Month: July 2023

Backbone Needed

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The king was waiting in his palace for Daniel to explain the meaning of his disturbing dream. He knew Daniel could tell him what this dream meant, because he had interpreted a dream for him years earlier, with the help of his God. So he could do it again. So could his God.

And Daniel was given the opportunity and the challenge of speaking God’s truth to the king. Oh. God gave him the meaning of the dream. And he had a slight hesitation as he realized the impact the meaning of the dream would have on the king. He knew it would be life changing. He just didn’t know if his own life would be at risk for telling the truth. But the king, in his love for Daniel, gave him permission to tell the true meaning of the dream. No holds barred.

Was Daniel fearful for his own life or for the life of the king? After all, this news would be devastating to the king who thought he didn’t need God. Daniel and the king had worked together for many years. It would be very difficult to give bad news to your boss. It was news that would cause the king’s knees to crumble. His power would be gone. Daniel begged him to repent.

Some would pray for the opportunity of a lifetime to let one in a noble position know that they’re a sinner in need of a Savior.  Yet Daniel was overcome by emotion and concern.  He knew the gravity of the meaning of the dream.  He knew that it was a judgment from God on King Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and disobedience.  How do you say those words out loud in front of an audience of the king? Were the other wise men still standing there? Would he have to say the difficult words in mixed company?  I mean.  This was a personal message from God himself. No one said that the king had excused everyone else in the room.  So Daniel had to be the bearer of good and bad news. 

Daniel began his dialogue with humility and love for the king. Although they were on different sides of the fence with their faith, they deeply respected each other. Daniel knew just the wrong word or attitude could send him to prison or death. Yet this king also knew of Daniel’s deep, abiding faith in God. He urged Daniel to speak the words of truth to him. Daniel let the king know that he wanted only the best for him, yet this dream told of troubles ahead for the king. A kind of trouble not typically afforded a wealthy, successful king. As he shared the meaning of the dream, Daniel spoke with courage and honesty. He left no detail undone. And then he shared hope. He shared that all would not be lost. The kingdom would be held in trust for when the king returned to his rightful throne. Then he finished his message with a plea for the king to stop sinning and to do what was right.

I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16

Read this part of Daniel’s story in Daniel 4:19-27.

When we’re faced with speaking hard spiritual truths to those in authority or even to family members, we must do so with love and honesty. We come face to face with those in need of a Savior on a daily basis. We must keep them in our prayers and shower them with love and truth. We can’t go along with what’s popular in the world today. We must go with what’s right. Even when there might be a cost for us.

Like Daniel, we must be willing to share with others why they too need a Savior. We may have to tell them that God isn’t pleased with their disobedience and disregard for his commands. Perhaps we will have to share that there is a punishment for disobedience. But those truths can only be given with a gentle and humble attitude. We are all sinners in need of a Savior.

We don’t know what message God may ask us to share with someone who is running from him. But we do know that he will be with us as we share hard truths and genuine love. Let’s not run from those difficult conversations, but let’s put our hand in God’s as he leads us to share his love to a lost world.

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15

Keep your heart soft. Pray for people with whom you disagree.

Alisa Childers

A Long Obedience

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When Daniel was a teenager, he was captured from his home in Jerusalem and taken to Babylon. There he spent three years being indoctrinated into the Babylonian culture, religions and traditions. He was then chosen to serve as a wise man in the royal court of King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel was a Jew. He was raised in a country that had rejected God, yet he was taught that God was the God of his people. Even though the king of his homeland had rejected God, there remained a faithful remnant in the land. Yet, that didn’t keep the followers of God safe from their enemy. Daniel became a prisoner of war. He wasn’t free to leave Babylon and go home to Jerusalem. He never returned home and was to be an exile for the rest of his life. Some would think he never reached his full potential living in a foreign land.

Daniel now lived in a heathen country that did not recognize God as the One True God. The Babylonians worshipped many gods. When he had been taken captive, the king had even changed Daniel’s name to Belteshazzar. His new name was the name of one of Nebuchadnezzar’s gods. The name Daniel means “God is my judge.” The god Bel was a powerless Babylonian god, while the God of Israel was the Creator of the heavens and the earth. The God of the Israelites was and still is living and breathing. He was and still is capable of hearing prayers and answering them. He is most powerful. Daniel knew this and never forgot it.

