I’m getting ready to crack open the Old Testament Book of Daniel, a prophet and I know some of the good meaty bits in it, and I am looking forward to digesting the WHOLE thing, one Word at a time…

One such scene I am looking forward to is when three men go bound in a fire yet their punisher looks into the fire and sees four men standing walking freely, then the three men come out unscathed. This makes their punisher (King Nebuchadnezzar who wanted the exiled Israelites to bow down and worship an idol) acknowledge instead that the Lord, this God of the Israelites, is Almighty and Strong and the faith was strong within these men. Not only are they OK, they weren’t all alone. Scholars say this figure of a man was Jesus Himself. (I BELIEVE THAT) And we DO know God in one form or another to be appearing to many in the Bible, old testament-style, including that earlier vision depicted of God’s Glory as a cloud rolling in… WOW, just saying that makes me feel it, Holy Spirit goosebumps.

I found a bottlecap recently with a great quote: “Use your fear… It can take you to the place where you store your courage.” Amelia Earhart

If there’s one thing we are taught over and over again in the bible (Old Testament and New Testament) is that God is with us. In the fire (and in the fun too), in the home, in the workplace too. Our teaching is simply living in the witnessing, and often in our willingness to walk into the fire.

Witnessing is in the SHINE of our smiles and the confidence of our hearts (even when we step into the fire) and the confidence with the work of our hands for His Glory.  Jesus is as the Light to shine through us:  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:5 KJV

So now IS our time to SHINE OUT the LOVE of Jesus, SPEAK out the HOPE of Salvation, and to BEAM His Light for all to see… The blessed hope of Jesus beaming – to come from the place within us. Jesus motivates us to LIGHT up the world. He sends us! Let us SHINE. Go Be His Beam. Go with God.

Let us go out and SHINE His Light to overcome all darkness. Let us love boldly and humbly. The darkness won’t comprehend this light, but it won’t be able to deny it either, not when Jesus is standing in the fire with you.

Amen

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 NIV

Amen Amen

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Daniel preview: 

Daniel 3:24-28 The Fourth Man in the Furnace

Astonished, King Nebuchadnezzar stood up in terror, and asked his advisors, “Didn’t we throw three men into the fire, bound firmly with ropes?” In reply they told the king, “Yes, your majesty.”   – “Look!” he told them, “I see four men walking untied and unharmed in the middle of the fire, and the appearance of the fourth resembles a divine being.” Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the opening of the blazing fire furnace. He shouted out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. The regional authorities, viceroys, governors, and royal advisors gazed at those men and saw that the fire had no effect on their bodies—not a hair on their head was singed, their clothes were not burned, and they did not smell of fire. Nebuchadnezzar spoke up and announced: “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! He sent his angel to deliver his servants who trusted in him. They disobeyed the king’s command and were willing to risk their lives in order not to serve or worship any god except their own God.