Are You Ready?

 Are You Ready?

I was thinking today about how a fireman rushes into a fire to save the life of a trapped victim.
This particular picture gripped my heart because of the concern I see on this man's face as he grasps this small boy in his protecting arms.
He has prepared himself fully for the risking of his own life to save this child in dire need.
He has been equipped with the right protection so he himself can make it through without getting trapped or injured in any way.  Sometimes they do get injured and sometimes they may even die in
the attempt to save another.  This boy was saved by a very brave man who was ready.

Just as firemen are dressed in their firemen s gear, we as Christians need to put on the full armor of God in order to be ready to deliver someone from the fire.  The bible talks about eternal fire, a fire that cannot be quenched. It is a place called hell.

The motive of a fireman is one of love and care.  He knows that even the smallest burn can cause allot of pain that lasts a very long time.  He knows the desperate situation he is running into.
He knows without him it would be highly unlikely that the person inside would live.

God has given Christians a job to warn every man and teach every man.  We are to have compassion on the multitude that will not only face a fire but  live in eternal suffering and agony in a fire that will not be quenched.

The fireman brings water to quench the fire of a burning building. Without the water it would be most likely a hopeless condition.

We as Christians have the water of the Word of God and without it there would be hope for no one.
As we go into a world to pull others from the grasp of sin. We must be careful not to be overtaken by the
same dangers that have trapped them.   Just as this fireman had to be ready and knowledgeable.
We need to be ready by being strong and courageous in the Lord, by knowing the Word of God,
loving  the Word of God And obeying  the Word of God.

When we talk of fire, I am reminded of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were commanded by the King of Babylon to bow before an idol .  They were thrown into a fiery furnace for refusing to break one of the ten commandments.  God has commanded us not to bow to any other God but him and to put no other Gods before him.


Daniel 3:12-29

 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were ready to die for what was right.  They did not have to fear an eternal fire because they were saved and knew if they were to die they would go to heaven.  They had faith so real that Jesus was seen in the fire with them.  The fire had killed the men heating the furnace by just the heat that escaped,  but it didn't even leave the smell of smoke on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

We need to be so close to God that when we go out into the world that it does not effect us. It will not rub off on us.

They were ready!.... Are we ready?

Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Susan Nikitenko Nov. 17th, 2013
devotional

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Responding To Problems

Responding To Problems

 I know that everything that happens in life has a reason, but it's up to us how we respond.  There are things in life that happen that are very hard to get past.  I think of Joseph who went through a number of things that would be very hard to get over easily.   It must of been very hard being rejected by his brothers , who had shown no mercy at his cries when he cried from a pit in which they had thrown him.  Worst of all they took him and sold him into slavery and had not one drop of mercy as he looked back in tears.

I know it must of been very hard for Joseph to get past being accused of something he didn't do.  Especially because the accusation against him would harm his testimony as a Godly man.  Then to be thrown into prison for years and seemingly forgotten.  How he must of been tempted to become bitter at his situation. He must of spent many hours praying and wondering in his heart why.   Still he trusted and stayed faithful to God.

Then came the day  he became the "savior of the known world." God had blessed him with the unusual ability to know things through the interpretation of dreams.  He was blessed with the gift

even as a child.  The gift was one of the reasons his brothers hated him. His family did not believe him but the talent that God had given him would be used to save many people from starvation.  God had a greater purpose.

Now this story I'm about to tell  you may not seem to be as hard a thing to go through as what Joseph did,  but I know it is something  kids can learn from today.  When I was around seven or eight years old. I was an A student in my music class.  The school was having a Christmas program and I was in the bell choir.  I was all excited about it and ready to give it my all.  We stood up to perform our song and it was perfect as far as I can remember, but to my surprise, not a good surprise at all,  The boy behind me decided he wanted to move my chair from behind me.  The teacher motioned for us to all be seated and what happened?  I fell flat on my behind and bells were ringing everywhere.  Kids were angry at me for messing up the whole program.  They stood there laughing and some were mad.   The teacher pulled me aside and guess what,  She informed me my grade would be lowered  by one letter because of what someone else did to me.  Now I don't  remember what happened afterwards,  I'm sure I  was very heart broken, but I do know this.  When you get punished for something that someone else does  to you it's not something that you get over easily.  

Through life we go through things sometimes, so that later on, we can help others who may be going through tough times.  We may have even been unjustly treated just as Joseph.    God has given us the story of Joseph as an example how to react to life's problems. In the story of Joseph,  He becomes a very powerful man over all of Egypt.  He even had the power to put people into prison, but Joseph also knew to show mercy as he was lead by God.  Joseph was a powerful man but He also was a very humble man because of everything God allowed him to go through.  He was able to react to those who treated him unjustly with love and forgiveness, but he also used caution in his choices.  He was prepared by His problems for a greater purpose.

When problems come along in your life, remember Joseph and learn from his choices.  God has a purpose for you and if you stay faithful he will bring you to that purpose and your eyes will be opened to the why, just as Joseph learned why.

Genesis 50:20

But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Genesis 45:6-8

 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.  And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Children's Devotion:

Susan Y  Nikitenko November 17th, 2013

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.