The rich young ruler was a good man who observed the ten commandments from his youth, but it is sad to discover that he was not good enough for heaven. He was disqualified, because according to Jesus, he lacked one thing: he had no power over his material possessions. He failed the test of denying himself, taking up his cross and following the Lord. Although he was a good man, he was not saved.

The heart of the believer is tender and needs to be constantly watched over to avoid corruption and defilement. When God justifies a man, and makes him righteous at salvation, He also gives him the charge to keep himself pure. Failing in the responsibility to take away the things that have the capacity to defile a man will eventually result in eternal damnation. The believer is therefore expected to eschew evil and to abstain from all appearance of it.

In the natural, a shepherd leads his sheep by voice and they follow him because they know his voice. It is the recognition of the shepherd's voice that keeps the sheep from following strangers. True believers are the sheep of the Lord - The good Shepherd. The Lord Jesus Christ also leads his sheep by voice, and they follow him. Do you hear his voice?

As believers, we are called to walk the way of the cross every day. Our Lord Jesus Christ suffered for us and denied himself, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps. Jesus, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. He also bore his cross to Golgotha, the place of his crucifixion - John 19:17.

King Darius preferred Daniel above all his cabinet ministers and was planning to make him the prime minister of the entire kingdom. However, due to envy, Daniel's colleagues sought to find an occasion against him; but they found none. Therefore, they misled the king to sign a decree that prohibited citizens from praying to any God or man for thirty days, except the king. Their intention was to trap Daniel and eliminate him.