June 5, 2011 … Integrity Stands On Principle

Passage of the Day: Daniel 1: 5, 8 … 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service. … 8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

My Journal for Today: In today’s passage we begin to see the remarkably mature character and discernment of a young believer who exercised his faith in the light of powerful political pressures. And we also note that this young Hebrew lad didn’t go off half-cocked with anger to demonstrate his faith with some political protest that could have either landed him in the king’s prison or had him beheaded. No, Daniel (or rather, Belteshazzar as he was renamed by the Babylonians) demonstrated a remarkable degree of cultural respect and decorum by bringing his concerns to the chief Babylonian officials when his spiritual disciplines were being challenged by the power structure of Nebuchadnezzar’s court.

As we see in Daniel, chapter one, “Belteshazzar” saw an advantage in receiving the secular education being forced upon him and the other Hebrew youths because there was nothing from His Godly values against such teachings or actions. However, when it came to the Babylonian dietary practices, Daniel had to draw a line because his God’s Law specifically prohibited the dietary practices of the Babylonian culture..

But Daniel did not choose to use political demonstrations or underground subversion to show his aversion to the Babylonian dietary “laws.” On the contrary, he showed great restraint, and I believe became an example of Christlike humility and meekness (see Matt. 11: 29), by respectfully petitioning the royal authorities to be able to avoid defiling himself and his friends (see Dan. 1: 11 – 15).

Standing on Godly principles, the stance of Christian integrity, is tough in today’s world. However, as long as we stand in the gap for Christ and Christian values, we should remember the first line actions of Daniel as we do our best to witness Christian humility and meekness (i.e., Christlikeness), following God’s mandates to honor God ordained governments as much as we can [see Romans 13: 1 – 7 - linked here for your study]. We will later see that Christian integrity can possibly take us to civil disobedience and a more direct stand against ungodly governments or worldly authorities whom God has installed. However, our first response should be “Danielian” in respectful discernment and challenge. Stay with me this month. I’ve read on ahead a bit; and there will be more to this story, especially when governments or political powers try to force us to do ungodly acts which cannot be compromised or ignored. But for now, confronting marginal pressures in the world which are ungodly, we should do all we can, as Daniel did, to take a Godly stance which imitates the very loving, humble, and gentle stance our Lord would model for us when we’re confronted by carnality and worldliness.

My Prayer Today: Help me, Lord, to stand for You with humility, meekness and integrity Amen

April 25, 2011 … Resurrection – So What?

Passage of the Day: 1st Corinthian 15: 19a … If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

My Journal for Today: In his devotional for this date in Strength for Today, John MacArthur teaches about the hope we have in Christ’s death and resurrection to secure our faith by using a word picture from a Greek concept of the “archegos.” According to MacArthur, the “archegos” was the strongest swimmer on any Greek fishing boat, who was charged with the responsibility to swim to shore, carrying a line, if the boat was in trouble, which the “archegos” would then affix the line to a solid rock or tree, securing the boat’s safety. MacArthur says that Jesus is the Christian’s “archegos,” securing our boat of hope by going ahead, through the resurrection, to tie our rope of faith to the rock of His saving grace, … or better yet, to the tree where He died that we might live.

I’m very taken by MacArthur’s word picture; because without Christ going ahead of us from His grave (perhaps as depicted in Deut. 31: 8 and the prophesy of Psalm 22), this exercise of mine this morning to journal my way in God’s word or even to have any faith in Jesus Christ at all would be meaningless and a total waste of time. All the Bible study in the world or listening to sermons or giving our tithe to the church or witnessing my faith to others … all of it would be purposeless without Christ’s resurrection.

However, because Christ now is risen and His tomb lies empty in that rock somewhere near Jerusalem, I will live forever (see John 14: 19). And because He was raised and ever lives, my sins are justified (see Romans 4: 24 – 25); and my anchor of faith is tethered to the rock of my salvation forever, … my “Archegos.”

My Prayer Today: Again, Lord, I cry deep from within … “HALLELUJAH! Amen