Today’s Reading: Daniel 10-12, Psalm 28

What God was asking of Daniel was huge! His visions left him feeling weak and physically pale, as if all his strength had left him. Can you relate? The journey God has you on or the life situations you are facing have left you drained of all energy and strength. Are you feeling alone? May these words to Daniel wash over you and give you strength. May you hear the voice of God and picture the heavenly realms today. May you know with confidence that you are loved by God and that you are most definitely not alone. May you feel the hand of God touch you and lift you up.

My strength left me, my face grew deathly pale, and I felt very weak. Then I heard the man speak, and when I heard the sound of his voice, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees. And the man said to me, “Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you.” When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling.

Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.” – Daniel 10:8b-12

Notice the progression of Daniel’s position. He faints and lays with his face to the ground. The hand of God touches him and lifts him up, but only to his hands and knees. Then with a voice that roared like a vast multitude of people, the man of God told Daniel to stand up. Then Daniel, still trembling, stood up.

DO YOU EVER FIND IT HARD TO PRAY?

Have you ever been so drained from your life experiences, from the struggles and troubles surrounding you, that it was difficult for you to pray? You fall on your face before God and perhaps weep but there are no words. There are times when we need the strength of God simply to get on our knees and be able to come before him and speak – to pray what we are feeling and present our requests to Him. Praise God, He is just the kind of God to give us the strength we need to pray. He also loves us enough to tell us when to stand, to confirm to us that He has heard our prayers.

While he was speaking to me, I looked down to the ground, unable to say a word. Then the one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing in front of me, “I am filled with anguish because of the vision I have seen, my lord, and I am very weak. How can someone like me, your servant, talk to you, my lord? My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe.” – Daniel 10:15-17

DO YOU EVER FIND IT HARD TO BREATHE?

It’s too much! It’s more than I can handle! I can’t breathe! Have you ever spoken these words or prayed something similar? There are times when what God is asking us to do or asking us to experience seems impossible, seems too big for us. At times the situation ahead is difficult, painful, overwhelming or just seems impossible. Listen to God’s words to Daniel:

“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!”
As he spoke to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.” – Daniel 10:19

JUST A WORD FROM GOD AND WE SUDDENLY FEEL STRONGER!

When God speaks, there is a new hope born in us that strengthens us for what is ahead. God went on to reveal to Daniel what was happening in the spiritual realms that is unseen in the earthly realm. There was a spiritual battle taking place on behalf of God’s people and God had commissioned His archangels to fight the battles. Daniel’s visions spoke of what would happen at the end of time. It is difficult for us to understand and comprehend, just as it was difficult for Daniel. Theologians disagree on the meaning of these last three chapters of Daniel. But what I can take from this passage, what I can hear God saying is – I will fight the battle! I will be victorious! (Daniel 10:13-14, 20-21).

Daniel’s vision spoke of a long battle between the king of the north and the king of the south – how each would plot against each other and attempt to deceive each other. The anger of the king of the north will be poured out against the people of the holy covenant. He will reward those who forsake the covenant, flattering and winning them over. But the people who KNOW their God will be strong and will resist him (Daniel 11:32).

THOSE WHO KNOW THEIR GOD WILL BE STRONG AND ABLE TO RESIST THEIR OPPRESSOR!

Praise God! The God who draws us into a personal relationship with Him strengthens us through that relationship. It is our connection, our intimacy with God that gives us the strength to resist evil. And the experience of facing a battle with evil changes us. It refines us, cleanses us and makes us pure.

And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come. – Daniel 11:35

Praise God! He does not leave us alone during the difficult times. He does not ask us to do something by ourselves, of our own strength. He is with us. His angels are defending us. He is strengthening us for what he has called us to. Then he allows the difficult times to refine us and make us clean and pure before Him.

The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace. – Psalm 29:11

God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. – Psalm 68:35

The Lord gives his people strength. He is a safe fortress for his anointed king. Save your people! Bless Israel, your special possession. Lead them like a shepherd, and carry them in your arms forever. – Psalm 28:8-9

Today’s Reading: Ezra 1-6

The prophet Ezra described what life was like for God’s people as they returned to Jerusalem. Ezra told how God stirred the heart of King Cyrus of Persia to let God’s people return to Jerusalem for the specific purpose of rebuilding the Temple. Then God stirred the hearts of the priests, Levites and all the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord.

