Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If 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. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up." - Daniel 3: 16-18 (NLT)
Read those verses carefully. The statement they make to the king shows that they understand the God they serve but the last sentence applies that knowledge. Today we have too many Christians who like to tell the king off but then bow down to the statue anyway. They do not have deep roots in the things of God. Their soil doesn't go down deep enough. Christians leading fully bound lives. Saved by the grace of God but crawling into heaven because their faith is too shallow. It is shallow faith that produces shallow Christians.
The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. - Matthew 13: 22 (NLT)
Besides the enemy we also have the world battling for our attentions and desires. Let's be fair. With the current state of the world, we can have plenty to worry about if we so choose. It is interesting that God uses the thorn to describe these things. The dictionary defines a thorn as something that " wounds, annoys, or causes discomfort. " The sad truth that escapes so many is that the Word of God has the power to heal those wounds, soothe that annoyance, and ease that discomfort. I remember many times listening to believers bemoan a certain situation they were facing in the world. My answer is always - have you forgotten who you serve? Is there anything in this world that God is not above?
"That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life--whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? - Matthew 6: 25-27 (NLT)
Can all your worries add a single moment to our lives? The answer is no. But while our worries cannot add a single hour they sure can take them away. In modern Christianity there is still too much focus on the problem instead of the problem solver. God has told us that nothing will be impossible for he who believes. That we could speak to the mountain we are facing and command it to be removed. God did not say to analyze the mountain. He did not say to talk to your friends about about the size of the mountain. He did not say to hire a therapist to work out your feelings about the mountain. He did not say to take medication so you aren't as intimidated by the mountain. He said to speak to it and remove it! It is difficult to hear what God is trying to say to us when we are burdened by the problems we face in this life.
Likewise, the lure of wealth will also be a thorn in our efforts to hear from God. It is interesting that God differentiates between the worries of life and the pursuit of wealth. This is yet another Scripture that shows the ungodliness of prosperity doctrine. We cannot serve two masters beloved. We will end up loving one and hating the other. The Bible says that these two things, the worries of this world and the pursuit of wealth will actually choke out the Word of God in our lives. Realize that we can walk the walk and talk the talk but still have the heart wrong. We can say blessed and highly favored to any who ask how we are doing yet still be choking on the inside. We can be like the rich young ruler who fancied himself so righteous yet still held his wealth before God. We can be like Simon the Sorcerer who followed the Way and was baptized but still pursued wealth above all else and it was his undoing. We can be like Ananias and Sapphira who lied about how good they were. The pursuit of wealth blinding their eyes and choking them. That we would pursue God with the zeal we pursue wealth beloved. Then we would be open to the riches found in His Word.
The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!" - Matthew 13: 23 (NLT)
