOREVER IN CHRIST”
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE OF THIS MESSAGE
FAITH UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, BEING TRUE TO GOD
NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT THE PRESSURE, THREATS, PUNISHMENTS, KNOWING THAT GOD CAN DELIVER US FROM ANYTHING BUT THAT WE MUST BE FAITHFUL WEATHER HE DOES OR NOT.
OUR DESTINY AS A BELIEVER IS IN GOD’S HANDS- BE THANKFUL FOR THAT.
PUT YOUR TRUST IN GOD.
FAITH CHOOSES COURAGEOUSLY
FAITH CHOOSES THE RIGHT WAY NOT THE EASY WAY
FAITH LOOKS LONG TERM
ALL KINDS OF FAITH OUT THERE
LITTLE FAITH
WEAK FAITH
OBEDIENT FAITH
WORKING FAITH
GROWING FAITH
STRONG FAITH
PERFECT FAITH.....ALL BEGINS AND ENDS IN THE LORD.
***GOD DOES NOT ALWAYS TAKE US OUT OF THE DIFFICULTY, MANY TIMES HE TAKES US THROUGH THEM. THE FIRST SHOWS GOD’S POWER, THE SECOND TEACHES US PATIENCE AND CHARACTER.
GOD WILL BE FAITHFUL TO SEE YOU THRU THE STORMS AND TIME OF DIFFICULTY. DON’T LOOK DOWN IN DISCOURAGEMENT, BUT LOOK UP TO HIM, WHO HAS PROMISED TO STAY WITH YOU EVEN THROUGH THE VALLEYS.
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