Dilemma in the Den of Lions (Daniel 6:11-15) – PART 4

Once the decree had been declared the conspirators didn’t waste time. Daniel's enemies were watching and waiting to report Daniel's behavior to the king. These men knew Daniel would never pray to any man, nor would he ever cease from praying to God. They knew it would happen quickly. And when it did, they first reminded Darius of his decree. These conspirators were counting on Daniel to be true to his conviction (Acts 5:29). It should be noted that when there is a conflict between human law and divine law, God’s law always takes precedence.

They did not want Daniel, a Jew, being promoted. They knew, obviously, that the king favored Daniel. In fact, that was why they wanted to get rid of Daniel. It was after the Scripture says that the king "thought to set him over the whole realm" (Daniel 6:3), that the plotters took action. Proverbs 29:27, “An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.”

Once Daniel had prayed to the Lord as he had done many times before, the conspirators did not waste any time at all. With urgency they went straight to King Darius and reminded him of the law he executed. It was now time to promptly carry out the sentence and take Daniel directly to the lions.

Instantly, Darius knew he had been set up and duped! He clearly understood his mistake and serious error in judgment. Why hadn't he asked these men if Daniel had agreed to this proposal? Better yet, since he had such respect for Daniel, why hadn't he consulted him before he issued this disastrous decree? Perhaps the answer is pride. After all no man could pray to any man or god except King Darius for thirty days. King Darius was probably thinking, "How could I have been so foolish? Why did I not see this?" Darius realized what had been done and how he had been made an unknowing and unwilling part of the plot of Daniel’s enemies. As a result, King Darius was disgusted with himself. Darius was in turmoil over this tragedy of injustice. He would lose his appetite. He did not eat or enjoy "instruments of music." His couch was like a bed of thorns. Sleep said to the king, "You shall not know me tonight, nor will you know my warm and comforting embrace."

King Darius was about to lose the best man in his administration. He responded by setting his heart diligently to find a way to deliver Daniel. Daniel’s accusers reminded the king that he could not change the law once the law was enacted. Darius was stuck. Any attempt to deliver Daniel himself was no avail. He had no recourse but to execute sentence against Daniel. What is worth noting is the fact that Daniel was a man who had such a sweet spirit, celebrated character, true testimony and loyalty to his LORD that a heathen king wanted to defend him and to save his life.

Daniel did not alter his ways, even to appease the king. He remained consistent in spite of the danger, the pressure to conform, and even the command of the king. God give us saints who will take their stand for the Lord and will be faithful and consistent in spite of what they face in life, I Corinthians 15:58. When you stand for Him, He will stand with you, Psalms 55:22. When faith is exercised faithfully and consistently, it has the power to move those who know us to consider the Lord for themselves!

Prayer: Lord, You have delivered me from countless circumstances. You have parted waters for me and have delivered me from fiery trials by Your sovereign hand. While my enemies were encouraging me to doubt and deny You. You hastily answered my simple cry for help. Thank You for preserving me from my persecutors. In Jesus name, Amen!

This was PART 4 of the series titled “Dilemma in the Den of Lions”. Please visit the website tomorrow for Part 5.

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Dilemma in the Den of Lions (Daniel 6:10) – PART 3

Daniel 6:10, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”

Nathan Hale, a great American patriot during the evolutionary War, was captured and hung by British soldiers. His now famous final words were, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." He was willing to die for his nation and its freedom. Here in Daniel 6, we find a man that would rather die than to give up his prayer time with God.

These 120 conspirators plotted against Daniel that they might destroy him. They just used a falsehood with King Darius in Daniel 6:7. They lied to the king by telling him that all the presidents and princes were in agreement on making a decree that prevented anyone from asking a petition from any God or man, except the king. Then they flattered the king by elevating him to equal ground with Deity.

Darius, having been lied to and flattered with praise, signed the decree. Daniel, knowing the writing was signed, went into his house and his windows being opened in his chamber toward Jerusalem, kneeled down and prayed three times a day and gave thanks as at other times. Daniel was a busy leader but not too busy to pray. If we are too busy to pray then we are too busy! We, as God’s people, need to maintain a constant attitude of prayer. We shouldn’t wait until disaster strikes before we try to pray. Daniel’s prayer time was already open. He prayed and thanked God as he always did. Here was a man who had a consistent walk with God. Daniel was such a godly man that no threat would stop him from praying.

