Tag: Jesus

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

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.”

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

They Would Not Bow Down

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based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w3d1

Scripture: Our Roadmap for the Journey / Daniel 3:1-18, (SOAP: 17-18); 1 Peter 1:3-8

If our God whom we are serving exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well. 18 But if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”

Daniel 3:17-18. NET / KJV
Observations and Applications

When we last observed King Nebuchadnezzar,1 he had proclaimed the God of Daniel to be the God of gods and the Lord of kings. Yet, here he is threatening Daniel’s friends with ‘death by fiery furnace’ – saying, “Now, who is that god who can rescue you from my power?” It is doubtful that the king had truly forgotten the god of Daniel and the interpretation of his dream, but rather that the king’s proclamation of “God of gods2” wasn’t necessarily an indication of a changed heart. This is proved true in today’s journey as he unveils a giant gold statue of himself and orders everyone to bow down and worship the statue.

I remember this story being played out on the flannelgraph boards of many Sunday School classes and/or Jr. Church hours of my childhood: the powerful King Nebuchadnezzar, the golden statue, Daniel’s three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), and, of course, the fiery furnace. But what hit me as I was reading the story today is that Daniel wasn’t part of the story. Where was he? Why wasn’t he being forced to bow or die?

After digging through the Scriptures and some trusted commentaries, it appears that while the Bible never addresses where Daniel was3, the most plausible explanation is that he was away on the King’s business and not subject to the command to bow to the statue. However, his friends were there, and they faced the king’s ultimatum: to worship the gods of the Babylonians and the golden statue or die. The king not only threatened the three young men, but he questioned the power of their God. Yet, the men stood firm in their beliefs and bold in their stand against the idols, the false gods, and the King’s ultimatum.

A deep-seated faith leads to a firm foundation,
which graces us with bold courage
in the face of real and present dangers.

Me from the inside-out 🦋

They refused to bow not once but twice, assuring the king that their God could rescue them from the fiery furnace and the king’s power. For me, the most impressive and inspiring part of their response was their bold declaration that even if God did not rescue them, they would still not serve the gods of the Babylonians nor pay homage to the golden statue.

When I heard this story as a child, I’m quite sure that I did not fully comprehend the lesson with the clarity that I have today. As the LGG journal entry4 points out, “… the world is constantly pulling at us to worship false gods. We often find ourselves worshiping beauty, money, success, fame, popularity, family, politics, entertainment, etc. The truth is that these things have no eternal value. We are called to so much more?”

The journal entry goes on to say, “It is not always easy to stand firm for our faith. But like Daniel’s friends, knowing who God is and trusting His ways, no matter the outcome, allows us to persevere through trials. What we experience here on earth is not the end. We have an eternal hope waiting for us.”

Prayer of Response to the Journey

May this hope help us to stay faithful even in this faithless land. Help us to worship You with all our hearts. Over the difficult circumstances of our lives, we pray, not our will, but yours will be done. Help us know we can trust You in all situations. May how we react to difficulties and trials show the genuineness of our faith in You alone. Amen

The More We Know About the Journey

For more insight into today’s journey, be sure to check out today’s LGG Blog Post.

Would you like to share in the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Check out the Know These Truths Link –

Know These Truths

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

Positioned by God

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based on the LGG Study, Living by Faith in a Faithless Land / w2d5

Scripture: Our Road Map for the Journey / Daniel 2:36-49 (SOAP verse 44)

In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever. Daniel 2:44

Observation and Application of the Journey

Daniel’s godly disposition, one of faith, faithfulness, and dependence on God, positioned him in the center of God’s will—the place of God’s purpose —to give Daniel and the others with him hope and a future. 🦋

Both the king’s dream and its interpretation were revealed as he had demanded. The interpretation did not entirely favor the king and his kingdom. While King Nebuchadnezzar could feel good about the fact that he was the head of all the earthly kingdoms represented in his dream, he was also delivered the news that “the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed… It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever.” Yet, even at this news, rather than becoming angry, the king showed his gratefulness to Daniel – he gave credit to Daniel’s God – elevating Him above all gods and kings

Not only did the king elevate Daniel’s God above all gods and kings, but because Daniel had courageously used the gift of vision and insight that God had given him, he allowed Daniel and his friends to live,  “and he elevated Daniel to a high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel himself served in the king’s court.1

All earthly kings and kingdoms will be brought down by God’s kingdom, which will stand forever!

