“Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and officials because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.”

— Daniel 6:3

Observing Daniel in the lions’ den passage, we see a godly man standing out in an ungodly place. We see growing here in the midst of this degenerate, pagan, idolatrous, polytheistic, licentious court, a most beautiful white flower. And I think that one of the first lessons to be learned in this is that such a beautiful character does not depend upon the circumstances in which it is raised.

You see, there are some things that you cannot grow in certain soils because they don’t provide the nutrients. But here you do not find the human soul draws from the environment around it. If it is a believing soul, it is grounded in God and it draws its spiritual nourishment from Him and it matters not what is around. In fact it is strangely true that some of the most beautiful of Christian characters have come forth in the midst of the most degenerate circumstances.

Yet how many times have we heard it said, “Well, if only circumstances were different; if only I didn’t have that miserable, wretched boss, always riding on my back, always on my case, I could be a much better Christian at work.” “Ah me, what a wonderful Christian I could be if I had a different husband or a different wife, or my children weren’t so rebellious.” “Oh, if I just didn’t have so many physical problems I could be a great Christian.” But Daniel gives a lie to it all. Here, blossoming in this incredibly pagan court is this character of Daniel.

Oh, Lord, give me the strength today to grow in godly character. Let my inward and outward life be beautiful to You. Help me not to resist Your inner work within me…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN EXHIBIT GODLY
CHARACTER, REGARDLESS OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.

“It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty officials, so that they would be over the whole kingdom, and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was first…”

— Daniel 6:1-2

In this verse, Daniel is preferred among all of these other key leaders of the great Medo-Persian empire, as he was among the Babylonians. Why? Because an excellent spirit was in him. Here is a man in his late 80’s, and we cannot help but harken back to that time when he was in a cell as a teenager, confronted with a temptation to disobey God in some small ceremonial law of his religion. At the time, you will recall, there was something that Daniel did which was to affect his entire extraordinary career for all these seventy some years that were yet to come.

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s food, nor with the wine which he drank” (Daniel 1:8). The matter at hand may seem trivial to some. But he determined to obey God in all things, even what he ate and drank. Daniel obeyed God in little things and was able to obey Him in big matters, too.

I hope perhaps that the tremendous implications of that statement might become even more apparent now that he is an older man, who has been obeying God all along. That he determined that he would not defile himself before God, that the one all consuming passion of his heart was to refrain from breaking even the least of the laws of his God. What a tremendous determination. I hope that same determination is yours.

Heavenly Father, give me strength to obey You in the big and seemingly insignificant details of my life. Lord, let me live my life to please You in all things and do all my work to the satisfaction of anyone over me and to Your glory…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN
OBEY GOD EVEN IN THE DETAILS.

“The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His name.”

— Exodus 15:3

This verse in the Song of Moses, celebrating God’s victory over the Egyptians in the Red Sea, sounds strange to our ears. God—a man of war? The liberals have had a field day with this text. God is love, they say, and nothing but love and the idea that the Lord is a man of war is an outworn ancient barbarian concept and certainly is not fitted for Christians to consider and it is obviously not spiritual. It’s a sinful idea that God is a man of war.

Well, before we go too far with that and talk about how unholy and ungodly and unchristian that is, let me call your attention to the last book of the Bible: “They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: ‘Great and marvelous are Your works, ‘Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of saints!’” (Revelation 15:3). The Song of Moses is reaffirmed in the New Testament.

God has many facets to Him. He is a God of love preeminently, He is a God of grace and mercy and kindness and longsuffering, but He is also a God of holiness and justice and righteousness. In the original Song of Moses (Exodus 15), He justly punished Pharaoh’s army, as they tried to attack the Israelites. He is a God of wrath against sin, and we cannot do away with that aspect of Him—otherwise we create an idol of our own mind, something other than the true God.

Lord, God Almighty, give me strength to embrace all aspects of Your character. I also tremble when I consider that Your justice will not sleep forever. Thank You for Your holiness, Your justice, and Your righteous anger against evil…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE SEEK WAR ONLY
AS A LAST RESORT AND ONLY WHEN IT IS JUST.

“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.”

— Proverbs 29:2

Slowly but surely, more and more we see that Christians are beginning to take their proper place in every sphere of life in our society. You may recall that one of the most important founders of this country was John Jay, and he said, “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian Nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”

Now who was this John Jay? Was he some sort of extremist? He was the first Chief Justice of the first Supreme Court, appointed by the first President of the United States, George Washington. He also wrote some of the Federalist Papers.

