Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. .. Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
(Daniel 3:1, 8-12-18)
(Daniel 3:1, 8-12-18)
Today's Morsel: Imagine being in a sold out stadium with thousands of ravenous hometown fans, and you are the only one wearing the opposite colors. That is what it would have been like for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These guys were slaves. They were in captivity. Their heads could be lifted from their shoulders at any moment that the king said so. But they seem to have had a little spunk about them. They aren't afraid to state their minds. They have backbone. There's no jellyfish in these guys. They know their God and even in slavery are willing to take a stand for Him. Our children face a world that at ever corner is offering them to compromise their faith for this world's images. When you look in the eyes of you children knowing that tomorrow is at stake when the choice is up to them, will they have the strength to say we won't bend and we won't break, we won't water down our faith; we won't compromise in a world of desperation, what has been we cannot change, but for tomorrow and today we must be a light for future generations. It's time that every born again believer build a strong base of truth and character that we can pass on to our children so they will make sound and moral choices. Sooner or later as a child of God, you're going to find yourself as the only one in the crowd and either you are going to standout, or you are going to bow. Once you bow, you will carry the guilt of that bow in your heart forever. So purpose in your heart right now, I will not bend and I will not break. Because if you bend and you break, it's not only going to affect you, it's going to affect your family and your future offspring's.
Sing: We won't bend and we won't break, we won't water down our faith, we won't compromise in a world of desperation. What has been we cannot change, but for tomorrow and today we must be a light for future generations.
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