Daniel knew full well what this decree meant and to whom it was aimed. Daniel is one of many in the Bible that were devoted to the Lord in the face of death. It did not change him at all, and his enemies were counting on it! He was not going to pray to any man. He was faced with the conflict between man's law and God's law and chose to follow the Lord, no matter what the cost.

Daniel was in his mid to late eighties and had a very consistent walk with God through the years. There was nothing more precious to Daniel than his relationship with God. He was a man of high integrity and was about to be tested and revealed for all of us to see. Daniel placed a high priority on prayer; his prayer life was by conviction. Psalm 55:17, “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” It takes diligence to pray consistently and frequently.

E.M. Bounds describes the depth of its meaning to have a devoted heart. “The word prayer expresses the largest and most comprehensive approach unto God. It gives prominence to the element of devotion. It is communion and intercourse with God. It is enjoyment of God. It is access to God.”

Points to Ponder:
We will be tested to see where our priorities are.
We must honestly ask ourselves how much of a priority do we place on prayer.

Questions to Consider:
How precious is your prayer life to you?
Have you committed a time and place where you will pray to the Lord regularly?

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I’m often reminded to pray and leave the results up to You. As You stopped the mouths of the lions from killing Daniel, I depend on You to deliver me from our adversary, the devil. As I humbly turn to You, help me to follow You faithfully all the days of my life. In Jesus name, Amen!

This was PART 3 of the series titled “Dilemma in the Den of Lions”. Please visit the website tomorrow for Part 4.

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Dilemma in the Den of Lions (Daniel 6:4-9) – PART 2

It was those in high position who envied Daniel, and as a result they conspired against him. Jealously was the motive for the lions' den for Daniel. Daniel’s high position was an obstacle to the other rulers who sought to take advantage of their power. His testimony was like salt and light to their evil ambition (Matthew 5:13-14; John 3:20). Daniel’s profession was matched by his practice. These conspirators could find no ground for complaint or any fault against him (Daniel 6:4). His books were in order. His numbers all added up. No bribes had been taken and witnesses to the contrary could not be found. These men investigated Daniel's performance, but could find no fault in his work. These men hated Daniel because he was a righteous man who would expose their corruption and would not let them unjustly profit from their position (John 3:19-21). Few men in high places have much character, so Daniel would not be liked by his peers.

Jealousy is a powerful and destructive force. These men felt that the only way they could entrap Daniel was in the matter of his worship of God. The Word of God had a huge impact in Daniel's life, and will impact your life, too. Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Daniel was a man of godly character and consistency. Could this be said of you? What kind of example are you to others? The challenge of God's Word is to have a sterling life that is right with God and with men.

The Bible says in Daniel 6:6, they assembled together with the king.
1. They fibbed (lied) to the king (Daniel 6:7a)
They told the king it was unanimous – but Daniel (the chief) was not with them. The ungodly will seek to use their power to destroy the innocent, and if they have no information on them that can bring them down, they will make up lies (I Kings 21:13).

2. They flattered the king (Daniel 6:7b)
They appealed to the king’s pride. This is always the design of flattery. Three times these 120 men gathered behind closed doors to conspire against Daniel (Daniel 6:6, 11, 15). It was their intent on removing Daniel from his position in the kingdom.

Daniel performed so well at his job that the plotters concluded the only way they could "get him” was through his relationship with his God—that is, make some law that he would violate in his faithfulness to God. It was an ingenious though insidious plot—and it worked just as they had planned. His conspirators were depending on Daniel being true to his convictions. They were correct. Daniel was going to pray to God even if it cost him his life. They suggested that prayers or petitions be made only to the king for thirty days. He was looked upon as a god. The plotters played on the pride of Darius with their petition by making him so great that people had to forgo any petition to anyone except him for thirty days. They told the king that all the presidents and princes were in agreement on this law. This was a lie because Daniel was not a part of this.

These ungodly men finally came to the conclusion in their diligent search that they had no “dirt” on Daniel and that he was clean. They had nothing that they could go to the king about and accuse him of. They could not find any fault or wrong doing in his conduct. What a testimony that Daniel had! These men deeply hated him like the Pharisees hated Jesus, but they could not find anything wrong with him. It was not because they did not look, but they found nothing that they were looking for. Daniel was consistent in his conduct, consecrated in his character, and conquered in his calling. There are some principles that we need to remember as Christians.

