"Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before." - Daniel 6:10 (NIV).
Many of you will know about the story of Daniel in the lion's den, how several hundred years B.C. he was taken captive, along with most of the ancient Israelites, to Babylon—the city reported to be about 60 miles south of Baghdad in Iraq.
Because Daniel was a very able and trusted servant, King Darius planned to make him the second highest in command in Babylon. However, jealous lesser leaders, knowing that Daniel could not be faulted in any way, set a trap to have him destroyed by persuading the king to make a law "that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den." - Daniel 6: 7 (NIV).
Daniel refused to stop praying to God. King Darius was greatly distressed but, because of the law, Daniel was thrown to the hungry lions with the king's words: "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"
"Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating .... And he could not sleep. At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, 'Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?'
"Daniel answered, 'O king, live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions....'
"The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones." - Daniel 6:6-24 (NIV).
Had Daniel gone "kicking and screaming" into the lion's den because of this gross injustice, chances are he would have been torn to pieces before he hit bottom. But he didn't. He trusted God fully in the midst of this frightening situation. However, before Daniel was delivered out of the lions' den, he was delivered in it—a lesson that God wants each of us to learn in whatever situation we find ourselves.
Prayer: "Our Merciful Loving Father God, please help me to learn to trust you and be faithful to you, as Daniel did, no matter what adverse circumstances I happen to find myself in, knowing that my life will always be in your hands. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen."
Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 26:1-25
The Lord gives his own reward for doing good. - 1 Samuel 26:23.
Poor Joseph. He was minding his own business, working for a man named Potiphar, when the boss's wife started getting fresh. She said, "Yo, Joe, come to bed with me" (Genesis 39:7, loose translation). So what did Joseph do? He made a quick dash for the exit! Joseph did the right thing, and you know what? He ended up in prison for it!
Poor Elijah. He was minding his own business, doing his thing as a prophet of God in Israel, when God told him to summon to Mount Carmel all the people of Israel, including 850 false prophets. So what did Elijah do? He prayed and won a mighty contest against the enemies of God! Elijah did the right thing, and you know what? He had to run for his life from an angry Queen Jezebel (see 1 Kings 18:1-19:9).
Poor Daniel. He was minding his own business, praying to God three times a day in his own room, when the king decreed that for thirty days no one could pray to anyone except the king (see Daniel 6:1-18). So what did Daniel do? He prayed to God, just as he had always done. Daniel did the right thing, and you know what? He got thrown into a den of lions!
"Whoa, now!" you might say. "Are you telling me that those guys all did the
right thing, and they ended up worse than before?"
Yes.
"But," you might ask, "I thought right choices were supposed to protect us and provide for us." Yes.
"So how come," you might wonder, "all those bad things happened to Joseph, Elijah, and Daniel? It doesn't sound like they were better off for making right choices."
Actually, they were. But their experiences-and the experiences of many people since-show that right choices aren't always rewarded. There's no guarantee that doing the right thing will bring immediate benefits; in fact, much of the time, doing the right thing doesn't seem to bring any good results at all.
When David was being chased by King Saul (1 Samuel 26), he chose to show mercy toward the king God had anointed. But sparing Saul's life made things worse for David, not better. His actions didn't promise immediate benefits, but David did the right thing anyway. And eventually God made David the king in Saul's place.
Doing the right thing may not always be rewarded immediately-perhaps never. But whether it's rewarded or not, doing the right thing will please God. As David himself said, "The Lord gives his own reward for doing good"- (1 Samuel 26:23).
REFLECT: Have you ever been sorry for doing the right thing? Why or why not?
PRAYER:"Almighty and Merciful Lord God, help me to do the right thing, even when I may not be rewarded. Right now I most need your help doing the right thing in the area of__________ . Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen."
"Don't just pretend to be good...put away all deception, envy and fraud. Long to grow up into the fullness of your salvation."
- 1 Peter 2:1,3 (TLB/NLT).
I read the other day about a little boy who loved to play Superman.
Each morning three-year-old Ray would ask his mother to pin a bath towel to the back shoulders of his size 2 T-shirt. Immediately in his young imaginative mind the towel became a brilliant magic blue and red cape. And he became Superman.
