Stand

I heard this statement, or something very close to it, from a lady on the radio, “If you set out to be liked, you will probably compromise, and not accomplish anything good!!”

Read this if you don’t stand up for something you will fall for anything!!

Today I am going to write about standing up for what you believe in.  Think of Daniel, he was a man who would not compromise.

Read what it says about him in Daniel 6:1-6, “So Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of 62. It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the whole kingdom with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. These satraps were accountable to them so that the king would not be troubled. Now this Daniel was distinguishing himself among the supervisors and satraps because he had an extraordinary spirit in him. In fact, the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom. At this time the supervisors and satraps tried to find ground for a charge against Daniel regarding the kingdom. But they were unable to find fault or corruption, because he was trustworthy and no negligence or dishonesty could be found in him. Finally these men said, ‘We’re not going to find any basis for charges against this man Daniel, unless we find something against him regarding the law of his God.””

In Daniel’s case, King Darius issued a written decree that if anyone prayed to any other god or man for 30 days other than the King they would be thrown into the lions’ den.  When Daniel heard about the edict he went and opened his window in his upper room towards Jerusalem, which he did three times a day, and prayed to his God without compromising.  Then the King had Daniel thrown into the lions’ den but God was with him.

Read what happened in verses 20-25 in that same chapter, “At dawn the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. As he reached the den, he cried out to Daniel with a voice of anguish. The king spoke out to Daniel saying: ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, was your God, whom you serve continually, able to rescue you from the lions?’ Daniel spoke to the king: ‘May the king live forever! My God sent His angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they haven’t harmed me, because I was found innocent before Him. Nor have I committed any crime against you, O king.’ Then the king was overjoyed, and ordered Daniel taken up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted out of the pit. No injury of any kind was found on him because he had trusted in his God. At the king’s command, those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions’ den—they, their children, and their wives. They had not even reached the bottom of the pit before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.”

Because of the Lord, Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and Cyrus, the Persian.  

Now think about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, these guys wouldn’t bow and they wouldn’t burn and they wouldn’t compromise either.

Read what happened to them in Daniel 3:15-27, “‘Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and pipes and all kinds of music you must fall down and worship the image that I have made. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire! Then what god will be able to deliver you out of my hands?’ Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king saying, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you concerning this matter. If it is so, our God whom we serve is able to save us from the furnace of blazing fire and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. Yet even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image that you set up.’ Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage and the appearance of his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than it was normally heated and commanded some of the mighty men in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego and to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. So these men, wearing their robes, tunics, hats and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. But because the king’s order was so urgent and the furnace so extremely hot, a raging flame killed those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell bound into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and leapt to his feet. He asked his ministers, ‘Didn’t we cast three men bound into the middle of the fire?’ They replied to the king, ‘Surely, O king.’ But he answered saying, ‘Look! I see four men walking about unbound and unharmed in the middle of the fire, and the fourth has the appearance like a son of the gods!’ Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and exclaimed, ‘Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!’ So Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out from the middle of the fire. When the satraps, administrators, governors and royal ministers had gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men. Not a hair of their head was singed, nor were their robes scorched, nor was there a smell of fire on them.”

These are true stories about men who would not compromise their stand with their God; these were men of faith.  I could tell you other true stories in God’s Word but if you want to read about other people pick up God’s Word and start reading through it, starting from the beginning.  You will read many true stories of how God delivered His people even when they were rebellious in many cases and He didn’t need an 8, 10, or 12 step program to do it.  What He used were humble, repentant persons who put their faith and trust in him.  

Not everyone escaped, some were tortured and thrown into prison and even killed, but they did not compromise.  Read what it says in Hebrews 11:38-40, “The world was not worthy of them! They wandered around in deserts and mountains, caves and holes in the ground. And all these, though commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised— because God had provided something better for us, so that only with us would they reach perfection.”

Then, think about Jesus and what He suffered, but He never compromised.  He took a stand and never wavered from it and we need to follow His example. Read Hebrews 12:1-4, “Therefore, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also get rid of every weight and entangling sin. Let us run with endurance the race set before us, focusing on Yeshua, the initiator and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame; and He has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and lose heart. In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed.”

I have given you something to think about and I hope you have a super day!!  May the good Lord bless you and yours!!