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Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Trust

Dec1

“Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

I usually write about resolutions and goal setting in January, but I almost always begin thinking about this process about now. I am a planner by nature, and I love to have goals to work toward. As I look to the Bible for guidance, I am compelled by the passage above that whatever my goals, seeking first the kingdom should be my first and foremost goal. Which brings me to a big question: How do I press on toward this goal?

Here are five objectives that are worthy of working toward in our efforts to reach the goal:

  1. Trust
  2. Wisdom
  3. Love
  4. Joy
  5. Unity

This Chaplain’s Corner will focus on #1: Trust. Trust in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is foundational to the Christian faith. In fact, “In God We Trust” is the official motto of the United States of America. But do we?

What do we mean by “trust?” For our purposes, this concept shares some meaning with faith, belief, hope, and surrender. When we trust someone, we have faith in them, we believe them, we hope in them, and we surrender our well-being to them. Or perhaps it’s the reciprocal: when someone trusts us, they have faith in us, they believe us, they hope in us, and surrender their well-being to us. Sometimes trust must be earned. Sometimes, it is there until it is lost by a negative behavior.

Another way to define trust is to consider its opposite: distrust. Why would you distrust someone? Because they don’t do what they say they will do, either because of lying or just not being dependable. One must have character and competence. One without the other just doesn’t work. Also, we distrust someone who doesn’t have our backs; perhaps they have ulterior motives, or just are not concerned for our best interest. When you are relying on someone with something that is important to you, for example, a medical professional, a legal professional, or someone responsible for the care and education of your children, you must be able to trust them.

The Good News is that the most important person in our lives is Christ. In Him we place all our hope, faith, and belief for our eternal lives. And he is entirely worthy of our trust. We can rest in Him, confident that he is willing and able (he has character and competence) to save us. He has our backs. In Him we have our rest.

So how do we exhibit trust? How do we work toward the objective of trust?

  1. We continually remind ourselves and reinforce our knowledge of His Goodness by reading His Word.
  2. We develop our relationship with Him by praying to him and thanking Him for his Goodness.
  3. We go to Him with our needs and refuse to worry about our circumstances, knowing that he has promised to prosper us and not to harm us.  
  4. We let go of our hurts, forgiving others, and resolving to live in peace with other; trusting the LORD to avenge and make everything right.

Over and over in the Bible we are admonished not to trust in kings or other men, but instead to trust in the Lord. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).

Let us encourage each other as we commit to growing in how we live out our trust in the LORD.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Chaplain’s Corner – Gratitude for Provision

Nov24

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! Psalm 95:2

God made us to have certain physical “needs.” We need food, water, shelter, clothing. Most of us have lived through times of hardship as well as times of relative prosperity (I say relative because prosperity means different things to different people and doesn’t always mean money). I grew up with the essentials but not really any extras. In my adult life we have had times when there was more “month than money” if you know what I mean. But somehow, we always made it.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25-34 not to worry about our physical needs. Paul, who also experienced his own ups and downs, goes a step farther than just not worrying or even coveting what someone else has. Paul encourages us to be content in our circumstances. He says “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

And what is that secret? Paul trusted God. He knew that “… my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Let us give thanks for a God who answers our prayers, even the ones that seem unanswered. Let us give thanks to God who gives us what we need. “For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 8:7-11).

Let us give thanks to our Good Father for His provision. Just as he sent manna from heaven to the Israelites (Exodus 16:35), just as he kept Elijah supplied with flour and oil (1 Kings 17:16), God will provide. He is Jehovah-Jireh (check out both the NIV and KJV).

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Gratitude in Circumstances

Nov17

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! Psalm 95:2

As believers, we are not granted a pass to escape all of life’s problems. In fact, Jesus told us in John 16:33 – “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

We learn in Deuteronomy 8:2 that sometimes God tests us like he did the Israelites: “You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.”

We know that ever since the Garden of Eden, Satan seeks to tempt us and make us fail. BUT “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

However, Jesus did promise us that He would be with us in the storms of life. He would send the Holy Spirit to be with us always, to provide his presence and power to help us to deal with the troubles we will undoubtedly experience. As the ever-suffering prophet Jeremiah proclaimed in Lamentations 3:22-23 “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: Great is Thy Faithfulness.”

I will be thankful in my circumstances, even the hard ones, because the Bible assures us that “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11). James took it a step further when he exhorted the Jewish believers who were struggling with trials, prejudice, and suffering, to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:2-3).

I pray that we will be thankful even in our circumstances, even the challenging ones, because we know that “God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

I pray that we will “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Chaplain’s Corner – Gratitude for Salvation

Nov10

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! Psalm 95:2

What a mighty God we worship! He is King of kings, LORD of lords, robed in majesty and armed with strength. He is our God, and above all, we should be thankful for who He is and how He loves us.

