Prov.14:12 ‘There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death’.

DAILY READING    Jude 1; Ezra 9-10; Psalm 95

John Bunyan was an English writer and Puritan preacher, best remembered as the author of the Christian classic ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’. Amazingly, he wrote this all-time best seller while serving in prison for refusing to compromise his faith.
Bunyan was a fearless preacher of the Gospel who refused to stop preaching even in the face of great opposition.
In 1660, in England, religious freedom came to an abrupt end when King Charles II mounted the throne. Anglicanism was designated as the official state religion. It became illegal to conduct church services outside of the Church of England and unlicensed individuals were forbidden from addressing a religious gathering.
However, Bunyan would not bow to these laws and continued to preach the Gospel. In November 1660 Bunyan was preaching in a private home when he learned that a warrant for his arrest had been made out. Though warned of the danger, he continued to preach, until officers arrived and arrested him for preaching without a license. His growing popularity, though, prompted the judge to seek some sort of a compromise. He promised Bunyan immediate release if he only promised not to preach again. But Bunyan replied, “If you release me today, I shall preach tomorrow!”
Bunyan was eventually arrested three times, for preaching without a license and spent over twelve years in prison. At any time during those years, he could have secured his freedom by simply promising not to preach. But Bunyan knew God’s calling on his life and so he adamantly refused to compromise his convictions.
In those prison years Bunyan wrote the book ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’. Its immediate success and ongoing popularity made it a Christian classic and the second most read book in English literature after the Bible.
Indeed the history of Christian persecution is filled with inspiring stories of such people as Bunyan who are immortalized for refusing to compromise their beliefs.
The question we need to ask ourselves is; will we also be able to stand when faced with fire?
Though we may not be faced with imprisonment, sometimes situations of life try to get us to compromise our faith. Sometimes problems come offering solutions that only lead to shifting our Christian standards.
When men are under pressure that is when what is in them truly shows up. Adverse situations will either bring it out the best or the worst in you, depending on what is in your heart.
Some people would do desperate things just to get out of the fire, but those who truly know their God will always say to Nebuchadnezzar ‘we will not bow’.
And when you decide to stand your ground, God sends help out of Zion. He will come as the fourth man in the fire to carry out a rescue operation. He will never let you burn. The truth is that those who say ‘if I perish I perish,’ never really perish. They survive the fire, not only that, they come out with a great testimony.

We need to stand strong in the face of every trial of faith. Compromise can be dangerous. Prov.14:12 says ‘There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death’.
Let the word of God be your standard of living. When you have a consistent prayer and study life, there will be hidden strength in you. This is what helps you not to compromise or bow no matter the temptations. God’s promise in Deuteronomy 31:6 says ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’

Indeed no matter what we may go through, God will never leave us nor forsake us. He is forever faithful and will always help us and give us the victory in the end.
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to obey You always, please enable me to follow the path You have set before me, even when it seems difficult. By Your grace I am an overcomer, and will surely arrive at my glorious destiny in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
When you make God your priority, God automatically makes you priority in His own plan. – WORDBITE 222.