Daniel | Kristi's Morning Devotional

May 16, 2020May 16, 2020

Can You Smell the Smoke?

I love camping but most of you already know that. Being out in the woods, fishing, hiking, counting the stars all make for a great camping trip but there’s one thing I can’t really enjoy – campfire smoke. Oh, I like cooking over an open fire and roasting marshmallows over the coals but not the smoke.

That smell will stay in your clothes and hair until you take a good shower and do the laundry. It would be strange to be around fire and not have that lingering smoky smell. You could almost say it would be a miracle.

A miracle, indeed.

In the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar commanded a statue of gold in his likeness to be built. All the people who lived in the country were to bow down and worship the statue when they heard music playing. Everyone did as there were told except for three young Jewish men who were prisoners in the country, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Those in authority told the King that these three wouldn’t bow and it made him furious. He called them in and gave them strict warning that next time they heard the music they were to bow.

The music played but the men didn’t bow. They were brought before the King again. He ordered the furnace to be heated hotter than it had been for melting gold for the statue; the men were bound and thrown into the fire. In his first warning the King had told them they would be thrown into the furnace if they didn’t bow.

“…O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Daniel 3:16-18

Let me paraphrase. King we don’t have to take a lot of time to think about our answer. If you throw us in the fire our God will deliver us. If you don’t throw us in we still aren’t going to serve your god or worship your statue.

At this response, they were thrown in. Nebuchadnezzar was watching to make sure they died. What he saw instead were the men walking around in the fire and that there was a fourth man in there with them!

Hallelujah!! God showed up in grand fashion.

“Nebuchadnezzar went closer to the flaming furnace and said to the three young men, ‘You servants of the Most High God, come out at once!’ They came out, 27 and the king’s high officials, governors, and advisors all crowded around them. The men were not burned, their hair wasn’t scorched, and their clothes didn’t even smell like smoke. 28 King Nebuchadnezzar said: ‘Praise their God for sending an angel to rescue his servants! They trusted their God and refused to obey my commands. Yes, they chose to die rather than to worship or serve any god except their own. 29 And I won’t allow people of any nation or race to say anything against their God. Anyone who does will be chopped up and their houses will be torn down, because no other god has such great power to save.'” Daniel 3:26-29CEV

These men were slaves in a foreign country. They took a very unpopular stand – they refused to worship any god other than God the Father. They were persecuted and their lives were threatened but the stood strong. They went through a fiery trial and came out, not even smelling like smoke.

If you’re going through a fiery trial of persecution for your stand for the Lord Stand strong! Don’t bend, don’t compromise, don’t bow – God will show up and walk in the fire with you.

He will bring you out and you won’t smell like smoke!

November 2, 2019November 2, 2019

Strongly Dependent

You may think the title to this blog is a typo but it’s not. Some would think I meant to say strongly independent but they would be wrong. How can one be strong and dependent, it appears to be an oxymoron.

Many times, circumstances and situations cause us to draw back. “I’m never going to be hurt like that again. I won’t allow anyone to be close enough to betray me and/or steal my ideas, etc.”. So the conclusion is to be independent, a loner, strong enough to stand on my own.

However, that is the attitude and determination that get us into trouble. It separates us from good counsel, loving support and God’s direction.

“The Lord is a mighty tower where his people can run for safety” Proverbs 18:10 CEV

David seemed to be alone; he was independent of the army of Israel, when he went out to face Goliath but in reality he was drawing strength from his dependence on the Lord.

“David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!” I Samuel 17:45-46 NLT

Daniel exhibited the same strength when King Darius sentenced him to the lion’s den. The king had been tricked into signing a law that would condemn Daniel to death for praying. Daniel chose to honor the Lord and stand by his faith and devotion to the God. His dependence on the Lord brought his deliverance from death.

