Get Into the Furnace

When Shaddrach, Messhach, and Abednego decided to remain true to God, they knew they might die in the fiery furnace. However, they reasoned that it was far better to be obedient -- even if it led to death, than to deny God. 

When Americans look at presidential hopefuls, we tend to think "choose the lesser evil". We do not believe that God will mind our partnership with the devil, saying to ourselves that "it is the only logical choice". 

Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. -- 2 Joh 1:9-11

What we forget is that the God of our time is the exact same God of their time. He has not changed. He is still the incredibly great I AM, and He demands our total allegiance. He calls us to faithful obedience -- in every area of our lives. He requires that we be like Shaddrach, Messach, and Abednego -- willing to give up our lives for Him, to have enough faith in Him to obey Him.

Many are not even considering this, though. No, all they see is the "fiery furnace" before them. So, they will vote for a known evil over apparent holiness, expecting that God will "make it work". He won't, but they clearly expect Him to.

So, to all my pro-two candidates only, friends, you need to realize the real question your choice answers is this: How much faith in God do you actually have? Are you a Shaddrach, a Daniel, or are you Balaam -- choosing to pad your pockets at God's expense?

We all look back on these men, Daniel, David, etc.; and honestly believe -- on some level that their choices were easier than ours. We applaud what they did and recognize it as the "right" thing for them to have done. Turn the page, though, and we are just as convinced that our evil choices are also the right thing.

Be not deceived. God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. -- Gal 6:7

Choosing evil brings evil. It cannot do anything else. If you think about how so many professing Christians also chose not to fight abortion, you can see our generation proof of this reality. It was the silent approval of those who claim to be His that allowed that atrocity to flourish, and branch into all sorts of "mercy" killings. Yet, many said, "We must give women a choice or it will be worse." Now our nation is drowning in innocent blood.

Sorry, folks, but that is the reality. You cannot partner with evil and reap goodness. You cannot choose an evil leader and expect to be wisely or gently ruled. An evil heart does not have that capacity -- unless God miraculously bestows it, and He won't do that when we have deliberately chosen evil. Neither can you choose evil and receive God's blessings. No, He'll curse us even more for that. That's what true holiness means. It's a deliberate separation from unholiness. It's the hard choice -- like Shaddrach, Messhach, and Abednego. 

If you really care about this nation, the only real choice is third party -- where a man like Tom Hoefling, who puts God first, gives us the opportunity to choose holiness. We have to get into the furnace, and trust that even if we die, at least we will not be separated from Him. I'm not saying that Tom Hoefling is the only right choice. No, I'm saying holiness is the only right choice. Choosing godliness over apparent wickedness is always the right choice.

If you cannot make that hard choice, you need to realize that you have already lost. You have chosen to abandon God for the easier path. You have taken the wide path, because the narrow was too difficult. It is very easy for us to look at Balaam and see how far off he was. What's hard is looking at ourselves and realizing we're making the same type of choice.

I urge you to seek God and devour Scripture for the truth. Repeatedly our Scriptural example made the hard choice, and God blessed them for it. Repeatedly we are given examples of how the easy choice ended. For me it is broadly apparent that the only real choice is to get into the furnace. Hard as that is, it is the only way.

How Great is My Fear of You, Heavenly Father!

Why, Lord, do the people not fear You? Why, Lord, do they not tremble at their own disobedience? Surely You are righteously angry, for You suffered and died that we might be forgiven -- not that we might live lives of sin.

Father, I see You. I fear You. I tremble and weep for Your wrath is very great. You look upon our lukewarm hearts with contempt and are reviled at our disregard. I see Your anger, Your disappointment, and I am broken by it.

Father, what  can I do? I am but a little one. The nation does not see that I know of Your heart. They do not comprehend that You have revealed Yourself to one so insignificant. Not even John, who came to prepare a way for the Lord, could reach those who were not given to Him:

To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is give him from heaven." -- Joh 3:27

What am I to do? I drown myself in sorrow and weep until I am weak. I rush to do Your bidding; pleading and begging, speaking and sharing what You have said. Yet, far too many turn a deaf ear and spurn Your rebuke.

You said I would be like Jeremiah, speaking to a people who would not hear. You said we would be judged for preferring our wealth to You. Surely, that judgment is upon us. How we have wearied You! Again and again, You point me to these Scriptures!

You have wearied the Lord with your words.

"How have we wearied Him?" you ask.

By saying, "All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and He is pleased with them" or "Where is the God of justice?"

"See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to His temple; the messenger of the covenant, who you desire, will come," says the Lord Almighty.

But who can endure the day of His coming? Who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in the days gone by, as in former years.

"So, I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud the laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear ME," says the Lord Almighty. -- Mal 2:17-3:5

Because we call the slaughter of innocents a "necessary" evil, we are guilty before You. Because we ignore the truth of Your word, we are guilty. Because we love the liar more than those who tell us the truth, we are guilty. Because we prefer to be entertained more than to be rightly instructed or corrected, we are guilty.

How my heart aches for the children of a nation that is so willfully blind! How I mourn the man of God that has abandoned the pulpit for fame and fortune! How I weep for the mothers who have killed their precious babies! Like Jeremiah, there is no end to my anguish over this arrogant, undisciplined nation! Father, what can I do!

Will You give me some who turn back before it is too late? Will You heed my tears and profit Your word? Will You not have mercy because of Who You are? Have we gone too far? Is it just too late? Father, yet have mercy for there are others like me who seek Your will. I am not alone in pursuit of Your deliverance. I am not alone in the desire to return.

Turn us back, Father, but do not completely destroy us. Rebuke us, Father, but do not remove us completely. Have mercy, Father, not because we deserve -- for surely we do not; but rather, have mercy, dear Father, because we are but dust and You the whirlwind of our destruction. Have mercy for You are just too much for us and we are completely -- utterly at Your mercy. I plead with You, Father. I beg at Your feet. Hear my pleas. Respond to my requests. Do not turn aside. Do not abandon us to our guilt.

In Yeshuah's precious name, amen and amen.