Voice of Truth
"Oh,what I would do to have
the kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown
Where Jesus is,
And he's holding out his hand
But the waves are calling out my name
and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win,
you'll never win."
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
Oh, what I would do
to have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound
of a thousand warriors
shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out
my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
time and time again
"Boy you'll never win,
you'll never win."
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
But the stone was just the right size
to put the giant on the ground
and the waves they don't seem so high
from on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
singing over me
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says "do not be afraid"
And the voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
I will listen and believe
I will listen and believe the voice of truth
I will listen and believe
'Cause Jesus you are the voice of truth
And I will listen to you.. oh you are"
Casting Crowns
God doesn't give us faith that is strong and big right off the bat. He gives us small things along the way to increase our faith, so when it is time to "get out of the boat" or to "face the giant" we are ready to trust Him, not because we are so strong, but that He has proved Himself faithful to us so many times before.
Until that time comes, we must tell ourselves that we are going to listen to His Word and look back on all He has done previously, even if we are in over our heads, He is not. He has been faithful, He will be faithful and He will always be the Faithful One. We must choose to listen and believe Him.
God grow our faith. Build on it stone upon stone. Give us fortresses of Your faithfulness we can look to when we are struggling to trust. Give us faith to trust in Your goodness and care. Thank You for growing it to where it is right now and for finishing what You have started. We can't have faith unless You give it, so please continue to give it.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
From Him, Through Him, To Him- GLORY
Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?"
35 "Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?"
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
I was just listening to Scott and Jody Frankfurt's song and had to go to this passage.
I often have questioned God's ways and His decisions. How can I question what He is doing, His motives, His decisions or His judgments? He knows all and does what is best for me. I need to trust Him. His ways are His ways, not our ways. He doesn't need to run anything by us before He acts. His ways are unsearchable. Glory be to Him.
None have known His mind and none has ever given Him counsel. He asks no one for advice, and this is in keeping with the fact that it would be idolatry for Him to ask another their opinion. We are not over God.
Who has ever given to God? The best we have to give back to God is what He has most recently given us, and yet I often withhold it. He doesn't necessarily want to take it from us, He just wants us to be willing to give it up, if that is what He requires. He gets to choose.
When our hearts and minds are in sync with His, when we are seeking to please Him in all that we do, this is when His glory if most displayed. He will get glory in whatever happens, it might as well be in us exclaiming to the world His greatness, rather than Him glorifying Himself by crushing us.
Lord give us right perspectives. Make us to see that You are all in all. Let us see Your glory in ways we have not seen before, that in "the seeing" our glorifying of You would increase.
Thanks Scott for sharing your sweet Jody with us, for your sweetness and for your love of our great God.
34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?"
35 "Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?"
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
I was just listening to Scott and Jody Frankfurt's song and had to go to this passage.
I often have questioned God's ways and His decisions. How can I question what He is doing, His motives, His decisions or His judgments? He knows all and does what is best for me. I need to trust Him. His ways are His ways, not our ways. He doesn't need to run anything by us before He acts. His ways are unsearchable. Glory be to Him.
None have known His mind and none has ever given Him counsel. He asks no one for advice, and this is in keeping with the fact that it would be idolatry for Him to ask another their opinion. We are not over God.
Who has ever given to God? The best we have to give back to God is what He has most recently given us, and yet I often withhold it. He doesn't necessarily want to take it from us, He just wants us to be willing to give it up, if that is what He requires. He gets to choose.
When our hearts and minds are in sync with His, when we are seeking to please Him in all that we do, this is when His glory if most displayed. He will get glory in whatever happens, it might as well be in us exclaiming to the world His greatness, rather than Him glorifying Himself by crushing us.
Lord give us right perspectives. Make us to see that You are all in all. Let us see Your glory in ways we have not seen before, that in "the seeing" our glorifying of You would increase.
Thanks Scott for sharing your sweet Jody with us, for your sweetness and for your love of our great God.
