Tag: KJV

“Before there was Egypt, there was a promise!”

Many times when we discuss the land of Egypt within the confines of the Bible, our minds automatically track back to the time when the children of Israel were in bondage there.  We see them under the weight of the taskmasters, dealing with oppressive circumstances that are beyond their control.  They stand by and watch as some are beaten, others are killed; lack and degrading situations run rampant throughout their time there.  Fear, hatred, and jealousy by others drove them to the place where they are residing; a place where tough days seem like they will never come to an end.

Oftentimes, when people find themselves in a hard spot of life, or when they find themselves coming up short and just not happy with the way things are turning out at this particular time, they refer to that circumstance as their place of “Egypt.”  This is where heartbreak and troubling times lie.  This is the place where it seems everything is fighting against them, and no matter what one does, it just doesn’t appear that they will ever come out on top.  People may not have taskmasters’ whips to deal with, but other things just lash and lash out at them, making it hard to get back up again.

As hard as this may be to believe, I assure you your Egypt will not last forever.  I’m sure the children of Israel had doubts about this.  After all, their time there lasted about four hundred years.  Yet, even before this family of seventy ventured into the land and grew to the astronomical numbers we see in Exodus, God knew all about their time there before they were even there.

In Genesis 15:13 God told Abram, “Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.”  Outside of that prophecy God also said, “And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance,” (Genesis 15:14).  In this we see, there was a promise before they even set one foot in Egypt; before they even encountered a problem, God already had a blessing lined up for when they came out.

Today, we fight against so many unknowns.  We deal with all the this’s and that’s of life that simply weigh one down.  One might not find themselves in a literal state of captivity, but something just sits on them heavy, becoming an almost unbearable burden, and they just don’t know what to do.  With a feeling of exasperation, some just give up, content to go through the motions of life, without grabbing hold of the feeling of hope because of the fear of being let down again, just to drift back into that state of uncertainty once more.

But, I am here to tell you today, continue hoping and never give up.  Your “Egypt” is not lost on God.  God knows what you are facing.  He knows every disappointment you are dealing with.  He knows every struggle you are battling.  He knows everything that you are fighting through, and that’s fighting against you.

It may be hard to see the proverbial silver lining in a dark cloud at times or the light at the end of the tunnel, but we have something better.  We have a promise!  God told Abram that when his people came out, they would be coming out better than when they went in.  God was going to judge those who did them wrong, and God was going to bless them greatly.

Another promise Abram received was in a few verses before those noted above.  God told him, “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be,” (Genesis 15:5).  Not only were they going to be blessed, but they were going to come out increased in the people they were.  To go from one individual to the millions they would come out to be, they were going to grow not only in number but in experience through their troubling times.  They would have to learn to endure some stuff to be the people who would eventually be fit to take on the Promised Land.

While it may at times seem like the hard times are breaking you, they may actually be making you.  So remember, before there was Egypt, there was a promise.  And, I don’t know about you, but I will take a promise of God over a so-called silver lining any day.  The promises of God are sure.  Through our relationship with Jesus Christ, we are told, “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us,” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

In other words, no matter what you are facing today, Jesus has you covered.  No matter the obstacles or hard places that make you feel like you are in Egypt and you just want to give up, God has an unfailing promise of His love, grace, mercy, peace, and deliverance through even the most difficult circumstances.

Reposted from April 19, 2020

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Limiting God | Reposting Encouragement

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Today, I am reposting encouragement. May you walk in the fullness of God’s unlimited blessings, because almost everybody wants to see a mighty move of God in their life.  But often, some things get in God’s way; obstacles that act as barriers to blessings.  There are two very specific items I want to deal with in this article that the Bible clearly shows us to be things that limit God’s power to work in an individual’s or a people’s life.

