Lesson from Elijah life

of the most important things the Lord has
ever spoken to me is taken from a passage of
Scripture involving Elijah the prophet. Once I saw
what it was really saying, it linked many other
truths together and made a big impact on my life.
This is so simple that once you see it, you’re
going to wonder how you never saw it before.
Here’s what it says in 1 Kings 17:2-4:
And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,
[3] Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and
hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before
Jordan. [4] And it shall be, that thou shalt drink
of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens
to feed thee there.
Elijah’s provision wasn’t where he was; it was
where God told him to go! This is profound!
Some of you have an impression from God to do
something. Maybe you’re supposed to start a
new business, make a job change, move to
another town, go to Bible college, speak to a
person, etc. You want to do it, but you’re holding
back because the provision isn’t there yet. You’re
saying, “God, I can’t do what You’re asking
without first seeing the provision. How do I know
all these things are going work out” This principle
in 1 Kings applies directly to your situation. God
is sending the provision for your needs not to
where you are but to where He told you to go!
The question is, “Are you all ‘there’” Some of you
aren’t experiencing supernatural provision
because you aren’t “there.” There is a place
called “there” for you.
In verse 4, God said, “I have commanded the
ravens,” (emphasis mine), meaning He had
already spoken to these ravens and they were on
their way to where Elijah was supposed to go.
First Kings 17:5 says,
So [Elijah] went and did according unto the word
of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook
Cherith, that is before Jordan.
(Brackets mine)
In other words, if Elijah had stayed where he was,
he could have prayed and fasted, saying, “God,
why haven’t You supplied my needs” But he
wouldn’t have seen God’s provision if he hadn’t
gone where God instructed.
One of the reasons we aren’t seeing a greater
provision from God financially, emotionally, or in
our circumstances is because we aren’t doing
what God told us to do. We’ve got a word from
God that we haven’t acted on. We’re somewhere
other than where He told us to be.
Now, this is an important point because I preach
on the grace of God a lot. I talk about how God’s
grace is how He provides things and that it’s not
based on our obedience or holiness. God loves us
independent of our performance—that’s absolutely
true! But does this mean obeying Him is
unimportant Just the opposite. I believe God has
a plan for my life and that He chose me from my
mother’s womb and ordained me to be a prophet
and to minister. I believe He has great things
planned for me, things earmarked for me that
have my name on them. But if I hadn’t obeyed,
stepped out, and done what He told me to do,
God still would have provided, but I would have
missed out on it. I had to go “there.” I don’t
believe God just makes things come to pass; it
takes cooperation on our part.
This isn’t intended to hurt or condemn anyone,
because I know that some of you are thinking,
Maybe that’s why things aren’t working in my life
—I haven’t been obedient to what God told me to
do! Well…that’s absolutely correct! It’s not that
God won’t bless you because you haven’t obeyed
Him; it’s that His blessing is over “there”! If the
reason you won’t step out is because you’ve got
some form of “security” but you’re miserable and
things are just going wrong, I encourage you to
do what God told you to do.
I played football in high school, and what I’m
talking about is similar to how a quarterback
throws a football to a wide receiver. A
quarterback doesn’t throw the ball to where the
receiver is; he throws it to where the receiver
should be. If he doesn’t do that, he’ll miss the
receiver. Likewise, God is meeting all of your
needs—He’s sending His supply to where He told
you to be.
Another great example of this is with our
prospective Bible college students. The Lord gives
them a word and tells them to come to Bible
college, but they struggle with it because they’ve
got good paying jobs, nice houses, families, and
friends they don’t want to leave. The security of
those things keeps them from taking a step of
faith because they don’t see how God is going to
provide. But I’ve seen what I’m sharing inspire
hundreds of people. And when they get to their
place called “there,” they find themselves with
better jobs and better houses, and things work
out. Their entire lives change. And there would
have been no way to anticipate this before they
took that step of faith. I’m telling you, when you
get out of doubt and into your place called
“there,” when you start doing what God called you
to do, there is supernatural provision. This is one
of the great lessons from the life of Elijah.
Let’s look at 1 Kings 17:6:
And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in
the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening;
and he drank of the brook.
As I mentioned before, I believe that since God
had already commanded the ravens, if Elijah
hadn’t obeyed, God would still have been faithful
to send the provision where He told him to go. I
believe that these ravens would have brought
bread and meat every morning and evening but
that it all would have piled up beside the brook
and gone to waste. Elijah could have starved to
death even though God had been faithful to
provide for his needs.
Here’s something else to consider: How did Elijah
know which spot along the brook Cherith to go If
the brook was ten miles long, he could have been
five or ten miles away from where the ravens
were bringing him food. The ravens could fly
faster than Elijah could walk or run. I’m convinced
that one of the ways he knew he was at the right
spot was because the ravens were already “there”
with the bread and meat. When Elijah saw the
provision God had promised, that was one of the
signs that he was in the right place.
The same will be true of you when you step out.
You have to take a step of faith with no
guarantees that things are going to work. And
then you will start seeing the provision of the
Lord. It’ll be confirmation that you’re going in the
right direction and doing what He told you to do.
You’ll be able to say, “It was God who told me to
do this.”
This is how it’s worked in my life. I haven’t seen
God’s provision accidentally. I’ve applied what 1
Kings 17 is talking about and taken steps of faith
to get where I am. And I’m going to keep taking
steps of faith. All you have to do to get started is
take a step of faith. There is a place called
“there” for you. It’s not necessarily a location;
you may not have to change where you live. It
could just be an attitude change or decision you
need to make. But when you take a step of faith
and start following what God tells you to do,
there is a supernatural flow of provision—not only
of finances but also of peace, joy, blessing,
anointing, influence, power, and authority—that
you cannot duplicate with all your human effort.
All of these kinds of things follow obeying the
word of the Lord.
You can look at the life of Elijah; he was a
nobody before he had a word from God and acted
on it. But then—boom—after he stepped out in
faith, he became the dominant figure in the
nation. He was blessed, miracles began to
happen, a person was raised from the dead, and a
revival broke out. You’ve got to find your place
called “there” and then get there! It’s imperative.
I tell you, this could change your life if you would
act on it.

