Monday, April 25, 2016
Pastor Ysidro, in his sermon in the Spanish service yesterday, touched lightly on the story of Daniel’s three friends who were cast into a burning furnace for refusing to bow down to the Babylonian king’s statue. When the king looked into the furnace expecting to see these three young man burned to a crisp, he was shocked that not only were they unsinged, instead of three being in the furnace, there were four. He cried out: “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”(Daniel 3:25) King Nebuchadnezzer didn’t know much about the God of the Hebrews, but he was right when he called the fourth figure in the furnace the son of God.
Several thousand years after that remarkable event, God’s children today have an even greater benefit than Daniel’s three friends enjoyed. Beginning on the day of Pentecost, (See Acts, Chapter 2) the Holy Spirit now resides in the hearts all who have trusted Christ as their Savior. In fact, no Christian can be wrong if they say that God or Christ lives in his or her heart. Therefore, regardless of any situation we may encounter, we can be sure that the Lord is always with us.
I know that, because we’re human, we all think from time to time that we are alone and forgotten, especially during difficult trials. That is not so! Here’s just one of many promises we can always count on: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43:2) I hope you believe and take the promise for yourself, but whether you believe it or not, that promise is for you. Daniel’s three friends probably weren’t expecting that the Son of God would be with them in the fire, but He was. Whether the trial you may be going through right now seems like a flood or like a fire to you, guess who’s right there with you?
Memory verse for the week: (Isaiah 41:10) “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
