Falling into Other Peoples Patterns
Daniel 3:16-18 ESV
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Sense and sensibility should be key in all Christians. We line up everything with the word of God. We choose wisely in all situations. We go about our lives living in integrity no matter who is watching or not watching. We live as unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. We make informed decisions.
The other day I was in an apartment working and the news was on. What was being said was a matter of opinion and not fact. I deciphered the content, put it through the Spirit and rejected it after close deliberation, all as I was working of course.
The tenant that was in the apartment offered their take on the news cast of which I listened to what they had to say. I was being batted to answer my views and I was vague at best, not wanting to get into a challenge.
What occurred to me is, people do not live informed. They are told certain things the way the commentators view those things and people go along with what the commentator is saying.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego knew the one true God. They were in a foreign kingdom, and they were told what to do and where to go at all times. Where they drew the line in the sand was worshipping an entity instead of God. They only would worship the one true God. They knew who they were and who they belonged to.
Did they get chastised and thrown into a fiery furnace? Yes, but they stood for their principles and knew they were right, and they took the punishment for it. They came out of the furnace unscathed, without even the smell of smoke.
Be informed, ask God what He wants. Check everything out by the words of God and let the Spirit of God discern the situation and then make a decision.
Prayer:
Lord, where You lead me, I will follow, I’ll go with You all the way! No matter the situation, give me wisdom, knowledge, understanding and discernment. In Your name Lord Jesus I ask, Amen!