Being Held in High Esteem

Our Men's Bible study group is going through Daniel. We are almost through! Last night we studied chapter 10. In verses 11 and 19 Daniel is talking to someone (Pre-incarnate Jesus, God, and angel, I don't know). Daniel is referred to as "highly esteemed" (NIV) by this being. I can't help but think about what it must be like to be considered highly esteemed by God. There is no recorded sin of Daniel in the Bible. (No, I'm not saying he never sinned.) I'm just saying that he was one of the strongest men of faith in the Bible. He was never afraid or ashamed to pray. He was willing to do whatever it took to serve God. You can't help but read about him and think "WOW!"

I guess I am just wondering, what does it take to be "highly esteemed"? How can I be looked upon with as much favor as Daniel? How can I be so in love with God that the angels talk about me and my faithfulness? I don't know that there is an answer, or that it is even possible. However, I hope that when I am old I can look back at my body of work here on earth and know that God holds my efforts in high esteem.

Daniel 6 and the Line between Loving God and Respecting the State

Daniel and the lion's den is one of the more well-known stories of the Bible. I do not plan to go into depth about it here. It is in Daniel 6 if you want more info on it.

The story did make me wonder about when it is appropriate to shun the state's laws. The Bible tells us that God puts into power the person He wants in power for that particular moment. We are also suppose to obey the state unless they ask us to do things that are against God.

Undoubtedly, Daniel continued to pray to God instead of Darius because the law that forbid praying to anyone but Darius was counter to God's law. That is an easy one. However, what about more difficult questions? What about school prayer? What about being a man or woman of faith while at work? Where is the line between being faithful to God like Daniel was and being respectful of the state and/or employers?

Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 22:2
"The rich and the poor have this in common: They Lord made them both."

Daniel 5: What is Written on Your Wall

Daniel Chapter 5 tells us that we are expected to learn from the mistakes of others and be humble. Nebuchadnezzar eventually learned which god was the God. Belshazzar, his successor, was not so lucky. He held a feast, and using items stolen from when Nebuchadnezzar overran the Jews, they celebrated and worshiped idols of all kinds. During the feast a hand appeared and wrote a message on a wall. When Daniel later interpreted the writings he told Belshazzar that he learned nothing from Nebuchadnezzar and that he had refused to humble himself before God. As punishment, he would lose his kingdom to the Persians and Medes, and his life would be lost as well. That night he was murdered and Darius the Mede took control over the kingdom.

For me, there are two lessons here.

1) Take note of other people's successes and failures. God doesn't put godly people in your life so that you can ignore them. They are tools for you. They are examples. The same goes for the ungodly. They too give us direction.

2) I wonder what the writing on my wall would say? This got me to thinking; we should make sure that the writing on our wall is a representation of our relationship with God. For some, the writing on the wall may actually be posted Bible verses. For others, it might be reading the Word regularly or helping those less fortunate. Those "writings" help the world to know about our future and they help to keep us on the right track. What does your writing on the wall say?

Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 21:31
"The horses are prepared for battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord."

Daniel 4: Who Created It?

Daniel 4 teaches us some very important lessons, especially for those who are viewed through the world's eyes as successful. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that Daniel later interpreted for him. The dream was a vision of Nebuchadnezzar losing his kingdom for "seven periods of time" unless he broke from his sinful past. Nebuchadnezzar would be punished by being placed below human society, having to eat grass like cows. Sure enough, 12 months after the dream Nebuchadnezzar was on his rooftop overlooking his kingdom and boasting about what he had created when the dream was fulfilled.

The lesson is obvious, we do nothing great without God. Our castle (even if it is a small two room duplex) is a gift from God. Our diplomas, job titles, bank statements, awards, etc. come from God. If we focus only on what we have done, then we have nothing. God giveth and God most certainly can taketh away. We should not let our pride and sinful nature interfere with all that God has done for us. He has provided shelter, clothing, food, and so much more for me. He has provided His son for all. The story of Nebuchadnezzar is a warning to each and every one of us. We need to remember who got us to where we are.

Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 20:22
"Don't say, 'I will get even for this wrong.' Wait for the Lord to handle the matter."