The Monday Memo from John Stanko

Memo 932: Daniel and the Wise Men

There are many fascinating aspects of the Christmas story, not the least of which is the Magi who showed up to welcome the new king who had been born. We read in Matthew, 

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born . . . After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route (Matthew 2:1-4, 9-12).

Who were these Magi? Where did they come from? What were they looking for when they saw and followed the star? To answer those questions, let's learn a little more about these mystery men.

THE MAGI

Dr. Craig Chester, past president of the Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy, gives the following description of the Magi:

Magi is the plural of Magus, the root of our word magic, and “court astrologers” is probably the best translation, although “wise men” is also a good term, descriptive of the esteem in which they were widely held. The group of Magi in question came “from the East.” They might have been Zoroastrians, Medes, Persians, Arabs, or even Jews. They probably served as court advisors, making forecasts and predictions for their royal patrons based on their study of the stars, about which they were quite knowledgeable. Magi often wandered from court to court, and it was not unusual for them to cover great distances in order to attend the birth or crowning of a king, paying their respects and offering gifts. It is not surprising, therefore, that Matthew would mention them as validation of Jesus’ kingship, or that Herod would regard their arrival as a very serious matter.

He adds, "The Magi were such important significant individuals they would not have traveled alone. In fact, they probably traveled with a very large entourage including soldiers, even a small army for protection. So it should not be surprising that Herod and the citizens of Jerusalem were troubled when they arrived."

But how did these Magi know what to look for in the sky and when they found it, decide to make the long trek to Judea to welcome the new king? The answer is where Daniel enters into the story.

DANIEL'S INFLUENCE

There were many Jews in Babylon who did not return after their exile was over. One of them was Daniel who we know was appointed "chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners" (Daniel 5:11). There is no doubt that Daniel's peers and his fellow Jewish exiles would have been familiar with Daniel's prophetic insight into the kingdoms that were to follow Babylon. These Magi heard something from Daniel that intrigued them to such an extent that they studied the heavens and Daniel's writings for 500 years until one day, a star appeared and they were convinced they had found what they were looking for, which was what Daniel had predicted. They decided to make the long journey, probably with an entourage of soldiers and personal aides, to welcome the new king. No wonder Herod and all Jerusalem were disturbed when the Magi appeared.

As we close this series titled Success in Babylon, we see that Daniel's purpose in going to Babylon far exceeded his own awareness. God had a plan for his life that transcended his generation. I would encourage inmates with the same truth that God has a plan for their lives, even though they were incarcerated in a place not of their choosing. Daniel was faithful to his prison sentence to continue serving the Lord and God used him mightily. The same was and is true for the inmates, and it is true for you.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, recommit yourself to live a life of purpose and creativity, not once your circumstances improve but do it right now right where you are. Daniel served, wrote, spoke, advised, and prayed in Babylon. As I have mentioned earlier, he may have been imprisoned behind walls but there was no roof. He had direct access to heaven and heaven could reach and touch him. No Babylonian could prevent that. You can succeed in your Babylon if you are determined to find the Lord there and not try to escape. Who knows what God can and will do through you if you have stop focusing on the "out there" and start focusing on the here and now. Have a blessed week.

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931: Power in Babylon

Last week, I mentioned the Apostle Paul when he was a prisoner on a ship heading to Rome. The ship ran aground but before it did, an angel appeared to Paul and foretold what would happen but assured Paul that no lives would be lost, after which he told the crew, "So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island" (Acts 27:26-27). Now my question to you is: Who was in charge, who had the power, on that ship? Was it the experienced sailors? No, it was Paul for he was the only one who had clarity on what was going on.

That leads us to this next-to-last lesson about Daniel and his exile in Babylon, and I will ask the same question as above: Who was really the leader in Babylon? Was it the king? Was it his wise men and advisors? Was it the armed guards or army who surrounded and protected the king? No, I would suggest it was Daniel, and let me devote the rest of this Memo to explain why I make that claim.

