June 7, 2011 … Integrity Conquers Fear

Passage of the Day: Daniel 1: 10 - 14 … 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you." 11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

My Journal for Today: John MacArthur in his Strength for Today devotional for this date uses this episode in Daniel’s continuing saga of intervention with the Babylonian officials to illustrate how boldness to act for God is one of the most important elements of Christian spiritual integrity. Today’s text shows us Daniel’s boldness to act as juxtaposed with the fear of Ashpenaz, the Babylonian official who was responsible for the fate of the Hebrew youths under Daniel’s charge.

Here was Daniel being put to the test; and, who, in faith under pressure, came up with a daring plan to give Ashpenaz a way to “save face,” still allowing Daniel and his friends to maintain their dietary laws. Daniel tapped into God’s wisdom (see a NT charge in James 1: 5 - 6); and then assertively, yet in meekness, stood in the gap for his faith, trusting that God was going to deliver His people – somehow. And in today’s passage we read that Daniel was blessed and rewarded by God with the listening favor of Ashpenaz.

This is a great example of the principle I wrote about yesterday, “First obedience, then the blessing!” Daniel, boldly – by wisely – believed that God would protect those who carry our The Lord’s will; and he set about – with humility/meekness – exercise his face, giving the Babylonian, Ashpenaz, a trial case to see if Daniel’s plan would work for the boy AND the king as well. No one says that boldness should shut down our intelligence. We should always strive to boldly witness our faith … BUT … to do so in ways that don’t attack the sensibilities of those around us if at all possible.

The Apostles Paul (see Phil. 1: 20) and John (see 1st John 3: 21 - 22) were great examples of New Testament integrity and boldness. I always love, when I’m fearful, to recall the bold declaration of Romans 8: 31, which, if truly believe, Christians should be willing to stand for Christ with boldness anytime … anyplace … and, like Daniel, under any circumstances.

SCRIPTURE: Romans 8: 31 … If God is for us, who can be against us?

However, I must admit that all too often, in my past days as a Christian, I have retreated in fear when given the opportunity to witness Christ to family or friends, especially those whom I know or suspect are lost. I’m getting stronger and bolder in my later years; however, prayerfully, I will become more like a Daniel one day. Though, in truth Daniel, in today’s highlighted verse, puts me to shame being so bold and yet only a “boy” in my comparative mind.

My Prayer Today: Lord, may I be bold today as a warrior like Daniel in Your Name. Amen

2010 – December 29 – To Those Who Overcome

Study from God’s Word… Revelations 8: 7 – 13: 18 … Passage for Reflection: Revelations 13: 10 … NIV This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

My Journal for Today: Wow! Reading through Chapters 8 – 13 of Revelations can be – and for me, IS – a bit overwhelming with all the apocalyptic imagery involving the devil and his beasts which will bring horrible physical and spiritual oppression upon mankind in the great tribulation. And bringing all this into here-and-now perspective and application can be a bit daunting, to say the least. But this little verse in Rev. 13: 10, which is repeated, very close conceptually, in Rev. 14: 12 is reflective of why God gave John all these visions to write down for the churches in Asia-Minor of the day as well as for you an me.

Remember the seven letters Jesus dictated for John to send to the 1st Century churches, the intent of which, being canonized into Scripture, applies to any/all in the church today. At the end of each of the seven letters, Dr. Smith today helped me remember that there was a charge for the remnant of believers who had been scattered and were being persecuted in the world of that day; and that charge involved the challenge by God in today’s highlight text; and we – the church – are being charged to remain faithful with patient endurance; because our faith will be challenged by Satan, the world, and even our own flesh.

I challenge you to go back, as I did today, and read the end of each of the seven letters to the churches in Rev., Chapters 2 – 3; and you’ll read the promises of God for the believer “who overcomes and does [God’s] will to the end.” And you’ll see that each of the seven promises raises the specter of Dr. Smith’s poignant question to close his devotional today, which is, ”Do I have the depth of faith and commitment that would keep me faithful no matter what the consequences?”

Pretty good question as we close out the old year and enter a New Year, don’t you think?

Oh, we may not be dealing the level of horror and persecution as those 1st century Christians were facing; and we certainly are not involved with the terror Christians who were saved in the tribulation will face. BUT – the challenge for those believers, leveled in today’s highlight verse, is the same one which is put to any Christian today. Any type of physical, emotional, and/or spiritual circumstance, which causes us to reflect on our fears and challenge our faith, is going to call for us to exercise our faith and become OVERCOMERS.

What are you facing as we go into 2011 which gives you pause or maybe is terribly fearful? Are you dealing with cancer; or maybe you have a loved one who is? Are finances to a point of challenging your faith? Maybe you just can’t seem to conquer a recurring pattern of sin, which you know is an affront to God? What are our oppressive faith challenges going into 2011?

Well, no matter what our challenges or circumstances are, the book of Revelations was given to us, through John, so that we – God’s church – can realize that His ultimate promises will overcome anything Satan, the world, or even our own selfishness can throw our way. My fellow Christian, we can be overcomers; but we’ve got to become conquerors by believing God’s truth – such as His promises set forth in His word, … just as they are the Book of Revelations. If you cannot or will not lean, with faith, on God’s promises, my dear one, you are going to succumb to our spiritual enemies in 2011. But if you can – and will – determine to learn about and lean on God’s wondrous truth from His word, you, my friend are going to be more and more of an OVERCOMER into and through the New Year.