“So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.” ¹⁷A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. ¹⁸Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night. ¹⁹Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. ²⁰When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?” ²¹Daniel answered, “Long live the king! ²²My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.” Daniel 6:16-22 NLT

There were many times during His ministry that Jesus seemed alone, independent of His disciples and certainly independent from the religious leaders of His day. However, He was totally dependent on the Father. He would leave the crowd, independent of their opinion, to spend time in prayer, displaying His dependence on the Father.

“I cannot do anything on my own. The Father sent me, and he is the one who told me how to judge. I judge with fairness, because I obey him, and I don’t just try to please myself.” John 5:30 CEV

And finally, the Apostle Paul is an example of strength through dependence. He wrote over one-third of the New Testament. He was shipwrecked, beaten, imprisoned, stoned, persecuted in nearly every town he visited. He appeared to be completely independent, his own man. But he said this about himself:

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” II Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT

I hope you find these verses encouraging. Maybe you have been trying to handle “it” all on your own. You’ve worked so hard to be independent, free from anyone being able to dictate to you. The Lord promises us strength when we become dependent on Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. ⁶Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

When we trust the Lord we will become strongly dependent and there we will find victory!

May 6, 2019May 6, 2019

I’m Alright!

I woke up this morning with the words to the chorus of a song running through my mind as I prayed and read my Bible. When I’m talking with the Lord and hearing His words come from the page of my Bible I know I’m alright.

I’m all, I’m all, I’m alright
It’s a beautiful day, not a cloud in sight
So I I guess I’m doing alright
I’m all, I’m all, I’m alright
by Jo Dee Messina

Life is messy sometimes. Things get hectic and cluttered, sometimes it seems that our boat is about to sink but the Lord has a message for us all.

“Do not trouble yourself because of sinful men. Do not want to be like those who do wrong. ²For they will soon dry up like the grass. Like the green plant they will soon die. ³Trust in the Lord, and do good. So you will live in the land and will be fed. ⁴Be happy in the Lord. And He will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵Give your way over to the Lord. Trust in Him also. And He will do it. ⁶He will make your being right and good show as the light, and your wise actions as the noon day.

⁷Rest in the Lord and be willing to wait for Him. Do not trouble yourself when all goes well with the one who carries out his sinful plans. ⁸Stop being angry. Turn away from fighting. Do not trouble yourself. It leads only to wrong-doing. ⁹For those who do wrong will be cut off. But those who wait for the Lord will be given the earth. ” Psalm 37:1-9 NLV

Trust the Lord. Rest in the Lord. Do Good. Be happy in the Lord.

Yes, the Lord will make all things right. He has the master plan. He wants us to trust regardless of what the circumstances look like. He is the circumstance changer. His is a plan to bring us good and not destruction.

Yesterday I heard a message from the book of Daniel. You know, Daniel in the Lion’s den. Circumstances didn’t look good for Daniel. All of his peers plotted against him; there was no alternative, the king had to punish him for breaking the law. The lion’s den was the death sentence.

“The other men tried to find something wrong with the way Daniel did his work for the king. But they could not accuse him of anything wrong, because he was honest and faithful and did everything he was supposed to do. ⁵Finally, they said to one another, “We will never be able to bring any charge against Daniel, unless it has to do with his religion.” Daniel 6:4-5 CEV

But God…

God intervened and closed the mouth of the lions. Daniel rested in a place meant for his destruction.

“At daybreak the king got up and ran to the pit. ²⁰He was anxious and shouted, “Daniel, you were faithful and served your God. Was he able to save you from the lions?”

²¹Daniel answered, “Your Majesty, I hope you live forever! ²²My God knew that I was innocent, and he sent an angel to keep the lions from eating me. Your Majesty, I have never done anything to hurt you. The king was relieved to hear Daniel’s voice, and he gave orders for him to be taken out of the pit. Daniel’s faith in his God had kept him from being harmed.” Daniel 6:19-23 CEV

If I were writing these verses this morning I would have Daniel singing – I’m all, I’m all, I’m alright.

If God could protect Daniel from the lions he can certainly protect us from the situations and circumstances that we will face today. We need to follow the examples of Daniel and David; stay focused on God’s promises and His power.