THE REAL POWER

Daniel was the real leader for six reasons. Since Daniel's purpose was to be a source and dispenser of wisdom in Babylon, I will use the book of Proverbs (all verses from the NKJV) to justify my claim that the true leadership power resided in and with God's prophet and administrator:

1. The power of wisdom: A wise man is strong, yes, a man of knowledge increases strength (Proverbs 24:5).
2. The power of revelation: Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength (Proverbs 8:14).
3. The power of service: Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; so he who waits on his master will be honored (Proverbs 27:18). 
4. The power of excellence: Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men (Proverbs 22:29).
5. The power of prayer: The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight (Proverbs 15:8).
6. The power of integrity: The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them (Proverbs 10:9).

Daniel was a man of purpose and his life was undergirded by his spiritual disciplines and commitment to do exceptional work. God promoted him not based on potential but on the fact that Daniel developed his potential. Daniel served four separate kings in three different kingdoms, withstanding change and the whims of kings to ascend to the heights of governmental service where God planted him.

This was an important lesson for inmates during my prison ministry days for obvious reasons. They were walled in and surrounded by armed guards. Many felt they had to escape their Babylon before they could serve God and be effective. Our team taught them that they could be powerful and lead where they were. The same is true for you. Are you in prison in more ways than one? Are you hemmed in by your circumstances and also by how you view your circumstances? if you see them as limiting, then you will be limited. If you see them as irrelevant or as the means by which God prepared you for greatness, then you will lead, regardless of your title.

CAN WE DO ALL THINGS?

There is a verse at the end of Daniel that summarizes his life that we have studied for the last five months and it is found in Daniel 11:32: "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits." There is no doubt that Daniel did great exploits in his day; can the same be said for you in your day? If you quote Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," then let me ask you one final question: Can you describe what the "all things" are that you are doing? The word can is a statement of potential but not necessarily the fulfillment of that potential. Daniel lived in his expressed potential and he serves as a model for us, whether incarcerated or not, to follow to bear the fruit God wants us to bear.

Next week, we will look at one aspect of the Christmas story as it relates to Daniel, for his influence extended five hundred years after he lived. Until next week, I pray that you will accept the fact that you have power to lead not based on authority or title only but also based on the fact that you know your God, and that gives you strength to carry out great exploits for Him. Have a blessed week!

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930: Esteemed in Babylon

This is the next to last week in our Success in Babylon series in which we have looked at Daniel's life and what made him thrive in such a hostile spiritual environment. Of course, we are studying this to extract lessons that will help each of us in our own Babylon. This week, let's move to chapter nine where Daniel is once again seeking the Lord:

“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive!Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name" (Daniel 9:17-19).

Like Nehemiah after him, Daniel spent a great deal of time as described in chapter nine crying out to God on behalf of his people. He enumerated and repented for his people's sins and called on the Lord to have mercy.

One of the things I would point out to the inmates when I was involved in prison ministry was the sheer amount of time they had on their hands and the chance to use it for good: study, service, prayer, and personal development. You may not have as much time as inmates who are serving "time," but you still have 24 hours a day. What are you doing with your time? I am currently revamping my daily routine because I am not happy with my level of productivity and development. I must use the time I have effectively. Daniel certainly did and used the time he had to touch and reach heaven.

GOD IS WATCHING    

After Daniel's prayer, he had another angelic visitation to teach and inform him:

While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill—while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision" (Daniel 9:20-23, emphasis added).

The phrase I want you to see if that Daniel was highly esteemed. Can you imagine? Heaven knew who Daniel was and it seems that he had a special place in the heart of God and the beings of heaven. God heard what Daniel prayed. God was moved by Daniel's selfless service and exceptional attitude. God was watching Daniel and God is watching you. Are you doing things to distinguish yourself to God? Or do you expect God to do what you want when you want it just because, well, just because you are who you are and that's what you want?

