Standing up for my rights, Defending God, and what I learned from Daniel

 

Before I say anything else (because I know this is way long and most will give up before the end), I want to point out that Daniel was ORDERED to pray to King Darius (by penalty of DEATH).

 

Most things we are dealing with here in America are not situations where the government is LEGALLY ORDERING people to DO something, but are really more about people being OFFENDED because OTHER PEOPLE are being ALLOWED to do things that are offensive to them.

 

For example, Target is not legally ORDERING ladies to use the restroom with men, they ARE allowing men who identify as women to not have to use the restroom with men. Target has the right to make that choice. If it bothers me, I have the right to make the choice to shop somewhere else, and so do you... just as any Transgender person has the choice to only shop at Target because of all this. If this gets you all stirred up, please read all of this post before you comment.

 

Daniel Chapter 6... 

 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.  Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”  So King Darius put the decree in writing. Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Daniel 6: 7-10

Daniel went to his ROOM and PRAYED LIKE HE ALWAYS HAD.

·        First…he already did this.

o      Many church folks pray at dinner, at church and only open their Bible at church. That’s just the way it is. (That's a whole other post for another day.)

o   So it struck me that he did this JUST AS HE HAD DONE BEFORE. This wasn't something new for him.

 

·        Second…he did it in Private.

o   He didn’t go out in the street and pray so that everyone could see what a devout follower of God he was.

o   He didn’t wail and scream and protest

o   He certainly didn’t get all passive-aggressive on social media by posting things like “feeling persecuted” nor did he point out how much better he was than everyone who was praying to anyone other than God. He prayed and trusted God to do what God does.

·        Third…God did what God does, and lives were changed - (as always)

o   Daniel got caught praying … in private… in his home

o   Daniel was convicted of praying to someone other than the king and was sentenced to DEATH in the lion’s den

o   Daniel was NOT pardoned.

o   God protected him…in the lion’s den

o   Daniel survived the lion’s den, King Darius praised God, punished the ones who tricked him, and GOD got allllll the glory

o   you can read for yourself…

 Starting with Daniel 6:25…

Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth:

“May you prosper greatly! “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.

“For He is the living God
    and He endures forever;
His kingdom will not be destroyed,
    His dominion will never end.
²⁷ He rescues and He saves;
    He performs signs and wonders
    in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

 

It’s also worth mentioning that Daniel didn’t have a “God’s gonna get you for this” attitude when God delivered him.  See Daniel 6:21-22:

Daniel answered, “May the king live forever!  My God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

 

·        Gosh, can we say that?

o   In all our protesting, discussing, and “standing up for our faith and our rights”, are we INNOCENT in GOD’s sight? (what's God say in 1 Samuel?? oh yes! But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7) I don't now about you, but my HEART is not innocent, even on my VERY best days!

o   ANNNNND can any of us say that we have done NO wrong before those who are “persecuting” us?

§  Not just can we say it, but is it TRUE?

 

I am encouraged on so many levels by this.

I don’t WANT to look like all those people who are screaming and yelling and protesting in the name of “defending their rights”. I understand their desire to defend themselves. I do.

But I believe that God’s got this.

I HOPE that my behavior will bring HIM glory like Daniel's did!

What are we focused on?

 

I have said for years that Satan's best tactic to keep us in bondage is to keep up out of our Bibles and away from prayer. Our quiet time with our Father is our key defense against Satan's schemes. We need alone time with God. We need time in His Word and we need time with Him in prayer.  I KNOW this. It's a common belief among Christians.

Even though I KNOW this, I let other things take up the time that should be set aside for my Lord.

Prime example...

My mom in law moved in with us a few months ago. Mom in law + teenage boy + preteen girl + preacher hubby + 140 pound dog who things he is a 15 pound puppy + pre-menopausal me = a slightly chaotic home.  Mom in law is wonderful, but another person in our mix is another person in our mix and it has taken us all a bit of adjusting to make everything work.  While we were in the adjusting phase, I (understandably) felt an overwhelming need to escape.

Now, had I been "prayed up" and sensitive to the Holy Spirit, I would have known that I was in need of some serious Spiritual nourishment, but since things had been going well for quite sometime, I let my "quiet time" take a back seat to...well, just about everything. As a result, not only was I deaf to the Holy Spirit, I was also blind to Satan's schemes.

Everyone has a "drug" that they turn to when life is overwhelming. We all have something that takes the edge off, releases our endorphins, and relieves our stress. Some shop, some drink, some eat, some exercise, some watch a movie or TV. My drug of choice is a good book and I devoured a book about every 2 days for almost 3 weeks. The more I read, the more I found the desire to escape increasing as did my anxiety and unrest. 

 

Several things happened all at once that drove me to prayer and I realized that I hadn't talked to God outside of Church and praying for others in quite sometime. I hadn't opened my Bible outside of church or studying to teach in longer than that. I immediately realized that this was where my unrest was coming from, not my circumstances.

 

I opened my Bible, got out my prayer journal and started talking to and listening to God. My soul settled. The desire to escape left. When I turned my focus back to God and turned my heart to Him, the chaos quieted and peace washed over me.

 

Much like Peter walking on the water, Our peace is dependent not on our circumstances, but on our focus. When Peter focused on Jesus, he walked on water. When he shifted his focus to the waves, he sank. When we focus on our circumstances, we sink into chaos, anxiety, worry, and the like. We can reach for physical things like shopping, books, TV, movies, exercise, food, etc. for relief and may indeed have a brief reprieve. However, only God can quiet our restless souls.

 

I'm still struggling and Satan is constantly tempting me to escape into a book. My circumstances have not changed.  Instead of giving into the desire to lose myself in a story, I am spending time in God's Word every morning before I face my day and before I go to sleep every night. I am listening to sermon podcasts. I am listening to praise and worship music. I am reading God's word at lunch.  I am submerging my soul in as much of My Father as I can. I am focused on Him. As a result of my tiny act of obedience,

 

My heart has begun to long for more of Him.

I am more aware of God's presence in my life.

I am more aware of Satan's schemes.

My soul is quiet, settled, and peaceful.

 

If you are plagued with unrest, I challenge you to change your focus. Shift your heart from the things that are causing you anxiety and toward God. Surround yourself with His Word, songs about Him, and His teachings. Let go of the things that you so desperately need to control and rest in the arms of the Creator of the Universe. Scripture says that we do not need to worry about what we will wear, eat, or where we will sleep.  Follow Hard after Christ and let God do the micro-managing in your life.

 

 

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

Join me at Internet Cafe Devotions

Please join me at Internet Café Devotions today...

I’ve spent the past few months feeling a terrible need to write about what we “should” do. Forgive so that we can be free. Trust God with our brokenness. See the benefit in times of painful growth. My intentions are good.  It crushes my soul that women accept spiritual defeat. Living in bondage to sin and Satan’s deceit is not acceptable to me and I feel a tremendous responsibility to shine light on Satan’s schemes.

I still believe that these things need to be said, but lately I’ve felt an all-consuming desire to make people see Satan’s deceit. It’s been the absolute most important thing to me.

Until Riley got burned.

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