Weekend Sermon

     Welcome to another edition of the Weekend Sermon.  I am so glad to be able to post another sermon this week, and I am glad that you have taken the time to read it and reflect upon it.
     It is very, very cold here where I live.  I can tell that winter has definitely arrived in the American Midwest.  I'm glad we haven't had any snow or ice yet where I live.  Just to the south of me, they are having a bad winter storm.
     Please continue to pray for me this week.  I have to be upfront with everyone and say that I am becoming seriously depressed because of the many financial and physical difficulties that I have been facing.  I keep praying and trying and struggling, but nothing is going according to plan.  To add to the problems, my bank made a serious error in my account that took two days to fix, and my car is making funny noises that have me worried.  I will continue to trust in the Lord to keep me going.  While I am happy for all the people who are finding jobs, and I am happy about the unemployment rating dropping the in the United States, I am still frustrated by the fact that no matter where I try to find work I am unsuccessful.  If I didn't have my writing work, I would have been destitute long ago.  So, I am thankful to the Lord for the work that I do have available.  Just keep praying.  I appreciate it.
      Continue in pray for peace in Syria, and add to that list of prayers for peace the Central African Republic.  There is extensive fighting occurring in that nation, and they need peace.
     In last week's message, we talked a little about Hanukkah and Jesus' message in John 10:22-30.  Those of us who trust in Christ are His sheep.  We are secure in Him, and nothing can snatch us away from Him or bring us ultimate harm.
     Today, I would like to look at a familiar story from the Old Testament that has taken on a special meaning to me in the last few weeks.  In Daniel 3, we see the story of three men who demonstrated the courage of their convictions.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were willing to give up their lives in order to remain faithful to the true and living God.
      Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were taken into captivity by the Babylonians at the same time as Daniel.  Along with Daniel, they refused the king's meats and lived on vegetables because they did not want to violate the dietary laws given to the Jewish people by God.
      In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar erected an image of gold, and he ordered that when the music played, everyone was to bow down and worship the image.  When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego heard the music, they did not bow down and worship the image.  The would not violate the command of the Lord.  They knew that there was only one true God and they were not to worship idols.
     When the king found out about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego's  refusal to bow to the image, he was enraged.  He gave the three friends one more chance to bow before the image.  If they refused, they would be punished by being thrown into the fiery furnace.  Of course, the three friends refused.
     In Daniel 3:17 and 18 the three men said to the king, "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 gold image which you have set up."  This verse has become very important to me lately.
     These three men were not willing to violate the commandments of the Lord.  They believed that God had the power to deliver them from whatever the king had in store for them because God is more powerful than any human ruler.  What speaks to me is the second statement.  These three men said that even if God decided not to intervene and help them, they would do what is right anyway.
     I have asked the Lord to help me out of my current difficulties on many many occasions.  I know without a shadow of a doubt that the Lord has all the power needed to get me out of the mess that I am in.  If he doesn't decide to help me, and I can't go on anymore, I will still serve Him to the day that I die.  That is the inspiration I receive from Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  No matter what happened, they would serve God.
     Job was like this as well.  All of his friends were against him.  His wife told him to curse God and die.  But Job would not curse God.  Job said that even if God would slay him, he would still trust in God.
     Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Job could say this because they knew that ultimately, God is in control and He will bring justice and make everything right in the end.  That is my belief.  No matter what happens on this earth, and no matter what hard times we may go through now, all will be well.
     In the case of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, they were thrown in the fiery furnace, but the fire did not harm them.  They were joined in the flames by one like the Son of God.  They came out of the fiery furnace, and the king praised the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
     Job was delivered from his problems in this lifetime as well.  He was healed, and all of his fortunes were restored.
     This is not always the case in the Bible.  Sometimes, some very bad things happen to people who believe in the Lord with all of their heart.  Take for example the man Lazarus in the story Jesus told about the rich man and Lazarus.  Lazarus was destitute and homeless.  He didn't have anyone on earth who cared about him enough to help him in his time of misery.  His body was covered with sores that the dogs licked.  He was as bad off as a person can be in this life.  For some reason, God didn't deliver him in this life.  Lazarus died.  However, because Lazarus trusted in the true and living God, he was carried to Abraham's bosom where he would experience eternal join and happiness.  In spite of his terrible circumstances in life, Lazarus never stopped believing in the true and living God.
     Like me, you may be facing some really hard struggles and difficulties.  Keep praying and asking the Lord for help and deliverance.  Jesus told us not to give up in our prayers but to keep on seeking, asking and knocking.  Jesus has the power to deliver us from any and every problem.
     However, the Lord may choose not to deliver us in this life.  We must remain faithful in spite of the negative circumstances because all will be well ultimately.  Jesus is worthy of all of our praise and adoration.  He has gone to prepare a place for those of us who put our trust in Him.  One day, when we are with Jesus, all of the problems will seem as nothing compared with the joy and love that is experienced in the presence of the Lord Jesus.
     I realize that I kind of preached to myself a lot in the sermon this week.  I hope that you got something out of the message.  Next week, I want to bring a message about Stephen from the book of Acts.  After that, I want to talk about Christmas.  On Wednesday, I will post another book review.  May God bless you all.