When Paul says in Romans 8:28 that
“all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to his purpose,” the ‘good’ in the verse is not wealth, health, success, etc. It’s the
purpose of God.
Paul says in Ephesians 4, 31]
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be
put away from you, with all malice:
[32] And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
"The transparent reality that
ought to be there will be there," says Jordan. "If you have the heart attitude
and be what God’s given you to be--a member of the Body of Christ functioning
in that way wherever you are--you’ll find He’ll open doors and begin to move
you around when He’s ready to. Doors will open and you’ll go.
“Paul writes in II Corinthians
7:1, ‘Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in
the fear of God.’
“God’s will is that you be
clean. Holiness, not a holy mess. God expects you to strive for perfect
holiness in the fear of God.
“The will of God is not so much
to worry about where you are as much as it is He wants you to BE where you are,
living a sinless life. Your attitudes first, then your actions.
*****
“Romans 1:11 says, ‘For I
long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye
may be established.’
“This is why Paul wants to go to
them. Paul’s got a big heart. He’s just an affectionate, loving fellow. He
loved them. He never saw them before but he loved them.
“That verse compares with Romans
16:25: ‘Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my
gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the
mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.’
“The issue in Paul’s mind is, ‘I
want to get down there and I want you people to be established.’ He says in I
Thessalonians 3:10 that he’s ‘night and day praying exceedingly that we
might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?’
“The issue in Paul’s mind is first
and foremost, always and ever, maturity. Grow up. The spiritual gift he wants to
give them is doctrine. That word ‘stablish’ means to be firmly grounded so that
you can stand unshakably. Be grounded, stabilized, balanced-out so you stand.
You’re not tossed to and fro.
“Verse 12 says, ‘And the
Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all
men, even as we do toward you.’
“You’ll always find that the
teacher is as richly blessed as the pupil when you teach the Word and that’s
what he’s saying there. Sometimes he sends a letter to do the job and sometimes
he sends a man, like in I Thessalonians 3, he sent Timothy to establish the
Thessalonians because he couldn’t come.
*****
“Paul says, ‘I am ready, Rome.’
He’s ready to go. No hesitation in Paul about going and preaching. And he
doesn’t miss a chance.
“He says, ‘I am debtor.’ He says, ‘I am not ashamed.’
That’s a good sermon outline.
“Acts 21:13 says, ‘Then Paul
answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to
be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’
“He says, ‘I mean, what are you
trying to do, break my heart? ‘For I am ready not to be bound.’ Brother, that’s a man that’s
ready, you know that? He meant it when he said that. And he never missed a
chance.
“Come over to II Timothy 4:6 and
notice his attitude right at the end: ‘But watch thou in all
things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of
thy ministry.
[6] For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at
hand.
[7] I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept
the faith.’
“You see, that man could look at
his life and at any time say, ‘I’m ready.’ ‘I’m ready to go, take advantage of
the opportunities that come; I’m ready to meet the Lord.
“Now, THAT'S the way to live
your life, ladies and gentlemen, IF you’re going to LIVE it. That’s cocked and
ready all the time. Rain or shine, hot or cold, whatever the situation.
“You are to be ready to do
whatever God put you wherever you are to do, no matter what the cost, with a
heart of love, but do it! See, do it!”
*****
Daniel wasn’t some rough,
camel-hide-for-a-coat prophet over on the backside of the wilderness bellowing
out rebuke,” says Jordan in a Grace School of the Bible study. “He was a man in
the king’s palace, taking a stand. He takes a stand and God stands with him.
“I say to you, folks, any
commitment you ever make in the things of the Lord is going to be tested to
prove its reality. It’s cheap to say, ‘I’m gonna do this for the Lord.’ The
Lord’s gonna find out whether you mean that or not.
“The great saints down through
the ages got tested—every one of them—to find out if the commitment was real
and to prove the reality of it to themselves. God knows whether it’s real or
not, but to prove it to yourself and those around you . . .
“James said, ‘Knowing this, that
the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect
work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.’