Outfitted each day in his "cape," Ray's days were packed with adventure and daring escapades. In his mind, he not only played Superman, he WAS Superman. This fact was clearly pointed out when his mother enrolled him in kindergarten class. During the course of the interview, the teacher asked Ray his name.
"Superman," he answered politely and without pause.
The teacher smiled, cast an appreciative glance at his mother,and asked again, "Your real name, please."
Again, Ray answered, "Superman."
Realizing the situation demanded more authority, or maybe to hide her amusement, the teacher closed her eyes for a moment, and then in a voice quite stern, said, "I will have to have your real name for the records."
Sensing he'd have to play straight with the teacher, Ray slid his eyes around the room, hunched closer to her, and patting a corner of the frayed towel at his shoulder, answered in a voice hushed with conspiracy, "Clark Kent."- (Source Unknown.)
We laugh at this child's imagination and childish self-deception. Sadly, too many of us as adults put on a public face (our "Super-whatever" mask) and pretend to be outwardly what we're not on the inside so that we will be liked and accepted—and as a means of avoiding facing our own reality. And when we live with this deception for so long, we end up believing our mask is the real us. People may "like" my public mask but as long as I hide my true self, I will never feel loved and will end up living among people alone apart. The realty is that I can only be loved to the degree that I am known.
Furthermore, unless I admit to myself and to God who and what I really am, I will never be able to feel truly forgiven nor fully loved. We try, like Adam did when he sinned, to hide from God, which is totally unrealistic, since we can never hide from God no matter how we try.As David wrote, "Where can I go from Your Spirit [Oh God]? Or where can I flee from your presence?" - Psalm 139:1-7 (NIV). Much wiser and much healthier to come to God and admit who we truly are, ask for and find his forgiveness, and be freed to grow and become all that God envisioned for us to be and do.
Prayer: "Almighty and Loving God, thank you that you know me as I truly am and love me regardless. However, please help me to stop hiding behind any false front, to be honest with myself and with you so that I can experience your forgiveness and become all that you want for me to be, and be an open channel through whom your love can flow to others. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen."
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The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. Psalms 34:7 (NKJV)
History is full of testimonies from people who experienced great escapes. One need only read the book written by Corrie Ten Boom titled, The Hiding Place, to see how an estimated 800-Jewish people experienced great escapes to avoid certain death at the hands of Nazi Germany. Again, we see testimonies of people who narrowly escaped certain death during the collapsing of the twin towers of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
The Bible is filled with testimonies of great escapes as well, including the story of the Apostle Paul, who at the time was still called Saul. We read in chapter 9 of the Book of Acts of how on two occasions people had plotted to kill Saul. On one occasion it was the Hellenists in Jerusalem who threatened his life, and he was able to escape certain death. And in another instance, it was the Jews in Damascus who were enraged at him for proclaiming Jesus to be the Christ. In this particular time, he was smuggled out of the city by being lowered down through the wall in a large basket.
Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket. Acts 9:23-25 (NKJV)
I was talking with a friend a one day and he shared a story about a helicopter pilot named Ernie Tanner who now oversees heli missions. He shared a story of Ernie's first flight over in the deserts of the Middle East. Ernie had just a few hours of experience, and on his first flight his Hughes 269 helicopter experienced a mechanical failure midflight. He found himself having to do an emergency landing in the middle of the vast desert. As God would have it, there was a remote airstrip right there.
Thankful to be alive, but stuck in the middle of nowhere, Ernie found a mechanic at this strip who was able to take a look at the ill-fated chopper. Now finding a mechanic who knew how to service the helicopter would have been very fortunate. But finding one who was specifically trained to work on the Hughes 269 was an act of God. If this was not enough, the mechanic had the very part needed to repair this helicopter.
Now some could read this story and say, "Boy, Ernie was one lucky camper to narrowly escape death!" And I would say, "No he wasn't; he was in the hands of our sovereign God." I believe God wanted to better prepare Ernie for the path ahead. I believe He wanted Ernie to know He was there, and that He would always be there no matter how impossible the situation, and no matter what he would face. And I believe it is the same for us.
You see, God is in control of everything--nothing happens by chance, or by luck. God has specific plans for every life on earth, and even though we may have various plans, it is God who really directs our steps.
