Life
happens, and not necessarily in pleasant, expected or acceptable ways. We are
left with our head spinning and our heart bewildered. We may even cry all night.
However, if we consult the Lord, His joy fills us by morning (Psalm 30:5).
His
mercy and grace follow us all the days of our life (Psalm 23:6). They empower
us to uncompromisingly stand up for Jesus, as we enjoy the blessings that He
showers on us each moment of every day.
The
secret is not to bow to modern expectation or to give up our traditional values
in order to make excuses for our sins - as if there is nothing wrong with them.
We stand accountable to God's Word, and honor Him with every breath that we
take.
Daniel's
friends refused to bow to the idol, which Nebuchadnezzar erected in his own
honor. The megalomaniac wanted to use them as an object lesson to the rest of
his kingdom, so he tried to incinerate them.
You
know the rest of the story. Jesus joined the boys in the fiery furnace, and
they had a dance party instead - praising God for His intervention and
deliverance. The boys stood up against the crowd, and chose to stand up for
God.
Remaining
true to our Living God, we ferret out the idols in our life and renounce them
for the lies that they are. We also trust God through every circumstance, even
fiery furnaces; and He proves His faithfulness to us.
We
can stand up, and stand out for God in our daily walk. We remain true to His
Word and His calling in our life - no matter what the circumstances, or who we
are with, or what is expected of us by our family, friends, neighbors and
associates.
Prayer:
Father
God, help us to realize that our preoccupation with worldly pleasures,
popularity, monetary gain and our hesitation to live up to Your values is
actually sinful behavior. Continue to draw us to Your heart each day; and
shower us with Your grace, as we attempt to walk in Your truth.
We
want to lay down every sin that so easily entangles us and keeps us in bondage
to Satan's lies. Set us free, so that we will be free in Christ (John 8:36). We
want to serve You each moment of the day through divine appointments, and we
want to praise You with every breath that we take all day and night long.
Thought
For The Day:
When
we take a stand against the world, and live a God-honoring life, which is void
of compromise, we reap what we sow and live a blessed life both now and for
eternity.
