Dare to be a Daniel

I wrote this in April 2009. 

Words and Music by Phillip P. Bliss, 1873

Refrain

Dare to be a Daniel
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm
Dare to make it known

For a while, this hymn has been in my thoughts, day and night. Lately I have been struggling with a number of issues and whenever I get a moment to myself, this hymn floods my mind. I can hear my mother's voice singing it. The Lord speaks to us in various ways. To me the Voice of the Lord is clear, dare to be the sore thumb that sticks out for Christ. Dare to stand alone, dare to turn down earthly requests and march forward in victory. Dare to be like Daniel, eat vegetables and drink water but still look finer that them who indulge in all the dainties.

Everyday is a new day to step out boldly for the army of God. It is not in vain that we stand alone for God. He will deliver us from the snare of the fowler; he will shut the mouths of the lions and deprive them of the power to harm us. He will be the fourth man in the furnace and when you emerge from that fire, you will not even be smelling of smoke! Just hold on. Hold on firm to the promises because God is the same yesterday, today and forever! Hebrews 3:14 says

For we have become fellows with Christ (the Messiah) and share in all He has for us, if only we hold our first newborn confidence and original

assured expectation [in virtue of which we are believers] firm and unshaken to the end.

 

No matter who leaves you, no matter what may be missing in you life, no matter the struggles, dare, still, to believe in the goodness of God. No matter what the people around you are doing and saying, dare to honour God. No matter how dry and lifeless the bones may seem, dare to listen to the voice of God and prophesy over those bones! Habakkuk 3:17&18:

17. Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails

and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls,

18. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation!

I needed some picking up today, and the Word of God is the right place to turn to. Mighty men of God, precious stones (women of valour) dare to honour and trust God. No matter what, keep walking and say

The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! (Habakkuk 3:19)

Be Blessed always, dare to have a purpose firm. Dare to be a Daniel!

 

Mean, Mean, Mean Bite!

I wrote this in 2008. I felt chained, bound and blindfolded. But my mind was free. So it took me places. Places I hope my weary flesh will follow to, as I trudge on ...

You choose to hate me
I respect you for that
You choose to curse me
I respect you for that
You choose to insult me
I respect you for that
I respect you, I respect you ...

I would have never known
How it feels to be worth less than the ground we walk on
Because of you, now I know
I would have never known
How it feels to be hungry
Because of you, now I know
I would have never known how it feels to be poor
Because of you, now I know
I respect you
Because of you, no one can call me weak
Because of you, I know real strength

When I'd come home to the echo
Of me cold room
I was strong
Because I had a place to call home
When hunger rumbled in my tummy
I was strong because
I had a cup of coffee
When I walked for hours
Till I broke a sweat
I was strong because
I had a pair of shoes
I was strong
Because I had the strength to walk
When the cold bit my cheeks every morning
I was strong,
At least I had gloves for my hands

Because of you, I know the worth of tears
Never to be wasted
You made me cry
But the last time I cried
Was the last
Never again
Why?
Because of you, I AM STRONG

As I was writing
You were sitting across me
Yes, one of your evil meetings
I sat there, looked at you
The emotion just rose within me
Why?
Because its so strong
So fresh
Its almost revolting

My GOD (my bones)...My GOD (my bones)...Psalm 22:14

Psalm 22:14 Amplified Bible (AMP)

^"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is softened [with anguish] and melted down within me."

My God my God why have you forsaken me? That is the cry of my heart yet somewhere underneath my seemingly shredded bone marrow my heart knows You are there, My joints are out of place Lord, the scales lack balance. Pain has the upper hand. I am sinking, the tunnel is deep, dark and never ending. I know You are there and You will never leave me nor forsake me but I am tired oh Jehovah. I am tired my Father. Save me oh God! I am tired, I feel it even in my sleep, my joints are rebelling, they are out of place. My flesh is weary, my mind is numb and threatening to divorce me, my bones cannot... my bones...my bones. Its as if the inside of my bones has been shredded, pounded, crushed... until when My Father..until when Jehovah? Save me oh God for I do not know myself anymore. I have been blended with pain, intertwined with disappointment, joined together with despair...The taste of tears shatters my tattered heart.

John 16:33 Jesus has overcome the world for us!

This is one of my favourite verses. It is one of the first verses that read as a young adult, seeking the Lord of my own accord. I was astounded. Such things were written in the Bible? God was acknowledging that there are is suffering in the world? Mmmm amazing stuff! I was going through a lot of pain and it comforted me greatly that Jesus said I should be confident,certain and undaunted for He has overcome the world. He has deprived it of power to harm me! I love it, especially from the Amplified Bible. This scripture kept me going in very very difficult times.

Sorrowful Hannah! ... 1 Samuel 1:11 (AMP), 1 Samuel 1:26 (AMP), 1 Samuel 1:27 (AMP), 1 Samuel 1:28 (AMP)

Oh Hannah! I love this, a woman who is pouring out her heart to God. She is not concerned with what the person next to her will think. She is just a woman with a sorrowful spirit - turning to the only comforter she knows - Jehovah God. I know how Hannah is feeling - sorrow has been my food, day and night, for many years.

Really God, Is this me? (Yimi lo?) .... Genesis 41:51 (AMP), Genesis 41:52 (AMP)

Joseph gave his children interesting names charged with meaning. I like that!
Ephraim - God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. Mannaseh - God has caused me to forget the affliction of my father's house; What a life Joseph lived, so much pain and suffering - none of which was his fault. Yet he endured patiently through it all.

The day Pharoah set him as second in command he must have thought in amazement "Really God? Is this me?" From being hated by his brothers, to being thrown into a dark pit, being sold into slavery, lies told by Potiphar's wife! God has an amazing plan for each and every one of us! How exciting is that!! Through his children's names, Joseph was able to express his awe and gratitude to the Almighty - though I am sure he said a lot more in his prayers!

I am inspired and deeply moved by Joseph's life. I see a lot of parallels with my own life. I dream a lot. My family jokingly calls me "Josephine the dreamette", after Joseph the dreamer. I am living as a foreigner under difficult circumstances. Affliction and tears are my food and drink day and night. Joseph's story gives me hope! And I can imagine how Joseph himself felt because he had no one's story to give him hope. Joseph was a wise man because he knew he had God. I too should be a wise woman and remember that I have Jesus!

Just like Joseph, Jesus help me to remember that You are with me always, no matter how steep the climb is. I smile now because the future is certain. I will one day look back and say, the Lord has made me forget all my hardship, and He has caused me to be prosperous in the land of my affliction! I will say in wonder, "Really God? Is this me? Yimi lo?" God's plans are to give us all a future and a hope!