A man's heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9 (NKJV)
Knowing this truth should give us great confidence for those times we find ourselves backed into a corner, or seemingly stranded with no hope of making it out. It can be a financial crisis in your life, or perhaps a strained marriage or some other type of relationship. The point is the same--God is in control, and He will guide you through safely. When it looks impossible, He will provide the exact part needed to fix what appears unfixable. When there is no provision, He will provide.
The way I look at it, if we had everything we needed in these times, we would take the glory for our own ingenuity and abilities. It isn't until we are faced with obstacles, perilous times, and dead ends in our life that we truly have to turn to God and cry out. And it is there where He is faithful to meet us every time.
The question is, why do we wait until these times--why don't we cry out when things are great? Why don't we cry out to Him today when we are healthy; when there are clothes on our back and food in the refrigerator, or when we have jobs? Why don't we just confess these words to God when everything is good in our life? I can't make it today without You Lord, nor do I want to choose to try to make it without You. I need You.
Hey Christian, I want to encourage you today to always trust God. He is in control, especially when everything is out of control. Stop, drop, and pray. If you find yourself imprisoned in a life of sinful living, or trapped in the cycle of doubt, worry and fear, then confess anything you know to be sin, and repent. Seek the Lord and pray for your provision. It's time to make a great escape from living for this world, and from allowing the enemy to influence your life. Read your Bible today, and begin to learn God's truth.
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32 (NKJV)
STUDY QUESTION: According to the Scriptures contained within this devotional, what can we learn about our ability to escape?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Is there something you need to escape from?
APPLICATION: Seek the Lord, and ask Him to deliver you today.
Bible Reading: Exodus 20:1-10
Then God instructed the people as follows: "I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt. Do not worship any other gods besides me." - Exodus 20:1-3.
What's the most famous painting in the world? Probably the Mona Lisa.
Leonardo da Vinci painted a portrait of Lisa del Giocondo, the young wife of a wealthy merchant, around 1503 in Florence, Italy. The smile he captured on the woman's face has mystified people ever since its creation. Is she happy? Is she sad? Is her smile appearing? Is it disappearing? Or does she just have a little indigestion?
You've seen the picture, right? Probably not. You've seen copies. You've seen it reproduced in encyclopedias, classrooms, textbooks, television shows-but unless you've visited the Louvre Museum in Paris, you've never seen the actual Mona Lisa.
The Mona Lisa is unique. It's one of a kind. There is no other painting like it.
What is true of the Mona Lisa is true, in a much greater and deeper way, of our God. He is unique. He's one of a kind. There is no one like him. When Moses ascended the slopes of Mount Sinai many years ago, God delivered the Ten Commandments:
Then God instructed the people as follows: "I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt. Do not worship any other gods besides me" - (Exodus 20:1-3).
The first commandment God gave to Moses revealed that he is unique. There is no one like him. But his uniqueness exceeds the uniqueness of the Mona Lisa. There is only one Mona Lisa in the world, but there are many paintings. There is only one God in the universe, and there is none other. He's not only unique in his class, he's alone in his class! He alone is God. He says, "Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other" - (Isaiah 45:22).
That is why God tells us to worship no one but him. And that's why we will never be satisfied worshiping someone-or something-else.
REFLECT: Do you worship only God? Are you devoted to anyone or anything else? How do you know? What other things in the world can be truly called unique? Are any of those things unique in the way that God is unique?
ACT: Look for a picture of the Mona Lisa. (Try looking in an encyclopedia.) If possible, keep a copy of the painting posted on your bedroom door or bathroom mirror. Every time you see it this week, take a moment to think about God's uniqueness.
Prayer: "Almighty and Loving Father God, I'm really glad that I don't need to look anywhere else for salvation. I praise you for being the only God there is. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen."
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Jesus said He was The Way, The Truth, and The Life. He then followed this up with a very powerful absolute truth and warning when He stated, "No one comes to the Father except through me."
Satan, our enemy, attacks this truth and reduces it to merely a "personal opinion", or to one of "many ways" to God. But this is not what Jesus said; He said, "I am 'the' way". "I" is singular and refers to one. Again, for many this is too narrow for them. They will attack this as a narrow way of thinking - even saying those who believe this are conceited, or simply ignorant.
