The Benefits Of Being In The Presence Of God

Today I would like to share just a few of the benefits that I have been blessed to experience, by being in the presence of God.  My prayer is that you will faithfully spend time in His presence every day, and experience for yourself the rich blessings that come with having an intentional intimate relationship with God.  Make every effort to cling close to Him and never ever doubt His love for you.

1. There is hope in the presence of God.
     Jeremiah 29:11
¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
 Romans 15:13
¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 Isaiah 40:31
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
2. There is love in the presence of God.
     Romans 8:35, 37-39
³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Psalm 5:11-12
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
¹² Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
     Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
¹² because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.^[a]
3.  There is joy in the presence of God.
     Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
4.  There is peace in the presence of God.
      Philippians 4:6-7
⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:6
⁶ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast  because they trust in you.
Proverbs 1:33
But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.”
5.  There is protection in the presence of God.
     2 Thessalonians 3:3-5
³ But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. ⁴ We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. ⁵ May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
Isaiah 54:17 
17.no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord.
  Psalm 121:7-8
The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;
⁸ the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
6.  There is comfort in the presence of God.
     Psalm 23:4
4. Even though I walk through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Isaiah 12:1
In that day you will say: “I will praise you, Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.
2 Corinthians 1:4
⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
7.  There is the provision in the presence of God.
     Philippians 4:19
¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
 Luke 12:24
²⁴ Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!
  Psalm 84:1
1 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
9.  There are possibilities in the presence of God.
     Matthew 19:26
²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Mark 9:23
²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
  Genesis 18:14
¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Jeremiah 32:27
²⁷ “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
10.  There is compassion in the presence of God.
     Psalm 116:5
The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
Psalm 103:13-14As a father has compassion on his children,  so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; ¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,  he remembers that we are dust.
11.  There is strength and power in the presence of God.
      Isaiah 40:29
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Philippians 4:13
¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
12. There is mercy in the presence of God.
      2 Samuel 24:14
¹⁴ David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
Lamentations 3:22-23
²² It is of the Lord‘s mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. ²³ They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Psalm 23:6
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
13. There is grace in the presence of God.
     2 Corinthians 9:8
⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Ephesians 4:7
⁷ But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
Ephesians 2:8-9
⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—⁹ not by works so that no one can boast.
14. There is healing and restoration in the presence of God.
       Psalm 147:3 
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
  2 Chronicles 7:14
¹⁴ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
 Psalm 103: 2-3
Praise the Lord, my soul,  and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
15. There is forgiveness in the presence of God.
     Psalm 103:10-12
He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
   1 John  2:1-22
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
  Micah 7: 18-19
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
¹⁹ You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

A Good Father
Since Father’s Day is right around the corner, I thought I would share a few scriptures on the role of a good father.

 I hope that you are making special plans, to celebrate and honor the fathers in your life this Father’s Day.  Whether it is your dad, your husband, son, or brother, if they are a good father, they deserve to be celebrated, for the many sacrifices they make on a daily basis.   Good fathers are always working hard to protect, support, and to provide for their families.

Let’s take a few minutes and dive in and see, what the scriptures have to say about the role of a good father.  If this is something that blesses you, and you think that it could be a blessing to a young man who did not have a great role model, please feel free to share it with him.

A Good Father Fears The Lord
Proverbs 20:7
He who walks in his integrity is righteous; happy are his children who follow him.
A Good Father Leads His Children
Joshua 24:15
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Titus 2:2
2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

A Good Father Prays for His Children
1st Chronicles 29:19
19 And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”

A Good Father Protects His Children
Deuteronomy 1:29-31
29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. 30 The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 31 and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”
Proverbs 14:26
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,  and for their children it will be a refuge.