Daniel held true to his faith for his entire life. He gained solid teaching in his childhood while still in Jerusalem. Even though his native country had turned from serving God, someone taught him the Holy Scriptures that had been passed down for generations. He had learned to pray, and he knew prayer was a valuable lifeline. Perhaps it was his father who had taught him the Scriptures by rote repetition. Or perhaps, the young Jewish boys of his day were still taught the Torah, even though their nation’s leaders lived in direct opposition to God’s commands. Regardless of how he learned of God and to trust in him, he learned that lesson. And he learned it well. It was the most valuable possession he took with him as he was forced to travel the long journey from home to the foreign nation of Babylon. Little did he know just how much he would have to rely on God as his only source of strength and comfort for the remainder of his life.

But now. Roughly thirty years later, he finds himself called for an audience with the king. He now stood awaiting the king’s request. Once again, he had been asked to interpret another one of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams. All the other wise men stood in front of the king, yet not one of them could provide the meaning of this disturbing dream. And after all this time, Nebuchadnezzar was visibly relieved when Daniel walked through the door. He trusted Daniel and knew that Daniel would be able to interpret his dream. Why didn’t he just call for Daniel first thing, instead of bringing in all the other wise men?

The story of Daniel doesn’t allow us to witness Daniel’s faithfulness to God or even to his employer on a day-by-day or year-by-year basis. Yet this story shows us that as Daniel grew into a man who was now in his forties, his faith in God was deeper and stronger than it had been when he walked the path as a prisoner so many years earlier. He had learned that even when facing possible death, God was on his side. God was with him in those dark moments. And yet. He didn’t know what other trials were ahead. He faced the perils of living in a heathen culture all the while keeping his faith in God strong. He didn’t let the temptations and threats of the surrounding culture determine his faith. Those temptations and threats strengthened his resolve to obey God regardless of what he faced. He was immersed in an environment that bowed to many manmade gods, yet he didn’t bow a knee to them. Not once. He was determined to not let anything defile his relationship with God.

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Nebuchadnezzar was a religious man. He worshipped many gods. Yet his gods couldn’t help him in his times of deepest need. They never came through for him. But he trusted Daniel. And he knew that Daniel didn’t worship his gods. Daniel worshipped the One True God, the living God. Nebuchadnezzar respected him for his faithfulness to his faith, yet he never demanded that Daniel turn against God. Nebuchadnezzar realized he relied on Daniel’s God because he had seen his hand working in Daniel’s life. And he had also experienced the work of God in his own life. Yet he still refused to worship God. He only acknowledged God’s existence and power. He was full of pride and refused to bow to God.

Daniel’s allegiance to God never wavered during these thirty years serving a king who continually mocked God. There’s much we don’t know of those years between the king’s two dreams, yet we do know that on a daily basis Daniel stood fast in his devotion to God. If not, he wouldn’t have been faithful when a temptation or threat popped up. His faith was steadfast. It had been cultivated in hard times and nothing could deter him from it.

You can read this part of Daniel’s story in Daniel 4:4-18.

As believers in a hostile, heathen culture today, we are faced with temptations and threats we never thought possible. Yet here we are. We must do the hard work of studying God’s word and spending time in prayer so we are prepared for the challenges that we will face. We may not be called on to interpret a dream or bow to a foreign god. But we may be asked to call someone by a different pronoun. Or we may be mandated to perform tasks at work that go against our beliefs. We may be asked to bow a knee to an ideology that is in direct contradiction to God’s Word. We may be asked to say words we don’t believe. We may be required to sit through mandatory indoctrination of secular philosophies that are unbiblical. If we don’t know God’s Word. If we don’t spend time in prayer now. How will we be ready to face the fight when we’re suddenly in it? It could happen at any time.

