Daniel 6 - Daniel in the lion's den

I thought I would share some thoughts on Daniel 6 which records the miraculous story of Daniel in the lion's den.  Daniel was an exceptional character and he served an exceptional God!  Daniel was successful; he was envied; and he was targeted by his enemies.

Most of us know the story from Sunday school.  If you haven't read the story, take a few minutes this week and read Daniel 6.  Daniel was successful for three reasons: 1) he chose character over comfort (1:8), 2) he chose discipline over disorder (6:10), and 3) he chose love of God over love of life (6:10, 13).  But, his success and his love for God eventually got him thrown into the lion's den.  This trial in Daniel's life has a happy ending, because God sent an angel to close the mouths of the lions.

I believe in miracles and I hope you do too.  So, It's not difficult for me to believe that the God of the universe could close the mouths of lions or protect Daniel's friends in the fire.  What is of interest to me is Daniel's situation in Babylon.  Here's what I mean . . . .

Daniel, along with his friends, came to Babylon as an exile; a slave.  He was chosen to serve in the king's court and received special training.  The city and the culture was foreign and alien to Daniel's beliefs, values, and religious practices.  Jerusalem was only a memory and the Temple was long gone.  And yet, here's Daniel serving with success and continuing to believe and live for his God in a city and a culture which does not support his beliefs or behaviors.

In America today, I hear numerous Christians bemoaning the fact that America has changed and is no longer a Christian nation. As Christians, we tend to bemoan prayer-less schools and yet we live in prayer-less homes.  We bemoan the lack of morals in our society and yet, statistics demonstrate that Christians get divorced as commonly as non-believers.   Daniel's story is a reminder to believers today that it is possible to faithfully live for God in adverse situations.  God never promised us a "rose garden" or easy situations, but He did promise to be faithful to us as we faithfully walk with Him.

Daniel's story reminds me of God's faithfulness and challenges me to live for God in difficult situations.  Go for it . . . you can do it!  See you Sunday!  Pastor Tom

The Greatest lesson learned

In Daniel 4:27, Daniel gave some good advice to king Nebuchadnezzar.  The New Living Translation reads like this, "'King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor.  Perhaps then you will continue to prosper."  

Daniel chapter 4 is a great reminder of the greatest lesson in the Bible - God rules in human history and in our lives today.  The main message of Christianity is just that--that God rules and his heavenly kingdom has come to earth in His Son, Christ Jesus (Matthew 3:2; 4:17).

And yet, we often resist God's heavenly rule in our daily lives (Romans 3:23).  In fact, the pathway of human history is paved with kings, kingdoms, and ordinary people like you and me who have turned away from God's paths, purposes, or promises to live as they please.  Sadly, this other way leads humanity into darkness and destruction.  Our prized human independence without God's shining light leads us nowhere.  The Bible calls this sin, not to condemn us, but to point us to a better way!

The real message of Christianity is not simply that God is sovereign in his rule over creation and human history; it is the message that in Christ Jesus we can invite God's heavenly kingdom into our hearts and live for the advancement of that kingdom.  This is why Jesus taught us to pray, ""'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven . . . " (Matthew 6:9-13)

What we often fail to understand is that living for the glory of God's kingdom is at first sacrifice and self-denial, but in the end abundance, joy, and victory!  That's why the same advice which Daniel gave the king in Daniel 4:27, Jesus gave to us as he launched his public ministry more than 2,000 years ago, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." (Matthew 4:17)

I remember the story of the Chinese musician who just couldn't "face the music".  It goes something like this - "Many years ago a man conned his way into the orchestra of the emperor of China although he could not play a note. Whenever the group practiced or performed, he would hold his flute against his lips, pretending to play but not making a sound. He received a modest salary and enjoyed a comfortable living Then one day the emperor requested a solo from each musician. The flutist got nervous. There wasn’t enough time to learn the instrument. He pretended to be sick, but the royal physician wasn’t fooled. On the day of his performance, the impostor took poison and killed himself. The explanation of his suicide led to a phrase that found its way into the English language: “He refused to face the music”. (As cited by Max Lucado’s Just Like Jesus. Nashville: Word Publishing, 1998, pp. 110-11, from the following source: Paul Lee Tan. The Encyclopedia Of 7700 Illustrations. Rockville, Md.: Assurance Publishers, 1979, pp. 562-63). 

I know that is a somewhat dismal story, but I share it because I'm convinced that we will destroy our very lives if we refuse to "face the music".  God has a heavenly kingdom which rules in the world today.  He can rule in your heart and mine, only when we repent and turn from our destructive ways to walk in his light and life.  I hope you will.  Let today be the day you choose to humbly invite Jesus Christ into your life and live for His kingdom rather than your own. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Have a great week.  Pastor Tom

Daniel 4

Looking forward to Sunday worship!  This sunday we will peer into Daniel 4 and continue to learn about two ancient characters - Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar.  In Daniel 4, king Nebuchadnezzar has another dream.  This time the dream causes him to be afraid.  The dream is foretold, interrupted, and then fulfilled--all in chapter 4.

The moral of the story focuses on humility, pride, and God's rule in the world today.  Join us for the rest of the story at New Life @ the ARC (10:15 AM)  See you there, Pastor Tom

Faith in the Fire

This past Sunday, we studied the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3.  It's an inspiring story of courage and faith in the face of certain death.  There are perhaps two unexpected twists to the story.  The first is that Daniel's friends didn't bow.  The second is that they didn't burn!

It was not all that uncommon in those ancient days for rulers to build images or idols to themselves as gods.  The Egyptians worshipped their Pharaohs as gods.  The ancient Japanese had an imperial cult as did the Romans.  Anyways, in those days emperor worship as well as idol worship was common.  For an Israelite, however, this was specifically forbidden (Exodus 20).  Daniel's friends took the commands of scripture seriously.  When faced with the fiery furnace, they refused to bow.  WOW!  This should give us courage and inspire pour faith today.  What are you facing which causes you to want to "turn tail and run" or give in and just "go with the flow"?

Another amazing twist in the story is the "fourth man in the fiery furnace".  The courage and faith of Daniel's friend placed them in the greatest trial of their life.  But, God did not abandon them; he sent a messenger into the fire with them.

It's true, they didn't bow and they didn't burn!  This should inspire us to live with courage and faith.  It can also teach us something really important about faith and God.  Faith isn't trusting in "belief" or positive attitude.  Faith is leaving the outcomes to God and serving him anyways.  I want that kind of faith.

The story also teaches us that God shows up when his children are in the fire.  It's no fun to be in the "fiery furnace" of life.  But, Daniel 3 teaches us that God (like a good earthly father) is drawn to his children when they are facing overwhelming odds.

You might be going through a trial today.  My advice to you is stand up for the Lord be consistent in your faith and courage.  Your faith will draw God's presence and help into your situation.

Have a great week!  Pastor Tom

Date Night at New Life!

Looking forward to Date Night at New life!  Focus on the Family has put together some great material called "THE DATE NIGHT CHALLENGE".  Reserve the date for March 7-8, 2014.  Register at http://www.newlifecolumbia.org/date_night.aspx.