Thriving… No Matter What – Part 3: Living Out Our Core Convictions!

Daniel 3:1-6 (NLT)

King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. ² Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. ³ So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
⁴ Then a herald shouted out, “People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command! ⁵ When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. ⁶ Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”

Core Conviction Lesson #1:

Our “core convictions” will be !

Every one of us faces challenges!

Recommended Book: COUNTERFEIT GODS – Timothy Keller

2 Kings 18:4 (TLB)
King Hezekiah removed the shrines on the hills … knocked down the shameful idols of Asherah, and broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had begun to worship it by burning incense to it; even though, as King Hezekiah pointed out to them, it was merely a piece of bronze.

1 John 5:21 (NIV)

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

Every one of us also faces challenges!

Every one of us will face challenges!

1 Peter 4:12 (CEV)
Dear friends, don’t be surprised or shocked that you are going through testing that is like walking through fire.

Core Convictions Lesson #2:

Our “core convictions” must be !

Daniel 3:17-18 (NLT)

(Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said) — “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. ¹⁸ But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Core Convictions Lesson #3:

Keeping our “core convictions” always , always!

Daniel 3:28-30 (TLB)

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, for he sent his angel to deliver his trusting servants when they defied the king’s commandment and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own.

²⁹ Therefore, I make this decree, that any person of any nation, language, or religion who speaks a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb and his house knocked into a heap of rubble. For no other God can do what this one does.” (All Gods are not the same) ³⁰ Then the king gave promotions to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, so that they prospered greatly there in the province of Babylon.