Daniel and his three friends become prominent rulers in Babylon because of their insights to Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams. Now they must choose between bowing before a golden idol OR face death in a fiery furnace. The king made a decree that ALL must worship the idol he created. Daniel and his friends could not do that… they would worship only God. It would mean defying the king… yet they had no choice… their faith in God was absolute. What do you risk by choosing to follow Christ in your work, school, circles of friends, etc. Stand strong as did Daniel and the three friends. He will not fail you…ever!
Please give this verse to family and friends. Ask if they were given a life-or-death choice on bowing down…what would they do. Ask if they ever fear that they will one day need to make that choice. Listen to how they respond. We hear about persecution of Christians but that seems so far away from us here. We would like to think that we would be brave and stand for what we believe. Yet, when the threat is real and the means of death is right next to you, will your faith be strong enough. Take a stand like Daniel and his friends. God will stand with you. Continue to Take Time For God’s Word© at various times each day or as you hear your furnace run this winter and at 3:06 am or pm. As Daniel and his friends gained influence in the government of Babylon, his foes looked for ways to betray him to the king. When they saw the new idol that the king had made for himself, they thought of a way to get Daniel and his three friends in trouble. Do you ever feel that people are trying to get you in trouble? Do you feel that they want to embarrass you for being a Christian? We need to stand firm in our faith. We need to be willing to suffer, if needed, so that others can see the depth of our commitment to Jesus. Let 3:06 become a time when you remember to pray for others to keep the faith and to share it boldly.
Each month we highlight various Christian led causes to be the focus of our prayers. We lift up Lutheran World Relief (Baltimore, MD) and Lutheran Church Charities (Northbrook, IL) as two organizations with a heart for sharing the love of Christ in visible and tangible ways. They provide direct assistance in food, clothing, housing, and more around the world and in various cities in the USA. Support them if you can. Help out similar groups or organizations in your community. Be a blessing by sharing some of your blessings with others. Pass it on to everyone that you meet so that they may come to know the living Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Friend.
