Daniel's Prayer

O. T. #2006  "Daniel's Prayer"

August 19, 2021

Daniel 9-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

After Daniel read about the captivity lasting 70 years, in Jeremiah, he knew it was about time for it to end and be fulfilled. so Daniel sought God by prayer and supplication. Daniel's mind-set, habits, and dress were all designed to place his focus on the Lord's character:

• the great (gadowl/gaw-dole') means noble, high, mighty, exceedingly God;
• dreadful (dechal/deh-khal') refers to fear, make afraid God;
• keeping the covenant God;
• keeping mercy (checed/khch'sed), which means kindness, favor, good deed, pity  to them that love Him and to them that keep His commandments.(verse 4)
• Righteousness (tsedaqah/ tsed-aw-kaw') refers to justice, virtue belongeth unto Thee.(verse 7)
• To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses. (verse 9)
• The LORD our God is righteous in all His works which He doeth.

  Is He your God, the One who is merciful, righteous, forgiving? Is He your covenant-keeping God? Is He righteous in all His works in your life?

Our God does not make mistakes.

 

LET IT GROW

Daniel admitted that he, his nation, and God's people had:

• sinned against God (verses 5, 8, 11, 15)
• committed iniquity (verse 5)
• done wickedly (verse 5)
• rebelled, departing from God's precepts and judgments (verse 5)
• did not harken unto God's prophets, which spoke in His name (verse 6)
• have trespassed against God (verse 7)
• neither had they obeyed the voice of the Lord our God (verse 10, 11, 14)
• did not pray to God so they turned from iniquities and understand Thy truth (verse 13).

What a list of sins that Israel had committed against God and His Word. Folks, we Americans are guilty of those same sins. Are we willing to confess them to our righteous God? Will we intercede for our country so judgment does not fall upon us?

LET IT GO

Righteous God, we have sinned against You and rebelled against Your Word, turned away from following You. We have allowed homosexuality to be acceptable. We kill innocent babies because of sexual sins. We have become self-sufficient, materialism, pleasure-seeking people. We shut out Your Truth and those proclaiming it. We do not keep the Lord's Day as a day of rest.

Please forgive us and have mercy on us sinners.

We need revival in Your churches, so come Holy Spirit and convict us of our sins.

In Jesus' name,

Amen

 

Preparing to Pray

O. T. #2005  "Preparing to Pray"

August 18, 2021

Daniel 9

LET IT GLOW

Some 14 years had passed since chapter 8 (the visions of the 6 kingdoms) occurred. We read where Gabriel explained what Daniel had seen as prophecies from God.

Now when Daniel established the "when" he wrote this- Darius was King Cyrus of Persia during his first year reigning as king. (539 BC) Babylon had been conquered by him. Daniel was studying the Old Testament scrolls and focused on the years prophesied for the Jew's captivity in Jeremiah 25:11. They would be in exile for 70 years.

According to 2 Chronicles 36:21, the Lord stirred in Cyrus' heart to build God a house in Jerusalem. It came after the land of Israel had its Sabbath rests for 70 years that had been ignored by the Jews. (MacArthur)

Leviticus 25:4 states, But in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land, a Sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

 

Daniel knew the end of those 70 years was approaching, and God might allow His people to return to Israel. What did Daniel do? 

What would we do?

 

LET IT GROW

 Verse 3 tells us he prayed to his God, and I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth, and ashes.

This is not the first time we read of Daniel turning to God in prayer. In 2:17-18, Daniel and his three friends prayed for God to reveal the meaning of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Then in 6:10, we learned that prayer was a regular part of Daniel's life.

Now we can enter this man's private world and hear the content of one of his talks with God. How did Daniel prepare himself for serious prayer?

