I pose this question as food for thought, and prayerfully as a catalyst for change within us as followers of Christ. So, why do we compromise our Faith? For a spouse? For a child? For a job/career? Maybe because we are unclear as to what faith in God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost is? Or maybe, just maybe, we waver just to please our selfish, fleshy, carnal instincts? The causes are endless, and cover a gamut of issues we face in our Faith sadly enough, as well as society.
People waiver on things as small as appropriate attire to things as important as parenting, schooling, and Faith itself. WHY? If you realize your approach to something has a flaw, its outdated, or just wrong, then change is required after counsel with God. I am posing the question on why we waiver in/on Faith? If we are in counsel w/God as we should be, AND let Him lead us as we should, then our Faith is never outdated, flawed, or wrong. What I'm getting at is this; WE ALL NEED TO PRAY TO GOD TO GUIDE US AND HELP US BE LIKE DANIEL WHEN IT COMES TO FAITH!!!!!!!!!
Neither Daniel, nor his friends Meshach, Shadrach, and Abendnego, wavered in the face of Babylonian ruler, Darius. He brought them to Babylon to teach them in the ways of the Babylonian life and belief system, in hopes they would be high up officials in the kingdom. While in captivity, they remained faithful to The Almighty Father. They were told to bow at the image of Darius and worship, they did not. Thus, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abendnego were tossed into the fiery furnace, where God rewarded them by not allowing the fire to touch them. There was a decree signed forbidding prayer for 30 days, Daniel went into the upper Rome of his home and prayed 3 times a day. He was thrown into the lion's den. God rewarded him by allowing him to walk away without a scratch. At the end of it all, Darius became a believer of the God of Israel, this is the hidden gem to me.
This is the epitome of unwavering faith in human form (not named Jesus). Why do we waver when our Faith in God is involved? Me personally, it is because I let the world take a pedestal almost equal to God at one point in my life. I also depended on myself and not on God. I allowed dreams and aspirations cause sort of a white noise effect between me and God's will for me. Ultimately, Lucifer walked almost into the front door of my souls. I allowed him to cause havoc, but, then God put on the hat of exterminator and riddled me of the pestilence called Lucifer. During this time in my life, Faith was a foreign, abstract, and seemingly incomprehensible subject/item for me. It was way past the point of wavering, I was lost and didn't care to know it. I compromised all the foundational work God laid in my life because of a girl, because of a job, because of not listening to God telling me what to do, because of depression due to the loss of 2 loved ones. THANK YOU LORD FOR SAVING ME FROM MYSELF!!!
Now, I understand what it means to be a pillar of Faith. Now I refuse to compromise God, my relationship with Him, or what He means to me for anything, and I do mean anything. If something comes up that could remotely comprise God in my life, my response is: "GET THE BEHIND ME LUCIFER, I AM A CHILD OF GOD'S!" I want to be like Daniel, Paul (post meeting with Christ on the road to Damascus), and ultimately like Christ with regards to my faith. I encourage anyone who reads this to learn from my mistakes and run to God right now! Don't wait! Why miss time with God when you don't have too? I encourage you to put your Faith above all else and the Lord will be with you forever, never forsaking you for anything. Read Daniel 6 for confirmation that we can have the same level of uncompromising Faith as Daniel! Seek His face and His will in all that you do! Amen
Daniel 6
New King James Version (NKJV)
The Plot Against Daniel
6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; 2 and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. 4 So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
6 So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: “King Darius, live forever! 7 All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”
The king answered and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.”
13 So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives[a] from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
14 And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” 17 Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
Daniel Saved from the Lions
18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians[b] were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. 19 Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”
23 Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.
Darius Honors God
24 And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.
25 Then King Darius wrote:
To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.
26 I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.
For He is the living God,
And steadfast forever;
His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed,
And His dominion shall endure to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues,
And He works signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Well written Joe... Placing God at the center of our lives and bringing all we have to His presence is the surest way to fulfill His will for us.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this!