I don’t know about you, but I am especially fond of the name of our organization. The name “Mission” conveys not only our purpose, but also that we are a place where the work of missionaries takes place. What I really respond to, however, is the name “Rescue.” It reminds me of the hopelessness of each of us before we find our salvation in Jesus. And combining “Rescue” with “Mission” speaks to the true work that is carried on in this special place.

As the Creator, he chose to make us in His image. And then, in our disobedience, our Merciful God chose to forgive us. Not only that, our loving Creator God, full of Grace and Mercy, designed a most beautiful way to rescue us from the pit of hell and restore us to His Heavenly Kingdom. All we must do is to ask for forgiveness of our sins and accept this precious gift of salvation, made possible by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, son of God. My heart is full of gratitude for His love for me, a sinner.

We serve a God who seeks us to rescue, redeem, and reconcile us to Himself; to save us by his beautiful, wonderful, and powerful name from the eternal fiery pit of Hell. Praise God, What a Beautiful Name!

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Chaplain’s Corner – Gratitude

Nov3

“Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!” Psalm 95:2.

Do you remember when you were a child how you took pride in comparing your stuff to the stuff of others? My (Dad, house, you name it) is bigger or better than your (Dad, house, you name it). While that sounds immature, guess what? It is perfectly acceptable to say that about our God. To quote Chris Tomlin: “Our God is greater, our God is stronger. God, You are higher than any other. Our God is Healer, awesome in power. Our God! Our God.”

My God is bigger, my God is better. Just like Samuel, I can proudly acknowledge: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. (2 Samuel 22:2-3).

What a mighty God we worship! He is King of kings, LORD of lords, robed in majesty and armed with strength. He is our God, and above all, we should be thankful for who He is and how He loves us. We worship the Creator. All other “gods” are created and are powerless against the mighty God we serve.

This week, I am thankful for God, and I am thankful for everyone in my life who has pointed me toward God: My parents, my extended family, my church, my friends, and my coworkers at Nashville Rescue Mission.

This week, I am thankful that God loves me and made a way to ensure that I would forever be a part of his Kingdom. “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Chaplain’s Corner – Return! (It’s Never Too Late)

Oct27

“Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 3:7b)

Do you ever feel far from God? Like He has forgotten you? Do you ever feel spiritually empty? Our relationship to God, our closeness, our spiritual fullness, can vary from overflowing to emptiness. What is going on? What is wrong?

The book of Malachi speaks to this spiritual emptiness. Malachi is the very last book in the Old Testament; written to the Jewish people who had returned to Jerusalem from their literal exile to Babylon, but who are spiritually still in exile. In fact, God tells these Jewish people “Yes, I have already cursed you, because you have not set your heart to honor me” (Malachi 2:2). In other words, their religion was all show and outward signs. This is extremely distressing news to a person who calls him or herself a believer. A statement like this from God reveals a disparity between what we say and what is in our hearts, which is what causes this spiritual distance from God.

Malachi goes on to tell us what God is looking for.

“My covenant was with him (Levi), a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. (Malachi 2:5-6).

And then Malachi tells us what God is seeing at that time, the disparities between what God wants and what is actually happening:

  1. Disobedience: “…you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.” (Malachi 2:9)
  2. Unfaithfulness: “Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the LORD loves, by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.” (Malachi 2:11)
  3. Hypocrisy: “You have wearied the LORD with your words.” (Malachi 2:17)

Malachi was a prophet, the last prophet to prophesy in the Old Testament. God, speaking through Malachi, says in Malachi 3:7 “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.” He is looking back to Isaiah 40:1-11, and he is prophesying about John the Baptist who will begin his ministry 400 years later: “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: ‘A voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”’” (Matthew 3:1-3).

God gives Malachi a strong message for us. He says in Malachi 3:5 – “’So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

God speaks of his character in Malachi 3:6, referring to the covenant promise he has made to the faithful in Jeremiah 31:31-34– “I the LORD do not change.”

And then God gives us a promise, a promise that we can count on- “’Return to me and I will return to you’, says the LORD Almighty.”

It’s never too late, until it is. Don’t wait!

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 19:14

Chaplain’s Corner – Passion: Staying Plugged in to Your Power Source

Oct20

Therefore, tell the people: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 1:3).

Who of us travels far without our phone and laptop or iPad charger?  We just can’t afford for the battery to run down. We must stay connected to the Power Source to stay connected to each other and our daily responsibilities. But how about when your passion for your Kingdom Purpose subsides?  If we find that our passion for our Kingdom Purpose is waning, the very first thing we should do is plug into our Power Source.

