Experiencing Deliverance through devotion to God
Scripture Background: Daniel 3
Key Verse: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O King. but even if he does not, we want you to know, O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18)
Study Questions:
1. What decree did the king issue (verse 1-5)? What did he require? What was the consequence of noncompliance (verse 6)?
2. How did everyone in the kingdom respond (verse 7)?
3. What complaint was lodged against God's men (verse 12)? What did their response to the decree get them in return?
4. What was required of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to respond the way they did to the decree (verse 16-18)?
5. What was their perspective on the whole situation (verse 17-18)? What did they willingly choose rather than bowing down to the image of gold?
6. What did their bold stand accomplish in the short term (verse 19)?
7. When did God deliver Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fire? What insights does God's timing in this situation give you about how He works?
8. What practical encouragement do you find in verse 25?
9. What would Nebuchadnezzar have missed if Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had not taken a stand for God? (That is, what did he see as a result of their stand that he wouldn't have seen otherwise?)
Call to action:
What practical actions can you take this week in the following areas:
Trusting God in the face of opposition:
Defying the culture when it opposes God's ways:
Sacrificing for the kingdom, even when it's difficult:
Refusing to get "on board" even when it means disappointing others:
Final thoughts:
Minister James S. Williams
Refusing to take the easy or popular path is hard to do especially when you don't know what will happen to you. Sometimes the easy way can appear to offer certain clear benefits. the 3 Hebrew boys could have thought that to bow down to Nebchadnezzar's idol would benefit them with life, while not bowing down meant death. What was clear to them and what I am learning is that God trumps man's authority and I must follow the Lord even if it means defying powerful men. It must be our pursuit to seek the Lord's approval at all times.
Minister Michael Corks
I hope you enjoyed the show! In Daniel chapter 3 we learned that not everyone is going to recognize our God as THEE God. So we have to stay strong in our faith and trust in Him to to take care of us. There will be people that see your intimate relationship with God and may become jealous of you and try to belittle the choice that you made to follow Him. Fear not, You are setting a great example of how God wants us to behave. Other people will see that new behavior and realize that they should also be seeking the Lord.
Minister Christopher Johnson
I found our lesson to be a right on time message for me. I know that God requires our faith as a prerequisite before he delivers us sometimes, as seen in Matthew 13:58 (NIV)"And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith." I took heed to how the 3 Hebrew boys stood on their faith and did what they were supposed to do in standing true to God's word...and in return God stayed true to his word in never leaving or forsaking them.
Even more so, the 3 Hebrew boys stood not only on their faith but on the knowledge and trust that God works in the way the he knows to be infinitely wise and true, this can be seen in there response to the king "But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of the gold you have set up" Daniel 3:18 (NIV).
I receive those two attributes that were displayed on that day in time
Scripture Background: Daniel 3
Key Verse: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O King. but even if he does not, we want you to know, O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18)
Study Questions:
1. What decree did the king issue (verse 1-5)? What did he require? What was the consequence of noncompliance (verse 6)?
2. How did everyone in the kingdom respond (verse 7)?
3. What complaint was lodged against God's men (verse 12)? What did their response to the decree get them in return?
4. What was required of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to respond the way they did to the decree (verse 16-18)?
5. What was their perspective on the whole situation (verse 17-18)? What did they willingly choose rather than bowing down to the image of gold?
6. What did their bold stand accomplish in the short term (verse 19)?
7. When did God deliver Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fire? What insights does God's timing in this situation give you about how He works?
8. What practical encouragement do you find in verse 25?
9. What would Nebuchadnezzar have missed if Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had not taken a stand for God? (That is, what did he see as a result of their stand that he wouldn't have seen otherwise?)
Call to action:
What practical actions can you take this week in the following areas:
Trusting God in the face of opposition:
Defying the culture when it opposes God's ways:
Sacrificing for the kingdom, even when it's difficult:
Refusing to get "on board" even when it means disappointing others:
Final thoughts:
Minister James S. Williams
Refusing to take the easy or popular path is hard to do especially when you don't know what will happen to you. Sometimes the easy way can appear to offer certain clear benefits. the 3 Hebrew boys could have thought that to bow down to Nebchadnezzar's idol would benefit them with life, while not bowing down meant death. What was clear to them and what I am learning is that God trumps man's authority and I must follow the Lord even if it means defying powerful men. It must be our pursuit to seek the Lord's approval at all times.
Minister Michael Corks
I hope you enjoyed the show! In Daniel chapter 3 we learned that not everyone is going to recognize our God as THEE God. So we have to stay strong in our faith and trust in Him to to take care of us. There will be people that see your intimate relationship with God and may become jealous of you and try to belittle the choice that you made to follow Him. Fear not, You are setting a great example of how God wants us to behave. Other people will see that new behavior and realize that they should also be seeking the Lord.
Minister Christopher Johnson
I found our lesson to be a right on time message for me. I know that God requires our faith as a prerequisite before he delivers us sometimes, as seen in Matthew 13:58 (NIV)"And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith." I took heed to how the 3 Hebrew boys stood on their faith and did what they were supposed to do in standing true to God's word...and in return God stayed true to his word in never leaving or forsaking them.
Even more so, the 3 Hebrew boys stood not only on their faith but on the knowledge and trust that God works in the way the he knows to be infinitely wise and true, this can be seen in there response to the king "But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of the gold you have set up" Daniel 3:18 (NIV).
I receive those two attributes that were displayed on that day in time