Some of you will go through a tough time. You may be heading into a trial, already in the middle or coming out.

1 God doesn’t put you to trials to judge you but to get you to victory.

2 Trials come for your promotion.

7 These trials will show that your faithis genuine. It is being tested as firetests and purifies gold---though yourfaith is far more precious than meregold. So when your faith remainsstrong through many trials, it will bringyou much praise and glory and honoron the day when Jesus Christ isrevealed to the whole world.

A gold undergoes purification by afire test.

4 And the herald shouts, you are commanded, O peoples, nations and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.

While all bowed low and worshipped the image, Meshach, Shadrach and

Abednego stood still.

GOD-GIVEN NAME BABYLONIAN NAME

Hananiah- whom Jehovah has favored Shadrach

Mishael-who is comparable to God Meshach Named after their gods

Azariah-whom Jehovah helps Abednego

Knowing who you are in the Lord determines your response in every

trial.

THREE QUALITIES OF STANDING IN FAITH

Faith obeys God instead of following

man.

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegoreplied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar,we do not need to defend ourselvesbefore you in this matter.”

You can always adapt where you are at but when your commitment (service

and worship) to God is touched, never compromise.

It could have been easy to rationalize a different plan:

1. Fake it- bow down but won’t really worship idol

2. Worship once and just ask for forgiveness

Faith believes in spite of what it sees.

17 If we are thrown in the blazingfurnace, the God whom we serve isable to save us. He will rescue us fromyour power, Your Majesty!

Faith is submission to God’s route for you.

Faithful obedience is our responsibility.

The outcome is God’s.

18 ”But even if God doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue that you have set up.”

The strength of your obedience depend on the character of your faith.

The outcome

24 Then king Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”

25 ”Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

God reveals His power in many places but you’ll know His presence best in

the fire.

27 …they saw that the fire had notharmed their bodies, nor was a hair oftheir heads singed; their robes werenot scorched, and there was no smellof fire on them.

Conclusion

People will get to know about God as you stand firm in your faith in times of

trials.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praisebe to the God of Shadrach, Meshachand Abednego, who has sent His angeland rescued His servants! They trustedin Him and defied the king’s commandand were willing to give up their livesrather than serve or worship any godexcept their own God.

Therefore I decree that the people of anynation or language who say anythingagainst the God of Shadrach, Meshachand Abednego be cut into pieces and theirhouses be turned into piles of rubble, forno other god can save in this way."(NIV)

FAITHWORKS CHRISTIAN CHURCH GLOBAL

Presented By:

Ptra. Donna TarunFCC Main

6:30 PM ServiceOct 30, 2016

Website: faithworkschristianchurch.comFacebook: Faithworks Christian Church GlobalTwitter: @fccphilippinesInstagram: fccphilippines