Be A Daniel Guy!!

Posted on October 23, 2018 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters

“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” — Daniel 3:17-18 (NASB)

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The thing that will destroy us are: politics without principle; pleasure without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business without morality; science without humanity; and worship without sacrifice.” Gandhi was a man of conviction, so much so, that he drew the ire of a famous English conservative politician named Winston Churchill. Churchill had a lot of unkind things to say about Gandhi, such as calling him a “Hindu Mussolini.” Churchill also accused Gandhi of starting a race war simply because Gandhi wanted to free India from British rule.

Gandhi’s practice of “non-violent civil disobedience” was geared so that the “British themselves would give up out of pacifism and misplaced conscience.” On August 15th, 1947, India became an independent nation. About 5 months later Gandhi would be assassinated by a right-wing Hindu nationalist who thought Gandhi was working for the interest of India’s Muslims. I admire Gandhi for standing firm in his convictions but it came at a price that I think many of us would be unwilling to pay.

Approximately 605 B.C Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were taken from Jerusalem to Babylonia. A king who I like to call “Nebbie” had this idea that he could reprogram the youths so they could serve in the king’s court. But as the Book of Daniel tells the story, those boys didn’t cave in. First, they weren’t having any of what was being served at the kings table. Then we got the infamous “fiery furnace” where three of the four boys refuse to bow down to a golden image. Finally, we have Daniel, by himself, disobeying a decree from Darius (the third of four kings Daniel would serve under) that prohibited worship to anyone who wasn’t the king and then finding himself in a den of lions. In every case their conviction to stay true to YHVH gave them blessing and showed a few things to a pagan world.

Daniel had a determination to live in obedience to the Lord. That would be an example for the others in exile to maintain the same thing. Daniel had a boldness to hold firm to his convictions knowing that at any moment it could cost him his life. Because of this four pagan kings, Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian would come to understand that the “God of Daniel” was mightier than anything they could ever dream up. Daniel even turned down being an heir to King Nebbie, saying that the he couldn’t leave the inheritance of his fore fathers for that of the uncircumcised. Interesting…

There is no doubt that we’ve got some folks out there living life with some crazy convictions and because they feel so strongly about them, they’ll do whatever it takes to display what they are…even if it’s at the cost of their video going viral on YouTube. Seems kinda empty but “we sure showed them, huh?” “Better than doing nothing, right?” I, myself, don’t carry around a long list of convictions. I kinda think life is precious and if you’re willing to stand on something it better be worth dying and living for. And I really don’t need them to go viral either so you won’t be seeing me on YouTube anytime soon. However, I do stand on what God has revealed to me in His Word.

Daniel isn’t the source of inspiration when we look into Gods Word for the strength we need when it comes to standing on conviction. Stephen was a man who didn’t waiver when it came time to stand up for Jesus to the Jews that sought to silence him. “Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become” (Acts 7:52).

And there is Joshua. We can see just where he stood in all things in this verse, “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

Today, more than ever, we need the example of Daniel to stand true. Gandhi was a good man but he wasn’t a Daniel guy. History is riddled with men who made others bow down and give in, some for good, others, not so much. All Daniel wanted men to do was to bow to YHVH just as he did…and in their ends, they did. Be a Daniel guy. Amen?

Written by Chris Hughes: Chris, a graduate of The Colony of Mercy (11-2003) has been married for 25+ years (Kathy), has a married son (Kevin) and a daughter in college (Karen). He has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008.

The Daily Bible Reading: John 7-8 | You can download our 2018 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “The measure of a man is the depth of his convictions, the breadth of his interests, and the height of his ideals.” — An inscription found above the stage at Maryland Hall (the former Annapolis High School)

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him” – Lamentations 3:24 

 

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