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The Undisputed Champion

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 7:9-18 (14)

I realize that some people love to read the end-time visions of Daniel and others, like John from the book of Revelation, but my mind struggles to comprehend them. So, when I read today’s opening paragraph in the Love God Greatly Journal entry, I was honestly relieved to read that: “We will go faster through the rest of the book of Daniel, which now shifts to recording the apocalyptic visions Daniel received from God.” I was further relieved to read these encouraging words, “don’t worry if you don’t completely understand some of the visions. Daniel didn’t either!”

The visions emphasize the main themes of the book, which are:

  • God has all authority and power.
  • He is working out His purposes through the seasons of history – and
  • He will humble the arrogant.

I will say that “soaping,1 the passage did help me, though I depended heavily on the bibleref.com commentary and some ‘Scripture squirrels’ I chased along the way.

The vision opens with our Creator God, or as Daniel sees Him in this vision, the Ancient of Days, taking His seat on His majestic throne and being ministered to by an overwhelming number of spiritual beings. We read of four different beasts; one is killed, its body destroyed, and thrown into the fire; the other three are allowed to go on living for a period of time, but they no longer have any authority. As Daniel kept watching the vision unfold, he was allowed to see “one like the Son of Man2,” to whom the Ancient of Days gave “ruling authority and supreme power over “ALL.” As He has been worthily called by many- Jesus, (the “Son of Man),” was revealed as the undisputed champion. Not only does He have all power and authority, but His Kingdom will never end.

I am not sure if Daniel could have fully understood or appreciated the magnitude of what he was being shown. Nor do I believe we can fully grasp just how encouraging the reality of this vision is for us. The simple albeit profound truth is – the vision is further confirmation that JESUS IS COMING AGAIN – and of His Kingdom, there will be NO END!

Daniel didn’t have the full canon of Scripture as we do, so you can imagine how he must have felt. In his own words, he was “distressed and alarmed,3” undoubtedly desperate to understand the meaning of the vision. So, he records, “I asked one who was standing beside the throne what it all meant.” “The divine interpreter gives Daniel good news to go with the prior bad news. These earthly human kingdoms will not last forever. Yet true believers in God will be given an eternal kingdom.4“

“These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth. 18 But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.”

Daniel 7:17-18. NLT

Friends, I want to share one more quote from the LGG Journal, as an encouragement to all believers – “We live in the time between Jesus’ first and second coming. During this time, the devil has already been defeated. Yet, God has allowed him to remain for a season until his ultimate demise at the end of time. While the devil has power, it is limited. Jesus gives us the power to resist the devil. We know that ultimately good will triumph.

Prayer Response to the Journey /borrowed from the LGG Journal, p151

Lord God, You are the Alpha and Omega. I long for Jesus’ return when there will be no more sin or death, and Your kingdom comes in all its glory. Lord, I pray for the church, Your people across the world. Strengthen us. Help us to resist the devil and encourage us to live faithfully. Amen

The More We Know

For more insight, visit the LGG BLOG POST

Note: This vision of Daniel’s was one from the first year of Belshazzar’s reign

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More Powerful than Lions

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based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w4d5

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 6:19-28 (26-27)

“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.

For he is the living God,
    and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
    and his rule will never end.
27 He rescues and saves his people;
    he performs miraculous signs and wonders
    in the heavens and on earth.
He has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

Daniel 6:26-27
Observations and Applications

Rescued by God

Yesterday’s journey left us hanging as Daniel was thrown into the Lion’s den. We pick up today with the king getting up early and hurrying out to the lions’ den.  When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”What a beautiful picture we are given of the King’s concern for Daniel’s fate with the Lions and the hope that he placed in the power of Daniel’s God, which is evident in the king’s question. However, I’m sure the king’s call to Daniel paled in comparison to Daniel’s reply to the king: “My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not harmed me –

The king was so relieved and happy that he decreed throughout his kingdom that everyone should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. The words the king used to describe God were evidence of the impact Daniel and his God had made on the King. Read them again. Do they ring true in your heart? Is this how you see your God? If asked, would people you spend time with or neighbors in your community know you as a follower of Jesus, or would they be surprised to hear that you are a Christian?

