"DARE TO BE A DANIEL, Dare to stand alone, Dare to have a purpose firm, and Dare to make it known."

When we consider Daniel we recall that his enemies "sought to find occasion against Daniel . . . but they could find none occasion nor fault." They said, "we shall not find any occasion against this Daniel except we find it against him concerning the law of his God."

How happy we should be if our enemies are forced to admit that they can find no fault in us except in the way we worship God.

Daniel might have rationalised and taken the easy course by worshipping God in secret but he had a purpose firm and he had the faith to stand alone.

All true Christians have a purpose. The question is, how firm is it? Do we have the courage to stand alone? Do we have enough faith to make it known?

We are all going to stand alone when we appear before the judgement seat of Christ. Let us hope that we have had previous experience at standing alone before we answer to him for the things we have done.

Joseph stood alone as a boy of seventeen. David was just a lad when he faced the mighty Goliath all alone. Christ learned at the early age of twelve to stand alone and did so many times until finally he faced Pilate and the cross all alone when his disciples forsook him and fled.

It is usually during a time of trouble that we must stand alone. Even though we may be surrounded by loved ones, in the hour of extreme trial we usually must face it by ourselves. It is possible to be very much alone in the midst of a thronging multitude. Jesus knew this type of loneliness.

We must be prepared to stand alone against all who would cause us to disobey God's commands. "Difficulties are things that show what men are." It is easy to be brave when there is no danger. It is the way we face difficulties, trials and temptations that show us up for what we really are.

God wants a tried faith. Peter tells us ... "that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."

Our faith must withstand the fiery trial. Difficulties are not pleasant. They are not intended to be, "'no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

May we like Daniel, have the courage to stand alone, to have a purpose firm, to make it known, that our faith may be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.