Hunger and Thirst: Steadfast

Steadfast

In the face of an impossible situation, two men in the Bible decided to follow God’s leading, leaping into the battle against all odds.

Their story will begin to paint a picture for us of a Steadfast Spirit

Courage in the Face of Adversity

Jonathan and armor bearer

1 Sam 14:4-15.

rocky points

Bozez- “shining”

Seneh- “thorny”

fight to uphold dignity of a nation whose God is the LORD

Valiant effort, emboldened other troops, called deserters to repent and return (v21)

Daniel’s three friends (we will burn)

Daniel 3:16–18 ESV

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.”

We do not answer to you

God will deliver

if He doesn’t we still won’t bend the knee- we will burn

Their faithfulness and boldness bore witness to the mighty king

moved him closer to acknowledging God as his own

Nebuchadnezzar writes Ch.4 as praise to God

Consistency

Show Hatun Tash video

not many will be called upon to give their lives valiantly in the face of persecution.

most will simply be called upon to live daily lives of peaceful devotion to our savior (Lamentations 3:24)

our battle will be against apathy, passivity, conformity, distraction, displaced priority

Consistency over volatility

daily discipline of personal devotion

wage war against our own sinful tendencies

Honor mother and father

resist temptation

reject small-mindedness

racism, cheauvanism, feminism, cultural superiority and exhonoration

Find us Faithful

[Verse 1]

We're pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road And those who've gone before us line the way Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace. Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses Let us run the race not only for the prize, But as those who've gone before us Let us leave to those behind us The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives [Verse 2] After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone And our children sift through all we've left behind May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find

“Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.

May the fire of our devotion light their way.

May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe,

And the lives we live inspire them to obey.

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.”