Are you in a situation where you know you need to make a stand for righteousness? Then do it, knowing that the God who was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace is the same God who will be with you as you do.
We will be looking at a familiar story, but it is relevant to us here today. We’ve been skirting amongst the minor prophets. Daniel is a major prophet, who was active while they the children in Babylon.
Daniel 1:1-3
We’re in the time of Nebuchadnezzar in this extract.
Daniel 1:8
Daniel took a stand. He didn’t want to eat unclean meat. And he was with three companions.
Daniel 1:12-16
Daniel 1:19-22
There was a team of four people, and they made a stand. Instead of eating the unclean meat, they ate vegetables – and they thrived far more than the people who ate the king’s meat. And the king promoted them. They took a stand for what they believed to be right.
I’m talking to two types of people – the first, those who are facing a question as to whether they will take a stand for Jesus Christ; and the second, those who have taken a stand and find themselves in the thick of it.
Daniel 2:27-29
During this chapter, Daniel refers to what the dream is about. The image’s head was of fine gold, for instance. Daniel told him what the dream was and what it meant.
Daniel 2:47-50
We have a team of four who are standing for righteousness, who know their God. We have a prophet who leads them. Daniel was the only one who could reveal the dream and the interpretation.
But despite what Nebuchadnezzar said in chapter 2 we now see the events of Daniel 3.
Note that although Nebuchadnezzar recognised who God was, he didn’t say he was his God. You can be in a church, without knowing God.
Are you going to stand for truth or not? And if you are standing for truth, you aren’t on your own.
God has brought things to light, and He will bring us through. He is building His church in His way in His time.
Nebuchadnezzar’s image was made of gold and gold again, it was 90 feet tall:
Daniel 3:1-8
The Chaldeans were amongst those who had been unable to match Daniel’s ability. He knew his God and his God was the God.
Daniel 3:9-13
Nebuchadnezzar had identified who God was. He knew who Daniel’s God was. But He wasn’t Nebuchadnezzar’s God. And his reaction ...
Daniel 3:13-16
“You can’t kid me that you God will deliver you. I’m in control. I am a despot. There is nothing you can do against what I have commanded.”
Daniel 3:17-19
“We won’t try to make out something which isn’t true. We aren’t deceivers. You can throw us into the furnace, but our God will set us free. And even if He won’t, we will not bow down to the image you have set up.”
There was a resolve in those people to say no. They could have had excuses to act differently. “What’s the point of doing this? It’s only once, and we’re in a foreign country, so no one will see.” “We have to think of our lifestyle, of the gifts we’ve been given, of the fact that we have a position to maintain. Maybe it will affect our standing and the material benefits we’ve had.” “Everyone else is doing it, so who are we to be different? We only have to bow down once, and we can carry on as before.”
I know there is a situation that some of you are facing, where that backbone needs to be there. It might be at work, with your neighbour, with respect to someone else here, where you know you have to make a stand. What are the excuses going through your mind? You’ve tried the excuses, but now God is saying, “Come on. We’re at the situation where you have to make a stand.”
God is faithful, and you know inside through your conscience and the preaching of His word what’s right and wrong. It’s not right to sit here praising God if you have something against your brother or your sister. There are things you have to put right. You know it.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego knew they had to make a stand – not just for appearances, but in their heart they knew they had to make a stand, irrespective of the consequences.
“Our God can take us through the furnace, and even if He doesn’t, we will not bow down.” In the New Testament, it says Jesus set His face as a flint to go to Jerusalem for you and me – and that was the same resolve.
You say you’re a weak individual, but it doesn’t matter. God is inside you, and as I preach this, you’re setting it in the context of the situation you need to address, and inside you’re making that resolve and determining to stand.
Isaiah 43:1-7
As we’ll see in a minute, if God puts in you – as He does – that uncompromising, straight-down-the-line, not deceiving, resolve to make that stand, it doesn’t matter what the opposition might be doing, what they may be saying, what the situation is, make that stand. At your school, at your employment, whatever the situation, make that stand.