This makes me think of another man whom God honored and esteemed for his exceptional service in God's kingdom, and that man is the Apostle Paul. When Paul was on the ship heading to Rome and the major storm made it look like all was lost, Luke wrote this report of Paul's words:

"Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me" (Acts 27:23-25, emphasis added).

Because Paul was on the ship and God recognized his service, all the other passengers were spared. Is your presence with others that important and powerful? Does God protect them because of you? I encouraged the inmates to take this truth seriously and not wait until they got out to make an impact for the Lord (and some were never getting out). Daniel was highly esteemed as an exile in Babylon; inmates can be highly favored in prison; and you can garner God's attention as you serve Him in your difficult life situation.

Are you trying to escape where you are, or are you serving the Lord and others where you are? Have you surrendered the control of your life to Him, deciding to be content where you are, and not holding God's purpose hostage until He meets your demands before you will release your gifts to serve Him? I urge you to do what you can to earn heaven's favor now, right where you are with what you have. Pray, repent, confess, declare, seek, and devote your life to His purpose for you, and I promise you will capture the attention of heaven, and when heaven is pleased with you, who can be against you? Have a blessed week.

929: Mysteries in Babylon

We are close to wrapping up this series titled Success in Babylon: How to Thrive in a Spiritually Hostile Land. For the last few months, we have examined the life of Daniel to learn how he was able to succeed in a foreign land as one of God's first missionaries. Daniel's life was extraordinary, filled with suffering, surprises, and setbacks. Yet through it all, Daniel sought the Lord and served his God. Tradition has it that when the first of those in Babylonian exile returned to their land, Daniel refused to accompany them, preferring to spend the last of his days in the land far away from home where God had chosen to send him.

Not only did the Lord show Daniel the spiritual reality of his own day, but also revealed to him things that were in the future and yet to come. In a sense, Daniel was the first of the end time prophets, which is remarkable considering where he was (Babylon) and what he was doing (a government official). Yet Daniel was the precursor to a worldwide movement that transitioned God's people from the comforts of their homeland in Israel to a strategy that reached the whole world with God's message of love and forgiveness. Daniel was a pioneer of sorts and proved that God's purpose and revelation are not dependent upon geography (where one is) but rather on purpose (what God has assigned one to do).

IT'S A MYSTERY 

Daniel was overwhelmed with what he saw about God's purposes for the Earth:

Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’ “This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself" (Daniel 7:27-28).

On another occasion, Daniel tried to make sense of what he was seeing, but concluded,

“The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.” I, Daniel, was worn out. I lay exhausted for several days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding (Daniel 8:26-27).

When I was involved in prison ministry, I urged the inmates to use the time they had to seek the Lord and learn more about HIs ways. They were in their own Babylon, but God wanted to reveal Himself to them in more ways than helping them understand their own personal situation. God wanted to show them His purpose beyond prison, for them and for others. I worked with one discipleship group that wrote a book titled The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Inmates, which was distributed to other prisons beyond the one where it was written. That was exactly what I was trying to teach them--that God had something more in mind for them than serving their time and making them comfortable. The same is true for you.

BEYOND UNDERSTANDING

Perhaps you are in a tough place and you are seeking God for the meaning of it all. God is not obligated to explain it all to you and you would be wise to conclude as Daniel did that "it is beyond understanding." That is how suffering is. It doesn't make sense except that you live in a fallen world and that somehow God uses it for your good. Suffering plays a role in your personal development and those who succeed in breaking out of their world of pain to minister to others in pain (like Daniel did) are the most successful--as God defines success. Peter wrote about suffering and you would do well to heed his words:

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry (1 Peter 4:1-3).

and

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name (1 Peter 4:12-16).