The Bible explains this concept in using an agricultural analogy common to the culture of their times–of the branch which must remain connected to the main plant to bear fruit. Whatever the comparison, we were not made to operate on our own.  We were made to be dependent upon God.

I charge my batteries and plug into my power source by spending time with God. When I don’t take the time to read my Bible, pray, and spend time in worship, my love for God and my passion for his presence fades.  It is simply the single most important thing that I can do, and everything in my life is better when I do. We do get busy, and most of us have way too much on our plates. For myself, when I was a young working mother and taking classes, my only choice was to get up extra early, before everyone else in the house, so that I could spend time with God. I knew that the rest of my day went way better when I did. I have continued this practice.

Some of you recharge your batteries just when the power goes down to nearly zero, and maybe you scurry around looking for the charger most of the time; some of you recharge every night like clockwork. Some of you have other methods. I recommend that you figure out the best way for you to keep your spiritual passion, your Kingdom Purpose, charged at full power so that you can be at 100% for God.

The last three Chaplain’s Corners have focused on passion. We have talked what passion really means, about discovering and uncovering our Kingdom Purpose, and how to keep our passion fully charged.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 19:14

Chaplain’s Corner – Uncovering Your Passion

Oct13

“Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house” (Matthew 5:15).

When my younger grandchildren spend the night with us, we take great pains to make sure their bedrooms are very dark. We have room-darkening drapes, we turn out the lights, and cover all the electronic devices that emit those blue and red beams. In other words, we extinguish all the light sources to remove the distractions so that they will sleep more soundly.

In the same way, I think we sometimes hide those light sources from ourselves by all the baggage that we carry and all the things that we do to fill and complicate our lives. We become so burdened that we cannot see the light of day.  Believe me, as a former young working mother, I know what it is like to have way too much to do. Some of you are working two jobs, taking care of family, and taking classes. But stay with me, it is not hopeless. There are many ways that we can lighten our loads so that we have more time and energy to focus on our Kingdom Purpose, as we discussed in the devotional last week.

  1. We must prioritize our heart desires. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). By the way, what does this passage mean by “these things?” Verse 31 tells us “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?”  Of course, we should take responsibility for the welfare of our families, but do your best, then trust God for the rest, and don’t spend emotional energy worrying. Let us keep our priorities in the right place and know that He will provide.
  • We must be particular about what we say “yes” to.  Some of us are too willing to raise our hands to volunteer for everything that comes along, or too eager to spend time in unhealthy recreation. Even healthy recreation when engaged in obsessively can be unhealthy (talking to myself, here). Our motivations can vary all over the place. Perhaps we have an orientation toward service, so we want to help. Or we volunteer out of guilt or a feeling of “should,” or we let someone guilt us into it. I find lots of different things to be interesting, so I used to be prone to volunteer just to try it out or to be with my friends. None of those reasons are necessarily bad, and certainly being willing to serve is a good thing. However, if always saying yes keeps you too busy to focus on your Kingdom Purpose, then they are not the best things. I love the gospel’s analogy of pruning: “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunesso that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:2).
  • We must confess our sins daily (if not more often). Unconfessed sin is heavy; it weighs us down with guilt and shame. It clouds our thinking and contaminates our testimony. However, the act of confessing our sins is purifying. Asking the Holy Spirit to convict us of all our sins, shortfalls, and poor choices, and then confessing them with true remorse is so pleasing to God, and it is so life-giving.  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
  • We must forgive others, and ourselves. This is one of the most profoundly life-changing lessons I have ever learned. When we forgive, we are not condoning the offense. Far from it. We are instead letting go of the power that it has over us. Brothers and sisters, please don’t let someone else’s sin become your sin; please don’t let it destroy you. I am convinced that Satan revels in our unforgiveness because he knows how destructive it is. In the words of Elsa, “let it go.” And don’t “play God” by holding on to your shame after God has forgiven you.  “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:25).

So, as you are uncovering your passion–your Kingdom Purpose, be diligent about your focus, eliminating all the things that hide and crowd your passion so that your light can truly shine.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1).  

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 19:14

Chaplain’s Corner – Passion

Sep29

Oxford’s definition of passion: a very strong feeling of love, hate, anger, enthusiasm, etc.

The root words for “passion” in Latin and Greek are passio or pathos, respectively, which mean suffering and also love. The original Latin definition of passion meant “enduring” or “suffering.” I This meaning continues in the word “compassion” which means “enduring with” or “suffering with.”  This is where we get the idea of the passion of Christ; Jesus suffered for what he loved: US, You and Me.

These days, we use the word passion to describe our feeling for something that we love. It could be a person, it could be a pastime, it could be a food. My four-year-old grandson has a passion for dinosaurs. He sleeps with his stuffed “dino.” He has many books on the subject, and he has memorized them all. He stayed with us over the weekend, and his Poppa took him to see some dinosaurs in Bellevue. He had also seen some dinosaur bones at a park in Utah earlier this summer. He has talked non-stop about those dinosaurs, with such excitement and enthusiasm.

