Association is extremely important in one’s own life, and who you are associated with, will definitely have a very strong influence upon your character, behavior, and life sooner or later; hence, beware of bad influences. If you desire true blessings and protection from the hands of the living GOD, then, make it a priority to be associated with sincere, GOD-fearing, and GOD-loving men of GOD.  There are things that GOD not only declared, but inscribed on the stone tablets, and gave it as a command to Moses, to the Israelites, and the generations to come forever. The first one is regarding worshipping Him and Him alone. And the second one is explained in detail, that nothing of His creation or your imaginative creations, should ever receive the worship that is His due only. Those who follow this primary command with clear understanding, comprehension and faith, receive blessings for thousand generations. And others who downplay this crystal clear command, receive condemnation for them, and for their third, fourth generations, as it is declared. May we so desire, the providence, protection and loving-care of GOD, that these three young men Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and His prophet Daniel received, by special provision of angels, who guarded them from the fiery tongues of fire, and the mouths of hungry lions. 

Daniel 3:16-18 

16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

Daniel 6:3-5 

Daniel in the Lions’ Den 1-3 Darius reorganized his kingdom. He appointed one hundred twenty governors to administer all the parts of his realm. Over them were three vice-regents, one of whom was Daniel. The governors reported to the vice-regents, who made sure that everything was in order for the king. But Daniel, brimming with spirit and intelligence, so completely outclassed the other vice-regents and governors that the king decided to put him in charge of the whole kingdom.

4-5 The vice-regents and governors got together to find some old scandal or skeleton in Daniel’s life that they could use against him, but they couldn’t dig up anything. He was totally exemplary and trustworthy. They could find no evidence of negligence or misconduct. So they finally gave up and said, “We’re never going to find anything against this Daniel unless we can cook up something religious.”

Daniel 6:10 

10 When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he continued to pray just as he had always done. His house had windows in the upstairs that opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he knelt there in prayer, thanking and praising his God.

Daniel 6:16 

16 The king caved in and ordered Daniel brought and thrown into the lions’ den. But he said to Daniel, “Your God, to whom you are so loyal, is going to get you out of this.”

Daniel 6:19-23 

19-20 At daybreak the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. As he approached the den, he called out anxiously, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve so loyally, saved you from the lions?”

21-22 “O king, live forever!” said Daniel. “My God sent his angel, who closed the mouths of the lions so that they would not hurt me. I’ve been found innocent before God and also before you, O king. I’ve done nothing to harm you.”

23 When the king heard these words, he was happy. He ordered Daniel taken up out of the den. When he was hauled up, there wasn’t a scratch on him. He had trusted his God.

Exodus 20:3-6 

3 No other gods, only me.

4-6 No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don’t bow down to them and don’t serve them because I am God, your God, and I’m a most jealous God, punishing the children for any sins their parents pass on to them to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation of those who hate me. But I’m unswervingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments.

Abba, thank You for Your Commandments, that invite us to love, worship and obey You. Let Your Spirit so instruct us, to worship You alone and no-one else and nothing else, In Jesus’ Most Powerful Name, Amen.