Are you suffering? Are you trying to make sense of it when there is no sense to be made? Then it's time to change your tactics. Try using your situation to learn more about Him and then share what you learn with others. Daniel did the one thing he could do with what he saw: He recorded it. Today, we read it and are blessed because he did not give in to self-pity and refused to be consumed by the pain. That would be a good strategy for you as well. Don't let your Babylon be your prison, but let it be the launching pad for missiles of prayer and testimonies that speak of God's goodness even when you don't understand what the heck He is doing. Have a blessed week!

928: Rewarded in Babylon

As we continue to look at Daniel's life, we see that God put Daniel in some tough situations and never apologized for doing so. We never read of the Lord telling Daniel, David, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, or the Apostle Paul, "Sir, I am so sorry for what I am about to put you through. It is going to difficult and I considered many others, even interviewed a few, but I had no choice to select you for the suffering and pain ahead of you." No, it is a privilege to serve the Lord in New York City, Beijing, Jerusalem, or Babylon, and God knows what He must put us through to obtain the results He wants.

This week, let's begin to look at the insight continued to receive in Babylon. Early in the book, Daniel received interpretations to the king's dreams. In the last half of the book, Daniel receives special insight into the Lord's plan not for Babylon but beyond Babylon leading up to the time of Christ. Here are some things to consider as we begin in chapter 7:

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream. . . “I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this. So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things . . ." (Daniel 7: 1, 15-16).

THE LESSONS FOR US

1. God began to show Daniel things in the first year of Belshazzar, the king made famous for the writing on the wall in Daniel 5. Daniel was demoted when this king rose to power, so God had put Daniel on the shelf, so to speak, so he would time to seek and hear. The application for inmates is clear in this instance, but the lesson is the same for all of us. Before we can begin something new, we often have to end something else and wait for the new season to begin. That is seldom easy.
2. Daniel did not trust his memory, so he recorded what he saw, which probably occurred at night. We must be ready for God to speak to us and take seriously what He says. Writing it down certainly helps. Do you journal? If not, you have experienced the problem with taking mental notes--the ink fades so quickly. I urged inmates and I urge you to keep a journal so you can go back and track the progress of your growth and insight into the things of God.
3. Daniel was troubled by what he saw, but didn't stop pressing into the Lord. He sought the Lord for the meaning and Lord was only too ready to fulfill Daniel's request. Knowledge is having the information on a particular subject; wisdom is knowing what to do with the knowledge. God gave Daniel wisdom so Daniel not only knew what the Lord was doing but also what Daniel was to do with what he saw: He was to write it down and publish it.
4. As we read through Daniel 7, we learn that Daniel saw four beasts representing four kingdoms starting with Babylon and leading up to the fourth, most ferocious beast, which symbolized the Roman Empire. Any kingdom or empire that does not serve the Lord becomes a beast, vicious and bloodthirsty. There is no hope for man in politics but Daniel did see the hope and breakthrough for mankind.
5. The hope Daniel saw was the "son of man":

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed (Daniel 7:13-14, emphasis added).

THE REWARD FOR DANIEL

What was Daniel's reward for what he endured in Babylon? Daniel, like Abraham (see John 8:56-59), saw the day of the Lord! God pulled back the curtains of time and showed Daniel that many strong kingdoms would arise, similar to the one he experienced in Babylon, but God was in control and was going to send one, the "son of man," to strip those kingdoms of their power and authority. It is of note that Jesus' favorite label or name for Himself was the Son of Man, indicating that He (Jesus) was the one who was going to subdue the kingdoms as promised in Daniel's vision.

God did not reveal anything to Daniel about his personal situation or how long he would suffer. God took Daniel higher to see God's purpose in the centuries to come. I urged prisoners to use their time behind bars to seek the Lord, not for their own comfort or insight into their limited world, but for the purpose of God beyond them so they could pray, teach, and write about God's plan in the earth, not in their prison! One discipleship group I led actually write a book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Inmates. They were truly Daniel's brothers following his example, and they succeeded in their Babylon as Daniel did in his.