A Good Father Provides For His Children
Proverb 13:22
A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
1 Timothy 5:8
8  Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

A Good Father Trains/Teaches His Children
Proverbs 22:6
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
6  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Proverbs 1:8
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

A Good Father Disciplines His Children
Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.[a]
Hebrews 12:7
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?
Proverbs 13:24
Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

A Good Father Encourages His Children
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

A Good Father Has Compassion For Their Children
Psalm 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
Luke 15:20-24
20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

A Good Father Will Not Provoke His Children To Anger
Ephesians 6:4
4 Fathers,[a] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Colossians 3:21
21 Fathers,[a] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
Matthew 18:6
6“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
A Good Father Sets A Great Example Of How To Love, By The Way He Loves And Honors His Wife.
Ephesians 5:25-37
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[b] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
1 Peter 3:7
7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8…
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails. …..

A Good Father Is Blessed By His Children
Psalm 127:3-5
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
Proverbs 23:24
The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
Psalm 128:3-4
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine   within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord.
3 John 1:4
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

This week has traditionally been referred to as Holy Week, which is the week leading up to Easter.    Because Easter is in a few days, I wanted to bring our attention to the significance of the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for us, and why this is as meaningful to us as Christians.   I have created an acronym using the word Easter,  that will explain through the reading of scriptures why Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection provided hope for a sin-filled world.
Through Christ’s resurrection, he proved his power and authority over death, and overall that is evil.  Because death has no power over Him, we as Christians are able to look forward to an eternal life with Christ, an eternal life that only He could provide.   His precious blood has atoned for our sins.  His blood has cleansed us from all unrighteousness, so that we may stand before God and be in right standing.  Can you say hallelujah, hallelujah, and hallelujah and praise God!

E- Empty Tomb
Mark 16:1-8
16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
⁸ Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone because they were afraid.^[a

A- Assurance Of Our Salvation
   1st John 5:11-13
¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

S- Savior Of The World
John 4:42
⁴² They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
John 4:14
¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Luke 19:10
¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Acts 4:12
¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
2nd Timothy 1:10
¹⁰ but it has now been revealed through the appearance of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

T-Triumphant Over Death
  Romans 6:4
⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Revelation 1:18
¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

E- Eternal Life
  John 10: 28-30
²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all^[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”
Romans 6:23
²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:36
³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
John 3:16
¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

R- Risen He Is Risen!   The resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  Matthew 28:1-9
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet, and worshiped him.
 1st Corinthians 15:20
²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
 Mark 16:9
⁹ When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.
 Acts 4:33
³³ With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all
 Acts 13:37
³⁷ But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
 Romans 6:9
⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

Happy Easter!!!

Lessons From Daniel Part 3

In the 3rd chapter of Daniel we read that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up a golden image, that he wanted everyone to bow down to and worship.  Anyone who would not worship this golden image, would be thrown into a fiery furnace.   In verse 7 it says that,  all the nations and peoples from every language fell down and worshiped the golden image.

At some point however,  it was brought to the king’s attention that some of the Jews were not bowing down to worship the golden image.  The three that would not be obedient to the Kings decree were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  These three have been referred to as the three Hebrew boys.

These three young men were very resolute in their commitment to God.  They knew that the consequences of not bowing down and worshiping the golden image, would more than likely mean death.  After all who survives a fiery furnace?    That being said, they were still not willing to compromise what they knew to be right, even if the cost was death. They knew that to worship a false god was definitely a violation of what they knew to be true.  They knew that there was only one all powerful and mighty God, and he was not created by the hands of man.   

They also knew that their God was more powerful than King Nebuchadnezzar or the fiery furnace, and that if their God so chose to, He could save them.   What I love about this is that, whether God chose to save them or not they were ok with His will for their lives.  They were choosing to be faithful no matter the cost. They were trusting God with their present and their future.  They demonstrated a remarkable faith in their great God.  Their faith reminded me of this scripture from Job 13:15

Because they were human I feel very sure that they were probably afraid, but they didn’t let their fear overrule their commitment to God.  They did not buckle under the pressure of fear. They remained resolute in their conviction to serve and honor God by being faithful to Him even unto the end. Habakkuk 3:16-19.