Prayer, Father in Heaven, I humbly seek Your grace and guidance that I might honor and please You in all I do. Help me as I encounter daily challenges at work that I may glorify You in all my activities with honesty, integrity, character, and fairness. I pray Your blessings on all I do. In Jesus name, Amen.

This was PART 2 of the series titled “Dilemma in the Den of Lions”. Please visit the website tomorrow for Part 3.

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Dilemma in the Den of Lions (Daniel 6:1-3) – PART 1

Joe Lee told an early work experience that helped shape the future course of his life. He got a job in his teens on one of the largest cattle ranches in California. One day, he was instructed to drive cattle from one pasture to another. On the way, he saw that a fence had fallen and the cattle had gotten out. Rather than continuing, he stopped, rounded up those cattle and spent the rest of the day fixing the fence.

Concerned that he would get in trouble for not finishing the job, he called his boss. When he told him what he had done, rather than getting reprimanded, he was praised for taking initiative. “Act like you would if you owned the place,” his boss told him. That principle of integrity—taking diligent care of everything placed in his hand made Joe Lee a great success in the business world, but most importantly as a Christian.

Daniel 6 opens with the head of gold being replaced by the silver kingdom, the breast and arms of Media-Persia. King Darius arose to power around 538 b.c. When Darius took over the Chaldean kingdom, he appointed 120 princes to oversee the affairs of the Chaldean province. Over these princes, Darius appointed three presidents of whom Daniel was first in authority. Daniel was the leading president of three presidents that oversaw 120 princes.

This was a new king but he already knew that something was different about Daniel. The king discerned an excellent spirit in Daniel. Daniel was preferred above all others because of his “excellent spirit.” His reputation as a man of wisdom was outstanding and his character was impeccable. The king preferred Daniel because of his honesty and integrity. Standing for the Lord is not always easy, but Daniel displayed how to do it well. I Corinthians 10:31, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Daniel's character could not be drowned by floods, burned by fire, corrupted by rust, stolen by thieves, or destroyed by moths.

There may be times when we face persecution, prosecution, destitution, retribution, or execution. God, however, wants us to know that faithfulness to Him is always the right thing in spite of the difficulties. Faithfulness and obedience to Him yield rich rewards and blessings. We never have to be ashamed of our faith in the Lord though the world may try to intimidate us into silence. It is important that we have a good testimony in this world and that others can see Jesus in us.

Daniel completely embraced the things of God in his life. Daniel literally built his life on the Word of God and that was his strong foundation. It is important that we realize that God blesses attitudes and not abilities. There is nothing wrong with having ability, but if our attitude is not right, then it does not matter what our abilities are. God can increase our abilities, but our attitudes are directly connected to our heart. There is not one person that can make the right choice for us, we must do it ourselves. There must be conviction in our heart that we are going to do what is right no matter what the consequences may be. We live in a world where people want to be politically correct and be praised, but we must be concerned about pleasing God above all else.

Questions to Consider:
Do you have an excellent spirit?
Are you easy to work with?
Do you work hard and do your best at what you do?"

Points to Ponder:
This was a great testimony for Daniel and a challenge to all of us to have the same kind of attitude.
As Christians, representing the Lord, we should do our best to bring honor to Him.

Prayer, Father in Heaven, I thank You for Jesus Your Son. He is the perfect example of integrity and character. Teach me Your ways and guide my heart. My desire is to be more like Jesus in all my attitudes and actions in a manner that is pleasing to You. In Jesus name, Amen!

This was PART 1 of the series titled “Dilemma in the Den of Lions”. Please visit the website tomorrow for Part 2.

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Will You Magnify the Lord? (Luke 1:46-47) – PART 2

Luke 1:46-47, “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”

This is Part 2 and the conclusion of the devotion. If you need to refer to Part 1, look to yesterday’s devotion.

