The Daily Dose

Then King Nebuchadnezzar said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”  Daniel 3:25

Today’s scripture is taken from the account in the book of Daniel when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a furnace to be burned to death because they refused to worship the gods of Babylon.  A story many of us heard as children and how God showed up in the fire with them and kept them from being harmed.  Of course, the king of Babylon was astonished and quickly amended his law to make provision for the God of the Hebrew men.

What I want to point out today is that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not even consider options in the command given by the king.  When they were summoned to come before the king, they boldly declared their confidence in God to rescue them from whatever sentence they were given.  We know the rest of the story that God did show up and protected them through the fire.  Here is the interesting part.  God didn’t step in and keep them from going into the fire, they still had to go through it.  However, He went through the fire with them. He freed them from their bonds and protected them.  So much so that they didn’t even smell like fire when they were called out.

You can have the same confidence in God today.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  Our God is able to deliver us from any circumstance, crisis or “fire” and He will.  The secret is in what you believe.  Do you believe that God is not only able, but that He will show up and walk through the fire with you and bring you out unsinged?  Do you believe that He wants to protect you every step of the way? Or do you believe that He can, but you just never know what God will do?  The truth is that you can know what God will do and what He will do is be faithful to His promises.  He has given us an entire book full of His faithfulness and promises.  You can depend on Him to always come through for you when you trust and call on Him!  If anyone is “missing it” in the problem, you can be sure it isn’t God. Dig deep and press in until you are full of the same confidence that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had and believe God will bring you to victory through every “fire”.

Today I want to encourage you to look for God to show up in your “fire”.  In this current world crisis, have confidence in God to walk with you through this pandemic, strengthening and protecting you.  Then, let the world see that no matter what is going on around you, God is with you and He stays with you right in the middle of all fiery circumstances and brings you out to victory.

Today’s scripture reading: Daniel 3

A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”  Proverbs 26:13

Today’s scripture starts out by talking about a lazy person that uses outside conditions as an excuse not to go out into the world today.  He says, there is a ”lion” outside, an obstruction of some kind that is keeping him from living out the plan for his life.  I thought of this verse recently in connection with fear.  Our current circumstances have given light to those who would use every outside evil as an excuse not to do anymore that necessary in life.  I’m not saying that we don’t have a real crisis going on in our entire world right now. Certainly, these are fierce times!  What I am saying is that there are alternate ways to accomplish things even in the middle of a pandemic.  This is when we draw from our creative side!

Here’s the thing:  There’s always going to be a “lion” out there.  1 Peter 5:8 says, always be on the lookout because your adversary the devil is continuously out there like a roaring lion, looking for anyone that he can destroy.  However, the very next verse gives us the solution to this concern.  It says to resist and stand against him steadfastly in our faith, knowing that we all have to stand against him everyday no matter what we have going on.  This verse also implies that we are to help each other stand against and move forward in life.  No matter what we are up against each day, we must keep moving forward in the plan of God.  We cannot sit back and be idle because of daily circumstances and obstacles.  Now is when we remember that God’s Kingdom rules overall including that “lion”.  God’s grace gives us what we need, when we need it.  So whether it’s a “lion”, a sickness or fear of the unknown, we need to seek direction and an overcoming way to walk when the obstacles present themselves.  On the other side of that, reach out to help others who you see are stuck or paralyzed by the threat of the “lion”. 

Today I want to encourage you not to let the fear of what is to come stop you in your daily walk with God.  Be willing to walk out His plan each day no matter what is waiting for you out there.  He will get you through.  The truth is, God knows there is a “lion” out there, and He has equipped you to overcome those “lions” as you get the plan and use the weapons of warfare that He has provided.  Then, come along side others who are stagnant in their walk or maybe even just starting to walk out God’s plan in their life.  Don’t watch those that are easy prey be devoured by the enemy, hurry in to rescue and to help them stand against the enemy of fear, anxiety and even apathy.  Let’s all take the next step today and push that lion out of town!

Today’s scripture reading: 1 Peter 5

“The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.”Psalms 103:19

Psalms 103 is one of the psalms that I frequently recite to myself to encourage and build myself up.  As I was quoting it the other day, something clicked on the inside of me when I got toward the end at verse 19.  God has established His throne and His Kingdom rules over all!  All of a sudden it dawned on me that no matter what “kingdom” has been established in the world whether foreign, national or local, God’s Kingdom supersedes them all.  I know this is common knowledge and that we all know it, however, the revelation of it became so crystal clear to me in light of our current circumstances.  So from a legal standpoint, God instituted laws from the beginning of creation.  Ordinances such a marriage, family, and government.  Those are the laws that work anywhere in this world today.  From a spiritual aspect, He set up spiritual order that works in the spirit world.  From the eternal perspective, He set up eternal decrees that will be in effect for all eternity.

So to bring this revelation into a practical application. God’s ways rule over the entire world, however, we are the ones that are responsible to get in line with them.  So as an American, I have rights and responsibilities.  Things such as freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, freedom of speech, etc.  As long as I obey the laws of the land, I am entitled to these rights.  Likewise, in the Kingdom of Heaven, when I get in line with God’s Kingdom principles and laws, I can expect to receive the benefits/blessings of the kingdom.  The law book for the Kingdom of Heaven is the holy scripture.  The more I get to know that book, the more accurately I can function in His Kingdom.  In the same way I am responsible to uphold the laws of this land, America, I am responsible as a citizen of Heaven to uphold it’s laws.  I cannot say in America, that because I didn’t know that law, I cannot be cited for breaking it.  No, If I break the law whether I knew it was a law or not, I am responsible to uphold it.  It is the same in the Kingdom of heaven.  If I don’t know God’s ways, I cannot expect Him to change His ways to line up with the way I think His laws should work.  I must learn the ways of His Kingdom since I am a citizen there.

In today’s scripture reading of Deuteronomy 28, God lays out the blessings that come as a result of following the laws that He established in His Kingdom. He also reveals the curse that results from following your own way or the world’s “kingdom”. Because we do live in this fallen world, we see the results of the curse all around us and new things emerging every day. However, we do not have to submit to those things. We are citizens of God’s Kingdom and His Kingdom laws overrule the worlds every time we enforce them.

Today I want to encourage you to submit to the Kingdom of heaven.  Begin to study God’s Kingdom ways and begin to line your life up with them. Make a note while reading scripture when you see God’s laws and the resulting blessing. Also, keep note of the world’s ways and the resulting curse. Make sure you are knowing as much of His Kingdom principles as possible because you are responsible to live by them. Not only that, your blessed life is the outcome.

Today’s scripture reading:  Deuteronomy 28:1-51