To what extent will you follow?

"But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:18 (NIV)

Wikipedia define furnace as simple as this: “A furnace is a device used for high-temperature heating.” But what does “high-temperature” means? So, to answer the question let us see how the blazing furnace was built in the time of Nebuchadnezzar. It is known that Babylonians knew ironwork to make military equipment and for that reason they used bricks to make a furnace to melt iron. Iron melts at 1538^oC. Hence; the furnace should be built using a different type of brick as brick only cured at 1000^oC. At that time Babylonians used brick kiln, which are required to fire coloured-glazed bricks. Those kinds of bricks can be cured at greater than 1000^oC. Now you know what “high-temperature” means. Now let us see what high-temperature can do to the human body. The normal human body temperature can be as high as 37.7^o. In fact, if it rises to 42^oC can cause brain damage. And exposed to extreme heat? It can drastically increase the internal temperature of the body. Imagine if 42^oC can cause brain damage, what would happen if the body is exposed to 1000^oC heat. Simply, this extreme heat can lead to organ damage and instant death.

Let us assume that the blazing furnace that Nebuchadnezzar ordered to be constructed can produce only 1000^oC. And as soon as he heard that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not fall down and worship the image, “… his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual …” Daniel 3:19. Now, the blazing furnace produces 7000^oC. But, the three Jews did not change their mind. Instead they said; "even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:18.

I don’t know in what kind of blazing furnace you are in right now. The more you become strong and decisive in your walk with God, it seems the furnace is getting hotter and hotter. It feels like you are thrown into a blazing furnace again and again, but the question is “to what extent will you follow Jesus?” The circumstances telling you that you are dying and the heat is getting stronger and stronger. Despite your circumstances tell to the devil that, “my circumstances telling me I am dying, but I do not serve God only when I fell safe, and if I am not safe the God I serve is able to deliver me from it.” But don’t stop it there. Use the big “BUT” and continue saying, “BUT even if He does not I will not serve you or your idea.” Then without you knowing it, your enemy will see who stand with you in the blazing furnace that he prepared for you.  

While the three are in the furnace Nebuchadnezzar saw the fourth person and was saying, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” Daniel 3:25 (NIV). The same is true when you stand firm and believe in God and in His promises, the people around you come with many different solutions, short cuts etc. When the time comes, they will be amazed by the presence of God in your life. They will say “Look, isn’t that person the one we tried to help her but refused to change her mind, look we can see her living an abundant life now. Who is helping her?” Keep your eyes focused on Jesus and pray the prayer of Habakkuk;

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.” Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV).

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”" Daniel 3:17-18 (NIV)  

The way you handle tough situations will reveal with whom you are in it to others.

Gone Viral?!, Kill Lazarus as Well!!

Yes! the chief priests made plans to kill NOT ONLY Jesus BUT ALSO Lazarus. Have you ever noticed that? After Jesus raised Lazarus, the Pharisees wanted to kill Jesus, as He was a threat to their position. They have plotted several times until they succeeded at the end. But it’s for the first time that they made plans to kill the person who received a miracle from Jesus. We can see in different places in the bible that the Pharisees had decided not to accept the miracles done by Jesus. Usually they deny or accuse Him of preforming those miracles at a Sabbath. What they have done the most to the people who has been healed by Jesus is warn them to be put out of the synagogue, if they acknowledged him as a Messiah (John 9:22). But in case of Lazarus, they took it to the highest level, “plan to kill him”. Because its gone viral!!!

… So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, … John 12:10 (NIV)

It is clearly stated in John 11:17 that Lazarus was dead for four days and many people in Bethany and its surroundings attended the funeral of their friend, neighbour, workmate and a member of the society whom the families are well known for their friendship with Jesus (John 11:19). And they were dead sure that Lazarus was dead as they were there at the burial, morn there with his sisters until the third day and according to Rabbinic theology, the body began to decompose after the third day in order to expiate. In terms of these days saying his death were gone viral throughout Bethany and its surroundings. 

At the fourth day Jesus came and raised him from dead. Again it gone viral and many people came to see Lazarus. The miracle gone viral.

Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him. John 12: 9-11 (NIV)

Now we can see clearly that Pharisees noticed Lazarus was a living testimony; hence, as long as he is alive many Jews will believe in Jesus just by seeing him. So the only way to stop this is by avoiding Lazarus from the eyes of the people. 

It is the same now with the devil; have you ever wondered why the enemy wanted to kill you, defame you and to make you hidden? It is because by doing that he wanted to blind others not to believing in Jesus. He is scared of your testimony, as he clearly knows that once it is gone viral on account of you many will go over to Jesus and believing in him. The fight that you are experiencing now is not because of your past healing or victory, it is because of what it brings in your future. In the future your testimony and faith in Jesus will impact others. That is why the enemy want to steal your joy, kill your dream and destroy your hope ….. it is all to stop you to show Jesus in your life. Don’t stop to live as a living evidence in your day-to-day life. Make your life gone viral everyday. The crowd will come, it is not because of you but because of what Jesus had done in your life.

"…, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him." John 12: 10-11 (NIV)

Always be aware that, "… the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;" John 10:10 (NIV).

Make it gone viral; Don’t be quiet; Don’t be hidden, for an account of you many will believe in the Saviour.

Nehemiah: a man of ability, courage, and action!

The son of Azbuk, a prince of Beth Zur. Restorer of the wall of Jerusalem, (Neh. 3:16). The leader of the returning exiles under Zerubbabel (Ezr. 2:2 and Neh. 7:7). Cupbearer to King Araxerxes (Neh. 1:11 and 2:1) Opposed by Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem. Compassionate and defender of the poor, (Neh. 5:10). Reformed the teaching of Moses’ law and led the people to a great prayer of confession, (Neh. 9). Thought the people how to handle both sword and trowel in the rebuilding of a great wall.

What I see in Nehemiah:

He was concerned about his people:

Neh. 1:2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

Neh. 2:2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”

He was a man of prayer:

Neh. 1:4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

Neh. 2:4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, …

He has God’s favour:

Neh. 2:8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. 

Neh. 2:18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.

He had vicious enemies:

Neh. 2:10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.

Neh. 2:19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

He was a man of vision:

Neh 2:17-18 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.

He was a man of strategy:

Neh. 2:12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on. (Neh. 3)

Neh. 4:19-20 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”

He was a man with confidence:

Neh. 2:20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

Neh. 6:8 I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”

He was a man of compassion:

Neh. 5:6-7 When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them …

Neh. 5:15 But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.

He was a man of provision:

Neh. 6:3…But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?”

Neh. 6:15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.

He was a man who honour God: 

Neh. 6:16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

Neh. 7:2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do. (Neh. 8 and 9)

He was a leader:

All in all, what I have seen in Nehemiah is a character of a great leader that we learn a lot from his life. He was a governor who lived from 444BC to about 410 BC. It is written in history that Nehemiah cooperated with Ezra who restored the temple of God, especially in the public instruction in the law (Neh. 8), that makes him a great leader.

We need many Nehemiahs who are men of ability, courage and action!!

Sources: NIV bible and Zondervan All-In-One bible reference guide copy right 2008.