For he is the living God and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end.
 He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders
   in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

Daniel 6:26-27

Friends, God’s faithfulness isn’t in question – but ours is. In all the heartaches, struggles, and mountaintops of this life, our faith is to be on display. Paul said that we are to live as representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ in whatever we say or do.1 We are His witnesses not only in what we do and say but, as today’s journal entry points out: “in what we don’t do or say. -Our lives can point people to the living God or just blend in with the world around us.”2

Friends, God’s faithfulness isn’t in question – but ours is. In all the heartaches, struggles, and mountaintops of this life, our faith is to be on display. 🦋

Daniel’s faith wasn’t made strong overnight. It grew firm layer upon layer from incidents demanding he trust God. I’m sure we haven’t been told about every difficult situation he faced, the trials he endured, or the heartaches he experienced, but we know from what has been revealed that with each situation, he turned to his God and encouraged others to do the same. I can’t help but think of the words of James, who encouraged believers to consider their troubles as opportunities for great joy. He reminded them that when their faith was tested, their endurance would have a chance to grow, and when their endurance was fully developed, they would be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:2-4) Our faith is built up, strengthened – layer upon layer of life – growing firmer and firmer in Christ, the object of our faith … so that when we stand at the entrance of a Lion’s Den or fiery furnace, we do not cave to the world – but instead we can answer – yes, my God is able.

Prayer Response to the Journey

God in heaven, You who rescued Daniel from the power of the lions have rescued those who believe in Your Son from the power of the grave and the cunning ways of the enemy. You have used the cancer of my daughter, the crippled feet of my younger daughter, a life-threatening tubal pregnancy, the hurts of friendships, a husband walking away, the loss of my brothers and father, and the dementia of my mother – and so many other troubles and sorrows – to grow my faith stronger day by day, every pit you’ve pulled me from, every valley you’ve walked through with me, and every hill You’ve strengthened me to climb. Through it all, I continue to learn that there’s always going to be an uphill battle, but of this, I am sure – You will always be there to see me through, and I will be stronger on the other side of the ‘battle.’ – Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow – and for this I give will continually give You all of my praise, glory, and honor! – Amen

The More We Know About the Journey

For more insight, visit Love God Greatly

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Depending on God’s Power

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based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w4d4

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 6:10-18 (16)

So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you. Daniel 6:16. NLT

Observations and Applications

Have you ever doubted the importance of your testimony as a believer? If so, this passage certainly validates the value of living out our faith in this faithless land. Perhaps Darius, a pagan king, had heard about the fiery furnace ordeal and what had happened to Belshazzar; Scripture doesn’t say he did, but what it does say is that because he had witnessed Daniel’s consistent living and active faith, when he realized that he could not rescue Daniel himself, he indicated that, at least in this, he would have to depend on the power of Daniel’s God.

No one should doubt the impact a believer’s consistent testimony can have on an unbeliever, even one hardened against faith (James 5:10; 1 Peter 3:16).

Bibleref.com

Oh, how I love Darius’ words of encouragement to Daniel and the hint of his belief, at least in the power of Daniel’s God. I also took great delight in knowing that the king wasn’t upset when Daniel continued to pray despite the edict but that the edict put Daniel in danger. – Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.” 14 Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament. (Daniel 6:13-14)

Prayer of Response to the Journey

Father, Thank You for the reminder that Your people’s testimonies are tools in Your hands. They can impact a pagan king, encourage a struggling believer, and change neighborhoods and families. We may never know how our faith affects others, but we do know that we are meant to be salt and light in this dark and faithless land. So help us to be careful how we live, to remember that the world is watching, to remember that we were created for Your glory, and to live as such – not shrinking back but confidently and boldly pressing on to the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. – In His name, I pray and trust – Amen💜

The More We Know About the Journey

More about the Lion’s Den: This form of execution probably used a closed cave or manmade enclosure holding lions captured for this very purpose. The structure might have had multiple doors, including one on the top so that victims could be literally “thrown” in without the lions escaping or attacking the executioners (Daniel 6:17, 24). – Bibleref.com

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Confidence in Lions

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Living by Faith in a Faithless Land / w4d3

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 6:1-10 (10)

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. Daniel 6:1-10

Babylon has fallen, just as Daniel saw in the visions and the handwriting seen in the earlier part of our journey. The once great and beautiful city of Babylon, as Nebuchadnezzar had called it, was no longer. As we read in today’s passage, it was now known as the Kingdom of Medo-Persia and was ruled by a man named Darius.