Now it's your turn not just to survive in your health, economic, career, ministry, prison, or relational Babylon but to thrive there. That will only happen when you move beyond the selfish, limited boundaries of your own world to the limitless expanse of God's purpose for His world. Are you up to the task? I hope you are, but remember, your reward is not personal comfort but God's presence in sumptuous portions. Have a blessed week!

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A THANKSGIVING OFFERING: I tell the Lord almost every day, "I owe You, Lord. I am grateful for your blessings and am committed to do Your will--no matter where or what it is." This is a picture of the recent graduation at the Dr. Stanko Academy in Nairobi where I have done work for many years, establishing a strong relationship.

In this season in the U.S. when we give thanks, someone has generously offered a $500 matching gift for the work of my ministry. Every dollar you give now becomes $2. Let's give thanks together as we remember my work among the poor. Thank you! Your gift this Thanksgiving season will help me continue my work In Kenya and in other places. If we are friends on Facebook, you can give to that fundraiser. Otherwise you can give on my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882.

926: Lions in Babylon

Last week, we looked at the conspiracy that took place to remove Daniel from his lofty position in Babylon, probably motivated by the jealousy of those who were less capable than Daniel but who wanted his position. The only way to do that in their mind was to manipulate a law forbidding anyone in the kingdom of praying to anyone but the king. Daniel prayed, he was caught in the act, and the king had no choice but to sentence Daniel to a night in the lions' den:

When the king heard this [that Daniel was praying], he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.” So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!" (Daniel 6:14-16).

The king actually prayed for Daniel's protection, providing us a stunning summary of Daniel's life from the king's perspective, for he said that Daniel was continually serving his God. We all know how the story ends, for God heard the king's prayer and did just that: rescue him.

THREE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

We are told that the king could not sleep during the night of Daniel's imprisonment: "Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep" (Daniel 6:18). When is the last time that an unbeliever prayed for you or spent a night concerned for your well-being? It's probably been a while, if ever, but that gives you an idea of the impact Daniel made on those around him through his commitment to excellence and his God. 

I count three sleepless nights invested in Daniel's dilemma. One was the king's, the other was Daniel's (I assume), and the third was Daniel's protector: "Daniel answered, 'May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty" (Daniel 6:22-23). Now I know angels don't sleep, and neither does the Lord: "He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:3-4). We can rest because God doesn't and is mindful of our situations. The only way you will know that to be true is for God to put you in your own lions' den so He can prove His faithfulness.

TIMES OF TESTING    

When I was involved in prison ministry, I prepared the inmates (or tried to do so) for their own lions' den. I warned them that they would be tested and it was not because they had done anything wrong, but because God wanted to reveal to them the truth of His promises of protection, which are many:

• He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart (Psalm 91:4).
• The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore (Psalm 121:7-8).
• The Lord protects and preserves them—they are counted among the blessed in the land—he does not give them over to the desire of their foes (Psalm 41:2).
• God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
• You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7).
• In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8).
• The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble (Psalm 9:9).

The times of testing provide us with great opportunities to live out the truths found in the verses above. Daniel discovered that truth and so did the king who prayed for his protection. 

How about you? Are you in the lions' den? if you are, then you have a wonderful opportunity to apply your faith to the promises above. I trust your den experience is not because of your own irresponsibility but is because of your stand for the Lord and His righteousness in your life. If it is, then stand strong. God has control of the lions and He will shut their mouths. If He does not, it's not because He does not care or cannot do so, it's because He has something better in mind for you. If you are not in the lions' den, then file this away some place where you can access it, for one day you will be there, and when you are, remember Daniel and God's promises to protect you just like He did him. Have a blessed week.

925: Conspiracy in Babylon

As we continue to look at the remarkable life and career of the prophet Daniel, this week we continue with the account in Daniel 6. We saw last week that Daniel did excellent work in Babylon where he was neither "negligent nor corrupt." We learned that God promotes people who have developed their potential and do good work. God's favor, however, does not preclude the jealousy and animosity of others and we will look at that reality in Daniel's life this week.

