Category Archives: Faithful is He that has Promised!

Finishing Well??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 12 No. 08

15 Monday Oct 2018

Posted by in Approved Unto God, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Finishing Well, Follow Jesus

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 12 No. 08     Finishing Well???

 

I’m not much of a follower of track and field sports, but I do love to watch the runners fly along that track (probably because I do good just to walk without stumbling J!!!) and see the winner lunge for that ribbon to be the one to break through to gain the prize. It’s important for a runner to get a good start, but it’s equally as important that he finish well; for without a good finish there is no prize. Scripture often compares our spiritual life to a race, and we are called to run faithfully and consistently by keeping our eyes on JESUS!

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin

which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run

with patience

the race that is set

before us,

2 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 is set down

at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him

that endured such contradiction

of sinners

against himself,

lest ye be wearied

and faint in your minds.”   Hebrews 12:1-3

As a spiritual runner, we are called to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us” and run patiently—for we are running a marathon not a sprint, and this requires stamina and faithfulness to the task—the race “that is set before us”! Did you get that? We are to run the race that God has set “before us”, not the race that HE has set before someone else! While I don’t know a lot about running, I do know that the runners must stay in their own lane, and keep their eyes on the goal, not the other runners; the runners keep their eyes forward and don’t look back to see what the other runners, or swimmers or hurdlers are doing! It is the same way with us spiritually!!! We aren’t to compare ourselves to the race that others are running (other than to share encouragement with each other, but not to copy the race that others may be running or failing to run!), but we are to keep “Looking unto Jesus” our Lord, our goal and our prize!

Runners lay aside everything that will slow them down, and we must lay aside the things that will hinder our race for Jesus! Sometimes that is hard to do, but just as runners sacrifice time, pleasures and indulgences to prepare for the race, we must keep our hearts and minds on our Lord and not this world if we want to run successfully. But unlike the runners of a physical race, we have a source of power, strength, and encouragement and hope that they don’t have (unless they are also ‘spiritual runners for Jesus’). Our source is the One who called us to salvation, and keeps us by His love, power, and grace all through the blood of Jesus that “cleanseth us from all sin”! It is HIS power that will empower us to finish well, but we must keep our eyes on HIM, rather than being distracted by the world, or allowing the enemy to steal our victory and our prize—even though he can’t steal our relationship to Jesus

“Being confident of this very thing,

that he which hath begun

a good work

in you

will perform it

until the day

of Jesus Christ:”   Philippians 1:6

Paul reminds us that it is God who saves, and God who keeps and he told us in Romans 8 that God is ever working to conform us into the image of Jesus (See Ro. 8:28-39)! That’s HIS job, ours is to yield to His work within our hearts and minds and follow Him each day. We can pursue God’s will, His Word and His ways or we can allow ourselves to loose our ‘crown’ and our ‘reward’ by neglect! Jesus reminds us of this in His letter to the church at Philadelphia.

“Behold,

I come quickly:

hold that fast which thou hast,

that no man take thy crown.” Revelation 3:11 

We must strive to ‘finish’ well and receive the prize that awaits us, and hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant…” when we stand before our Lord Jesus to give an account of what we have done with the life and race that HE set before us. Will you/I hear that “well done”; or will we hang our head in shame for the things that distracted us from HIS service and took our crown? Oh to know HIS pleasure in our service to HIM!

“His lord said unto him,

Well done,

good and faithful servant;

thou hast been faithful

over a few things,

I will make thee ruler over many things:

enter thou

into the joy of thy lord.”   Matthew25:23

It is the desire of my heart to hear my Master’s greeting of pleasure in the opportunities that He has provided for me to serve Him, and my prayer is that I will finish well. Starting well is important, and getting back up when we stumble is also important. As I’ve often heard it said, “Success is simply getting up one more time than we fall down!” Paul gives us a powerful picture of our accountability before God! While teaching this passage recently, someone asked if this will be a public judgment, and my reply was simple—I don’t know. But even if it is public, I truly think that I/you will be so concerned about what Jesus has to say to me/you, that we won’t be focused on what HE is saying to anyone else! I’ll simply be focused on what I will hear my master say to me! How about you? Let’s dig into Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian believers.

“I have planted,

Apollos watered;

but God gave the increase.

7 So then neither is he that planteth

any thing,

neither he that watereth;

but God that giveth the increase.