Shattered and Scattered Dreams
Even Then
Nichole Nordeman
"It's a fear that keeps me wide awake
In the middle of the night
When the expectations are too great
And the bar gets raised too high
So I do the best with what I've got
And hope that no one knows
That I strain to see how high I can
Try to stand on these toes
Until I'm measured, but You know better
(Chorus)
So, thank-You, Jesus
Even when You see us just as we are
Fragile and frail and so far
From who we want to be
So, thank-You, Jesus
Even when the pieces are broken and small
Dreams shatter and scatter like the wind
Thank-You, even then
So I put aside the masquerade
And admit that I am not okay
Which may not be the thing to say
But I'm not ashamed to need You more each day
(Chorus)
We raise the standard and try to reach You
But we'll never make it, and we don't need to"
I have always been one to raise the standard, for myself and for those around me. I believe in certain areas this is what God requires, that we do all things as unto Him, but often I have raised the standard as unto myself, not for His glory.
I had a talk with a friend of mine the other day and this is part of the idea. It has not been until I have been willing to be "okay" with having MY dreams shattered and scattered that I have been more than okay with God doing what He desires with my present and future. Since I am not in control anyway, it makes sense to let Him be in control.
Let me encourage you to seek the Lord in all you are working toward and then let Him have the glory when He brings success or when He lets you see your totally inability to succeed even in the smallest of things.
The freedom comes when I have finally given EVERYTHING to Him and have started to truly believe that He will bring glory unto Himself in whatever my circumstance currently is. He is our sufficiency, our best good, our prize, our sweetest lover, our greatest joy. When we strive to please Him, He will give us joy beyond comprehension. He will fulfill our "list" because He will be our "list".
Oh Lord may we find our selves in all that You are. May You be our only desire, our only standard and our only Hope. Bring us to Yourself. Don't let us have satisfaction in anything or anyone else but You. When we have sought You with our whole heart, please let us find You, and find You in everything we see. May You be the honey that brings us back each minute. Give us such joy and passion for Your Word that we can't wait to listen to You speak to us. Change us, as we can't have this love and desire on our own. Break down all the barriers that keep us from You and keep us right here until we are filled to overflowing with all that You are. You can do this for us, so please do.
Nichole Nordeman
"It's a fear that keeps me wide awake
In the middle of the night
When the expectations are too great
And the bar gets raised too high
So I do the best with what I've got
And hope that no one knows
That I strain to see how high I can
Try to stand on these toes
Until I'm measured, but You know better
(Chorus)
So, thank-You, Jesus
Even when You see us just as we are
Fragile and frail and so far
From who we want to be
So, thank-You, Jesus
Even when the pieces are broken and small
Dreams shatter and scatter like the wind
Thank-You, even then
So I put aside the masquerade
And admit that I am not okay
Which may not be the thing to say
But I'm not ashamed to need You more each day
(Chorus)
We raise the standard and try to reach You
But we'll never make it, and we don't need to"
I have always been one to raise the standard, for myself and for those around me. I believe in certain areas this is what God requires, that we do all things as unto Him, but often I have raised the standard as unto myself, not for His glory.
I had a talk with a friend of mine the other day and this is part of the idea. It has not been until I have been willing to be "okay" with having MY dreams shattered and scattered that I have been more than okay with God doing what He desires with my present and future. Since I am not in control anyway, it makes sense to let Him be in control.
Let me encourage you to seek the Lord in all you are working toward and then let Him have the glory when He brings success or when He lets you see your totally inability to succeed even in the smallest of things.
The freedom comes when I have finally given EVERYTHING to Him and have started to truly believe that He will bring glory unto Himself in whatever my circumstance currently is. He is our sufficiency, our best good, our prize, our sweetest lover, our greatest joy. When we strive to please Him, He will give us joy beyond comprehension. He will fulfill our "list" because He will be our "list".