It is essential to understand that under Darius’ rule, he appointed many leaders to be in charge of the kingdom and three supervisors over them, not surprisingly, “one of whom was Daniel.” Yes, our Daniel, who would have been close to ninety years old at the time. From our first encounter with Daniel, as a young exile from Jerusalem, Scripture has borne witness to his faithful and outstanding service first to his God and then to those he served under in Babylon. He was not only a man of integrity but also of skill, power, and position that clearly exceeded that of others. If this wasn’t enough, we must never forget that Daniel’s greatest asset was the unusual aptitude God had given him for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom and the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.

“Because of these valuable attributes, Darius took notice of Daniel. He could trust Daniel to manage kingdom business with integrity and efficiency. As such, the king planned to make Daniel the most powerful of his advisors and governors. These plans set the stage for the hateful plans made by other politicians.

bibleref.com

I heard a statement years ago from the show West Wing that stuck with me: “If people are after you, you must be doing something right.” Well, Daniel was certainly doing something right—living the way of His God from the time we read of him being exiled. He had chosen to live faithfully in a faithless land, trusting God, praying through the difficult dangers, and refusing to bow or cave to the ways of the culture he now lived in.

It’s not the first time the king’s people have sought his demise or the demise of his friends. Daniel’s testimony was so strong that the other advisors and governors who served with Daniel could find no way to bring him down short of threatening his relationship with God. Oblivious to their plot, Darius agreed to have anyone who prayed to any other besides him would be thrown into the lion’s den.1 Daniel’s enemies had laid all the proper groundwork and covered all the bases, and were certain that their plan of the lion’s den would lead to Daniel’s demise – BUT – they didn’t account for the power of Daniel’s God.

Daniel’s faithfulness to duty, even in his old age, sets an example for believers today. A believer should never retire at any age from serving the Lord. He should always “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). – Bibleref.com

Regardless of the plot and the real and present danger of the lion’s den, Daniel remained faithful and did not deter from his daily habit of prayer. He did not try to hide it but 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. Please note this was not an act of defiance; it was his daily habit to meet with his God, and he wasn’t willing to give it up, even under the threat of a lion’s den.

Prayer of Response to the Journey

God in heaven, greater than any hungry lion, fiery furnace, or threatening people – I praise You for the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus. Greater is Your Spirit in me than all the powers and forces of his world. Help me to live like Daniel, who knew You could shut the lion’s mouth but also knew that You might not – yet he would not turn from his daily habit of kneeling down to You, the God of Jacob. He trusted in You and Your promises and remained a man of integrity and visible faith. Help this to be true of me – even in this world filled with so much wrong – help me to do what is good and right in Your eyes – so that others will see and know that Your Spirit is in me. – Amen and Amen!

The More We Know About the Journey

For more insight about today’s passage, read today’s Love God Greatly blog post.

For Further Reading: Matthew 10:28-31; Titus 2:6-8

  1. A lesson to be learned from Darius unknowingly jeopardizing Daniel: Pay attention to what others are asking you to do. Don’t just agree to something without thinking it through. ↩︎

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God’s Way Versus Our Way …

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based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w4d2

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 5:17-30 (23b)

For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! – Daniel 5:22-23

Observations and Applications

Every day, we make choices. I’m not talking about what’s for dinner choices, though I guess that could be a critical decision for some, but I’m referring more to this would be right vs this would be wrong decision. Decisions like, should we do this, go there, say that, watch this, hang out with them … or not? We have a 2-year-old in the family now, the ripe age of testing boundaries, which means we are often teaching him right and wrong and encouraging him to obey. Recently, at preschool, he did something that he had been told not to do. When his teacher told him he shouldn’t have done it – he replied, “I know.” So she asked him why he did it, and he answered, “I just wanted to.” It was tempting to snicker at this, but its cuteness fades when we remember the reality of today’s story about Belshazzar’s costly decision to live like he wanted rather than how he knew he should.

In our previous day’s journey, the king of Babylon’s party was suddenly interrupted by the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace. Daniel is summoned to tell the king what it means and does so, neither sugar-coating nor cajoling the king. He boldly relates what the message said, what the king could expect, and why. Yet, before the meaning was given- Daniel, in what I would call righteous indignation, courageously scolded the king with what some have described as a “scathing indictment”. He gives him a history lesson of sorts, telling him nothing new, for as a descendant of Nebuchadnezzar, the king would have already known these things. Instead, Daniel said it all as a reminder that Belshazzar should have known better and chosen the way of Nebuchadnezzar. Instead, he had used the things of God for idolatrous purposes and would now, along with all of Babylon, pay for the drunken, blasphemous actions.

