Tag: Daniel

God Can Use Your Life

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How often have we gone through a mental checklist to compare ourselves with others or even the lives we see represented in the pages of Scripture? “If I were more like so-and-so, then I would be able to do _________ like they did.”

While our living can be inspired positively by others and we can learn mighty lessons through their stories, in the end their story and your story is written with God’s purpose for that particular life in mind. While Daniel is noted for his wisdom, his obedience, and altogether good character, when it came time to do what no one in history was able to do, tell another’s dream and give the interpretation, Daniel readily made it known that, “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, emphasis added.

While all these good character traits put Daniel in a better position to be used by God in this fashion, Daniel, himself, recognized that it was not because of anything he had done, nor did he count himself more special than anyone else. He saw himself as the present vessel of that time that God chose to use for His divine purposes.

I feel like a lot of modern-day Christians are designing their own purposes for their lives and expecting God to put His stamp of approval on it. But when we read the lives represented in the Bible, that just was not the case. Peoples lives were often “interrrupted” by the call of God on their lives. Gideon was threshing wheat. Peter and the boys were out fishing. Samson’s mother was minding her business when an angelic being appeared to her. David was tending sheep. And Mary and Joseph’s plan for a normal betrothal period definitely did not go as they had planned. Even regarding the priesthood we see that, “No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron,” Hebrews 5:4, emphasis added.

Individual’s callings are just that, callings. Certain people have certain appointments on their lives that may not look or operate as others do. Lives are meant to inspire us but we may not be able to completely replicate their story and experience exactly in our own lives. That was their story. We appreciate that we witnessed it or that it was recorded in history for us to glean God-truths from to help us build our faith.

But when Jesus states, “Without me ye can do nothing,” John 15:5, that’s exactly what He means. True wisdom recognizes this truth and lives daily before Him, measuring their course in this world by His Word. From that, as a potter with his vessel, we are molded, shaped, and used as the Master sees fit according to His holy purposes.

Live right. Yes.

Follow the Word. Yes.

Obey His calling. Yes.

Keep your character in check. Yes.

Walk in faith. Yes, and more.

But don’t get discouraged if your story looks different than another’s. As long as your living is pleasing in the eyes of God, that’s all that matters. And you can celebrate who you are, as the apostle Paul did himself in recognizing this truth: “By the grace of God I am what I am…” 1 Corinthians 15:10.

Who knows how your “right now” story is inspiring others. Daniel or other Bible characters probably couldn’t fathom us still being inspired by their stories thousands of years later. But, here we are.

You may not be interpreting dreams, healing the sick, or some other phenomenal feat – but I just want to encourage you to keep living for God. His purpose for you may look different than others but that does not take away from the fact that you are still here with a divine assignment on your life.

I may never walk on water, bring down Goliath with a stone, sleep in comfort on a pillow of lions, or take a stroll through fiery flames without being touched, but that doesn’t mean my life and your life isn’t touching someone else. Our daily, mundane, routine, unexciting, and unpopular living is not in vain. For if I only inspire one of my grandbabies (although I desire all) to follow the Lord, is this not a great treasure reaped from an “ordinary” life?

God can use your life right where you are at! Just live for Him. That is all Daniel ever wanted to do. He wasn’t seeking glory for himself or popularity. He simply recognized he was a vessel and it had nothing to do with him being better than any other in any sense of the word. God used him where he was at and God can use you, too.

“The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.” – Psalm 138:8

“There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.” – Proverbs 19:21

“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” – Ecclesiastes 12:13

“And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12

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Uncompromising!

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Genuine. 

Real. 

No hypocrisy. 

No pretense. 

No compromising. 

Just honest to goodness, holding on to one’s integrity with every fiber of their being.  “This is what I believe, and I’m sticking to it!”  The person who governs his or her faith by these attributes is a person who is truly sold out for God.

This one will unashamedly hold on to their beliefs despite circumstances.  They are as clear as transparent glass in their true devotion to God.  What you see is what you get.  They are the same inside and out.  They are as unwavering in their faith behind closed doors as they are in the open square.  They are the same in the streets as they are in the church house.  Their walk with God doesn’t swing on the hinges of what is convenient or comfortable or safe.  They live for Him, for an audience of One, in the good times and the bad.

No backing down.  No false or phony surface worship.  Their hearts are truly tied to God in the most real of ways, and substituting for less just is not an option.  And let’s face it, in a world filled with so many things that are artificial, at the very least, one’s faith should be real.

At least, that’s what Daniel and his friends: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah believed. Chosen to enter the king’s training program designed to indoctrinate them while being held captives in Babylon, they were given favorable treatment and “a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank,” (Daniel 1:5). While all of this may sound good on the outside, on the inside some things that came with this special favor didn’t sit right with Daniel. It came with a price that Daniel was not willing to pay. The price: compromise.

So, the Bible tells us, “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, not with wine which he drank . . .” (Daniel 1:8). Historically, traditionally, and according to the Law, to do so would be to participate in that which is considered unclean and not appropriate for the strict dietary guidelines of their faith.