THE CONSPIRACY

We read that those who could not find fault with Daniel in regards to his work decided to contrive a trap concerning his faith:

So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” So King Darius put the decree in writing (Daniel 6:6-9).

Conspiracy and betrayal are not unheard of where the people of God are concerned, especially those who are anointed and chosen by God to lead. We know that Joseph's brothers conspired against him and sold him into slavery in Egypt. David's son Absalom conspired against his father to capture the throne. And of course six hundred years after Daniel, Judas and the Jewish leadership conspired against Jesus to capture, try, and crucify him, thus fulfilling the prediction in Psalm 2:

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles" (Psalm 2:1-3).

The world and its followers are always trying to undermine or destroy God's people and purpose. When they oppose God's people, they are really opposing God. The opposition we receive should not surprise us, but it usually does because it can be difficult to fathom how hateful and underhanded people can be. 

IMPLICATIONS

I always warned my children not to expect Christian behavior from non-Christians. In fact, I taught them that sometimes we encounter non-Christian behavior from Christians! When I taught in a prison setting, I urged those listening not to expect people to celebrate their decisions to do the right things. People were watching them and sometimes those people wanted to cause them to stumble (or at least test how serious they were about following the Lord), but they could not base their behavior on what others did or did not do. They had to learn to do right because it was what God wanted and expected from them.

Let's read what Daniel did when he heard about the king's edict:

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help (Daniel 6:10-11).

Daniel did not back down or compromise. He showed his usual courage by continuing to do what he did for the Lord for all to see. His enemies thought they had him where they wanted him, as we will read next week, but Daniel was right where God wanted him and was at home in his prayer chamber or in the lions' den because he could pray and commune with God in either venue equally well.

How about you? Are you carrying out your purpose and living your values in a public way? Or are you compromising? Are you surprised when others don't celebrate your ethics and perhaps plot against you? Do you put your trust in God to vindicate you? If you are going to thrive in a spiritually-hostile environment, you must learn to expect, well, to expect hostility and animosity. If you can face that and be true to who you claim to be, then the Lord will certainly work on your behalf and eventually, although perhaps not right away, sustain you in the midst of your enemies. Have a blessed week.

924: Excellence in Babylon

Greetings from Kenya, although later today I depart for England to be with my friend, Yvonne Brooks, at the Women of Purpose Conference in Birmingham. Before I head out, I want to finish the next installment in our Success in Babylon series that outlines how to thrive in a spiritually hostile environment. Our role model is Daniel and we are looking at the dynamics involved that allowed Daniel to be so successful in his foreign assignment.

This week, we look at Daniel's reinstatement to power and authority, this time under a new king who had deposed the former Babylonian regime. The new king recognized talent and was quick to promote Babylon to his cabinet and one of the three highest positions in the land. Let's look at what other characteristics made Daniel so promotable on so many occasions under so many leaders.

NOT GOOD, BUT GREAT

We read this account of Daniel's reinstatement to a high position in Daniel 6:

It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators  over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, 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. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God" (Daniel 6:1-5).

Daniel was promoted not because he was in the right place at the right time, or because he hung around long enough to climb the ladder of success. Daniel was promoted because he was not only good at what he did, Daniel was great at what he did. I have often said that God does not promote potential, but those who develop that potential. The potential is what God gives but the development is what we do. The more skilled and capable we are, the higher the place God can send us.

When I was involved in prison ministry conducting The Lions' Den Seminar, I taught the inmates not to expect any promotion unless they had paid the price to produce excellence, regardless of the task. I had them look at Colossians 3:22-24:

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

That meant they had to humble themselves and do even menial tasks with great enthusiasm that produced excellent results--not according to their standard but to that of others.