Babylon had conquered Jerusalem and taken Daniel and others captive, but God moved Belshazzar to honor one of those captives, and very soon He would use the Persians to conquer Babylon. God works in wondrous ways to accomplish His will.

Bibleref.com

Important and helpful commentary for understanding/appreciating this part of our journey through Daniel –

 After reminding the king about the experience of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:28–33; 5:18–21), Daniel now addresses the event which God’s supernatural sign interrupted (Daniel 5:1–5).

Belshazzar’s inebriated, blasphemous actions are described as direct rebellion against “the Lord of heaven.” Though he knew about Nebuchadnezzar’s encounter with the God of Israel, Belshazzar still chose to use Jewish holy objects (Daniel 5:1–2) as toys for drinking, and tools for idolatry. Failure to learn from Nebuchadnezzar’s example was one thing, but to actively desecrate the name of Israel’s God and use His objects (Exodus 30:22–29) to worship idols was even worse.

A deep contrast can be seen in the reaction of New Testament converts in Thessalonica. When they heard the gospel, they “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). Belshazzar’s refusal to see what God made clear (Romans 1:18–20; John 5:39–40) displayed his arrogance. Only when that brutally direct rebuke has been made does Daniel explain why it inspired God to send a sign, and what that sign means (Daniel 5:24–28).

Scripture does not record how Belshazzar took this news. It simply notes that the king made good on his promise. Daniel is immediately dressed in finery and proclaimed the “third ruler.” Scholars believe this is because Belshazzar was acting as a regent—second-in-command—while his father, Nabonidus, the “first ruler” and true king, was away. It is remarkable that a pagan Gentile ruler would elevate Daniel, a Hebrew and captive exile (Daniel 1:3–7), to such a prominent position. However, God was working in the situation to make this happen. It’s possible the king was trying to appeal to Daniel for forgiveness. He may have thought he could appease the Lord…but it was too late. As the next verse notes, Belshazzar met his death that very night (Daniel 5:30).

Babylon had conquered Jerusalem and taken Daniel and others captive, but God moved Belshazzar to honor one of those captives, and very soon He would use the Persians to conquer Babylon. God works in wondrous ways to accomplish His will.

Prayer of Response to our Journey

Father, we have Your word and the history of others before us who, like Daniel and the Apostle Paul, have faithfully followed after You despite the challenges and dangers. Likewise, we have those who have gone before us or are around us today who have chosen the way of the world and their own desires- Please help us to learn from the message Daniel gave to Belshazzar, who, through the life of Nebuchadnezzar, knew that he should humble himself before God but instead chose to exalt himself against the Lord of heaven. Help us to remember that the choices we make always affect others and to make them in light of Your Word and Will rather than our desires or feelings at the moment. Help us to stay sober and alert, as our enemy, the devil, is always on the prowl looking for someone to devour. Thank You for the reminder that You are sovereign, ruling from Heaven, working in wondrous ways to accomplish Your will. – In the name of Jesus – Amen!

Reflection for the Journey

So, what’s your criteria when making decisions? Is it based on what feels/looks/seems good to you, or is it based on what you know is right/wrong in God’s eyes?

The More We Know About the Journey

For further reading: Luke 12:15-21

Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

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Even When I’m Old

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based on the LGG Journal, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w4d1

Scripture: The Road Map for Our Journey/Daniel 5:1-17; Isa 46:1-5 (4); Jude 1:24-25

Even when you are old, I will take care of you,
even when you have gray hair, I will carry you.
I made you and I will support you;
I will carry you and rescue you.

Isaiah 46:4. NLT

Some commentaries differ on whether Daniel was 70 or 80 when he was called before King Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar. Regardless of his age, we again witness Daniel’s bold and faith-filled courage as he stands before the King of Babylon. I don’t know about you, but this gives me hope that despite the situations and demands of this faithless land, God will grace me with the strength to remain faithful for as long as I live.