While the King showed his gratefulness to Daniel – he gave credit to Daniel’s God – elevating Him above all gods and kings.

God had given Daniel and his friends gifts2, and because they used them well,3 the King saw God for who He was, and the four young men were positioned where God wanted them to be. Friends, when we choose to obey God rather than men and when we use the gifts He has given us, we, too, will find ourselves in the center of His will.

When they had brought them, they stood them before the council, and the high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name. Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood on us!”  But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people. The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus, whom you seized and killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these events, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Acts 5:27-32. NET / KJV
Reflection on the Journey

When I look back over the course of my life, I can see so many ways God protected me because of where He had positioned me. One example that quickly comes to mind is when, for a myriad of reasons, at 29 years of age, I left the Baptist church I had grown up in, literally from the cradle, and began attending a Reformed Presbyterian Church. Through a series of events that included my parent’s Pastor, the death of my grandfather, the birth of my first daughter, and other underlying issues, God led me away from where I was comfortable to the place where He wanted me to be. Ten years later, nearly to the day, my daughter became sick, and because I had followed God out of one door and into another very unfamiliar door, not only was my life transformed by the teaching of God’s grace, but I had been positioned over the ten years in friendships and a school and a community of believers that God alone could have orchestrated and used to save my daughter’s life. He has continued to lead me through the 35 years that have followed, positioning and repositioning me through the years – some harder than others, but I can look and see and say through it all, my God has been in control.

Friends, this is only one of the ways that God used that one move of agonizing obedience to not only redirect my life but literally save and protect myself and my children in life and from death and other horrible outcomes. It is rarely easy to “follow” where God leads when we can’t see or even imagine the why or the outcome, but when we choose faithful obedience over our comfort or pleasing others, we will find (even when things don’t always have a happy or miraculous ending) that God positions us just where we are meant to be.

Prayer of response to the Journey

Father, how very great and loving You are. Thank You for the reminder of how You have worked in and throughout my life. Thank You for Your hand of mercy and of all-sufficient grace that I have seen through the years of my life. Thank You for being the God above all other gods and for the reminder of how what we choose to do and say can lead others to see Your greatness. Thank You for leading and guiding me and positioning me where You want me to be. Thank You for Your forgiveness when I have gone my own way. Thank You for working all things together for the good of those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. Thank You for equipping me with Your Spirit and gifts to serve You, and please help me use the gifts of teaching and encouragement for Your glory. Help those reading this post seek and follow You, know the gifts You have given them, and use them faithfully in this faithless land. Continually position us where You want us, where You can use us for Your glory and honor and praise. – In and for the name of Jesus, I pray – Amen! 💜

The More We Know about the Journey

Many scholars have contrasted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 with Daniel’s vision in chapter 7. Both passages reveal the coming world kingdoms, but the symbolism is strikingly different in each. The pagan king sees the kingdoms of this world as a towering work of art, impressive in size, value, and grandeur (albeit with feet of clay). God’s prophet sees the same kingdoms as bizarre, unnatural beasts, terrifying in aspect and behavior. It’s a difference of perspective: where man sees a stately, glittering tribute to himself, God sees a menagerie of aberrations. “Let us not be desirous of vain glory” (Galatians 5:26, KJV). gotquestions.org

For more insight, check out today’s blog post by the LGG team.

