Tag Archives: Daniel

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Motivated for Commitment

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Daniel 1:1-20

Although Daniel was living as a captive in Babylon, he resolved in his heart not to violate God’s laws. He never wavered from his commitment. What motivated this young man to live out such a pledge?

Devotion to God. Daniel’s deep love for the Lord made him determined not to defile himself with the king’s food and wine. Dedication to God means choosing to be set apart to love, worship, and obey only Him. It amounts to declaring, “Lord, every part of me is Yours. I want what You want.” When we keep Jesus Christ as the focus, our hearts will overflow with thanksgiving, and we will be motivated to stand firm.

Clear direction. If Daniel refused outright to eat the king’s food, he would likely have lost his life. So he and his friends turned to God for direction. The Lord gave them the wisdom they needed to develop an alternate plan—and then also provided them with the courage to ask permission to follow His way. Notice there were no loud demands, no arguments, and no rebellious spirit. Their behavior was marked by trust in God and dependence on Him. Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will give us guidance and understanding (John 16:13). When we listen closely to His direction, we will be motivated to act.

Through daily prayer and meditation upon God’s Word, we can keep our eyes centered on Christ, our ears attuned to His voice, and our hearts motivated to obey. We’ll be able to make the same wholehearted commitment Daniel did. So ask yourself, How eager am I to do God’s will?

Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 46-48

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – A Commitment to Obey

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Daniel 1:9-21

Years ago I made a commitment to obey the Lord regardless of the cost. Like everyone else, I have made mistakes, but my determination to follow Christ has remained unchanged. When difficulties occur, such a pledge helps a person to stand firm.

We’ll all encounter times when there’s a direct conflict between God’s way and what is being asked of us. Perhaps the boss tells us to misrepresent the company’s product to customers. Or a friend may be pressuring us to join her in some risky behavior. Or family members may urge us to lie on their behalf. Saying no could bring loss, rejection, or even the end of a relationship. On the other hand, saying yes could compromise our testimony or break God’s commands.

Daniel faced such a dilemma. He and his three friends had a clear choice—to eat food prohibited by Scripture, or to refuse and incur the king’s wrath, imprisonment, or even death. Daniel showed great courage when he proposed a different eating plan (Dan. 1:12). His words and actions demonstrated his allegiance to the Lord.

Daniel and his friends were rewarded by God for their faith and commitment (v. 17). Despite their adverse circumstances, all four men confidently trusted in the Lord’s sovereign care for them.

Daniel’s choice resulted in royal favor. Jesus’ obedience led to the cross and glorification. Paul’s trust in Christ resulted in hardship. When we obey, the consequences may vary, but two things are always the same: Obedience glorifies our Father and pleases Him. What could be better than that?

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Confessing Your Sins

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“I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed” (Dan. 9:4).

Confession brings forgiveness and guards God’s character.

Confessing your sins means you agree with God that you have offended His holy character, are worthy of punishment, and in need of forgiveness. That’s exactly what we see Daniel doing in verses 5-16. Verse 20 summarizes his prayer: “I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God.”

Unlike some who suffer God’s chastening, Daniel didn’t shift the blame for Israel’s calamity. Instead he admitted that his people had willfully disobeyed God’s Word and ignored His prophets, thereby bringing judgment upon themselves. Once they were a nation blessed by God; now they were aliens and captives in a foreign land. God had kept His promise to curse them if they disobeyed Him (Deut. 28:15).

In verses 12-15 Daniel analyzes the consequences of Israel’s sin, which included her captivity and the guilt she bore for her arrogance and reluctance to repent.

Verse 14 reflects perhaps the most important aspect of confession: Daniel’s affirmation that “the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done.” The Gentile nations knew that the Israelites were God’s chosen people. Surely the fall of Jerusalem raised questions about God’s character: What kind of God would stand idly by while His people are ravaged and His Temple plundered? What is the benefit of having a God like that? This, in effect, is Daniel’s response: “God is righteous in everything He does. We deserve this punishment, so don’t accuse Him of acting unjustly.”

Confession therefore serves a dual purpose: it brings forgiveness and frees God to chasten us without bringing accusations of inequity or injustice upon Himself.

Daniel’s prayer came at a special time in Israel’s history, but undoubtedly confession was a regular part of his life. That should be your pattern as well. Don’t wait until disaster strikes before you confess your sin. Make it a daily practice.

