Open Heaven 25 March 2023

Open Heaven Topic:

WHEN GOD ALLOWS MOUNTAINS I

Memory Verse:

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. – Proverbs 24:10 (KJV)

Bible Reading: 

Daniel 3:1-30 (NIV)

1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.

² He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up.

³ So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.

⁴ Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do:

⁵ As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

⁶ Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”

⁷ Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

⁸ At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews.

⁹ They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever!

¹⁰ Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold,

¹¹ and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.

¹² But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”

¹³ Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,

¹⁴ and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?

¹⁵ Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.

¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.

¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual

²⁰ and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.

²¹ So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.

²² The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,

²³ and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

²⁴ Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

²⁵ He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

²⁶ Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire,

²⁷ and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

²⁸ Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

²⁹ Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”

³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Open Heaven 25 March 2023 Message

While it is true that God can solve all problems, when you go closer to Him, you would realise that once in a while, He allows some mountains (problems) to stand in your way.

The good thing however, is that if He allows the mountain to stand in your way, it is because He knows you can climb it.

For example, in Job’s case, God only allowed what He knew Job could overcome. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says that God will not permit us to be tempted beyond our capacity and He would always provide a way of escape as well.

Sometimes, God allows mountains in the life of His children because he or she is about to be promoted. Before every promotion, there is always an exam that the fellow who is to be promoted must pass.

No teacher will give Advanced-level questions to primary school students in an exam. God will not let you face a trial you cannot overcome. In Daniel 3, after all the horrors of going into the fiery furnace, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were promoted.

Job 42:12-16 tells us that at the end of Job’s test, his latter end was far superior to his beginning. When God allows mountains to stand in the path of His children, He also gives them the required measure of grace to deal with those mountains.

The unfortunate thing is that many times, people refuse to use that grace and they just let the temptation take over their lives. There is always a way of escape, no matter how small; you just have to hold on to it so that you can overcome.

This is where you need the fruit of the Spirit called, “Longsuffering”. Don’t look for alternatives to God simply because you are facing a mountain. Don’t commit sin in a bid to get rid of that mountain because sin will only bring a bigger mountain your way.

Hold on to God like Job did. Don’t deny Him when you are going through a hard time; Don’t faint in the day of adversity; stand strong, His grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Open Heaven Hymn: 

Amazing Grace

Open Heaven Prayer Point:

Father, help me never to deny You, no matter what comes my way.

Bible in One Year:

1 Samuel 13, 1 Samuel 14