Oh. It was thirty years in the making for Daniel. What he didn’t know was that he still had forty more years to go. His battles of working in a heathen environment never changed. His entire career was spent working in a situation that went directly against his beliefs. And yet he had a great reputation. His work was impeccable and he was favored by the king. Sure. The kings changed over time. The players in the king’s court changed. And some of the rules even changed. Yet Daniel’s faith and commitment to his God remained unchanged. Even during the darkest trials.

For his entire career, Daniel worked in a hostile environment. He didn’t know from one day to the next whether he life would be on the line. Sure. He had developed a relationship with the king. But kings can be fickle. And it wasn’t like Daniel could find another more suitable job. Where do you go after working for a hostile foreign king? If Daniel could work in a hostile environment for so many years and remain faithful to God, why can’t we? We wonder today if we should work only for companies that support our values. But Daniel didn’t have a choice and he was able to remain faithful to his God. We can’t always run from the situation we find ourselves in. Sometimes the only choice is to stay and stand strong amidst the daily rebukes thrown at us. When someone calls us horrible names, we can stand strong knowing who knows our true name and calls us by it. Remember. God is with us.

We may not have a choice but to remain in difficult situations. God may even require us to stay. We don’t know what lies ahead for any of us. What we do know is that if God is with us, those against us will not win in the end. We must keep our eye on our eternal prize. Not on an easy life on this earth. As followers of Christ, we aren’t called to an easy life. We’re not called to conform to current cultural trends. We’re called to be faithful and obedient to God. And the Bible clearly tells us that we will face suffering.

Let’s learn to be like Daniel. We must choose to be in the fight for our faith over the long haul. It isn’t a short-term commitment. It is a lifetime of choice. A lifetime of choosing to live in direct obedience to God’s will. To stand for God’s will and no one else’s. Let’s make the commitment. Let’s strengthen our faith and stand strong from this day forward. God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Hail or High Water

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There is a part of God’s creation that doesn’t have a soul but yet always obeys Him. Always does as he commands. That part of creation is nature and animals. They can’t talk back to God. They can’t refuse to obey him. They’re at God’s mercy. When he parted the Red Sea, the water didn’t have a choice but to separate. When he caused the donkey to speak to Balaam, the donkey didn’t have a choice but to speak.

When the sun shines each day. When the stars come out at night. When the rain falls. When the wind blows. When a tornado strikes. When hail pummels the ground. None of these have a choice. Weather patterns don’t have a choice whether to start or stop. It does as God commands.

Excessive weather events are controlled by God. Tsunamis. Drought. Earthquakes. Landslides. Volcanoes. God created this earth to obey his commands. And if you notice, people call these incidents acts of God.

And now mankind is trying to manipulate nature. We want to stop the sun’s rays from beaming to the earth. We’ve put layers of radiation in place to damage human and animal bodies. And we call it good. We call it progress. But we’ve never stopped to ask what God thinks of our plans and ideas for improving his creation. Shame on us. I’d dare to say that God perfectly created the universe. The planets. The stars. The galaxies. The sun and moon. The oceans and all that live therein. He doesn’t need any help improving it. He expects us to care for it, not harm it.

But yet the one part of creation that God loves the most is mankind. The part of creation made in His image. The part that he gave a mind and soul and the power to choose. We’re the one part of God’s creation who decides what we do. We can choose to obey God or we can refuse. Mankind is the one part of God’s creation that God chose to commune with one on one. He gave us a soul. He gave us a mind to reason and choose. Vocal chords to speak. We can communicate intelligently.

In the garden of Even, God spent time with Adam and Eve. He didn’t just sit alone in nature. He went to nature to spend time with his image bearers. And when those first two humans disobeyed God’s command, they were separated from him.

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. Psalms 19:7

If God tells us that we should do something magnificent, we can choose not to do it. If he tells us to stop doing something, we can choose to continue or to stop. We, as image bearers of God, don’t have to obey Him. We can say no. We. Can. Say. No. I’m going to do what I want. When I want. Why I want. Where I want. How I want. We can refuse to obey.

Even though we know God’s will and ways are always perfect, we always have a choice. We have that power. We can say no. We can refuse to honor God. It doesn’t make us more powerful. By any means. It shows our weakness. Refusing to obey God shows our weakness, and it shows that we have given in to another power. The power of Satan influences us by using other people or things that God has made and called good. But Satan twists the good into evil and calls it good.