This stirring of hearts created a culture of generosity. Cyrus generously returned 5400 articles of silver and gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple. Those who had lived among the Israelites and been their neighbors for so many years also gave generously of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock. They voluntarily lavished God’s people with valuable gifts to take with them (Ezra 1:1-11).

In response to this generosity, the leaders of each family unit among the people of God returning to Jerusalem also gave voluntary offerings, each leader giving as much as they could. God was generous, stirring others’ hearts toward generosity, and the response was the desire of God’s people to also be generous (Ezra 2:68-69).

When God’s people arrived in Jerusalem, they assembled with a unified purpose – to rebuild God’s Temple. During the seventy years that the Israelites had been gone, other peoples had settled into the city, making it their home. Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old site. Then they began to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar to the Lord each morning and evening (Ezra 3:3).

Imagine the excitement after all these years to be back home again, offering daily sacrifices to God – dedicating each day to God. The first Festival they celebrated was the Festival of Shelters, reminding the people of God’s guidance and care for His people as they spent 40 years living in tents in the desert as they traveled from exile in Egypt to their new home in the Promised Land. Wow! How significant this must have been to the people as they had just completed their own journey living in tents, traveling from exile in Babylon back home to Jerusalem. God’s timing is always significant!

When the foundation of the Temple was completed in their second year back in Jerusalem, the people stopped to celebrate. With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the Lord: “He is good! His faithful love for Israel endures forever!” Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s Temple had been laid (Ezra 3:11). Many wept aloud. Others were shouting for joy. The sounds of the shouting and weeping could be heard far into the distance.

As often happens when things are going well, opposition began to arise among those from other nations who were living in Jerusalem. They wrote a letter back to the King Artaxerxes of Persia convincing him to stop the reconstruction of the Temple. Then, with a show of strength, they forced the Jews to stop building. The construction remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia (Ezra 4:23-24).

This was around the same time that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were encouraging God’s people to finish what they had started as God had commanded. The building started back up again, as did the opposition. God’s people had confidence that God was watching over them (5:5) and the local residents once again tattled back to the King, reporting that the work was going forward with great energy and success (5:8).

King Darius, however, found a scroll with the decree from King Cyrus that the Temple should be rebuilt on the site where the Jews used to offer their sacrifices, using the original foundation (6:3). His reply back to the opposition was to “stay away…do not disturb…let it be rebuilt…do not hinder…Moreover, I hereby decree that you are to help these elders of the Jews as they rebuild this Temple of God. You must pay the full construction costs, without delay, from my taxes collected in the province west of the Euphrates River so that the work will not be interrupted.”

King Darius also donated young bulls, rams, and male lambs to be used for burnt offerings presented to the God of heaven, as well as wheat, salt, wine and olive oil. His desire was that the Israelites would present acceptable sacrifices to God and pray for King Darius and his sons (Ezra 6:6-10).

Do you ever just get tickled at these kinds of stories? We still hear them today! What others do in hopes of harming or discouraging us, God makes into opportunities to bless us! What comes in the form of OPPOSITION becomes OPPORTUNITY. Today’s morning coffee was rich with encouragement for me.

Generosity births more generosity.

When faced with opposition, trust in God to make something wonderful come out of the struggles.

As opposition against pro-life pregnancy centers in Illinois increases, this message gives us the encouragement we need to keep pressing forward. We need to continue to do what God has called us to do, even when commanded to do something different. We need to trust that something beautiful will come out of the struggle.

May this message in Ezra give us new perspective. Let’s celebrate ALL that is going on in our lives and give Him praise, trusting that OPPOSITION will become OPPORTUNITY for God to do something wonderful in our hearts and in our lives. Let’s move forward in strength.

Today’s Reading: Daniel 9

Have you ever read a portion in Scripture or a Bible story that you’ve heard since you were a child yet now, as an adult, you have an increased understanding of what the Scripture is saying? God’s word is familiar but it comes to life in a new way, as if you were hearing it for the first time.

