Good morning! It’s Wednesday, September 11th, 2024. I write this from Oxford, England, where I am with our Master of Arts students as we study the English Reformation and how it influenced the American Church. Today, we land on a verse in Daniel. With all the convoluted issues and political shifts, God’s people will need deeper insight and divine wisdom to navigate these conditions. Is it available to us? Read on …
Today's Reading:
Daniel 1,2; Revelation 16
Scripture
"Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days.” (Daniel 2:27)
Observation
During the Babylonian captivity, the king had a dream that came with a very unusual demand. He required that his counselors (including Daniel) not only interpret the dream but also describe what it was without the king revealing what it was!
And if they couldn’t, the penalty would be death.
When the counselors were unable to meet the demand, the executions were ordered. However, Daniel asked for an extended time to seek the Lord, who revealed both the dream and its interpretation!
Application
We are living in unusual times. Professional strategists and political tacticians use citizens like a board game to their advantage. As the German historian Hannah Arendt said, “The constant lying is not aimed at making the people believe a lie, but at ensuring that no one believes anything anymore.”
Yet, none of this took God by surprise, and for some divine reason, He called and assigned us to a country embroiled in these conditions. The Lord has appointed us to influence the nation, intercede for its leaders, and win as many as we can to a greater King and an eternal kingdom. If we seek Him as Daniel did, through fervent prayer, God’s wisdom will be made available to His people for a nation in dire need of direction.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, please fill our churches with more “Daniels” who will seek You …. even as the sons of Issachar did in 1 Chron 12:32: “The sons of Issachar understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” I pray for the same understanding so that we can lead the way in these peculiar days that plague our country and churches. Help us rise above the times in a way that brings honor to You and reveals Your plans for mankind.
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