Well, sitting at my favorite coffee shop in the world. Yes! You guessed it, STARBUCK'S. Taking in the BIG bucks.😂
Any hoo... It's a beautiful day outside, and I am still pondering my thoughts on Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah and their unwillingness to compromise their convictions over commands (Daniel 1). Mm... that's good, Holy Spirit. Yeah... I cannot shake the thought.
It's fitting though. So often we compromise our deep-seated beliefs because of external pressures. Man... call me a rebel, but forget what people think! I have been a prisoner of people's opinions of me for far too long. I am learning that the only opinion that really matters is God's opinion, because He's the only one that will jugde my life's story. What will it reveal? I hope it reveals my hearts affection toward Him and how I was willing to daily lay my life down for His will.
These four outstanding young men, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah had amazing character, I must say so myself. The kind of character I admire and mirror in my own walk with God these days. It speaks volumes about their willingness to rise up against pressures and to put their convictions on the line. Their actions reveal their deep-seated love and respect for God and the things of God.
They chose principle over preference. Which means more to you? Decisions are a tell tell sign of what holds significance in our lives. Decisions reveal the war or composure within. THE HEART IS THE SEAT OF DECISION. And our core beliefs or the effects of external pressures affect our hearts decisions.
External pressures overriding what we know is right in our hearts will cause us to miss out on God's best for us just as much as the harboring of internal fears. Both are dangerous to our ability to unlock the supernatural favor of God. We cannot emphasize one above the other. They are both enemies to God's will for our lives.
Our Plans vs. God's Will
Sometimes what we think is best, God knows isn't. Actually what God knows is best makes us uncomfortable, because it requires stretching pass our pre-existing capacity and going beyond our normal to obtain it. But what we define as normal in our pre-Christ days is really abnormal to God and a sense of mediocrity. The Bible says, "We go from faith to faith (Romans 1:17), from glory to glory (2Corinthians 3:18)." Divine dimensions and new realms of opportunity and mastery are open to us, through us, for us and over us. Isn't that good? That's good, y'all!
God has no problem challenging our faith level, because He knows, sometimes, that is the only way we will move into the new thing pre-destined to save us and bring us into his divine favor and out of the old systems, methodologies, and demographic configurations designed to oppress us and eventually destroy us. The Bible says, "The thief (Satan, the devil) comes only to steal, to kill and to destroy, but God... somebody say, but God, has come into the world to give us through His mercy and grace, life and life overflowing with supernatural, uncommon, tangible, matchless FAVOR (John 10:10)! Whoo... running!👣👣👣👣
We would think Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah going into Babylonian captivity was a horrific life event, but it wasn't. It was God's plan all along to spare a remnant and to preserve His name in the earth through them through the means of captivity (Jeremiah 24:1-7). God can use a horrible situation and turn it 180° for our good. All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Say, God is working it out. And He is; in your favor! Just trust Him. Amen.
I Will Not
I will not was at the core of these four young men's existence. Although they stood as a unit, that was a personal conviction of precept over human preference. It looks good, smells good and it might even taste good, but I prefer these leeks and kale cooked in some chicken broth...😂😂😂. Right?!
It really was a matter of biblical principle which required absolute obedience vs. pagan rituals that involved lowering one's standards to eat and drink. It wasn't the food or the drink persay, because we need food and water (not wine😂) to survive. It was the act and beliefs that proceeded it. These things were apart of paganistic rituals that honored many false gods and not the true and living God, and as the people of God, Jews were commanded according to Jewish law to abstain from immoral behaviors that would jeopardize their Abrahamic heritage and inheritance as God's chosen people (Deuteronomy 6:10-25; 7:1-11).
Can you look back over your walk with God and see where you've compromised biblical principles for the sake of human opinion? Doing what carnal or unchurched people prefer may feel good at the moment, but in the end, it draws us further and further away from God. And we don't want that, because then we can miss out, not only on opportunities to prosper God's way, but we can miss out on New Jerusalem and our eternal rest. Lord, give us deep seated biblical convictions in our day and for generations to come that will lead others to be persuaded that Your way is best, after they compare our appearances and lifestyle to those of the world, in Jesus name. Amen.
Warning: DON'T ALLOW CARNALITY TO CHOKE OUT YOUR CHRISTIANITY. Un...high-five🖑, Holy Spirit... that's real good!
We can still enjoy life and not bend with the trends. Like Daniel taught us, upright character unlocks supernatural favor. These four young men surpassed their pupils in all kinds of literature and wisdom ten times as much, and Daniel was endowed with the ability to understand and interpret dreams and visions given to rulers in power. I like to think, God gave him extra skill and gifts because He was the first to purpose it in his heart not to defile his temple, and not only did he purpose it in his heart, but he was willing to speak up for not only himself but others.