8 Now he that planteth

and he that watereth

are one:

and every man shall receive

his own reward

according to his own labour.

9 For we are labourers together

with God:

ye are God’s husbandry,

ye are God’s building.

10 According to the grace of God

which is given unto me,

as a wise masterbuilder,

I have laid the foundation,

and another

buildeth thereon.

But let every man take heed

how he buildeth thereupon.

11 For other foundation can no man lay

than that is laid,

which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation

gold, silver, precious stones,

wood, hay, stubble;

13 Every man’s work

shall be made manifest:

for the day shall declare it,

because it shall be revealed by fire;

and the fire shall try

every man’s work

of what sort it is.

14 If any man’s work abide

which he hath built thereupon,

he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man’s work shall be burned,

he shall suffer loss:

but he himself shall be saved;

yet so as by fire.”    1 Corinthians 3:6-14

Paul also reminded the Romans believers of this same principle of our accountability as God’s children.

“For whether we live,

we live unto the Lord;

and whether we die,

we die unto the Lord:

whether we live therefore,

or die,

we are the Lord’s.

9 For to this end Christ both died,

and rose,

and revived,

that he might be Lord

both of the dead

and living.

10 But why dost thou judge

thy brother?

or why dost thou set at nought

thy brother?

for we shall all stand

before the judgment seat

of Christ.

11 For it is written,

As I live,

saith the Lord,

every knee shall bow

to me,

and every tongue shall confess

to God.

12 So then every one of us

shall give account

of himself to God.”   Romans 14:8-12

Every one of us “shall give account of himself to God”; and while this passage is referring to believers, the universal truth is that every one—saved or unsaved—will bow before God and give an account. The saved at the “judgment seat of Christ”, and the lost will stand before the “great white throne” for the deeds they did in their life, and be cast into the “Lake of Fire” because they rejected Jesus! (See Rev. 20:11-15).

But I want us to understand that me running “my” race may not look like you running “your” race; yes there are some essentials that will align—the truth of the Gospel, the authority of the Word of God, the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the truth that HE is the Only Way to God, etc.—yet God calls us to a service and ministry for which HE has and is equipping us, for each of us is totally unique by God’s perfect, sovereign design. And while our “races” may look different on the outside, God will judge us according to our love, devotion and faithfulness to HIM that comes from the inside. So my dear friend, my question is, “Are you running your race faithfully?” Will we finish well, or will they simply say of us when we are gone, “He/She started well, but he/she stumbled and never got up?” What a sad epitaph for a child of God. May we not be the one who is “saved; yet so as by fire”; but may we pursue the holiness, righteousness and pleasure of God in all that we do. May we not be distracted by the “wiles of the devil”, but press on tirelessly for His glory! May we feast on HIS Word and live it out in our daily lives as we follow our Lord’s direction in our every step. And remember God knows—even if others don’t, HE knows your heart!!! Amen and Amen!

“Though he slay me,

yet will I trust in him:

but I will maintain mine own ways

before him.

16 He also shall be my salvation:

for an hypocrite shall not come before him.”    Job 13:15-16

“Order my steps in thy word:

and let not any iniquity

have dominion over me.”    Psalm 119:133

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth…..19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal,

The Lord knoweth them that are his.

And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ

depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 1:15 & 19

What Price Sacrifice??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #490

05 Wednesday Sep 2018

Posted by in Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Follow Jesus, JESUS, Jesus' Sacrifice, Salvation

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #490  What Price Sacrifice???

 

“This is my commandment,

That ye love one another,

as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life

for his friends.” John 15:12-13

As believers in and followers of Jesus, we are called to exercise His love toward others, and Jesus describes the greatest love that He was about to express and display before the world on Calvary: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”! But what Jesus did for those who will believe in Him was even more amazing than that—He not only made the ultimate sacrifice for those that HE loves (which is the world), but those that He loves are enemies of God steeped in sin. Yet HE came lovingly, willingly to sacrifice HIS life for us that we could be delivered from death and hell by HIS selfless, substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sinners with His own blood.

“For when we were yet without strength,

in due time

Christ died

for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man

will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man

some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love

toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified

by his blood,

we shall be saved from wrath

through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God

by the death of his Son,

much more, being reconciled,

we shall be saved

by his life.