Can you relate? Do you have a passion for something, or does someone you know have a passion for something? I know people who have a passion for the Predators, or the Vols, or the Titans. My father-in-law had a passion for the Chicago Cubs. (So sad that he didn’t live to see them win the World Series in 2016.) Others have a passion for a hobby, or a cause. We just observed the Olympics, and we watched athletes who certainly have a passion for their sport; why else would they devote so much time and money to perfecting their skills.

Many of us, hopefully most, experienced a strong feeling of love and enthusiasm  for Jesus when we were first converted to Christianity. I think about this when I read the letter to Ephesus in Revelation 2:4. The church at Ephesus is admonished by John, in a letter dictated by Jesus, “Yet I hold this against you: You have forgotten the love you had at first.” Remember when we couldn’t wait to go to church, to read our Bibles, eager to serve, and wanting to tell everyone about our conversion experience, about our church, our pastor, our new life? Honestly, I still feel like that about Nashville Rescue Mission. I have a passion for this place and the work that is done here, and especially how God is at work through each of you. But for many of us, that original high level of passion fades. We “forget the love we had at first.”

Despite all their good works,  God still saw that they had lost their original passion, and He told them “Yet I hold this against you.” Not good. God desires our love, our passion, our worship. How do we keep the passion alive over time? How do we fan the flame? The subject of the next few weekly devotions will be dedicated to keeping the passion alive.

“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 19:14

Chaplain’s Corner – You Become What You Worship

Sep22

They ignored the Lord’s warnings and commands, and they rejected the solemn agreement he had made with their ancestors. They worshiped worthless idols and became worthless themselves. The Lord had told the Israelites not to do the things that the foreign nations around them were doing, but Israel became just like them. (2 Kings 17:15)

The proverb in the title of this devotion is true in almost every aspect of our lives. In the case of the Scripture reference, this reminds me of what my mother would often tell me: that I would be known by the company I keep. Of course, it really means that I will be known by the people I choose to emulate. When I taught Sunday School to middle schoolers, I used the phrase “garbage in, garbage out”, often known as GIGO, referring to unwholesome books, movies, and music. And then we also hear from our health advisors that “you are what you eat.” Does that mean that when I eat chicken, I will become a chicken? Of course not! But I’m sure you get the point.

Standards today are so different from even fifty years ago, and even then, they were different from the previous fifty years. The culture, rather than reinforcing Christianity, is now the enemy of all of us who want to honor God with our thoughts, words, and actions.

Daniel is a perfect example of one who overcomes the ungodly culture, and he is one of my most treasured role models. Daniel was a good Jewish boy who became a young adult during the time that the Babylonians conquered Judah. Daniel and his friends were taken captive by this enemy country and subjected to its pagan religion, culture, and food. The path of least resistance and risk was to go along. But Daniel did not believe that becoming a captive of the Babylonians meant that he had to become like them, even at risk to his life and well-being, and even when going along might have even seemed more delicious.

For example, when King Nebuchadnezzar “assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table,” “Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine.” (Daniel 1:5,8)

And when King Nebuchadnezzar ordered Daniel to be taught “the language and literature of the Babylonians,” “God gave (Daniel) knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning.” (Daniel 1: 4:17)

When King Darius ordered that everyone pray only to him, Daniel “…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 God, just as he had done before.” (Daniel 5:7,10) Postscript: this is when Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den and then was miraculously spared from becoming their dinner.

As a result, Daniel (a Jewish exile) became a highly respected and trusted advisor to at least four foreign kings: Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar of Babylon, and Darius and Cyrus of Persia; and all without compromising his worship of God. In fact, Daniel was able to influence those cultures rather than to be influenced, as we see in the verses below:

  • “Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. The king said to Daniel, ‘Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.’ Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men.” (Daniel 2:46-48).
  • “At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever” (Daniel 4:34).
  • “Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom” (Daniel 5:29).
  • “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. ‘For he is the living God, and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.’ So, Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” (Daniel 6:26-28).

These were no small accomplishments! Daniel is such a great role model for us all. He could have easily become a follower of Nebuchadnezzar, and perhaps would have had enjoyed a high position anyway.  However, Daniel refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar or the kings that followed. He steadfastly followed the teachings of the Bible, even at risk to his own life, and because of that he is known as a godly man with a godly influence.

Paul, writing to the Ephesians, put it like this:

“So, I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.” (Ephesians 4:17-19)

“That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:20-24)

In other words, you become like what you worship. So, let us together worship the one true God, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 19:14