King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation. — Daniel 4:1-3

So Nebuchadnezzar delivers a decree to the world. And in it, he declares God's greatness, the might, and the dominion. But don't assume he's making a confession of faith because he's not. What we see is a narcissistic leader who has witnessed a miracle and believes that God put on a show for him. Out of respect for the miracle, recognizing three men just walked into and out of a fiery furnace, he declares a decree to the nation about what God did for him. For him. Not what God did for Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego, but for him.

And I think we learn a great lesson here. It's this.

Godly decrees by a national leader do not make a God-fearing nation. The declaration of this decree is only a declaration and nothing more. While decrees can determine a course of action and inevitable consequences, the only thing that makes a decree godly is if the decree comes from God and if the men who hear it are willing to obey.

You see, we all know it's impossible to legislate godliness because our hearts are wild. We do what we want to do. Our hearts rebel against things like decrees. Case in point — We rebel against mask mandates. We rebel against restrictive gun laws. We rebel when constitutional judgments are found to be unconstitutional. Mankind is so creatively rebellious that we'll find ways around any and every decree. You know this is true because you do the same. So do I. When I even hear a decree, I instinctively look for a way around it.

But there is one thing that makes a godly decree work. It's a man willing to submit to that decree. One willing to surrender to it and the person who declared it knowing they have their best interest in mind. And this is a feature of our faith. The choice is yours to believe or disbelieve.
But the last thing God wants is half-hearted decrees with half-hearted belief. God is looking for men who are all in and nothing less. And Nebuchadnezzar is not all in. Yes, he makes a very noble decree, but he does not show any remorse for his sin. He does not change his behavior. He does not believe God is greater than he. He is not going to submit to God. God is just another one of the many gods across his land. So basically, what you have here is all theater. It's a show. It's acting. It's hypocrisy.

Fellas, this moment reminds us as men that God is looking for his man to be all in. He is not looking for decrees. He does not need a God-fearing nation. He is not looking for half-hearted belief. He is looking for men who want to follow him, willingly, with all their hearts. Is today the day for you to make that decision?

ASK THIS: Are you ready to follow God wholeheartedly?
DO THIS: Declare it below.
PRAY THIS: God, I am ready to go all in with you. Today I give you everything and trust your every decree.
PLAY THIS: I Will Trust.

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