Tuesday August 25th, 2020
Memorize: Matthew 5:10
« Those who are treated badly for doing good are happy. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. »
Read: Daniel 3:12-18
King Nebuchadnezzar instructed everyone to bow down to the golden statue he had set up. So, when the music started playing, everyone bowed down to the statue—everyone, except Daniel’s three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego!
The king was furious and thought that they had not understood his instruction, so he decided to give them another chance. He told them that they would be thrown into the fire if they did not bow down. But the three men said to the king, “Our God is able to rescue us from the blazing furnace; but even if He does not, we will not bow down to your golden statue!”
Will God keep me from being bullied for my faith?
When King Nebuchadnezzar threatened Daniel’s three friends with death, they knew that God would never leave them—in freedom or in slavery, in life or in death. They remembered the commandment: « You shall not have any other gods; and you shall not bow down to worship them» (Exodus 20:3-5).
In Psalm 91:14-15 it says, « God says, if someone loves me, I will save them. I will protect those who know me. They will call to me, and I will answer them. I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them. » This Psalm assures us that God will rescue us from trouble when we pray to Him.
Does that mean we will never be harmed in any way? Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, suffered many beatings for preaching about Jesus. He was stoned and put in prison, yet even he was able to say, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:18). What Paul said helps us to realize that God will rescue us in times of trouble, even though we may be insulted or teased for loving Jesus; and with all the hardships and insults, comes a lasting reward in Heaven.
Study questions
1- In your own words, explain in details today’s memory verse
2- In your own words, explain the following sentence in details: ”Our God is able to rescue us form the blazing furnace; but even if He does not, we will not bow down to your golden statue”
3- What should we do when others are mean to us simply because we are Christians?
Author: Dave Strehler
Text edited by Naomie
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