In the Richmond, Virginia, metro area, less than 20% go to church on a Sunday morning. 80% don’t see the need to connect with God and those on the same journey.
If we are passionate about something, we usually align with like-minded people. Many of us dream of partnering with those who have influence that we admire. Many times we believe by being partnered with them that our lives would change dramatically.
Q1: Did you know we have someone in our lives that is looking for people to partner with?
His name is Jesus. Jesus is not a fairy tale or aspirational theory, Jesus came 2000 years ago in flesh like you and I, he walked the streets to represent who God truly is.
God the creator spoke you into existence and then He came back to reconcile what was broken between us and God. Because He is that real, He transcends time and space. In fact, He is with us at this very moment wanting to partner with us.
The alliances we make in life influence us and in return, we influence others. We do not become an influencer until we align with the people we identify with.
We can be transformational influencers when we partner with God.
Sometimes we think that certain places are better than others to get to know God. We think that our environment predicates how well God can be known.
We know about Him, but there is a lot that we do not know. God is a mystery, and our brains are limited in our understanding of who He is, but our hearts can connect with who God is.
Some of us shy away from difficult circumstances and feel that some cultures are more prone to hear and know about God. God created the entire race and discloses Himself to all people. Wherever you are today, you can know God personally and you can lead others to know Him.
Read Daniel 1:1-9
Daniel decided to stand for his faith and was rewarded for it. Sometimes we find ourselves in difficult situations, not sure what to do. The situation may call for compromise and we make the decision to give in and later talk about being a Christian. In the moment of compromise, we have put aside our core values and what we believe in.
If we do not put God on display, it is hard for others to see God because they just see our words, not our actions. In the midst of circumstances, we must choose to stand up for God, and when we make that decision, He will show up.
Q2: In what areas of your life have you been challenged to stand up for God?
God is in the Now. With His alliance we have influence in the marketplace, in our homes, and among the people we have been placed around.
When we follow God, He brings favor and compassion. Often we will blame our environment and the people we are around to avoid showing our true selves. The culture Daniel lived in was contrary to all of his beliefs. It was a country that served false Gods, and the country was hostile to him. In the midst of where he was, he made a decision to stand for God.
When we make a decision to stand for God, He always shows up. God is not looking for perfect humans in perfect conditions to influence people for God; He’s looking for those who will partner with Him.
Q3: If you want to truly know God, will you partner with Him in your life?
The transforming power of God will be foreign to us, until we have chosen to partner with Him.
Daniel did not know what would happen with his life, but proposed that he would show who God was through all situations. Due to his faithfulness, God blessed him to speak out of His wisdom and speak out futures of what was to come.
The king needed someone to interpret a dream, and God gave the answer to the dream to Daniel. Daniel was given gifts that positioned him to influence the entire empire of Babylon. We limit the gifts in the Bible to those who are in church leadership, but it’s not true. God has given all of us gifts to be used outside of the church walls to bless others in the marketplace.
Because God is in the now, He understands what is going on. As we keep open communication with Him, we can stand in the gap for our neighbors, co-workers, and families to pray for them, to speak wisdom and encouragement, to be the hands of God to transform the lives of others in the Now.
Daniel worked under three pagan kings, they all promoted him to new positions because he allowed God to always be in the now; working on his behalf to bless him so he could influence an entire empire for the glory of God.
If you want your negative circumstances to change into a launching pad of influence, then let God be a Now God, to show Himself through you. Daniel did not compromise through his difficult decisions. He decided that his alignment with God was better than any gift any man could give him. Just as the pagans in this culture worshiped false Gods, we do the same today. We worship the money in our pockets, fame, and we do not take a stand for the purposes of God.
The beauty is that God is a Now God. He does not live in the past. Despite what you have done, you can take it to Him and He will forgive your past mistakes and He will be excited to embrace the present and future with you as you choose to align with Him.
Reflection: Are we ready to stand up for God to be a Contemporary Daniel?
Prayer: God, we love you. Thank you for your forgiveness that covers all of our sins. Give us the courage to step out and put you on display. No matter the situation, give us the strength to not compromise your will for our own. We love you. Amen.
