Presenting ...
... a weekly letter of encouragement.
20 August, 1997
- Singapore
Good Morning!
QUESTION: "IS IT POSSIBLE TO LIVE A RIGHTEOUS
LIFE IN AN UNGOLDY WORLD?"
I suspect that many men and women engaged in the tough, driving
environment of the business sector don't think so. At least their
experience belies any reality of righteous living.
Daniel of the Old Testament is one person who demonstrated
the fact that one can in fact live righteously in
an ungodly environment. Here are four reasons as to how he
pulled it off:
#1 - "Daniel resolved in his heart he would not be
defiled by the king's food."
That is, he committed himself to purity, rehearsing ahead of
time how he would handle the pressure when it came. (Daniel 1:8)
A friend of mine travels a great deal from city to city. Before
leaving on a trip he has his wife call the hotel in the city
where he will be spending the night and instructs them to dis-connect
the portion of the television that offers pornographic material.
Now that is "resolve"!
#2 - Daniel chose to believe God amidst humanly impossible
circumstances.
When King Nebuchadnezzar's religious advisors failed to interpret
his dream, Daniel, in faith stepped forward and offered to give
the interpretation. He then got his friends praying, and fell
on his knees and thanked God ahead of time for the interpretation.
God gave the interpretation, the King worshipped Daniel's God
and Daniel was promoted. (Daniel 2)
#3 - Daniel was a team player.
When confronted with difficult choices, Daniel made it a practice
to seek out the prayer and support of his three buddies. No Lone
Ranger here. (Daniel 1,2)
A friend of mine once said, "I need a band of men around
me to whom I am accountable, to keep me from embarrassing Jesus
Christ."
#4 - Daniel was uncompromisingly a man of integrity.
"...The administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds
for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs,
but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption
in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.
"(Daniel 6:3,4)
The secret to Daniel's victory? "Daniel was in Babylon
but Babylon was not in Daniel."
And here is the QUESTION we must ask ourselves: "We
are in the world, but is the world in us?"
My prayer is that you are having a great week.
Dwight Hill
- 1 Coleman Street #02-34
The Adelphi - Singapore 0617 .
- Phone: 337 6498; Fax: 336 9913
(c) Copyright 1996 Dwight Hill. Unlimited permission to copy or use is hereby granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.
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