This devotion is about being in tough situations and still being able to do right and Stand Up for God!

From this Episode:

As Christians we are spiritual leader. In some way or another we are either leading our family, our children, maybe friends or coworkers. We are a spiritual influence for someone and as such we are a spiritual leader in that situation.

So, whether we like it or not and whether we choose to accept this position or not, we are spiritual leaders.

My question is… will we choose to stand up and lead? Will we stand up?

The Bible is full of examples of Christians that took on this responsibility and they chose to Stand Up for God, Do any come to mind for you now?

I want us to take a look in the book of Daniel and look at a few men that choose to stand up.

The King makes an idol

Daniel 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 

This ultimate authority in the land there has made a decision that will affect all the people. He has chosen to make an Idol, imagine if our president with the added authority of the whole house and senate did this.

I want us to actually put ourselves in their shoes, I want us to feel how the people there would feel, I want us to imagine we are in the same situation.

Take a second and think about the seriousness of this situation. Put yourself their and your king has made an idol and you know this is wrong and you know and believe in the One True God. How would you be feeling right now?

Probably concerned to say the least, you might be scared and maybe even angry or mad that he made this idol in defiance to the True God that you love and believe in. That’s how I would be feeling, probably a little bit of all of that.

The King makes everyone gather for a dedication of this Idol

Daniel 3:3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

It didn’t matter if you were important or not, it didn’t matter if you were excited about seeing this golden idol or mad about it, it didn’t matter if you believed in the one true and real God or believed in false gods, EVERYONE had to be there.

The king makes a law

Daniel 3:4-5 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 

This is not a suggestion, the king is not saying if your feel like it you can do this, he isn’t even asking or saying please do this, he has commanded it with a king’s decree.

When a king makes a decree, it is a rock-solid law, there is no wiggle room everyone has to follow the decree even the king himself.

This is why King Herod beheaded John the Baptist even though he was afraid to do so, he made a decree so it had to happen.

This is why king Darius had to throw Daniel into the den of lions after Daniel prayed, it was a decree and nothing could be done about it.

King’s laws and decrees had to be followed.

The decree had a penalty for disobedience

Daniel 3:6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

Forget for a moment that we know the outcome of this story, and again put yourselves in their place. If you don’t do this you will have a very painful death.

Again, how would this make you feel… the king made an idol, says you have to come see it, then says you have to bow to it and if you don’t you will die by being burnt.

How would you be feeling right now? Sacred maybe? Or nervous, maybe confused on why you would even be in this situation maybe some people may even be questioning God and His plan right about now.

Everyone (almost) obeyed the law

Daniel 3:7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 

Again, image you are there and this law comes out and everyone around you bows down to this thing. You see everyone, every single person doing this. What are you going to do?

You know it is wrong to do, you know and believe and love the one true God and you don’t want to do anything against God but you know the penalty and then you see everyone else doing it… what are you going to do?

Well, it would be such a hard position to be in… and it would be impossible to say what we would do in that situation but…

A few men didn’t bow

Daniel 3:12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 

These 3 men made the choice to stand up for God.

Even in this terrible situation, where they knew they would be put to death for doing so they still stood up for God!

What an inspiration! Praise God for these three men and their great courage and faith in God! They truly loved God!

Their answer to the king

Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 

They were resolved to follow God and nothing else, and at all costs!

They had faith that God could save them, “God whom we serve is able to deliver us”.

Their love for God was stronger than their own desire to live. In verse 17 they say they know that God COULD save them but in verse 18 they say “But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image”.

They have determined that even if God chooses to not save them then they are willing to die being right with God then live in sin.

These men decided that they were going to do right and be spiritual leaders that they needed to be. They are an inspiration to me! They inspire me to do right even if NO ONE else is!

These 3 men resolved to STAND UP for God, we will make this same choice?

May we all RESOLVE right now to be like these 3 men, let us all RESOLVE right now to STAND UP for God and be the Spiritual Leaders in our daily life!

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