“But God does it all.” Yes – He does. He gives you the resolve to make that stand.
Daniel 3:18-24
You can’t get more hopeless than this. They were bound. They were dropped into a furnace heated seven times. Sometimes we get to the point where we think things can’t get worse. You’ve made your stand. You’re not better about your situation, but you can’t see a solution. You know you’ve been clear before God.
Daniel 3:24-26
John 16:33
We sing, “He is”, going through the books of the Bible. In Daniel, He is the fourth man in the fire. Heaven organises things so you have a revelation, in your situation in life, where you reach such a point that you literally cannot see a solution. In a sense you’re not even looking for a solution, because you’ve made your stand and know you are clear before God. Well, God delights to provide a solution when we aren’t even looking for it.
When Jesus hung on the Cross, He organised it for us when we didn’t know Him, and when He knew we would push Him away.
And for those of you who have made a stand and are at your wits’ end, God is saying, “I have a solution.” And even in the impossible circumstances of a fiery furnace, God is there in the middle.
Daniel 3:25-27
Coats speak of character. They were the same coming out as when they went in. There wasn’t even a smell of fire. When God saves an individual, He saves you clean. He divides your sins as far as the east is from the west. You come out clean. And when you make a stand for God, He knows. He’s been with you throughout the week and is with you now.
Daniel 3:28-31
You would have thought that Nebuchadnezzar would then have acknowledged in his heart who God was. But within a few days he was eating grass. It’s easy to say things. Words are cheap. It’s easy to say people are Pharisees. But what’s the reality of where you are in your heart? If you know you need to take a stand, be encouraged. You’re not being asked to do the impossible, to do something God hasn’t already prepared.
Philippians 2:12-14
You’re in the mainstream of God’s destiny for you life, in the centrality of His provision. It’s God working in you this morning. He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. This church is His. You’re His. And it’s God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
I wonder what Daniel thought. He wasn’t in the furnace. He would have seen what was going on, would have seen them put into the fire. He probably thought that henceforth he would be on His own. Maybe he knew what God was going to do. But I know when he saw the three come out, He knew His God was capable of doing what He did, and we have acknowledged God for who He is.
This morning, make that stand. And realise that God is there right in the midst of your situation, and He loves you. You can’t figure out a solution. He’s already done that. He’s already figured out the way forward for this church. He knows what He’s doing. It’s His church. He has the resolution figured out because of who He is.
I wonder if they talked with the fourth man in the fire. They were dancing together. Did they speak? What did they say?
You know in your heart of hearts, when God comes inside, you know when He’s speaking to you and you know He loves you. It’s a tremendous privilege to declare that Holy Ghost is more than interested in your life. He in inside you, pulsating as the creator God, who redeemed you and wants you to fulfil His purposes for your life, which is the greatest thing for you.
Showing posts with label righteousness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label righteousness. Show all posts
Sunday, 25 May 2008
Sunday, 4 May 2008
God is Building His Church
The book of Zechariah sets out God’s instructions to the children of Israel were to live as they rebuilt the temple. As God builds His church today, it is important that we should follow the principles He has set down for us.
There was a time when the people of Judea went into exile in Babylon. When the Persians took over there had been Babylonian rule for 50 years. There were three kings of Persia in quick succession, and Zechariah was there during the reign of Darius I. God used two prophets Haggai and Zechariah to tell the people to rebuild the temple, (which had been in ruins for between 50 and 70 years) and how they should treat each other.
Haggai particularly refers to the building of the temple.
Haggai 2:9
This was a specific rebuilding programme. Zechariah told the people how they should treat one another, and how to go about things, and explained to them how jealous God was for His people. What looked impossible was to become possible because of God’s intervention.
We are living in a time where God is building His church. And the people of God at the time of Zechariah ... the dealings of God were all to do with His care for His people. Nothing has changed.
Zechariah 8:1-2
God was jealous for the people of Jerusalem and God is careful for what He is doing in building His church.
