January 31-Values Matter

It’s Thursday and I cannot get off my mind the New York decisión to allow babies to be slaughtered up to 1 minute before birth. It is so barbaric it reminds me of the ancient civilizations who sacrificed infants. Society is moving as far away as possible from the standards set by God. Nothing good can come of that. Our core values matter—they make a difference. 


Remember Daniel? When he was taken to Babylon as a teenager, he was completely immersed in that culture: food, religion, dress, language, politics, education...he was saturated and brainwashed according to the king’s decree. Yet Daniel chose to live by the values that had been established by God. When his enemies had the king make prayer illegal, Daniel did not waiver nor did he hide. He continued to pray three times each day before an open window and it cost him—he was thrown into the lions’ den. Since Daniel had honored the Lord his God, the mouths of the lions were shut and he was unharmed. The king was so over taken that he declared that everyone should worship the living God of Daniel. 


I wonder if we as confident with our values. Or if we let the society and non-Christians dictate to us what we say and do. Have we absorbed all of the Babylonian ways? Or Do we hold firm God’s principles. What principles or truth would we be willing to stand up for? Or like Daniel, would we risk death? 


“Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: “May you prosper greatly! “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom 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 heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.””

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭6:25-27‬ ‭NIV‬‬


Jehovah God Almighty, we stand this day before your presence and praise you for all that you are and all you have done. You are the Great One of Daniel and you are the same God today for us. Help us Lord to hold our values and not let society brainwash us into believing half-truths. We pray for the wisdom to always look to your word for the absolute truth and principles you’d have us live for. Teach us to think about and keep our minds on whatsoever things are true, right, pure, lovely and admirable. We want to know you more, grow to be more like you and be true to the values you taught and exemplified. For your glory, 

Amen and amen. 

Love you dear friend, 

Pam

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

January 17, 2020

Happy Friday. It’s the end of another week and we have had more opportunities to share the love of Christ with those around us and sometimes that takes quite a bit of effort. I don’t know about you, but I’m not always anxious to embrace others and really listen to them or share with them (especially those who I don’t know well). Sometimes, I just look at them and think “Are you for real?” I don’t always agree with people over politics, sports or of course, religion. And let’s face it, we’d rather spend time with people we like and mostly agree.  And then I read my Bible. God hasn’t called us to sit in our little groups with only those we naturally gravitate towards, but to love people—all people, even those who aren’t necessarily loveable. In this passage, Paul writing to the people of Colosse remarks on how wonderful it is that they truly love others. That love must have really been something over and above the normal and he tells them that it is evident that it comes from the Holy Sp
Read more

January 15, 2020

Happy Wednesday to you. I hope your week is going well. Yesterday, I went to Sams. I was out of things like trash bags, toilet paper, and chicken, so off I went. I like going to Sams because there is always lots to look at and the isles are nice and wide. Everytime I’m there, I am amazed at how much stuff and everything from diapers to TVs to mangos to beds. It just seems incredible that so many things in such quantities are all under one roof.  King David never saw a store with as much stuff aa Sams of course, but he did see countless miracles and understand that God has plans. He knew from creation and history that he was serving a God of miracles and he know that God loved him and his people and would take care of them. He was amazed and awe-struck by the fact that a God who had done such great and mighty things not only cared about his people but that He loved them with such a great love.  “Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can co
Read more

January 9, 2020

It’s Thursday and I woke up to the blowing wind! Lots of it—I’m dreading Boomer waking up and having to go outside with him. That harsh, bitter wind seems cruel and almost evil. But I’ll wrap myself up with a fe layers and boots and brave it all.  Sometimes I think we try to do that with things we know aren’t right—things that are evil. We try to wrap ourselves up and just wade into it, but Paul tells us we should reject it—stay away from it. “Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” ‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:20-24‬ NIV When he wrote this he’d been in Berea and the Christians there diligently searched the scriptures to make sure everything Paul said was in line. Paul here is encouraging the Thessalonians to
Read more