Day 3 of 30: Fireproof Begins with Our Relationship with God

Some people asked Smith Wigglesworth, a great Apostle of Faith in the first half of the 20th century, about prayer.  They said, “Smith Wigglesworth, you’re a man of faith and miracles, you’ve raised people from the dead. You’ve cast out more demons than we’ve had hot dinners. Tell us, how long do you pray every day? 

“Well, the apostle replied, “I don’t ever pray any longer than twenty minutes.”

“What?” his questioners exclaimed.

After pausing for effect, Smith Wigglesworth continued, “Yes, but I never go twenty minutes without praying”.

Can you imagine a talking to God all day, every day?  What would you talk about?  

Having a relationship with God is key to trusting and believing His Word.  Think about it.  When is the last time you trusted someone walking down the street to hold your purse or wallet for you?  Would you leave your child in the hands of some sitting near you at a restaurant, a perfect stranger?  A young man comes up to you on the street and says he needs to borrow your car to run to the local grocery store.  Would you give him the keys and tell him to drive safely?

We trust those we know.  Proverbs 3:5,6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."  

Trusting God and acknowledging Him puts us in a position for Him to give our lives direction.  How can we trust a God that we only meet on Sunday mornings a few times a month for an hour or so?  

Liken a relationship that creates trust to a spouse or close, long-time friend. At first meet, both are a bit awkward.  Why?  Because they want to impress each other, but really do not know what each other likes, thinks, or even hates.  Both parties do not want to make a mistake.  It is only after spending time together that they get to know each other well enough that they are comfortable to talk and express themselves freely.  Often times, it is not even until after the honeymoon phase of a marriage before the two show each other their true selves.  

Your relationship with God is the same.  Our prayers at first may be awkward.  We do not want to say anything wrong.  We don't know what pleases and displeases God.  After much time in His Word, learning His will, His likes and dislikes, what pleases Him, and what displeases Him, we can begin to truly trust Him completely. (But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6)  

Today's passage is Daniel 3 (KJV).  This chapter describes the complete trust three men had in their God and His Word.  Read through the chapter, and as your read ask God to give you "wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him."  You see, the Old Testiment points us to Christ.  Do you see this in today's passage?

Dan 3:1  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. 

Dan 3:2  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 

Dan 3:3  Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 

Dan 3:4  Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 

Dan 3:5  That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 

Dan 3:6  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 

Dan 3:7  Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 

Dan 3:8  Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 

Dan 3:9  They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 

Dan 3:10  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: 

Dan 3:11  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 

Dan 3:12  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. 

Dan 3:13  Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 

Dan 3:14  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? 

Dan 3:15  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? 

Dan 3:16  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 

Dan 3:17  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. 

Dan 3:18  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. 

Dan 3:19  Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 

Dan 3:20  And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 

Dan 3:21  Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 

Dan 3:22  Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 

Dan 3:23  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 

Dan 3:24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 

Dan 3:25  He answered and said, 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. 

Dan 3:26  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 

Dan 3:27  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 

Dan 3:28  Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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. 

Dan 3:29  Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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. 

Dan 3:30  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.