√|Saturday, January 11, 2014|√ ►END TIME SERIES---Part Two►
(THE BOOK OF DANIEL: Chapter One). Message Three: Second Mark of an Overcomer: ''OBEYING GOD; EVEN IN THE SMALLEST AREAS''
I believe when Daniel RESOLVED not to defile himself with the royal meal (food & wine), some lukewarm fellow countrymen in exile with him went and told him; ''Well, brother Daniel, U see, this is a great privilege from king Nebuchadnezzar; to be served with a royal meal. Don' worry yourself too much with rules and laws; besides, the Ten Commandments don't forbid us; it is the small laws that do. So, don' be legalistic. Go ahead, eat & drink anything the king's servants serve U with.''
Why do U think Daniel wouldn't listen to such an advice? It's because he was aware of the SOURCE/ROOT of the meal; he knew that they were sacrificed to idols and once God had warned them, he would obey HIM. He knew the ''BIG'' things were in Exodus 20, but so far as God has also warned them about ''SMALL'' things in Leviticus 17:10-14, Leviticus 11:1-47, Exodus 34:15 & PROVERBS 23:31-35, he was ready to Obey God in those small areas as well. Therefore, no matter how scintillating the food & wine were, Daniel controlled his appetite & didn't give in to the war his lukewarm countrymen waged against him. Daniel set the pace & his three friends followed. The same war goes on today in Christendom. When God has granted few of us the grace to know the Root of Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's, etc & have resolved not to join the majority to observe the holidays, the lukewarm Christians say we're legalists. OK, they should call Daniel & his three friends, legalists as well.
No doubt, under the New Covenant, God has sanctified everything & we're not to judge other believers about what they eat/drink(Romans 14:10-14). However, if what I eat or drink will cause someone to fall, then I should NOT eat/drink it at all (Romans 14:15-17). Many people are so obsessed with food & wine, secular holidays & entertainment so much so that they CAN'T LIVE A DAY WITHOUT THESE THINGS. Do U think Jesus Christ was joking when He said Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God? I don' think so;THE MASTER meant what He said. Wasn't the Royal meal appetizing? Isn't Christmas, Easter etc appetizing? The devil has always been witty & cunning; he knew that if he could add the name of Christ to many idol celebrations, he could win majority of Christians. That's why he used the Roman Empire (Vatican & the Roman Catholic Church) to ''christianize'' many idol holidays. Submit to God; resist pagan worship. Not everything that is appetizing like the royal food is good for your health. Not every holiday which has the name of ''Christ'' in it is good for U as a Child of God. The addition of ''Christ'' to those holidays wouldn't mean Gd approved them. Don' be ignorant of the tricks of the serpent.
May God help us to Obey Him, even in the smallest areas, where many people, including some Christians, think are not relevant. Amen.
---Samuel Kwasi Forkuo
ALL GLORY TO GOD
http://goo.gl/4vvc7K
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