Sermon Notes 9/11 – Even If

Daniel 3:16-18 (v18)

-3 men were thrown into a fiery furnace

-Jesus is looking for even if believers – they are all in no matter what

(1.) EVEN IF BELIEVERS HAVE A REALISTIC BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO FIERY FURNACES – Daniel 3:19-24

-the fiery furnace represent the fiery trial of life every believer will experience

-1 Peter 4:12-13

Verse 12 –

         Beloved – it means divinely loved ones – it speaks of God’s love for us

-there is nothing we can do to get God to love us

-there is nothing we can do to prevent God from loving us

-Romans 8:35-39

-the enemy is a liar – John 8:44 – he tells us the Lord does not love us when there’s a trial

WHY are we going through these trials and hardships?

-It’s for a test (v12)

-James 1:2-4

v2 – the testing of our faith – to see if we are the real deal as a believer

***And we need to be patient – means to wait without complaining to allow the Lord to work on us

***We must then stay in place……..do not run.  Allow the lord to do a great work in you

perfect and complete – means to be mature and whole

Lacking nothing – it refers to the fact that every area of your life will develop

***Do not think fiery furnace experiences are strange…do not be surprised

v13 – REJOICE – it means to “Keep on Rejoicing”

-we are not rejoicing for the trials, but for what the Lord is doing through the trials

-REMEMBER: “EVEN IF” believers understand that the goodness of God and a broken world connect  together

(2.) EVEN IF BELIEVERS DECLARE THEIR EVEN IFS – Daniel 3:16-18

– no matter what happens, we will follow Jesus

(3.) EVEN IF BELIEVERS REFUSE TO COMPROMISE THEIR BELIEFS – Daniel 3:1-7, 8-18

-compromise – means to accept standards that are lower than desirable – it produces weakness

-the 3 men did not compromise what they believe about the Bible & the Lord

-John the Baptist did not compromise what he believed – Matthew 11:7-11

-we cannot lower our standard to please the culture