Daniel was a young man when he was brought into the royal service, but he would have heard from his parents and grandparents the stories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He might have celebrated Passover and heard how the angel of death passed over the homes of the Israelites when they sprinkled the blood of a lamb on their doorposts. He would have heard the stories of how Moses led them out of captivity in Egypt into the Promised Land and he would have most likely had the Ten Commandments memorized. Yet now, at this stage in his life, he is coming to a new understanding of what God has done for His people and their continued unfaithfulness generation after generation.

During the first year of King Darius’ reign, Daniel is studying the word of the Lord as revealed to Jeremiah the prophet. He reads that this exile to Babylon is to last seventy years. It must be apparent to him that the seventy years is coming close to completion. He sees the need for his countrymen and his people to fully repent and turn to God so that their captivity can come to an end and they can return home again – home to Jerusalem.

Daniel put his spiritual concerns ahead of his physical needs and began fasting, turning to the Lord God in prayer – pleading for his people. He went into mourning by dressing in burlap and sprinkling himself with ashes. He took it upon himself to fall before the Lord and confess on behalf of the Israelites.

Wow! Do we pray like that? Are we so concerned with the sins of our society that we fall on our knees and confess on behalf of our country? What would happen if we did pray like Daniel prayed, with fervency and desperation? What if we wept as Jesus did when he looked out over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41)? What if we prayed this prayer:

“O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands. But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets…

“O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary. O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city – the city that bears your name – lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy. O LORD, HEAR. O LORD, FORGIVE. O LORD, LISTEN AND ACT! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.” – Daniel 9:4-19

I love this next part! What happens next reminds us that God hears our prayers, sees our hearts and responds from His heart. Consider what the angel Gabriel said to Daniel in response to his prayer and hear God’s words to you this morning as you pour out your heart to Him.

“Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding. The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God…” – Daniel 9:22-23

Something happened immediately – the moment Daniel began praying. Do we want to see God do something incredible for our nation in 2017? I think it is time to start praying for just that.

Dear Lord, this morning we come before you in repentance – repenting for our own sins and for the sins of our nation. Heavenly Father, You have poured out Your blessings upon us and we have rebelled against You. As a nation, we have not obeyed you. O merciful God, lean down and listen to us this morning. We plea for your mercy on behalf of our country, even though we do not deserve it. O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! Please give us new insight and understanding. Like Daniel, may we hear from You today – may we hear the words from Your heart, “You are very precious to God.” Amen.

Today’s Reading: Daniel 7-8; Psalm 29-31

Chapters 7 and 8 of Daniel take us back in time in order to take us forward in time. During the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream. He had another dream or vision during the third year of this king’s reign. These chapters reveal the dreams and then explain the meaning behind the dreams.

I am not going to attempt to explain or interpret the visions Daniel had foretelling what would happen in the end times. I find it interesting to read but over my head to completely understand. I went through the study of Daniel by Beth Moore several years ago and found it fascinating but I am still without a deep enough understanding to wrap my mind around all of it. I would like to point out a couple of things that stuck out to me though before I move onto Chapter 9.

These two visions went into great detail of what the beasts, ram and goat looked like but not a lot about them beyond their appearance and actions. What was described sounds similar to what we have seen earlier in the book of Daniel – how arrogance and pride can be destructive. Daniel described the little horn as having a mouth that was boasting arrogantly and described the ram as doing whatever it pleased, becoming very powerful.

Out of the four beasts, the fourth with the little horn whose speech was described as boastful was the only one who was immediately killed and destroyed by fire. The other three lost their authority but were allowed to live a while longer (Daniel 7:11-12). It is as if the Ancient One sitting in judgment had heard enough and swiftly shut the mouth of the beast. I love the power and authority displayed in Daniel 7:20-22:

This horn had seemed greater than the others, and it had human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly. As I watched, this horn was waging war against God’s holy people and was defeating them, UNTIL the Ancient One – the Most High – came and judged in favor of his holy people.

Go God!!! I love the power displayed by our Omnipotent King of Kings! Daniel 8:23-25 describes again the victory that will take place over evil. “At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but HE WILL BE BROKEN, though not by human power.”

Whether we completely understand how the end times will play out or what Daniel’s visions mean, what we can understand is that our God is powerful and that He has always been and will always be victorious. As God’s holy people, we can see that OUR FUTURE IS STRONG IN THE HANDS OF GOD. There is nothing to fear.

