What Would You Do?

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

hldude33

Well-Known Member
Apr 28, 2010
461
481
63
YouTube Video Devo

“What Would You Do?
Daniel 3:6 NIV
“Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”

The past few Sundays our pastor has been going through Daniel and as he shared Sunday morning, I was convicted of so many instances of my life where I have given in and compromised to go along with the crowd. I tend to think of the show “What Would You Do?” that has been on ABC in the past. My family and I have enjoyed many episodes of this in the past. If you’re not familiar with it, scenarios are set up with actors and then others who have no idea what’s going on are surrounded with the feeling of “What am I going to do”?

It’s very interesting to see what people will do in situations that make them uncomfortable. Unlike this show, oftentimes in life we are faced with situations that come up that are real and people get very pushy to try getting us to do things we shouldn’t do. Peer pressure isn’t just for young people growing up. Adults struggle with this all too often as well. Actually, it doesn’t matter what age you are, it’s tough to go against the flow.

What would you do if you were faced with a blazing furnace and were told to bow down to a statue or you will die? That’s pretty blunt! Either fall down and worship this idol or lose your life. However, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not give in and they stayed strong.

I know I’ve written about this story in the past, but it came back to me. I think about how so often it’s hard for me to stand up for what’s right because it REALLY makes you stand out in the crowd.

We have to really ask ourselves what is more important, obeying man or God? When faced with certain situations, it’s downright hard to be different. Our face may turn pale and we may feel lightheaded just with the situation at hand. It’s uncomfortable! However, God often asks us to go against the flow and be strong, just as these 3 men were. They were faithful and would not go with the flow. Their faithfulness paid off and God was praised!

Ask yourself, “What Would I Do?” How would you react? It’s not something we need to get all freaked out about and scared about it happening, but we do need to be prepared and ask God to give us wisdom whatever situation might arise. We need to be prepared and pray for constant guidance to be a light when we get surrounded by darkness.

It’s in these situations where we have an amazing opportunity to be a light for God!
 

Nancy

Well-Known Member
Apr 30, 2018
16,816
25,468
113
Buffalo, Ny
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
One of the best posts in awhile dude! Yes, I have thought of these things and Daniel is one of my favorite books of the bible, if not THE favorite.
I pray for others as well as myself to have strength when faced with this kind of pressure.
Since I'm home the lions share of time, I have not been around many, except my family, sisters really. It truly IS "an amazing opportunity to be a light for God!"
We gotta be ready every single moment, never take off the armor, stand for or fall for...!! Be strong in Jesus..."when I am weak..."
Praise and glory to God
 

Matthias

Well-Known Member
May 3, 2022
9,387
4,500
113
Kentucky
Faith
Other Faith
Country
United States
Ideally, stand and die.

Likely, flee and die.

Whether ideally or likely, die.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nancy

Brakelite

Well-Known Member
Feb 6, 2020
8,538
6,389
113
Melbourne
brakelite.wordpress.com
Faith
Christian
Country
Australia
We are all going to have to face that ultimate life and death decision, to which the image on the plain of Dura was a type. Worship who, how, and when we say, and you will be fed. Otherwise...
KJV Revelation 13:15-17
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
 

Dropship

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2022
2,213
1,514
113
76
Plymouth UK
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
..oftentimes in life we are faced with situations that come up that are real and people get very pushy to try getting us to do things we shouldn’t do..

I'm lucky because I was born with a rebellious spirit (gift from God?) that makes me always want to go against the grain and do things my way.
Naturally it's ruffled a few feathers but I don't care, I've always stood my ground..:)

 

Matthias

Well-Known Member
May 3, 2022
9,387
4,500
113
Kentucky
Faith
Other Faith
Country
United States
My mind has returned several times to this thread. The situation we’re confronted with in the OP is a distressing one. This passage in 2 Corinthians has helped to calm my mind. I offer it for consideration by those who have taken this topic seriously and felt similarly stressed over it.

“and this is what he said to me, ‘My grace is enough for you; my power comes to perfection in weakness.’ So I will be all the more pleased to boast of my weaknesses, so that the Messiah’s power may rest upon me. So I’m delighted when I’m weak, insulted, in difficulties, persecuted and facing disasters, for the Messiah’s sake. When I’m weak, you see, then I am strong.”

(2 Corinthians 12:9-10, NTE)

Lord Jesus, help us in our weakness to be strong in the day of trouble.
 

Aunty Jane

Well-Known Member
Sep 16, 2021
5,233
2,325
113
Sydney
Faith
Christian
Country
Australia
Luke 9:24...(NET)
"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it."

I love this scripture....because there will come a time in a Christian's life where he/she will be tempted like Job to "curse God" and blame him for our misfortune....something that weakens faith like no other.
What happened to Job, and what can we learn from him about the endurance of hard hitting troubles in his life? We know where they came from...but he did not.

Can we take the surrender of all our possessions? Probably....but could we endure the loss of close family members without blaming God? or asking why he allowed that to happen?....without somehow getting all bent out of shape with grief and acting like Job's wife (who was not blamed for her response because grief can do awful things to us.) That level of grief would make anyone lose control.....but not Job. God knew the level of Job's endurance and faith and that is the only reason why he allowed it.
Paul assures us....
"So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall. 13 No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NET)

The second round hit Job in his body.....an illness so painful that he could not speak, but would sit in the ashes scraping his sores with a broken piece of pottery.....no matter what we suffer, we will never come close to what Job endured.....and he passed those tests without a single word of blame aimed at his God. His reward at the end was huge. (Job 42:12-17) And in the resurrection that he believed in, he will have all twenty of his children returned to him. God is a grand rewarder. (Hebrews 11:6)

Daniel too was facing death when the King was going to put all the wise men (including him) to death for not telling him his dream and its interpretation. Daniel asked for time to commune with his God....and received the meaning of the dream. He was richly rewarded.

But then he was faced with the lion's pit for daring to break an edict that the King was tricked into signing, because his jealous enemies knew he prayed to his God three times a day without fail. The lions spared Daniel, but ended up having those wicked schemers for dinner instead.

The three Hebrews who faced the fiery furnace....all had absolute faith that God would see them through, but if not, they would die faithful and they also believed in the resurrection. Either way, it was what God willed, and they put their faith in him to make that decision.

"Faith" is what its all about, and yet we cannot cultivate the quality of endurance unless we endure....like a muscle, endurance is made stronger the more we exercise it. So even in the small things, we are training ourselves for the bigger trials. Standing up for what is right or what you believe, when no one else is....that's training. If we can regularly stand up for the small things, when no one else is, the big things should not undo us.
 

TLHKAJ

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2020
7,070
8,607
113
US
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Wonderful post and very much needed for this time and the days to come! I watched a sermon related to this a few days ago.
 

Wynona

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Encounter Team
Jan 27, 2021
3,593
7,369
113
North Carolina
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Great Post. Sometimes its really hard to do whats right if everyone else is going the wrong direction. I hope God gives me the strength to overcome my timid nature in times like these.