From Ben Fronczek... Fireproof Faith Daniel (part 3)

Fireproof Faith Daniel (part 3)    

by Ben Fronczek

One Sunday the minister of a particular congregation walked over to the pulpit and, before he gave his sermon he introduced a guest minister who was in the service that evening. In the introduction, he told the congregation that the minister, an old man now, was one of his dearest friends who he knew since he was a boy. He wanted the old preacher to take a few moments to greet the church and say a few words. With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit and began to speak.

“A father, His son, and a the boy’s friend  were sailing off of the Pacific Coast,” He began, “When a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright and the three were swept into the ocean as the boat capsized. The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story.

The aged minister continued with his story, “Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life: to which boy he would throw the other end of the lifeline. He only had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a Christian and he also knew that his son’s friend was not. He had to make a decision. “As the father yelled out, ‘I love you son!’ He threw out the lifeline to his son’s friend.

By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of the night. His body was never recovered.” By this time, the two teenagers were sitting up straight in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old minister’s mouth. “The father,” he continued knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus but he could not bear the thought of his son’s friend stepping into eternity without Jesus.
 

Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save his son’s friend… With that the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room. Their minister again walked slowly to the pulpit and delivered a brief sermon…  I will finish the rest of this story at the end of my sermon.

This story, and the sermon today where we will see what Daniel’s friends did in Daniel 3, prompt me ask the question, ‘How much do I believe and trust in God? And how much do I believe in and trust in what the Bible says?’ Would I compromise my faith and what I believe about God, salvation and heaven in such a situation?

As Christians we are under constant pressure to compromise our beliefs in our culture. Often we are tempted to compromise our beliefs because of subtle pressures that come our way as we interact with others, or while watching TV or while in front of your computer. Or even when we are behind the steering wheel. How well do you stand up under pressure to do what everyone else is doing and ignore God’s will for us? It seems as though God’s people have always had this kind of pressure to compromise their faith. Today I would like to look at how Daniel’s Jewish companions in Babylon named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood their ground and trusted God no matter what the consequence were.

Read Daniel 3  (Click on verse and read)

In Exodus 20:4-5 God commanded,  

“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.”

I think this story was more about how much Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believed in God and His word than how they were saved. Here we see where their convictions lay; they would not bow down to that statue even if it meant death, because they believed it would displease our Lord God.

They probably recognized the fact that bowing down and worshipping idols was the very reason why God allowed the Jewish nation to fall to Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon in the first place.

I have been reading Jeremiah which was written when Nebuchadnezzar  was outside the gates of Jerusalem and about to destroy it. In desperation the Jewish people asked, ‘How come Lord?’ God answered them through the prophet Jeremiah. He told them it was because they turned away from Him the living God of Heaven. In Jer. 11 He says,  

“¹¹ Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I am going to bring calamity upon them, and they will not escape. Though they beg for mercy, I will not listen to their cries. ¹² Then the people of Judah and Jerusalem will pray to their idols and burn incense before them. But the idols will not save them when disaster strikes! ¹³ Look now, people of Judah; you have as many gods as you have towns. You have as many altars of shame—altars for burning incense to your god Baal—as there are streets in Jerusalem.”

These three young men may have even heard Jeremiah preach these words and here they were with this king telling them to bow down before another graven image. They couldn’t do it. They would have rather died in obedience to God in that fire than do something that they knew would displease Him.

Later on Jesus would say,  

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Mt. 10:28

What I see here is what I like to call ‘Fireproof faith’.  Fireproof faith is being completely submissive to God’s will no matter what the consequences.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith was not so much in their deliverance, but rather in their God. It was of the same kind as Job’s, who said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” They knew that if God deliver them, His name would be vindicated and honored. But they probably also believed that if they died, at least they did not compromise their faith.

Having faith like this involves trusting in God and His word, no matter what the situation and what the outcome.

Having Faith does not mean that we will know or understand what God is doing or the specific purpose of the trials we encounter. It involves being ready and willing to follow Him and His decrees, all the time, especially so when we don’t know why we are being tested.

In this miracle, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were delivered from the flames, or more accurately in the flames. They were set free in the flames.

 There is no suggestion here or anywhere else in Scripture that believers will not experience trouble and suffering. But the believer has an advantage; it is in times of suffering and trouble when the Lord is so much more present to help us or at least comfort us. So we just need to trust Him!

