Featured in: Women of Faith
Picayune, Item
~ Just imagine you're a 15 year old living a life that affords you the best your country has to offer.
Your parents have seen to it that you are well established in the best learning facilities available but first and foremost have seen to it that your life is rooted and grounded in a great faith in The One True God, Jehovah. You attend services regularly as a family, there is a habit of prayer in your household and God is sought in every area of your life.
God has given you great wisdom in all things in your life and you've been equally blessed with friends who are blessed just as you are. You are of royal blood, living in the palace.
There comes a particular day that all your physical security is destroyed. Your entire country is overthrown by another and everything to which you've grown accustomed is completely gone. You, along with many of your friends, approximately 70 who also live in the palace and are of royal descent, have been kidnapped, physically unharmed, and taken to this foreign country who, in an instant, was solely responsible for turning your world completely upside down.
Your family's safety is utterly unknown to you. As the next few days to by you realize that the King has chosen you and three of your close friends to serve him. You've all been chosen because of your station in life and because you are well learned in academics, sports, and wisdom.
You've aligned yourself with your friends and have become the lead person in your group acting as the spokesperson. In the first thirty days of your 'imprisonment' you find that you will be expected to attend classes to learn the language and customs of this new country you've been thrown into.
The King's Top Chefs will be preparing all your food consisting of every delicacy, pastry and drink available to that of only the 'rich and famous' however you've been raised not to partake of these things simply due to your belief in God and His standards. Not only would these foods be unhealthy for your body, but the meats prepared had been offered up to idols and you've been raised to love and honor The One True God, Jehovah.
The reasons you are so proficient in your studies, sports, and wisdom is that you honor God, Jehovah in every are of life not allowing foods offered to idols to be eaten. Instead, you have lived on 'whole foods', health foods if you will, vegetables, grains, whole wheat and water. You present your desire as a challenge that if you and your three friends can eat these things for ten days of the three years required, that you will prove that you all will test better than any others in the program. You are given the permission to do so by the man who has been set as Supervisor over all.
At the end of that ten days you and your three friends prove that your God's way is best. When tested, the four of you prove to be ten times better than any others in every matter of wisdom and understanding that the King consulted you about. This happened simply because your four trusted your God, Jehovah.
As time goes on the four are put to the test over and over; every time you see the hand of your God, Jehovah deliver you from extreme circumstances. Your faith stands strong against all your enemies throw at you and you prevail. This is due to your lifestyle, the fact that you pray, listen to what God, Jehovah directs and you find favor and are friends to many.
The 15 year old we speak of died in the country he was taken to, living to be second in command of the conquering country, a friend to the King. This young man lived to be over 80 years old before going to meet his God face to face.
This King he worked for came to see the hand of God work in so many ways that at the end of his life he also went to meet his God, Jehovah. The influence of these four, especially this 15 year old young man, had such a profound influence on their surroundings, community, supervisors and ultimately the King of the country that God, Jehovah gave him favor on earth.
Now, I ask you again, will your faith stand?
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The 15 year old, 3 friends and 80 year old I am writing about here are Daniel and his friends. A LifeGroup on the study of the book of Daniel is currently being held in my home. This article was written prior to the beginning of our group. Amazing things are already happening.