“God, you give true peace to people who depend on you, to those who trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3 ERV

Say it with me – I will trust in the Lord. I’m alright!

April 9, 2019April 9, 2019

No Problem’s Too Big

I found myself praying this morning for different ones that I know are going through particularly hard times right now. That’s pretty normal for my morning prayer time. Recently I have been made aware of friends who are experiencing severe physical issues while others are facing career challenges and some are having their entire lives uprooted and their peace and joy on are the verge of destruction.

What do we do when our world seems to be falling apart?

Our God is waiting to handle each and everyone of these situations. God is able and I can hear Him saying, “Child, that’s not a problem for me. I can handle it. Trust me.”

“There is One Who can keep you from falling and can bring you before Himself free from all sin. He can give you great joy as you stand before Him in His shining-greatness. ²⁵He is the only God. He is the One Who saves from the punishment of sin through Jesus Christ our Lord. May He have shining-greatness and honor and power and the right to do all things. He had this before the world began, He has it now, and He will have this forever. Let it be so.” Jude 1:24-15 NLV

All through the Bible we have examples of God coming to the aid of His children. He brought them deliverance from the enemies, healing when they were sick, provision when they lacked, peace when they were in a place of fear and unrest and strength to be victorious in battle.

“My God will use his glorious riches to give you everything you need. He will do this through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 ERV

I’ve heard people make the statement, “I didn’t know what else to do so I prayed”. When they come to the end of their own strength, knowledge and resources that’s when many turn to God. I’ve been guilty of that too, however, the real time to trust God is when everything seems to be going right. Let Him take control then and He will keep us in a place of peace when the storms come.

I can hear some of you say, “Ya but you don’t know my situation”. No, but, God does!

There were three young Hebrew men who had committed their lives to follow God’s teachings and they were captured and taken as slaves to Babylon. They went through a time of training to serve in the king’s court. There was one thing they were commanded to do and they refused. They refused to worship the king as God. Their lives were threatened and here was there answer. They could give this answer because they had trusted God in the good times and they knew He would be faithful in the worst of times.

“King Nebuchadnezzar was furious. So he sent for the three young men and said, ¹⁴“I hear that you refuse to worship my gods and the gold statue I have set up. ¹⁵Now I am going to give you one more chance. If you bow down and worship the statue when you hear the music, everything will be all right. But if you don’t, you will at once be thrown into a flaming furnace. No god can save you from me.”

¹⁶The three men replied, “Your Majesty, we don’t need to defend ourselves. ¹⁷The God we worship can save us from you and your flaming furnace. ¹⁸But even if he doesn’t, we still won’t worship your gods and the gold statue you have set up.” Daniel 3:13-18 ERV

So let me ask you again. What problem is facing you today? Is it health, work, family relationships, financial problems? Whatever it is, it’s no problem to our great God!

“So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:16 CEV

God is faithful!

August 20, 2018August 20, 2018

Strong and Committed

I’ve spent the last several days reading through the book of Daniel. I like to read through these shorter books frequently. Each time I see something new.

I had a dream last night that I was teaching a Bible Study on Daniel and his uncompromised stand for the things of the Lord. I pointed out that Daniel stood tall and strong in the face of adversity. Even when his life was threatened he would not compromise.

In that dream I was confronted by several people who had come there to challenge God’s Word and me as a teacher. I spoke to them with a calm, matter-of-fact, voice of authority. God’s word was flowing from my heart and I had no fear. WOW! Great dream of reassurance.

This is what I have learned from Daniel. Daniel lived as a captive in a kingdom that ignored and even detested God but his commitment to the Lord brought him to the king’s court and had him in a high place of leadership.

Being a godly man in a godless nation was no small challenge. He had enemies on every side trying to trip him up and catch him doing something wrong so they could discredit him before the king.

They finally succeeded, so they thought, and Daniel was found guilty of praying and for that horrible crime he was sentenced to what could have been a life sentence in the lions’ den. This really upset the king because he held Daniel in such high regard.

