Friday, January 24, 2014

Fireproof

Daniel 3:25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

How fireproof is your life? Will it be able to stand up against a furnace 7 times hotter than normal?

I was watching Holmes Inspection last night and they were going through a house that when they peeled back the ceiling had this highly flammable material shoved in all the space. All it would take was a little flame and their whole house would burn down in just a short amount of time. With it all taken out and replaced with fire retardant material it made the house more fireproof.
It got me thinking about our own lives. Last week I spoke about the puzzle's frame being like a foundation and we need to make sure our foundations are strong so that what is built on it will be built well. Well the next step would me to make sure our lives aren't hiding flammable materials and that we are fireproof.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nigo were ordered to bow down and worship a golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had made. They refused and this got the king very cross and he threw them into the fiery furnace to be burnt to death. But what happened instead amazed everyone. They were all sure they had put 3 men into the fire but there stood 4 and what's more none of them were burning up.

We need to know what we will stand for. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nigo knew it was wrong to bow down to idols and they stood firm no matter the cost.

Is your marriage fireproof? Is your faith fireproof? Are relationships with others fireproof?

When we make Christ the focus and center of our lives and all we do we are transformed. Things that would've incinerated us before do not even make us smell like smoke.
When we become followers of Christ who follow Him wholeheartedly not because it is cool or for the wonderful experiences we have but that when things have not been good and when life isn't fair we still choose to follow no matter the cost.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nigo followed God no matter the cost. They were ready to die in the flames for what they believed. They disobeyed a king.

Flammable things can be our attitudes. How we handle situations. Are we handling them with Grace and Forgiveness or do we handle them with unforgiveness and hardened hearts?
Do we know what we believe? Is Jesus a celebrity or is He your Master. Do you want to be served or are you where you are to serve Christ no matter the cost. Is it all about you and your needs and rights or is it all about who Jesus is and what He requires you to do and how you may best serve Him and others in His name?
Are you a slave for Christ or are you His groupy?
There were a few groupies following Jesus about but the minute they didn't agree with Jesus and they realised that Jesus wasn't who they wanted Him to be they left and turned away. John 6:60-71

We need to keep Jesus the center of our lives and make Him our foundation so that when the fires come we will not so easily be burnt.



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