A fellow by the name of Rich Mullins wrote: “You meet the Lord in the furnace a long time before you’ll meet Him in the sky.”  Doesn’t it seem like we draw closer to God in times of trail more than any other time?

One of the early church fathers, John Chrysostom, lived in the late 4th and early 5th century. One day he was brought before the emperor and commanded to renounce Christ. The emperor threaten him saying if he would not renounce Christ he would be banished from the country forever—he would be separated from his father’s land for the rest of his life. John responded, “You cannot. The whole world is my Father’s land. You cannot banish me.”

The emperor then said, “Then I will take away all of your property and treasures.” John replied, “You cannot, for all my true treasures are in heaven.”

The emperor then said, “I will send you to a place of absolute solitude where there is not one friend for you to talk to.” John said, “You cannot, for I have a friend that is closer than a brother to me. He is my elder brother, Jesus Christ, who has promised to be with me always—to the very end of the age.”            

In anger the emperor then said, “I will then take your life.” John said, “You cannot. For my life is forever hidden in Christ with God.”

Chrysostom was of the same spirit as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

I am not sure if we will ever be called upon to die in a fiery furnace or if we’ll be martyred if we follow Christ. My guess would be, we will not. But we are called out to act and live like a Christian on all occasions no matter what the consequences. .

Otherwise we compromise our faith. Are there pressures and situations that make living life for Christ difficult and sometimes costly? Yes, but hopefully it is during those times that we are identified as disciples of Jesus.In times of testing, God’s people must fight fire with faith.

APPLICATION: How fireproof is your faith? Is your belief and faith in Christ strong enough to meet the challenge of a personal tragedy? Of unanswered prayer? Of criticism? Of personal threats? Of a loss of health? Of loss of possessions? Of persecution? Or loss of a family member? Let these three young men be an example an example for us and an encouragement to fight fire with faith.

NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY:

‘After the worship service was over and the preacher finished up his sermon the two teenagers went up and sat at the old man’s side. “That was a nice story,” the boys politely said., “But we don’t think it was realistic for a father to give up his son’s life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian.”                 

“Well, you’ve got a point there,” the old man replied glancing down at the worn Bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face, he once again looked up at the boys and said, “It sure isn’t realistic, is it? But I’m standing today to tell you that the story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His only son for me.  You see…    I was the father in my story and your Preacher here was my son’s friend.’

You see that old minister believed God and His word. He had no doubt that his son was in heaven He trusted God’s word. He had what all of us as Christians should have and that is an unshakeable faith.

For more lessons click on the following link:
http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566

From Gary... What God can see in YOU

I watched the state of the union address the other day in disbelief. Lies, distortions, cognitive disconnects (something new I learned the other day: saying two opposing comments in the same context).  Or as the Indians in the 50's westerns used to say: White man speaks with forked tongue).  As I watched, I realized that I was viewing a radical change for the United States of America.  We now have a President who thinks he can bypass congress and with the stroke of a pen or a phone call; in my mind this changes his status from President to dictator.  And our spineless representatives allow this person to remain in office????  Yet amid this disheartening news, I realized that God can use even this horrible person to do his will.  The proof of this is found in the Scriptures in the examples of Jacob (the supplanter) and Nathanael.  There are many others, but just these two will do.

Genesis, Chapter 28

 10  Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.  11 He came to a certain place, and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. He took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep.  12 He dreamed. Behold, a stairway set upon the earth, and its top reached to heaven. Behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13 Behold, Yahweh stood above it, and said, “I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. The land whereon you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed.  14 Your seed will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. In you and in your seed will all the families of the earth be blessed.  15 Behold, I am with you, and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken of to you.” 

John, Chapter 1

45 Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 

  46  Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” 

Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 

  47  Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” 

  48  Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” 

Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 

  49  Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!” 
  50  Jesus answered him, “Because I told you, ‘I saw you underneath the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these!”   51 He said to him, “Most certainly, I tell you, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Jacob was not a very nice person, but God thought enough of him to change his name to Israel.  Nathanael was one very prejudiced person (“Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”) comes to mind.  The point is: God sees who you really are and will work with you in ways that are beyond your understanding!!!  Jacob (later Israel) did in fact follow God and so did Nathanael (I really like verse 49, above because he was willing to change his mind very quickly, when confronted by Jesus).  God had a unique relationship with both Jacob and Nathanael.  Something like the relationship the author of the above picture must have with its intended recipient. And this applies to both you and me as well. Let me repeat this again: ...God sees who you really are and will work with you in ways that are beyond your understanding!!!  