Categories: Great minds

LESSON FROM DANIEL LIFE

 June 1968
A Lesson From the Life of Daniel

THE sixth chapter of the Book of Daniel records how the prophet, because of his wisdom and prudence, was exalted to a position of great importance in the kingdom of the Medes and Persians. We read in the first few verses that King Darius set 120 princes over the kingdom. The Revised Version and Rotherham call them “Satraps,” which means a governor of a province. Over these 120 province governors were set three presidents, or confidential ministers, of whom Daniel was first. To these ministers the province governors were to render an account that the king “should have no damage” or should suffer no loss.
The king became so pleased with Daniel, “because an excellent spirit was in him,” uthat Daniel “was preferred above the presidents and princes, … and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.” (Dan. 6:3) We are not quite sure that the king acted upon this thought, but it is worthy of note that some of these ancient kings recognized character and merit. This good judgment was shown by Nebuchadnezzar when he recognized Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as servants of the true God and gave them still higher positions in the empire.
Belshazzar also took no offense at Daniel’s interpretation of the writing on the wall but highly honored and rewarded him for his faithful, plain, and outspoken words. And when Darius of the Medes and Persians overcame Babylon, far from destroying all the rulers, including Daniel, he apparently spared all except the king, and gave Daniel a very high position in the empire. Doubtless, as Daniel was a prophet, the providence of God was also in this, but the king manifestly appreciated his good qualities.
Holding such an exalted office, as one of the three presidents of the empire, Daniel no doubt stood in the way of many who sought office; and, as a man of unimpeachable character, he would be in a position to defeat many schemes for personal enrichment and advancement, for those eastern countries were noted for plundering and dishonesty. Thus Daniel was sure to have made many secret enemies who would seek his downfall. From the narrative it appears that these enemies, many of whom were prominent in official life, had watched in vain to find some real cause of complaint; and that they finally concluded that if fault would be found at all, it must be because of his religion. The testimony of his enemies was, “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”—vs. 5
Righteous Persecuted
We are reminded here of the words of Jesus in John 3:19, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil,” and in John 15:19 he told his disciples, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” Paul gives a similar testimony in II Timothy 3:12: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
It has been truly said, “Whosoever does well and is faithful and true, while others are dishonest and false, must expect to be opposed and hated; every effort will be made to injure his character and drag him into the mire, and to make it appear that he is no better than those who assail him.” This was certainly true in the case of Daniel. The enemies who sought his ruin were indeed filled with the spirit of Satan, whose schemes and plans seemed to come naturally to them.
Very cunningly they counseled the king that the people should recognize his exalted position. Relying on the law of the Medes and Persians, under which no decree that the king had established could be altered or set aside, these plotters succeeded in having the king appoint thirty days in which it would be considered a crime to offer a petition to any person or god other than Darius himself.
It is highly improbable that the king had so false an idea of his own personal importance, or that the officers believed him to be infallible; it was, rather, a matter which they suggested as a piece of statecraft, a fraud upon the people, justified, in their perverted judgment, on the grounds of national peace and security. In other words, it would help to impose a desirable restraint upon the masses. This has its counterpart in the principle behind the teaching of eternal torment. Many intelligent preachers disbelieve this teaching, but they do not discourage a belief in this false doctrine on the part of their hearers, on the principle that an evil or falsehood is justified if beneficial results are to be hoped from it.
Enemies Happy
Having obtained the king’s signature to the new law, the conspirators exulted in the thought that Daniel was at last in their grasp and already practically destroyed. They knew his character so well as to have no doubt that he would be faithful to his religious convictions, and thus furnish them with the opportunity to bring about his downfall. In this they were quite correct, for verse 10 says, “He went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” It was part of his habit of life to open the window towards Jerusalem and kneel before his God in prayer and thanksgiving.
There is a lesson we can draw from this for ourselves. Psalm 95:6 reads, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” A “manna” comment on this is, “It is impossible for any Christian to maintain a proper, consistent walk in life, and to build up such a character and faith structure as are represented by the apostle as composed of ‘gold, silver and precious stones’ without prayer; more than this, without regularity in prayer—we would almost be inclined to say, without kneeling in prayer.”
A proper reverential attitude toward our Heavenly Father prompts us in our private devotions to “bow down and kneel before the Lord our maker.” In the busy turmoil of life, to kneel is not always possible, and we must learn to pray even when we cannot kneel in prayer. It has been said that prayer is thinking toward God. Ephesians 5:19 speaks of “making melody in your heart to the Lord,” and this can be done in many everyday situations. When walking along the street we can think toward God, or when waiting for a bus we can think toward God. Prayer is doing everything as for him, and if our mental prayer covers all our daily activities we can indeed “pray without ceasing.”
We are not told why Daniel had adopted the habit of private worship in so public a manner as to be generally known to the people—a manner so different from that which the Lord has commended to his followers during this age. Matthew 6:6 (Weymouth) reads, “Whenever you pray, go into your own room and shut the door; then pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father, he who sees in secret, will recompense you.” Probably the custom of Babylon was such as to make Daniel’s more open course the reasonable and proper one.
The heathen worship was more or less public and visible, and Daniel was not ashamed to let it be known that he turned his face toward Jerusalem, the typical city of God. It illustrated his faithfulness to the true God and his separation from idolatry. He was not satisfied just to close his eyes in prayer after he had retired to rest; he realized that he had a great God who was worthy of reverence and worship and he was great enough to appreciate that it was a privilege to have communion and fellowship with his Creator.
We, too, recognize that it is a wonderful privilege to worship the God of heaven; and we have additionally been granted the wonderful favor of looking to him and addressing him as our Father. We are also encouraged to come to him in time of need.—Heb. 4:15,16
Jesus gave us the formula for successful prayer when he said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” The Apostle John wrote, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.”—John 15:7; I John 5:14
According to a prearranged plan, the conspirators assembled at the proper time to witness Daniel’s devotion, and then proceeded to the king to announce that the first one to disobey his decree, and therefore to come under its punishment, was the honored and trusted first minister of the empire, Daniel. They reminded the king that he had said that any man who made a petition to any god or man other than himself should be cast into a den of lions. When the king realized that he had been flattered into making this decree for the very purpose of destroying his most valued counselor, he was “sore displeased with himself,” and he set his heart on Daniel to deliver him.—Dan. 6:14