But for some, they accept the Gospel message of Jesus Christ just as it is written in 1 Corinthians.
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (NKJV)
They believe Jesus was the Promised Messiah prophesied about in the Old Testament.
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7 (NKJV)
They believe He is the One who died on the Cross of Calvary and is the risen Christ as recorded in Hebrews.
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)
For Christian believers this is truth, and they are to profess it publically saying, "Jesus is my Lord, and I am going to follow Him. I am a Christian."
We can read about the early Christian believers in the Book of Acts 9:1-30. Many of them were persecuted for following "The Way" (v. 2). We can see from this chapter, those who followed the "Way", were also designated as "the disciples of the Lord" (v. 2, 10, 19), as, "saints" (v. 13), as, "all who call on your (Jesus') name" (v. 14), and as, "brothers" (v. 17, 30).
To these believers, the "Way" was not just a set of beliefs, or a set of doctrinal truths; it was theway of living their lives. They decided to be followers of Jesus Christ and as such, they chose to lay down their lives, including their old way of living - they were going to live in a new way. They were going to put off the old ways, and put on the new ways.
Q: How has your life changed since you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? Have you changed the way you do things since you have learned the truth of His Word?
...if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:21-24 (NKJV)
Hey Christian, when we say we believe in Jesus, or claim to be a Christian, it should mean we have decided to no longer live for the flesh or for the desires of this world. It should mean we are committed to living in a new "Way." This way is to be the way Jesus lived - it is to die to self, which means to be selfless instead of selfish. I want to encourage you today to examine your personal goals, and desires - to examine your way of living. When others look at your life, do they see Christ-like attributes and choices? Can they see within your life a commitment to "The Way"?
STUDY QUESTION: According to John 14:6, what can we truthfully derive about those who say there are many ways to God?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Have you followed through on your personal commitment to God by changing the way you live? Is this way the way Jesus would have lived?
APPLICATION: Seek God's Word to have your life transformed by the renewing of your mind (See Rom. 12-1-2).
"GOD COMMANDS US TO BE PURE, BECAUSE HE IS PURE.
Bible Reading of the Day: Read 1 John 3:1-10.
Verse of the Day: "I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until Christ returns" - Philippians 1:10.
"I just don't see what the big deal is!" Dave said. "They're just words. I don't mean anything by them."
Rita shook her head. "How can you say that, Dave? You're a Christian." Rita had told Dave she couldn't believe the language she'd heard him use in the school cafeteria. Dave and Rita had been friends since first grade, and their families attended the same church.
"Yeah, but everybody talks that way," he said.
"Christians?" Rita asked.
Dave shrugged. "Look, they're just words. There's nothing wrong with them." "How can you say that?" Rita asked again. "How can you let such impure things come out of your mouth and then say there's nothing wrong with it?" "They're just words," Dave said in an exasperated tone.
"They're filthy words," Rita pressed. "Come on, Dave, you go to the same
Sunday-school class as I do. You know that God commands us to be pure. He commands us to be blameless and pure."
"Yeah, but..."
"But nothing! You know as well as I do that the reason God commands purity is because he values purity. And the reason he values purity is because he is pure!
Remember what Mr. Franklin told us?" she said, referring to their Sunday-school teacher. "Remember, he told us all about the regulations God gave for the tabernacle and the temple, and how they were supposed to use pure gold and pure incense, and not mix linen and wool, and all that stuff that was supposed to show them that God was pure and that he wanted—"
"OK, OK!" Dave said, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'll stop using those words, if it makes you happy."
"It doesn't matter if it makes me happy," Rita said. "But it'll make God happy.
He's the one who wants you to be pure."
"All right," Dave said. "But answer a question for me, OK?"
Dave's request surprised Rita. "What?"
"How can you talk so long without taking a breath?"
Rita saw the traces of a mischievous smile on Dave's face. "Practice," she said.
DISCUSS: Take turns naming ways that you can be pure in thought, word, and deed.
PRAYER:"Our Loving Heavenly Father, Lord, we want our words to be as pure as the incense that was offered up in your temple. Help us to live pure and blameless lives. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen."
Bible Reading: Acts 5:1-11
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
- Exodus 20:16, NIV.