As Daniel was about to be thrown in to the den of lions, the king said

“So Darius ordered Daniel to be brought out and thrown into a pit of lions. But he said to Daniel, “You have been faithful to your God, and I pray that he will rescue you.” Daniel 6:16 CEV

An ungodly king saw something different in Daniel, something that no religion on earth had been able to manufacture. Daniel was confident in his relationship with the living God – not religion, not a set of rules but a true relationship of trust in Almighty God.

The king didn’t sleep that night because he was worried about Daniel and when he went early in the morning to check on Daniel this is what he found.

“At daybreak the king got up and ran to the pit. ²⁰He was anxious and shouted, “Daniel, you were faithful and served your God. Was he able to save you from the lions?”

²³The king was relieved to hear Daniel’s voice, and he gave orders for him to be taken out of the pit. Daniel’s faith in his God had kept him from being harmed.” Daniel 6:19-23 CEV

Most of us will never face a physical lions’ den but we do face the lions of public opinion that would like to devour our reputation, our businesses, our children, our careers.

Is the God we serve able to deliver us from their claws and their jaws? There was no doubt in Daniel’s mind that He was. We can have that same confidence. It comes from relationship with the Father.

“God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.

⁸Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. ⁹But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith. You know that all over the world the Lord’s followers are suffering just as you are. I Peter 5:7-9 CEV

I encourage you to grow in your relationship with Almighty God, your Heavenly Father, so you will have the confidence that you can face the lions, real or circumstantial, in your life.

August 5, 2018

Making the Right Decision

Our daily lives are filled with decisions. It can be as simple as what to buy at the grocery store and as life changing as who to marry?

The who, what, why, where, when and how’s of life can be paralyzing. People want answers and all too often, want to assess blame and divert responsibility.

Do we go forward or stand still? Which college, mate, career, home? How do we accomplish the goal, what steps do we take to achieve the proper outcome?

What was the dream and what does it mean?

This was the question that King Nebuchadnezzar put to his wise men and advisors. Never before had a ruler posed such a dilemma. Magicians and wise men had been interpreting dreams for years but this was different. The king had a troubling dream but when he woke, he couldn’t remember it and he wanted his council to tell him his dream and the meaning.

“he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.”

⁴Then the astrologers answered the king,“May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

⁵The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. ⁶But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”

⁷Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

⁸Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: ⁹If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”

¹⁰The astrologers answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. ¹¹What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.”

¹²This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon.” Daniel 2:3-12 ERV

Can you imagine such a thing? Their very lives depended on them giving the king the correct answer and they were at a loss.

I’ve never yet had to make such a paramount decision, one that would cost me my life and the lives of my fellow associates. All the wise men in Babylon were to be killed because of the lack of wisdom of a few.

Daniel was a part of this intellectual group in the palace. His life was on the line as well. He had not been a part of the original committee but when he realized the severity of the issue, he approached the king. He asked that the king grant him just a little more time to interpret the dream.

The king granted this request and Daniel went to his friends and asked them to pray with him and for him. He needed answers from God.

“Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. ¹⁸He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven” Daniel 2:17-19 ERV

When big decisions need to be made it’s always comforting to know that you have friends who will pray with you. Even Jesus asked his disciples to pray with Him the night before the crucifixion.

Daniel went to the king with the revelation that the Lord had given him. He told the king his dream and the meaning of it. He also told the king that the only way he could know this information was because God had revealed it to him. As a reward the king promoted Daniel to the position of governor of Babylon and his three friends were given new positions as his advisors.

Again, we may never be asked to make such a monumental decision as this but we can trust God to lead us in our everyday decisions. Some of the decisions we make are life and death without us knowing it. Leaving for work a bit early, taking another road could help us avoid an accident.

Implanting a new safety plan at work could keep hundreds of employees from being exposed to danger. Using a new teaching example in the classroom could open the minds of our students to better understanding. Changing our attitude, being more humble could change the atmosphere in our home for anger to peace.