Yet there is one more important characteristic that was present in Daniel's life and it is described in 6:4: "They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent" (emphasis added). How can we label that trait that went along with Daniel's competence? Let's go there next.

INTEGRITY

Quite simply, Daniel had integrity, which one site defines as "the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness." Daniel wads trustworthy and Jesus outlined His interpretation of integrity and trustworthiness in Luke 16:10-12:

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?"

Trusted with a little; trusted with money; trusted with someone else's stuff--all those things are expressions of integrity, and Daniel obviously had them all. I regularly reminded the inmates that God was watching how they handled their time, the property under their care, and the little money they had. It was common for them to think, "This isn't a big deal, so I will wait until something important comes along before I really invest myself in doing a good job." That attitude would never allow them to be promoted or trusted and the same is true for you. For some, but I hope not for you, that was a difficult lesson to learn.

If you want to be promoted, it is not enough that you know the Lord. You cannot expect God's favor to open doors for you if you stumble over the threshold because you are ill-equipped for success. You have to have the skill and then match it with honesty and faithfulness if you want to reach the highest levels of God's service no matter what sphere of human existence you are called to serve. I have always laughed at some who talked about God wanting the church to disciple the nations while those same people could not return a phone call or en email in a timely manner. They talked about excellence; they just didn't know how to produce.

It was no accident that Daniel rose to the top like cream no matter the circumstances, and your promotion won't be an accident either. It will happen when God knows you are ready, and that involved being "neither negligent nor corrupt." Consider what I say and then commit to a lifestyle that does not look for shortcuts to godly success but pays the price to see it achieved and maintained. Thank you and have a blessed week!

923: Pride and Humility in Babylon

I have walked with the Lord for more than 46 years and I have learned one important lesson. If you want to get God's attention, do one of two things--either be proud or be humble. Let's look at some biblical justification for making such a claim:

• For though the Lord is exalted, Yet He regards the lowly, but the haughty He knows from afar (Psalm 138:6).
• "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate" (Proverbs 8:13).
• There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood (Proverbs 6:16-17).
• He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed (Proverbs 3:34) (this verse is often quoted in the New Testament).
• For the Lord of hosts will have a day of reckoning against everyone who is proud and lofty and against everyone who is lifted up, that he may be abased (Isaiah 2:12).
• "He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart" (Luke 1:51, spoken by Mary, the mother of Jesus).

What does this have to do with our current study titled Success in Babylon? It is important because we see this truth play out in the lives of both Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar.

THE KING

Nebuchadnezzar was a proud, hot-tempered, and ruthless fellow. When Daniel delivered the interpretation to his first dream in which the king was the head of gold, he decided to build a statue of gold, making himself the only and most important character from that dream. When Daniel's friends refused to bow down to his image, the king tried to execute them. God continued to reach out to the king, warning him through Daniel:

“This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue" (Daniel 4:24-27).

The king had to humble himself or be humiliated and he chose the latter. For seven years, he acted like a beast (which is the end result of all human pride), until he acknowledged the truth of what Daniel had told him: "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble" (Daniel 4:37).

DANIEL

On the other hand, Daniel was the epitome of humility, a superstar of epic proportions in the history of God's people. He accepted his relocation, his role in Babylon, and his service to a proud king with dignity and grace. He was an example of a truth that Jesus spoke 600 years after Daniel when He said, "For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12).

When working with inmates, I found a lot of pride in their lives and the lives of the officials around them. I taught them that God was humbling them, perhaps had even humiliated them, but regardless of which it was, if they would cooperate with God's discipline, he would exalt them like he had Daniel or restore them like he did Nebuchadnezzar. I also emphasized that promotion is not a matter of humility only, for the Bible teaches that "No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves. It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another" (Psalm 75:6-7). God will promote who He wants and it is best to humble oneself and accept HIs choices, for to resist is a form of pride.