“But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.” – Daniel 7:18

“But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.” – Daniel 7:26-27

The future of those who bow to the authority of their Lord and Savior holds victory. But let us also remember that the future of those who are arrogant, proud and boastful is bleak. Those whose speech is boastful and who do whatever pleases them will be brought down and destroyed. There is only one God – the Most High, Omnipotent God – and our future is in His loving, yet just, hands.

When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!”
Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.
Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. – Psalm 30:6-7

“The Christian who is truly intimate with Jesus will never draw attention to himself but will only show the evidence of a life where Jesus is completely in control. This is the outcome of allowing Jesus to satisfy every area of life to its depth. The picture resulting from such a life is that of the strong, calm balance that our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.” – Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced.
Save me, for you do what is right.
Turn your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe.
You are my rock and my fortress.
For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.
Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone.
I entrust my spirit into your hand.
Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God. – Psalm 31:1-5

Today’s Reading: Daniel 6; Psalm 27

The Lord is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. – Psalm 27:1-3

As we read on in chapter six of Daniel, God’s blessings on Daniel are met with opposition. Yesterday we described Daniel as more capable than others, faithful, always responsible and completely trustworthy. I guess it is no surprise that those around him reacted with jealousy and found pleasure in the possibility of seeing something go wrong in Daniel’s life. We see this reaction play out today on the job, within families and sometimes the Church.

If you can ignore the fact that Daniel is in captivity, you can say that everything has gone right for Daniel. Let’s review: Daniel goes from being a Jewish captive to a member of the royal service to ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all King Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men. Under King Belshazzar’s reign, Daniel is made the third highest ruler in the kingdom and Darius the Mede then appointed Daniel as one of three administrators over all the high officers. Now Darius is making plans to place Daniel over the entire empire and the other administrators have had enough!

The plot to destroy Daniel strikes where they know it will affect him the most – worship of his God. They stroked the pride of King Darius and tricked him into issuing a decree that no one can pray to any god except the King himself. Once more, someone placed in a leadership position and given authority allows pride to take over and makes a foolish decision based on his own wants and desires.

But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down AS USUAL in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, JUST AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE, giving thanks to his God. Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. – Daniel 6:10-11

JUST AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE, Daniel went to his knees to pray to his God for help. He was not praying because he was now in a difficult situation and needed rescuing; he prayed JUST AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE, three times a day, giving thanks to his God.

“The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and oneness with Him.” – Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Daniel had faithfully developed a habit or life pattern of spending time in prayer, which is what made him the kind of man we have been studying. Spending time daily in God’s presence resulted in God’s presence dwelling daily within Daniel, giving him strength and wisdom. Today was no different. Daniel trusted in God, JUST AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE.

As a result of his decree, King Darius had no choice but to follow through with the punishment as declared in the new law – Daniel would have to be thrown into the den of lions. We do not know how Daniel reacted to this but we know that the king was deeply troubled and spent the night fasting for his faithful servant, Daniel.

Was Daniel scared? Did he ask God “why?” Did he question his decision to pray JUST AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE, with the windows wide open? I choose to believe that Daniel reacted the same way his friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did. I choose to believe that Daniel trusted in God to save him but also loved God enough to say, “But even if he doesn’t…”

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” – Daniel 3:16-18

The next morning, the king hurried to the lion’s den and called out, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”

Daniel answered, “Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.” – Daniel 6:20-22

As a result of Daniel’s faithfulness and his testimony of how God had rescued him from what man would consider an impossible situation, God was glorified and given the praise. I pray those around us can see that we serve God faithfully and that we trust in Him through all situations, good and bad. This kind of faithfulness starts in our quiet times with the Lord. It is in the intimate moments with God that He takes us deeper in our relationship with Him and draws us closer to Him, creating fellowship and oneness with Him.

“The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and oneness with Him.” – Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Chambers words convict me this morning, but they also inspire me. Oh how I long to go deeper.

Here me as I pray, O Lord.
Be merciful and answer me!
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” – Psalm 27:7-8

I have no idea what you are going through right now, but I pray that the depth of your daily private times of fellowship and oneness with God give you the strength of faith to trust in Him. I pray you believe that He can rescue you just as He rescued Daniel. I pray He will strengthen your faith and give you the courage to say, “But even if He doesn’t…”.