For further reading: Luke 1:31-33NET / KJV; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18NET / KJV

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

The Value of God’s Word

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based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w1d5

Scripture: The Roadmap for our Journey / Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:1-15 / SOAP: Deut 6: 6-9

These words1 I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, 7 and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. 8 You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm and fasten them as symbols on your forehead. 9 Inscribe them on the doorframes of your houses and gates.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 NET

Paul wrote to Timothy that the Word of God is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. The author of Hebrews wrote, “The Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates, even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” And Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit, whom the Father would send in Jesus’ name, would teach the disciples all things and remind them of everything Jesus had said to them to them.2 Obviously, God considers His Word to be of great value and purpose. And, as we see through today’s passages, we should also value It. We are wise when we take to heart the words of David, who, in an effort to not sin against God, stored up God’s Word in his heart.

How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:9-11. ESV

God’s Word is so valuable and such an important part of our faith that It is to be on our minds when we wake up and when we lie down. We are not only to know His Word, but we are to teach It to our children and talk about it throughout the day. Paul wrote that we should let God’s Word dwell in us richly.3 David wrote that he had hidden It in His heart so that he might not sin against God.4 The Psalmist also said that God’s Word was a lamp to guide his feet and a light for his path.5 Paul also taught that the Word of God is to be used daily as armor so that we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.6

Look again at today’s passage:  “(These words) I am commanding you today [must be kept in mind.]”

Friends, I realize that even the thought of “memorizing” Scripture tends to strike fear in the heart or mind and/or elicit an “I can’t” response, but that doesn’t change the fact that God initiated and even insisted on His people keeping His Word, specifically the commandments He gave through Mosses, in their minds.  Why? Because He knew they would need it to be strong and faithful in the land where He was sending them. Take heart, though, and remember that when God tells us to do something, He equips us to do it. Consider again the words of Jesus, who, before leaving His disciples, comforted them with these words, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will cause you to remember everything I said to you.”

How do we keep God’s Word in our Mind?
  • God equips us with the Holy Spirit to help us remember what we need to know and do or not do
  • Moses gave us some helpful ideas for using visual reminders/prompters of the Word
    • though our visuals might be note cards and post-its, … the idea is to keep His Word present
    • He also instructed them to make a habit of talking about God and His Word throughout the day.
  • We are blessed in the 21st century with technology that allows us to have God’s Word at our fingertips –
    • meaning we can read/re-read it more frequently, which helps us keep His Word in our minds
    • We can listen to it as we drive or walk/run …

So don’t be thrown by the thought of memorizing—while it is a good and profitable thing to do, it is not the only way to keep God’s Word alive and active in our minds and lives. If you want to try to memorize, start with Jesus’ summary of the law and prophets, what He considered to be the greatest of the commandments: “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’e 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  – Friends, if we live this out in our everyday lives, we will be found living faithful in a faithless land.

 In response to a question from one of the experts of the Law,
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’e 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’f 40The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:37-40. NLT
Prayer of Response to the Journey

Father, I confess the difficulty of living faithfully in this world. Be it temptations or simply the easier way, following You can be costly and sometimes scary. However, You have shown me that it is by far the best way. Help me to stay in Your Word and presence daily so that I remember and follow the desires of Your heart and Your teachings rather than my own desires and understanding. May I be careful not to forget that it was You who delivered me from slavery to sin. May I not go after the gods of this land but honor and serve You alone. Thank You for Your Spirit, who keeps Your Word before me. Help me stay alert to His promptings, faithfully hide Your Word in my heart, and faithfully follow hard after You all the days of my life. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray – Amen

The More We Know about the Journey

Many Jews have taken the concept of putting God’s laws on doors, hands, and head literally, yet the emphasis in these passages is on the importance of the Law. The Law of the Lord is perfect, according to Psalm 19:7. Psalm 1  emphasizes the importance of meditating upon God’s Word both day and night. We should never forget it; it should be a part of our daily lives. The Word belongs in our hearts, not just on our foreheads. gotquestions.org

The law that God had given to Israel in written form was flawless. As such, it can revive the soul. It gives life to those who heed it and revival when the human spirit is downcast.

