But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself.
--Daniel 1:8
Are you determined to live for God? If so, you have to decide now, before temptation comes.
Like Daniel did in our verse today, you must purpose in your heart to follow your convictions before the pressure is on. Determine in your heart that no pleasure is worth sacrificing your relationship and fellowship with God.
The reality is that your faith will be tested. It’s a certainty, according to Scripture. A faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted!
So you must make the purposeful decision to be true to the Lord and to live for Him now. There will be peer pressure and cultural force. And it will seem like everyone else is compromising.
You see, many of the spiritual decisions that we make demand sacrifice and commitment. It may cost you friends to follow Jesus Christ. It may cost you a promotion at work.
But if you make those tough decisions, God will honor your convictions. So set your limits now. Make the decision to build up your relationship with God, rather than tear it down. When you do that, God will bless your decision.
Determine in your heart that no pleasure is worth sacrificing your relationship and fellowship with God.
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.”
Luke 6:17–19
It’s hard for us to imagine with the conveniences of modern communication and transportation what it was like in Jesus’ day. The news that a rabbi in Galilee was performing miracles and healing people no doubt took some time to spread. But because the news was so spectacular, when it did spread it drew crowds—not just from across Israel but surrounding countries as well. Before long, there were massive crowds coming to hear Jesus and wanting to be healed of various diseases. We are not told how many people were in the “multitude” Luke describes, but Jesus healed every one of them.
Yet, the work that Jesus did took a physical toll on Him. Each person He healed in His ministry exacted a price. And over time, the costs of ministry started to add up. At one point Jesus took His disciples away from the people just to try to find time to rest and eat. “And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat” (Mark 6:31). Any time we set out to do something of value for God’s kingdom, we need to be aware of the impact it will have. While we need to be willing to bear the cost of ministry, we must also have time for renewal.
Today’s Growth Principle:
Effectively doing the work of the Lord carries a cost, but it is compensated in the strength God provides.
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