Today’s Reading: Daniel 5-6; Psalm 62

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.
My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.
Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind,
and the powerful are not what they appear to be.
If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air. – Psalm 62:5-9

Have you stepped on the scales lately? This winter’s lack of activity was not good for me. I pulled out my spring clothing and found things fitting much tighter than they did last summer. I have started exercising again and am daily stepping on the scales, hoping to see progress. Like it or not, the number on the scales is the reality I am facing and the need to make improvements in my daily habits is evident. I have been weighed on a balance and the truth is speaking louder than my denial.

The days of you being in control are numbered (Mene), you have been weighed (Tekel) on the balances and have not measured up, and your kingdom has been divided (Parsin) and given to someone else. This is the writing on the wall – God’s message to the next King of Babylon, Belshazzar.

King Belshazzar knew his history. He knew that King Nebuchadnezzar’s heart and mind had been puffed up with arrogance and that he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven from human society and made to live like an animal until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone HE desires to rule over them. Knowing all of this, King Belshazzar still did not humble himself but proudly defied God by drinking from the cups brought to Babylon from the Temple in Jerusalem (Daniel 5:20-23).

“You have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! So God has sent this hand to write this message. This is the message that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.” – Daniel 5:23b-25

He knew better. He knew what could happen if he put himself and what he wanted above the Most High God. He knew and yet he chose to build his own kingdom instead of honoring God. How often are we be found guilty of the same thing? If we were weighed on a balance would we measure up? When we choose our own way and do our own thing and hope that God will bless our plans, we are fooling ourselves. The days of us being in control of our own life are numbered and the blessings God has poured out on our life can easily be taken away and given to someone else.

Let’s see how Daniel measures up when he is weighed on the balances:
But when the queen mother heard what was happening, she hurried to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, “Long live the king! Don’t be so pale and frightened. There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king – your predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar – made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon. This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.” – Daniel 5:10-12

The queen mother was not a believer and yet she knew the difference in Daniel. She knew that Daniel had a holy spirit within him that set him apart from others. Each day we are surrounded by unbelievers and we have the opportunity to let them see something different in us that cannot be found in the hearts of the world – they can see Jesus!

That night King Belshazzar was killed and a new king took his place, King Darius. Just as the writing on the wall foretold, Belshazzar’s days were numbered and his kingdom was divided.

Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests. Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.

Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. – Daniel 6:1-4

Daniel: insight, understanding, wisdom, exceptional ability, filled with divine knowledge and understanding, ability to interpret and solve difficult problems, capable, faithful, always responsible and completely trustworthy. Wow, what a description! When weighed by others, Daniel was found to be all of these things. When weighed by God, Daniel was found humble and faithful and God’s blessings increased in his life.

If we were weighed on a balance would we measure up? If left to our own ability and strength, probably not. But Daniel had something we have even more access to – a Holy Spirit. It is not a matter of trying harder and hoping to be something extraordinary, it is a matter of humbling ourselves before God and allowing Him to fill us with Himself so that He can be exactly who He is and we can become just what He created us to be.

Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness. – Psalm 145:3

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. – Psalm 143:10

Today’s Reading: Daniel 3-4, Psalm 137

The number of captives taken to Babylon in the 17th year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign was 3,023. Then in Nebuchadnezzar’s 18th year he took 832 more. In Nebuchadnezzar’s 23rd year he sent Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, who took 745 more – a total of 4,600 captives in all. – Jeremiah 52:28-30

Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem.
We put away our harps, hanging them on branches of poplar trees.
For our captors demanded a song from us.
Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn: “Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!”
But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a pagan land?
If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget how to play the harp..
May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you,
if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy. – Psalm 137

Let’s go back to where we left off in the book of Daniel, now in the context of the people of Israel and Judah being carried off into exile. Let’s look again at the bold courage of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. When faced with the possibility of being thrown into the fire if they did not bow and worship Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue, these young Hebrews said with confidence, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve IS ABLE to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN’T, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will NEVER serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18).

Life will be much easier for this control freak if I can just learn how to say – “But even if He doesn’t…” (Daniel 3:18). Daily I have to let go of the reins and trust that God reigns. I must let go of my need to manipulate and control a situation and let Him be Lord, saying – I know that the God I serve is able to save and rescue me by His power BUT, EVEN IF HE DOESN’T, I will never serve anyone but Him. I will trust Him.