If you are going to thrive in a spiritually-hostile environment, you must learn to walk in humility not as an event but as a lifestyle. Determine to accept God's promise that He will respond to both humility and pride and choose the former as a means to activate God's favor and help. Not every story ends with the proud being dealt with as this story relates, but the story shows what is important to God, and that means it is our priority as well. Live by the words of Peter and you will prosper no matter where God places you: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time" (1 Peter 5:6). Have a blessed week!

922: Demoted in Babylon

If you are like most people, your first thought when you need a job is that you need an organization--a company, a ministry, a social service organization--to hire you. Then you pretty much expect to work there for a long time and if you are released or phased out, it can create waves of fear and depression, and then you start the process over again.

There is nothing wrong with this but God may use a company to take care of you, but He doesn't need one. He can take care of you all by yourself. What's more, God is your job counselor and can open and close doors in order to position you where He wants you to be. Daniel found all this to be true in Babylon as we will see in this week's lesson in our Success in Babylon series.

THE WRITING'S ON THE WALL

Eventually, Daniel and Judah's nemesis, Nebuchadnezzar, succumbed to death, as all kings and leaders do: "Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing" (Psalm 146:4-5). He was replaced on the throne by his son, Belshazzar, who was as arrogant and proud as his father had been:

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking (Daniel 5:1-6).

There is a saying that "the writing's on the wall," and it means that things are not going well and is about to end--and the saying came from this story.

This scenario has always fascinated me. What did the fingers look like? What was the skin color? What did they write with? What were the reactions of the guests? Did they run? We know the reaction of the king, for he was terrified. Obviously God knew how to get His message across in a manner and in the language that got everyone's attention.

Yet my question to you is this: Where was Daniel when all this was happening?

THE LORD TAKETH AWAY

The answer is that Daniel was nowhere to be found. After all his service to the king and Babylon, he had been fired and demoted by the new king, who had every right to choose his own team of wise men and counselors. In choosing his team, however, he overlooked the best man in the kingdom, and what's more, in his time of trouble, he did not even remember Daniel existed:

The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners" (Daniel 5:10-11).

The queen had to remind Belshazzar that Daniel was around and capable of helping interpret the writing. That is how far removed Daniel was from his once prominent role in the kingdom. We used to remind all the inmates in prison ministry that God was in control of their sentence and the jobs they had while incarcerated, and that would be the same when they got out. They did not own their positions and what they had was by God's choice, not man's. We reminded them and I remind you of the oft-quoted verse from Job: "And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21 KJV).

The king hastily summoned for Daniel, who was immediately ushered into the party room to see if he could interpret the handwriting. Let's see how Daniel responded.

DANIEL TO THE RESCUE

When the king asked Daniel for help, he could have said, "Why you little brat! I was serving your father when you were in diapers running around his throne. I didn't deserve to be demoted. You have treated me terribly. Read your own handwriting. I quit! And if you kill me, who cares. I am older now and lived a fuller life than I ever thought possible in Babylon." That is not what Daniel did or said, for once again, he was magnanimous in service, knowing he was there as God's representative and not as an independent contractor: "Then Daniel answered the king, 'You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means'" (Daniel 5:17).

Of course, the message on the wall was not good for the king, for God was about to taketh away his throne and life: “Here is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians" (Daniel 5:26-28). And that is exactly what happened, for the king was assassinated that very night. Daniel was the only one who could interpret the strange writing because he was the only one in touch with the living God, and the same may be true for you in your life situation.

Are you in Babylon? Have you been unfairly treated? Are you angry? Have you decided to withhold the best of who you are and what you can do? Do you think God needs a king or the world system to care for you or to make a place for you? The verse from Job is as pertinent and relevant for you as it was for Daniel, for God in His infinite wisdom opens and closes doors, promotes and demotes, uses and retires, as He sees fit.

Even though you are in Babylon with all its enterprise and wealth, you are still God's child and He is the best Father in the universe, even though at times He works with us in ways we cannot see or understand. Have a blessed week!