Matthew 8:18-22 18 And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. 19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” -
Daniel Ch 3 tells the story of Shadrac, Meshac and Abednego; three young men that were in captivity at the Babylonian palace. King Nebuchadnezzar ordered every one of his servants to bow down and worship a golden statue of a pagan god. The three young men refused to worship anyone or anything other than God. They were brought before the king and accused of disobeying the king’s order. They stood in their ground and told the king, they would only worship God. They were told that if they did not bow to the golden statue they would be burned alive in a fiery furnace. The three young men said v 16-“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 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 us up.”
The three young men withstood a big trial and were willing to face death before submitting to false gods. Their faith in God was so that they would trust Him to save them and if He did not saved them they knew better than worshipping another god. They went on to the execution chamber and the miracle occurred. God had send His angel to deliver the three young men from the fire. This great miracle was the proof King Nebuchadnezzar needed to recognize the great God of Israel. But the young men did not need a miracle. They knew who God is because they have learned who they were in God. They were the chosen nation, from where salvation to the world would come; they knew what God had done for His people time after time though out their history. So they put their trust in God and were delivered. Now notice that their brave attitude was misinterpreted by the king as rebellion.
DO NOT CONFUSE COURAGE WITH REBELLION
be of courage... - do not confuse courage with rebellion, rebellion is a spirit that causes people to act against authority and stops people from submitting to authority against biblical commands. Rebellion disguises himself with courage but courage is when you stand in your ground for righteousness. Courage is willing to give your life for God. Courage is submitting to Gods will and persevering in His word. Courage is closely related to faithfulness and righteousness, and holiness. There is no holiness or faithfulness or righteousness without courage. Rebellion on the other hand is accompanied by lawlessness and disrespect. According to the Bible, rebellion is related to witchcraft. It comes from the same source of unfaithfulness to God. Rebellion seeks self gratification under the premises of a false justice; a justice that is grounded on earthly motives. A false justice that sets to divide power and challenges all of what God established as authority. Rebellion is a spirit that appears in disguise as courage.
We need to stand on our ground and call that which is sin, sin and not pretend that sin is OK when it is not.
I started to call this message, Test Before Promotion. In the Bible we often see this principle which states that before a great promotion comes, a great test must be passed. There are many examples in the Bible to illustrate this principle: Abraham, Joseph, David, Joshua, Daniel, Shadrac, Meshac and Abednego. Ultimately, Jesus demonstrated this principle. Before Jesus ascended to Heaven He endured the cross. He said that we must pick up our cross and follow him.
There is much to be learned from this story: COURAGE, LOYALTY AND FAITHFULNESS, TRUST IN GOD, PERSECUTION OF GOD’S PEOPLE, HUMILITY, TESTIMONY FROM YOUR ACTIONS, GOD’S DELIVERANCE, GOD’S PRESENCE, GOD’S FAITHFULNESS, TESTS AND PROMOTION. BUT OF ALL THAT CAN BE LEARNED HERE TO ME THE MOST VALUABLE LESSON IS THAT GOD IS FAITHFUL TO THOSE WHO REMAIN FAITHFULL TO HIM.
Deuteronomy 7:9 “Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
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BE STRONG AND CORAGEOUS- Phil 1:28-29; 1 king 2:2; 2 Ch 15:7 Isa 35:4; Hag 2:4; Zec 8:9; 1 Co 16”13; Eph 6:10; 2 Ti 2:1
Philippians 1:28-2928 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
1 Kings 2:2 “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man.
Chronicles 15:7 But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”
Isaiah 35:4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “ Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”
Haggai 2:4 Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the LORD; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the LORD of hosts.
Zechariah 8:9 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘ Let your hands be strong,You who have been hearing in these days These words by the mouth of the prophets, Who spoke in the day the foundation was laid For the house of the LORD of hosts, That the temple might be built.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
2 Timothy 2:1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
THE LORD IS MY REFUGE-2 Sa 22:2; Isa 46:4; Jer 1:8; Da 6:27; 2 Co 1:10; Heb 2:15
2 Samuel 22:2 And he said: “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;{Compare Psalm 18,34,56}
Isaiah 46:44 Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.
Jeremiah 1:8 Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the LORD.
Daniel 6:27 He delivers and rescues, And He works signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
2 Corinthians 1:10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,
Hebrews 2:15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
REMAIN IN HIM- Jn 15:4-10; 1 jn 2:6; 1 Jn 2:281 Jn 3:6; 2 Jn 9
John 15:4-104 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. {Love and Joy Perfected}9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
1 John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
1 John 3:6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
2 John 1:9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
NONE LIKE GOD-Ex 8:10; 15:11; Dt 33:26; 2 Sa 7:22; 1 Ki 8:23; 1 Ch 17:20; Ps 89:6; Isa 40:18; Mk 12:32
John 6:68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.-
Exodus 8:10 So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.
Exodus 15:11 “Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Deuteronomy 33:26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to help you, And in His excellency on the clouds.
2 Samuel 7:22 Therefore You are great, O Lord GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
1 Kings 8:233 and he said: “LORD God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
1 Chronicles 17:200 O LORD, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Psalm 89:6 6 For who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD?Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the LORD?
Isaiah 40:18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?
Mark 12:322 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.
PROMOTION- Gen 39:5; Ge 41:40; 1 King 11:28; Est 6:11; Dan 2:48; 3:30 5:29; 6:2
Daniel 2:48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.
Genesis 39:5So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Genesis 41:40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”
1 Kings 11:28 The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon, seeing that the young man was industrious, made him the officer over all the labor force of the house of Joseph.
Esther 6:11 So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!”
Mark 10:43-44 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.-
Are you willing to die for Jesus?
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