Suggestions for Prayer; If you have not developed a systematic approach to prayer, the “ACTS” format is a good way to start.

  • Adoration—praising God
  • Confession—confessing sin
  • Thanksgiving—thanking God
  • Supplication—praying for others

For Further Study; Read about David’s sin in 2 Samuel 11:1—12:25 and his confession in Psalm 51. What are the similarities and differences between David’s confession and Daniel’s?

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Dare to be a Daniel

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Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. —Daniel 1:8

We serve a living God. And if we serve a living God, then it means we will take Him everywhere we go. It will affect everything we do. It will affect our relationships. It will affect our ethics. It will affect our work. It will affect our play. It will affect the way we think. It will affect the way we live. It will affect the way we vote. It will affect everything we do. Because if Jesus is not Lord of all, then He is not Lord at all.

The Bible tells us about a man who had this kind of faith in God in the midst of tremendous peer pressure. His name was Daniel, and the Bible also gives us an indication as to how he did it: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself . . .” (Daniel 1:8, emphasis added). The word to underline in your Bible is purposed. He purposed in his heart.

That is what we need a lot more of today. How we need men and women of conviction. We need men and women of purpose, people who will say, “This is right. I don’t care if it is popular. I have to do what is right.”

Be a man, be a woman, of purpose. Be a man, be a woman, of conviction. As Philip P. Bliss wrote in his classic hymn, “Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known.” Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. What have you purposed in your heart today?

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – Prayer Window

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Daniel was a godly man surrounded by unbelievers in a foreign nation. Although he knew about the law against praying to anyone except the king, Daniel never hid his regular prayer routine from his enemies in government. In fact, he interceded three times daily with his windows opened toward Jerusalem. However, Daniel’s prayers were not motivated by rebellion toward the king, but solely out of a desire to obey the greater command of God. While Daniel limited his food intake, he indulged in prayer because he hungered for a deeper relationship with his Lord.

He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God.

Daniel 6:10

Acts 5:29 says, “We must obey God rather than men.” Though it often seems like the nation is continually turning against God, He is still in control. Despite the changing circumstances around you, prayerfully live out your convictions each day and trust the Lord for the results. Keep your prayer window open to Him at all times.

Pray also for courage for your local and national leaders who proclaim a relationship with Jesus Christ. Intercede for them to stay strong in their convictions despite any temptations they may encounter.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 34:1-10

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Peace Among Lions

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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 6:21–22

Daniel was in the lions’ den, but the lions left him alone. It wasn’t because these were godly lions. They were very normal lions. Even hungry lions. But none of them wanted to mess with the Lord’s angel. And Daniel probably got a solid seven hours that night.

Real peace is being able to lay your head down on your pillow at night, at peace with God, committing your life and every detail of it to the Lord. It is no longer being plagued with guilt, saying the words, “Lord, I trust You” as you drift off to sleep.

David, who had good reason for a lot of sleepless nights in his life, wrote, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8, NASB). I think Daniel could do that through most of his long life.

Do you find yourself in a “lion’s den” today? As with Daniel, you may have some enemies out there plotting your destruction. And you certainly have an adversary who “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8, NIV). You feel like the heat is on, and you wonder if you can hold on to your sanity—and your faith—in this time of pain and perplexity.

Daniel refused to be distracted from the purpose in his heart. He maintained his priorities and kept his cool in the face of opposition and intimidating circumstances. So did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego when ordered to betray the Lord or die. And so did Job when Satan stole everything from him but that which he cherished most—his relationship with the living God.

These real people from the pages of Scripture teach us to keep our eyes of faith locked on our faithful God, no matter what. Keep on praying . . . keep on living a godly life . . . keep on claiming the promises of God’s Word . . . keep on trusting the Lord to come through for you and to continue working for your best and His glory.

Today’s devotional is an excerpt from Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie, 2013

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Two Thrones

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Ravi ZIn the beneficial book How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart note that “every individual Old Testament narrative is at least a part of the greater narrative of Israel’s history in the world, which in turn is a part of the ultimate narrative of God’s creation and his redemption of it.”(1)

The story told in Daniel 6 is one such narrative. Daniel sets a definite rhythm to the story, carefully dancing between the stories written on the hearts of his listeners and his own story, presenting a reality for all to see and hear.