11 And not only so,

but we also joy in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom we have now received

the atonement.” Romans 5:6-11

We are the beneficiary of the ultimate sacrifice—not only that Jesus gave His life for me/you on the cross—but HE even more importantly, didn’t stay dead, HE AROSE victorious over death and hell too offer life to all who will believe. And because of His great love for us, we can go forward in His love regardless of the hate, meanness, confusion and malice going on around us. Knowing Jesus and having His indwelling Holy Spirit enables us to live victorious lives soaring above the storm with the Master. Isaiah said it best:

“But they that wait upon the LORD

shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings

as eagles;

they shall run,

and not be weary;

and they shall walk,

and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 

Even as the picture in my dining room says: “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:” we can trust our lives, our hope, and our security to The One who died for us—and that is only JESUS my friends, not any movie star, sports star, politician or even any religious leader—only the blood of Jesus can impart abundant life! And when we know Him, as His children, we can declare with Job, that our confidence is in HIM not ourselves or any other human! After all only Jesus can change a ‘sinner’ into a ‘saint’ of God, and only Jesus can give us His Spirit to lead us, grow us, and guide us into more and more of His truth and grace, through His Word by His Spirit; all so that we can minister HIS love to a lost and dying world!

“Though he slay me,

yet will I trust in him:

but I will maintain mine own ways

before him.” Job 13:15   Amen and Amen!

Yet we must remember that God often calls us to difficult tasks, and when he does HE is sufficient to guide our steps and meet our needs!

“Thou therefore gird up thy loins,

and arise,

and speak unto them

all that I command thee:

be not dismayed at their faces,

lest I confound thee before them.

18 For, behold, I have made thee this day

a defenced city,

and an iron pillar,

and brasen walls

against the whole land,

against the kings of Judah,

against the princes thereof,

against the priests thereof,

and against the people of the land.

19 And they shall fight against thee;

but they shall not prevail against thee;

for I am with thee,

saith the LORD,

to deliver thee.”   Jeremiah 1:17-19

Jeremiah was called the “weeping prophet” because he was given a hard task, to a hard people, yet he went forth faithfully for some 40 years doing God’s work with little visible results! What has God asked you and me to do? Are we willing to make the sacrifice for The One who gave Himself for us? He IS the Only Way—The Lord Jesus Christ! Let’s seek His approval above all else, for:

“Neither is there salvation in any other:

for there is none other name

under heaven

given among men,

whereby we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12

I pray that this will help us all to keep our focus on Our Lord and not the confusion of the world, remembering The One who gave it all for our salvation, our life and our glory with HIM! HE is the only ONE who sacrificed for our salvation!

Amen and Amen. Blessings on your day!

I Know Whom I Have Believed!!! Bible Ballistics: BBs #489

31 Friday Aug 2018

Posted by in A Father's Love, Confidence, Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Know Whom I Believe

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #489 I Know Whom I Have Believed!!!

 

I would simply like to share a passage with you this morning that Paul wrote to his son-in-the-ministry, Timothy. It is a passage that brings me great challenge and comfort; some of you may even recognize an old familiar hymn in it. May God help us to hear HIS voice above the “madding crowd”! And I pray that you have a blessed and joyous day and week ahead.

“Be not thou therefore ashamed

of the testimony of our Lord,

nor of me his prisoner:

but be thou partaker of the afflictions

of the gospel

according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us,

and called us

with an holy calling,

not according to our works,

but according to his own

purpose

and grace,

which was given us

in Christ Jesus

before the world began,

10 But is now made manifest

by the appearing of our Saviour

Jesus Christ,

who hath abolished death,

and hath brought life

and immortality

to light

through the gospel:

11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher,

and an apostle,

and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12 For the which cause

I also suffer these things:

nevertheless I am not ashamed:

for I know

whom I have believed,

and am persuaded

that he is able

to keep that

which I have committed

unto him

against that day.

13 Hold fast the form of sound words,

which thou hast heard of me,

in faith

and love

which is in Christ Jesus.”   2 Timothy 1:8-13

May God bless His Word to our hearts and minds “in Christ Jesus”, and may we remember the words of Job, and stand fast in our faithful Lord—Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

Amen and Amen!

“For I know

that my redeemer liveth,

and that he shall stand

at the latter day

upon the earth:” Job 19:25

Amen!

 

 

God’s Purpose Is Trustworthy??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #477

13 Friday Jul 2018

Posted by in Faithful is He that has Promised!, Sovereignty

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #477 God’s Purpose Is Trustworthy???