All of these are important decisions where we need the Lord’s direction.

I was reading in Psalm 119 this morning before I began to read in the book of Daniel. This is what King David wrote about making wise decisions.

“Our Lord, you always do right, and your decisions are fair. ¹³⁸All of your teachings are true and trustworthy. ¹³⁹It upsets me greatly when my enemies neglect your teachings. ¹⁴⁰Your word to me, your servant, is like pure gold; I treasure what you say…¹⁴⁴Your rules are always fair. Help me to understand them and live. ¹⁴⁵I pray to you, Lord! Please answer me. I promise to obey your laws. ¹⁴⁶ I beg you to save me, so I can follow your rules.

¹⁴⁷Even before sunrise, I pray for your help, and I put my hope in what you have said. ¹⁴⁸I lie awake at night, thinking of your promises. ¹⁴⁹Show that you love me, Lord, and answer my prayer...¹⁵¹but you are with me, and all of your commands can be trusted. ¹⁵²From studying your laws, I found out long ago
that you made them to last forever.” Psalm 119:137-152 CEV

We can trust God’s word to give us direction and when we ask for wisdom we know that He will give it to us freely.

“If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking.” James 1:5 CEV

It’s up to us to take time to listen and then follow His lead.

May 28, 2018

Friends Through Fire & Rain

Do you smell like smoke? Odd question isn’t it?

It could be the smoke of something that burned in the kitchen, a good cigar or pipe, or perhaps a campfire. My son smells like smoke frequently – he’s a firefighter.

We have been looking at different people in the Bible who have had a friendship relationship with God. God has never been nor will He ever be a “fair weather” friend. He has made us promises to never leave us or abandon us.

“But now the Lord Who made you, O Jacob, and He Who made you, O Israel, says, “Do not be afraid. For I have bought you and made you free. I have called you by name. You are Mine! ²When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, they will not flow over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. The fire will not destroy you. ³For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, Who saves you...” Isaiah 43:1-3a NLV

In the book of Daniel chapter 3, King Nebuchadnezzar commanded that a statue of gold be built in his likeness. All the people who lived in the country were to bow down and worship the statue when they heard music playing. Everyone did as there were told except for three Jewish young men who were prisoners in the country. You’ve probably heard of them; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Those in authority told the king that these men wouldn’t bow and it made him very angry. He called them in and gave them strict warning that next time they heard the music they were to bow.

The music played but the men didn’t bow. They were brought before the king again and he was extremely angry. He had the furnace heated hotter than it had been for melting gold, had the men bound and thrown into the fire.

Let’s digress from a moment. In his original warning the king had told them they would be thrown into the furnace if they didn’t bow. This was their response.

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, it is not necessary for us to answer you on this point. ¹⁷If our God Whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. ¹⁸But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up!” Daniel 3:16-18 AMPC

They knew that God had brought Noah safely through the flood, they knew the stories of how God used to Moses to deliver the children of Israel. They were not afraid to stand strong because they knew that God would be there with them!

At this response, they were bound and thrown in the furnance. Now here’s where it gets interesting. Nebuchadnezzar was looking on and as he watched, he saw that the men were walking around in the fire and that there was a fourth man in there with them!

Hallelujah!! God showed up in grand fashion.

To this the King reacted:

“Nebuchadnezzar went closer to the flaming furnace and said to the three young men, “You servants of the Most High God, come out at once!” They came out, 27 and the king’s high officials, governors, and advisors all crowded around them. The men were not burned, their hair wasn’t scorched, and their clothes didn’t even smell like smoke. 28 King Nebuchadnezzar said: Praise their God for sending an angel to rescue his servants! They trusted their God and refused to obey my commands. Yes, they chose to die rather than to worship or serve any god except their own. 29 And I won’t allow people of any nation or race to say anything against their God. Anyone who does will be chopped up and their houses will be torn down, because no other god has such great power to save.” Daniel 3:26-29 CEV

They went through a fiery trial and came out, not even smelling like smoke.

