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06.11.2010 General News

LIVING BY CONVICTION

By Ghanaian Chronicle
By Ms. Joyce R. AryeeBy Ms. Joyce R. Aryee
06.11.2010 LISTEN

Then I said, 'I will not make mention of him, nor speak anymore in His name.' But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones: but His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones: I was weary of holding it back, and I could not for I heard many mocking: Fear on every side! Report, they say, and we will report it! All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling saying, 'Perhaps he can be induced then we will prevail against him, and we will take our revenge on him'.

But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome one. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper' Jeremiah 20:9-11.

To live by conviction, is to put into perspective the troubles of the world- economic woes, ill health, or family circumstances around us- trusting that God remains in control and that His sovereign purposes are being worked out.

Foundation of our conviction
'For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ' 1 Cor. 3:11.

The very basis of our conviction is to live to please God and His Word (Jesus) and the assurance given to us in the scriptures.  Living in divine obedience to God and scriptures through the power of Holy Spirit is like a fire in our bones giving us the zest to go on.

This fire should constantly burn within us so that we can honour God's intentions for our lives.

Living by conviction is therefore being faithful, standing for the truth and living in accordance with God's ways even when the whole world seems to be in disagreement.

Living by the Truth
The truth is not always popular but we must decide to be faithful:

*    Faithfulness does not preach or practice compromise.  Rather it preaches and

practices the truth even when the truth is not popular. This brings me to a Bible Character who is so dear to my heart because even as a young man - a youth in his teens, he resolutely remained faithful to God in the face of danger - even the danger of death.  God's words were like fire in his bones.  The flame of the fire burned in him and enabled him to honour God by obeying Him to his life's end.  I am referring to Daniel.

*    In Daniel 1:8, we read that Daniel resolved in his heart not to defile himself with the royal food and wine.

*    Daniel had learned the difficult art of self-denial

*    It is said that a man is what he believes.
This means that we are what we believe - our convictions define who we are:.

*    Convictions are the building blocks erected on a sure foundation who is Jesus Christ as we read in Isaiah 28:16.

Daniel was a man of strong conviction: -
*    He was a person of no compromise
*    He was a man of the finest kind of strength.

*    He was a man of absolute integrity - by the way he lived.  Daniel showed the power and presence of God in his life.

Chapter 6 of the book of Daniel reveals the depth of Daniel's faith; it also helps us to understand what integrity really means.

Four things to learn from Daniel
1.    Daniel had an excellent attitude - He stood for what he believed even though he was surrounded by people who danced to a different beat.  He was neither paranoid:

-    always seeing the devil around everything, afraid that he would not succeed because he was in the mist of evil men.

-    he was not also intimated by their cheer numbers. Rather his excellent attitude and exceptional qualities (Dan. 6:3) distinguished him above his peers.

2.    Daniel was trustworthy in his responsibilities (Dan. 6:4). Even his enemies, those who plotted against him could not find a single ground to bring charges against him.  They formed nothing.  Daniel was someone who could be trusted to do the right thing no matter what, no mater where, no matter when.

3.    Daniel was privately pure- he was consistent in his private life as well as in his public life. The other satraps and administrators conducted intensive investigations into his private life but they formed nothing.  Listen to what they said ' we will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God' – Dan 6:5. That was when they decided to set a trap for him.  But because of his purity, utter faithfulness and devotion, God saved him.

4.    Daniel had a consistent walk with God.  In spite of the decree making Darius the god of the month who alone was to be prayed to and worshiped, Daniel refused to comply.  He did not shut himself in a secret place to pray.  He was not ashamed of his relationship with God.  He chose to continue his consistent and faithful walk with God and as was his habit he got down on his knees three times a day and prayed, giving thanks to him God, just as he had done before (Dan. 6:10).  It was a very costly decision - He was thrown into the lion's den BUT God saved him and further exalted him.

Living with conviction is not easy.  People who live faithful and pure lives are often misunderstood, falsely accused and maligned in many ways. Their lives of integrity is usually contrary to how the majority lives.

But Daniel's life proves that a person of integrity (one who faithfully and consistently lives for God) is a powerful instrument in the hand of God

Decide to stand up and be counted.  Like Daniel choose to:

i.    have an excellent attitude
ii.     be trustworthy in your responsibility
iii.     be pure in your private life
iv.    have a consistent walk with God
v.    Resolve in your heart to be faithful to God in all your ways

vi.    serve your generation to the glory of God's name.

Prayer
Stir us up to offer to you, O Lord, our bodies, our souls, our spirits, in all we love and all we learn, in all we plan and all we do, to offer our labours, our pleasures, our sorrows, to you: to work through them for your Kingdom, to live as those who are not their own, but bought with your blood. Amen.              Stay Blessed

INVITATION TO PRAYER RALLY
We are pleased to invite you to our prayer rally under the theme 'Make Room In Your Heart for Jesus.'  The speaker is the Very Rev. M. A. Bossman, the General Director - Board of Ministries, the Methodist Church Ghana.

Other details of the programme are:
Date:        Saturday – November 20, 2010
Time:        8:30am
Venue:        Offices of Salt and Light Ministries, Abelemkpe near Sollatek

Song Ministration:    The Harmonious Chorale
Bring your friends and family.  Together let's raise our voices in hymns and prayer. Speaker: Very Rev. M. A. Bossman.  Salt and Light Ministries

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