 

We’ve talked about Daniel’s faithfulness, and I thought we’d look at another faithful young man today. His name is Joseph, you know, the one with the coat of many colors. But today, I want to consider the later years of this man’s life.

In brief, Joseph was a young man with a heart after God, and one to whom God revealed things through dreams, much like Daniel, but Joseph was not very popular with his brothers. Many have said that he was “a brat”, but I beg to differ—God never calls him that, and I won’t either. God doesn’t generally favor those who are ‘selfish’ or ‘bratty’, but God was present in a visible way in Joseph’s life.

 

“And Joseph was brought down to Egypt;      

and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian,

bought him of the hands

of the Ishmeelites,

which had brought him down thither.

2 And the LORD was with Joseph,

and he was a prosperous man;

and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

3 And his master saw

that the LORD was with him,

and that the LORD made all that he did

to prosper in his hand.

4 And Joseph found grace in his sight,

and he served him:

and he made him overseer over his house,

and all that he had he put into his hand.”   Genesis 39:1-4

Yet while the favor of God was upon him, Joseph wasn’t done with trials and troubles, (Faith in God doesn’t necessarily eliminate trials and struggles!) he was not only sold into slavery, but he was also falsely accused and put into the prison—but God was there too.

“And Joseph’s master took him,

and put him into the prison,

a place where the king’s prisoners

were bound:

and he was there in the prison.

21 But the LORD was with Joseph,

and shewed him mercy,

and gave him favour

in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

22 And the keeper of the prison

committed to Joseph’s hand

all the prisoners that were in the prison;

and whatsoever they did there,

he was the doer of it.” Genesis 39:20-22

But God wasn’t done yet– Joseph was finally brought before Pharaoh (to interpret his frightening dream) and became his ‘right-hand’ man to deal with the coming drought and famine. Yet the thing I want us to consider today is Joseph’s response to his circumstances, knowing God’s perfect, faithful sovereignty. Consider his response when reunited with the brothers who sold him into slavery; we find a faithful man who trusted in the total sovereignty of God—a trustworthy God who is ever at work to accomplish His purpose, His glory, and the good of HIS own!

“Now therefore be not grieved,

nor angry with yourselves,

that ye sold me hither:

for God did send me before you

to preserve life.

6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.

7 And God sent me before you

to preserve you a posterity in the earth,

and to save your lives

by a great deliverance.” Genesis 45:5-7

Again after his father died and his brothers feared his retribution for their evil behavior, Joseph displayed that faithful trust in His God again.

“And Joseph said unto them,

Fear not:

for am I in the place of God?

20 But as for you,

ye thought evil against me;

but God meant it unto good,

to bring to pass,

as it is this day,

to save much people alive.”     Genesis 50:19-20

So regardless of your trials today, even if you are suffering unjustly, remember that God has it all under control—He is the Sovereign Almighty God and He hasn’t said “oops”! You can trust Him at every hand. Amen and Amen!!!

“But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake,

happy are ye:

and be not afraid of their terror,

neither be troubled;

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:

and be ready always

to give an answer to every man

that asketh you a reason

of the hope that is in you

with meekness and fear:” 1 Peter 3:14-15

Head>Heart>Hands??? (More Tidbits from Daniel#4) Bible Ballistics:Vol.11 No.22

08 Sunday Jul 2018

Posted by in Changed Lives, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Consider Your ways, Faith, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Follow Jesus, Great is Thy Faithfulness, Growing in Jesus!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Knowing God's Word, Not Of This World, Our God Reigns, Praise God Today!, Salvation, Sovereignty, The Love of God, The Only Way, The Word, Thy Kingdom Come, Transformation, Troubles, Trust God, Worship Him!

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 11 No. 22 Head>Heart>Hands???   (More Tidbits from Daniel #4)

 

I’ve been thinking about Daniel lately and wanted us to search it out again for more that can help us live a “Daniel” life—a life of faith, confidence and power with, from and for God. That is something worth spending our time on. We’ll be looking at Daniel chapter 2, and while we’ll touch on the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, I want us to focus on the things surrounding that encounter. Lord willing, we’ll address the dream and it’s content in the next week or two.

