September 27th 2015
Is Your Faith Based On What God Will Do, Or What He Can Do?
Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV)
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, 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."
Most of us know the rest of this story, and how God did save these three men from the fiery furnace. This is an amazing story of God’s protection for His followers. Did you get the comment from Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego about their trust in God to “maybe” deliver them from this invasion of their right to only worship the God of the Bible? They believed their God could save them “the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.” However, did you notice maybe a more important understanding they had of God? They also knew God may not choose to deliver them from this extremely painful death. To this they said, “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."
It may be sooner than we would like that this country may no longer support the freedom of religion, at least, not for Christianity to worship the God of the Bible. The Supreme Court recently “made a new law” to allow same sex people to become married, and thus, to be eligible to claim whatever government assistance that was previously only available for married people of the opposite sex! A woman in Kentucky got national attention, as she refused to issue marriage licenses to same sex people. She spent a few days in jail, and then, was allowed to return to her job. She has now refused to sign such marriage licenses that are being issued by her associates. This is a test case that may be the start of legal actions that may restrict the ability for Christians to be covered by the court system in matters of worship!
The persecution of Christians may be accelerated by this act of defiance of man’s laws, which are offensive and in defiance of the freedom to worship the God of the Bible. Of course, this is not the beginning of something new, as this country has allowed murdering babies since 1973, which is in direct defiance of God’s laws about taking human life, when it is not convenient for the birth to be allowed. Abortion on demand, also known as pro-choice has been the law of the USA since 1973, and over 55,000,000 American citizens have been aborted. Our President says this country is no longer a Christian nation, and he has been right, at least since 1973.
In the USA and, I believe in most of this world, it is nearing a time when Christians will be persecuted for any profession of faith and for worshipping the God of the Bible, who of course, is Jesus Christ! Some of the worldly religions are already killing Christians, who refuse to convert to their religion. We see evidence of such atrocities quite often on TV nightly news. And there are ministries working around this world to try and help people escape persecution. So it is not much a stretch to believe this will be happening in the USA soon! Throughout history we have recorded persecution of the followers of the God of the Bible. I believe it is now getting very close to home for those of us who live in the USA! What do you think?
When Jesus was conversing with some Jews, Jesus said, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." (John 8:23-24) Do you believe Jesus is who He claimed to be, when He walked this earth as a man/God? Jesus claimed to be the Messiah the Savior, the only Savior of the world. Jesus confirmed this fact when He answered Thomas’ question about how believers will find Jesus, and follow Him to heaven. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:5-6)
To believe that Jesus is the only way by which any member of mankind can go to heaven when they die, makes this belief put you on dangerous soil, when you talk to another person, who believes they are following the only true god! Do not be confused, all of the religious people in this world do NOT follow the same god, as many people even some professing Christians will tell you. Only the God of the Old Testament has a Son who is the Savior of the world, who is described in the New Testament! NONE of the worldly religions follow this God, only Christianity follows this God of the completed Bible.
A time of testing is at hand, and you must have faith to stay on the narrow path that leads to Jesus who is in heaven. The writer of Hebrews wrote about such faith, which gives hope! Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1) This hope is not a belief that something good will happen on this earth, but instead it offers assurance that you are on the narrow path to salvation, because of what Jesus did, not anything that you/I did or may do! There is a Christian song out that I like, and it has a line in it something like, “Without love you have nothing!” Even if you give everything you have to or for God, without love you have nothing!
Do you know God? Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8) Do you rely on God’s Love for you, or do you question it? So we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:16) Is God the Holy Spirit living in your heart? Does God’s love exude from you toward other members of mankind? Can you try to love those people that you really do not like? You can only pull that off, if you let the Holy Spirit guide and direct you in this life! Paul wrote the love chapter to the Corinthians and us. In it he wrote, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (1 Corinthians 13:4)
Do not be too proud to love others! Is your faith based on what God will do, or what He can do? God is in control of this world, and He is Love!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV)
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, 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."
