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One of the most important decisions you’ll ever make is this: Who are you going to offend? You’ll offend somebody, I promise you that. But will you offend man or God? That single decision will set the tone of your life. Either you’ll become a people-pleaser,because you’re afraid of offending people. Or you’ll become a God-pleaser, because the last thing you want to do is offend the Almighty.
It’s hard not to draw tremendous inspiration from the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. King Nebuchadnezzar had shown them great favor and put them in positions of authority. It had to be difficult to refuse to bow to his ninety-foot statue. He was the second-to-last person that they wanted to offend. The first? God.
Daniel 3:16 says, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
It was their unwillingness to offend God that set the table for one of the most amazing miracles in Scripture. God delivers them from the fiery furnace.
Who are you going to offend? You need to settle it now.—Mark Batterson
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We are fools for Christ’s sake.—1 Corinthians 4:10
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By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.—Hebrews 11:7–34
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One of the best verses that you could claim is, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you a crown of life.”1
The Lord isn’t talking about salvation; He’s talking about your faithfulness in service—if you faithfully do your best to please God and obey His Word.
The secret of being “faithful until death” is to be faithful one day at a time. You can only live one day at a time; you can only be faithful one day at a time. So don’t worry whether you were faithful yesterday or whether you’re going to be faithful tomorrow. Just do your best to be faithful today. The Bible tells us to forget the past, and tomorrow will take care of itself—or the Lord will take care of it.2 Just be faithful today.
Just be faithful every day, one day at a time, and you’ll be faithful until death and receive an eternal crown of life.
Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”3 Don’t try to live the coming year in advance, and the year after that. “I wonder if I’m going to make it through tribulation, and I wonder if I’m going to be ready when the Lord comes, and I wonder if I’m going to get any reward or crown?” Quit worrying about that! Just keep busy today. Do what you’re supposed to do today. Be faithful today!
The Lord has kept you faithful today, and you ought to thank Him for that! Too many people think that being faithful is some kind of a good works trip that they have to work up on their own. But that’s not where faith comes from. Faith comes from the Lord. He’s “the author and finisher of our faith.”4 He gives us faith as we take in His Word.5—David Brandt Berg
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Many of God’s promises are conditional, requiring some initial action on our part. Once we begin to obey, He will begin to bless us. Great things were promised to Abraham, but not one of them could have been obtained had he waited in Chaldea. He had to leave his home, friends, and country, travel unfamiliar paths, and press on in unwavering obedience in order to receive the promises. The ten lepers Jesus healed were told to show themselves to the priest, and “as they went, they were cleansed.” If they had waited to see the cleansing come to their bodies before leaving, they would never have seen it. God was waiting to heal them, and the moment their faith began to work, the blessing came.
When the Israelites were entrapped by Pharaoh’s pursuing army at the Red Sea, they were commanded to “go forward.” No longer was it their duty to wait, but to rise up from bended knees and “go forward” with heroic faith. Years later the Israelites were commanded to show their faith again by beginning their march over the Jordan while the river was at its highest point. They held the key to unlock the gate into the Land of Promise in their own hands, and the gate would not begin to turn on its hinges until they had approached and unlocked it. The key was faith.
We are destined to fight certain battles, and we think we can never be victorious and conquer our enemies. Yet as we enter the conflict, One comes who fights by our side. Through Him we are “more than conquerors.” If we had waited in fear and trembling for our helper to come before we would enter the battle, we would have waited in vain. God is waiting to pour out His richest blessings on you. “Go forward” with bold confidence and take what is yours. “I have begun to deliver … Now begin to conquer and possess.”—J. R. Miller
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We must learn to take God at His word and walk straight ahead in obedience, even when we can see no way to go forward. The reason we are so often sidetracked by difficulties is that we expect to see barriers removed before we even try to pass through them. If we would only move ahead in faith, the path would be opened for us. But we stand still, waiting for the obstacle to be removed, when we ought to go forward as if there were no obstacles at all.—Evening Thoughts
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He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.—Jim Elliot
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Faith that goes forward triumphs.—Author unknown
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If you’re not daring to believe God for the impossible, you’re sleeping through some of the best parts of the Christian life.—Steven Furtick6
Published on Anchor November 2012. Read by Simon Gregg.
1 Revelation 2:10.
2 Philippians 3:13; Matthew 6:34.
3 Matthew 6:34 NKJV.
4 Hebrews 12:2.
5 Romans 10:17.
6 The Day the Sun Stood Still (Multnomah, 2010).
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