This includes everyone. It doesn’t matter how old you are. There will be the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and this will happen. It doesn’t matter what you experience at the moment – this will happen.
Zechariah 8:6-8
You will see that God is so concerned about the preservation of His people that He will do this. He will be their God in truth and righteousness – no hidden agendas.
Zechariah 8:9-12
This was music to their ears – so different from the state they were in. It was an impossibility become possible. They began to grasp what Zechariah was saying. It shall come to pass.
Zechariah 8:9-13
They were establishing things in a country which had been overrun for a long time. Some of the people would have been thinking back to their foundation and wondering how things had been before the temple had been destroyed.
Verse 16 is very practical, because God knew there had to be certain standards for things to work.
Zechariah 8:16-17
There are certain things God hates:
1. Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour. God hates the opposite of that. We need to speak the truth with our neighbour. I recently read a book – “The death of spin”. Spin had become so much of everyone’s world that the truth had disappeared.
2. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates. With truth you don’t get tumult, hate.
3. Let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour. That extends to the practice of me thinking the best of someone, not wishing ill of someone. I want to build you up, to see you blossom in God, in your life. I don’t wish ill on my neighbour.
4. Love no false oath. If you know something is a lie, don’t amplify it, don’t love it, and don’t dwell on it. For Jerusalem, the way forward was God’s truth and righteousness.
Zechariah 8:18-23
God is quite able to glorify His own name, and is doing so. He is building His church. The Book of Zechariah, more than any other minor prophet, is to do with foretelling the Messiah to come.
Zechariah 9:9
That’s Jesus. Zechariah is talking about the temple and about how you should treat each other – and look at what is coming down the line.
Zechariah 9:11
There are about seven or eight places which refer specifically to the coming Messiah.
God in His fury was jealous for His people. And when Jesus went to the Cross for you and me, He was jealous for your salvation. He had you on His mind. “For the joy which was set before Him.” What was that joy? His glorious church? Who is that church? You and me? Who else will be part of that? I don’t know, but we’re part of God’s church here and in the wider world.
Matthew 16:13-18
How can a gate be active? In old times, the gates of the city were the most fortified area. And often the council met in a room in those gates. So taking that thought, it doesn’t matter what is being planned, what the machinations of hell are – those machinations will not prevail against what I am doing in building my church. That’s why Jesus came – to break the power of sin in people’s lives. To create a church where there is love between brother and sister – not a place of hatred and discord. As a Christian, Jesus Christ lives within an individual. And it is for us to rejoice in what God is doing, in His way, to build His church.
Zechariah told them to rebuild the temple, but to bear in mind the way they treated one another. Don’t imagine evil against one another. Don’t cash in on pulling someone down.
God knows what He is doing, and He is doing it. Whatever He is doing will be to His glory. How ever things outwork, it will be to His glory, because He will build His church, and you are part of that, because of His love for you and me. What do you mean by love? I mean moving heaven and earth to make sure your life was different, to make sure you had a new start, to ensure that you were changed on the inside. God has opened your eyes, so you want to do what God wants in your life. Has He opened your eyes? Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, because God has opened your eyes. And I’m building my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. He is building His church, and it’s a wonderful thing.
He can take what is impossible and make it possible. He can take a pile of stones which have been overrun and rebuild. And He can take those things which will outwork His plan. He was jealous for His people, and He was so careful for you and me that He sent His son.
He saw you and me when He was on that Cross, and He knew that taking into Himself sin and the power of sin would set you free now, so that your life would bring glory to His name, so that you’d want to do what He wants for your life. Would He play cat and mouse with you? Not at all – He’s your heavenly Father. Whatever situation you’re facing, He’ll give you the answer. He is the answer.
There was a time when the people of Judea went into exile in Babylon. When the Persians took over there had been Babylonian rule for 50 years. There were three kings of Persia in quick succession, and Zechariah was there during the reign of Darius I. God used two prophets Haggai and Zechariah to tell the people to rebuild the temple, (which had been in ruins for between 50 and 70 years) and how they should treat each other.
