Intro: I recently felt led to begin reading Daniel. I am not sure why, and do not have a specific topic I am asking Father about. And so I’ve started, anticipating the wonderful way the Holy Spirit uses His Word to clarify, encourage and humble me I was immediately struck by the following:
“God gave these four young men knowledge and skill in both books and life.”
Dan 1:17
- Knowledge and skill come from God – often we must make a difficult choice to first obey what God has directed, by faith, trusting He will provide the means. Daniel chose to take the path of Biblical obedience in an atmosphere of secular conformity. He not call God’s directives “Old Testament” or legalistic – he chose to obey. Following the choice to obey, God provided the wisdom. What situational ethic will I face today?
“..But even if he does not,.."
Dan 3:16-18
- God has promised to never leave us – and we have no guarantees that following His Son will result in good or easy things. Christ obeyed to the point of death. These three men were committed to obedience and the promise of death, not a safe compromise. The result was the immediate miraculous, Christ joining them in the midst of the flames – the bonds were burned off, freedom appropriated. What if He had allowed them to die?
"..a man full of the divine Holy Spirit."
Dan 4:8
- The Holy Spirit has been, is now, will always be the Mighty Counselor; His presence can be recognized by all; Old Testament kings, co-workers and all the rest.
“.. and look after the needs of the down-and-out......"
Dan 4:27
- God’s heart for His children is so consistent – we are called to do, and the greatest of these do’s is love. I think it is no coincident that The Father encourages us to immediately start living for others as we stop a particular sin; stop serving the king of this world, start serving the only true King.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, I usually find following my own thoughts on applying Scripture difficult. Often, God will use those I am in relationship with to help me, and them, apply His Word. I believe I am going to be in this piece of Scripture for awhile, and hope to learn with you together.
5 comments:
Reading what you wrote made me think of this from Luke 6:27-36
27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
We are set apart to be a light to to world thanks to Jesus. We stifle it by not showing the love of the Father.
There is a definite difference between loving and knowing that you are to love, just as knowing everything about how to shoot a bow and arrow is to actually doing it.
I think it is harder for me to legitimately love someone than to do what would show love in actual spite. There are arguments that Jesus was just trying to shove the greed of those demanding such and such in their face.
For example, the instance of giving the rest of your clothes would humiliate the person you gave all your clothes too because nudity was considered terrible to witness, but not as bad to be nude.
There is a fine line to walk when you understand the cultural implications of your actions to make sure that you are doing them for the right reasons and not reasons to get back at the person or persons.
Emmett,
I absolutely agree with you regarding the concern about the motives behind the action. It seems like the call is to do, and so, if our internal motives are not correct, the result should not be inaction, but rather act in a Christ like way, and simultaneously ask the Lord to transform and heal your heart.
Posture has been my focus word this last year.
The persuit of my wife Jana has been a lovely adventure. I have made it a point to try and do something that would be a little surprise for each day.
key word is try.
It can be as simple as picking a flower or making the bed before I leave to work, or leaving her a little note to find that reminds her that I love her. When she gets these she feels how much she is loved by me and in turn I feel the love returned to me by the Father.
I heard someone say the world cannot stand a vaccuum. This is true. If you give something, in one way or another, it will be returned.
Emmett,
Is Christ transforming your heart as you love your bride in these ways?
He is. I have found that I am loving more things about myself as his creation as I love her for his creation.
Putting that thought out where I can read it really grounds me. All the achievements that I should strive for is to love more of what Christ has created.
goes back to "Posture".
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