The Ripple Effect // Part 4

(Jeremiah 29:4-7 NIV) This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all 

(Proverbs 15:13-15 TPT) A cheerful heart puts a smile on your face, but a broken heart leads to depression. Lovers of God hunger after truth, but those without understanding feast on foolishness and don’t even realize it. Everything seems to go wrong when you feel weak and depressed. But when you choose to be cheerful, every day will bring you more and more joy and fullness. 

(Daniel 1:1-8 NIV) In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god. Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility--young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 

Daniel chose not to be influenced from the outside in, but to influence from the inside out. 

(Daniel 1:18-21 NIV) At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus. 

2. Grow where you are planted.

(Jeremiah 29:4-7 NIV) This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all

those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down;

plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find

wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have

sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the

peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the

Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Jesus prayed that his disciples would not be taken out of the world but that through them the message of His Kingdom would go to the entire world. 

(Matthew 5:13-15 MSG) Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep an open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. 

3. Love is the attitude that transforms culture. 

(Romans 8:13 NIV) Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 

(1 Corinthians 13:4-7) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.