"IN THE FIERY PIT!"

Daniel 3:28-29               (KJV)
"28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, 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.
29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort."

Sometimes, the Spirit of GOD moves me in a direction that I prefer not to go.  This morning, I wanted to read in the book of Hebrews, or in Mark.   But I stopped and prayed, and the Spirit directed me to Daniel 3.

Most are familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  They were "set over the affairs" of Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar.  King Nebuchadnezzar had decreed that all his kingdom would bow down and worship his god..  But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not, and did not, succumb to the edict. The King declared they should be put to death in the fiery pit.  The King was so incensed that he ordered the pit heated to seven times hotter than usual!  The three men were cast into the fiery pit.  The fire was so hot, even the men who were assigned to cast them into the fire perished!

King Nebuchadnezzar was then amazed at what he saw, and questioned his servants if they had not bound the three as he commanded talking. Indeed they had, was the reply.  King Nebuchadnezzar said there are now FOUR MEN walking in the pit, and the "fourth is like the SON OF GOD"!!  How King Nebuchadnezzar knew what the SON OF GOD looked is not revealed.  But I have little doubt that GOD is able to reveal HIMSELF to anyone HE deems necessary to accomplish HIS plan.

I pray that I never have to be cast into a "fiery pit" for not worshipping false gods.  But if I do, I pray that I will have the fortitude and conviction to not waiver in my belief that ALMIGHTY GOD can, and does protect and sustain HIS own.  The Bible makes it clear that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not alone in the fiery pit.  JESUS Himself protected them. My desire is that even if I am cast into a fiery pit, that JESUS CHRIST receive honor and glory from my life!