Send me. Lord, I will go for you.👐
God is looking to promote people who are not ambitious for self gain or worldly acclaim but those who are selfless and who will remain selfless and will serve God and look out for other's no matter how much wealth, wisdom, opportunities or prestige is unlocked to and for them. You see, it was never about the promotion. IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLE. Isn't that GOOD NEWS? Oh... in my book it is! Hallelujah! Glory to God!
WHATEVER YOU DO FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, DO IT ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD, and blessings for a lifetime, beyond your imagination, will be unleashed to you without delay, question, reason or hindrance, in Jesus name. Amen.
-KINGDOM BUILDING UNITED-
(Promoting the Good News of Jesus Christ around the globe)
Sometimes what we think is best, God knows isn't. Actually what God knows is best makes us uncomfortable, because it requires stretching pass our pre-existing capacity and going beyond our normal to obtain it. But what we define as normal in our pre-Christ days is really abnormal to God and a sense of mediocrity. The Bible says, "We go from faith to faith (Romans 1:17), from glory to glory (2Corinthians 3:18)." Divine dimensions and new realms of opportunity and mastery are open to us, through us, for us and over us. Isn't that good? That's good, y'all!
God has no problem challenging our faith level, because He knows, sometimes, that is the only way we will move into the new thing pre-destined to save us and bring us into his divine favor and out of the old systems, methodologies, and demographic configurations designed to oppress us and eventually destroy us. The Bible says, "The thief (Satan, the devil) comes only to steal, to kill and to destroy, but God... somebody say, but God, has come into the world to give us through His mercy and grace, life and life overflowing with supernatural, uncommon, tangible, matchless FAVOR (John 10:10)! Whoo... running!👣👣👣👣
We would think Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah going into Babylonian captivity was a horrific life event, but it wasn't. It was God's plan all along to spare a remnant and to preserve His name in the earth through them through the means of captivity (Jeremiah 24:1-7). God can use a horrible situation and turn it 180° for our good. All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Say, God is working it out. And He is; in your favor! Just trust Him. Amen.
I Will Not
I will not was at the core of these four young men's existence. Although they stood as a unit, that was a personal conviction of precept over human preference. It looks good, smells good and it might even taste good, but I prefer these leeks and kale cooked in some chicken broth...😂😂😂. Right?!
It really was a matter of biblical principle which required absolute obedience vs. pagan rituals that involved lowering one's standards to eat and drink. It wasn't the food or the drink persay, because we need food and water (not wine😂) to survive. It was the act and beliefs that proceeded it. These things were apart of paganistic rituals that honored many false gods and not the true and living God, and as the people of God, Jews were commanded according to Jewish law to abstain from immoral behaviors that would jeopardize their Abrahamic heritage and inheritance as God's chosen people (Deuteronomy 6:10-25; 7:1-11).
Can you look back over your walk with God and see where you've compromised biblical principles for the sake of human opinion? Doing what carnal or unchurched people prefer may feel good at the moment, but in the end, it draws us further and further away from God. And we don't want that, because then we can miss out, not only on opportunities to prosper God's way, but we can miss out on New Jerusalem and our eternal rest. Lord, give us deep seated biblical convictions in our day and for generations to come that will lead others to be persuaded that Your way is best, after they compare our appearances and lifestyle to those of the world, in Jesus name. Amen.
Warning: DON'T ALLOW CARNALITY TO CHOKE OUT YOUR CHRISTIANITY. Un...high-five🖑, Holy Spirit... that's real good!
We can still enjoy life and not bend with the trends. Like Daniel taught us, upright character unlocks supernatural favor. These four young men surpassed their pupils in all kinds of literature and wisdom ten times as much, and Daniel was endowed with the ability to understand and interpret dreams and visions given to rulers in power. I like to think, God gave him extra skill and gifts because He was the first to purpose it in his heart not to defile his temple, and not only did he purpose it in his heart, but he was willing to speak up for not only himself but others.
Send me. Lord, I will go for you.👐
God is looking to promote people who are not ambitious for self gain or worldly acclaim but those who are selfless and who will remain selfless and will serve God and look out for other's no matter how much wealth, wisdom, opportunities or prestige is unlocked to and for them. You see, it was never about the promotion. IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLE. Isn't that GOOD NEWS? Oh... in my book it is! Hallelujah! Glory to God!
WHATEVER YOU DO FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, DO IT ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD, and blessings for a lifetime, beyond your imagination, will be unleashed to you without delay, question, reason or hindrance, in Jesus name. Amen.
-KINGDOM BUILDING UNITED-
(Promoting the Good News of Jesus Christ around the globe)
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