The king sought every possible way to make void the decree or to excuse Daniel from its penalty, but the conspirators were close at hand with their arguments to prove that such a course was quite impossible. “Know, O king,” they said, “that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.” (vs.15) Darius could find no way of escape; his decree must stand, so he commanded that Daniel be brought and cast into the den of lions. But Daniel’s conduct at all times had been noticed and had such an effect on the king that he could express the hope, May thy God, whom thou servest continually, deliver thee. (vs. 20) He knew that Daniel worshiped God sincerely and trusted him implicitly, and this so impressed him that he had some hope that the God whom Daniel served might somehow deliver him.
Daniel’s life testified, not only to his own faithfulness and character, but also to the faithfulness and character of the God he worshiped. We are instructed, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Our lives should be living epistles: many of our friends and neighbors know God only as they see and appreciate the Christian’s character and manner of life.
Daniel’s enemies were not content with having him cast into the den of lions. They were determined that nothing should thwart their evil designs, so a stone was laid at the mouth of the den, and this was sealed with the seals of the king and of his lords. These wicked men could net tolerate in their midst one whose life was above reproach, or who had, perhaps, on some occasions prevented them from carrying out other evil plans.
We are not told how Daniel passed the night, but we know in Whom he trusted, and we are sure that he could pray as fervently in the lions’ den as he could in his own chamber. The king was troubled in mind, and his sleep went from him. He passed the night in fasting, and it is evident that Daniel had a more peaceful night in the den than the king had in his bed. Very early in the morning Darius went in haste to the den and cried, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” The reply came, “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me.”—vss. 20,22
A “Roaring Lion”
We are told in I Peter 5:8 of a peril that threatens Christians: “Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Daniel had committed himself to the God whom he served, and this is exactly what we are instructed to do (I Pet. 5:7): “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Psalm 34:7 assures us that “the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”
God’s restraining power is over everything destructive and hurtful. As God’s providence over Daniel permitted him to come under the power of natural wild beasts, so he sometimes permits his faithful ones now to be exposed to hatred and misrepresentation. This was so in the case of Jesus, and he warned his disciples that they would share the same experiences, saying in Luke 21:12, “They shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.”
To be near Christ was to be near the fire of persecution, and the Book of Acts tells us of James, Stephen, Peter, and Paul, and we know of many others at that time and since, who suffered and died because of their faith. Peter, writing at a time when much bitter persecution was raging, wrote, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings.” (I Pet. 4:12-13) “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps.”—I Pet. 2:21
God was able to, and did, deliver Daniel, and he is also able to send his “angel” to shut the mouths of “lions” who would injure his people now. As the hymn says, “The God who lived in Daniel’s time is just the same today.” In Romans 8:38,39 Paul testified to God’s great keeping power: “I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
All things are subject to the One whose service we have entered through vows of consecration. In some instances it may please the Lord to grant a wonderful deliverance, as in the case of Daniel, while in other cases his providential dealings may result otherwise. He allowed Stephen to be killed by stoning, and James to be beheaded by Herod; but when Peter was in prison awaiting the same fate, an angel was sent to deliver him.
It is God who decides when we shall be delivered, and when the enemy shall appear to triumph. We must accept by faith his providences in our lives, being assured that he will grant the necessary strength and grace for every time of need. In the midst of his persecution, Stephen had the peace of God ruling in his heart to such an extent that his face was as the face of an angel: calm, serene, and unperturbed, and “he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.”—Acts 7:55
We must learn that godliness, uprightness, and virtue do not exempt one from adversities and ills; indeed it is frequently the case that the deeper and more complete the devotion and fidelity to God, the greater the trials. All such suffering for righteousness’ sake is helpful in building up a character fitted for eternity, and all the saints used of the Lord to instruct us have stressed that “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”—Acts 14:22
God’s Will
To what extent may we look for and expect divine inter-position when we are in trouble, trial, or danger? The Scriptures plainly declare that true children of God may confidently look to him for help in time of need. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand … for the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints.” (Ps. 37:23-24,28) “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” (Ps. 55:22) Jesus said, “Consider the lilies of the field, … if God so clothe the grass of the field … shall he not much more clothe you?”
Your Heavenly Father knowcth your needs. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:28,30,33) He also said that God is mindful of the death of a sparrow, and continued, “Ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matt. 10:31) The Lord is overruling all the affairs of those who have truly committed themselves to him, and his promise is, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”—Heb. 13:5
God’s Purpose Served
Whenever miracles have been wrought in the deliverance of God’s people, there has always been a divine purpose to be accomplished. That purpose has been the furtherance of his good cause in the world. Daniel was a representative of the true God and had made known both by his words and his life the greatness of the God he worshiped. It seemed best to the Lord at this particular time to preserve the life of his servant. His life work was not yet finished; visions and revelations were to be given him concerning the future of the chosen people. He was to be further used to encourage and stir up his own nation to go up to the land of their fathers, rebuild their city and temple, and resume again the worship of Jehovah in the place appointed. This miracle was God’s way of witnessing to them that he was their God.
After Daniel’s deliverance, the king caused all the conspirators to be cast into the den of lions, and they were destroyed. This illustrates a principle of divine justice that those who dig pits for others shall fall into them themselves. “He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.”—Ps. 7:15-16
Although it is true that “now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered,” we are assured that in the next age it will be different. Concerning the kingdom age the Lord said, “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies.”—Mal. 3:15, Isa. 28:17
God has caused the record of Daniel—his faithfulness and his deliverance when he was so beset by his enemies that there seemed no way of escape from a violent death—to be written, that we may learn valuable lessons respecting his care and protection of those who put their trust in him alone. “He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”—Dan. 6:27