1. Path of the Magnifier:
Most magnifying glasses usually have a handle on them. The handle gives the owner the ability to use the lens to magnify what he desires. It enables him to take it wherever he needs it. In the same manner, our lives are to be this way. God can use you to magnify Jesus Christ if you will yield to the control, to the hand of God. By submitting to His control, direction, and will, He will put you where you need to be. You will willing go wherever He directs and leads you. The Lord is willing and able to guide you to places and to people that perhaps only you can reach for Him. Are you available to Him? That’s what a magnifier of God does. Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” By humbling and submitting yourself to the Lord, you will have greater ability to magnify God. In turn, God will magnify you as you magnify Him.

2. Purity of the Magnifier:
Notice, if the lens is smeared with dirt, it is not going to be as much help to you. It is very difficult to use any dirty magnifying glass because the view is smeared or distorted. When the magnifying glass is clean, it is consistent with its purpose and use for you. This is why it is so important to keep the lens clean so that the magnification is clear and the glass is effective. In the same manner, if you are going to effectively magnify Jesus Christ with your life, it is critical that your life is clean. I Corinthians 6:20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” Sin issues need to be dealt with and conquered in your life so that people will be focused on the Lord and not your sins and imperfections. Bearing spiritual fruit in your personal character and in your witness for Christ will help you immensely to magnify Him.

3. Praise of the Magnifier:
Those who magnify the Lord also have a desire to point others to Him so that they will magnify Him, too. Magnifiers enjoy worshiping and honoring God with others. They do not compete in their worship, they complement one another in worship and praise. Magnifiers develop close relationships with other believers who love to magnify God. Their love for Christ generates a love for Christians. In fact, a great verse for Christian friends, a church family, or a husband and wife and their family is Psalm 34:3, “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.” May God’s praise be upon our lips continually and consistently. May we spend each day magnifying HIM!

Perhaps the next time you use a magnifying glass may this devotion remind you of how we should magnify the Lord.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, as Mary’s desire was to magnify and praise You, so is my desire. Guide my steps that I may encounter others who need to know You. Help me to humble myself that they may see You in me. I will magnify You and praise You before all others when given the opportunity. In Jesus name, Amen!

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Will You Magnify the Lord? (Luke 1:46-47) – PART 1
 
Luke 1:46-47, And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
 
What is evident is the utter humility of Mary. Mary was thrilled with what the Lord had done for her. All she could do was magnify the Lord over what had happened. Her very soul and inner being, magnified and praised the Lord. She sought zero acclaim. She found great rejoicing in the Lord her Saviour. Mary's firsthand experience with God prompted her to magnify Him.
 
If you already have possession of a magnifying glass or the next time you use one may this devotion remind you of how we should magnify the Lord. There are great lessons we can learn from studying from a magnifying glass.
 
Below are at least six ways we can magnify the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
1.Purpose of the Magnifier:
The purpose of a magnifying lens is to enable objects that are small, or very far away to the eye to be seen up close. Ironically, this is our purpose as Christians. I Corinthians 10:31, Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. As children of the Lord, we have a purpose of magnifying Jesus Christ so that He who is far away in Heaven and basically unknown or invisible to the lost, can be revealed by our lives by having a close walk with Him. Those who are without Jesus in their hearts are spiritually blind. By magnifying Christ and sharing the Gospel, we provide an opportunity for people to be saved and get to know Him. Our lives as Christians are to be like the magnifying glass. We all are to be magnifiers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
2.Power of the Magnifier:
The greater the bend in the lens, leads to stronger or more powerful magnification. John 3:30, He must increase, but I must decrease. A flatter or less curvature lens yields less magnification. What a great truth for us. The more we bend to his will and kneel to the LORD, the greater we will magnify Jesus Christ.
 
3.Plan of the Magnifier:
Matthew 5:14, 16, Ye are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. A magnifying glass is doing no good as long as it is in the secretary’s desk or on the shelf, but when it is a hand. Only at this time is it fulfilling the purpose for which it was made. If we are to be a useful magnifier of the Lord, then we must be willing to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives.
 
Prayer, Lord, I desire to magnify You. You have proven time and time again that Your presence puts everything else in a different light. Even through the admittedly imperfect lens of my life, may others watching catch a glimpse of Your greatness. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Please revisit the webpage tomorrow for the conclusion of this devotion.
 
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Judge Not One Another (Romans 14:13)

Romans 14:13, “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.”