In the beginning we find a peaceful kingdom and a king in control. Daniel, we are told, a Hebrew foreigner and a slave in exile, is found by King Darius to be distinguished above all other men, set apart from the others. With these words, Daniel meaningfully hints of another story—a story his listeners knew well. Choosing Israel, God set his people apart from all the nations, claiming them as his own. Daniel tells the story written on every heart of every person listening. And it is a story that speaks volumes to a people in exile, removed from all of it: “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation… And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people”(2)

Yet quickly the story moves from the picturesque image of a king very much in control, to a telling picture of human frailty. Daniel is trapped by manipulative lawmakers and sentenced to be thrown into the lions’ den, while King Darius finds himself bound by his own law, ineffective in his own kingdom, and powerless to save his distinguished Daniel.

It is in the midst of this self-realization that the king speaks directly to Daniel for the first time in the story. Quite significantly, Darius’ words are not about himself or Daniel or his accusers, but Daniel’s God. “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” proclaims the king. The storyteller is careful to make a point of this indeed, for however dimly, Darius of the nations has exercised faith in the God of Israel. Guilt-ridden and unable to sleep, Darius is well aware that his sense of sovereignty as king was little more than the sovereignty one has over the hunger of a lion. Daniel is in hands beyond his dominion. With incredible transparency, King Darius sees for the first time his desperate need for a King greater than himself. Here, it is the events taking place in the heart of Darius that above all show the greatest hint and the greatest hope in the entire narrative. As the prophet Isaiah has written, “Thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, but also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite’” (Isaiah 57:15). One is left to wonder whether it is king Darius who is most in need of the Spirit’s reviving or Daniel who is left for the night in a den of lions.

At first light, Darius runs quickly to the lions’ den. Finding Daniel alive, the king proclaims a hymn of wonder at the God who rules in high and holy places, in dark dens and in restless hearts.

As the narrative comes to an end, we find the king of the nations, bowing in reverence before the God of Daniel. For those listening, it is simultaneously a proclamation of the history of Israel touched again by the hand of God. Far-reaching implications exist for all. For King Darius it is first and foremost the realization that God is, that God not only exists but is the King most high, and that Daniel is distinguished above others because his God is distinguished above all. For those in exile it is the real hope that God is never far off, but intimately ruling the kingdom, faithfully reigning in heaven and earth, though appearances might suggest otherwise. And for those of us listening hundreds of years later, it is the stirring sounds of God alive and actively at work in creation, stretching holy hands to reach the most unlikely of places and the lowest of hearts with the resounding promise which Christ makes our own, “I will be your God and you shall be my people.”

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981), 80.

(2) Exodus 19:6, Leviticus 26:12.

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Confessing Your Sins

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John MacArthur

“I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed” (Dan. 9:4).

Confessing your sins means you agree with God that you have offended His holy character, are worthy of punishment, and in need of forgiveness. That’s exactly what we see Daniel doing in verses 5-16. Verse 20 summarizes his prayer: “I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God.”

Unlike some who suffer God’s chastening, Daniel didn’t shift the blame for Israel’s calamity. Instead he admitted that his people had willfully disobeyed God’s Word and ignored His prophets, thereby bringing judgment upon themselves. Once they were a nation blessed by God; now they were aliens and captives in a foreign land. God had kept His promise to curse them if they disobeyed Him (Deut. 28:15).

In verses 12-15 Daniel analyzes the consequences of Israel’s sin, which included her captivity and the guilt she bore for her arrogance and reluctance to repent.

Verse 14 reflects perhaps the most important aspect of confession: Daniel’s affirmation that “the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done.” The Gentile nations knew that the Israelites were God’s chosen people. Surely the fall of Jerusalem raised questions about God’s character: What kind of God would stand idly by while His people are ravaged and His Temple plundered? What is the benefit of having a God like that? This, in effect, is Daniel’s response: “God is righteous in everything He does. We deserve this punishment, so don’t accuse Him of acting unjustly.”

Confession therefore serves a dual purpose: it brings forgiveness and frees God to chasten us without bringing accusations of inequity or injustice upon Himself.

Daniel’s prayer came at a special time in Israel’s history, but undoubtedly confession was a regular part of his life. That should be your pattern as well. Don’t wait until disaster strikes before you confess your sin. Make it a daily practice.

Suggestions for Prayer:

If you have not developed a systematic approach to prayer, the “ACTS” format is a good way to start.

Adoration–praising God

Confession–confessing sin

Thanksgiving–thanking God

Supplication–praying for others

For Further Study:

Read about David’s sin in 2 Samuel 11:1þ12:25 and his confession in Psalm 51. What are the similarities and differences between David’s confession and Daniel’s?