Did you read today’s passage from Daniel 5:1-17? Did you read the part where Belshazzar called for the gold and silver cups that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem? Did it appall you that he did this so that he and the others partying with him could drink from them? Vessels once used in the Temple of our God were now being used by a pagan king, his nobles, wives, and concubines! I found myself heartbroken by this but somewhat delighted as I kept reading to find out that God interrupted the party with some handwriting on the wall. I also took great delight in the reaction of the king. Scripture says that his “face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear, and his legs gave way beneath him.”

they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, – The king himself saw the hand as it wrote, 

Daniel 5:5

This time, Daniel is not commanded to interpret a dream but rather the handwriting on a wall. Still as confident as he was as a young man before Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel agrees to do as Belshazzar has asked but tells the king that he does not want the gifts that had been offered for his success. Remember, while it may impress us that Daniel was not looking to profit from the gift God had given him, we must remember that the king, his officials, and anyone watching would have most likely considered this a great offense. Oh, that we might live so boldly today.

Prayer of Response to the Journey

Teach us Your ways, Lord, and help us to walk in them faithfully and to share them with others, regardless of our age. Help us talk about you when we rise up, when we lie down, and when we go throughout our day. Thank You for Your promise never to leave us or forsake us, to help us, regardless of our age or place in life, to carry out Your call on our lives, and to stay faithful in this faithless land. Thank You for making this possible through Christ in us. – Amen

24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. 25 All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

Jude 1:24-25. NLT
The More We Know about the Journey

Did you notice how much Belshazzar resembles the young and very proud Nebuchadnezzar? Were you surprised that Belshazzar did not seem to know about Daniel or his gift of interpretation? – May these be lessons for us as parents or grandparents to share with the younger generation what God has done or is doing in our lives. May we introduce them to our God and teach them to follow Him faithfully so that they might not disregard the things of God but love and serve Him faithfully.

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The King of Heaven

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based on the LGG Study, Living Fatihful in a Faithless Land / w3d5

Scripture: The Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 4:28-37 (37); Philippians 2:5-11

“May all your dreams come true” would not have been a phrase King Nebuchadnezzar would have wanted to hear. Scripture doesn’t make it clear whether he was living in fear of the dream coming true or had dismissed it from his mind, given nothing had happened in the twelve months since Daniel’s interpretation. So, it is very possible that the king could have forgotten or assumed he was safe. However, while he was looking over his beloved Babylon, his pride, clearly in full bloom as he proclaimed the greatness of himself and what he had built – the dream began to unfold just as Daniel had foretold.

Pride goes before destruction,
    and haughtiness before a fall.

PRoverbs 16:18

While the king was still speaking these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence by my own mighty strength and for my majestic honor?”, he lost everything – his kingdom, his place in society, and his mental faculties. As Daniel predicted, the once mighty and reversed Nebuchadnezzar now lived as a wild animal—that is, until the day he looked up toward heaven and praised and glorified God, exalting God as both greater than himself and ruler over all.

His pride brought him down, but oh, the beauty of his humility and the restoration we hear and see – which, to paraphrase the Bibleref.com commentary, was the purpose of the Lord’s judgment on his life. The judgment brought hard lessons that ultimately taught the king that the one true God is “infinitely more exalted and powerful than him or any ruler-.” His pride was wiped out, and in its place, there was “an awe of the LORD.”

Prayer of Response to the Journey

Father, I have experienced the destruction of pride in my own life – sadly, more than once. It is not an easy thing to admit, but it is a joyful thing to know Your loving discipline and the beauty and strength of Your grace-filled restoration. Without You I am weak and utterly helpless, but through You = I can do all things. To You alone belong all glory and power and honor. Your Kingdom alone will last forever! Wherever You lead me and whatever You call me to do – may I do it al to and for Your glory – Amen!

The More We know about the journey

For more insight, be sure to read today’s LGG Blog

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Creator, Ruler of All

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based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w3d4

Scripture, The Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 4:18-27 (26); Luke 18:9-14

They said to leave the taproot of the tree, for your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven rules. Daniel 4:26

Can you imagine being in Daniel’s position and having to explain to the king that not only was he going to be insane for a period of time—living like a wild animal—but he also had to convey to the king that he was merely a man? Nebuchadnezzar must understand that God, or as Daniel phrases it, “Heaven” rules.

Daniel makes it clear to the king that his kingdom will be restored only when Nebuchadnezzar truly understands that the God of Heaven rules over all powers and dominions.

True power is not found in Babylon, but in Heaven. The supreme Lord is not Nebuchaadnezzar, but the Lord God.

bibleref.com/Daniel 4:26

I love the commentary found in the journal for today’s portion of our journey –

“We can easily read this and think that God is being cruel, but He is not. Instead, He is more like a loving father who is warning his child, “unless your attitude changes, I am going to have to take away the thing you love for a while until you understand.” King Nebuchadnezzar would be humbled. It would take him the full seven years to realize that it is actually God who rules and who has given him wealth and power.” – LGG Journal / Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, p109

Of course, we are not kings or rulers, but we must still live with the understanding that God in Heaven rules.