If you’re going through a fiery trial of persecution for your stand for the Lord, Stand strong! Don’t bend, don’t compromise, don’t bow – God will show up and walk in the fire with you and He will bring you out!

November 20, 2017November 20, 2017

A Thankful Heart

Just about to wrap up the 7 weeks of thankfulness but I can only hope that by now it has created a desire in you to live a life filled with thankfulness and of commitment to the Lord.

In the book of Daniel there are several incidences where the King stopped all that he was doing to give thanks to Daniel’s God, the true God. It leads to me ask if my relationship with the Lord causes those around me to praise God – do they see God working in my life in such a tangible way they are thankful?

“Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their God has sent his angel and saved his servants from the fire! These three men trusted their God and refused to obey my command. They were willing to die instead of serving or worshiping any other god. 29 So I now make this law: Anyone from any nation or language group who says anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces, and their house will be destroyed until it is a pile of dirt and ashes. No other god can save his people like this.” 30 Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego more important jobs in the province of Babylon.” Daniel 3:28-30

The 3 Hebrew young men had refused to worship an idol made of gold and were thrown into a firery furnace. God saved them and the verses above are the king’s reaction to what he saw God do. The king made a law that said no one would be able to speak against their God. He saw the power of God at work in their lives and he gave praise to God. What he didn’t realize is that you can’t legislate a lifestyle of righteousness & morality. It comes from relationship.

I have to tell you that I was ready to get up this morning and share a thought on “unplugging”. Not unplugging from our relationship with the Lord but just unplugging from things that drain us. And then I was going to tell you that I would be unplugging from the morning devotional and blog for the next week. I wanted the opportunity to sleep in and get some good rest. Yep, I was going to take time off but as I was trying to word my thoughts correctly, I kept hearing verses like “don’t get weary in doing well” and the “joy of the Lord is your strength”. Then there was “those who wait on the Lord have their strength renewed” and finally

“Don’t worry—I am with you. Don’t be afraid—I am your God. I will make you strong and help you. I will support you with my right hand that brings victory.” Isaiah 41:10 ERV

Once again I found my strength renewed because my strength doesn’t come from the amount of sleep I receive each night it comes from the Lord God who empowers me for each day and from the joy I find in Him and doing what He has called me to do. Being a Christ following person is a full time service and not just a recreational use.

As we come to the end of the daily teachings on Thanksgiving, I ask you this – does your lifestyle lead others to praise your heavenly Father? Do the people around you want to have a relationship with God because they can see how wonderful He is?

We’re here to be a light to the world so let others see Jesus in you.

September 30, 2017September 30, 2017

Cross the Finish Line!

Did you know that God desires for you to be triumphant today?

Well He does! He has provided a way for you to ALWAYS be victorious – not so, you say. Yes way! And when we do triumph and give Him the glory, it’s like the smell of a sweet perfume. So when folks ask “What’s that smell (i.e. how did you come out that victorious), we can say, “Oh, it was God helping me, taking me through, making me victorious.”

In the book of Daniel we read of 3 young men who refused to compromise their stand for God. The king had ordered everyone in the realm to bow before his statue and worship him. Take a knee! But these three, even though they were in the king’s employ, refused.

The king’s anger was out-of-control. He demanded their worship and their allegiance. Again they refused even though death was to be their most certain consequence. The king ordered the refining fires to be heated to the greatest possible intensity, seven times hotter than it had ever been. And when the three publically stood in opposition to the king he had them bound and thrown into the fire.

“So the soldiers tied up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and threw them into the flaming furnace with all of their clothes still on, including their turbans. The fire was so hot that flames leaped out and killed the soldiers.

24 Suddenly the king jumped up and shouted, “Weren’t only three men tied up and thrown into the fire?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the people answered.