 

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; H.L.M. – Open Windows

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Daniel was a Jewish prophet who was taken to Babylon and trained for the king’s service. He was known for his courage, integrity, humility and spiritual vision. Most of all, Daniel was known for his unceasing prayerfulness. Although he knew there was a law prohibiting prayer to anyone except the king, Daniel chose to serve the King of Kings! In fact, Daniel always prayed with his windows opened toward Jerusalem.

He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God.

Daniel 6:10

Of course, he prayed not out of rebellion toward the king…but out of his love for God. Even Daniel’s enemies knew he would obey God rather than bow to the king’s edict.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” You obviously cannot spend all your time praying. Yet it is possible to have a continuous, prayerful attitude. So always keep your spiritual windows open towards Heaven. Practice frequent and regular communication with your Creator. Remember also to thank Him for the privilege of praying for your nation’s leaders out of godly love for them.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 92:1-9  Click to Read or Listen

 

 

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; J.R. – Dream Team

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If you are really anxious to waste your hard-earned money, you might try hiring a “dream interpretation” service. For a fee, you reveal the details of your dream to a so-called expert, who collects a handsome fee and then tells you what the dream means. While the dream interpretation business has certainly picked up with the advent of the Internet, it’s hardly new. King Nebuchadnezzar had his own personal dream team. Eventually, though, he realized he was being scammed, so he changed the rules. The king demanded they not only interpret the dream, but also tell him what the dream was about. This, of course, they could not do.

To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might.

Daniel 2:23

But Daniel could. God revealed the king’s dreams to Daniel, along with the interpretation, and it happened in such a way so as to glorify God, not anyone else. And Daniel not only recognized that the “wisdom and might” he received was from the Lord, he also made sure others knew their source, too.

As you pray for America’s leaders today, ask God to remind them that true knowledge and power comes only from Him…and remember to direct your own thanks and praise to Whom it is due!

Recommended Reading: Psalm 146:1-10

Max Lucado

Max Lucado – Defiant Joy

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Max Lucado

My friend Rob cried freely telling his story about his young son’s challenging life.

Daniel was born with a double cleft palate, dramatically disfiguring his face.  He had surgery, but the evidence remains, so people constantly notice and occasionally make remarks.

Daniel, however, is unfazed! He just tells people God made him this way so, what’s the big deal?  He was named student of the week, so was asked to bring something to show his classmates for show and tell. Daniel told his mom he wanted to take the pictures that showed his face prior to the surgery. His mom was concerned. “Won’t that make you feel a bit funny?” she asked. But Daniel insisted, “Oh, no, I want everyone to see what God did for me!”

Try Daniel’s defiant joy and see what happens. God has handed you a cup of blessings. Sweeten it with a heaping spoonful of gratitude!

From You’ll Get Through This

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Weight of a Life

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Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. —1 Corinthians 3:12–13

If Billy Graham ever had anything close to a personal intercessor, it would have been Pearl Goode. She lived in Pasadena, California, and for many years, she prayed in secret for Billy Graham and his crusades. When the Graham team was finally made aware of this, they started bringing her with them to the crusades so that she could pray on site. She lived to the age of 90, and at her funeral, Ruth Graham said, “Here lie the mortal remains of much of the secret of Bill’s ministry.” While Billy Graham was doing his part, Pearl Goode was doing hers. While he was preaching, she was praying.

When awards are given out in heaven for faithfulness, we might expect them to go to the spiritual heavyweights. Names like Corrie ten Boom, Jim Elliot, and Billy Graham might come to mind. Maybe we would be surprised at the prospect of a woman named Pearl Goode sweeping the awards. After all, she wasn’t a bestselling author. She didn’t have a hit song on Christian radio.

This is what we need to remember: it isn’t about how famous we are; it is about being faithful with what God has called us to do.

Daniel said to the wicked King Belshazzar, “You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting” (Daniel 5:27). A loose paraphrase would be: “Belshazzar, you’re a lightweight. You’re a spiritual bantam weight.”

On God’s scales, you don’t want to be a lightweight. On God’s scales, you want to be a heavyweight. You want to have substance and meaning in your life.

It isn’t about what God has called another Christian to do; it is all about what God has set before you to do. Have you been faithful? If you have, then you will be rewarded on that final day.