A few lessons that we can learn from the three Hebrew boys:
1.  Our commitment to God supersedes any trial or challenge that we will ever have to face in this life.. 
2.  When we are resolute in our commitment to God, He will give us the strength to weather our storms.
3.  We must always stand up for what we know is right even if it is not popular with the masses.
4. Always be ok with whatever God’s will is for your life. He knows what is best.
5. Trust that there is nothing and no one more powerful than the awesome God that we serve. 

Lessons From Daniel Part 2 

Have you ever been guilty of praying and asking God to help you through a situation, and then when it was over, you forgot to say thank you?   Well, sadly I must admit, that I have been guilty of doing this.   I usually make it a habit to thank God for answered prayers, but there have been times in the past when life happened, and I simply forgot to hit pause and say thank you.  For years now, I have been keeping a daily gratitude journal, and that has helped me a lot in remembering to say thank you.  Let’s take a look at how Daniel handled a very difficult situation, and how he responded to an answered prayer from God.

In Daniel 2:10-23, we read that Daniel’s very life was in jeopardy.  King Nebuchadnezzar had sent out a decree in his anger, to have Daniel and his friends killed. This was because he was told by his astrologers, that no one on earth could interpret his dream.  Not only was Daniel willing to go directly to the king and ask why he had made such a decree, but he was also courageous enough to request more time to interpret the king’s dream. I love that in verse 16 it says; that Daniel went at once.  Daniel knew that time was of the essence.  He did not procrastinate.  He moved with a sense of urgency.   But even more importantly he went back to his friends and urged them to pray, that God would have mercy on them and reveal what the meaning of the dream was.

Daniel believed in the power of prayer.  He also believed there was great power when he and his friends were unified in their petition to God.  He had faith that his God would and could protect his life and that of his friends.

That very night after they went to God in prayer, God revealed the meaning of the king’s dream.   In most cases, our prayers are not answered so quickly, but I hope that you know, that whenever God chooses to answer your prayer request, it will be right on time.  In this case, Daniel needed an answer quickly, and God provided quickly.

In Daniel 2:19 -23,  Daniel thanks God, and he gives Him all the praise for revealing the answer to the king’s dream.  Daniel was very clear on who His source was, for all that was good and true in his life.  He didn’t wait to acknowledge God. He praised and gave God His just due immediately.   Daniel expressed His gratitude to God, for giving him the lifesaving answer.

Now for a quick recap on what our lessons are from this passage of scripture.

1.  Daniel asked God for help.  Always go to God first.  Pray Pray Pray!   Obviously, this was not Daniel’s first rodeo. He had communicated with God through prayer before.

2.  Daniel was not afraid to ask others to pray.  He did not try to shoulder the weight of this problem by himself.  Don’t be afraid, or embarrassed to ask others to pray for you.   Remember, there is power where two or more agree in
prayer.  Matthew 18:19.

3.  Daniel moved with a sense of urgency.  When matters are important, don’t procrastinate.  Taking care of important things in a timely manner frees your mind from stress and the What If’s.

4.  Daniel didn’t assume anything, he went directly to the king to ask the questions that he needed answers to.  Don’t be afraid to ask what you want and need to know.

5.   When Daniel received his answer from God, he thanked God and gave Him praise and glory.   He did not try to assume God’s glory or take credit for knowing the meaning of the dream.  Daniel remained humble.
Remember all that you are or will ever hope to be is from God.   Apart from Him, you can do absolutely nothing.  Follow Daniel’s example and stay humble my friends, stay humble!

Lessons From The Book Of Daniel Part 1

Daniel 1:9
⁹ Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel.
Daniel 1:17
¹⁷ God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.
Daniel 2:21
²¹ He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.
Hebrews 13:20-21
²⁰ Now may the God of peace—  who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
²¹ may he equip you with all you need for doing his will.
May he produce in you,^[a through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

One of my favorite books of the Bible is the book of Daniel.   It is packed full of rich nuggets that you can just chew on for days.  There are so many life lessons in the book of Daniel that are applicable to all of us who want to live a life that truly honors God. And because there are so many lessons, this will be part one of a series that I will be writing on lessons from the book of Daniel.
Daniel truly teaches us how to walk by faith, trusting God each step of the way, no matter how perilous the journey is.  But before we look at Daniel I want us to look at God.