Paul addresses the answers to this issue by stressing how powerful and how influential our example is and the effect we have on the lives of other people. He emphasizes that we need to be very careful in our attitudes, actions, activities, and appetites lest we hurt our testimony and cause someone to fall into sin or reject Christ as their Saviour. Paul told the Corinthians, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men” (II Corinthians 3:2). Most of the people we come in contact with never read the Bible, but they sure read us. Our life has an impact on others. People often judge Christ and Christianity based upon what they see in us. Paul tells us that instead of judging others, we would be better off judging ourselves, lest our liberty put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall before a brother or sister in Christ. We Christians, of all people, can be quick to criticize and notice flaws in others. Whenever we do this, we are reminded of Jesus’s warning not to judge, so “ye be not judged”. We will all have enough to answer for without adding a condemning or judgmental attitude toward other believers.

Jesus said very clearly, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matthew 7:1-2). Keep in mind that the measure in which we judge others provides the degree by which we will be judged. The way we critique and judge others will be exactly how others judge us. Instead of judging others, we should be judging what is in our own lives that could be a stumbling block or obstacle to other believers. Before criticizing, we first should take the “beam” out of our own eyes and be sure that our hearts and minds are clean (Matthew 7:3-5).

Romans 14:10, “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” We must remember that “each one of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). We must keep in mind that we will all give account to God for our own conduct and of no one else. Others will answer to God themselves for whatever error they might hold. We are to leave the matter to God. It is not up to us to determine what everyone deserves. We should be thankful that God doesn’t give us what we deserve. In view of the Judgment Seat of Christ, our decision should be to avoid, at all cost, doing anything which would hinder another in the exercise of their faith. Far too often we are so occupied with other people's sins that we conveniently overlook our own. If a believer is constantly looking at his own life and guarding against becoming a stumbling block, he does not have time to judge and talk about his brother.

Paul was telling us to be concerned about not putting a “stumbling block” or “an occasion” to fall in the path of a brother or sister in Christ. “Stumbling block" carries the idea of an obstacle placed in the pathway of someone to cause spiritual downfall or ruin. An “obstacle” refers to anything that would trip up the brethren. The word "occasion" means "leading an animal into a trap, to snare". The words "occasion to fall" means to trap, to snare, to do something that causes a person to stumble and fall. We should be constantly looking at our own life making sure that we are not putting a stumbling block in another’s path to God or causing another to stumble or fall into sin. We must decide that we will refuse to do anything that will harm the spiritual life of the brethren. Our goal, should be to build up the body of Christ by establishing stronger bonds and relationships.

If you are concerned about your example, there are some questions you can ask yourself before you do anything questionable.
1. How will this affect me or others?
2. Will this cause others to stumble or will I be steppingstone?
3. What does the Lord think about this?

POINTS TO PONDER:
We are to judge but one thing…if you are a stumbling block to a brother.
We should avoid providing stumbling blocks or obstacles obstructing the growth of another.
We are either steppingstones or stumbling blocks.
Today, pray for discernment about how you react to others.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
What kind of example are you at church or work, can others tell you are a Christian?
Ask God to reveal if you are laying any stumbling blocks, particularly for new believers?
Ask God to purify your heart and mind in everything you do, seek to be pleasing to God, and to be a good witness?

PRAYER: Father, use me to impact others. Help me to be a steppingstone and not to be a stumbling block, In Jesus name Amen.

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An Accurate Account to the Almighty (Romans 14:12)

Romans 14:12, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Romans 14 should be on the minds of all of us. The event is the giving of an account of our lives. Paul points out that it not our place to play God and to pass judgment on our weaker brother (Romans 14:10). Paul asks “...why dost thou set at nought thy brother?” The phrase set at nought means to "hold in contempt, to count as nothing." We have no business judging others in such a way.

We are reminded that we all will “stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10). Each of us will someday have to give an account of himself to God. This is the judgment that we need to be the most concerned about. Earlier Paul said, “Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand” (Romans 14:4).

This matter of giving an account of our lives is an event every person will have to do. No one is exempt here. Every person in every land in every age in the history of the world will have to give an account of his life. Many people live as though they do not have to answer to anyone for the way they live. They may be exempt from having to answer to men, but that does not exempt them from having to give an account someday, somewhere. If there is anything you ever need to prepare for it is to give an account of yourself.