Father in heaven: 

Please work on President Barak Hussein Obama's heart to bring it into compliance with your Word!!!  Please, LORD, before this country is beyond restoration.  Thank you for listening!!!!

From Gary... Bible Reading January 30

Bible Reading  

January 30

The World English Bible

Jan. 30

Genesis 30

Gen 30:1 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I will die."

Gen 30:2 Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in God's place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"

Gen 30:3 She said, "Behold, my maid Bilhah. Go in to her, that she may bear on my knees, and I also may obtain children by her."

Gen 30:4 She gave him Bilhah her handmaid as wife, and Jacob went in to her.

Gen 30:5 Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son.

Gen 30:6 Rachel said, "God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son." Therefore called she his name Dan.

Gen 30:7 Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid, conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son.

Gen 30:8 Rachel said, "With mighty wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed." She named him Naphtali.

Gen 30:9 When Leah saw that she had finished bearing, she took Zilpah, her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob as a wife.

Gen 30:10 Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, bore Jacob a son.

Gen 30:11 Leah said, "How fortunate!" She named him Gad.

Gen 30:12 Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, bore Jacob a second son.

Gen 30:13 Leah said, "Happy am I, for the daughters will call me happy." She named him Asher.

Gen 30:14 Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother, Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes."

Gen 30:15 She said to her, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes, also?" Rachel said, "Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son's mandrakes."

Gen 30:16 Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, "You must come in to me; for I have surely hired you with my son's mandrakes." He lay with her that night.

Gen 30:17 God listened to Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob a fifth son.

Gen 30:18 Leah said, "God has given me my hire, because I gave my handmaid to my husband." She named him Issachar.

Gen 30:19 Leah conceived again, and bore a sixth son to Jacob.

Gen 30:20 Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good dowry. Now my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons." She named him Zebulun.

Gen 30:21 Afterwards, she bore a daughter, and named her Dinah.

Gen 30:22 God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb.

Gen 30:23 She conceived, bore a son, and said, "God has taken away my reproach."

Gen 30:24 She named him Joseph, saying, "May Yahweh add another son to me."

Gen 30:25 It happened, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, that I may go to my own place, and to my country.

Gen 30:26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service with which I have served you."

Gen 30:27 Laban said to him, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here, for I have divined that Yahweh has blessed me for your sake."

Gen 30:28 He said, "Appoint me your wages, and I will give it."

Gen 30:29 He said to him, "You know how I have served you, and how your livestock have fared with me.

Gen 30:30 For it was little which you had before I came, and it has increased to a multitude. Yahweh has blessed you wherever I turned. Now when will I provide for my own house also?"

Gen 30:31 He said, "What shall I give you?" Jacob said, "You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed your flock and keep it.

Gen 30:32 I will pass through all your flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted one, and every black one among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats. This will be my hire.

Gen 30:33 So my righteousness will answer for me hereafter, when you come concerning my hire that is before you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and black among the sheep, that might be with me, will be counted stolen."

Gen 30:34 Laban said, "Behold, I desire it to be according to your word."

Gen 30:35 That day, he removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white in it, and all the black ones among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

Gen 30:36 He set three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

Gen 30:37 Jacob took to himself rods of fresh poplar, almond, plane tree, peeled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

Gen 30:38 He set the rods which he had peeled opposite the flocks in the gutters in the watering-troughs where the flocks came to drink. They conceived when they came to drink.

Gen 30:39 The flocks conceived before the rods, and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted.

Gen 30:40 Jacob separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the streaked and all the black in the flock of Laban: and he put his own droves apart, and didn't put them into Laban's flock.

Gen 30:41 It happened, whenever the stronger of the flock conceived, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods;

Gen 30:42 but when the flock were feeble, he didn't put them in. So the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

Gen 30:43 The man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys. 