I do hope you, a reader here, will have a HAPPY OVERCOMER NEW YEAR in 2011.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, I declare my pursuit of overcomer faith in this new year. Amen

2009 – Day 339.Dec 6 – Straight Thinking

Passage for Study: Acts 23 … Acts 23 linked for study …

My Journal for Today: Chuck Swindoll nails a lot of us in his devotional entry for today as he points out our fear reaction to calamity in our lives. He begins by asking if any of his readers have ever been in an extremely fearful place in life. And when I read his questions in this regard, I thought of those who’ve returned from war in Iraq, having dodged bullets whizzing by their heads. I thought of someone coming out of a near-death experience from an extremely rough air flight; or someone who’s been through a horrible storm, like a hurricane or tornado and has lived to recall the experience. Anyone who’s been close to death with calamity surrounding them can attest to the state of mind of not being able to think straight and quite possibly being paralyzed with fear.

But such was not the case for the Apostle Paul as you read through Acts, Chapters 21 – 23, especially this last chapter. And when you go to 2nd Cor. 11: 16 – 29, you can read of all the horrible and near-death calamities experienced by the Apostle as he carried out his calling to take the Gospel to the Gentiles of his time. And yet, as we read from Dr. Luke in Acts and Paul himself, in his letters, Paul was able to retain straight thinking in the midst of all of his storms of life, … all of the persecutions, … all the torture. And when we read that, we have to ask how Paul could remain cool and trust God so implicitly in the face of life threatening circumstances.

And really the answer to that does not require a genius IQ or a Ph.D. level education. No, the answer is quite simple. Paul quite simply knew God’s word and trusted in its truth. Paul knew and internalized the reality and authenticity of such Scriptures as Deuteronomy 31: 8 or Proverbs 3: 5 – 6; and you read those references, I hope you know what those scriptures tell you. I hope you not only know what they say; but you believe them; and as you believe them, when you are thrown into some storm in your life, you can react as did Jesus in the back of the boat in Matt. 8: 22-24, rather than like His disciples who were wracked in fear.

Personally, and in reality my dear friend, I don’t really know, right now, how I would react if I were in a small boat out on the Sea of Galilee almost being turned over by the waves. I’d probably be afraid for my life; but hopefully having rehearsed my trust in God’s promises and the hope I have in Christ, I’d be able to have enough straight and trustful thinking to see that even the worst, my death, would only bring me into the presence of my Lord, Jesus. And that, my dear one, is a good thing, not a calamity.

So, now is the time, when the seas are calm and we are safe, to rehearse and steady our minds with the truth of God’s word. That’s one reason – and certainly not the only one – that I went through the discipline of putting the truth of God’s word deeply into my heart/mind as I memorized many of the truths of God’s word, which, when I’m tested or tried in life with calamity, I can recall God’s stabilizing truths to allow me to declare – to myself at least and maybe others – the trust I have in God’s wonderful promises.

When the Apostle Paul was tested by that thorn in his life (see 2nd Cor. 12: 7 – 11), that thorn which caused him great pain and drove him to prayer to avoid it, he remember the words of His Savior, Who had said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” I hope you know, believe, and can rely on that word from God in the midst of any pain you may have experienced in life – or may currently be experiencing. And now that you’re safe and can think straight, I hope you’re consuming God’s word and truth into your mind and heart by memorizing key passages of God’s word, which one day you can call up to keep your heart calm and allow you to have God-inspired straight thinking in the midst of some life altering calamity.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, let Your truth resonate in my mind to keep me thinking straight when life gets turned upside down. Amen

2009 – Day 159.June 9 – Incredible Associations

2009 – Day 159.June 9 – Incredible Associations

Passage of the Day: 1st Kings 17: 8 – 16 … Passage linked for study …

My Journal for Today: So, our “man of God,” Elijah does what God commands and goes from Cherith to Zarapeth and seeks out the widow, whom God had available for him at the gate to the city. But when Elijah requested food and drink, the widow related what an impossible task this would be for her due to the paucity of food stuffs and water available for her own family, let alone for a guest.

BUT – Elijah’s faith had been made ready in Cherith; and he was able to focus with faith on the circumstances to show this widow what a great God they worshipped. And as we read in 1st Kings 17: 14, the Prophet does what a Prophet of God had been prepared by God to do, … prophesy. And he declares that the food will not run out for this widow and her family and she will also have water during the drought. And as long as Elijah was there with the widow serving his needs, that is exactly what happened.

And Swindoll asks the pointed question … if his readers have ever had a person in their life, one who simply would not look at the world though lenses of impossibility. And I ask, “Have you ever been around or influenced by someone like that?” I have; and shortly after I became a Christian, groping for strength and truth in my life, I was led to my home church and to a mentor, a retired physician and a Godly man who reveled in seemingly impossible tasks, seeing them as great opportunities to go to the Lord in faith. He was blessed with the gift of prophesy as a motivational gift; and he was so steeped in God’s word that he could bring up a truth from Scripture when things seemed bleak to show me what God would say to the challenges from my life that I laid before him. He was like the Apostle Paul when he declared to his followers in Corinth (see 1st Cor. 11: 1), “You can imitate me because I imitate Christ.”

I hope you know and have access to someone like that in your life. If not, I would charge you to pray for and seek out such a man of God [or a Godly woman for you Sisters in Christ]; and I would challenge you to seek council from such a Godly mentor. Because following someone like that can change the way you view the world, moving you from fear to faith, … from seeing impossible circumstances to possibility thinking.

I know it’s not easy to find such an “Elijah” in this world; but I’ve seen them in my church; and so I know they are out there. And when you find and follow a mentor like Elijah or an apostle Paul so that you can imitate their faith and obedience to God’s word. Find and follow such a mentor and you will begin to see God’s possibilities in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances. So, I pray you find such a faith leader to walk you through the valley of the shadow of death into the pasture of promise (as I’m sure you know God says in Psalm 23 - linked for your study).

My Prayer for Today: Thank you, Lord, for leading me to this place of faith; now I pray for the same for anyone who reads what You’ve given me to share this day. Amen