King Nebuchadnezzar had a similar lesson to learn, again through the interpretation of a dream: A large tree was growing very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for the whole world to see. It had fresh green leaves, was loaded with fruit, and offered shade to wild animals and a home for the birds nestled in its branches. This tree was large enough to feed all people.

But then a holy messenger came down from heaven shouting, “Cut down the tree and lop off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Chase the wild animals from its shade and the birds from its branches. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground…For seven periods of time, let him have the mind of a wild animal instead of the mind of a human. For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses – even to the lowliest of people.” – Daniel 4:14-17

Daniel was frightened by the meaning of the dream, knowing it would be King Nebuchadnezzar who would be cut down and made to live like a wild animal for a time – until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses (Daniel 4:25). Daniel interpreted the dream and advised the king to stop sinning and do what is right – to break from his wicked past and be merciful to the poor.

Now let’s not forget the context here. Daniel is a refugee. He has been taken from his home into captivity and then, again, taken away from his family to be assigned to the royal service of King Nebuchadnezzar, a very selfish and evil man. Interpreting this dream took courage and the kind of faith that says – I believe my God will rescue me, but EVEN IF HE DOESN’T…

The dream got the king’s attention but his attitude remained the same and is revealed in this statement he made while looking out across the city: “Look at this great city of Babylon! By MY OWN mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.”

While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.” – Daniel 4:30-32

Now the king reigning over God’s people, who were experiencing their sentence of 70 years of exile, was experiencing his own exile of 7 years. When his sanity returned and he was given back the throne, his attitude had changed. “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.” – Daniel 4:37. He had learned the hard way that God was in control and he was not, a lesson I have had to daily learn from my Savior and Lord.

Lord, I have no idea what you have ahead, but it is the desire of my heart to give you the reins. I want nothing more than for you to be in charge. No matter what I face, I want to say with confidence that YOU ARE ABLE. Lord, give me the strength in every situation to say “But even if He doesn’t…” I long to trust you THAT much! Reveal any pride in my life and replace it with humility. Help me to let go of the reins of my life, of my family, of my friends, of my job…and trust YOU – the God who reigns!

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were right to trust God. In anger, King Nebuchadnezzar did throw them into the furnace, which he had heated seven times hotter than usual – that’s how angry he was! But as the king looked into the fire, he saw four men walking around – unbound and unharmed! He called for the young Hebrews to come out of the fire and that is exactly what they did. The fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke! (Daniel 3:27b)

That is what our God is capable of. He can rescue us and chances are He will rescue us. “But even if He doesn’t…” are you willing to serve Him? Are you willing to trust Him even if there is a furnace ahead for you? Even if you don’t know how things will turn out in the end, are you willing to say with confidence that you will never serve anyone else but Him? Will you let go of the reins and trust in the God who reigns?

I heard a new song on the radio this week that brought these scriptures to mind – “Even If” by MercyMe. I pray the words of the song minister to your heart and speak into your situation today.
They say it only takes a little faith / To move a mountain / Well good thing / A little faith is all I have, right now / But God, when you choose / To leave mountains unmovable / Oh give me the strength to be able to sing / It is well with my soul
I know You’re able and I know You can / Save through the fire with Your mighty hand / But even if You don’t / My hope is You alone / I know the sorrow, I know the hurt / Would all go away if You’d just say the word / But even if You don’t / My hope is You alone / It is well with my soul / It is well, it is well with my soul

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 37-48, Psalm 16

The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley with bones. He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. – Ezekiel 37:1-2

Can you picture this – a valley covered in old dry bones? The first thing that comes to my mind is a scene from the animated movie “The Lion King”, where the young Simba and Nala run through what they call “the elephant graveyard” – a valley full of bones. What the Israelites probably pictured was the prophecy of Jeremiah just a few years before this:

“So beware,” says the Lord, “when that garbage dump will no longer be called Topheth or the valley of Ben-Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. They will bury the bodies in Topheth until there is no more room for them. The bodies of my people will be food for the vultures and wild animals, and no one will be left to scare them away. I will put an end to the happy singing and laughter in the streets of Jerusalem. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard in the towns of Judah. The land will lie in complete desolation.”

