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Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace 3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet[a] wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it. 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. 7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 8 At this time some astrologers[b] came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever! 10 You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up. 13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I

have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand? 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The kings command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, Werent there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire? They replied, Certainly, O king. 25 He said, Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods. 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here! So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

28 Then

Nebuchadnezzar said, Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the kings command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way. 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon. Point 1 The Discipline of Non-compromise / Sincere Living 13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. Shadrech Meshech and Abednego - I am not asking you not to serve your God - I am asking you to serve my gods also Yes continue to serve you God privately but publicly tolerate my own gods or accept my gods also Friends this is the call to compromise - that we see in our world today Yes you can be a Christian - but when you are at work - talk like we talk, act like we act, behave like we behave..

We are not asking you not to go to your church - but why should you have a problem with our lifestyle You are right, I am right - we are all right Dan 1:6-8 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: (7) Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego. (8) But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Friends God is looking for Shedrachs, Meschachs and Abednegos of our time. Men and women who will stand against the grain who will say - the Jehova of my bedroom - is the Jehova of the my living room and the Jehova at the board room. The God I serve on Sunday is the God I serve on Monday - is the God I serve Friday and Saturday. Until and unless we come to the place where our walk with God is uncompromising we will not be bold to walk in the Authority we have! This is the discipline of non-compromise! Point 2 The Discipline of Unshakable Faith

15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp,

pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand? And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand Friends - I want you to see the point Nebuchadnezzar was making here - similar to what Satan said about Job that skin for skin all that a man has he will give up to save his life! Who is that God that will save you? Put another way - how come you have been serving this your God - and you still do not have a job! How come you are serving this your God - and you are still unmarried at 45! How come you are serving this your God - and your business is faltering. Your marriage is faltering! Nebuchadnezzar was not only challenging God but challenging the faith of Shedrach Meschach Abednego - if God is not delivering you from what it is you are experiencing now - You are wasting your time! But friends - SMA - knew the God that that they served! 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. SMA - said - O king - we are not careful to answer - Our God will deliver us

 Is there somebody on this prayer line tonight that will declare like SMA My God will deliver me The believed the what the bible said in Isa 43:1-3 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. (2) When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (3) For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Is there somebody tonight that will declare - My GOD will heal me Is there someone tonight that will declare - My God will prosper God is on your side - it does not matter how long, it does not matter how deep, it does not matter how high Your God will save you! But no - you God has already saved you SMA had to look forward towards the cross - you tonight - can look backward SMA said my God WILL You can say - MY GOD HAS ! Alleluia. That is the Discipline of Unshakable Faith in God! Will you stand on Gods word whether or whethernt Because God will not ONLY save you from the fire sometimes He will save you THROUGH the fire!

 But then they did not stop there They said - but even if he does not save us form your fire WE WILL NOT SERVE YOUR IDOLS Point 3 The Discipline of Serving God for God ONLY This leads me to my third point what where they saying by making this statement By making this statement SMA were declaring We are serving God for GOD! I am not serving GOD so I can pass my exams! Even if I fail my exams - I shall not bow to the idols! I am not serving God so I can get married - even if I never get married I shall serve Jehova - I shall not bow to idols Alleluia - that is the kind of dangerous faith that Jesus responds to! That is the kind of dangerous love the devil does not have an answer to! If he saves me - I will serve him! If he does not save me, I will serve me! When you get to that place with God - you become UNTOUCHABLE! There is someone that is becoming untouchable tonight. And the bible says- then when they threw them into the fire

 The SON OF GOD showed up! 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, Werent there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire? They replied, Certainly, O king. 25 He said, Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods. 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here! Allelulia! The SAVIOR showed! Is there someone that is ready for the savior to show up in their lives tonight! It is time to rise up and declare like SMA - O Lord - I shall serve - no matter what! In the name of Jesus Conclusion Yesterday I gave someone my cell phone number. Yet try as he may, he was never able to reach me. Why? Because the 10-digit number he had was correct in all 10...but 1. Instead 202123... he had 202124... Then it dawned on me..."if I kept all the law but offend in one, I offend in all (James 2:10)."

 Being wrong by just one digit made it all wrong! This is why, on my own, I could never earn God's love and blessings - I will NEVER be good enough. One wrong digit is just as bad as 10 or 10,000! Which is why I cling to Jesus - for in Him all my wrong digits - be it 1, 10 or 10,000 - are not only removed, they are also replaced by the perfect digits that now qualify me to be blessed and loved by the Father! Not the labor of my hands can fulfill thy laws demand... therefore nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling... Rock of Ages cleft (split or broken) for me, l hide myself in thee! When form the discipline of hiding youself in Jesus - fire cannot hurt you! So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. When you form the discipline to cling to Jesus ALONE even at the point of death - You will change the kings commands Dan 3:28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.