The focus in this matter of giving an account is upon yourself. You do not have to answer for how other people act. This giving of an account concerns your own actions and your own life, not the actions and lives of other people. It matters not what other people have done, what matters in this account giving is what you have done in your life. What a reminder not to judge our brothers and sisters in things on which the Bible does not directly speak! One thing we will certainly have to answer for will be our judgmental attitude. Keep in mind, that the final judgment is up to God, and his evaluation will be perfect? Our reward will be exactly what we deserve, as will our brother's and sister's. We may not agree with others on some non-essential things. But how are we going to deal with them? The principle is that we are God's servants and God will deal with us. As we deal with these matters, it is important for us to keep this warning in mind.

We are not going to be called to give an account of others before God. We are going to give an account of ourselves. Each one shall be held accountable for himself only. Each one shall stand alone before God and give an account for his own behavior only. God won’t be asking you about the opinions and preferences of your brother. He’ll be looking into your account. So don’t worry about your neighbor so much; keep a better, closer eye on yourself. Get out of his business and tend to your own. We will all have enough to answer for without adding a condemning or judgmental attitude toward other believers. That's why we need to remember what Jesus commanded in Mattthew 7:1.

This is the scary part if you are not right with God. You have to answer to God for your actions. You must give an account to God for your life. Giving an account to man can be difficult and make one fear, but giving an account to God can be even more traumatic, for God knows all. You will not be able to deceive God about your life. You will not be able to fabricate a good life story to make yourself look good before God like some people fabricate their resumes when applying for a job. The truth will come out when you give an account to God.

The work of Christians is to serve the Lord, not to usurp His lordship by self-righteously judging fellow believers. Our concern, rather, should be for being judged ourselves by the Lord. Our responsibility is not to judge, to despise, to criticize, or in any way to belittle our brothers and sisters in Christ. We will not be called on by our Lord to give an account of the sins and shortcomings of others, but rather “each one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Points to Ponder:
Instead of worrying about others, we need to focus on our own walk with the Lord.
The Christian who is most concerned with his own relationship with God rather than others has the right focus for life.

Questions to Consider:
What sort of an account will you be able to give Him?
Will it be a life of faithfulness to Him or a life of disobedience?

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Our Appointment with the Lord (Romans 14:11)

Romans 14:11, “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

One day, Jesus Christ will return to this earth. His presence and prominence will bring all of us to our knees. Every knee will bow. I’m not sure when it will happen, but I am certain it will happen.

We are reminded in Philippians 2:9-11 that Christ is exalted above all others. His name is above every name! Every knee will bow before His Lordship! Every tongue will confess His worthiness! None are left out in the completeness of the process. The blaspheming tongue, the cursing tongue, the lying tongue, the vicious tongue, the boastful tongue. Every tongue will one day confess Christ’s Lordship “to the glory of God.” Christ is exalted! And God will be glorified! Every name! Every knee! Every tongue! Philippians 2:9-11, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Isaiah 45:22-23, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

Many people have avoided God all their life. But one day, every person will bow their knee before Him and say these words, “Jesus Christ is Lord.” Even if you have never believed or have never taken church seriously. Life is about one thing, it’s about entering into a relationship with God through Christ.

Who’s really in charge? It’s not Washington, or Hollywood, or Wall Street, or athletes, or entertainers, and it’s not you and me. It’s Jesus Christ the Lord. No matter what a person accomplishes in this world, a hundred years from today, if they didn’t get this figured out here, they will spend eternity in the lake of fire.

What answers would you fill into these following blanks?

If I were in charge, I would do ________________ with my life. But Jesus is Lord, so I choose His plan for my life.

If I were in charge, I would do ________________ with my finances. But Jesus is Lord, so I choose to give, save, and spend according to His priorities.

If I were in charge, I would do ________________ right now in my marriage, but I’m not in charge. He is Lord, and I will do what His Word says.

Everybody serves somebody. Everybody has somebody in charge of their life. Forget the excuses—you choose who you serve. You don’t fall into servitude. It’s not an accident. You can’t blame your environment or your past. You choose who you serve. Your parents don’t choose for you. Your pastor can’t choose for you. As much as someone might love you, they can’t choose for you. Even God, who loves you perfectly, will not choose for you. There are simply some crucial decisions you have to make for yourself.