“In that day,” says the Lord, “the enemy will break open the graves of the kings and officials of Judah, and the graves of the priests, prophets, and common people of Jerusalem. They will spread out their bones on the ground before the sun, moon and stars – the gods my people have loved, served and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered up again or buried but will be scattered on the ground like manure…” – Jeremiah 7:32-8:2

What a horrifying picture. God was using this imagery to represent the people of Israel. By now Jerusalem had been destroyed and all of God’s people had been scattered. The Jews feared they would never be a nation again – that the people of Israel would slowly fade away and die.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones – all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to RISE AGAIN. Then I will BRING YOU BACK to the land of Israel. When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and RETURN HOME to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’” – Ezek. 37:11-14

As angry as God was with the unfaithfulness of His prodigal children, He still heard their cries and wanted to give them HOPE. He spoke to his people through the prophet Ezekiel concerning the dry bones: “Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life.” – Ezek. 37:4-7

As Ezekiel watched, that is exactly what happened to the valley of dry bones – They all came to life and stood up on their feet – a great army (37:10b). Praise God! The people already knew with confidence that God COULD extend grace to them, forgive them and breathe life back into their nation. The question was whether or not He WOULD. They needed to hear that He was not completely abandoning them in their sin but that there was indeed hope for their future (Jer. 29:11).

And that is the God we serve! There are times when God allows us to experience the full consequences of our sins. We reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-8). But the God we serve is also a loving God who does not give up on us – HE BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO US through the blood of Jesus. There are also times in our lives when God allows us to suffer from illnesses, disease or tragedies. We know we serve a God who CAN heal and make everything better, but we find ourselves watching and waiting to see if He WILL.

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil – the commander of the powers of the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is SO rich in mercy, and he loved us SO much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) – Ephesians 2:1-5

Let’s praise God along with the psalmist David and make this our prayer today:
No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety.
For you will NOT leave my soul among the dead
Or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
You will show me the joy of your presence and
The pleasures of living with you forever. – Psalm 16:9-11

I am so thankful for a Father who never gives up on His prodigal children. I praise Him for being a God of grace and love who shows us the joy of His presence and leads us back into the fold. I leave you with a song that has really been speaking to my heart lately. The song is “Come Alive (Dry Bones)” by Lauren Daigle and Michael Farren [Centric Worship]. Rest in the message of God’s love in these lyrics:

Oh God of endless mercy / God of unrelenting love / Rescue every daughter / Bring us back the wayward son / By your spirit breathe upon them / And show that you alone can save / You alone can save

As we call out to dry bones / Come alive, come alive /And we call out to dead hearts / Come alive, come alive / Come up out of the ashes / Let us see an army rise / We call out to dry bones come alive

So breathe, oh breath of God / Now breathe, oh breath of God / Breathe, oh breath of God / Now breathe…[Lauren Daigle & Michael Farren, “Come Alive (Dry Bones)”, Centric Worship, 2015]

Today’s Reading: Obadiah, Psalm 137

Just as the prophets foretold, God’s people were captured by Babylon and taken into captivity. Jerusalem was destroyed. God’s promise to His people was to bring them back home after seventy years of captivity. During this same time of God bringing forth judgment on the Israelites, he was also speaking judgment against the enemy nations that surrounded them. One of those enemies was their “brother” nation.

Think back to the story of Abraham and Sarah. God told them they would have many descendants and blessed them with a son in their old age, Isaac. Isaac married Rebekah and she gave birth to twins – Esau and Jacob. These brothers started their struggle against each other in their mother’s womb and continued this adversarial relationship into adulthood. They left behind descendants who carried on the family feud.

God’s people who had just been taken into captivity in Babylon were descendants of Abraham’s grandson, Jacob. The descendants of Jacob’s twin brother, Esau, were the people of Edom. The prophet Obadiah spoke strongly against the reaction of the Edomites to the defeat of Israel, replaying the animosity that Esau felt towards Jacob. As the people of Israel were being attacked and carried into exile, Esau’s descendants were celebrating – they were gloating and even going as far as to assist the Babylonians, instead of stepping in and helping the Israelites.

