“God is Able”Devotion In Motion
Midweek Inspiration
Tuesday 07/21/2021
Acts 28:24
And some were persuaded (or believed) “emphasize mine” by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved NKJV
Some believed and some didn’t. That’s still the way it is today, even among Christians.
You see, we as believers know certain things. We know our sins are forgiven. We know Jesus is the Messiah and that we’ll soon be with Him in heaven. Yet in the meantime, we might be in what seems to be a hellish situation of illness, of depression, of defeat, and of despair because of doubt and unbelief.
In the Old testament book of Daniel 3, there were 3 young men who had every reason to question the faithfulness of God. they had been faithful in all things. They had lived their lives and done what was right in the sight of the Lord and yet. they were faced with a decision in the valley of doubt and unbelief. They could believe the lord in their time of extreme heat or they could capitulate to what everyone else was doing. The 3 young men were Shadrach, Meschach, and abednego.
They were taken along with Daniel when Babylon and Nebucaneezer came and besieged Jerusalem. They were taken from their families, their culture and their temple. They were inundated into something that was totally foriengn to them. But yet ,along with Daniel remained faithful to the Lord. Well Old Nebucanneezer got this thought with some help from his advisors that he should make an image of himself and when the music played everybody in the kingdom should bow and worship the image and if they didn’t they would be killed. So they built this image of Gold that was 90 feet high and 9 feet wide and played the music. Well Old Neb was pretty happy when he saw everybody that was worshipping him and then they told him about these 3 hebrew young men who would not bow. and he got so mad And so he had them brought to him and said.
Daniel 3:8-18 “Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you.
They do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good!
But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the golden image which you have set up.”
I suggest to you that the reason they were able to stand tall was because they knew the scriptures and believed in their God. You see Paul would later say “that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God”You see the 3 amigos were about to be thrown into the fiery furnace but to them if God wants he can rescue them and if not they will be with him. Either way they win. You want victory over unbelief and doubt. Then know the scriptures and do the scriptures.
The Word of God says, ‘In everything give thanks’ (see Ephesians 5:20). Why? Because all things are working together for good to those who love God. (Romans 8:28).
‘Oh, but you haven’t seen the stack of bills on my desk,’ we say.
Well, the Word says, ‘My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in Glory’ (Philippians 4:19).
‘
Yeah, but you don’t understand the hurt I feel because she dumped me,’ we say.
The Bible says even if she meant it for evil, God will use it for good (Genesis 50:20).
‘But I feel so bad about my son. He’s not walking with the Lord,’ we say.
The Bible says we can be confident that He who began a good work in him will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus—He’ll finish what He started (Philippians 1:6).
Some Christians believe what God says and some don’t. Those who don’t, often find themselves engulfed in despair, defeat, and discouragement. You see folks, it’s not enough just to know the Scriptures;. It’s not just enough to hear the Word. It’s not just enough to come to Bible study. You and I must believe. And ‘believe’ is not a noun—it’s a verb.
We can be the happiest, and most carefree people in the world if we believe—even in times like these, these fiery times in our lives, if we only act on that belief. You might know the Scriptures backward and forward, upwards and sideways—but Jesus said, ‘Happy are you if you do them’ (John 13:17).
It’s what you do—not only what you know that matters, and it all begins by saying, ‘Today I’m going to believe that God is working in and through me and that He is fulfilling what He has promised, in my life and the life of my family. I will be joyful in the Lord for if the only reason is “The LORD is faithful”. And I choose to live in that truth today. I will proclaim His faithfulness; and I will choose to rejoice in him.’ These 3 young men had every reason to doubt and disbelief but it was actually the time they spent with the Lord and obeyed the Lord, and walked with the Lord, that gave them the belief in the The Lord to live through the furnace that they would face. Amen
” There is no virtue in the Christian life which is not made radiant with joy; there is no circumstance and no occasion which is not illuminated with joy. A joyless life is not a Christian life, for joy is one constant recipe for Christian living”.
William Barkley
Victor Tafoya
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