Swindoll gives us 5 important ingredients of this prophet's prayer time:

1. Concentration. Daniel focused his mind and energy on seeking God through prayer. He didn't permit the pressures of the day to divert his attention from the Lord.
2. Supplication. It means grace, favor, entreaty, pleadings. Daniel implored his Heavenly Master to hear his requests and fill them according to the promises in Scripture.
3. Fasting. is setting aside the time-consuming task of meal preparation in order to concentrate on the Lord Himself, not to gain God's attention or to impress Him.
4. Humility. Daniel was overtly expressing both his deep sorrow for the Israelites' sin and their total dependence on God for forgiveness and restoration by putting on sackcloth, tearing the garments, and scattering ashes over the head. (2 Samuel 13:19)
5. Honesty. Daniel did not try to conceal anything from the all-knowing Lord. He confessed his and his peoples' wrongdoing, calling on god to show compassion on them and rescue them from their plight.

Daniel prepared himself for prayer because he was a man of prayer. Do others recognize us as a person of prayer, and our prayers are answered?

Are we burdened and heavy hearted about something? Take it to the Lord in prayer.

 

LET IT GROW

 

LET IT GO

The Reigns of Antichrist and Christ

O. T. #2004  "The Reigns of Antichrist and Christ"

AUGUST 17, 2021

Daniel 8-Part 4

LET IT GLOW

We have discussed the four kingdoms of Babylon, Medes and Persians, Greece, and Rome. The next kingdom will be an evil one (when we though it couldn't get any worse than those previously ruled) and the Antichrist.

The Greek prefix anti means against, and  instead of.

The Wiersbe Bible Commentary tells us this about the Antichrist:

• This ruler will be and enemy of Jesus Christ and a counterfeit Christ.
• He has to overcome the rulers in this world.
• He will blaspheme God and convince unbelievers that he is a god.
• Not only will this one control the economy, but he will control and change religion and laws.
• With the help of Satan, he will be a world dictator and deceiver.
• He will make a covenant with the Jewish nation for 7 years. However, he will break it and persecute God's people.
• He will set up his own image in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, forcing the world to worship him and the devil. (verses 23-26)

This is all in the plan of the Most High God, Jehovah. We may not understand it, nor like it, but we must accept it.

My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. (Isaiah 46:10)

Bless the Lord o my soul; bless His holy name. I will worship His holy name (El Shaddiah). Sing like never before.

Glory to god in the Highest!

 

LET IT GROW

Friend, that is not the end. At the appointed time, Jesus will return to earth in all His glory and reign on the earth. (Matthew 24) His kingdom will never be destroyed.

Are you ready to be caught up with Him in the air? (1 Thess. 4:13-18) As I have said before, I believe in the rapture of the church of believers in Jesus. We will not have to go through the tribulation period when the Antichrist rules here.

Our Ancient of Days was in eternity past, is with us now in the present, and will be with us in the future times. He is eternal, holy, and sovereign God. He is still on His throne of judgment.

Jesus will reign on earth for a thousand years. Revelation 20 tells us 6 times that the kingdom will be the millennium reign. There will be world peace during this time. Jesus will be worshiped as God, also.

LET IT GO

Jesus, You alone are our hope, peace, love, and future.

I pray we all put our faith in You, Lord Jesus.

A Horn changed Everything

O. T. #2003  "A Horn Changed Everything"

August 16, 2021

Daniel 8-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

As Daniel's vision continued, he saw the mighty goat (Greece)conquer the ram (Persia). A great horn grew on the goat, which Alexander the Great who established pagan worship. He even made a statue of the Greek god Zeus. You probably studied all of those false gods in school.

That horn broke off, Alex died young, at age 33. Then 4 kingdoms rose from his nation, although not with his power. As 4 horns grew on the ram, four generals divided the Grecian Empire four ways (verse 8):

1. Antiochus IV, called Ephiphanes ruled Syria and Babylon. He overruled Israel and replaced the worship of God with pagan gods, as he offered a large hog on the Jewish altar, defiling the House of God. The Temple had been rebuilt under Zechariah and Haggai.

He introduced Greek literature, culture, plays, sports, government, spreading an international language, and religion to the Jews, trying to make Greeks out of them. (verses 24-25)

Eventually, Antiochus IV died strangely while on an expedition to Persia.

History tells us that these things happened.

LET IT GROW

 Daniel continued to see one saint ask another saint in heaven, just how long would that continue; how long would the rebellion cause desecration to stop the daily sacrifices; how long would the Temple and heaven's army be trampled on. The answer was 6 1/2 years. 

