Keeping the God-Factor

Last week, you might have read my post “Don’t Eat the King’s Food or Drink the King’s Wine!” based on the experience of Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael—better known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego—being taken captive to Babylon.  We focused on the refusal of eating and drinking from the king’s table in order to avoid his influence of doctrine and spirit which was wholly intended to help assimilate them into Babylonian culture.

Removing the God-Factor

Today our post will focus on the God-factor in the young Hebrew men’s names.  When King Nebuchadnezzar took the Judean princes captive, one of the first things he did was change their name.

• Daniel became “Belteshazzar” or “Baltasar”
• Hananiah became “Shadrach”
• Mishael became “Meshach”
• Azariah became “Abed-Nego”

This renaming was not just a foreign king exercising his royal captor rights over his new captives, but it was a pointed effort to remove the “God-factor” from their names and replacing it with a “god-factor”.  But to better understand this, let’s look at what the names mean.

• “Daniel” means “God is my judge”
• “Hananiah” means “the grace of the Lord” or “Jehovah is gracious”
• “Mishael” means “who is what God is?” or “He that is the strong God”
• “Azariah” means “the Lord is my help” or “God has helped”

The Babylonian or Chaldean names they were given are as follows:

• “Belteshazzar” or “Beltasar” means “keeper/revealer of the hidden treasures of Bel” whom the Babylonians worshiped
• “Shadrach” means “inspiration of the sun” which the Babylonians worshiped
• “Meshach” means “of the goddess Shach” Shach being the Babylonian Aphrodite [Greek] or Venus [Roman] whom the Babylonians worshiped
• “Abed-Nego” means “servant of the shining fire” whom the Babylonians worshiped

Nebuchadnezzar no longer wanted to hear the “El” in Daniel or Mishael nor the “Ah” in Hananiah and Azariah because it was the reference to El Elion and Jehovah and other names of God; with their Hebrew names every time someone called their name, they called on God.  But with their new Babylonian names, the false gods of the Babylonians were called upon instead.

You may be wondering as fascinating as this teaching is—hopefully you think it’s fascinating—what does this have to do with writing or building a business?  Glad you asked!

Keeping the God-Factor in your Work

The God-factor in your ventures and endeavors may not be as literal as changing a name from Judeo-Christian to pagan; however, it is possible to have it and even to remove it.

You have heard me speak of Tolkien’s theory of Sub-creation before, and I will mention it again here.  Sub-creation, the ability to create within our own spheres of influence, mimicking the Ultimate Creator, is an excellent way of keeping the God-factor in your work.  It is possible to have it as a non-Christian, but it is all the more effective and evident if you are a believer.  When you sub-create, you see God’s hand in your work whether you write about Him overtly as I am or whether it just happens to be the spirit of a piece such as in The Chronicles of Narnia series and even in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

You can also keep scriptural values and mindsets in your work whether it is your office or your blog.  I don’t [usually] preach in my DA Weddings blog, but I silently uphold the Gospel by refusing to celebrate or encourage homosexual “marriages” or commitment ceremonies.  Furthermore, anyone who works for DA Weddings in the future will have to maintain that value in their work as well.  Also in many various pieces I write as well as in my Desired Assistance company mission, I firmly believe in operating in a spirit of excellence, much like Daniel.

Keeping the God-factor could mean that you refuse to take on a particular project or accept a particular client.  It could mean that you discretely shun the language typical for a particular scene or publication.  Whatever your “Babylon”, God will allow you the ability to work in a secular, ungodly environment and maintain your relationship with Him.  And when the time comes, He will use you to demonstrate His supernatural power in a way that will elevate you and exalt your before the world.

Previous Post: “Don’t Eat the King’s Food or Drink the King’s Wine!”

Reference Video Series: “The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory” (Bishop Tudor Bismark).

 

If you would like to use this post, feel free!  Just be sure to include this blurb with today’s blog:

Desiree M. Mondesir is the CEO and Founder of Desired Assistance or “DA” virtual writing and editing company which also encompasses DA Inspires, DA Weddings, DA Luxury and her self-titled authoress blog.  As a dedicated writer and entrepreneur, Desiree seeks to inspire the imagination, educate her readers, and challenge the toxic mindsets of individuals all over the world.  Sign up for a FREE subscription at www.dainspires.wordpress.com! 

Divine Inspiration

I once partook in a discussion on LinkedIn that referenced that statement of a man who refused to let God tell him what to right.  The absolute arrogance!  The utter ignorance!  *breathe Desiree* As I am sure you can tell, this declaration angers me to my core.  As an author and entrepreneur I have learned the immeasurable value of allowing God to inspire and direct my decisions.