From Mark Copeland... Useful For The Master ( 2 Timothy 2:20-26)

                    "THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY"

                    Useful For The Master (2:20-26)

INTRODUCTION

1. To motivate Timothy toward faithful service, Paul used an
   illustration involving 'vessels'...
   a. Of varying qualities and value - 2Ti 2:20
   b. How one could be a vessel for honor, prepared for every good work
      - 2Ti 2:21
   -- Thus becoming "Useful For The Master"

2. By considering the context (2Ti 2:20-26), we too can learn how to
   be...
   a. Vessels of gold or silver, not wood or clay
   b. Vessels for honor, not dishonor
   -- And thereby also becoming "Useful For The Master"

[It involves effort, but such is necessary if we are going to be
prepared for every good work.  First of all, to be useful for the
Master...]

I. WE MUST WORK ON OUR PERSONAL CONDUCT

   A. THINGS TO AVOID...
      1. Must cleanse oneself from "the latter" - 2Ti 2:21
         a. I.e., vessels of dishonor - 2Ti 2:20
         b. E.g., teachers of false doctrine like Hymenaeus and
            Philetus- cf. 2Ti 2:16-18
      2. Must flee youthful lusts - 2Ti 2:22
         a. The lust of the flesh, such as fornication - 1Co 6:18
         b. The lust of the eyes, such as materialism - cf. 1Ti 6:9-11
      -- We must avoid both wicked associations and wicked conduct

   B. THINGS TO DO...
      1. Must pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace - 2Ti 2:22
         a. Qualities without which no one will see the Lord - He 12:14
         b. Qualities well suited for the "man of God" - cf. 1Ti 6:11
      2. With those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart - 2Ti 2:22
         a. Together with those who sincerely love God
         b. I.e., not alone, nor in the company of  those 'vessels of
            dishonor'
      -- We must seek both holy conduct and holy associations

[Avoiding wicked associations does not mean we do not reach out to those
in error.  For the Lord desires all to be saved (cf. 1Ti 2:4; 2 Pe
3:9).  To be "Useful For The Master" in teaching them...]

II. WE MUST WORK ON INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS

   A. THINGS TO AVOID...
      1. Must avoid foolish and ignorant disputes - 2Ti 2:23
         a. That generate strife - 2Ti 2:23; cf. 1Ti 1:4; 6:4
         b. That bring ruin to the hearers - 2Ti 2:14; cf. Tit 3:9
         c. That increase to more ungodliness - 2Ti 2:16
      2. Must not quarrel - 2Ti 2:24
         a. That is, strive or fight over words - cf. 2Ti 2:23
         b. "engage in a war of words, to quarrel, wrangle, dispute"
            - Thayer
      -- We must avoid discussions that are little more than 'word
         battles'

   B. THINGS TO DO...
      1. Must be gentle to all - 2Ti 2:24
         a. "affable, that is, mild or kind" - Strong
         b. "not only to troubled minds, and wounded consciences, by
            supplying them with the precious promises and truths of the
            Gospel; and to backsliders, by restoring them in a spirit of
            meekness; but even to those who contradict the truth, and
            themselves, by mild and kind instructions." - Gill
      2. Must be able to teach - 2Ti 2:24
         a. "apt and skillful in teaching" - Thayer
         b. Thus able to both exhort and convict those who contradict
            - cf. Tit 1:9
      3. Must be patient - 2Ti 2:24
         a. "patient of ills and wrongs, forbearing" - Thayer
         b. "The Greek word here used does not elsewhere occur in the
            New Testament. It means, patient under evils and injuries"
            - Barnes
         c. A Christ-like quality much needed in 'word battles' - cf. Co
            3:13
      4. Must correct in humility - 2Ti 2:25
         a. That is, with "gentleness, mildness, meekness" - Thayer
         b. Even against those who:
            1) Who oppose the truth
            2) Who are ensnared by the devil
         c. For such qualities are weapons "mighty in God" - cf. 2 Co 10:1-5
            1) Not carnal, such as wrath, anger, and strife
            2) But mighty for casting down arguments, bringing thoughts
               into captivity to Christ
      -- We must develop and demonstrate a Christ-like character toward
         the opposition

CONCLUSION

1. A servant of the Lord must therefore give careful attention...
   a. To his personal conduct and associations
   b. To his interpersonal relations with those in error

2.  A servant of the Lord who does so can then be...
   a. A vessel of honor
   b. Sanctified (set apart for a godly purpose)
   c. Useful to the Master!