It is important to remember that Daniel was part of the captives who were taken to Babylon to serve the king, yet his demeanor was always an honor to God and never a detriment. Oh, that we could live that kind of life and hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” when we face our Lord. So many today have a head knowledge of God and The Son Jesus, but don’t know Him, and it is important that we take that knowledge from our ‘head’ to our ‘heart’ and on to our hands.

When Daniel was confronted with a threat of death because of the ‘wisemen’ and their inability to know and interpret the king’s dream, Daniel had only one course of action—and it should always be our first recourse rather than our last!

“Then Daniel went to his house,

and made the thing known

to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

his companions:

18 That they would desire mercies

of the God of heaven

concerning this secret;

that Daniel and his fellows

should not perish

with the rest

of the wise men of Babylon.

19 Then was the secret revealed

unto Daniel

in a night vision.

Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.”   Daniel 2:17-19

Many times when we are confronted with difficult situation, crises, or uncertainty we work on a solution, try to figure it out, run to get answers from others, or just run head-long into situations without the wisdom of God. Daniel knew what James knew and shared with us.

“If any of you lack wisdom,

let him ask of God,

that giveth to all men liberally,

and upbraideth not;

and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith,

nothing wavering.

For he that wavereth is like

a wave of the sea

driven with the wind

and tossed.

7 For let not that man think

that he shall receive any thing

of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable

in all his ways.” James 1:5-8 

God wants us to bring every part of our lives to HIM! I hear so many people say that some things just aren’t important to God, but I must disagree, and I think that I can say that on the authority of scripture. God wants us to come to Him about everything, for HE often sees things differently than we do—God’s ways are the ways that we must seek, and He is ready and willing to reveal Himself and His way to us—we have but to ask! When we “lack wisdom” God wants us to “ask of God” and do so in faith, having total confidence in the ‘giver’ of “every good gift and every perfect gift”. God wants us to know HIM, to walk with HIM and to grow in HIM:

“But grow

in grace,

and in the knowledge

of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

To him be glory both

now

and for ever. Amen.”    2 Peter 3:18

Knowing Him and His ways and provision was always on the heart of Daniel, and Isaiah had written these words long before Daniel caught Himself in trouble. In fact remember His decision in the beginning of the book:

“But Daniel purposed in his heart

that he would not defile himself

with the portion of the king’s meat,

nor with the wine which he drank:

therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs

that he might not defile himself.” Daniel 1:8

Isaiah said it clearly:

“Seek ye the LORD

while he may be found,

call ye upon him

while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way,

and the unrighteous man his thoughts:

and let him return unto the LORD,

and he will have mercy upon him;

and to our God,

for he will abundantly pardon.

8 For my thoughts

are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways

my ways,

saith the LORD.

9 For as the heavens

are higher than the earth,

so are my ways

higher than your ways,

and my thoughts

than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain cometh down,

and the snow

from heaven,

and returneth not thither,

but watereth the earth,

and maketh it bring forth and bud,

that it may give seed

to the sower,

and bread

to the eater:

11 So shall my word be

that goeth forth

out of my mouth:

it shall not return unto me

void,

but it shall accomplish

that which I please,

and it shall prosper

in the thing whereto

I sent it.”   Isaiah 55:6-11

God is ever at work to draw people unto Himself, but He has given every person born into this world the freewill to choose to believe Him or not. God has made His love for us clear and Jesus paid the price for our sin—“For God so loved the world that He gave”—yet Jesus made it clear that we must choose, and there is a consequence for our choices. If we choose Jesus and trust to His blood to save us, we have life, but if we don’t choose HIM, we have chosen death, whether consciously or not—it’s still choosing.

“For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world

through him

might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name of the only begotten

Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness

rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.”   John 3:17-19

We can choose Jesus and life, or not; we can cling to our sins—our evil deeds, even though we excuse our sinful deeds and think our sin isn’t as bad as the sin of others—and miss life. Why would we do that? Because when man sinned in the beginning, he chose to believe a lie, rather than God, and we’re still doing that today! I beg you to be sure that you have made the right choice!

God is working to call men and women to Himself—it’s why Jesus came, and He is ever working to make His own into the image of Jesus, in everything in our lives!

“And we know that all things

work together

for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow,

he also did predestinate

to be conformed

to the image of his Son,

that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren.”    Romans 8:28-29

The evidence of His presence in our lives is the work of His Holy Spirit working in and through us and seen through the godly works of our hands. For when we truly consider God and come to Jesus, moving that information to our hearts in repentance and faith, then God does a work of transformation that appears in our lives, our walk, our speech, and our reactions and responses to people and situations. We are to be living testimonies to God’s grace and transforming power.