Well now, what he said we ought to do is being done. At one point, not too long ago, only five members of the House of Representatives could be found who were evangelical Christians. Most of them were probably nominal. But that number went up a decade later to 100, and then up to 125. Lord-willing, evangelicals in the political realm will be even more visible in the years to come.

So often we hear that no one should impose their morality on anyone, but the reality is that someone’s morality is always being legislated. It is not a question of “if,” but of “what” and of “whose.”

Dear Lord, You have said we should not put our trust in princes. Even the best of them can let us down. Help us to trust You alone. Meanwhile, we do pray that You would raise up more godly leaders. Help Your church to regain its role as salt and light in society…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, THE CHURCH CAN
BE THE CONSCIENCE OF THE NATION.

“I know one thing: I was blind, but now I see.”

— John 9:25

At one time, I was far away from God, immersed in the sin and pleasures of the world. But one Sunday morning, after having attended a party late the night before, I was awakened by a preacher on my radio alarm clock, whereas there had been music on that radio station the night before. Not interested in spiritual things, I was about to spring out of bed and change the station.

But he said a few things that caught my attention. The preacher declared that the Bible says, “The wages of sin is death…but…the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” I will never forget that first day I heard that incredible statement. I was astonished that he had the audacity to say that God wanted to give me heaven as a gift. I thought the man must be mad. Being, of course, a great authority on theological matters, at the age of 24, I figured that he didn’t know what he was talking about. After all, who was he but a doctor of theology, a pastor of one of our nation’s great churches with a worldwide radio ministry? As to me, why, I could even find my Bible—given enough time.

I realized I must find out if these things are so. Within a week, as I read about Jesus Christ and His sacrifice in my place, I found myself on my knees, in tears, asking God to forgive me. My life has never been the same ever since.

Lord, give me strength for today to share the good news with others that they, too, might receive Your free gift of heaven. Thank You for taking the punishment of my sins on Yourself on the cross…

BY HIS STRENGTH, WE RECOGNIZE OUR
WEAKNESS AND NEED FOR A SAVIOR.

“Yes, and all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

— 2 Timothy 3:12

Humanly speaking, persecution against Christianity began with Jesus Himself being spitefully treated and then crucified. It continued with the persecution, torture, and murder of the disciples, and then of many other followers of Christ. It went on in greater ways in the entire Roman Empire during ten huge waves of persecution. For almost 300 years, persecution swept across that kingdom, and millions of Christians died. Then the Edict of Toleration was issued and the persecution ceased—at least for a while. Then it broke out again and again and again and again.

Still today, persecution continues. In the 20th century, more Christians were persecuted and killed for their faith than in any other century. Stalin killed ten million or more. Hitler killed six million Jews; also six million other people, most of whom were Christians. The Korean Communists came into churches, sprayed gasoline on the congregations, and turned flamethrowers on them. In recent years, mostly in Muslim countries, but also some in the remnant communist countries, Christians are being imprisoned, they are being beaten, they are being tortured, they are being crucified by the hundreds, they are being skinned alive, they are having their eyeballs plucked out, and they are beheaded. This is happening in our world in our times.

Pray for the persecuted church. Pray that they will be faithful through it all. Ask that God would take the persecutors and redeem them or remove them.

Heavenly Father, we thank You that You are sovereign and though You allow persecution, one day You will avenge Your enemies. Hasten that day, Lord…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE KNOW THAT
CHRIST WILL EVER GET THE VICTORY.

“…you also, as living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house as a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

— 1 Peter 2:5

One day two men were sitting together on an airplane. One was a businessman. The second man was a representative of a worldwide organization. “You must work for Coca Cola,” said the first. “No,” replied the second, “We have far more field representatives, more employees and more customers, if you can call them that.”

Now, the first man was definitely intrigued. “Microsoft?” “Bigger.” “The U.N.?” “Again, much bigger.” “Tell me.” I am a minister in the Church of Jesus Christ.

Think about it. The kingdom that contains more citizens than any country on earth, the association that has the most members is the Church of Jesus Christ. Not any one denomination, but the collective body that professes to believe in the Son of God comprises the largest group of people on the globe. The members of Christ’s Church are in every country and of every race around the globe. There’s simply no other group, institution, or fellowship even remotely similar.