But, before I move any further in this article, I want to clarify a few things: 1) Just because one may be in the waiting process, it doesn’t mean these items that are going to be discussed apply to that individual or their situation.  Sometimes, for His own wise reasons, God just has us waiting for His right time to move.  And, 2) The two items that are going to be listed here are not the only things that form themselves as a blockade to one’s blessings.  A truly seeking heart will prayerfully peel back the layers of self for a close-up examination of the inner man to see if there is anything else that may be getting in the way.

As I was reading my Bible, I came across Psalm 78:41, which states, “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.”  This psalm recites Israel’s history, and it highlights several of their rebellious moments.  Particularly, God’s deliverance of them from Egypt, and their provocation of Him in the wilderness, through sin.  The verse above brings out those same disobedient actions as limiting God.  Their sin made a mark or drew a line, prohibiting them from the fullness of God and what He had to offer.  Rather, they ended up provoking Him to anger.

Disobedience is one thing that will definitely limit God’s ability to work in you, through you, and for you.  Disobedience evicted Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-11) when God’s blessing was for them to live in paradise.  Disobedience turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:17, 26) when God’s blessings wanted to deliver them from that city of sin.  Disobedience caused Jonah to end up in the belly of a fish (Jonah 1:3, 15-17) when God’s blessing was for him to be a great witness to a great city.  And, there are oodles of more cases noted in the Bible.  Disobedience will always forfeit God’s best in one’s life.

As I was pondering this verse in the Psalm about limiting God, I was reminded of a time when Jesus wasn’t able to do great works in Nazareth, His hometown.  Matthew 13:58 tells us, “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”  He was limited by their unbelief.

Now, we all know by now Jesus’ ability to do absolutely anything.  One thing He won’t do is infringe, encroach upon, or overstep one’s belief.  Mankind is a creature made with free will.  It is His hope and desire that one would fully believe who He is and all that He says He can do.  But it is a choice that every individual must make, by faith, for himself or herself.

The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms that, “Without faith it is impossible to please him:” (or, to agree with Him), “for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him,” (Hebrews 11:6).

God is the God of all possibilities, but a lack of faith and belief will hinder those possibilities.  Unbelief caused the first group that attempted to enter the Promised Land to be made to turn back (Hebrews 3:19).  God’s best wasn’t for them to wander in the wilderness for forty years.  His blessing was for them to go in and possess it at that time.  Their own unbelief refused the blessing for them.  Going back to Psalm 78 in the recitation of their history, there are other noted instances where the unbelief of the people came to the forefront (Psalm 78:22, 32).

In the New Testament, if it had not been for Jesus on the boat with His disciples, they may have perished in the storm.  Jesus had already done miracles and even taught many powerful parables, but when the storm blew, they freaked out and asked Jesus, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38).  But after Jesus stilled the storm He asked them this one question: “How is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).  Faith matters.

Back to Jesus’ experience in Nazareth, in parallel verses found in Mark, the Bible tells us, “He marvelled because of their unbelief” (Mark 6:6).

God, throughout the Bible, wants the best for His people.  God would rather add blessings to our account rather than subtract them.  If God blesses and takes care of the birds of the air and the grass in the field (Matthew 6:25-29), “shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith,” (Matthew 6:30).

But He says in Matthew, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you,” (Matthew 6:33; emphasis added).  Go after a life of obedience and faith!  Reject those hindrances to the blessings.  The things that stand in one’s way and limit God’s moving in their life have to be put down so that He can raise His people higher.

We hear a lot of inspirational messages dealing with the subject of “No Limits.”  And, that’s wonderful!  But, in order to have a life of no limits, one needs to make sure God isn’t being limited in their life through disobedience and unbelief.

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“Forget, and Be Fruitful!”

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While every day we have is a gift, admittedly, some days are harder to move past than others.  Hurts, disappointments, and pain can sit on people like heavy weights.  Past negatives can seem like an insurmountable mountain we may struggle to climb. So, I pray today’s devotion will help to lighten the steps on the path you are walking and encourage your heart to keep moving forward productively in faith.

