CONTUNITY      Daniel 1

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Adversity and challenges will produce faith or fear that will make or break you in the race of life. Remember, know your God for who He is, continue to hold on to Him, and He will do it at His appointed time. Continuity is the rule of the race, while a purposeful heart is the official. Imagine Daniel and his three friends, at a young age, held captive at foreign land, yet there are no records of complaints or despising their God. Instead of despising or complaining they did not give up. Continuity was the rule and a purposeful heart was the official. In attempt to build Babylon in them, the king ordered the best of the best for them by making them qualify to be set aside with the kingÕs delicacies. DanielÕs environment was bent in changing Daniel and his three friends, but God, in them, took a stand to disallow the environment from changing them. What about you? Suddenly situations seem to be on your side and you are starting to allow your environment to bring changes and affect your stand in the Lord. Ask God to help you, continue in the Lord with a purposeful heart and you will be like Him when you continue in Him. When Daniel was supposed to resume feeding on the kingÕs delicacies he refused. ÒBut Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the kingÕs delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.Ó (Daniel 1:8-9)  Daniel continued in the race with a purposeful heart and he gained the favor of God and the goodwill of the chief eunuchs. Continue with a purposeful heart and you will be like Him, you will become His extension on the face of earth and what cannot touch Him, will not touch you; what cannot happen to Him will not happen to you. Daniel 1:19, ÒThen the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king.Ó God will never forsake His own, and if you continue in Him you are definitely His own and no one can lay a claim on your life. There is none that walks in line of Him and fall outside of Him. Jesus came and died for us that we may have life. He was persecuted, died on the cross, rose on the third day and lives as king forever. You continue in Him and when all that Jesus went through comes your way, you should never be discouraged nor discontinue in the race of life. Continue in Him and He will get you to where he went to prepare for us.