IN THE FIRE.....

Do you ever feel like it can't get any worse? Your life is crazy? There is so much crap happening in your life, when does it ever get better? Do you feel like someone might as well just throw you into the middle of the fire?

Well, my friends, I believe we are right in the middle of the fire. God did not promise us a perfectly comfy life with no troubles here on Earth. He said we would have turmoil, but to be joyful because He had conquered death. So, we are gonna have people mad and disappointed in us and our actions. We are going to get angry at family members. Our finances and job situation might not be ideal. We could be sick. We could just be feeling sorry for ourselves. But, you know what? We really have such a freedom in the middle of the fire. That is because of God.

Our God is stronger than any problem we could have here on Earth. In Daniel 3 there is a familiar Sunday School story. Three guys named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendnago were not scared of the fire. King Nebuchadnezzar ordered all his people to fall down and worship his God and his idol that he had created. They were told if they did not do this, then they would be thrown into the fiery furnace and surely die. These three faithful Christians refused to bow to any idols or worship any false Gods. They knew their God was more powerful and amazing than anything Nebuchadnezzar could do to them. And, when they were thrown into the fire, everyone saw 4 men dancing around inside the flames. Nebuchadnezzar was so impressed by this show of faithfulness of the men and their God that he called them back out of the fire. They were unharmed by the flames. King Nebuchadnezzar now ordered his people to worship the God of these men because he was so powerful.

Okay, if God can protect these three guys from a furnace, I am thinking he can be more powerful than the problems that I face today. No money troubles, marriage troubles, family issues, health problem could really be worse than facing death by fire. God is so faithful. These guys believed that even before their troubles began. They believed it in the middle of their trouble. God got the glory for this faithfulness in the end.

I want this to be the story of my life. I don't want anyone telling me what I have to worship. I don't want anyone saying I will not make it through the fires of this life. I know that my God is powerful and amazing. As long as I trust in Him and have faith that He can bring me through any trouble this life might bring, I know that I can survive even the worst circumstances. Even in the middle of what I would rather not endure, I am going to praise God. And, when I am have come through the troubles, I am going to give Him all the glory! I will not let anything steal my joy because I know God is always with me, especially when I am in the middle of the fire!