DRAWING NEAR
November 3
Having a Faith that Responds
"Faith is . . . the conviction of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1).
True faith goes beyond assurance to action.
When the writer said, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
the conviction of things not seen", he used two parallel and almost
identical phrases to define faith.
We've seen that faith is the assurance that all God's promises will
come to pass in His time. "The conviction of things not seen" takes
the same truth a step further by implying a response to what we
believe and are assured of.
James addressed the issue this way: "Someone may well say, 'You have
faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I
will show you my faith by my works.'. . . But are you willing to
recognize . . . that faith without works is useless? . . . For just
as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works
is dead" (James 2:18, 26). In other words, a non-responsive faith is
no faith at all.
Noah had a responsive faith. He had never seen rain because rain
didn't exist prior to the Flood. Perhaps he knew nothing about
building a ship. Still, he followed God's instructions and endured
120 years of hard work and ridicule because he believed God was
telling the truth. His work was a testimony to that belief.
Moses considered "the reproach of Christ [Messiah] greater riches
than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward" (Heb.
11:26). Messiah wouldn't come to earth for another 1,400 years, but
Moses forsook the wealth and benefits of Egypt to pursue the
messianic hope.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, when faced with a life-threatening
choice, chose to act on their faith in God, whom they couldn't see,
rather than bow to Nebuchadnezzar, whom they could see all too well
(Dan. 3). Even if it meant physical death, they wouldn't compromise
their beliefs.
I pray that the choices you make today will show you are a person of
strong faith and convictions.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Ask God to increase and strengthen your faith through the events of
this day. Look for specific opportunities to trust Him more fully.
For Further Study:
Read Daniel 3:1-20. How was the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego tested?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Daniel 3:1-20
3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was
sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of
Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps,
the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers,
the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces,
to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had
set up.
3 So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors,
the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of
the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that
King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 Then a herald cried aloud: "To you it is commanded, O peoples,
nations, and languages,
5 "that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp,
lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall
fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set
up;
6 "and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast
immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn,
flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the
people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image
which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused
the Jews.
9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever!
10 "You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the
sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with
all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image;
11 "and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into
the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
12 "There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the
province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O
king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or
worship the gold image which you have set up."
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before
the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, "Is it true, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the
gold image which I have set up?
15 "Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn,
flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music,
and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But
if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst
of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you
from my hands?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king,
"O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 "If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us
from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your
hand, O king.
18 "But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve
your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his
face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and
commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was
usually heated.
20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army
to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the
burning fiery furnace.
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
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NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
http://www.gty.org/Gospel/
http://www.nwbible.org/
To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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