Haggai particularly refers to the building of the temple.
Haggai 2:9
This was a specific rebuilding programme. Zechariah told the people how they should treat one another, and how to go about things, and explained to them how jealous God was for His people. What looked impossible was to become possible because of God’s intervention.
We are living in a time where God is building His church. And the people of God at the time of Zechariah ... the dealings of God were all to do with His care for His people. Nothing has changed.
Zechariah 8:1-2
God was jealous for the people of Jerusalem and God is careful for what He is doing in building His church.
This includes everyone. It doesn’t matter how old you are. There will be the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and this will happen. It doesn’t matter what you experience at the moment – this will happen.
Zechariah 8:6-8
You will see that God is so concerned about the preservation of His people that He will do this. He will be their God in truth and righteousness – no hidden agendas.
Zechariah 8:9-12
This was music to their ears – so different from the state they were in. It was an impossibility become possible. They began to grasp what Zechariah was saying. It shall come to pass.
Zechariah 8:9-13
They were establishing things in a country which had been overrun for a long time. Some of the people would have been thinking back to their foundation and wondering how things had been before the temple had been destroyed.
Verse 16 is very practical, because God knew there had to be certain standards for things to work.
Zechariah 8:16-17
There are certain things God hates:
1. Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour. God hates the opposite of that. We need to speak the truth with our neighbour. I recently read a book – “The death of spin”. Spin had become so much of everyone’s world that the truth had disappeared.
2. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates. With truth you don’t get tumult, hate.
3. Let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour. That extends to the practice of me thinking the best of someone, not wishing ill of someone. I want to build you up, to see you blossom in God, in your life. I don’t wish ill on my neighbour.
4. Love no false oath. If you know something is a lie, don’t amplify it, don’t love it, and don’t dwell on it. For Jerusalem, the way forward was God’s truth and righteousness.
Zechariah 8:18-23
God is quite able to glorify His own name, and is doing so. He is building His church. The Book of Zechariah, more than any other minor prophet, is to do with foretelling the Messiah to come.
Zechariah 9:9
That’s Jesus. Zechariah is talking about the temple and about how you should treat each other – and look at what is coming down the line.
Zechariah 9:11
There are about seven or eight places which refer specifically to the coming Messiah.
God in His fury was jealous for His people. And when Jesus went to the Cross for you and me, He was jealous for your salvation. He had you on His mind. “For the joy which was set before Him.” What was that joy? His glorious church? Who is that church? You and me? Who else will be part of that? I don’t know, but we’re part of God’s church here and in the wider world.
Matthew 16:13-18
How can a gate be active? In old times, the gates of the city were the most fortified area. And often the council met in a room in those gates. So taking that thought, it doesn’t matter what is being planned, what the machinations of hell are – those machinations will not prevail against what I am doing in building my church. That’s why Jesus came – to break the power of sin in people’s lives. To create a church where there is love between brother and sister – not a place of hatred and discord. As a Christian, Jesus Christ lives within an individual. And it is for us to rejoice in what God is doing, in His way, to build His church.
Zechariah told them to rebuild the temple, but to bear in mind the way they treated one another. Don’t imagine evil against one another. Don’t cash in on pulling someone down.
God knows what He is doing, and He is doing it. Whatever He is doing will be to His glory. How ever things outwork, it will be to His glory, because He will build His church, and you are part of that, because of His love for you and me. What do you mean by love? I mean moving heaven and earth to make sure your life was different, to make sure you had a new start, to ensure that you were changed on the inside. God has opened your eyes, so you want to do what God wants in your life. Has He opened your eyes? Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, because God has opened your eyes. And I’m building my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. He is building His church, and it’s a wonderful thing.
He can take what is impossible and make it possible. He can take a pile of stones which have been overrun and rebuild. And He can take those things which will outwork His plan. He was jealous for His people, and He was so careful for you and me that He sent His son.
