The Man Who Stands

 

Daily Reading:  Daniel 3:13 - 18

…Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

                                                                           Acts 4:19

               Make no mistake, men in power despise defiance by men who simply do not fall in line. They spurn those who would dare to stand up, to speak up, to speak out, or to ask questions.  They hold in contempt any man who would dare to take a stand. That contempt will manifest itself in various ways.  They will attempt character assassination, painting you as the problem or aggressor while they play the martyr.  They might force you out. They might lie to or about you. They may yell, scream, and create a scene in front of others. All are viable options for weak men to appear strong. That last method is the approach Nebuchadnezzar chose.

               The King was enraged by this betrayal of men under his power and demanded the offenders appear before him for questioning. This is an oft repeated process.  A man takes a stand. Leadership is offended.  A meeting is called to rehearse what they have heard and to execute severe punishment to ensure that no one would ever be so foolish as to stand up again. It is the way of the institution to retain power and control.  Have you ever witnessed this in the workplace or in politics? Has anyone ever heard of the Diet of Worms?  Whether you agree with the details of that event is irrelevant.  The pattern is clear and repeated throughout history. We should never be surprised when history repeats itself.

               What happens next in these moments is not about character, but about whether or not a man understands his identity?  So often in these moments, men back down.  They decide it is in their best interests or in the best interest of those they love to back down.  They decide the juice is not worth the squeeze, so they just sit down, shut up, and seek to be left alone. Sadly, this action will just embolden the institution against which the stand was taken. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood with boldness, knowing their lives were on the line and began by telling the king, “…we are not careful to answer thee in this matter”. They understood fully whom they served faithfully and did not concern themselves with the details.

               The world and sadly, in many instances, the church will never understand godly men and will continuously seek to break their will, but the church and the world need godly men.  Men who know their identity in Christ and therefore stand up, speak out, and ask questions. Be that man!

                

Have You Been Tamed?

 

Daily Reading:  Daniel 3:8 – 12

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.

                                             I Peter 1:14

               As a man of God, we must recognize that the world is continuously seeking our compliance to their standard rather than God’s. When we refuse, hostilities will ensue. It will never be a question of if, but when. We will face envy, accusations, and persecution. All these tactics serve to break us down until we fall in line. There is a great price to pay for firm resolve!

               Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced the fires of envy, accusations, and persecution before they ultimately faced the fires of the furnace. The attack was triggered because they refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue.  They had not made a scene and were not outspoken about their refusal. They simply refused to bow.  In a society where everyone submitted to the yoke of the world they stood out.  When the misstep was observed, the Chaldean’s resorted to accusations.  The Hebrew word translated accused in Daniel 3:8 is made up of two pictographs or symbols.  The first pictograph is a bent palm and represents the subduing of the will. The other symbol is a shepherd’s hook and signifies a yoke. Together, they imply, “tame for the yoke”.  What a snapshot of the way the world operates.  An unwavering goal of the world is to subdue all men until they are, “tame for the yoke.”

               To distance themselves further from men who had quite literally taken a stand, the accusers lavish praise at the feet of Nebuchadnezzar before reminding him of the exact wording of his decree by which all are bound.  We should never be surprised when the minions of the spirit of the age use the letter of the law to come after men who simply refuse to conform because they have chosen a higher standard. The universal standard of the world is comply or else.

               In our lives, we will face daily decisions where we must display firm resolve while the world seeks to subdue us.  In those moments of decision, we must remember that our strength and identity are found in Him alone and never in how the world sees us or defines us! We should also remember that the envy, accusations, and persecutions are a testament to the work of God in our lives.  We are no longer, “fashioning ourselves according to the former lusts” and the world has taken notice.

How to Destroy What is Good

 

Daily Reading:  Daniel 3:1 – 7

Pride Goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

                                                Proverbs 16:18

            The Colossus of Rhodes is considered one of the seven ancient wonders of the world.  It was built of bronze and towered 108 feet over the Harbor of Rhodes, serving as a tribute to the sun god Helios for a battle won.  For perspective, Nebuchadnezzar’s statue in Daniel 3 rose 90 feet over the plain of Dura (18 feet shorter), but it was built of gold! The shimmering statue could be seen for miles in all directions across the province of Babylon.