Only God’s creation that doesn’t have a soul is powerless to refuse God. We might think. Wow, all those poor animals. Those poor flowers and trees. The poor oceans. They have to do everything God commands. But look at what little worries they have. The Bible says just as God feeds the birds of the air, so will he feed and clothe us.

Did you ever notice that Satan doesn’t run after the oceans or skies or animals? He doesn’t tempt them to do what they weren’t created to do. Have you ever seen a potato planted and later harvested as an apple? Does a deer give birth to a cat? Does rain refuse to soak the ground? Satan tempts the creation of God who has the power of choice. Mankind has the choice to do right or wrong. Good or bad. We can create beauty or destroy God’s work. We have the power to refuse Satan’s advances. One little word is all it takes. NO.

We see creation, the trees, the flowers and the insects that are required to keep nature working. God created all of those. He has power over them. They don’t stop and ask why they have to work. The sun doesn’t ask why it has to shine today. It doesn’t beg to be left behind the clouds. Does the moon ever say no, I don’t want to come out at night? Do the stars refuse to shine? Do the constellations refuse to move into format? Does the earth refuse to turn?

God has given those of his creation with souls the responsibility to care for the rest of the earth he created. He created it for our use and for his good purpose. And we treat it with shame because we don’t respect God and His commands. We don’t honor Him through our service of caring for the earth. It’s on us. God commanded us to care for the earth. And there are those who think more highly of creation than they do the Creator. That in and of itself is a problem. But when we care for creation, we acknowledge and honor our Creator.

If creation honors God’s commands, why can’t I?

When the Israelites escaped from Egypt— when the family of Jacob left that foreign land— the land of Judah became God’s sanctuary, and Israel became his kingdom. The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs! What’s wrong, Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way? What happened, Jordan River, that you turned away? Why, mountains, did you skip like rams? Why, hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. He turned the rock into a pool of water; yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock. Psalms 114:1-8

Trouble Spotted Ahead

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I believe Jesus could return at anytime to take his followers home with him. We’re seeing prophecies being fulfilled. We’re witnessing the changing of the guard as it relates to morality and acceptance of blatant sin. There is military unrest throughout the world. Countries once thought enemies have shaken hands. Countries once thought friends have parted ways. Citizens of countries throughout the world have been put on notice that the clamp is tightening on personal freedom and autonomy. Privacy is pretty much a thing of the past. Food shortages are said to be coming soon.

I read an article recently that caused unwanted anxiety. If the warning is true, a catastrophic event could occur soon and you may never read what I’m writing. Or the supposed event may have already passed without fanfare. If the warning is false, life will continue as normal for the time being. All future stability in the world is up for grabs. Some call these warnings conspiracy theories. Others note them as plain conspiracies that will eventually play out in front of our lives. I’ve read that we should pay attention to what is being said about future catastrophic events. I assume we should consider ourselves warned. If the crazy words are being said, then someone has possibly planned to cause destruction. And many lives will be endangered or ended. Only time will tell.

Regardless of what does or doesn’t happen, at the moment, all our hearts are still beating. The sun is shining. The weather is muggy in my neighborhood. And American flags are flying. It looks to be a good day. No one knows at this point what the end of the week will look like. But isn’t that the case for any week?

It just so happens that I was reading in Psalms this morning and came across some chapters that were like a salve to my anxious heart. My soul is at peace, but my physical being is at times shaken by the news and speculations that I read. Perhaps I shouldn’t read them, but I want to be in the know. I’m not one for surprises. But I also know that I can’t plan for every disaster.

But back to the Psalms. The soothing words were written long ago by men facing uncertain times of their own. Their nation, too, had turned its back on God. They too were facing known and unknown enemies. Yet there were some who were faithfully serving God. They were obeying his commands and following his lead. But because their leaders had bowed to false gods, the nation was unstable.

