Lifestyle is the sum total of who we are inside and our attitude
toward life. Let us read Daniel today, my spirit cries out. What makes
Daniel different and worthy as an individual to be so well recorded in
heaven and written with such great length in the Bible? What does God
say of Daniel? Why is he considered so special and highly respected and
honored by even the powerful pagan kings? What is the key success factor
word if we have only one sentence or one word to describe him? I shall
try to summarize the book of Daniel to answer these questions.
The physical Daniel: a noble (royal family) young man taken hostage
from Jerusalem in 605 BC to the Babylonian court. He qualified for the
pagan king’s requirement: an Israelite from the royal family and
nobility-young man without any physical defects, handsome, showing
aptitude for every kind of learning, well-informed, quick to understand,
and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. The Babylonian king
considered Daniel as a person with insight, intelligence and outstanding
wisdom, ten times better than his counselors (all the magicians and
enchanters) in his whole kingdom. (Daniel was taken hostage probably in
his teen, and subsequently lived through the captivity period 605-530 BC
in the courts of the Babylonian kings and the Medes and Persian kings
respectively.)
The spiritual Daniel: He knew his God. All his actions were
persistently and consistently based on this reality of a living God in
his personal total life (inside and outside). He described God as “the
Lord my God”. He addressed God as: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who
keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and keep His
commandments.” He knew God as absolutely holy. Therefore he resolved not
to defile himself with the spiritually ‘unclean’ (including pagan food,
drink, idolatry religious practices and rituals). He knew God as
awesome and the only God for him. Therefore he remained calm and
composed despite threats of his life. He remained faithful and loyal to
his God. He knew God’s spiritual reality. Therefore he could understand
visions and dreams of all kind. He could even ask God to reveal
mysteries (beyond the human realm) to him, about things to come.
For example: He even knew the details of a dream of the Babylonian
King Nebuchadnezzar and correctly interpret them The king heard and fell
on his face and prostrate before Daniel and declared that Daniel’s God
is “the God of gods, the Lord of kings.” The queen mother described
Daniel to her son King Belshazzar that Daniel was a man “in whom is the
Spirit of the Holy God. Light and understanding and excellent wisdom
were found in him.”
The Daniel as a role model of an overcomer: He knew God. He testified
for God. He was not afraid of death because of his testimony and faith
in the living God.
What does God say about Daniel? From the conversations and messages
the angel (Gabriel) held with Daniel, we know that Daniel was a man
greatly beloved of God, and from the first day he set his heart to
understand God’s mystery, God heard his words (prayers), replied,
granted his requests. God even sent His mighty angel in reply. God also
saved and preserved Daniel from harm. Daniel lived to a ripe old age
before the living God.
Daniel’s spiritual, godly and prayerful lifestyle was entirely based
on his lifelong unwavering belief in the living God and attitude toward
God. Indeed, he has the Spirit of the Holy God in him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)
The Time of the End
“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those
who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those
who lead many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.”
(Daniel 12:2-3)
December 20, 2015
The message from the real King
Many people at this time want to see what Christians see and to hear
what we hear. What do we really see and hear? What message shall we say
to those who hunger and thirst to know the truth and reality of our
belief and why we are doing what we do and saying what we say persisting
and insisting on the faith that has withstood time and history over two
thousand years old? When Jesus sent out His disciples He reminded them
several important things:
- They are to go to those cities He Himself was about to go.
- They are to know that the harvest is plentiful. The shortage is in the workers and not the harvest.
- They need to know that the harvest field is full of wolves.
- They need to remember that these three things are together: The Kingdom of God, healing the sick, the Peace of God.
- They are to know that He has given them (those whose names are recorded in heaven in the Book of Life) His authority and power (of the Holy Spirit) to overcome the enemy and do mighty work.
- They are to stay in the Peace given by Jesus regardless of the response of the people who hear their good news message and see their supernatural mighty good work which testify for Jesus.
- They are to always remember and witness that Jesus is the only way to God. No one can come to the Father (God) except through Jesus.
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Luke 10:1-24 New King James Version (NKJV) (Please read the whole passage yourselves, as they are quoted in parts here; Boldness are added)6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
The Seventy Sent Out
10 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also,[a] and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.
2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.5 But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, …Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ 12 But[c] I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.
Woe to the Impenitent Cities
13 “Woe to you, .! Woe to you, ..! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in .., they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. .. 15 And you, ..will be brought down to Hades.[d] 16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”The Seventy Return with Joy
17 Then the seventy[e] returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather[f] rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
Jesus Rejoices in the Spirit
21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 22 All[g] things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
23 Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; 24 for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.”
Footnotes:
- Luke 10:1 NU-Text reads seventy-two others.
- Luke 10:11 NU-Text reads our feet.
- Luke 10:12 NU-Text and M-Text omit But.
- Luke 10:15 NU-Text reads will you be exalted to heaven? You will be thrust down to Hades!
- Luke 10:17 NU-Text reads seventy-two.
- Luke 10:20 NU-Text and M-Text omit rather.
- Luke 10:22 M-Text reads And turning to the disciples He said, “All . . .
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