Prayer of Response for the Jurney / borrowed from p109 of the Journal

Heavenly Father, Creator of the universe and ruler of all. You give, and you take away. All of my days are in your hands. Lord, I thank you for the many blessings and gifts you have given me. I confess there are times when I am foolishly proud when I should be humble and acknowledge Your provision. Transform my proud ways that I may bring glory to You. Amen.

The More We Know About the Journey

Friends, I hope you will check out one of my favorite books, HEAVEN RULES. Two words are sometimes all it takes to upset and overwhelm us.  Words like: treatment options, work layoffs, election season, pandemic spikes, family trouble, car repairs. They take up so little room, just two little words, and yet they can fill the whole day, the whole house, our whole lives with anxiety and fear.

Heaven Rules is the two-word answer for every two-word worry. The promise we need for every wave of trouble, every assault on our peace of mind. Heaven’s rule is God’s rule: His rule over nations and nature. His rule over renegade viruses, cancer, and concerns about your marriage, your kids, your job, and everything else. The Bible says God is personally, purposefully involved in all that’s taking place here on earth. He’s reigning over each tear and scar and crisis and conflict. Heaven is ruling, always ruling. That doesn’t mean we won’t experience distress, but it does mean we can find a refuge by looking upward and letting His peace rule in our hearts.

Using the timeless book and example of Daniel as a guide, author Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth reveals how seeing our lives and world through the lens of Heaven’s rule can shield us from panic and give us renewed hope and perspective. 

Job worries. Deadline pressures. Deep regrets. Culture wars. There will always be alarms screeching. But two simple words can quiet them, calm our fears, comfort our hearts, and give us courage to press on: Heaven Rules!  I encourage you to check it out HERE

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Posted in Bible study

Stop and Let Me Tell You –

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based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w3d3

Scripture, Today’s Roadmap for Our Journey: Daniel 4:1-18 (2-3); 1 Peter 3:5-17

 I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.

3 “How great are his signs!

How mighty are his wonders!
His kingdom will last forever,
and his authority continues from one generation to the next.” Daniel 4:2-3 NET

Observations and Applications

The same king who had made a gold statue and commanded that his people bow down and worship it or face death – now makes a declaration to “all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land”- about the signs and wonders that the most high God had done for him. What a change of attitude from ‘all about me’ to the joy of telling his people how great the most high God is, saying: “How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, and his authority continues from one generation to the next.” – Surely, these words speak to the change of heart the king has had concerning “Daniel’s God.”

Keeping it in Perspective

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes find myself “judging a book by its cover” or, in this situation, assessing someone by the words they speak. I believe it’s a common tendency of human nature—however, it is or can be risky. For instance, if we knew nothing else about the king and judged him by his words of praise, sharing what God had done for him, telling of His great signs and wonders, boasting not of his own authority and kingdom but of God’s forever Kingdom and authority – we may assume that Nebuchadnezzar had turned from his gods and placed his faith in the one true living God. This belief may lead us to fall back in our efforts to live out our faith as boldly in his presence. There are two dangers/lessons here that come to mind, one being we should never fall back on living out our faith boldly in anyone’s presence, and two, we may drop our guard and find ourselves erroneously following the king more readily, thinking him to be following God.

While we cannot say for a fact that he had not done this, by words he speaks later, there is reason to believe otherwise. There is certainly evidence of a heart change; as we see in verse nineteen of today’s passage, King Nebuchadnezzar, in reference to Daniel interpreting his dream, proclaims that Daniel “has a spirit of the holy gods in him.” These words reveal that the king does not view God as the one and only Creator God but as one of many “holy gods.”

Bibleref.com notes in verse three how “Nebuchadnezzar reveres the true God, whom he calls “Most High.” The commentary goes on to say, “It’s likely that, in Nebuchadnezzar’s beliefs, the Lord of Israel was the most prominent or powerful of a pantheon of lesser deities. He is probably not speaking of God as the one and only God and Creator. Yet the king recognizes the power and influence of the Lord worshipped by men such as Daniel (Daniel 2:47; 3:28).”