Oh Lord may we find our selves in all that You are. May You be our only desire, our only standard and our only Hope. Bring us to Yourself. Don't let us have satisfaction in anything or anyone else but You. When we have sought You with our whole heart, please let us find You, and find You in everything we see. May You be the honey that brings us back each minute. Give us such joy and passion for Your Word that we can't wait to listen to You speak to us. Change us, as we can't have this love and desire on our own. Break down all the barriers that keep us from You and keep us right here until we are filled to overflowing with all that You are. You can do this for us, so please do.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Soul Temperature
Ps. 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Heb. 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
It seems like there is 2 sides to our walk with Christ. One side is our responsibility, as we are to test our faith, work out our own salvation with fear and trembling and pay close attention to what we are teaching. Those passages point to the human responsibility. We are to run and set aside and to look.
But there is another side to our sanctification. Today is the first time I have actually thought about Heb 12:2 in this light. I have talked about Jesus being the only way we are able have a desire for spiritual things, but here it is in plain text. Jesus is the One who authors our faith and He is also the One who will perfect, or complete our faith. He is our perfect example of how to get through this life and have faith that will last.
With eyes looking to the Father for direction, even though He was God incarnate, He prayed w/o ceasing for direction from the Father, even though He knew the hearts of men. With a word He raised mountains and those same chords calmed the sea. By His voice forests are leveled and by that same voice the dead are called forth from the grave, blind can see, lame are made to leap and the sick are made whole. He wasn't distracted from His mission here on earth. He laid aside every possible encumbrance that He might be free to minister to His children.
The cross was the instrument of death that paid our ransom. He knew the cost before He came to earth. He knew the humiliation that He would have to suffer at the hands of His created ones. He knew the pain of the cross and yet He was still willing to come to earth. In meekness He bore all this for my sin. He chose to die to win me. He chose to take on the task of changing me into the image of Himself knowing full well that I would fight against it. Knowing that I would love my sin and choose lesser joys for so long.
Praise God for His unspeakable Gift. Praise Jesus that He was willing to suffer and die for my sake. Thank you for being willing to take on this dilapidated project to make it into something You will call beautiful. How can it be?
One last thing, but a key thing. I was talking to our youth pastor at dinner the other night and we were talking about this question. I want to ask all you who are reading this to answer it for yourselves. Don't answer it for me. This is serious and is between you and God. "What is the spiritual temperature of your soul?" Are you hot for God, lukewarm in your affections, or cold to the Truth? This is one of the most important questions you can ask yourself. Don't blow it off. When you have answered then ask you spouse and your kids. Oh that we would be boiling hot with love for our Savior.
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Heb. 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
It seems like there is 2 sides to our walk with Christ. One side is our responsibility, as we are to test our faith, work out our own salvation with fear and trembling and pay close attention to what we are teaching. Those passages point to the human responsibility. We are to run and set aside and to look.
But there is another side to our sanctification. Today is the first time I have actually thought about Heb 12:2 in this light. I have talked about Jesus being the only way we are able have a desire for spiritual things, but here it is in plain text. Jesus is the One who authors our faith and He is also the One who will perfect, or complete our faith. He is our perfect example of how to get through this life and have faith that will last.
With eyes looking to the Father for direction, even though He was God incarnate, He prayed w/o ceasing for direction from the Father, even though He knew the hearts of men. With a word He raised mountains and those same chords calmed the sea. By His voice forests are leveled and by that same voice the dead are called forth from the grave, blind can see, lame are made to leap and the sick are made whole. He wasn't distracted from His mission here on earth. He laid aside every possible encumbrance that He might be free to minister to His children.
The cross was the instrument of death that paid our ransom. He knew the cost before He came to earth. He knew the humiliation that He would have to suffer at the hands of His created ones. He knew the pain of the cross and yet He was still willing to come to earth. In meekness He bore all this for my sin. He chose to die to win me. He chose to take on the task of changing me into the image of Himself knowing full well that I would fight against it. Knowing that I would love my sin and choose lesser joys for so long.
Praise God for His unspeakable Gift. Praise Jesus that He was willing to suffer and die for my sake. Thank you for being willing to take on this dilapidated project to make it into something You will call beautiful. How can it be?