25 “But I see four men walking around in the fire,” the king replied. “None of them is tied up or harmed, and the fourth one looks like a god.”[a]

26 Nebuchadnezzar went closer to the flaming furnace and said to the three young men, “You servants of the Most High God, come out at once!”

They came out, 27 and the king’s high officials, governors, and advisors all crowded around them. The men were not burned, their hair wasn’t scorched, and their clothes didn’t even smell like smoke. 28 King Nebuchadnezzar said:

Praise their God for sending an angel to rescue his servants! They trusted their God and refused to obey my commands. Yes, they chose to die rather than to worship or serve any god except their own.” Daniel 3:21-28 CEV

When we serve the King of Kings we aren’t promised a perfect life but we are promised a protected life. These men came out of a life threatening situation and they didn’t even smell like smoke. What obstacle do you face that could be any greater than this? God is the same now as He was then.

Here’s to victory today – Always! ” Now thanks be to God, who always leads us to triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” II Corinthians 2:14

September 14, 2017September 14, 2017

Influence Without Compromise

This morning I was reading the first chapter of the book of Daniel. As a young man Daniel was taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Jerusalem had fallen to this King when Daniel was a young man, probably in his teens. He and other Jewish young men, along with young men from Babylon were taken into Nebuchadnezzar’s palace to be trained as servants to the King. This was a 3 year training period.

During that time the king wanted all the young men to be on a special diet of rich food and wine. Daniel asked for permission to be excluded from such a diet because some of the food that they were to eat would make him unclean according to Jewish law. At first the man who was responsible for the well-being of the trainees was resistant. However, he was persuaded to allow Daniel and three others a 10 day trial and if they continued to look well-fed and healthy he would allow them to continue with the foods that Daniel considered clean. Daniel’s diet worked and so for the rest of the training time they were allowed to eat the way they requested.

I know, I know; nice story but…what’s that got to do with everyday living. Daniel and his friends had plenty to complain about. They were young men taken from their home town of Jerusalem. They were prisoners, captives in a hostile nation. However, they were singled out to be trained as servants for the King, a high position for a slave.

They could have possibly written letters home asking for a rescue team to be sent in or maybe even plotted to overthrow their guards and at the very least they could have walked around complaining about their circumstances and the hopelessness of their future. (Sound familiar)

How many people around you are complaining? Talking about how awful everything is – “this is the worst it’s ever been. Woe is me! What are we to do? Christians are being singled out for their beliefs and no one is speaking up for them.” You hear it all the time.

Is there a comparison on how rough it was for Daniel and how it is today? If there is then we should be looking at what Daniel did. Daniel continued to serve His God! He didn’t compromise the teachings that he had received in Jerusalem.

“So the guard agreed to test Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah for ten days. 15 After ten days, Daniel and his friends looked healthier than all the young men who ate the king’s food. 16 So the guard continued to take away the king’s special food and wine and to give only vegetables to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

17 God gave these four young men the wisdom and ability to learn many different kinds of writing and science. Daniel could also understand all kinds of visions and dreams.

18 At the end of the three years of training, Ashpenaz brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked to them and found that none of the young men were as good as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So these four young men became the king’s servants. 20 Every time the king asked them about something important, they showed great wisdom and understanding. The king found they were ten times better than all the magicians and wise men in his kingdom. 21 So Daniel served the king until the first year that Cyrus was king.” Daniel 1:14-21 ERV

How long are we “imprisoned” in some way before we start to complain? How long do we go before we start to compromise what we know is God’s will and truth? These young men were in training, in captivity for 3 years and they showed great wisdom and understanding and the King came to rely on them. They were godly men living a godly example in a very ungodly nation.

I tried to figure out from an historical perspective how long Daniel actually served the King of Babylon. Based on the first and last verse of this chapter, I figure it was about 65 years. That’s correct – and in all that time Daniel kept his integrity, served God and didn’t complain! Now that’s an example to follow.

Complaining only changes the heart of the person doing it; it embitters them. Standing for godliness and righteousness keeps us usable and influences kings. Let God be magnified in what you do today!