and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world.
I John 2:16
While we know that's not in the Bible, I ask you: isn't that how the vast majority of "so-called", or those who "profess" to be "Christians" live today? They don't want to come out (of the world) and be a separate people; they don't want to "go against the flow", they don't want to stand out because they are "Christians", although they do LOVE to STAND OUT for any other reason one could name!
We may have to be "in" this world, but we had better NOT be "of" this world! Love NOT the world, NEITHER the things that are IN the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For ALL that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. I John 2:15-17.
Nearly all of us are [somewhat] familiar with the stories of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Pressed into serving King Nebuchadnezzar, the Word of God tells us they were found to have no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace. Daniel 1:4. When in Babylon, do as the Babylonians do...
They refused to eat the king's meat or drink his wine. At the end of their three year training period, they were taken before the king. ...among them all was found NONE LIKE Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah...And in ALL matters of wisdom and understanding...he found them TEN TIMES BETTER than ALL the magicians and astrologers that were in ALL his realm. (verses 19-20) When in Babylon, do as the Babylonians do...
Daniel, Chapter 2, tells us that one night King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, which none of his Jeanne Dixons, Edgar Cayces, John Edwards or Miss Cleos (magicians, astrologers, sorcerers) could "divine", much less interpret. They stalled for time, inventing one excuse after another. Finally, Ole' King "Nebby" said, "You're ALL going to die!" Daniel got wind of the death sentence that had been imposed (which included he and his three friends, too). He got together with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, but not for a time of "farewell" or "Woe is me!" Had that been most of us, we'd have been whining, "It ain't my fault! This is so unfair!" They didn't waste time with such stupidity! They had a prayer meeting! God revealed the king's dream and the secret (the meaning/interpretation) of it to Daniel that night in a vision. When in Babylon, do as the Babylonians do...
Did Daniel thrust his hands up under his arms and do a turkey strut over how smart he was? NO! He gave God ALL the glory: Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are HIS...HE changeth the times and the seasons: HE removeth kings, and setteth up kings: HE giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: HE revealeth the deep and secret things: HE knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank THEE, and praise THEE, O thou GOD of my fathers... (verses 20-23).
Daniel was ushered before the king, in haste. He revealed the king's dream, then interpreted it for him. The king made Daniel a GREAT man, and gave him MANY great gifts, and MADE HIM RULER OVER THE WHOLE province of Babylon, and CHIEF OF THE GOVERNORS OVER ALL the wise men of Babylon. Then DANIEL SAT IN THE GATE OF THE KING. (verses 47-49).
Once again, we see Daniel's EXCELLENCE IN SPIRIT: not only did he remember to acknowledge God's answer to prayer, but when he was promoted, he didn't say to his friends, "See ya. Wouldn't wanna be ya!" NO! He asked that they be promoted also: Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon...
When in Babylon, do as the Babylonians do... In the third chapter of Daniel we find Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego being sentenced to death in a fiery furnace because they refused to bow down to a golden image of ole' King Nebby. When they were brought before the king, they told him, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Daniel 3:16-18. Did you see it there? Did you get it? They said: "We TRUST OUR GOD to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and out of your hand, but EVEN IF HE DOESN'T, we will still NOT worship YOUR gods, OR bow down to your golden image!"
That did it! The king was FULL of FURY! He ordered the furnace to be made SEVEN times hotter than ever before--so hot it slew those who bound and thrust Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into its flames.
Suddenly, ole' King Nebby must have shaken his head, rubbed his eyes, or even pinched himself. He jumped up and asked his counselors, "Didn't we just put THREE bound men in that furnace?" They affirmed it was so. He answered and said, Lo, I see FOUR men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the FORM OF THE FOURTH IS LIKE THE SON OF GOD. (verses 24,25)
Now I don't know about you, but it is impossible for me to read that without my feet wanting to dance and my heart jumping for joy! Glory to God! There may be those "in the world" who refuse to acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God, but ungodly ole' King Nebby knew EXACTLY Who he had seen! He wasted no time calling Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego out of there. When they stepped from that furnace, the ONLY THING DIFFERENT ABOUT THEM from when they went in was they were missing their bonds! Other than that, the fire hadn't touched them! Not one hair of their heads was singed, their coats were unscorched, and they didn't even smell of smoke! (Are you STILL sitting down??)
In Daniel, Chapter Six, we find a much older Daniel. He had outlived King Nebuchadnezzar, he had outlived Belshazzar (Nebuchadnezzar's son); he was now in the service of King Darius, who had divided the kingdom into 120 provinces, each under a governor. Those 120 governors were accountable to three presidents (supervisors); Daniel was one of them. Daniel was so trustworthy and capable in his job duties, King Darius wanted to make him an administrator over the other two "presidents" and all their governors. Of course, that made all of the other presidents and governers intensely jealous. They tried to find fault with Daniel's work, but couldn't because he was faithful, honest, and diligent in all he did.