What would drive a man to seek such self-adulation? Several matters working in combination in Nebuchadnezzar’s life compelled him to erect a massive gold statue of himself; time and pride. Time has to be accounted for in his decision.  Daniel had told and interpreted his dream for him; a dream that contained a statue made of multiple elements and ultimately told of the king’s demise. Time marched on and Nebuchadnezzar would ultimately push back on the narrative of the dream by building and displaying his statue of gold to which he demanded worship.  It was sending a message to everyone of just how powerful and important he was. Time had dulled his memory to the absolute truth of his dream.

Left unchecked, time and pride are a devastatingly destructive combination.  These two elements, in the life of any man destroy everything they touch; family, relationships, work, character, and testimony. The subtlety of this combination is that man is seduced into believing it won’t happen to him.

Our options could not stand in starker contrast.  We either choose to have the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5), or we choose a path of pride. One path leads to honor and glory for God and looks out for the interests of others (Colossians 3:12 –14).  The other path brings dishonor to God and is a destructive force we cannot contain (Proverbs 16:18).  Choose wisely, for time will tell.

Balls and Strikes

 

Daily Reading:  Daniel 2:31 – 49

The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings…

                                                            Daniel 2:47

               Daniel’s life was not ideal by any measure.  He was living as a free man in Jerusalem when he watched the city fall. After the fall, he was captured and taken to Babylon.  There he was recognized for his learning, wisdom, and understanding, only to face execution with the rest of the wise men.  Following the telling and interpretation of the king’s dream, the king, who had ordered his execution, withdrew the order, and set him up as a ruler over the entire province of Babylon. The pendulum swings of Daniel’s life were wild and would continue, but we would do well to take stock of the circumstances surrounding this shift from nearly executed to ruler.

               Daniel was a man who sought to obey God no matter the fallout.  To the world around him, his obedience manifested as boldness.  He was willing to say and do what many would not. Boldness is not a natural attitude most men are born with.  The Apostle Paul was a zealous man, but even he prayed for boldness (Ephesians 6:19 – 20). Most men flee from boldness and settle for passivity like Adam in the garden.

               Daniel faced execution but asked for time to pray and wait on God.  After receiving an answer to his prayer, the path forward did not get easier.  The dream and interpretation were not exactly what King Nebuchadnezzar would want to hear. Nevertheless, Daniel boldly stands before him and informs him God had given him his kingdom (Daniel 2:37). This is significant because Nebuchadnezzar, the pagan god king had captured Jerusalem where God’s Temple sat.  It would not appear to Nebuchadnezzar like Daniel’s God had the power to give him his kingdom.  Daniel then informs the king that his kingdom would be replaced by an inferior kingdom (Daniel 2:39).  If that is not bad enough, Daniel finally tells the king that God will establish an eternal kingdom and that this all will happen with certainty (Daniel 2:44 – 45).

               This dream and interpretation had to be unsettling for the most powerful man in the world, but Daniel spoke to him with boldness.  He stood there and called balls and strikes with his life on the line. In the end, Daniel’s life is spared, but more importantly he demonstrated to all who will listen the obedience and boldness God desires from each of us.

A Case Study in Conflict Resolution

 

Daily Reading:  Daniel 2:1 – 30

Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

                                                            Daniel 2:20

               There will be times in our lives where we find ourselves in serious trouble.  Sadly, sometimes those wounds are self-inflicted.  Other times, circumstances are beyond our control.  We did nothing to cause this situation, and yet here we are. How will you react, or better yet, how will you respond?  The difference between reacting and responding is about 3 seconds.  It is always better to respond.

               Daniel found himself in serious trouble, none of which he caused.  In fact, up until this moment, he was one of a handful of Israelite slaves living in Babylon who chose to not eat the king’s meat.  Most  Israelite men chose to just go along…to comply. Daniel ordered his life in obedience to God’s commands.  Now he faced execution at the hands of an angry king through no fault of his own.

               Daniel’s response throughout this predicament should be a case study for us all.  He begins by meeting the problem head on with, “counsel and wisdom” (Daniel 2:14).  He did not run around to everyone else to talk about the problem or put off talking to the people involved while gathering support.  No, he met his executioner and talked with him.  Arioch, the man tasked with executing the wise men of Babylon, then sent Daniel directly to the king to plead his case.  Again, Daniel did not shy away from this responsibility. Men need to learn to not run from problems.  That just leads to more of a problem that someone else may have to deal with.  It is an act of cowardice.

               Daniel is given time by the king, and his next move needs to be etched in our minds.  Daniel and his friends pray for the mercy of God (Daniel 2:17 – 18).  So often, people say, “All I can do is pray”.  What should be said is, “All I need to do is pray.”