And one person who can teach us that is Joseph. He was a man who suffered trials, unfair treatment, and affliction, and yet overcame them all.  His relationship with his brothers was filled with ridicule, lack of support, jealousy, and hatred, which caused them to look unfavorably upon him.

Eventually, their hostility toward their brother led them to do the unthinkable and cast him away by selling him into slavery. The sting of their betrayal was with Joseph as his new life began as a slave in Egypt. But thankfully, this would not be the end of his story, nor would his heart rest in bitterness here.

Though in his land of affliction he originally found favor, unfortunately, there he was also lied about and mistreated, adding salt to the open wounds he had already suffered, eventually finding himself thrown in prison.

And although he was held in prison, prison didn’t have a hold on him. Joseph’s character never changed. In prison and alone, he was still willing to help others by working, being faithful, and using the gift that God instilled in him in revealing dreams.

Unfortunately, once again, he was overlooked and forgotten and left to deal with life alone.  The awesome thing about his story (and ours) is that even if he felt like it at times, Joseph was never alone.  God had a great plan for his life.

Many of us are familiar with how God elevated Joseph from his affliction and blessed him with a position of great honor in the palace after revealing the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream.  Eventually, he became governor over all Egypt, where everyone bowed to him except Pharaoh.  What a change of life and position!

After coming to power, Joseph married and had two sons: “And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.  And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction,” (Genesis 41:51-52). 

His story shows that when stepping into new days, we do not have to carry the unwanted baggage of days before. We can declare, as Joseph did, that we are ready to move on and be fruitful in the place God has us in right now, for that’s what his declaration in naming his sons meant.

Every day, God has opened a world of opportunity for us to forget the past and move on into something greater.  We may not be the governor of Egypt, but I don’t believe God has allowed us to see this new day for naught.  We were designed to make the most of our time here and now and be fruitful right where we are.

Fruitfulness is a desire of God for His people: “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper,” (Psalm 1:3). 

Therefore, today is the time to venture forward in faith and be productive.  Today, we can release the weight, lay down the heaviness, and walk confidently and abundantly into where God has us for this season. This is your time. Today is the day of new beginnings!

Image by Diego Ortiz from Pixabay

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, X, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details. 

The Infighting Must Stop

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There is an old hymn written by Joseph C. Ludgate titled “Friendship with Jesus.”  In this hymn, the refrain sings out the sweetness of being in fellowship with the Savior:

“Friendship with Jesus!
Fellowship divine!
Oh, what blessed, sweet communion!
Jesus is a Friend of mine.” (©Ludgate,1898.)

But what about our fellowship with one another?  How often have the hands of division ripped away the core foundation of our Christian faith by seeking to tear apart what Christ has established: fellowship among those who are recognized as being of Him; that blessed, sweet communion with one another?

Unity among the body of believers was so important that Jesus prayed, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me,” (John 17:21).  Jesus knew that if His disciples would ban together as one they could positively impact the world, helping many believe in Him.  Vice versa, if divisions and contentions prevailed it would not work to draw people to Himself, to His kingdom message; rather, it would repel.

How often are we fighting amongst ourselves, in our congregations, or even with different denominations because they serve differently than we do?

John, the disciple of Jesus said one day, “Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we fobade him, because he followeth not with us.  And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us,” (Luke 9:49-50).

Instead of rebuking the one who was accused of: “he followeth not with us,” Jesus set the record straight among His own disciples that they should not be focused on a reason for division. Jesus said, “For he that is not against us is for us.”

Too often great emphasis is put on how one group may do things differently as opposed to another group, or how one may work the gift that God has given them over another.  One may not care for the way another does something for God’s kingdom but Jesus Himself said, “For he that is not against us is for us.”  If someone is working to build up the kingdom of God, do not forbid them just because they are not following what you are doing.  Don’t forbid them just because they are not in your clique.  Don’t forbid them because they worship differently than you do.