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

Conformed or Transformed?

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based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless World / w1d4

Scripture: A Roadmap for our Journey – Daniel 1:3-7; Isaiah 39:6-7; Romans 12:1-2

Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God—which is your reasonable service. 2 Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:1-2. NET

If we belong to God, He is our Father, and He wants us to live according to His plan and His ways—which are righteous and holy. This will not and cannot happen if we copy the behaviors and customs of the world around us. God’s plan and desire is to transform us into new people, and this starts with changing the way we think. He wants to mold us and make us into His image, specifically, the righteous and holy image of His only begotten Son, Jesus.

Paul exhorts the believers in Rome to present their bodies to God as living, holy, and pleasing sacrifices. This means we will have to forego all the pleasures of the world and our hearts’ desires that do not align with God’s will and pleasure. Please read that again, making sure to understand that we do not have to forego all pleasures or give up all of our heart’s desires – only those that do not align with the will of God. How, in the world we live in, with all of its demands and tempting pleasures, can we faithfully do this? I believe the answer is found in Paul’s instructions: we should not conform to the ways of the world but instead be transformed by the renewing of our minds. One question we can ask ourselves every morning is, will we conform to the ways of the world, or will we be transformed by the renewing of our minds by allowing God to change the way we think?

As God’s people, we are not to adapt to or adopt the ways of the world around us. 🦋

The picture we see played out on the pages of Daniel Chapter 1 is one of a king attempting to transform Daniel and the other Jews, who were God’s chosen people, into the image of a ‘true’ Babylonian by reshaping the way they thought and spoke. At the end of a three-year training program, they would enter the king’s service. Even their names were changed from names that pointed them to the true and living God of Israel to Babylonian names that pointed them to the gods of the Babylonians.

“Everything was going to challenge what they had been taught in Judah.” The question was, “How would they choose to live? Could they make a home in Babylon and remain faithful to their God?”

Love God Greatly / Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / p53 – emphasis added

“What about you, MaryEllen?” Those were the words that popped into my mind as I was rereading the first part of this post that I had written earlier in the day. More questions followed that question … Do my ‘name’, my character and the things about me – ie. my words and the things I do and say point me and others toward the true and living God – or toward the gods and things of this world? – It’s a hard but important question, one I believe is good to ask ourselves from time to time – along with, “How have I chosen to live? Am I remaining faithful to God as I live in this sin-saturated world?”

Paul strongly urged the believers in Rome to give themselves over to the pleasures of God instead of self – to no longer live as though they were still dead in their sins but as ones made alive in Christ, holy and pleasing to God. What he wrote to the believers then is still vital for us as believers today — who “live in a culture that seeks to challenge what the Bible teaches.”1Remember the King in Daniel’s story, how he worked to change the way the young men from Judah thought and spoke and even ate by filling their minds with the literature and language of the Babylonians and their bodies with royal delicacies? The Lord’s Word, His literature, and language have the power to transform us, to reshape the way we think and speak and live, and – as I have found – to change us from the ‘inside out’ as we learn to live by the good, pleasing, and perfect will of our God.

“We need to renew our minds over and over with the Word of God. The better we know God, the more likely we are to trust Him and know that His ways are best even when we can’t understand what is going on.”

Love God Greatly / Living Faithful in a. Faithless Land / p53

Father, how easy it is to let my thoughts be filled and influenced by the world/culture around me. Guard me against this, Father, and let Your ways, Your Words, Your love, and desires saturate – not just my mind but my heart – so that I can know Your good, pleasing, and perfect will and live accordingly. Change me from the inside out – I pray this in the name of Your Son, my Savior – Amen❤️

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

A Letter of Hope

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based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless World / w1d3

Scripture – Our Roadmap for the Journey: Jeremiah 29:4-14/soap 29:7

And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

Jeremiah 29:7 NLT
The Right Perspective

Perhaps one of the most challenging things for a Christian to come to grips with is the realization that we do not live a “charmed life.” The hope and future we have in and through Christ do not guarantee that everything in our lives will be easy or go well. Scripture warns believers that there will be suffering and difficulties in this life, but praise God 💜 It also promises that a beautiful future awaits us.

