Word for the Day September 1
By:
Evang. Cascille Hammack
"A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all."
Psalm 34:19
When you are in the midst of trouble, it
seems it will never end. Indeed, sometimes God allows His children to go through a dark valley, only to be met on the
other side by a darker valley. These are tests of your faith. When you can't see any light at the end to the dark
tunnel, you must blindly trust God, for He is the light. Many times He will leave you in your trial so others may see
how you go through the pain and suffering. Think of Daniel in the lion's den. When they saw he was not harmed
by the hungry lions, he was promoted and God was praised. Think of Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego. They were left
in the flames, but a fourth one was seen of gold walking with them. When the king saw this and that they were not harmed,
God was praised.
Sometimes the flames are not leaving and the lions will go no where. You may think you are so spiritual
that when you walk into the flames, they will instantly go out. Or when you are unfairly thrown into the lion's den,
the lions will turn and run or their teeth will fall out. Instead, the flames are turned up seven times hotter and the
lion's teeth are bared and remain strong. In fact, they will surround you. But God must testify to the world through
you that He is real and He alone delivers His children. We do not tell Him how to deliver us. He does not always
inform us how He will deliver us. We are to trust Him as Shadrach, Meshack and Adednego said to the king
at the threat of being thrown into the furnace, "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." They said, "even if He does not..." We
are to live and breathe and walk our faith. In Him is our life and it is eternal.
When the trials come, stop looking for a way out. Lock the door
in the furnace and in the lion's den and STAND on your FAITH and TRUST in God to deliver you. You can not deliver yourself.
You can not be God. You will definitely kill yourself. Let Him display His power for you. He will.
That is WHY you are in the trial. And stop worrying about the intensity of the flames
and the furiousness of the lions. Are you expecting the lions to like you and cuddle with you? Sometimes trials
come directly from our circumstances and sometimes from people. If they don't receive you and the Word you give them,
do what the Word says and wipe the dust from your feet in protest and keep going. Let God deal with them. Stop
expecting lions to be lambs. If people reject the Word you give them move on. Man's rejection is God's protection.
Leave them in His hands. He will handle them as well as make the flames so that they will not harm you. The flames
will not go away, they will get seven times hotter but He will give you the ability to endure it and He will get
all of the glory. This is the purpose of your trial. To show the world the God you serve is real.