With traveling to PA and then to Ohio my week definitely got away from me as did posting about Sunday’s sermon. Let me put it this way: I started a new series last week that will go through the whole summer. I am calling it Heroes. The first one last week was from Daniel 1. If you read that chapter you know it is the story of Daniel and his 3 friends: Rack, Shack and Benny (as Veggie Tales puts it). It was titled Cooperation without Compromise. Daniel and his 3 friends had the choice all of us have when confronted by a “test.”
- The first option is Absorption. This person basically is absorbed and assimilated into the culture.
- The second option is Withdrawal. This is commonly seen in cults and, in the days of the early church, the Essenes. We see this now in the Amish people who believe withdrawal is the best way to avoid evil. (Have I got news for them!)
- The third is Cooperation without Compromise. This is the Daniel way. I’d like to encourage you to read Daniel 1 to find out how that happens.
This week’s sermon is called We Won’t Bow Down! Bet you can’t guess what that story is about!! 🙂 If you guessed Daniel’s three friends give yourself a virtual high-five. Daniel 3 is where the story is. I’m not going to say much more about it here except this- Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego made a choice not to bow down to the image. They were about to be thrown into the fiery furnace when they were given one last chance to change their minds. I love their words: “We believe our God will deliver us but even if not we will not bow down!” WOW!!
So Sunday I’m going to take that very familiar story and try to breathe some life into it so that we can all walk away, especially the dads, with a resolve to stand not bow. Your prayers would be appreciated. Thanks.
Wow, I’d love to be there for that sermon!
Yes, as always, praying for you, Bill, and for Jo, too.
Blessings!
I would love for you to be here Martha. That would mean I’d finally get to meet you, Danny and probably Virginia Rose. 🙂 it wasn’t recorded though since we were without power.
Happy Father Day brother. I pray the men of the church will take up the challenge to stand against the wind the devil sends to take out the Dad’s of the families.
Thanks Betty. It was definitely a weird FD with no power after a tornado went though.
Praying for you, brother. I love that story.
Thanks Floyd. Someone was. 🙂
You’ve got me thinking of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” (and now playing it). 🙂 Sounds like a great sermon series.
Huh Lisa. I had forgotten about that song.