Nonetheless, the king said he was delighted to tell what God, “the most high God,” had done for him. Or as the writer of today’s journal entry wrote: “He couldn’t help but break into praise. This king, whom we had previously seen as being arrogant and proud, was describing God as great, mighty, powerful, and eternal. King Nebuchadnezzar couldn’t help but let everyone know.”

When I was a child, we used to sing a song in our Jr. Church that encouraged us to tell others about God and what He had done for us. The first portion of that song would have been perfect for the king to sing …

Stop! And Let Me Tell You
What The Lord Has Done For Me.
Stop! And Let Me Tell You
What The Lord Has Done For Me.

However, the song doesn’t end there. It goes on to boast of all that God has done for those who have been saved through the blood of His Son. It is a perfect script for us to use to share what God has done in our lives.

He Healed My Body
And He Saved My Soul,
He Forgave My Sin
And He Made Me Whole.
Stop! And Let Me Tell You
What The Lord Has Done For Me.

There is much we can learn from Nebuchadnezzar’s excitement in sharing what God had done for him. We may not have dreams that we need to have interpreted – but wherever we are in our spiritual life – a believer since childhood, a new believer, or still an unbeliever – one thing is for certain – if and when we understand who we are without God, and come to understand and believe in who He truly is and what He has done to make salvation possible for us1 we should also be moved with joy and excitement to break into praising the “most high God,” telling others what He has done for us.

Prayer ResponsE to our Journey

Father, may I never lose my excitement and the sweet but hard conviction to share what You have done for me. May I be quick to notice how You are working in me, around me, and for me – and even quicker to tell others about what You’ve done/are doing. Help me to make it of the utmost importance like the king did. Help me to always, regardless of the company around me, live my faith faithfully, boldly lifting You up and unashamed to hold fast to Your ways. – In the name of Jesus, I trust and pray – Amen!

The More We Know

For even more insight, check out today’s LGG blog post

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, Quiet Time

From Death to Life

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based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w3d2

Scripture: the Road Map for our Journey / Daniel 3:19-30 (SOAP: 28)
Observations and Applications

From my journal

  • The first time the king saw the power of Daniel’s God, the king responded by praising him as the God of gods(2:47)… this time, the king credited him as the only God who is able to deliver/rescue them from “death to life.”
  • Their boldness and pledge to the king that God would deliver them from the furnace or from the king’s hands angered the king.
  • Living faithfully and speaking boldly for God will seldom be welcomed by those who serve other gods or believers who have integrated themselves into this faithless culture. The result of our faithfulness can be used to open the eyes of others to the power, might, and love of our true and living God! Me from the inside-out 🦋

The words of Psalm 48:14 also came to mind: “For this God is our God forever and ever; and He will be our guide to the very end.”

The following is borrowed and shared from Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, p99

Daniel 3:28

“Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praised be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent forth his angel and has rescued his servants who trusted in him, ignoring the edict of the king and giving up their bodies rather than serve or pay homage to any god other than their God!”

INTO THE TEXT

For a king who thought he was the most powerful person, we can understand his anger at the three men who challenged his authority. Nebuchadnezzar asked for the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. It was so hot that the men who took Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to the furnace died instantly. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the furnace still bound. It seemed to be a hopeless situation.

However, God is greater than any created thing. God was about to show the king who had all power and authority. Suddenly, there were four men walking around untied in the fire. King Nebuchadnezzar described the fourth man as “Like that of a god!”

Nebuchadnezzar himself went to the door of the furnace calling for the “servants of the most high God” to come out. What was meant to bring death, God used to reveal that He is the source of all life.

As they left the furnace, the people saw that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were completely unharmed. Not even their clothes were affected, and they didn’t even smell of fire! God completely protected them from every aspect of the fire.

Nebuchadnezzar praised the God who rescued Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as well as their trust in Him for being willing to put their lives in danger rather than worship anyone else. He acknowledged that there is no other god who can deliver in this way. King Nebuchadnezzar still did not completely get it, but he was slowly understanding more of who God is. God, in His kindness, was still patiently calling him.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were able to rejoice in their sufferings, and it produced perseverance and hope. We, too, will face many trials for our faith. But as Paul writes, our sufferings do not “put us to shame” (Romans 5:5 ESV), We know that we serve the all-powerful God who is with us always, even through the fire.

PRAYER

Gracious, loving God, you are the God of hope even when things look hopeless. You prepare the path ahead, knowing what I need before I do. Help me to remember the security and hope in my salvation so that I can stand firm in trials. Amen.