December 6, 2016
God gave the prophet Hosea a word of accusation and warning for the priests of Israel. He accused them of failing to fulfill their calling to know, believe and teach God’s Word. This failure affected the people, who were being “destroyed for lack of knowledge,” and the next generation of children who no longer knew God, nor His Word. Today, we are the “priests” (1 Peter 2:9). And we are responsible to know, believe and preach God’s Word. Where the people in our world are being destroyed and the children are being forgotten, isn’t it because we have yet to give them the knowledge of God?
December 5, 2016
Many search for the fountain of youth. Yet, eternal life is not found in a fountain, nor a serum or medical procedure. It is found in Christ alone. Eternal life is in the Son of God. He is the Son that was given “unto us” (Isa. 9:7). He is the “only begotten” that God has given (John 3:16). Do you wonder how to know whether you have eternal life? Do you have the Son? Have you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Got Jesus? Got life!
December 4, 2016
God gave Daniel great insight into the future, yet his understanding was only partial. No matter how much he studied these future prophecies, much was left cloudy for him. So, the Lord gave Daniel three insights on how to respond to His end times prophecies:
1) “Go your way.” In other words, get busy doing what I’ve called you to do in the present.
2) “You shall rest.” Physical death would come for Daniel long before the end. Death for the believer is not the end, but merely rest from physical labor. Daniel would not see all that God had revealed. He would rest (“sabbath”).
3) “You shall stand at the end.” God told Daniel that he would rise again at the end of days. This speaks of the bodily resurrection of the saints.
This instruction is good for today’s reader of prophecy too. We may not know all that the future holds, but we can know the One who holds the future.
December 3, 2016
One of the most amazing prophesies concerning the future of human kingdoms was given to Daniel. Written around 530 BC, God revealed the rise and fall of kingdoms from the time of Daniel to the end times. The three kings predicted to “arise” in Persia was fulfilled by the reigns of Cyrus, Cambyses, and Darius. The 4th and final king of Persia, the one “richer than all” before him, was fulfilled by Xerxes. As Daniel’s prophecy predicted over 200 years before it happened, Xerxes “stirred up” the Greeks which led to Persia being conquered by the “mighty king” (Dan. 11:3), Alexander the Great. The rest of the chapter goes on to describe kingdoms that have come and gone in the following centuries all the way up to the present and beyond. The Lord pulled back the veil of time to show Daniel the kingdoms to come before Christ would establish His everlasting kingdom. The future is in the Lord’s hands.
December 2, 2016
Many start life’s race well, but finish poorly. But I want to finish this life well for Christ. Don’t you? What is the secret to finishing well? “Abide” in Christ. Stay close. If you wander, come back. If you stray, return. If you sin, repent. Keep short accounts. “Abide.” Which is to stay, to live and walk in constant fellowship with Jesus. This is not working or earning. It is remaining. It is clinging continuously to the One who saves and keeps us. It is depending on Him for all things and being satisfied in Him at all times. If we stay in constant fellowship with Him, we won’t be ashamed when He returns. He has done the heavy lifting, declaring, “It is finished!” There is no earning, nor striving for us to do. Yet, we must continually abide in Him to finish well.
December 1, 2016
After Daniel’s vision, an angel named “Gabriel” appeared to him, charged with explaining the vision. The Old Testament recorded many other angelic visitations, but Daniel is unique in that he is the only one to whom their names are revealed (“Gabriel” in 8:16; 9:21 and “Michael” in 10:13, 21; 12:1). Yet, even with Gabriel’s help, the vision is beyond his understanding. While the vision most likely contains “already/not yet” dual fulfillment material, the identification of the “Medes and Persians,” and of the kingdom of Greece points to the time leading up to the birth of Christ. The fact that Gabriel is the angel explaining this to Daniel and then later announcing it to Joseph and Mary in the gospels is not to be overlooked. Daniel saw a vision that has partially been fulfilled in Christ’s first coming. But there is still part that is yet unfulfilled, that must point to the time leading up to His return.
November 30, 2016
Our communication with God is to be two-way: We talk to Him in prayer and He speaks to us through His Word. Daily prayer and Bible reading is a believer’s lifeline to the Father. Are you facing a difficult decision? Are you in need of encouragement or advice? Go to the Father. Make known your requests. Read His Word. Pray “Lord, give me understanding according to Your Word.” Let the Spirit speak into your situation. Listen. He has spoken. He still speaks.
November 29, 2016
A new administration comes into power, jealous co-workers, and a governmental prohibition against prayer… Sounds like something from today’s headlines, doesn’t it? Well, actually this is what the Hebrew exile Daniel faced after Darius the Mede conquered Babylon. Even though Daniel had been an advisor to the Babylonians, Darius was so impressed with him that he made him one of his top three administrators and even planned to put him over all of his 120 “satraps” (Persian governors). Many of the Persian leaders became jealous of Daniel, so they schemed to get rid of him. They couldn’t find anything wrong with his work or character, so they focused on persecuting him for his faith. They persuaded Darius to pass a law against prayer and waited for Daniel to break it. They didn’t have to wait long. That very day, Daniel went “to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem,” and prayed. Daniel had broken Persian law, so Darius had no choice but to throw him in the lion’s den. Yet, God rescued Daniel, thus revealing His glory to Darius. In response, Darius executed Daniel’s detractors, elevated Daniel and made a “decree” instructing his whole kingdom to worship the “God of Daniel.” God used Daniel’s faithfulness to turn a prayer prohibition into a nationwide prayer meeting!
November 28, 2016
The apostle Peter wrote his second letter to awaken believers to an unclouded understanding of the faith. In chapter 2, he warned them to keep their eyes open for false teachers that would invariably try to creep into the flock. As Jesus warned, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matt. 7:15). Persecution and trouble from without is challenging enough, but false teachers that attack from within may actually cause the most destruction. What are some signs of false teaching according to Peter: 1) “Denying” the divinity and lordship of Christ (v.1), 2) Overt sensuality or pursuit of the flesh (v.2), 3) Greedy exploitation of the flock for personal gain (v.3). What is the best way to stay alert to false teaching? Stay in the Word! By knowing the genuine, we guard against the counterfeit.
November 27, 2016
After Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream, he boldly added advice that the king repent of sin and heed God’s warning. What a special relationship God had given Daniel with the king, that he could be so bold without the king’s reprisal! Yet, Nebuchadnezzer didn’t repent, and after a year went by, his nightmare became a reality. God humbled the prideful king. I wonder why God chose to give this pagan Babylonian king such revelations? And why did God provide not only dreams, but also a faithful interpreter in Daniel? It reminds me of how God gave the Egyptian Pharaoh a dream, and then sent him Joseph to interpret it. What was God’s overarching purpose in giving such revelations to pagan kings and providing godly men to interpret them? Perhaps it was at least twofold: 1) God revealed Himself to them that they might repent and believe. 2) God provided godly prophets to find favor with the pagan kings, so that God’s people might prosper even while exiled in a foreign land. How might Daniel’s relationship with Nebuchadnezzar be applied to how we relate to worldly kings, presidents, governors and employers today?