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Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace seems like the last place you would look for a message about marriage, but the recent Marriage Retreat Christina and Melissia went on with their husbands talked about just that. One speaker mentioned the fire being turned up 7 times, but it would be. The fire was so hot. How hot are we making the fire in our marriages? Thank goodness we can go through those fiery times with God by our side. It is said often in this podcast; it is so much easier to go through anything with God in your life. We need to keep the connection with him by praying and reading our Bible. Keep God at the center of your marriage!

Daniel 3:13-26

'Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. '

Christians in The Gritty

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Christians. Sisters. Best Friends.

In our lives we have to be able to let God interrupt us, change our path even. The same thing goes for people we encounter throughout our day. We have to remain interruptible. Many of the miracles Jesus performed were done when he was interrupted. God can do big things in the times between, when we let go of what we have planned and follow what God has planned.

Christians in The Gritty

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Christians. Sisters. Best Friends.

Psalm 105:1-5
' Oh give thanks to the Lord ; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, '

Christians in The Gritty

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Christians. Sisters. Best Friends.

When we are trying to please God and our families, we are never going to be perfect. we are going to "fail" at some point. We have to remember to give ourselves grace. God gives us grace, and we often forget that he knows we are not perfect. We need to learn from what we are struggling with and move forward. We see you and we know it can be tough. OVERWHELMING. EXAUSTING. Know God loves you, seek Him and let Him show you what your next steps are.

Romans 5:1-11

' Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. '

Christians in The Gritty

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Christians. Sisters. Best Friends.

Zephaniah 3:11-20

' “On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord , those who are left in Israel; they shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord , is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the Lord .'

Matthew 11:28-30
'Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”'

Christians in The Gritty

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Christians. Sisters. Best Friends.

To look at all God created and not to see that indeed it had to have been created by a higher power, but instead created by happenstance is such a leap of faith. It takes more faith to be an atheist than the see what has been created and recognize there has to be a creator. God did create the earth and everything in it, including all of us. Do you notice how people who do not believe in God and are not saved still seem to have a set of morals and rules that they follow? We call this a conscience. Where did this conscience come from? God wrote these set of rules on all the hearts of his creation, all of his creation. Whether someone believes or not that person was created by God and has these laws within them. Some people make choices to the point where their heart is hardened. Some people are influenced by evil. We all have the conscience, but we still have conflicting thoughts or excuses to let ourselves believe that what we are doing is okay, even with a Holy Spirit. This is why it's so easy for unbelievers to do things against this law, they need that Holy Spirit and the guidance of God. Speaking as a person with the Holy Spirt, sin is still a battle. We will fight against our flesh and the spiritual world, but none of us are without the laws.

Romans 1:18-25

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen."

Romans 2: 12-16

"For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus."

Christians in The Gritty

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Christians. Sisters. Best Friends.

Knowing our worth as adults is hard enough, being a teenager doesn't make it any easier. In this episode Christina and Melissia talk about how hard it is to get through those times in our lives when we forget where our worth comes from.

Genisis 1:26-27
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them."

In this conversation, Christina and Melissia discuss their personal challenges with health and scheduling, the importance of empowering young girls through Bible study, and the struggles of adolescence. They emphasize the need for kindness, the significance of seeking God's guidance, and the transformative power of forgiveness. The discussion also delves into the nature of Jesus and God's eternal plan for humanity, highlighting the importance of growth through challenges and the unconditional love of God.

takeaways

• Christina is struggling with her health and scheduling.
• Empowering young girls through Bible study is a priority.
• Building connections with parents and girls is essential.
• Teenage years are challenging, and kindness is crucial.
• Seeking God's guidance is important in decision-making.
• Forgiveness requires genuine remorse and change.
• Jesus has always been present and part of God's plan.
• God's love is unconditional and transformative.
• We should focus on what God thinks of us, not others.
• Growth often comes through challenges and seeking God.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction and Technical Challenges

01:13
Personal Updates and Scheduling Struggles

02:52
Bible Study Insights and Teaching Young Girls

05:55
The Importance of Being Rooted in Christ

08:54
Navigating Teenage Challenges and Peer Pressure

11:04
The Role of Godly Counsel in Mental Health

20:10
Balancing Secular and Spiritual Guidance

22:36
Returning to God: The Call for Repentance

25:50
The Importance of Heartfelt Change

29:46
Understanding the Nature of Christ

34:44
The Word Became Flesh: The Divinity of Jesus

40:56
God's Plan: Creation and Redemption

43:24
The Role of God in Personal Transformation

Christians in The Gritty

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Christians. Sisters. Best Friends!

Keywords

Faith, spirituality, community, obedience, worship, life changes, God, support, prayer, personal growth

Summary

In this episode of 'Christians in the Gritty', Christina and Melissia discuss the challenges of navigating life changes while maintaining a strong spiritual connection. They explore the importance of obedience to God, the role of community support, and the significance of worship in their lives. The conversation emphasizes the need for balance between daily responsibilities and spiritual growth, highlighting how trials can lead to a deeper relationship with God. Through personal anecdotes and biblical references, they encourage listeners to seek God's guidance and remain faithful in their journey.

Takeaways

• Navigating life changes can create challenges in spiritual practices.
• Finding a new schedule is essential for maintaining faith.
• Obedience to God is crucial for spiritual growth.
• Community support plays a vital role in our faith journey.
• Worship is a powerful way to connect with God.
• Trials can strengthen our relationship with God.
• We must remember God's love during difficult times.
• Prayer is essential for guidance and support.
• Maintaining a routine can help in spiritual practices.
• Listening to God is key to understanding His will.

Sound Bites

• "I missed you. It was so weird."
• "Obedience is a major part of it."
• "God will put into place what we need."

Chapters

00:00
Navigating Change and New Beginnings

02:38
Finding Time for God in Busy Lives

05:13
The Importance of Obedience and Connection

08:21
Understanding God's Love Through Scripture

08:53
The Role of Worship in Spiritual Connection

09:58
The Power of Community and Shared Faith

11:51
God's Faithfulness in Trials and Tribulations

14:39
The Impact of Prayer and Encouragement

17:58
Lessons from the Life of Jacob and Esau

20:20
The Journey of Faith and Obedience

23:03
Embracing God's Guidance in Daily Life

39:39
Podcast Production Insights

41:35
Reliance on Faith in Podcasting

43:33
Conflict Resolution and Communication

44:29
Navigating Technical Difficulties

47:01
Closing Thoughts and Reflections

Christians in The Gritty

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Our good friend Carolyn has stepped in to help out while Christina is sick. She guest hosts with Melissia for this episode about God's glory. A video version of this episode will be available on our YouTube

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Christians in The Gritty

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