O Lord, remember what the Edomites did on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem. “Destroy it!” they yelled. “Level it to the ground!” – Psalm 137:7

God addressed this infidelity head on through the prophet Obadiah:

The Lord says to Edom, “I will cut you down to size among the nations; you will be greatly despised. You have been DECEIVED BY YOUR OWN PRIDE because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. ‘Who can ever reach us up here?’ you ask boastfully. But even if you soar as high as eagles and build your nest among the stars, I WILL BRING YOU CRASHING DOWN,” says the Lord. – Obadiah 1:2-4

“Because of the violence you did to your close relatives in Israel, you will be filled with shame and destroyed forever. When they were invaded, YOU STOOD ALOOF, refusing to help them. Foreign invaders carried off their wealth and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem, but you acted like one of Israel’s enemies. You should not have gloated…You should not have rejoiced…You should not have spoken arrogantly in that terrible time of trouble…As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you.” – Obadiah 1:10-12,15

God, help us! How often have we been found standing aloof while those around us are struggling? How often have we refused to help those around us who are suffering the consequences of their own actions? We stand back and say, “It serves them right” or “I’m not surprised” or “They are getting what they deserve…” Just as God expected the descendants of Esau to step in and help their neighboring brother nation, He communicated strong expectations in both the Old and New Testaments for how we are to help those around us.

“If you see your neighbor’s ox or sheep or goat wandering away, don’t ignore your responsibility. Take it back to its owner. If its owner does not live nearby or you don’t know who the owner is, take it to your place and keep it until the owner comes looking for it. Then you must return it. Do the same if you find your neighbor’s donkey, clothing, or anything else your neighbor loses. Don’t ignore your responsibility. If you see that your neighbor’s donkey or ox has collapsed on the road, DO NOT LOOK THE OTHER WAY. Go and help your neighbor get back on its feet!” – Deut. 22:1-4

“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me your clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” – Matthew 25:41-46

Obadiah spoke of this same kind of fire while prophesying of the Edomites future. He challenged them to look past where they were and see what God had ahead for them:

The people of Israel will be a raging fire, and Edom a field of dry stubble.
The descendants of Joseph will be a flame roaring across the field, devouring everything.
There will be no survivors in Edom. I, the Lord, have spoken! – Obadiah 1:18

God obviously takes our responsibility to those around us VERY seriously – to the point of punishment here on earth and eternally. For this reason, we also should take it seriously. So how can we apply this? God has blessed us with so much and there are so many around us who have so little.

Dear Lord, show us today to whom you would have us reach out. Forgive us for our complacency and our gloating. Destroy our pride and replace it with compassion for others. Convict us when we look away and give us YOUR eyes to see the world around us. Amen.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. – Romans 12:9-10 NLT

Jesus replied, “’You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Matthew 22:37-39

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 34-36, Psalm 23

“You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people and I am your God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken.” – Ezekiel 34:31

I find great comfort in the imagery that God is my shepherd, caring for me and watching over me each day. God uses the comparison of the sheep and their shepherd over and over again in the Bible and Jesus used the same description more than once. Of course, we could be a little insulted by being called sheep because of their lack of intelligence, yet we find ourselves agreeing with the fact that alone we are lost and unprotected and most definitely in need of a shepherd.

In Ezekiel, the Lord expressed anger with the leaders of Israel who were supposed to be “shepherding” the flock. “You abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve” (Ez.34:8).

Jesus expressed this same frustration with the leaders of Israel during His time on earth: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep” (John 10:11-15).

This is what the Good Shepherd has to say about how He will care for his sheep after their time of exile in Babylon: “I myself will search and find my sheep. I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live. Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills. I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak” (Ez.34:11-16).

Oh, how our Heavenly Father loves all of His sheep! He takes care of His flock, individually caring for each and every lamb. He doesn’t give up on the lost but actively draws them to Himself and heals them from their time away from the flock. This is what Jesus had to say about our Good Shepherd:

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way, your Father in heaven in not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” – Matt. 18:12-14

What?!! He cares more about the one who has wandered off into sin than for the one who has remained with the flock. We should be hurt by that, shouldn’t we? Oh, the sin of self-righteousness that trips us up over and over again. The prophet Isaiah clears this one right up for us: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

Let’s join the psalmist David in this prayer, recognizing that God is OUR Shepherd:
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name sake.
Even though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
For you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. – Psalm 23

We have so many reasons to praise and worship our Heavenly Father today. Let us enter into His presence with thankful hearts for our Good Shepherd, recognizing that we were once lost and now we are found!