Daniel 3  16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King 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 deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.18 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.”

 

Three men stood up to a nation……and it is worth reading about what happened to them after they did…..it not only honored them—but it honored the LORD!  The same is true in the world today.

Abraham Lincoln stood up to slavery.

Martin Luther King stood up to racism.

Our forefathers stood up to the British and unfair taxation.

Martin Luther stood up to the Roman Catholic Church.

All of these men did something great because they were willing to stand up to what everyone else was doing.  None of them were applauded when they first did this very thing…..and the reality is that many of us are not rewarded when we do so.

 

But we must remember that if we:  “don’t stand for something, we will fall for anything.”  A line must be drawn and we must, ultimately, set the standard over our own lives.  Where should we look in doing so?  The Word of God…..He has written us a playbook and we need to follow it not only for the now….but for the eternity.

 

This is hard in today’s world……but I want to encourage you in three things:

  1. If someone has a standard that is higher than yours…..applaud them for it!  That is not a bad thing.  We could use a few great influences.  And the Lord might be using them to speak to you.
  2. Seek to please the Lord in all that you do.  Most of the time, he simply wants you to reach out and love people where they are at and show them His enormous grace and power over their lives.
  3. When He asks you to stand for something, do not be afraid.  Do you know how many times in the Word it says:  “Do not be afraid?”  I would encourage you to look into that.  Because when He convicts you not to be afraid….hold your ground and stand.  It will reward someone—-you.

 

Several examples of this from scripture:

  • 2 Kings 6  17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
  • Matthew 28  20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
  • Exodus 33  17 And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

We are NEVER alone with the Lord.  So, if you must be afraid….Fear the Lord.  He is the Alpha and the Omega.

In The Name of The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.