Axiom_JV

Jesus had some powerful things to say about how we relate to our enemies. And sometimes it feels like our greatest enemies are the ones who live under our own roof. While sibling rivalry may feel like a 24/7 challenge to you now, some day the relationships with your brothers and sisters may be the most important ones in your life. So how do you get there? How do you make the move to fight for those future relationships?

Most fights come down to one thing: Perspective. Often what we want for ourselves isn’t what our parents want for us and this can cause some serious tension. So what do we do when we can’t see eye-to-eye with them? The Bible reminds us that the way we handle our parents when we aren’t getting what we want has to do with more than just our relationship with them; it’s a reflection of our relationship with God. Because when we turn our hearts towards our parents, we find ourselves moving closer to God as well.

No family is perfect. We all know it. And sometimes we think that if we could just escape our family, everything would be great. But we can’t change our parents, and we can’t escape them. What we can do is change the relationship we have with them. The book of Ephesians gives us some insight into just how to do this, and it may not be what you might expect. So what can you do to be the fighter in your family?

Sometimes, as Christians there’s a lot of pressure to always get it right—to live with a “checklist” of things in mind we should do for God. We think, “If we do this, then God will be happy with me—this is worship.” Daniel understands that worship isn’t about accomplishments and chooses to worship God by being honest about both his successes and his failures.

Our faith can be a difficult thing to talk about. What if you use the wrong words? Or the right words in the wrong way? What if you don’t’ know all of the answers? It’s a lot of pressure! When Daniel was called to appear before the king, it was not his words that so distinguished him. It was the way he behaved even in a tough spot. Through his actions, Daniel earned the right to be heard. When our walk matches our talk, we gain influence and both become more powerful.

What is prayer? Why do we pray? What happens if you pray for something and it doesn’t work?

At some point or another, most of us have employed the ask-thank-ask for more strategy of praying. At one of the scariest times in his life, Daniel prays a different way. Daniel chooses to focus on WHO God is instead of WHAT God can give him. Through prayer, knowing God’s character and ability made all the difference for Daniel when it was Game On.

Maybe when you think about the Bible it seems like an outdated, black and white history book. Maybe you have opened it, hoping for a life changing moment, and closed it without anything magical happening. We can’t forget that what we read isn’t always about what’s happening in our lives at that moment. It’s about building a foundation, preparing us for game time. Daniel was a young Jewish boy in a tough spot. Armed only with his knowledge of scripture, Daniel’s life and faith flourished because he was prepared when it was Game On.

Divine direction begins with surrender.

When you see a warning sign, turn around.

Your direction, not your intention, determines your destination