So they held a secret conclave and realized the only way to get rid of him was through his faith--his belief in God. They devised a scheme and went to the king: "King Darius, we've all consulted together and decided that you need to make a royal statute that no one should ask anything of anyone--neither God or man (except of you, of course) for thirty days. Penalty for disobedience: thrown in the lion's den. So take this quill, sign right here, and we'll get this posted for all to see. Oh, and by the way, your signature means this royal order cannot be changed or revoked." King Darius signed it.
When in Babylon, do as the Babylonians do... The conspirators knew Daniel always prayed three times a day with his bedroom windows opened toward Jerusalem. Daniel knew about the new "law", but that didn't change a thing with him. True to form, he went right on kneeling down in that room with its windows open toward Jerusalem and praying three times a day. As a group, the conspirators went in on him, found him praying, and slithered back to file a complaint with King Darius. The king was unhappy to realize he had been played for a fool and he was about to lose the most trustworthy man he had ever known. He spent the entire day trying to find a way to UN-ensnare Daniel, but there was none.
Finally, King Darius ordered Daniel be taken to the lions' den where the entrance was blocked and the King's and Nobles' seals were affixed. Very early the next morning, the king hurried back to the lions' den and called out, Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Daniel 6:20.
Imagine his relief when Daniel answered: O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. (verses 21,22) As soon as Daniel could be brought up out of the lions' den and King Darius saw for himself that he was unhurt, those who had intended harm toward Daniel found themselves (along with their wives and children) condemned to the fate they had intended for Daniel. In their case, however, the lions tore them to pieces before they ever hit bottom.
Not only did God protect Daniel and cause him to prosper, King Darius decreed: that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. Daniel 6:26,27.
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had Just say NO "down pat", didn't they? Not only did they say NO to all the things that went against the laws of their God, they KEPT ON saying NO! That is the ONLY way Just Say NO works: say "NO!" as often and as loud and for however long you need to!
Look at all the times those four could have done as the Babylonians do... They had one opportunity after another to turn away from God:
- Meat from the king's table: NO!
- The king's wine: NO!
- Numerous opportunities to take on the "wisdom" of the soothsayers, astrologers, magicians: NO!
- Bow down before a golden image of the king: NO!
- Worship false gods: NO!
- Quit praying to the ONLY TRUE God--the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: NO!
When we exit the church doors, we're not supposed to leave our salvation behind! We're not supposed to leave the witness of Jesus Christ in our lives behind! You don't "park Him at the curb" when you go into the pornographic bookstores, or stash him in a closet while you commit adultery!
Salvation does not consist of MERELY parroting a few words somebody on a stage tells you to say, and then shaking somebody's hand or filling out a membership card. Salvation means we realize we are sinners, we need God to save us, we accept His PERFECT plan of salvation through His ONLY begotten Son, Jesus Christ, we lay DOWN the things of the world--and pick UP the things of Christ! We aren't Christians only on certain days of the week--putting on our Sunday Faces; we aren't Christians around only certain people, or only at certain times or only in certain geographical locations!
A TRUE, fully-committed-to-Christ Christian has only ONE boundary set on him (or her): Live the witness of Jesus Christ in your heart and life EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME! That doesn't mean you go around spouting Bible verses or whacking folks over the head with your Bible! You may be IN Babylon, but nowhere does God give you permission (or "grace" that folks are so fond of hiding behind) to do AS the Babylonians do...
If you are living a truly "CHRISTian" life, you won't have to wave any signs, engage in any "jewelry statement" fads, wear any slogan t-shirts, do your hair up in a bee-hive hairstyle or stagger about in voluminous robes: you won't have to attract any attention to yourself. Matter of fact, you won't want to attract any attention to yourself: you will want ALL attention to be directed towards Jesus Christ! You will want HIM lifted to the world, not your own ego. If you are living a daily commitment to Christ, it WILL show more plainly than anything else you could do. It will show in your walk, your talk, your attitude, your work ethics, your interaction with folks, your marriage, your relationships with your children. There won't be ANY facet of your life it won't show in!
However, you will be noticed. Oh yes, you will be noticed. Folks are drawn to the light, and if the light of Jesus Christ is shining through you, folks will be drawn to you. You will exude His love and compassion towards people. There'll be "something about you" that will make folks enjoy being in your company. Sure, you'll still have times of trial and testing, but instead of going around with a look of bitterness or defeat on your face, the peace and joy He has placed in your heart and life will shine through.
No, you won't suddenly become perfect, as in without human flaw, but there'll be NO DOUBT you ARE different, you ARE set apart from the ungodliness of this world, and it WILL be a difference that will encourage other saints of God and create a curiosity in those around you about "what you've got". TELL THEM!
"When In Babylon..." Copyright © 2001 by Patricia Sikes.
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