“When I read Daniel 1:13, I say,
‘Man, there’s a man with confidence!’ You know something, folks, compromise
results in doubt, but purity--that uncompromising commitment to do what God
wants done--always brings confidence.
“When you’re sinning, you’re
always looking over your shoulder and wondering if it will work. But when you
just stand for the Lord and stand for what He says, you know what will happen?
There’s confidence, that boldness to know, ‘Hey, the Lord’s gonna do it.’
*****
Daniel 1: 8-9 says, “But Daniel
purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the
king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the
prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
[9] Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the
prince of the eunuchs.”
Jordan explains, “God had
already worked on Daniel’s behalf, even though Daniel probably didn’t
even know it. He had a life that reflected the genuine nature of the commitment
he'd made.
“That’s why purity of life is so
important. You need to have a sweet, gentle, loving, kind, outgoing spirit.
Daniel had it and that validated his message. He showed the reality of God at
work, so he’d already found some favor; already had some influence.
“There are number of people in
the Bible who come to mind like that. Joseph found favor with Pharaoh, we’re
told.
“Psalm 106 says, 43] Many
times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were
brought low for their iniquity.
[44] Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:
[45] And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to
the multitude of his mercies.
[46] He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.
“Isn’t that wonderful how God
can do that? God sends Israel out there to be in captivity but He made the
society that held them captive love them and pity them and be ‘kindly
affectioned’ toward them. Why in the world did He do that? Because of His covenant.
“Proverbs 16:7 says, ‘When a
man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with
him.’
“When those peoples’ ways walked
in the ways of God, even their enemies we’re influenced by it and were at peace
with them.
“Paul says almost the same thing
in a different way in I Timothy 2: ‘I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all
men;
[2] For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a
quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
[3] For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.’
*****
“Now watch what happens to
Daniel in Daniel 1:15. It says he was proved for ten days ‘and at the end of
ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the
children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.’
“There’s a verse in Proverbs
that tells you about that. Proverbs 3: 5-7 says, ‘Trust in the LORD with all
thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
[6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
[7] Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.’
“Daniel knew what was going on
and God honored him. He knew God would take care of him and he knew if he
needed to keep a little color in his face and gain 10 pounds it wouldn’t be any
problem for the Lord to put on a pound a day, no matter what he was eating.
“Daniel 1:16 says, ‘Thus Melzar
took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and
gave them pulse.’
“That verse is important. That
verse tells me that Melzar, when he put that old porridge in front of Daniel and
that glass of cold water, he’d put the beefsteak and the wine goblet down there
too. But he took that away and just gave them the other from that point on; Dan
and the boys don’t eat the king’s meat.
“Verse 17 goes on, ‘As for these
four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom:
and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.’
*****
“Proverbs 22:29 says, ‘Seest
thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not
stand before mean men.’
“Listen, if you’ll be diligent
in the little thing God gave you to do and thank Him, it’s a LITTLE thing and
you’re not in over your head . . . Daniel and these boys put purity about
everything else.
“My dear friend, purity is the
MAIN business of the Believer. It’s of FIRST importance. Dan put it first and
God gave him influence.
“There’s a verse in Jeremiah
45:5 that means a lot to me. It says, ‘And seekest thou great things for
thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith
the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither
thou goest.’
“You want to have influence for
the Lord? You just be faithful and uncompromising in your commitment to Him. If
you’ll be faithful in the little things and remain faithful, God will give you
influence for Him.
*****
“Daniel 1:20 says, ‘And in all
matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found
them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all
his realm.’
“How many days back in verse 12
did He prove them? Ten days. ‘He found them 10 times better than all the
musicians and the astrologers in all his realm.’
“You got to look at a passage in
Psalm 119 with that.
[98] Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies:
for they are ever with me.
[99] I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies
are my meditation.
[100] I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
[101] I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep
thy word.
[102] I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.
[103] How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to
my mouth!
[104] Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every
false way.’
“Ten times greater than the best
brains Babylon had to offer! You know how? Sticking with that Book, being true
to what God gave them to do.”
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