“Servants,

obey in all things

your masters according to the flesh;

not with eyeservice,

as menpleasers;

but in singleness of heart,

fearing God:

23 And whatsoever ye do,

do it heartily,

as to the Lord,

and not unto men;

24 Knowing that

of the Lord

ye shall receive the reward

of the inheritance:

for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:22-24

Paul also repeated these things to the Ephesians because we are to live our lives as servants of God—not as “as menpleasers”, but like Daniel, men and women, boys and girls, who are committed to live undefiled lives before God and man!

“Servants,

be obedient to them that are your masters

according to the flesh,

with fear

and trembling,

in singleness of your heart,

as unto Christ;

6 Not with eyeservice,

as menpleasers;

but as the servants of Christ,

doing the will of God

from the heart;

7 With good will

doing service,

as to the Lord,

and not to men:

8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing

any man doeth,

the same shall he receive of the Lord,

whether he be bond or free.

9 And, ye masters,

do the same things unto them,

forbearing threatening:

knowing that your Master also

is in heaven;

neither is there respect

of persons with him.”    Ephesians 6:5-9

Whether we are the ‘master’—the boss, or the ‘servant’—the employee, God calls us, saves us to live His glory before a world of sin and darkness. Daniel was a man of God who showed us how to live right no matter the situation, trial or difficulty.

Being people of character not just lip service. As I’ve heard it said, “Real godly character is when you do right when no one is looking.” Or “Real character is revealed by what you do in the dark.” And we can be those people of character because we are saved and kept by the same God who met the needs of Daniel and His friends. And when Daniel received the answer to his prayer, He didn’t forget God, but gave us a wonderful picture of who our God is, and how to truly worship HIM!!!

“Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision.

Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel answered and said,

Blessed be the name of God

for ever and ever:

for wisdom

and might are his:

21 And he changeth the times

and the seasons:

he removeth kings,

and setteth up kings:

he giveth wisdom

unto the wise,

and knowledge

to them that know understanding:

22 He revealeth the deep

and secret things:

he knoweth what is in the darkness,

and the light dwelleth with him.

23 I thank thee,

and praise thee,

O thou God of my fathers,

who hast given me wisdom and might,

and hast made known unto me now

what we desired of thee:

for thou hast now made known unto us

the king’s matter.” Daniel 2:19-23

What an amazing prayer of praise, may we come to know our God as Daniel did; may God’s character be seen in all of our actions, deeds, works and words—may God be praised in our living! Daniel’s faithfulness gave him a great opportunity to share the truth of The Lord God Almighty before the great king Nebuchadnezzar.

“Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said,

The secret which the king hath demanded

cannot the wise men,

the astrologers,

the magicians,

the soothsayers,

shew unto the king;

28 But there is a God in heaven

that revealeth secrets,

and maketh known to the king

Nebuchadnezzar

what shall be in the latter days.

Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;

29 As for thee, O king,

thy thoughts came into thy mind

upon thy bed,

what should come to pass

hereafter:

and he that revealeth secrets

maketh known to thee

what shall come to pass.”   Daniel 2:27-29

And yet Daniel never took the credit for God’s work!

“But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me

for any wisdom

that I have more than any living,

but for their sakes

that shall make known the interpretation

to the king,

and that thou mightest know the thoughts

of thy heart.”   Daniel 2:30

Daniel’s crisis was an opportunity for God’s Word and ways that Daniel knew in his head, would stir his heart and work out through his hands and feet! What do others see in us? Nebuchadnezzar saw something in Daniel—God! What do others see in our lives—from our head, to our heart and out through our hands and feet, our every day lives!

“And in the days of these kings

shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom,

which shall never be destroyed:

and the kingdom shall not be left

to other people,

but it shall break in pieces

and consume all these kingdoms,

and it shall stand

for ever……

46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. 47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said,

Of a truth it is,

that your God

is a God of gods,

and a Lord of kings,

and a revealer of secrets,

seeing thou couldest reveal

this secret.”   Daniel 2:44-47 

May others be brought to say of our God, “that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings”! I pray that our God will help us stand fast in this evil day, that others will see the power of God in our lives. From our head—to our heart—seen by the world through our hands and feet!

Amen and Amen!!!