There is no room for division in the body of Christ.  There is no room for infighting among the members of God’s family.  The Apostle Paul put it like this by saying, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12).

In 1 Corinthians 1:12-13, attempting to squash division, Paul said, “Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.  Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?”

Over and over again we see the Bible proclaim unity among God’s people and division to be put away with. While we may have differing doctrinal beliefs, love must be the motivator for addressing those differences because Jesus also said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another,” (John 13:35; see also 1 John 4:20-21).  

Remember Jesus’ prayer that I quoted above, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou has sent me.” Is this why the world can’t see the Christ in us and believe because there is too much infighting?  Does our rejection of another who “followeth not with us,” push the world away from believing in the Christ we proclaim and follow?

Regarding the Scriptures, and seeing Jesus’ prayer, I would have to conclude that it can play a part.  Let us learn from our Lord and say, “For he that is not against us is for us.” Let us work to build up God’s kingdom together.  We are all fighting in the same war.  Let’s edify one another and not tear down.

Disagreements Don’t Need To End In Disaster

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“Indulge in Nostalgia!”

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“And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.  And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?  Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.” Joshua 4:20-22

One of my favorite things to do when the weather is nice is to open up all my windows and to put a fan in my bedroom window.  Why the bedroom particularly?  For some reason or another, no matter where I live, when there is a fan in my bedroom window, it makes the air smell just like my grandma’s house when I was growing up, particularly her upstairs and bedroom.  Sometimes, I long for weather not too hot and not too cold, just so that I can have a fan in the bedroom window that blows out that smell.  And when it does, I look for reasons throughout the day to visit my bedroom, to inhale deeply and to let my mind wander to another time.

Smells have that effect on me, nostalgically letting me remember times past.  While the fan smell is my favorite, another smell is stuff burning.  Not like a house catching fire or anything, but rather a pit-beef joint cooking or a log in the fireplace.  This smell reminds me of my paternal grandparents.  They live in the South and during the summer we would visit.  There I witnessed something I hadn’t seen before.  In the evening, they took their trash to a heap outside and set it on fire.  No trash trucks to pick it up twice a week.  They just light it up and watch it go.

It’s good to indulge in a little bit of nostalgia once in a while, especially when it comes to remembering God’s deliverance.  After a certain amount of time goes by, whether it becomes a time of prosperity or a time of hardship, it’s so easy to forget.  The daily grind and routine schedules tend to overshadow what previously occurred.  That can be a good thing when someone is trying to get over hurtful things, but when one wants to remember a glorious time it can be dangerous.

The danger of forgetfulness can leave us with a warped outlook on life.  “Why does this always happen to me?”  “Things never turn in my favor.”  “It’s useless for me to even try!”  Words such as “always, never and useless” denote negativity when used this way. This negative browbeating overshadows the good.  We use words so lightly, but what would the true outcome be if I were to really question, do things really never ever turn in your favor?  Is it really useless for you to try?  The answer, most likely, would be no.

Through times of hardship and prosperity, our perspective on life can get blurred.  That’s why God mandated for these stones to be set up as a memorial.  These stones would stand as a physical reminder of God’s deliverance; of a time when He altered nature and did the impossible just so that His people could gain their promise.

We may not have physical stones, but I do believe we have “markers” in our memory that can transport us to our time of deliverance.  Things that help us to remember that no matter what state one may find themselves in now, God is still on the throne and He is still working it out on our behalf.  Things that help us to remember, He is the one that saved me, and He is the one that ushered deliverance in my life and yours.

That’s why it’s good to indulge in nostalgia.  It opens the door to the good old days.  The thought of it can instantly put a smile on my face when I think of memories past.  Now, imagine doing that with God’s deliverance.  Sometimes we need to remember, on purpose, where He brought us from and how He brought us through.  Set that up as a “marker” to help you remember His goodness no matter what life may bring.

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Jesus Loves You To The End!

