Maranatha Grace Church

The book of Daniel shows us that integrity is a lifelong process. True spiritual leadership is the result of a total commitment to live a life of integrity, privately and publicly.

Hello:

Book of Daniel Challenge – Day 9 Daniel 1 - 2 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

⁸ But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. ⁹ And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs. (Daniel 1:8-9)

 ¹⁶ And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king. (Daniel 2:16)

We need to set ourselves apart to follow the commands of the Lord, not compromising our beliefs in order to please people. The temptation to compromise, to fit in, is for both young and old. But we remember always that God calls us his children to live a life of integrity no matter what the cost. We have to make up our mind to follow in the footsteps of Jesus who “humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-- even death on a cross!”(Philippians 2:8). 

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Daniel Challenge – Day 10 Daniel 3 - 4 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us^[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18)

Tertullian, an early church leader, observed that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church. Think about the stoning Stephen in Acts 7. The certainty of our faith is that God loves us and since we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are guaranteed eternal life. Will God always deliver us from our blazing furnace? The answer is a “yes, but.” Yes God is able and is willing to deliver us. But if for some reason that is hidden from us he decides not to deliver us, we are fine with that.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Daniel Challenge – Day 11 Daniel 5 - 6 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. ²⁶ I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

for he is the living God,
 enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
 and his dominion shall be to the end.
²⁷ He delivers and rescues;
 he works signs and wonders
 in heaven and on earth,
he who has saved Daniel
 from the power of the lions.” (Daniel 6:25-27)

Daniel sought out to live a life of integrity; even in the face of death he did not compromise his commitment to serve the Lord. A bold step of faith always brings honor to the Lord. King Darius, witnessing the deliverance of Daniel from the lions’ den, had to confess that the God of Daniel is the living God enduring forever (v. 26). May our lives be a continuous testimony to the power and the love of the Lord our God.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Daniel Challenge – Day 12 Daniel 7-8  (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹³ “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man,^[a] coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. ¹⁴ He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14)

To the question of the high priest and his court, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”(Mark 14:62-63). They knew that Jesus was referring to the passage above, and they all condemned him as worthy of death. They could not believe that he person who was in front of them was God the Son. But Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

Because we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are saved.  ^“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (John 3:36).

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Daniel Challenge – Day 13 Daniel 9 -10 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, ⁵ we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. ⁶ We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land. (Daniel 9:-1-6)

Daniel shows us one effective way to get rid of situations that cause children to suffer because of their parents’ faults. We can ask God for forgiveness, and make a complete break from the past. We don’t have to live in a cycle of poor health and poverty. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, ““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13).  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Daniel Challenge – Day 14 Daniel 11-12 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. ² And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. ³ And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above;^[h] and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. ⁴ But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” (Daniel 12:1-4)

We are witnessing the biggest explosion of knowledge in human history. The Internet puts all kinds of knowledge at our fingertips. Very fast jet airplanes connect people from continent to continent in a flash of time. We should not be surprised about this development. Prophecy is being fulfilled, “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase (v. 4).” This also points to the fact that we are “at the time of the end.” Maranatha!

May the Lord richly bless you!