God never ceases to amaze me!   Remember, whenever God wants to use you mightily, He goes before you.  He paves the way, and he carves the path.  There are several examples of this in the Bible.

He went before Moses, first of all, by setting the stage for him to be rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter.  Who would have known that this little baby Moses, would grow up and become the man who would lead God’s chosen people?  Guess what?
God knew!

He went before Joseph.   What others meant for harm, God used for good.  He set Joseph up to become second in command to Pharaoh and put him in charge of all of Egypt.  Even though his brothers tried to kill him by maliciously throwing him into a well.
God had a plan.

Who knew God would use a little shepherd boy, named David to slay a giant and later would appoint him king of Israel.  He would also be a part of the lineage of the Messiah.   Only God could orchestrate such a thing!

You see even before we know what significant things we will be called to do for God, He has already gone before us.  Sometimes He has gone ahead of our years in advance.  He is guiding and directing us when we don’t even know that we are being guided.

Daniel was actually in Babylonian captivity when he comes on the scene, but God had a plan.  He had already given Daniel everything he needed to fulfill the plan.  Let’s take a look at the ways that God equipped and empowered Daniel ahead of time to be prepared to fulfill his mission.

1. In Daniel 1:9 it says that God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel.  Can you say favor!
2. In Daniel 1:17 says that God gave Daniel an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom.
3.  God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meaning of visions and dreams.
4. God had given Daniel an unusual amount of courage and faith.
Reading about these four ways in which God equipped and prepared Daniel ahead of time, should encourage you to recheck your treasure chest of gifts, talents, and other special abilities.  Remember, whatever you’re special abilities are, it’s not by happenstance that they have been given to you.  It is for a purpose much larger than anything that you could ever imagine. Whatever God calls you to, be encouraged, you have already been equipped for.

Take a moment to stop and praise God, for all that He wants to do through you. Don’t be afraid to submit to his will, simply trust and obey, and you will achieve things that are only possible by His divine intervention.
The power will be His and yes, the glory will be His also.
Deuteronomy 31:8
⁸ Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Isaiah 52:12
¹² You will not leave in a hurry, running for your lives.
For the Lord will go ahead of you; yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind.
Deuteronomy 1:30
³⁰ The Lord your God is going ahead of you. He will fight for you, just as you saw him do in Egypt.

The Power Of One Voice

Today our country is honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  This special holiday has been set aside, to honor a man who used his voice to unite instead of divide.  He preached love instead of hate and he encouraged instead of discouraged. He also used his voice to give hope for a better future for those who were oppressed.   His approach and his stance were always nonviolent in nature, not only was he nonviolent, but he encouraged others to be nonviolent as well.

This one-man proved, that if you stand for a purpose that will bless the lives of others, your legacy will indeed live on through those who are the beneficiaries of your sacrifice.  

What is abundantly clear is that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s one voice became the voice of millions.  It is also abundantly clear that God was leading him for a divine purpose. Don’t ever forget that there is power in your one voice when you have a divine purpose.  His one voice was connecting to others, to bring changes that would affect generations to come.   I truly believe that we all have a voice that can make a difference.  Our platform may be different, but we all have a God-given voice.   

May I ask you; What difference you are making with your voice?  Are you speaking on behalf of the homeless, unwed mothers, abused wives, abused children, human trafficking, or the mentally ill, etc.  The list literally could go on and on.  Where is your passion?  Because wherever your passion is, is where your voice should be also.  Your voice can be used in your community, your church, your job, and your home.  

Today I challenge you to get clear as to where your voice will be the most impactful.  This will require much prayer, getting still before the Father, and listening to His voice as He gently directs you.  Be brave and speak up. The world will be blessed by what you have to say.  

The time to start is now!