Have you ever noticed the headlines of some of the newspapers in the racks beside the grocery store checkout lines?
"Alien spaceship found in New Mexico!" (It was a four-seat plane from Mexico.)
"Baby born with treasure map on its back!" (It was a birthmark.)
"I gave birth to Elvis's two-headed alien love child!" (Yeah, right.)
"Vince Foster's ghost haunts White House!" (The floor in the west wing creaks.)
Do people really believe this stuff? They certainly buy it. Supermarket tabloids sell millions of newspapers every week, so somebody out there must be reading it, liking it, and maybe even believing it.
Of course, those newspapers aren't the only ones to "embellish" the truth or
even to stretch it to its breaking point. You and I do it all the time. We may
not claim to have seen Elvis at the local Wal-Mart, but we do stretch the truth
sometimes. After all, what's the harm of a "little white lie"?
A lot. God has another word for "stretching the truth" or "embellishing the
truth." He calls it lying. He says, "Do not testify falsely against your
neighbor" (Exodus 20:16), and "Do not lie" (Leviticus 19:11). But lying, whether it's a little white lie or a big fat one, is wrong not just because God says it is. The ninth commandment reveals God as a God who values truth because he himself is true.
Another reason God tells us to avoid lying and to speak the truth is that lying
is destructive. Ananias and Sapphira found that out in one deadly lesson! Lying separates us from God. It erodes our character and destroys our reputation. It makes us less like God.
God wants to save us from all that by showing us, through his commandments, what he is like. When we reflect his nature, we also make things a lot easier on ourselves.
REFLECT: The ninth commandment tells us not to lie. What does that reveal about what God is like? Do you think God ever lies? Why or why not?
Finish this statement: "I reflected God's nature this week when
I ________________________________________________.
If you can't finish the statement, what could you do now to reflect God's
nature?
ACT: Cut out letters from news headlines to form the words "Do not lie." Arrange them on a piece of paper. Then attach the paper to your mirror, bulletin board, or refrigerator as a reminder to always speak the truth.
Prayer:"Our Merciful and Loving Father in Heaven, I'm sorry, God, that it's hard for me to tell the truth when____________________Help me to be more like you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen."
Bible reading: Acts 4:1-20
"We must obey God rather than men!" - (Acts 5:29, NIV).
Have you ever been thrown into jail for talking about God?
Have you ever been hauled into court for being a Christian?
Have you ever been whipped and beaten for telling others about Jesus?
Have you ever been threatened for saying that Jesus rose from the dead?
Maybe you've never had any of those experiences. But Peter and John did.
Peter and John were two of Jesus' disciples. After Jesus died, rose from the dead, and went up to heaven, Peter and John started talking about what had happened. They told people that Jesus had come to save them from their sins and give them forgiveness and eternal life. But a lot of important people in Jerusalem (where Peter and John lived) didn't like what they were saying. So they arrested them and took them to court. They even had them whipped. And then they told them to stop talking about Jesus.
What would you do if that happened to you? What would you do if someone said, "if you say another word about Jesus, we'll beat you up?" What would you do if people threatened to put you in jail--or even kill you--for telling others about Jesus?
Well, Peter and John didn't do anything. They just kept doing exactly what they had always done. They kept preaching about Jesus. They kept talking about how Jesus had died and risen from the dead. They kept telling people how to find salvation by trusting in Christ. They persevered even when other people threatened them and caused them a lot of trouble.
That's a great example for us to follow. Peter and John explained their action by saying, "We must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29, NIV). That's exactly what you and I should do, too. Even if our friends tease us and call us names, we should obey God. Even if doing the right thing might make us look silly, we should obey God. Even if doing what is right might get us--or a friend--in trouble, we should obey God. And we should keep obeying him, no matter what others say or do. That's perseverance. And that kind of perseverance is right.
Reflect: Maybe you've never been in a situation exactly like Peter and John's; but you may have tempted to give up or give in to pressure from other people. If so, what did you do? Did you persevere in spite of the pressure, or did you give in? What will you do the next time you face pressure to stop doing right (or to start doing wrong)?
Prayer: "Our Loving Heavenly Father, help me to be more like Peter and John when people try to get me to give up or to give in to pressure." Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen."
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