The other 3 rulers included:

2. Ptolemy I would rule Palestine and Egypt.

3. Lysimachus would rule Thrace and Asia Minor.

4. Cassander would rule Greece and Macedon.

We end this chapter with all this prophecy making Daniel sick, as it would us if we saw such things happen to America.

 

 

LET IT GO

Jesus' blood has set me free; the devil's got no hold on me.

He never broken promises, lot power, nor control letting go. Our God is still the same.

Are we ready to take a stand for our faith in Jesus?

A Goat and a Great Man

O. T. #2002  "A Goat and a Great Man"

August 13, 2021

Daniel 8-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

In Daniel's second vision, he saw a ram with two horns (one was larger) standing by a river at Susa. It charged north, south, and west, and no other power was able to stop it. The ram represented the Medo-Persian Empire that defeated the Babylonian Empire. Then Cyrus became king over all, a Persian.

Then a male goat appeared in Daniel's vision, not touching the ground, which meant it was moving at lightning speed in its conquest of the world. Its conspicuous horn had great power to smash the ram (Persia) and became the new world power. (verse 5-7)

This goat represented Greece with its great horn being Alexander the Great as his army of 35,000 moved conquering Persia. This was an amazing prediction because Greece was not yet considered a world power when this prophecy was given. History points out that Alex began in 334 B.C. marched across Asia Minor, defeating Persia in key battles at Granicus River and at Issus. He then captured Syria and Egypt before entering and swiftly conquering Persia.

Alexander conquered most of the populated world before he was thirty. His combination of strength, speed of conquest, and youth will stand out in history. Napoleon and George Patton are two of many military leaders who studied the strategies of Alexander in designing their own battle plans. (Quick Notes, Volume 7 of Simplified Bible Commentary Series, Daniel Thru Malachi)

LET IT GROW

Having carved out an empire of 1.5 million square miles, Alexander provoked many of his Macedonian leaders to rebellion by claiming to be a god, by merging Persian and Greek elements in his army, and by marrying Persian women. worn out by wounds, hardship and overdrinking, he fell ill of a fever. soon he could neither move nor speak. Alex was propped up and each officer and soldier filed past. He acknowledged each man with his eyes or a slight movement of his head. Within two days, Alexander died. He was not yet 33 years old. (Whitcomb)

When it is in His timing, the Lord moves swiftly in our lives, with everything falling into place. We need to be ready, always looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Whether we are to physically move to another place, change jobs, make a decision, or called to heaven, we must be surrendered. When we pray for His will to be done, He opens the doors and the path becomes straight. Let Jesus prepare the day for us, then walk with Him. Our assignment is to follow Jesus, allowing Him to direct our path. 

LET IT GO

Keep trusting when the path becomes rocky and steep.

Although Jesus may lead us along a road less traveled, remain depending upon Him.

Walk with Jesus along paths of Peace, enjoying the journey in His presence with His everlasting love.

Wholeheartedly follow Jesus, instead of playing it safe on our road of life.

Seek to please Jesus, and delight in doing His will.

A Mighty Ram That Isn't so Mighty After All

O. T, #2001  "A Mighty Ram That Isn't so Mighty After All"

August 12, 2021

Daniel 8

LET IT GLOW

In this chapter, Daniel records his second vision, which occurred about two years after the vision of the four beasts. Keep in mind as we go through it, these events had not  actually taken place, but would be in his future. It is to our advantage that we can read it and most of those events have already taken place.

What Daniel saw made him sick for days. (verse 17) Afterwards, he got up and performed his duties for the king, but remained greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.

God sent Gabriel, an angelic messenger, so Daniel understood the events he had seen in his vision and that they related to the time of the end. this is the first mention of Gabriel in Scriptures. (He announced the births of John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth, found in Luke1.)

