Through The Tough Times.

by Daryle Houston II
(Chicago, IL, USA)

I just wanted to bring a word of encouragement this morning. In this last month or two I have been hearing many stories of struggle and loss. From financial, to marital, to family, to children. People have been laid off, lost homes, and lost loved ones, and just been going through some stuff.

I know through these tough times some people have distanced themselves from God, or become bitter, angry, depressed, or felt like they had lost their faith, but I’m here to tell you this morning that no matter what you’ve been going through God is with you and your faith is intact. Even if you haven’t felt His presence in the natural, even if it seems as things have only gotten worse. He has been by your side through this whole process, and I want us as we go through these things to begin to take a different perspective. Let us be like the three Hebrew boys in the book of Daniel. They did not follow the norms of the world, they would not bow down and worship an idol, no matter what the world said for them to do, and no matter how bad things had gotten.

We must have this same attitude, that no matter what happens in our lives we will not conform to the ways of the world, we will not listen to the people of the world’s advice on what to do when things go wrong, we will not have bad attitudes in tough times, we will not try to hustle and go out there making things happen on our own, we will not let go of God and begin trusting in man, instead let us do as they did. They did not complain, they were not angry at God, nor did they forsake Him when they were being persecuted, instead this is what they did when Nebuchadnezzar threatened them…

Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 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. 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."

Then the three of them were thrown in the fire, but instead of being burned up, this is what the king saw…

Vs 25
Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

Then the king called them out of the fire…

Vs. 27
And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.

After that the King blessed God because he saw what He had done, and made a decree that no one could speak against God, and then the Hebrew boys were promoted. So we can see from this story an attitude of total trust in God. They knew that no matter what they were going through that God would be there with them, and He was. So through this matter not only were they delivered and came out free and not smelling like smoke, through watching what they went through the king and the people of the land came to God and blessed Him, and not only that, after their ordeal was over they got promoted!

Glory to God, it’s all about attitude and trust today people of God, just as God delivered these three Hebrew boys He will deliver each one of you! So continue to walk through, continue to keep a good attitude as you go through because whether you realize it or not you are ministering to the people that are watching you, and through your actions they could be drawn to God just as the king was. And know and believe that God has something Good for you; He has plans to prosper you just as He did with the 3 Hebrew boys. So be encouraged people of God, we will make it through and we will come out the other side even greater! God bless!

Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries
www.kingdomvizion.org
kingdomvizion.blogspot.com/