408: The Babylon Model

I hear many people bewailing the current state of the world.  They are convinced that we are close to the end and, who knows they may be correct.  Yet I happen to think that God is up to something different, something that most don't recognize.  It is what I call the Babylon model.  What is that, you may inquire?  Ah, I will be glad to answer but it will require that you read on.

BABYLON THEN   

Daniel was taken from the comforts of Judea to the discomfort of Babylon.  There was nothing about Babylon that reminded Daniel of what he knew in his youthful past.  He had to learn a new language, adapt to a new culture, learn a new currency, get accustomed to a new name and a society where everything was a god.  This young man who served one God had to learn how to live, work and prosper in a land where everything and everyone was a god. I would expect that Daniel had culture shock.

Yet God brought Daniel to Babylon. You may say that it was God's handpicked place for Daniel to learn, grow and prosper.  Daniel had no time to yearn and mourn for the "good old days" back in Jerusalem.  He had too much work to do to make it in Babylon.  And make it he did.

When you think of it, Daniel was one of God's first missionaries.  God sent Daniel to Babylon and immersed him in a place where Daniel's voice and God were only one among many competing for the allegiance of men.  Yet Daniel did it and soon was at the top of the world in his new home.

BABYLON NOW

So what does that have to do with now?  We live in a modern Babylon. Everyone is a god and consequently no one is.  Every man does what is right in his own eyes and, like Nebuchadnezzar, we build monuments to heroes who are not heroes at all.  Yet God is raising up missionaries to this new Babylon but only those who embrace it, who embrace this Babylon model, will prosper and succeed.  Those who build spiritual fortresses to preserve the past will miss the fact that this Babylon model is God's idea.  He has made His people one voice among many and promises them to succeed and prosper but only if they don't oppose what He is doing.

Daniel did not just exist in Babylon, he prospered there.  He did not oppose the soothsayers and necromancers, but rather became their supervisor as chief of the so-called wise men of Babylon. Daniel thrived in the Babylon model and you will, too.  First, however, you have to let go of the past and learn to express your purpose in this new day where God's ways have to compete with many other ways that claim to be superior.  Wherever you are in your PurposeQuest in Babylon, I pray you will have a great week!

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1. THE SOPHIA FUND UPDATE:  $152 came in last week for The Sophia Fund, which is a great week of income for which I am grateful.  As you know by now, I am using the money to feed AIDS orphans and widows in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

I wrote an update and a thank you for those who have given to the Fund four weeks ago and you can read it here. You can also read about my rationale for The Fund here (named after my late mother).

Please consider a contribution of at least $5 toward the fund and hopefully more. You can use the "Chipin" widget on the Monday Memo site to contribute, or go directly to my website to contribute there through PayPal, or send a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Make sure you let me know it is for The Sophia Fund. Don't delay; give today and make a difference in the world. If you give a gift of $35 or more up until July 31, I will send you a free copy of my latest book, Changing the Way We Do Church: 7 Steps to Purposeful Reformation, which is pictured to the left. 

2. REVELATION: I still need your help, although I had two good leads for publishing two weeks ago but no money. Every week I am ready to remove this plea and every week I feel the Lord tell me to keep it in.  I have finished a devotional focusing on the book of Revelation and I feel an urgent need to self-publish this work, which will cost about $2,500. I wrote about this project in my blog a few months ago and encourage you to read what I wrote there. You can also read some sample excerpts of the book here.

In that post, I explain my urgency in wanting to get it out for people to read. Once you read my rationale, please consider if the Lord wants you to help me to restore an important book of the Bible that has been distorted by so many weird interpretations. I know there is someone out there who is going to help me with this project.  Maybe it is you.

Comments

[Joshua]

Hi Dr. Stanko,

Just finished reading "Life is a Gold Mine Can you dig it?" and it has been such a blessing to me. I believe that the Principles therein will change my life. I intend to update you on changes that will happen in my life.

Regards
Joshua