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“Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end,” John 13:1

The love of Jesus is unwavering and our rock-solid truth to stand upon through the storms and trials of life.

Eventually, the love of friends fades.  As years go by, we grow up and move on with our lives.  Even some familial relationships can wane with the passing of time.  But there is one love that never quits on you.  His promise was to never leave you nor forsake you, Heb. 13:5.  He showed His devotion to His disciples right up to the end.  And daily, He shows His devotion to each and every one of us by continually being there for us, loving us, interceding for us, and hearing us when we call.

I am personally amazed at His undying devotion to us.  Through all of our faults, shortcomings, and mess, He still stays committed to us even “to the end.”  This is a source of comfort and reassurance for them that are His.  Despite the tragedies of life or how much we feel like we are not measuring up, we have a Savior, nay a friend that sticks closer than a brother, Pro. 18:24.

The times and tides of life may ebb and flow, come and go, but Jesus is our stable and trustworthy source never to be moved.  He is committed completely to you in love. Somebody once said, “It isn’t over ‘til it’s over!”  And since we are here today, alive and with breath in our bodies, it’s not the end.  Bolster your faith and encourage your heart today in the great truth that no matter what it may look like right now, Jesus loves you to the end! 

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“A Good Steward”

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“And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability…” Matthew 25:15

So often when one speaks of the idea of stewardship the mind automatically travels down the road to finances. The overall idea of finances and stewardship has been linked together for ages, even since the Bible times – and that’s a correct assessment. I want us to look beyond the management of “talents,” looking rather to talents. Huh!

Well, we have the Bible definition to deal with and then we have our English definition. Talents in the Bible refer to 3,000 shekels of silver while one’s talent in the English refers to that special something that God had planted on the inside of each of us. That skill or ability that comes so naturally, it just flows from one’s being. I think the idea of stewardship or being a manager can nicely encompass those God-given delectables on the inside of each of us.

I really think it is something special that God created these two words, though spelled the same, yet have different meanings, and then, gave a management directive over both of them. Paul charged Timothy and said, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee,” (1 Timothy 4:14). Paul knew that God had bestowed something amazing on the inside of this young man, yet, if it were going to prosper and flourish in him, he would have to pay careful attention to guard it.

Ask any gardener about the care that they take of their land once the seed has been planted. There are many steps to ensure growth. Just as with Adam in the Garden of Eden, God has planted the seed but has given each of us the charge to nurture it. That’s what stewardship is all about. Being careful to manage the thing/gift that God has put me in charge of.

Do you know how much the world needs the unique stuff that God has placed inside you? There can be a million preachers. There can be a million teachers. There can be a million givers. There can be a million ushers, janitors, authors, or whatever! There can be a million of anything that can be fathomed, but nobody can do it like YOU!

You are special. You are unique. Stop hiding your talents, your skills, that special something that God put in you. Stop burying it (Matthew 25:18). Rather do as Paul instructed Timothy and pay careful attention to it. Do what you have to do to cause that seed that God planted in you to grow to the point that it is flourishing on the outside of you. Then, the whole body of Christ can profit from that great gift in you.

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same
one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God,”
1 Peter 4:10.

 

“Today, I Want to Be Me!”

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“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well,” Psalm 139:14

Oh, the creative power that took place for you to be here today.  From the moment of conception, and from the time cells began to divide within themselves, you were and are a product of beautiful design.  Uniquely, you are made just the way God intended.  And, since we know that He doesn’t make any mistakes, whatever we view as shortcomings in our lives may be there for a much higher purpose.  Our so-called defaults are part of the plan that God has laid out in your life.

What would happen if every Christian really armed themselves with this beautiful truth?  How would that personally make us feel?  How would it affect the way we live, the way we walk and talk?  More importantly, how would it affect the way we move in our Christian walk?  How much more would we be apt to express our faith knowing the value He places in each and every one of us?

