The promises of God are scattered throughout the Bible for God’s people to discover and claim. As he read Jeremiah 25 and 29, he saw God’s promise and decided to claim it. Look at him rising in the morning for extra time to study as the light streamed through the windows. I can see him hovering over it late at night in his upstairs suite, pouring over every word by lamplight. Oh, the lessons here! Daniel diligently studied God’s Word. Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” Daniel didn’t have the entire Bible as we do, but he had some of the Old Testament writings, including those of the prophet Jeremiah.ĭaniel 9:2-3 says, “In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. If some bad habit is tightening its grip on you, claim Daniel 1:8 and trust Daniel’s God to help you.ĭaniel also teaches us the importance of being lifelong students of prophetic Scripture. Purpose in your heart, make up your mind, determine, and resolve to live in victory over the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. It’s all right to be countercultural in this present world. But Jesus said, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). What’s your most basic resolution in life? We live in a compromised age-one in which most people float along with the current wherever it leads them. Daniel arrived in Babylon resolute about his moral convictions and his biblical standards. Some translations say he made up his mind, he determined, he resolved. Let me remind you again of that amazing verse about Daniel as a young man: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8). Come to Christ just as you are and let Him be your cornerstone.īased on his spiritual foundation, Daniel was able to take a stand and maintain a sturdy commitment to the Lord. It’s never too late to establish a foundation of faith as the basis of life. In either case, you can start where you are now, make the commitment, and follow the example of Daniel. Perhaps you grew up in a Christian environment, or maybe you didn’t. Second, wherever you are in life, build on your biblical heritage. These influences are worth more than a million-dollar inheritance. But there’s never a time when we can’t love them, pray for them, and live an exemplary life before them. As our youngsters age, they make their own decisions. And remember, this was during one of the most godless times in Judah’s history.įirst, if you’re a parent or grandparent, do everything possible to instill the love of Jesus into your children or grandchildren. While we don’t know much about his pre-Babylonian life, he certainly had a father and/or mother who instilled within him the traits of godliness. He was mature and spiritual, even as a teenager. As we’ve seen, Daniel had a solid foundation from his earliest days.
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