What kind of 'vessels' are we becoming for the Lord...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Jim McGuiggan... HOW TO CONQUER THE WORLD

HOW TO CONQUER THE WORLD

Overcoming a sexual addiction is not the same as overcoming “the world”. To see a pleasing increase in your capacity for patience is not the same as overcoming “the world”. To gain ground in the pursuit of moral excellence is not the same as overcoming “the world”. To overcome “the world” is to overcome a world and not just to gain ground against specific wrongs! To overcome “the world” is to experience complete triumph over it and not simply to fight it. To “overcome the world” is to leave that “world” and enter into “the new creation”.
“Look, I have overcome addiction to alcohol—see? I have overcome ‘the world’.” And what of those who are in the Lord Jesus but still struggle with alcohol, bitterness, pride, lust, envy, ill-temper or whatever? Have they not overcome “the world”? And what of the other sins that you haven't left behind—do these show that you haven't overcome “the world”?

We will continue to be sinners until the world is better and what we call “free” will will truly be free. For how can we at a serious level speak of free will when we are capable of choosing what we know is evil and unlike the Lord Jesus? There’s an important tension here in life as we now live it. It’s clear that “free will” is in some respect a reality or the Holy One would not call us to heartfelt obedience. Yet, if knowing the sweet and strong will of God for us we still wrestle for moments or perhaps weeks to respond in obedience. How could a will completely free, will to disobey our Holy Father? But all of this though very important leads us away from what I’d like to pursue. I just want you to know that I know that I don’t know very well what I’m talking about. It isn’t that it is obscure—it’s that it’s too deep and complex. We don’t have enough breath to dive deep enough and stay down long enough to come back up fully satisfied.

It isn’t simply that we don’t live what we know. We don’t know what we know!

My guess is that there only a relatively few believers lived comfortably in the pig-pen before the blessed God, like a great lion confronted them and barred their way as they strode further down the road to perdition. My guess is that many of them by God’s grace were good girls or boys and without any jarring experience, in a smooth and almost “natural” transition, took Jesus’ hand when he offered it to them in the gospel. They were morally aware and decent before they ever entered into a faith union with God in Christ.

There are multiplied millions like you throughout the world who have not yet come to our Lord and who do not know there is a Lord to come to. God has always been and is at work in the lives of the nations [Acts 14:15-17; 17:24-29]. We’re not competing with non-Christians in a moral competition, to see who gets the best score. Our obedience is not obedience to the moral law; it is the obedience of faith in the Lord Jesus [Romans 1:5; 16:25-26] and that means that we respond in Christ-imaging righteousness. Paul would insist in Romans 6:1-8 that we are not to forget the meaning of our baptism and what took place there.

The cross of the Lord Jesus is the place where God reconciled us to himself and reconciliation to God means that our lives and purpose are reoriented and realigned with the heart of God.

The “obedience of faith” is how the “world” is overcome. Not merely specific sins—“the world”! In what way is “the world” overcome and in what way are our specific sins overcome by faith?

The faith that conquers “the world” is not simply our subjective act of inner believing. It’s the internalizing of truth that is true whether we believe it or not, truth about Jesus; it’s the glad embracing as true what God’s work in Jesus is and means. For our point at this moment, in entering into him by faith we enter into a full identification with the one who slew “the world” [Galatians 6:14].

The entire pagan “world”, religious, political or social and the corrupted Jewish “world” were the creations of sinful humanity. The beauty and goodness of the creation and the strength and wisdom of the authorities and powers that God created for the advancement of life in and under his grace and guidance—all these were corrupted and became avenues and instruments to express the alienation between God and his human creation.

Among the many things the death of the Lord Jesus did is this: it exposed and sentenced “the world” for what it truly is—God’s good creation as seen through the eyes of “the prince of this world”, God’s good creation as it is construed by all those who are enslaved to and by the “god of this world” [John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4].

Only Jesus of Nazareth refused to join the war against God, only he saw life and all that goes with it as life to be lived in joyful devotion to God. His absolute devotion to the Holy One exposed the powers for what they were and they slew him for it. This was no surprise to him for he came to do his Father’s will and to give his life a ransom for humanity [his entire life that culminated in his death]—Matthew 20:28; 1 John 2:2.

He chose to die [John 10:11, 17-18] knowing that in dying he would defeat the powers [John 12:31-32; Colossians 2:15] and in this absolute obedience to the Holy One he would be granted absolute power to guide and rule the world [Ephesians 1:17-23; Philippians 2:5-11]. But in dying he not only did the will of the Holy Father, it did it to rescue the human family [Galatians 1:3-4].