He saw you and me when He was on that Cross, and He knew that taking into Himself sin and the power of sin would set you free now, so that your life would bring glory to His name, so that you’d want to do what He wants for your life. Would He play cat and mouse with you? Not at all – He’s your heavenly Father. Whatever situation you’re facing, He’ll give you the answer. He is the answer.
Sunday, 27 April 2008
Speak Right Live Right
The way we speak and the way we live are intimately connected. God has wonderful things in store for us, but we need to make sure our what passes our lips is what He wants.
James 3:1-3
Controlling your tongue and what you speak is a vital part of living the right way.
James 3:3-6
Just as a bit in a horse’s mouth can control the horse, so even though the tongue is small it can have an impact on things.
James 3:6
He was emphasising this whole aspect of the use of our tongue and what we say. We can cut someone dead or build them up, bless them or curse them.
James 3:7-9
Isn’t this a bit over the top – to say that the tongue is almost evil of itself? In the beginning was the word, and the word was of God. God is a communicating God. He wants to communicate with us and be in fellowship, and He is the word. James is saying that when you use words in the wrong way, you’re going against what God was doing, if you use your means of communication to do the work of evil.
James 3:9-12
The first twelve verses of this chapter are all about the problem of the tongue. In the second part of the chapter, he moves to what we should be doing with our tongue. Some people feel you have to be natural, to be yourself. But we need to be naturally supernatural. As a Christian, it’s Christ that lives inside. I don’t like swearing. I think a looseness has come in. Some people will say I’m just being religious. But you wouldn’t encourage a small child to swear would you?
James 3:13
The way you live – your conversation, your manner of life – out of that way, show who you are with meekness of wisdom.
James 3:14-17
He’s gone deeper here. If you have bitter envying and strife in your heart, what comes out of your tongue will reveal it, and bitterness and envying will kill you and destroy others. If you have these things in your heart, don’t boast about it. It’s earthly, natural, devilish.
Where envy and strife is, there is every evil work. If I’m gossiping about someone behind their backs, there is in my heart that which will destroy me. That doesn’t mean we don’t judge. But if I cash in on a conversation which pulls someone else down, there is confusion, tumult, every evil work. You know if a conversation is going that way, it’s easy to throw your bit in...
As we go forward together, and together we’re going forward as God wants us to go forward, as His people, and we’re part of a worldwide. If we have envy and strife, there will be confusion and evil works.
James 3:17
Eight things which are the wisdom from above. I want to get involved in that wisdom because Christ lives inside me. I am involved in it. I have a choice. I can use what I’m saying in accordance with that wisdom, or I can go contrary to it. Eight things which are from above, and we didn’t get these from our first birth, but from when God got hold of us on the inside and changed us.
James 3:18
We are facing a critical time over the next weeks. And that time God knows about. And that time will result in God being glorified in what He is doing.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Philippians 1:9-13
We kick off with love – that it may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all judgment.
By your fruit ye shall know them. Fruit is apparent. The wisdom from above is apparent. God’s love and life in your heart is apparent. And what I pray, is that ye being filled with the fruits of Jesus ... it’s wonderful, glorious, as a result of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who took sin into His own body, rose from the dead and conquered death so you can live forever, and so that the creator God will cause you to be thankful joyful, and enable you to achieve His destiny for you in your life.
We don't know what will happen to the younger generation. But i know we want them to know Him as Saviour. Am I confident in that? Yes. Can we educate them into it? No. How we will help? We will help the parents work as a unit, helping but not interfere.
God’s going to build his glorious church. How will he do it? We don't know we need to take it a day at a time, and God is in control, and there is no reason to fear anything. Perfect love casts out fear. Who is perfect love? Jesus Christ. Who lives inside you? He does. Are you afraid? No.
But whatever God wants for your life, that’s where we want to be. Whatever God wants is the best. And it’s rooted and founded in Him, in His love for you and for me.
It’s a wonderful Gospel.