Godly Literary Inspiration

The first and foremost example of divine—godly—literary inspiration and also the most trustworthy is The Holy Bible.  This book which has been around for thousands of years and was translated into English most popularly in 1611 (thanks King James), is the most solid example we have of the legendary and proven inspiration of the Most High throughout the ages.  Regardless of what some nay-sayers and learned individuals who are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth” (II Timothy 3:7) may say, the Word was, is, and ever will be true.  And not only true, but relevant.

The Bible told us that the world was round before the “church” and many scientists accepted it as truth.  Isaiah prophesied that God “sits on the circle of the earth” (Isaiah 40:22).  Empires that would rule the Ancient World were prophesied in the book of Daniel.  Both the Book of Matthew and Revelation speak of events that we see in our daily local and global news. These are just a few examples that prove the validity of the Bible.  You cannot tell me that the Bible was not inspired by God (II Timothy 3:16).

Many other books besides the Bible have been written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  Whether by ministers, business men, historians, or others, books are written every day by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and we know this because not only do they line up with the Word of God, but God speaks to us through them as we read them.  The result is confirmation, affirmation, encouragement, and growth for the readers in the arenas that the books cover.

Theory of Sub-Creation     

If you know anything about me personally, you know that I am absolutely obsessed with The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Trilogy author, J.R.R. Tolkien.  I am also equally obsessed with his theory of sub-creation and as such often see its effect in the world.  It most certainly adds a different, equally wonderful aspect to our discussion of Godly inspiration.  Tolkien’s theory summed up simply states that “[Tolkien] could view sub-creation as a form of worship, a way for creatures to express the divine image in them by becoming creators” (“Sub-Creation or Smuggled Theory”).

Tolkien was a Christian, as am I, and saw sub-creation as an opportunity to exercise our God-like characteristics endowed in Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness,”.  God created, therefore, we in His image, have the ability to create as well.  This is especially true for [fiction] authors who have the ability to create a world of their own with its own laws and beings in their literature.  Yet we can also adopt this theory as entrepreneurs.

Your ability to create a business of your own should come from the inspiration above and allow you to sub-create in your own right.  And although it is not the same as creating a story or movie, you can most certainly create a new niche in the world or re-create/re-define one that is already created.

What can you create this is uniquely your own?  For DA Weddings, not only do I create fresh wedding-related content, but I revel in creating fantastically-fabulous wedding themes and inspirations and for this blog I seek to create equally fresh content that will motivate and inspire you to do what you were meant to.  For my business, the parent company of both DA Inspires and DA Weddings, I assist others in their own sub-created literary pieces.

How Does Inspiration Come?

In my experience, the best inspiration comes directly from God.  Whether He “downloads” or “drops” it directly in my spirit such as in a picture or word image across my mind, or a direction to a particular item or subject.  Oftentimes, I will sit in front of a blank piece of paper, ask God to speak, and start writing.  He always comes through.

You can also be inspired by something you read, see, or hear.  Oftentimes when you are inspired by God via literature, it can be described as illumination (light shed upon a thing) or revelation (a direct message or “lesson” from God).  You are also able to see or hear something—whatever the source of it may be—and it can be harnessed as an inspiration for an idea.

The last way you can be inspired to write or build a business is to observe and be burdened by a need.  Plato said “necessity is the mother of invention”.  What needs in the world do you see that you believe you are meant to fill?  What  problems or dilemmas—whether they affect the quality or convenience of life—are you drawn to fulfill?  Many of the greatest inventors were those who invented by inspiration of God.

The word tells us that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning,” (James 1:17).  This tells us that God, who changes not, can inspire us to create just as easily as He inspired the prophets and apostles of old to write the Bible; every good idea, no matter what it is, is absolutely from God.

The word also tells us that “…you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth…,” (Deuteronomy 8:18).  This verse shows us that not only does God care about our financial stability, but that He gave us—past tense—the power or ability to get the wealth that we desire.  The ideas, inventions, and concepts He longs to give us are oftentimes the vehicles He uses to bless us financially.  What an awesome encouragement and promise to us!

You were created in the image of God, and whether or not you serve Him—which I pray you do—you were endowed from before the foundations of time with the abilities of your Creator to sub-create in your own right.  Allow God to inspire and direct your creations and you will be sure to build unique, relevant, and long-lasting businesses, literary empires, and the like if you simply trust God to guide you.

See also: “Sub-Creation or Smuggled Theology: Tolkien Contra Lewis on Christian Fantasy”

Previous Post: “P.31 Woman: The Model Entrepreneur”

 

If you would like to use this post, feel free!  Just be sure to include this blurb with today’s blog:

Desiree M. Mondesir is the CEO and Founder of Desired Assistance or “DA” virtual writing and editing company which also encompasses DA Inspires, DA Weddings, DA Luxury and her self-titled authoress blog.  As a dedicated writer and entrepreneur, Desiree seeks to inspire the imagination, educate her readers, and challenge the toxic mindsets of individuals all over the world.  Sign up for a FREE subscription at www.dainspires.wordpress.com!