However we “explain” the “atoning” process, the NT writers place the dying of the Lord Jesus at the heart of it. He gives his life to ransom us, he carries our sins up on to the tree [1 Peter 2:24] and he gives himself for us [Ephesians 5:2].

All this to say, he is himself the conqueror of “the world” which is anti-God, anti-holiness and anti-life [John 16:33; 1 John 2:15-17] and when by faith in him we embrace him we embrace all that he is and means—we triumph over “the world”.

We don’t triumph over “the world” by becoming sinless. We triumph over “the world” by embracing the Sinless One, by trusting his judgment on sin; all sin, including our own sin. In believing in the “world’s” Conqueror we approve of the sentence he passed on “the world” and so it is by and on his cross the world is not only crucified to him—it is crucified to us [Galatians 6:14].

By faith in him, which is generated by his faithfulness his crucifixion becomes our crucifixion and our relation to “the world” has definitively ended [Galatians 2:19-20; Romans 6:7].

And so we hear 1 John 5:4. Because by his grace we believe who and what we believe we conquer the entire anti-God “world” and are now part of a “new creation” [2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 1:29].

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, theabidingword.com.

From Ben Fronczek... Mission Impossible Daniel (Chapter 2)

Mission Impossible   Daniel  (Chapter 2)

(By Ben Fronczek)

In our last lesson I talked a little about how and why Daniel and a few other Jews were in Babylon. The Jewish nation had turned their back on God and the covenant they had made with Him during the time of Moses. In that covenant God had told them that He would greatly bless them for their faithfulness, but if they turned their back on Him and the covenant they had made they would eventually suffer dire consequences. As far back as the time of Moses God predicted that the Jews would one day do just this and so God told them that one day He would allow a king and a kingdom they did not know to come in and destroy their nation and all but a few would survive. God also told them that some of the survivors would even be carried off and they would serve the king that captured them. All this took place about 587BC as predicted..

As we looked at Daniel chapter 1 last time, we read where the king ordered his servant to choose some of the finest young men, who had been captured, who were somewhat wise and showed a aptitude to learn so that they could be trained to serve in the royal palace. Daniel and is 3 companions were chosen and they were given new Babylonian names. The king also provided them with food from his own table. This may have seem like a blessing to those who had just come out of a city that was besieged and nearly starved out during a time of war, but for Daniel and his companions they just could not eat the kings food. Daniel and his companions were obviously young men that had a good upbringing and were some of the few that remained faithful to the Lord. So they made a decision not to defile themselves by eating the kings food. As the story goes God honors their loyalty and commitment to Him and the Mosaic covenant and blessed them with good health and more wisdom than any in Babylon. That leads us to chapter 2.  Read 2:1-13 (click on and read)

It seems to me that king Nebuchadnezzar was no fool. He had all these magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers in his service (on the pay role as it were) and so after having this disturbing dream he tests to see if they were scamming him and playing him for a fool.  After calling them in he demands that they not only tell him what he dreamt but also what it meant. If they didn’t he’d have them torn limb from limb for being phonies.

Well these guys were frantic, and they even admitted that there was no way that they could tell the king what he dreamt. They said no king ever made such a request.

At that point the king sees them for who and what they really were… a bunch of phony charlatans who were mooching off him. So in anger he sends the order out to have all these so called ‘wise men’ executed in Babylon.    Read 2:14-24 (click on verse and read)

Being in the company of the wise men, Daniel and his 3 companions were to be rounded up with the others to be executed. The text goes on to say that Daniel spoke to this commander with wisdom and tact. – I think its important how we talk to others… The NASB says that he spoke with discretion and discernment. The KJV says the he answered with counsel and wisdom.

How we speak to another can make all the difference in a stressful, difficult  time of peril. All too often we are quick with our tongue and shoot our self in the foot when we need to be careful and think before we speak.

Proverbs 13:3 says, “Proud fools talk too much; the words of the wise protect them.”

Even at a young age Daniel was wise enough to see this. I wonder if he memorized some of those proverbs written by Solomon? Maybe he did!

After finding out what was going on, Daniel goes to the king and asks for a little bit of time so that he could come back with an answer. Here we see Daniel stepping out on faith. Not only is he bold enough to confront this powerful king who was obviously upset with all the wise men, we also see that Daniel believed that the Lord would help him with this problem.