Dawn Bible Students Association

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Categories: Great minds

A VIEW OF DANIEL LIFE

 June 1968
A Lesson From the Life of Daniel

THE sixth chapter of the Book of Daniel records how the prophet, because of his wisdom and prudence, was exalted to a position of great importance in the kingdom of the Medes and Persians. We read in the first few verses that King Darius set 120 princes over the kingdom. The Revised Version and Rotherham call them “Satraps,” which means a governor of a province. Over these 120 province governors were set three presidents, or confidential ministers, of whom Daniel was first. To these ministers the province governors were to render an account that the king “should have no damage” or should suffer no loss.
The king became so pleased with Daniel, “because an excellent spirit was in him,” that Daniel “was preferred above the presidents and princes, … and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.” (Dan. 6:3) We are not quite sure that the king acted upon this thought, but it is worthy of note that some of these ancient kings recognized character and merit. This good judgment was shown by Nebuchadnezzar when he recognized Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as servants of the true God and gave them still higher positions in the empire.
Belshazzar also took no offense at Daniel’s interpretation of the writing on the wall but highly honored and rewarded him for his faithful, plain, and outspoken words. And when Darius of the Medes and Persians overcame Babylon, far from destroying all the rulers, including Daniel, he apparently spared all except the king, and gave Daniel a very high position in the empire. Doubtless, as Daniel was a prophet, the providence of God was also in this, but the king manifestly appreciated his good qualities.
Holding such an exalted office, as one of the three presidents of the empire, Daniel no doubt stood in the way of many who sought office; and, as a man of unimpeachable character, he would be in a position to defeat many schemes for personal enrichment and advancement, for those eastern countries were noted for plundering and dishonesty. Thus Daniel was sure to have made many secret enemies who would seek his downfall. From the narrative it appears that these enemies, many of whom were prominent in official life, had watched in vain to find some real cause of complaint; and that they finally concluded that if fault would be found at all, it must be because of his religion. The testimony of his enemies was, “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”—vs. 5
Righteous Persecuted
We are reminded here of the words of Jesus in John 3:19, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil,” and in John 15:19 he told his disciples, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” Paul gives a similar testimony in II Timothy 3:12: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
It has been truly said, “Whosoever does well and is faithful and true, while others are dishonest and false, must expect to be opposed and hated; every effort will be made to injure his character and drag him into the mire, and to make it appear that he is no better than those who assail him.” This was certainly true in the case of Daniel. The enemies who sought his ruin were indeed filled with the spirit of Satan, whose schemes and plans seemed to come naturally to them.
Very cunningly they counseled the king that the people should recognize his exalted position. Relying on the law of the Medes and Persians, under which no decree that the king had established could be altered or set aside, these plotters succeeded in having the king appoint thirty days in which it would be considered a crime to offer a petition to any person or god other than Darius himself.
It is highly improbable that the king had so false an idea of his own personal importance, or that the officers believed him to be infallible; it was, rather, a matter which they suggested as a piece of statecraft, a fraud upon the people, justified, in their perverted judgment, on the grounds of national peace and security. In other words, it would help to impose a desirable restraint upon the masses. This has its counterpart in the principle behind the teaching of eternal torment. Many intelligent preachers disbelieve this teaching, but they do not discourage a belief in this false doctrine on the part of their hearers, on the principle that an evil or falsehood is justified if beneficial results are to be hoped from it.
Enemies Happy
Having obtained the king’s signature to the new law, the conspirators exulted in the thought that Daniel was at last in their grasp and already practically destroyed. They knew his character so well as to have no doubt that he would be faithful to his religious convictions, and thus furnish them with the opportunity to bring about his downfall. In this they were quite correct, for verse 10 says, “He went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” It was part of his habit of life to open the window towards Jerusalem and kneel before his God in prayer and thanksgiving.
There is a lesson we can draw from this for ourselves. Psalm 95:6 reads, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” A “manna” comment on this is, “It is impossible for any Christian to maintain a proper, consistent walk in life, and to build up such a character and faith structure as are represented by the apostle as composed of ‘gold, silver and precious stones’ without prayer; more than this, without regularity in prayer—we would almost be inclined to say, without kneeling in prayer.”
