Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.

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Daniel 3:1-30
Nebuchadnezzar's Gold Statue
1King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide F9 and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2Then he sent messages to the princes, prefects, governors, advisers, counselors, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3When all these officials F10 had arrived and were standing before the image King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, 4a herald shouted out, "People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king's command! 5When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other instruments, F11 bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue. 6Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."
7So at the sound of the musical instruments, F12 all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8But some of the astrologers F13 went to the king and informed on the Jews. 9They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "Long live the king! 10You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the musical instruments. F14 11That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They have defied Your Majesty by refusing to serve your gods or to worship the gold statue you have set up."
13Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be brought before him. When they were brought in, 14Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? 15I will give you one more chance. If you bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments, all will be well. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. What god will be able to rescue you from my power then?"
16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18But even if he doesn't, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up."
The Blazing Furnace
19Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully clothed. 22And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames leaped out and killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in! 23So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell down into the roaring flames.
24But suddenly, as he was watching, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, "Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?" "Yes," they said, "we did indeed, Your Majesty."
25"Look!" Nebuchadnezzar shouted. "I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire. They aren't even hurt by the flames! And the fourth looks like a divine being F15 !"
26Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. 27Then the princes, prefects, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn't even smell of smoke!
28Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king's command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be crushed into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!" 30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.
FOOTNOTES:F9: Aramaic 60 cubits [27 meters] tall and 6 cubits [2.7 meters] wide. F10: Aramaic the princes, prefects, governors, advisers, counselors, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials. F11: The identification of some of these musical instruments is uncertain. F12: Aramaic the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and other instruments of the musical ensemble. F13: Aramaic Chaldeans. F14: Aramaic the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other instruments of the musical ensemble; also in 3:15. F15: Aramaic like a son of the gods.


Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

~ Lena’s Journalin’~
So what has been set up in your life to be in your face against your new born faith in Christ? Is it a big one? How big? How great is the opposition? Is it bigger than God Most High who saved you? Is it greater than the strength and power of the Lord that is in you? Is it as big as day? Probably. It is so visible, because it tries to take up time and space.
Do you know worship takes up time and space and gives it to God Most High rather than other things that could require our enegies?
So how hot are the opposer’s of your faith? Has their onslaught been fervently heated against you and against your Christianity? Do you bow and succumb to their threats and even requirements of you?
What about what God has required? Is not God #1? Do we mean that or do we only say that? Our words will need to stand the test of the fire.
Is God, God? Then serve Him, and do not bow at all ever, even if thrown into the fire. Let the Lord be glorified in both life and in death. The death of self life and desire is the greatest death to partake in.
Jesus laid down His life for the Father’s desire. Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego also had an encounter with death. They encountered death of self preservation, self desire and self rule. They submitted obediently to the rule, desire and protection of the MOST HIGH, The MOST High God!
Purpose preserved life, Glorified God, Saved some.
The salvation here was much greater than the 3 in the fire. It affected generations. The king said NO One from here on out shall even speak a curse against the God of these 3 men! Wow, what an outcome.
We all want that same outcome, but are we immoveable in our faith, will we not sell out for anything or anyone? How serious are we about the outcome? How much will it cost us? A lot! Is it worth it? We’ll find out when it comes time to fork over the “dough” of our lives, how worth it, it really to us?
Life will tell.

Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Isaiah 58:12 (New Living Translation)
12 Your children will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as the people who rebuild their walls and cities.