If you are in Christ, you are part of the largest family in the whole world. Despite all the setbacks, the Body of Christ is the most successful “organization” ever.

Lord Jesus, Head of the church, we ask You to give us strength today so that we can live our lives worthy of the family name, Christian. Thank You for this worldwide enterprise. We are grateful for any job you give us within Your kingdom. Help us to serve You well…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN
REJOICE AT BEING IN HIS FAMILY.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith…not of works…For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…”

— Ephesians 2:8-10

Suppose that you lived in the country 100 years ago, when horses and buggies were common. One day you came into the city and discovered that most people were putting the buggy in front of the horse and saying, “Giddy-ap, horse. Push, push,” and somehow they couldn’t get the horse to push the buggy at all.

You would think to yourself, “How incredibly stupid can these city folk be?” And you would be right. Yet the vast majority of people in America today have the Gospel just that backwards.

The Bible contains two basic elements, like a horse and buggy. It contains the law and the Gospel, and unless we get these in the proper relationship it never will work.

The proper relationship between the two—as taught by the early church and by Augustine—is the great rediscovery that Martin Luther made and proclaimed to the world on October 31, 1517. It has dramatically changed the world. D.T. Niles said that in all other religions, good works are “in order to,” whereas, in Christianity, good works are, “therefore.” We’re not saved by good works. But when we’re truly saved, good works will naturally follow.

Even in the Ten Commandments, God said, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Therefore, He decrees, “…you shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:2 3). Having first been brought up and brought into God, therefore, we do good works.

Lord, You are our righteousness. Thank You for raising up people throughout the centuries who shine the light on the true Gospel for all to see. Thank You for the clarity of salvation by faith, with works of gratitude to follow…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, HE SAVES US.
IN HIS STRENGTH WE DO GOOD WORKS.

“…as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

— Psalm 103:12

We need to avoid a trap of Satan—to so dwell on our failures that we can’t move forward. Our sins can disable us because every time we sin Satan has the same message for us, “Ah hah! Now you’ve done it. You’ve blown the whole thing. Certainly Christ has no more need and use for you!”

We need to forget those failures. We need to forget those sins, which are buried in the depths of the sea never to be remembered against us anymore. We need to forget the hurts of the past. In the Christian life—and especially I can also say in the Christian ministry—though it is filled with many blessings, it is also filled with many hurts. I think sometimes people must suppose that ministers have the hide of an elephant, and nothing that they can do or say to them is going to hurt them. That is not true. I feel sometimes as if I have a thousand cuts where my brethren have cut me, from which I am bleeding.

If I were to believe some of the messages, then I would certainly conclude I have never done anything worth any value at all in the ministry and I ought to give it up. Well, those things can hurt and those things can cut and those things can distract us, but Paul says those are the kinds of things that we are to forget. Let’s move forward, forgetting what lies behind and pressing on, in Christ.

Jesus Christ, I come to You with my hurts today. Let me lay them at the foot of the cross…

BY HIS STRENGTH, WE CAN
RELEASE OUR HURTS TO JESUS.

“These great beasts, which are four, are four kings which shall arise out of the earth.”

— Daniel 7:17

Daniel had a vision of four beasts which succeeded each other. They represented four worldly kingdoms—each one being brutal in its own way. They are not lifting up their eyes to God, but they are looking downward as the beast does. This is always true of godless politics. It always acts in a beastlike manner and, therefore, it is destructive of human life. It tramps and stomps on people; it devours much flesh; it kills millions of human beings.

We think of the Persian Empire (the second kingdom prophetically described by Daniel), which later sent an army of two million men to attack Greece. History shows us that some of the battles of antiquity that these nations engaged in were enormous battles with armies that included two, three, and four million soldiers, and the number of the people that were killed was absolutely astronomical.

These beast-like kingdoms are all different from each other, whereas the kingdom of Christ, which arises in the days of the last of them (the Roman Empire), is the same, and it continues on from generation to generation and still remains the same.

The truth is much simpler than error; goodness is simpler than evil. If you want to see something that is extraordinarily complex, try to follow the plot line of a soap opera. Evil is quite contorted and convoluted and extremely complex, but God offers something that is so much simpler: Good triumphs over evil.

Lord, give me strength to live in the simplicity of the Gospel, to crave Your simple truths, and to live by them. You know, Jesus, that simple is not the same as easy, but Your grace is all sufficient…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN RECOGNIZE
THAT HE RULES THE NATIONS.