God is with us!

Ever feel like just giving in? You know... the strain, the temptations, the pressure feels unbearable and you just don't think you can make it? Perhaps it is a relationship that continues to challenge you? You want it to honor God, yet you are being pressured to bow a knee to compromise? Or maybe it is something at work, like your boss asking you to do something you know is wrong? You feel pressured to give in or you know you will be retaliated against? Whatever it is that you are facing... be encouraged to know that you are not alone. You may be in the midst of a serious trial, or terrible predicament, yet know this...if you stand up for your God, by holding true to your faith...you are not alone! We may still suffer some retaliation or even have a bit of a set back, yet we know we are not alone! In the third chapter of Daniel we see three men of God that despite being pressured, threatened and intimidated refused to compromise and bow a knee to a false idol. Friends, they knew who they were, and more importantly they knew who their God was ( his devotion, love, faithfulness). Despite the King giving them a final choice to either bow to a false (statue of gold) or perish in a furnace, they stood strong and refused to compromise! The king turned the furnace up 7 times hotter than normal as he was so enraged by their defiance! And thats where we pick up the account in Daniel 3: 23 "And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 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. You see I am sure Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, would of much preferred if God would have changed the kings heart and not been thrown in the furnace! Yet God in his infinite wisdom tested their faith and wanted there to be no doubt about his power and faithfulness! So God not only spared them, he showed up in the midst of fire to comfort them! He shielded them so they didn't get burned, not even a hair was singed, and they didn't even smell like smoke! Friends, they came out of the fire better than before! And so will you and I when we stand firm and call on The Lord our God in the midst of our struggles! Our God is faithful! Thanks for letting me share. Randy Young