I have no doubt that in the weeks ahead, people will be drawn across your path, and you’ll invite them, and He’ll meet them. We need to make sure that we reach out and do not isolate people, and we’ll reach out together for whatever He has in store for us – filled with the fruits of righteousness: not with the miracles, but with the fruits of righteousness. God will do miracles, yes, but we’ll reach out filled with the fruits of righteousness.
James 3:1-3
Controlling your tongue and what you speak is a vital part of living the right way.
James 3:3-6
Just as a bit in a horse’s mouth can control the horse, so even though the tongue is small it can have an impact on things.
James 3:6
He was emphasising this whole aspect of the use of our tongue and what we say. We can cut someone dead or build them up, bless them or curse them.
James 3:7-9
Isn’t this a bit over the top – to say that the tongue is almost evil of itself? In the beginning was the word, and the word was of God. God is a communicating God. He wants to communicate with us and be in fellowship, and He is the word. James is saying that when you use words in the wrong way, you’re going against what God was doing, if you use your means of communication to do the work of evil.
James 3:9-12
The first twelve verses of this chapter are all about the problem of the tongue. In the second part of the chapter, he moves to what we should be doing with our tongue. Some people feel you have to be natural, to be yourself. But we need to be naturally supernatural. As a Christian, it’s Christ that lives inside. I don’t like swearing. I think a looseness has come in. Some people will say I’m just being religious. But you wouldn’t encourage a small child to swear would you?
James 3:13
The way you live – your conversation, your manner of life – out of that way, show who you are with meekness of wisdom.
James 3:14-17
He’s gone deeper here. If you have bitter envying and strife in your heart, what comes out of your tongue will reveal it, and bitterness and envying will kill you and destroy others. If you have these things in your heart, don’t boast about it. It’s earthly, natural, devilish.
Where envy and strife is, there is every evil work. If I’m gossiping about someone behind their backs, there is in my heart that which will destroy me. That doesn’t mean we don’t judge. But if I cash in on a conversation which pulls someone else down, there is confusion, tumult, every evil work. You know if a conversation is going that way, it’s easy to throw your bit in...
As we go forward together, and together we’re going forward as God wants us to go forward, as His people, and we’re part of a worldwide. If we have envy and strife, there will be confusion and evil works.
James 3:17
Eight things which are the wisdom from above. I want to get involved in that wisdom because Christ lives inside me. I am involved in it. I have a choice. I can use what I’m saying in accordance with that wisdom, or I can go contrary to it. Eight things which are from above, and we didn’t get these from our first birth, but from when God got hold of us on the inside and changed us.
James 3:18
We are facing a critical time over the next weeks. And that time God knows about. And that time will result in God being glorified in what He is doing.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Philippians 1:9-13
We kick off with love – that it may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all judgment.
By your fruit ye shall know them. Fruit is apparent. The wisdom from above is apparent. God’s love and life in your heart is apparent. And what I pray, is that ye being filled with the fruits of Jesus ... it’s wonderful, glorious, as a result of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who took sin into His own body, rose from the dead and conquered death so you can live forever, and so that the creator God will cause you to be thankful joyful, and enable you to achieve His destiny for you in your life.
We don't know what will happen to the younger generation. But i know we want them to know Him as Saviour. Am I confident in that? Yes. Can we educate them into it? No. How we will help? We will help the parents work as a unit, helping but not interfere.
God’s going to build his glorious church. How will he do it? We don't know we need to take it a day at a time, and God is in control, and there is no reason to fear anything. Perfect love casts out fear. Who is perfect love? Jesus Christ. Who lives inside you? He does. Are you afraid? No.
But whatever God wants for your life, that’s where we want to be. Whatever God wants is the best. And it’s rooted and founded in Him, in His love for you and for me.
It’s a wonderful Gospel.
I have no doubt that in the weeks ahead, people will be drawn across your path, and you’ll invite them, and He’ll meet them. We need to make sure that we reach out and do not isolate people, and we’ll reach out together for whatever He has in store for us – filled with the fruits of righteousness: not with the miracles, but with the fruits of righteousness. God will do miracles, yes, but we’ll reach out filled with the fruits of righteousness.
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