What we must remember is that the enemy we’re facing is unseen. He’s lurking. He’s pushing. He’s gaining power where he once would have none. And he’s being allowed to expand his reach further and further into civilization. He wants full and total control. And there will be a day when that happens. But it isn’t today. Yet he still causes major friction and turmoil in hearts and in homes. In leaders and in followers. In cities and in countries. Yet he is not the savior of the world. He is the world’s worst enemy. But he wants the world to think of him as friend and savior. That he is not. He is Satan. The enemy of our soul.

So during the times of turmoil in my heart, these Psalms are a balm of peace. The one constant, unchanging element of life is God. He is always present, even when times are uncertain. And these Psalms speak peace and comfort in those uncertainties.

As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? Psalms 42:1-2

But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. Psalms 42:8

For you are God, my only safe haven. Why have you tossed me aside? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies? Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. Psalms 43:2-3

Only by your power can we push back our enemies; only in your name can we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me. You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies; you disgrace those who hate us. O God, we give glory to you all day long and constantly praise your name. Psalms 44:5-8

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Psalms 46:1-3

The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts! The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Psalms 46:6-7

Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Psalms 46:10-11

I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.

Jim Bailey

Happy Birthday, America

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This week America celebrates another birthday. Two hundred forty seven years ago, America launched its quest for freedom. But did you know that July 4th wasn’t the actual day that freedom was declared for this young country? No. The American Revolution started in April 1775. The first draft of the Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson in June 1776. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress decided to declare independence. The document was actually signed on August 2nd. And it wasn’t delivered to Great Britain until November 1776.

So, what actually happened on July 4th?

July 4th is the date the Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence. The document was dated July 4, 1776. That date has stuck with the document from the beginning and was declared a national holiday in 1870. Almost one hundred years after the Declaration of Independence was written and signed, legislation was finally put in place recognizing July 4th as the official national holiday.

For almost twenty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the country didn’t celebrate that monumental occasion. It was practically forgotten until John Adams wrote a letter in 1817 complaining that the country seemed uninterested in its past. History repeats itself, wouldn’t you say?

In April 1818, Congress passed the Flag Act. The act ensures that the American flag has thirteen stripes. Alternating red and white stripes. There will be a star for each state admitted to the union. Since 1818, there have been twenty-four versions of the flag, representing each new state admitted since then. Any new version of the flag is effective on July 4th of the year after the new state’s admission.

Francis Bellamy wrote the first pledge of allegiance in August 1892. In its original form, the pledge read: I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. In 1923, the following phrase was added:  “the Flag of the United States of America”. In 1954, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words “under God” to the pledge in response to Communist threats.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All Americans should be proud of the country we represent. We should never take lightly the freedom that has been fought for and won by our soldiers. Many have given their lives for our freedom. Let’s honor their sacrifice and not give away what was given to us by previous generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord , the people he chose for his inheritance. Psalms 33:12

America has been billed as the land of the free and the home of the brave. But look at us. Our personal freedoms are being threatened. And bravery seems to be in high demand. So what has changed? It appears as though our nation has forgotten that we are to be a nation under God. Where have we put God? It seems that for years this country has been in a downward spiral, due to the fact that we moved God out of control.

Our country started out on a biblical foundation, yet we now find ourselves living in a land that is governed by unbiblical principles. Anything and everything goes. Oh. God has never chosen America as his favored people. He gave the favored status to the nation of Israel. And it was from Israel that the Messiah came to earth. God’s only Son was born to a virgin named Mary. The Messiah came to earth and died for our sins long before America arrived on the scene.

And yet, this country that became a superpower is threatened today by forces unseen. Oh. We see the threats. We hear the threats. Fellow citizens use mean words to attack our liberties. Other nations seem to believe we’re no longer a viable threat, so they spew their own threats at us. We have bullies in office and others are vying for the job. We don’t know how this nation will survive or thrive if current conditions remain the norm.

Yet we must remember. God is an ever present help in times of trouble. No matter what happens in this country. No matter who wins or loses any election. No matter if we agree with the decisions handed down from the highest court of the land. God is in control. He does not waver and he does not bow to anyone. God allows the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. Our nation, great as it is, isn’t the superpower we must worship. The superpower in charge of all creation and of all times and of all things is God Almighty. We will all bow and worship him at some appointed time in the future. May his name be praised.