Most of us know the rest of this story, and how God did save these three men from the fiery furnace. This is an amazing story of God’s protection for His followers. Did you get the comment from Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego about their trust in God to “maybe” deliver them from this invasion of their right to only worship the God of the Bible? They believed their God could save them “the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.” However, did you notice maybe a more important understanding they had of God? They also knew God may not choose to deliver them from this extremely painful death. To this they said, “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."
It may be sooner than we would like that this country may no longer support the freedom of religion, at least, not for Christianity to worship the God of the Bible. The Supreme Court recently “made a new law” to allow same sex people to become married, and thus, to be eligible to claim whatever government assistance that was previously only available for married people of the opposite sex! A woman in Kentucky got national attention, as she refused to issue marriage licenses to same sex people. She spent a few days in jail, and then, was allowed to return to her job. She has now refused to sign such marriage licenses that are being issued by her associates. This is a test case that may be the start of legal actions that may restrict the ability for Christians to be covered by the court system in matters of worship!
The persecution of Christians may be accelerated by this act of defiance of man’s laws, which are offensive and in defiance of the freedom to worship the God of the Bible. Of course, this is not the beginning of something new, as this country has allowed murdering babies since 1973, which is in direct defiance of God’s laws about taking human life, when it is not convenient for the birth to be allowed. Abortion on demand, also known as pro-choice has been the law of the USA since 1973, and over 55,000,000 American citizens have been aborted. Our President says this country is no longer a Christian nation, and he has been right, at least since 1973.
In the USA and, I believe in most of this world, it is nearing a time when Christians will be persecuted for any profession of faith and for worshipping the God of the Bible, who of course, is Jesus Christ! Some of the worldly religions are already killing Christians, who refuse to convert to their religion. We see evidence of such atrocities quite often on TV nightly news. And there are ministries working around this world to try and help people escape persecution. So it is not much a stretch to believe this will be happening in the USA soon! Throughout history we have recorded persecution of the followers of the God of the Bible. I believe it is now getting very close to home for those of us who live in the USA! What do you think?
When Jesus was conversing with some Jews, Jesus said, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." (John 8:23-24) Do you believe Jesus is who He claimed to be, when He walked this earth as a man/God? Jesus claimed to be the Messiah the Savior, the only Savior of the world. Jesus confirmed this fact when He answered Thomas’ question about how believers will find Jesus, and follow Him to heaven. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:5-6)
To believe that Jesus is the only way by which any member of mankind can go to heaven when they die, makes this belief put you on dangerous soil, when you talk to another person, who believes they are following the only true god! Do not be confused, all of the religious people in this world do NOT follow the same god, as many people even some professing Christians will tell you. Only the God of the Old Testament has a Son who is the Savior of the world, who is described in the New Testament! NONE of the worldly religions follow this God, only Christianity follows this God of the completed Bible.
A time of testing is at hand, and you must have faith to stay on the narrow path that leads to Jesus who is in heaven. The writer of Hebrews wrote about such faith, which gives hope! Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1) This hope is not a belief that something good will happen on this earth, but instead it offers assurance that you are on the narrow path to salvation, because of what Jesus did, not anything that you/I did or may do! There is a Christian song out that I like, and it has a line in it something like, “Without love you have nothing!” Even if you give everything you have to or for God, without love you have nothing!
Do you know God? Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8) Do you rely on God’s Love for you, or do you question it? So we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:16) Is God the Holy Spirit living in your heart? Does God’s love exude from you toward other members of mankind? Can you try to love those people that you really do not like? You can only pull that off, if you let the Holy Spirit guide and direct you in this life! Paul wrote the love chapter to the Corinthians and us. In it he wrote, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (1 Corinthians 13:4)
Do not be too proud to love others! Is your faith based on what God will do, or what He can do? God is in control of this world, and He is Love!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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