I believe if Christians really got a hold of this truth they would turn the world upside down.  They would step out with a newfound faith knowing that they are something really special before God; knowing that their worth is not in how the world sees them; rather, how God sees them.  What does He think about me?

Let me tell you what He thinks about you. Jesus said in Luke 12:6-7, “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”  “Ye are of more value!”  Humanity is the apex of all His creation.  He made sure everything that was created was put in the proper place and in the proper order for us.  We are the only part of creation where God claimed Himself, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion . . .” (Gen. 1:26).  Not only created but we were created in “His image.”  Not only in “His image,” but we are also created to have “dominion;” authority over all the earth including the thoughts that come to make us feel less than anything He said of us!

Today, I want to be me.  I want to walk like I walk.  Express me like only I can.  I want to relish in the wonderful thought that when no one else is taking notice of me, He is.  Because He designed me this way and I know the care that went into this design, I can rest and enjoy myself.  I can love me some me.  Even when it seems no one else does, I can love me, because He loves me.

If He says I’m good just like this then all I have to do is learn to work in what He gave me and just be me.  “Marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”  Does your soul know that you are a marvelous work of God?  Can you believe that today so that you can just enjoy being yourself?  You are so incredibly special.  Let no one rob you of the precious way that God sees you.

“Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves. . .” (Ps. 100:3).  I’m so glad I didn’t do this myself.  That would be impossible because there is so much that goes into this that we will never figure it out.  Then again, I don’t have to because He already did.  He stepped back and looked at creation and said, “It was very good,” (Gen.1:31).

I am good!  From the time that He has “covered me in my mother’s womb,” (Ps. 139:13), I am just the way He wants me to be.  So, today, I can be me!  Now, that’s something to 🙂 about!

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Powerless Flames!

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“And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.” Daniel 3:27

A lion without teeth and claws is no real threat and flames devoid of the power to burn and devour can do no real harm.

In Daniel 3, there is the very familiar story of the three Hebrew boys facing the fiery furnace.  Although familiar, the story begs us to look further into it because the fire should have killed them.  The fire should have burned every part of their being to ash with flames so high.  The fire should have disintegrated everything about these men and there shouldn’t have been even anything left over to collect, but it was not given the power or the ability to do so. 

What a miracle!

I must wonder, what did it look like for these men as they were standing in the flames and looking out without feeling the heat, just the safety of God covering them through it all?

Amazing! 

Fire eats up and ravages things every day but when God is in the midst, it has no power!

The enemy was left astonished . . .

No parts of the fire or the furnace experience had any effect on them whatsoever . . .

The only effect it may have had on them was to increase their faith all the more!

Somebody needed to be reminded of this today.  I don’t know what flames are trying to ignite against you today, but if He chooses, God can put it out or use it for His glory.  Either way, one can never go wrong by trusting in Him.

He will cause the enemy to be astonished before you, amazed that you are still standing.  Just like the three Hebrews boys, He will not only cause you to stand in the midst of the powerless flames, but He will allow you to walk around in it giving testimony to the power of the true God you serve.

Flames may be fierce, but God is fiercer!  The enemy will try to burn you up, but God can use those flames to promote you (vs. 30) if you will just worship Him, believe, and trust that He has you in the midst of it all, because when you are on God’s side:

“THE FIRE HAS NO POWER!”

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“God Puts Gladness in My Heart!”

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Circumstances don’t dictate a child of God’s joy.
Daily things can and will happen that will throw
us for a loop, but the joy we have in Him is real.
The joy that we have in God cannot soon be
shaken by the cares and the drama of this life.
The joy we have in Him will stand the test of
time.

Times of increase is wonderful. Times of
blessings are great. But, the greatest thing we
could ever experience is that gladness in our
hearts that God puts there because we have
experienced Him for ourselves; because we are
in a relationship with Him. No matter what’s
going on today, hold on and remember, “The
joy of the LORD is your strength,”
Nehemiah 8:10. What a great feeling!