When Faith Burns

Tomorrow, I will be preaching from Daniel 3. Many preachers have used this text to talk about how we need to be faithful in times of trial. Other preachers might focus on the deliverance aspect of Daniel 3. It is true that God did deliver his three faithful servants from the fires of the king. But there is one verse in Daniel 3 that we could easily miss if we are not careful.

When the three Jewish captives are asked who might deliver them from the king's fires they respond with the name of God. However, they also add that it is just as much possible that God will not save them as it is possible that he will keep them from harm. Sometimes, faith burns.

Hebrews 11 is a great passage of examplary faith. Yet even in this passage the writer, when finished speaking about all of the heroes of old, speaks of those who had the same kind of faith yet were sawed in two on occasion.

Do we have faith in faith? Or do we have a faith that burns? Is our faith in a sovereign God and his will for us or is it in our own faith? Sometimes, true faith burns.

I'm looking forward to preaching through this famous text tomorrow. I hope that the Holy Spirit will speak to all of us in a powerful way.