Prayer, Father, thank You for going as far as You had to go to find me. For the journey from eternity to the cross that Jesus took for me, and then for meeting me in the road I was taking to hell. Thank You for breaking through my half-hearted and misguided efforts to find You by effectively finding me when I was completely lost! I rejoice over the fact that I will spend eternity with You and, in joyous effort, tell You how grateful I am. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Amnesia Towards the Almighty (Romans 1:21)

Romans 1:21, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

One day, William Stidger and his pastor sat in a restaurant talking about the suffering, affliction, and despair of the days. The pastor said, "In two or three weeks I have to preach on Thanksgiving Day. What can I say?" Stidger said it was like the Spirit of God answered that question: "Why not thank those people who've been a blessing in your life and affirm them during this terrible time?" He thought of an English teacher who had instilled in him a love of literature and verse, affecting all his writing and preaching. So he wrote to her. In a matter of days he got a reply. "My Dear Willy: I can't tell you how much your note meant to me. I am in my eighties, living alone in a small room, cooking my own meals, lonely, and like the last leaf of autumn lingering behind. You'll be interested to know that I taught in school for more than 50 years, and yours is the first note of appreciation I ever received. It came on a blue, cold morning, and it cheered me as nothing has done in many years."

A spirit of ingratitude is the first step toward apostasy. Isaiah 29:13, “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men”. The attitude of God's people toward the Lord affected their relationships with others. When a person gets hard and bitter toward God, they start to debate with the Lord, and there is a tendency to get hard and bitter toward others. Sin hardens our heart and cools us off in our love for Him and for other people. Matthew 24:12, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” When sin gets a grip on our life, we tend to get selfish and ungrateful. We start fussing and debating with God over His control over our lives.

When we are genuinely grateful, we will have an attitude of indebtedness and be motivated to sufficiently express that attitude. A grateful spirit recognizes that in ourselves we have nothing, we are nothing without the Lord, and whatever we have or do we owe to God, our parents, family, teachers, coaches, others, etc. Jesus put it this way in John 15:5, “without me you can do nothing.” If you ever get to a point in your life where you have nothing left but the Lord, then for the first time you will become aware that the Lord is enough! He is the ultimate Satisfier, and without Him we really have nothing!

God wants us to be thankful or grateful. Thanksgiving is good, but thanks living is better. To be grateful always is to recognize the fact that God controls our lives in every detail as He seeks to make us more like Jesus Christ. To be ungrateful is to disregard God's control, the lordship of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit's filling. It is the attitude that says, "God, I don't care what you have done for me. Just leave me alone." Ungratefulness is the first step to rejecting the Lord (Romans 1:21) and backsliding. When we are ungrateful, we end up doing several negative and destructive things.

If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily. In old Anglo-Saxon, to be "thankful" meant to be "thinkful." Thinking of one's blessings should stir one to gratitude. We need to think about what God has done for all of us. We are to be consistent in gratefulness. Psalm 92:1-2, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High. To shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.”

The truth is, God pours His blessings out upon us in the plural, not the singular. His blessings are many. There are so many that we need to count them. Psalm 68:19, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.” Have you taken time to count your blessings of health, shelter, food, electricity, water, air, strength, seeing, hearing, walking, smelling, touching, talking, your Bible, friends, family, a good church, your pastor? We have so much to be thankful for. The way of the godly enjoys many blessings. Here are a few.
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1. We have a relationship that never can be abolished.
2. We have a righteousness that cannot be tarnished.
3. We have an acceptance that can never be questioned.
4. We have a standing that can never be disputed.
5. We have a justification that can never be reversed.
6. We have a salvation that cannot be annulled.
7. We have a strength that can't be exhausted.
8. We have an assurance that can never be disappointed.
9. We have a comfort that can't be lessened.
10. We have a service that will always be rewarded.
11. We have an intercessor who can never be disqualified.
12. We have a hope that will never fade away.
13. We have a friend in Jesus so will never be lonely.
14. We have a glory that will outshine the stars forever.

PRAYER: Father, Your Word says to always give thanks, and to give thanks for everything. Without Your help, that is impossible. Forgive me for all the times that I worry about my situation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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