One last thing, but a key thing. I was talking to our youth pastor at dinner the other night and we were talking about this question. I want to ask all you who are reading this to answer it for yourselves. Don't answer it for me. This is serious and is between you and God. "What is the spiritual temperature of your soul?" Are you hot for God, lukewarm in your affections, or cold to the Truth? This is one of the most important questions you can ask yourself. Don't blow it off. When you have answered then ask you spouse and your kids. Oh that we would be boiling hot with love for our Savior.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Young Men and Purity
Ps. 119: 9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
I am finding this longest of chapters to be a gigantic quarry of precious truths. Each verse is a veritable treasure of its own.
The first thing I notice here, and it is not printed but is suggested, is that David is humble enough to ask the question. If a young man desires to be pure and is seeking to ask God to direct him in the ways of purity, that is a good first step. If we think that we can be pure on our own, or that maybe we are already pure enough, we are going the wrong direction to be pure.
As young men, as stated in Titus, we are not sensible in and of ourselves. God is the one who gives the desire for purity and He is the one who does the work of purification. Which is kind of interesting, when you think about it. Only He can give the desire and only He can do the work, yet we are to strive after it. We are to keep trying to be pure, to keep asking God to make us pure, to keep being disciplined in our daily quiet time and God will bless us by giving us the desire for more purity and then also by giving us more purity.
What kind of "way" are we to walk in? A pure way. But the pure way is the narrow way, and the narrow path through this crazy world is hard to find, and we certainly will not just happen upon it. Spurgeon says that without a good map we will be certainly lost, and even with a good map we may be lost, but when the Word is our map and God is our pilot we will never be lost. But we have to keep the "map" in front of us, we have to study the "map" and then we have to go to our "pilot" and pay attention to the directions He is giving. When we try to do this on our own, we will surely be lost.
As young men we are to guard our way. Fight to keep our way pure. We know the sin that so easily besets us, and we are to use all the weapons of The Word to fight against that sin. The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it? We must ask God to show us our heart for what is truly in it. We must ask others what they see in our hearts. We must go to the Word so that the Holy Spirit will show us our hearts. Then and only then can we start to get a glimpse of what our "way" looks like and what measures we will need to take to keep it pure.
God has given us weapons like; a conscience, fellow Christians and prayer to aid in keeping our way pure, but the best weapon is the Word. The Word empowers all the rest the weapons. It is the fuel that makes them go. We need to be in God's Word to keep ourselves pure and God's Word needs to be in us to keep us pure.
The young man is prone to wander, prone to lust and prone to insensibility. His Word can make us pure if we follow it, read it, love it and apply it to our lives.
Some practical questions and steps to take in guarding young man's hearts.
Encourage them to be in God's Word early and often. This will potentially give them more of a desire for it later.
Ask them questions about how they are doing with lust.
Look at the web pages they are going to.
Check their PDAs and hand held game devices for porn sites. If it has a connection to the internet, they can get porn on it.
If they are having trouble falling to temptation, have them report their web connections to your computer.
Don't let them watch programs on TV, or go to movies, that are going to tempt them.
When we see the uselessness and deceitfulness of sin, it is easier to resist the temptation because we can then see it for what it is, but that doesn't happen overnight and generally doesn't happen at a young age. Pray for the young men around you that God would make clear to them the futility of lust and in turn show Himself glorious and best. He can do this, but we must ask Him to move in our hearts.
By guarding it according to your word.
I am finding this longest of chapters to be a gigantic quarry of precious truths. Each verse is a veritable treasure of its own.
The first thing I notice here, and it is not printed but is suggested, is that David is humble enough to ask the question. If a young man desires to be pure and is seeking to ask God to direct him in the ways of purity, that is a good first step. If we think that we can be pure on our own, or that maybe we are already pure enough, we are going the wrong direction to be pure.
As young men, as stated in Titus, we are not sensible in and of ourselves. God is the one who gives the desire for purity and He is the one who does the work of purification. Which is kind of interesting, when you think about it. Only He can give the desire and only He can do the work, yet we are to strive after it. We are to keep trying to be pure, to keep asking God to make us pure, to keep being disciplined in our daily quiet time and God will bless us by giving us the desire for more purity and then also by giving us more purity.