A proper reverential attitude toward our Heavenly Father prompts us in our private devotions to “bow down and kneel before the Lord our maker.” In the busy turmoil of life, to kneel is not always possible, and we must learn to pray even when we cannot kneel in prayer. It has been said that prayer is thinking toward God. Ephesians 5:19 speaks of “making melody in your heart to the Lord,” and this can be done in many everyday situations. When walking along the street we can think toward God, or when waiting for a bus we can think toward God. Prayer is doing everything as for him, and if our mental prayer covers all our daily activities we can indeed “pray without ceasing.”
We are not told why Daniel had adopted the habit of private worship in so public a manner as to be generally known to the people—a manner so different from that which the Lord has commended to his followers during this age. Matthew 6:6 (Weymouth) reads, “Whenever you pray, go into your own room and shut the door; then pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father, he who sees in secret, will recompense you.” Probably the custom of Babylon was such as to make Daniel’s more open course the reasonable and proper one.
The heathen worship was more or less public and visible, and Daniel was not ashamed to let it be known that he turned his face toward Jerusalem, the typical city of God. It illustrated his faithfulness to the true God and his separation from idolatry. He was not satisfied just to close his eyes in prayer after he had retired to rest; he realized that he had a great God who was worthy of reverence and worship and he was great enough to appreciate that it was a privilege to have communion and fellowship with his Creator.
We, too, recognize that it is a wonderful privilege to worship the God of heaven; and we have additionally been granted the wonderful favor of looking to him and addressing him as our Father. We are also encouraged to come to him in time of need.—Heb. 4:15,16
Jesus gave us the formula for successful prayer when he said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” The Apostle John wrote, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.”—John 15:7; I John 5:14
According to a prearranged plan, the conspirators assembled at the proper time to witness Daniel’s devotion, and then proceeded to the king to announce that the first one to disobey his decree, and therefore to come under its punishment, was the honored and trusted first minister of the empire, Daniel. They reminded the king that he had said that any man who made a petition to any god or man other than himself should be cast into a den of lions. When the king realized that he had been flattered into making this decree for the very purpose of destroying his most valued counselor, he was “sore displeased with himself,” and he set his heart on Daniel to deliver him.—Dan. 6:14
The king sought every possible way to make void the decree or to excuse Daniel from its penalty, but the conspirators were close at hand with their arguments to prove that such a course was quite impossible. “Know, O king,” they said, “that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.” (vs.15) Darius could find no way of escape; his decree must stand, so he commanded that Daniel be brought and cast into the den of lions. But Daniel’s conduct at all times had been noticed and had such an effect on the king that he could express the hope, May thy God, whom thou servest continually, deliver thee. (vs. 20) He knew that Daniel worshiped God sincerely and trusted him implicitly, and this so impressed him that he had some hope that the God whom Daniel served might somehow deliver him.
Daniel’s life testified, not only to his own faithfulness and character, but also to the faithfulness and character of the God he worshiped. We are instructed, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Our lives should be living epistles: many of our friends and neighbors know God only as they see and appreciate the Christian’s character and manner of life.
Daniel’s enemies were not content with having him cast into the den of lions. They were determined that nothing should thwart their evil designs, so a stone was laid at the mouth of the den, and this was sealed with the seals of the king and of his lords. These wicked men could net tolerate in their midst one whose life was above reproach, or who had, perhaps, on some occasions prevented them from carrying out other evil plans.
We are not told how Daniel passed the night, but we know in Whom he trusted, and we are sure that he could pray as fervently in the lions’ den as he could in his own chamber. The king was troubled in mind, and his sleep went from him. He passed the night in fasting, and it is evident that Daniel had a more peaceful night in the den than the king had in his bed. Very early in the morning Darius went in haste to the den and cried, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” The reply came, “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me.”—vss. 20,22
A “Roaring Lion”
We are told in I Peter 5:8 of a peril that threatens Christians: “Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Daniel had committed himself to the God whom he served, and this is exactly what we are instructed to do (I Pet. 5:7): “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Psalm 34:7 assures us that “the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”