Observation and Application for the Journey
Exiled with Instructions

We must not overlook that the exiles were God’s people, and they were instructed by God to work to see that the city where they were exiled enjoyed peace and prosperity; they were also to pray to God for “the city” to prosper. In other words, they were to be concerned about the place where God had sent them and the people they were now forced to live in exile with. I can’t help but think of the command Jesus gave to His disciples in the NT to love their enemies and to pray for those who persecuted them.1

The RIGHT PERSPECTIVE

Having the right perspective requires knowing and remembering that God exiled His people only after they refused to do what He told them to do. 2 Reread Jeremiah’s warning and the people’s response in Jeremiah 18:1-12, paying careful attention to verses 11 and 12.

So now, tell the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem this: The Lord says, ‘I am preparing to bring disaster on you! I am making plans to punish you. So, every one of you, stop the evil things you have been doing. Correct the way you have been living and do what is right.’ 12 But they just keep saying, ‘We do not care what you say! We will do whatever we want to do! We will continue to behave wickedly and stubbornly!’” Jeremiah 18:1-12. NET

We also must not miss the “right perspective” we are given through the prophet Jeremiah’s identification of God as the orchestrator of the exile. Yes, God sent His people into exile as a consequence of their rebellion,3 but He had a plan for both the ‘city’ and the ‘exiles.’ The plan was not to harm them but to prosper them, and as Jeremiah went on to write, God knew what He had planned for His people—which was “to give them a future filled with hope.”4

I don’t know that we can fully understand this type of exile, but the thing that hits me with some semblance of understanding is knowing that this world is not our forever home. Peter referred to his fellow believers as “temporary residents and foreigners.” And Paul wrote, “We are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.” He goes on to say that “we are eagerly waiting for Christ to return as our Savior.” For then, “He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.”5

Friends, it is important to understand that this promise was specific to the “Nation of Israel,” even more specifically, to the Jews who were in exile in the days of Daniel. However, all who are in Christ share in God’s promise of hope and a future forever with Him! Without this truth and perspective, we will get lost in our misery and struggles, or we will get caught up in the ways of the world around us and turn from our God – missing out on the purpose He has for us here, which is not just biding our time – but working and praying for the salvation of the lost until He returns.

The return of Christ is always presented in Scripture as a great motivation to action, not as a reason to cease from action. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul wraps up his teaching on the rapture by saying, “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord.” In 1 Thessalonians 5:6, Paul concludes a lesson on Christ’s coming with these words: “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.” To retreat and “hold the fort” was never Jesus’ intention for us. Instead, we work while we can. “Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4). Gotquestions.org

Prayer of Response from the Journey

Father, thank You for the reminder that this is not our forever home. We are foreigners and aliens in this world. However, this has also reminded me that we are not to be simply biding our time until You return and we receive our promised citizenship in Your Kingdom. Instead, we are to work and pray for the salvation of the lost as Jesus commissioned His disciples to do – until He returns. Help us, Father, not to be caught up with the cares and struggles of this world but to keep our eyes on You, Your promised return, and Your call upon our lives to live faithfully in this faithless land. – I pray these things in the name of Your Son, Jesus – my Savior and Lord – Amen

WORSHIP RESPONSE TO THE JOURNEY/ BORROWED AND SHARED FROM YOUTUBE
Reflection on the journey
  • How can you work in your “city” for peace and prosperity?
  • How/what can you pray for “the city”?
The More We Know

For more insight, read today’s Love God Greatly Blog Post

For further reading and understanding: Psalm 137:1-4; 2 King 25:4-12

The Plans I Have for You