What kind of "way" are we to walk in? A pure way. But the pure way is the narrow way, and the narrow path through this crazy world is hard to find, and we certainly will not just happen upon it. Spurgeon says that without a good map we will be certainly lost, and even with a good map we may be lost, but when the Word is our map and God is our pilot we will never be lost. But we have to keep the "map" in front of us, we have to study the "map" and then we have to go to our "pilot" and pay attention to the directions He is giving. When we try to do this on our own, we will surely be lost.
As young men we are to guard our way. Fight to keep our way pure. We know the sin that so easily besets us, and we are to use all the weapons of The Word to fight against that sin. The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it? We must ask God to show us our heart for what is truly in it. We must ask others what they see in our hearts. We must go to the Word so that the Holy Spirit will show us our hearts. Then and only then can we start to get a glimpse of what our "way" looks like and what measures we will need to take to keep it pure.
God has given us weapons like; a conscience, fellow Christians and prayer to aid in keeping our way pure, but the best weapon is the Word. The Word empowers all the rest the weapons. It is the fuel that makes them go. We need to be in God's Word to keep ourselves pure and God's Word needs to be in us to keep us pure.
The young man is prone to wander, prone to lust and prone to insensibility. His Word can make us pure if we follow it, read it, love it and apply it to our lives.
Some practical questions and steps to take in guarding young man's hearts.
Encourage them to be in God's Word early and often. This will potentially give them more of a desire for it later.
Ask them questions about how they are doing with lust.
Look at the web pages they are going to.
Check their PDAs and hand held game devices for porn sites. If it has a connection to the internet, they can get porn on it.
If they are having trouble falling to temptation, have them report their web connections to your computer.
Don't let them watch programs on TV, or go to movies, that are going to tempt them.
When we see the uselessness and deceitfulness of sin, it is easier to resist the temptation because we can then see it for what it is, but that doesn't happen overnight and generally doesn't happen at a young age. Pray for the young men around you that God would make clear to them the futility of lust and in turn show Himself glorious and best. He can do this, but we must ask Him to move in our hearts.
Healing and Refreshment
Prov. 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.
These verses are often given as life verses it seems, especially in student ministries. Personally I have not trusted God with all my heart and have, in turn, leaned heavily on my own understanding. The weight of trying to make my own decisions when I have no idea what will come tomorrow is immense. There is so much freedom in leaving our cares and concerns with the Father and just striving to do what He instructs us to do. I have no understanding of my own, but often I have wanted to make decisions w/o seeking His leading. He has been gracious to allow some measure of success despite my arrogance.
Acknowledging His direction and gifts in our lives is not easy to do when we think we are responsible for our success. When I have finally understood that I have no merit of my own to take credit for, it has been much easier to be thankful and acknowledge His working and blessing in my life. He is worthy of my praise.
When I have been wise in my own eyes my pride is there for all the world to see. What foolish pride; thinking I am bringing anything of worth to the table. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of true wisdom, and until I see my lack and His abundance I will not turn from evil. He has to do the work in me for me even to have a desire to want to follow Him.
Healing and refreshment comes when we follow Him and give Him glory for the work He is doing in our lives.
Don't allow Satan to rule your life. He is trying to sell you the things of this world as a replacement for the things of God. He is trying to get you to trade the greatest Prize for the junk of this world. Keep your eyes from turning to the right or the left. Look only to Christ. Stay focused on Him and don't even make a little provision for the flesh. Then you will have peace.
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.
These verses are often given as life verses it seems, especially in student ministries. Personally I have not trusted God with all my heart and have, in turn, leaned heavily on my own understanding. The weight of trying to make my own decisions when I have no idea what will come tomorrow is immense. There is so much freedom in leaving our cares and concerns with the Father and just striving to do what He instructs us to do. I have no understanding of my own, but often I have wanted to make decisions w/o seeking His leading. He has been gracious to allow some measure of success despite my arrogance.