God’s restraining power is over everything destructive and hurtful. As God’s providence over Daniel permitted him to come under the power of natural wild beasts, so he sometimes permits his faithful ones now to be exposed to hatred and misrepresentation. This was so in the case of Jesus, and he warned his disciples that they would share the same experiences, saying in Luke 21:12, “They shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.”
To be near Christ was to be near the fire of persecution, and the Book of Acts tells us of James, Stephen, Peter, and Paul, and we know of many others at that time and since, who suffered and died because of their faith. Peter, writing at a time when much bitter persecution was raging, wrote, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings.” (I Pet. 4:12-13) “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps.”—I Pet. 2:21
God was able to, and did, deliver Daniel, and he is also able to send his “angel” to shut the mouths of “lions” who would injure his people now. As the hymn says, “The God who lived in Daniel’s time is just the same today.” In Romans 8:38,39 Paul testified to God’s great keeping power: “I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
All things are subject to the One whose service we have entered through vows of consecration. In some instances it may please the Lord to grant a wonderful deliverance, as in the case of Daniel, while in other cases his providential dealings may result otherwise. He allowed Stephen to be killed by stoning, and James to be beheaded by Herod; but when Peter was in prison awaiting the same fate, an angel was sent to deliver him.
It is God who decides when we shall be delivered, and when the enemy shall appear to triumph. We must accept by faith his providences in our lives, being assured that he will grant the necessary strength and grace for every time of need. In the midst of his persecution, Stephen had the peace of God ruling in his heart to such an extent that his face was as the face of an angel: calm, serene, and unperturbed, and “he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.”—Acts 7:55
We must learn that godliness, uprightness, and virtue do not exempt one from adversities and ills; indeed it is frequently the case that the deeper and more complete the devotion and fidelity to God, the greater the trials. All such suffering for righteousness’ sake is helpful in building up a character fitted for eternity, and all the saints used of the Lord to instruct us have stressed that “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”—Acts 14:22
God’s Will
To what extent may we look for and expect divine inter-position when we are in trouble, trial, or danger? The Scriptures plainly declare that true children of God may confidently look to him for help in time of need. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand … for the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints.” (Ps. 37:23-24,28) “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” (Ps. 55:22) Jesus said, “Consider the lilies of the field, … if God so clothe the grass of the field … shall he not much more clothe you?”
Your Heavenly Father knowcth your needs. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:28,30,33) He also said that God is mindful of the death of a sparrow, and continued, “Ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matt. 10:31) The Lord is overruling all the affairs of those who have truly committed themselves to him, and his promise is, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”—Heb. 13:5
God’s Purpose Served
Whenever miracles have been wrought in the deliverance of God’s people, there has always been a divine purpose to be accomplished. That purpose has been the furtherance of his good cause in the world. Daniel was a representative of the true God and had made known both by his words and his life the greatness of the God he worshiped. It seemed best to the Lord at this particular time to preserve the life of his servant. His life work was not yet finished; visions and revelations were to be given him concerning the future of the chosen people. He was to be further used to encourage and stir up his own nation to go up to the land of their fathers, rebuild their city and temple, and resume again the worship of Jehovah in the place appointed. This miracle was God’s way of witnessing to them that he was their God.
After Daniel’s deliverance, the king caused all the conspirators to be cast into the den of lions, and they were destroyed. This illustrates a principle of divine justice that those who dig pits for others shall fall into them themselves. “He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.”—Ps. 7:15-16
Although it is true that “now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered,” we are assured that in the next age it will be different. Concerning the kingdom age the Lord said, “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies.”—Mal. 3:15, Isa. 28:17
God has caused the record of Daniel—his faithfulness and his deliverance when he was so beset by his enemies that there seemed no way of escape from a violent death—to be written, that we may learn valuable lessons respecting his care and protection of those who put their trust in him alone. “He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”—Dan. 6:27