Here is what happened in Daniel's vision:

• It occurred during the third year of Belshazzar's reign as king of Babylon. (verse 1)
• In his vision, Daniel was at the fortress of Susa, standing beside the Ulai River. (verse 2) Susa was about 250-350 miles east of Babylon, the capital city in which Daniel lived at this time. It was the birthplace of the Merdo-Persian Empire, and later became a common vacation spot for King Darius. Now the Ulai River was a man-made irrigation ditch that ran near Susa.
• He saw a ram with two long horns standing beside the river; one was longer than the other. (verse 3)
• The ram butted everything out of his way to the west, north, and south; no one could stand against him nor help his victims. He did as he pleased and magnified himself. (verse 4)
• The two-horned ram represented the kings of Media and Persia. They were coming to conquer the Babylonian Empire, and did just that.
• No one could rescue nor other beasts could stand before it. (Later, Persia gained power over the Medes, which were two allied nations at first.) The land acquisitions of the Medo-Persians were not typically peaceful. Frequently, they resulted in war, death, destruction, pain, and misery.
• During the sixth century B.C., King Cyrus and his military moved south toward Babylonia, Israel, and Egypt, as well as north toward the Caspian Sea, and west toward Asian Minor and Greece. The Persian Empire is the second empire revealed in the book of Daniel.

What can we gleam from this? As almost all of Daniel's prophecy has been fulfilled, we can gain confidence in Scriptures being true and reliable.

 

LET IT GROW

Daniel's prophecy coincided with that of Isaiah in chapter 45, some 150 years earlier.

You will recall that King Cyrus allowed and supported the Jews (three groups) to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, city, and their homes. We studied this back in Nehemiah. The Jews reestablished the sacrificial system and worship of Almighty God, such faithful servants of the One True Living God.

Will we remain a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, no matter who is president, no matter if America is conquered?

LET IT GO

We are more than conquerors, dear friend.

We believers must continue to overcome the tests, temptations, and discouragements in this life.

Do not be afraid of our future, for God has it.

He's got the whole world in His hands.

Where is Our Focus?

O. T. #2000  "Where is Our Focus?"

August 11, 2021

Daniel 7-Part 4

LET IT GLOW

Are we distressed by events in our world-pandemic, people dying from Covid, immoral laws being made, finances falling? Take heed, for God is in control. His rule is eternal and will never be destroyed nor end. When we focus on Him, our perceptive can change.

Before the Tribulation, saints of God will be raptured out of here. We find this in Revelation 3:10: Because you have kept the Word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth.

In the Greek, keep from means to preserve something outside the sphere of something else.

Jesus is telling the Christians of the Philadelphian church that He will protect them from the worldwide testing by keeping them away from it.

The hour of testing that Christ is referring to is the Tribulation, a 7-year span of severe, divine judgment that will affect the entire earth.

Unbelievers will be left behind. Then the Antichrist will be directed by Satan, establish his kingdom, will set himself up to be worshiped, being a false Christ. He will establish his own laws and religion, persecuting any who become believers in Christ during this time. (verses 21- 25)

Dear one, are you a believer in Christ Jesus today? He is only a breath away. Simply ask Him to forgive your sins, believe in your heart that Jesus is God's Son, lived a perfect life, died on the cross for you, and rose from the grave. He sits at the right hand of the Heavenly Father, making intercession for us.

LET IT GROW

After the 7-year reign of the Antichrist, then Christ Himself will return to earth a second time to reign as king for 1,000 years. Jesus will finally sit on the throne of David and rule. (Luke 1:32-33; Jeremiah 23:5-6)

Keep in mind that the Ancient of Days, our God, will still remain on His throne in heaven, working out His plan. God will have His court session to judge sinners and sin. (verses 9-10)

Those who die for the faith will be the ultimate overcomers, and will receive great rewards. God has promised to give His kingdom to His holy people, the saints, stepping in to restore and reward those who are faithful to Him..

Once and for all, Satan will be stripped of power and destroyed. This dream/vision seems to have overwhelmed Daniel. It troubled him so much that his countenance fell so he kept the matter to himself. Reasonably so, for Daniel had not read the book of Revelation.

LET IT GO

You are a good, good Father, perfect in all Your ways.

Keep us focused on You, loving and serving You today.