Acknowledging His direction and gifts in our lives is not easy to do when we think we are responsible for our success. When I have finally understood that I have no merit of my own to take credit for, it has been much easier to be thankful and acknowledge His working and blessing in my life. He is worthy of my praise.
When I have been wise in my own eyes my pride is there for all the world to see. What foolish pride; thinking I am bringing anything of worth to the table. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of true wisdom, and until I see my lack and His abundance I will not turn from evil. He has to do the work in me for me even to have a desire to want to follow Him.
Healing and refreshment comes when we follow Him and give Him glory for the work He is doing in our lives.
Don't allow Satan to rule your life. He is trying to sell you the things of this world as a replacement for the things of God. He is trying to get you to trade the greatest Prize for the junk of this world. Keep your eyes from turning to the right or the left. Look only to Christ. Stay focused on Him and don't even make a little provision for the flesh. Then you will have peace.
Servant of the Living God
Dan.616 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions' den The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you."
17 A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel.
18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions' den.
20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?"
21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, "O king, live forever!
22 "My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime."
23 Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: "May your peace abound!
26 "I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel;
For He is the living God and enduring forever,
And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be forever.
27 "He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."
28 So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
God can be glorified in us when we follow His Word. I love that Daniel wasn't afraid of what men would do to him, he had his heart set to Zion, he followed his spiritual discipline and trusted that God would deliver him.
It is also exciting to see the impact that we can have on the world by being the people that God wants us to be. Darius couldn't even sleep when Daniel went into the lion's den. Darius has such respect, and maybe even love, for Daniel that he fasted for him. This is the king; kings don't generally fast for anyone, but rather feast unto themselves. Daniel made a huge impact on the world around him, by living according to God's commandments.
What joyous celebration comes the next morning when the king rises at day break and goes, in haste, to find Daniel. Notice that Darius doesn't wait for someone to tell him that Daniel has been delivered, he is confident in Daniel's God. Darius' faith in God is a little shaky, but he hasn't read this story yet. I am encouraged and rebuked when he says, "the God whom you CONSTANTLY serve". To be known as a child of The King who serves Him constantly, is my aim, but I certainly haven't come close to achieving that yet. Daniel seems pretty matter of fact in his answer. "God shut the mouth of the lions because He found me innocent". Would God have found me innocent?
Darius not only has the evil leaders killed, but their wives and children. The spiritual health of our families depend much on our own personal walk. God honors Daniel and judges the proud. God's name was exalted by the faithfulness of one of His servants. May that be us. The world needs us to be walking with Our Great God.
17 A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel.
18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions' den.
20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?"
21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, "O king, live forever!
22 "My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime."
23 Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: "May your peace abound!
26 "I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel;
For He is the living God and enduring forever,
And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be forever.
27 "He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."
28 So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
God can be glorified in us when we follow His Word. I love that Daniel wasn't afraid of what men would do to him, he had his heart set to Zion, he followed his spiritual discipline and trusted that God would deliver him.
It is also exciting to see the impact that we can have on the world by being the people that God wants us to be. Darius couldn't even sleep when Daniel went into the lion's den. Darius has such respect, and maybe even love, for Daniel that he fasted for him. This is the king; kings don't generally fast for anyone, but rather feast unto themselves. Daniel made a huge impact on the world around him, by living according to God's commandments.
What joyous celebration comes the next morning when the king rises at day break and goes, in haste, to find Daniel. Notice that Darius doesn't wait for someone to tell him that Daniel has been delivered, he is confident in Daniel's God. Darius' faith in God is a little shaky, but he hasn't read this story yet. I am encouraged and rebuked when he says, "the God whom you CONSTANTLY serve". To be known as a child of The King who serves Him constantly, is my aim, but I certainly haven't come close to achieving that yet. Daniel seems pretty matter of fact in his answer. "God shut the mouth of the lions because He found me innocent". Would God have found me innocent?
Darius not only has the evil leaders killed, but their wives and children. The spiritual health of our families depend much on our own personal walk. God honors Daniel and judges the proud. God's name was exalted by the faithfulness of one of His servants. May that be us. The world needs us to be walking with Our Great God.
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