Dawn Bible Students Association
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THEME : INFALLIBLE OR INDISPENSABLE?

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL..
DATE : Thursday 9 October 2014
THEME : INFALLIBLE OR INDISPENSABLE?
Memorise:
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1 Corinthians 10:12

Read: 1 Corinthians 3:4–11
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not
carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed,
even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God
that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall
receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are
God's building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise
masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let
every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 SAMUEL 29-31 and PROVERBS 9:1-12
Message
Grace is crucial to our growth in Christ. As Christians, we need the grace of
God to overcome all the perils on our way to Heaven. Two of such perils are
the feelings of infallibility and indispensability. Nobody, no matter how spirit-
filled, is incapable of making mistakes. A spiritual leader must be willing to
concede the possibility of mistakes and should be able to yield to the advice
and criticism of other brethren. The mindset of being infallible is a problem
which many sound Christians fall victim to. A leader who knows God, and
probably knows Him better than his colleagues, is in danger of falling
unconsciously into this subtle peril. Do you have the impression that you are
infallible? Do you think you are incapable of making mistakes? Beware! This
feeling possibly emanates from the fact that you are talented, spiritual and
your sense of judgment has been proved to be more accurate than that of
others, or from the fact that you are capable of praying, thinking and wrestling
with problems more earnestly and successfully than your colleagues and
peers. This kind of feeling is dangerous. If care is not taken, pride will set in,
and a time may come when you will be unwilling to yield to the advice of
others. Nobody is infallible.
Also, nobody is indispensable. No one is too important to be without. Nobody is
irreplaceable. God always has substitutes. When King Saul became obstinate
and disobedient to God, he was replaced by David. The knowledge that God has
substitutes should make you humble and keep you on your toes. This same
knowledge should encourage you to delegate responsibilities properly and
mentor younger ones. Many leaders cling to authority long after it should have
been passed on to younger men because of the thought that they are
irreplaceable. They believe that in the best interest of the work, they should not
relinquish office. Are you a Christian leader? Are you a minister or a worker in
God’s vineyard? Be informed that you are neither indispensable nor
irreplaceable. Are you a missionary? No missionary is indispensable. Any
missionary who has made himself indispensable to the church he planted has
done a great disservice to the church. From the earliest days of planting a
church, a missionary should set it up in such a way that he will remain in the
background. He should cultivate in the members a real dependence on the Lord
and train spiritual men who as soon as practicable, would assume full
responsibility over the work. Practical solutions to the peril of feeling
indispensable are humility and mentoring. Go ahead and replicate yourself in
others through mentoring.
Action Point:
Be actively involved in follow-up, discipleship and mentoring of younger
Christians.
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE

SERMONS: Peace and Holiness

SERMONS: Peace and Holiness

Peace and Holiness

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL...
DATE : Tuesday 7 October 2014
THEME : PEACE AND HOLINESS
Memorise:
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the
Lord:
Hebrews 12:14
Read: 2 Corinthians 7:1-12
1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have
defrauded no man.
3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our
hearts to die and live with you.
4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am
filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were
troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by
the coming of Titus;
7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was
comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your
fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent:
for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for
a season.
9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to
repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive
damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but
the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what
carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what
indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea,
what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this
matter.
12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done
the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the
sight of God might appear unto you.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 1 SAMUEL 24-25 and PROVERBS 8:1-21
Message
To succeed in life and make it to heaven, you need both vision and action.
Vision is no doubt one of the most powerful forces available to man on earth
today. Vision gives meaning to life. Action springs out of what we
fundamentally desire. Someone once said, “Vision without action is merely a
dream. Action without vision is just passing the time. Vision with action can
change the world.” Specifically, what vision, coupled with action is needed to
change the world and ensure that we make it to heaven? It is the vision of
peace and holiness. We need peace to change the world. Christians are
enjoined to follow peace with all men (Hebrews 12:14). The Bible also makes
it clear that peace makers shall be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9).
As a Christian, you are expected to live at peace with your neighbours. The
first group of neighbours you should be at peace with are your loved ones.
These include members of your household or family. Ensure that you live at
peace with all members of your nuclear family which includes: your spouse,
your children, your parents and your siblings. You should also live peacefully
with all members of your extended family, being your uncles and aunties,
cousins, nieces and nephews. You should endeavour to live peacefully with all
members of your family, regardless of their religion and regardless of whether
they give you peace of mind or not. It is unscriptural for a Christian to neglect
his or her children or aged parents. Take good care of your children, parents
and all your loved ones. Ensure that you give them peace of mind. Another
group of people we should live peacefully with are those living in the same
community with us. Demonstrate true Christianity in your relationship with
every member of your neighbourhood. Let them identify the love of God in your
utterances and actions. Aside from your loved ones, it is your responsibility to
live peacefully with those who are not kindly disposed to you. These include
your persecutors and critics. Endeavour to be at peace with all who
despitefully use you. Additionally, you should pray for peace in your
community, nation and the entire world. It is your responsibility to pray for
global peace and share the Prince of peace with all the people who are in need
of salvation. Be prayerful and active in soul-winning, follow-up and
discipleship. It is however not enough to follow peace with all men. It is
mandatory for you as a child of God to live holy. Note that the only group of
people that will see God are the pure in (Matthew 5:8).
Action Point:
Make peace with your neighbours and all who have offended you.
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE

What is a Devotional and Why is a Devotional Importan

you go to church you probably hear people
talking about different devotionals. If you go to a
Christian bookstore, you probably see a whole
section of devotionals. So what are they and why
is there so much focus in church about them?
Defining a Devotional
When you look up the term “devotional,” you get
definitions like “a short religious service” or a
“devotional exercise relating to worship.” It
doesn’t really explain what a devotional is or why
we do them.
What most people talk about when they talk
about devotionals is a book that helps you grow
in your relationship with God. It is usually broken
down into daily chapters that you can read and
pray about.
The key to understanding the devotional is to
actually break down the work. “Devotion” is a big
clue to a devotional’s use. You show your
devotion to God by reading the passage and
praying on it every day. So the collection of
readings is then known as a devotional.
Using a Devotional
So why would you want to use a devotional?
What will it actually do? Well, Christians use their
devotionals as a way to grow closer to God and
learn more about the Christian life. Devotional
books are not meant to be read in one sitting,
they are designed for you to read a bit every day
and pray on the passages. By praying every day,
Christians develop a stronger relationship with
God.
Devotions, the act of reading passages and
praying, are a staple in most denominations. Yet,
it can get pretty overwhelming when you head
into that bookstore and see row after row of
different devotionals. There are devotionals that
also function as journals and devotionals written
by famous people. There are also different
devotionals for men and women.
Advertisement
Is There a Devotional for Me?
In the end, it is a good idea to start with a
devotional specifically written for Christian teens.
This way you know the daily devotions will be
geared toward the things you deal with every day.
Then take some time to skim through the pages
to see which devotional is written in a way that
speaks to you. Just because God is working one
way in your friend or someone else at church,
doesn’t mean that God wants to work that way in
you. You need to choose a devotional that is a
good fit for you