Where the other magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers said that it was impossible, Daniel said ‘give me a chance.’   Why and how could Daniel believe that he had such a chance to do this? Because Daniel knew the scriptures, and Daniel knew that his God and our God can do amazing things, and will bless those who are truly faithful to Him as He had already done for Daniel and his companions and for others throughout the Bible (e.g.).

So Daniel returns home and tells his three friends what’s going and asks them to pray. And what happens? God shows Daniel what the kings saw in his dream and what it meant. After thanking and praising God he returns to the king and tells him that there is a God in Heaven who knows all and has revealed to him what the king saw in his vision.  Read 2:25-49 (click on and read verse)

So what did the King see in his vision?  He saw a great statue with a head of gold, with a chest and arms of silver, with a belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet part iron and part clay, and then he saw a stone smash it all to bits. That stone became a mountain and would last forever.

What does the image of this great statue represent? Well Daniel lets the king know that the God of heaven had revealed the future to him in that vision. Each section represented a different kingdom or empire. The gold head represented him, this king and the Babylonian empire. The empire to follow depicted as silver would be a little inferior representing the Medo-Persian Empire. This would be followed by the Greek empire seen as the bronze section, followed by the Roman Empire first depicted by the iron legs and then the feet of iron and clay as the Roman Empire as it deteriorated. And finally the empire that would outlive them all and last forever (that is the church and the kingdom of God) that was the stone that would strike them all down and grow into an everlasting mountain.

At this explanation Nebuchadnezzar is not only awed and blown away, this great and powerful king humbles himself and falls prostrate before this young man Daniel.

 As I said earlier, this king was no fool, Daniel had produced the goods. Because Daniel gave God the glory and credit right from the beginning, rather than himself, Nebuchadnezzar recognized God for who He is; the God of gods, and Lord of Kings and praised Him as such.

Daniel is promoted to rule over the entire province of Babylon and was placed in charge of all its wise men. Sounds a little like the story of Joseph to me.

So what lesson can we take away from this story today?                  

I believe we can learn some principles that can help us handle predicaments which seem way beyond our own ability. You may not have a king demanding you to tell him what he dreamt last night and what it means but we all face our own crisis that seem beyond our ability to solve on our own. Maybe it’s a health issue you or a loved one has, maybe it’s your marriage, or a financial problem, maybe a disastrous relationship problem, or a habitual sin problem and you can’t seem to fix yourself or stop on your own.

#1. I believe God’s work is most obvious when it our situation becomes humanly impossible. All too often we take God’s involvement and blessings for granted.

But when we’ve done all that we can do or we are face with what may seem like an impossible situation, we have a heavenly Father who loves us who we can turn to.

 Daniel understood that a humanly impossible situation can only be resolved with divine help. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the trials he faced he wrote,  

“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. ⁹ Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰ He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us… “ 2 Cor. 8-10

No matter how impossible a situation may seem it is important for us to turn to God for help. 

In  Mark 10:27 Jesus said, “All things are possible with GOD!”

#2. When you don’t know what to do or how to do it, PRAY! Ask others to pray for you as well. Over and over when in difficult situations we see men and women of God praying for themselves and for one another. James wrote that if we lack knowledge or wisdom we should pray for it. But he also goes on to say,   

“⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

#3. God wants us to believe and trust in Him, even if we don’t understand how He can fix things. That’s what we call faith. And that kind of faithful prayer will see results.  Such prayers of faith will eventually produce praise. Praise from you and praise from others.

#4. When things like this happen when we see God resolving great problems, our faith grows. Our faith grows from trial to trail, from faith to faith. I believe Daniel and his 3 friends grew stronger with each passing trial, and they needed to because they would have more trials to come. Likewise we are to grow stronger from trial to trail, from faith to faith. I believe sometimes God may allow certain things to happen in our life hoping that our faith will grow stronger.

#5. Miracles like this not only build our faith, it opens eyes of others as well, just like it opened the eyes of Nebuchadnezzar who praise our Lord in Heaven. Sometimes it’s not all about you.

So whatever you face you need to remember that there is a God in Heaven and He is able.  

Eph 3:20  

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

For more lessons click on the following link:

http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566

Posted by Gary Rose at Thursday, January 30, 2014