THE POWER OF YOUR INFLUENCE

Image result for CLIP ART SHOWING POWER  As a child, I always loved the heroes of history and their statements of faith or loyalty..."Give me liberty or give me death!" or "I regret I only have one life to give for my country".  While reading chapter 6 of Daniel, he too is a hero.  As a young man taken into captivity to Babylon, he made a deliberate choice that he would not defile himself with what was being offered him or forced on him by Babylon.  He set his boundaries/non- negotiables and chose to not compromise. 

Daniel is now serving Darius the Mede.  He has risen to a high position in Darius' staff.  Of course,  the other men in the same high positions as Daniel became jealous of him for he was trustworthy without corruption or any negligence in his assignments.  They devise a plot knowing that Daniel will not compromise for they had long been spying on him and knew his routine.  Because of Daniel's unwillingness to compromise, he is thrown into the den of lions.  When King Darius went to check on Daniel and bring him out of the den, he found him whole in body and very much alive. The king issues another edict to every part of the kingdom that the people must fear and reverence the GOD of Daniel.  "For He is the living God and He endures forever; His kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end.  He rescues and He saves, He performs signs and wonders in the heaven and on the earth.  He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions."  Daniel 6:26-27. 

Daniel was a man of influence who affected a pagan king and a whole kingdom.  Each of have influence, whatever we are doing and whomever we are.  Evil will hate the influence of one who will not defile and compromise.  More than likely, trials will come for God's purpose for you and me.  Some trials, will result in complete deliverance as Daniel, but then God may choose to walk with us through the "shadows of the valley of death", literally or figuratively, to bring about His purpose for His glory and for our spiritual good.  Being a wuss, I would prefer deliverance, yet for my greater spiritual good and His glory, He has purposed that I learn to walk in faith.  We cannot negate the power of our influence and modeling faith even weak-kneed and crying out to God.  Oh, the power of influence of one who will withstand in the grace of God!  Ever learning!  In process!  #IHAVETHREESONS.  

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