Special privilege or not; an opportunity to advance and make life easier for himself could not and would not cause Daniel to do anything that would eat away at his conscience in his relationship with God.  Throughout his young life, he has known nothing but to adhere to the ways of his people passed down from generation to generation under the instruction of God.  Now that he was in captivity and at the disposal of the enemy’s power and influence, Daniel still persisted uncompromisingly to hold on to his belief and not waiver from what he had been taught to be right.  The enemy’s goal may have been to indoctrinate these young people with their own ways, but God was already seared on their hearts and Daniel and his friends were resolved to keep it that way. They may have been in a strange country now and under strange human leadership, but their hearts were still tied to God and His ways, and they were determined with everything in them to follow God all the way.

Following God all the way, that’s the true definition, in my opinion, of an uncompromising life. We all face decisions and choices in life that may not sit well with us. They may ask us to do things that we feel aren’t pleasing to God or we know that it’s just out and out wrong. Jesus helps us with those decisions by plainly and without apology reminding us, “No man can serve two masters . . .” (Matthew 6:24). To follow the world would be to deny God. To follow God, as Daniel and his friends did, would mean turning your back on the world, the desires, and those things that we believe would make our life easier and advantageous.

When Daniel and his friends decided to stay with God and not take the easy way out, God blessed their faithfulness: “As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams” (Daniel 1:17). Previously, God made it known, “For them that honour me I will honour” (1 Samuel 2:30). Our God is a just God and He believes in rewarding them that diligently seek Him and His ways (Hebrews 11:6). In the end, God elevated Daniel and his friends with more.

Even if the reward isn’t as immediate. Even if we don’t see it on this side of heaven, God is still calling for uncompromising people of faith to pick up the standard of His Word and live it.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments . . .” Psalm 111:10

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. . . Because of God

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Many of us are familiar with the story of Joseph.  We have the main points in his life down pat: his coat of many colors, his dreams, and his interpretation of others’ dreams.  We know of him being sold into slavery by his own brothers, his life in Egypt, the accusations of Potiphar’s wife, and his imprisonment.  But how closely do we pay attention to his actual relationship with God?  Do we focus more on the “From the Pit to the Palace,” side of things than on his integrity before God?

In his story, Joseph appears to start out as a young man who is a bit boastful and can’t wait to tell every listening ear his dream.  (I’m not saying he was boastful, just that it appears so).  His dreams became so that they incurred the hatred of his brothers.  This hatred would boil up within them until it filled them with violent intentions.  At one point, they thought murder was one option to rid them of this dreamer.  Instead of killing him, they opted to get rid of him while making a little money on the side.  They sold him into slavery.

In what appeared as the hardest time of his young life, Joseph’s relationship with God deepened.  This showed in the way God cause him to be prosperous and favored no matter where life put him (Genesis 39:3, 21).  Joseph also displayed the importance of his devotion to God in not sinning against God (Genesis 39:9) and in his refusal to take credit for all that God was doing through him (Genesis 40:8; 41:16, 28, 32).

God blessed Joseph with this incredible gift yet in his humility and dependence upon God, he denounced any accolades of his own.  He considered himself to be a vessel, realizing that “It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace,” (Genesis 41:16).

The humility of Joseph took him far in life.  Eventually, he became second in command over Egypt.  Had he gotten big-headed I’m sure the story would’ve turned out quite differently.  If he had reverted to the “Me, Myself and I” attitude that a lot of people seem to display, Joseph’s story would not have been noted as the legacy we now know.

“It’s not in me,” Joseph readily proclaims.  The Bible tells us, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God,” (2 Corinthians 3:5).  The Apostle Paul out-and-out tells us what Joseph already proclaimed.  We don’t have it in us!  Any gifts, any abilities, any special insights, and any favor – we have it because of God!  There’s no room for a self-sufficient attitude when God is trying to work in you.

When Daniel went before king Nebuchadnezzar to interpret his dream, Daniel, like Joseph, admitted his frailty as a human.  He said, “This secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living,” (Daniel 2:30).  He did not consider himself anything special just because he could interpret dreams rather, he gave glory to God, “Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his,” (Daniel 2:20).

Standing before Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel was asked, “Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?” (Daniel 2:26).  Daniel answered much like Joseph did.  He said, “There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days,” (Daniel 2:28).

It is amazing the miracles that God can perform through the one who will not compete with Him to gain the credit.  When God instructed Gideon to go against the Midianites with only three hundred men, He did so, “lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me,” (Judges 7:2).  When there is competition for glory, God will retain His!  If one is in competition with Him they are “against” Him and God can’t work mightily through them!

It’s not just an Old Testament thing.  Peter said, “Why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we made this man walk?” (Acts 3:12).  Let’s face it, we are human, and unless God puts it in us – unless God gives it to us, we don’t have anything to offer this world.  “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven,” (John 3:27).

Let’s do a credit check today.  Not to decipher our financial status but rather our relationship status with God.  It’s not “Me, Myself and I,” but it’s God working in us.  Let’s stand with Joseph and declare, “It’s not in me: God shall give . . . an answer . . .” (Genesis 41:16).  Everything that we have or are able to do in life is because of God.

Blessings to you . . .

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