               In Daniel’s situation, God answered quickly.  That is not always the case.  What is more important was Daniel’s response.  Daniel 2:19 ends with, “Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.”  Daniel understood who alone deserved all the honor, glory and praise. Do you?

Daniel was Measurably Better...are You?

 

Daily Reading:  Daniel 1:17 – 21

“And in all manners of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.”

                                                            Daniel 1:20

               The book of Daniel opens with Daniel controlling the controllables in his life.  With so much out of his hands, he and his three friends determined that they would not eat the king’s meat or drink the king’s drink. It was the one area where they could plant their flag! This was a pattern, a habit, that these committed men repeated throughout their lives. 

Taking a stand builds muscle memory as that exercise is repeated in life. However, make no mistake, the opposite is also true.  When men choose to not stand, we also strengthen that muscle. Choices matter!

God honored these faithful souls by giving them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom (Daniel 1:17).  The effects were measurable.  They were ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in the kingdom where they were now enslaved.

  In our lives today, God also offers us wisdom.  Proverbs 2:6 says, “For the Lord giveth wisdom.” However, it is up to us to get it according to Proverbs 16:16 and then apply it according to Colossians 4:5-6. The Bible is the ultimate source of wisdom in every aspect of our lives.  When we choose to get the wisdom of God’s Word and then apply it in our lives, we will be considered fools by the world (I Corinthians 3:18), but the difference it will make in your life will be measurable, just like it was when Daniel and his friends planted their flag. Plant your flag on the wisdom of God’s Word in your life!

Daniel's Line in the Sand

 

Daily Reading:  Daniel 1

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank:  therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”

Daniel 1:8

Daniel would one day hold the third highest position in the kingdom of Babylon, but Daniel 1 does not describe that season of his life.  At this stage, he was simply a young man from Jerusalem carried away captive.  He held no rank, position, or authority.  He had been stripped of everything including his freedom.  Even his name was replaced with the Chaldean name Belteshazzar; a name that meant protects his life.  Bel was a Chaldean god.  This was a concerted effort by the conquerors to erase the heritage of these newly enslaved people and mold them into Chaldean society where they were to stand before the king after their years of indoctrination.

At this point, most decisions were out of Daniel’s hands.  He was living through many unknown and uncontrollable circumstances, but Daniel made a choice.  It was his line in the sand.  His decision stands as a testimony to the name he carried from his birth.  Daniel means God is my judge and he understood that he only answered to Him. This decision could have led to his death, and I am sure Daniel understood the gravity of that choice. Ultimately Melzar, the price of the eunuchs, accepted Daniel’s request, but that is not important.  What matters is that Daniel determined to stand no matter the response. 

In this life, in this generation, this world needs Daniels.  The church needs Daniels.  Your friends need a Daniel.  Your home, your marriage, and your children need a Daniel.  Be the faithful one who is willing to draw the line in the sand.  The one who will say, “Here and no further!”  There are plenty of things in this life that are beyond our control but never fear standing alone with God…no matter the outcome.

The Lord Our Guide

 

Daily Reading:  Psalm 31

"For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me." 

                                                    Psalm 31:3 (KJV)

 

    David wrote Psalm 31 during one of the most heartbreaking seasons of his life. As he fled from his son Absalom, who sought to take his throne, David experienced betrayal, fear, and sorrow. Yet, even in this dark hour, he declared his trust in God as his rock and fortress. David recognized that the Lord’s guidance was not only a matter of survival but also a testimony to God’s glory—"for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me."

     In our own lives, we will face seasons of trial, when circumstances seem to crumble beneath us. These moments remind us of our inability to navigate life’s challenges on our own. Like David, we must turn to the Lord, our unchanging foundation, for guidance. But the need for God's direction extends beyond difficulties; we also need Him to guide us in times of peace and prosperity, ensuring we stay aligned with His plans and purposes.

     Paul echoes this truth in his letter to the Romans: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14, KJV). Just as David sought the Lord’s leading during his trials, Paul emphasizes the privilege and responsibility of being Spirit-led as children of God.

     As we surrender to God’s guidance, we find not only a path forward but also the ability to guide others. Whether as parents, mentors, or friends, our reliance on God becomes a testimony to His faithfulness and a light for others to follow.

     In both good and difficult times, let us trust the Lord as our rock and fortress. His Spirit will lead us, strengthen us, and equip us to guide others in His name and for His glory.