Time and Place to Pray

 Daniel 6:10
 He (Daniel) kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.

We often find ourselves praying in desperation when things suddenly turn bad. We double up on our prayer time, we reach out to others to help us pray for an urgent situation. This is a normal response to a believer to cry out to Jesus, “Lord help us in our time of need.” God delights in our petitions and will come to us in a time of need. This was not the case with Daniel. Daniel had a consistent prayer life. Going to prayer was not motivated by an emergency situation, or by a last attempt to be recused. Daniel prayed because it is how he lived his life. He prayed without ceasing and making special time when he shut out the world around him and focused on Jehovah God. We also know that Jesus would often get away to find a place to pray to His Father. I don’t doubt that Daniel went into his chamber with this decree from Darius on his mind. He no doubt took this to God and submitted himself to God’s will. His life was not his own, it belonged to God. We find Daniel opening up his windows in defiance of the king's order and obeying God rather than man. His consistent prayer and communion with God assured him that his life was in the hands of God. Historically, men and women of God have practiced taking time out of the day to get alone and have communion with God in prayer. It is a good habit to establish in one’s life. Prayer is our lifeline to spiritual victory and a weapon against spiritual darkness. Prayer is also a state of mind that we practise through the day, in season and out of season. We are not confined to a specific time of the day for God to answer prayer on our behalf, but taking time out of our day with God is a lifestyle that pleases God and honors His name. 

Oh, to be a Daniel!

Daniel 6:4
.. but they could find no occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

Oh, to be a Daniel! A man standing strong in what he believed. Living a life without error according to the laws of God and His commandments. We can only admire the integrity and character of this man. The pressure was on for Daniel to let down his convictions and give in to the temptation of human preservation. I don’t believe that Daniel was super human, he no doubt made mistakes of human nature, but when it came to the principles of God’s word, he remained faithful. He knew whom he believed in, and was willing to keep that which he committed unto the end of his days. Oh, to be a Daniel! Determine to stand true, come face to face with pending death and trust God to carry him through. We live in a culture where the word of God has been put aside for perverted thinking and liberal progressive ideology. We are the only Bible that others may see. ”Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men” (2 Corinth 3:2) Oh to be a Daniel! A man living holy and blameless in this present world. Such a life is possible living in these vessels of clay. Submitting daily to God’s will is to daily take up the cross of Jesus and live a blameless life before others, that it may be said of us. “No occasion, nor fault is found, they are true and faithful to the God they serve.” Oh, to be a Daniel! Oh, to be like Jesus!

He Will Deliver

 Daniel 6: 16, 20, 23
Thy God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you...My God sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths...and no manner of hurt was found upon him (Daniel), because he believed in his God.
Daniel believes in God regardless of the outcome. The 3 Hebrew children who were thrown into the fiery pit did likewise. God does not always shut the mouths of lions. We believe that He can, but He may choose not too. God did not keep John the Baptist from being beheaded. Many heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 were not delivered from physical harm, yet they believed. They all looked for a better world, a world not made by the hands of man, but one that is built by God Himself. Like Job, we don’t know the mind of God and His eternal plan, but we know who God is, and we stand still and see God work through His creation. Let the lions roar, the fires burn, and the trials and tribulations come, we serve a God who is able to deliver us however He chooses.

He Is Able To Deliver

 Daniel: 3: 17,18
Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us....But if not, be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve your gods.
God does not always answer our prayers the way we hope He would. Jesus said, Ask and you will receive. What we receive is often not the answer we would expect. The 3 Hebrew children no doubt asked God to deliver them from the hands of their enemy, but they also realized that God may have other plans for them. The attitude of prayers should always be, “Not my will. But your will be done”. God is able to bring deliverance. The 3 Hebrew children did not escape being thrown into the furnace, but God still brought deliverance. He kept the flames from destroying them, and then sent a Comforter to stand by them. We don’t know how things will always work out, but we can trust God that He is able to help us through any situations, and in the end, He will get the glory. Even if God does not answer the prayer of healing, He is still able to bring healing to the heart, and give us peace.

Stand for a Purpose

Daniel Chapter 3

King Nebuchadnezzar- on the heals of hearing the dream that Daniel had given, The king still only gave lip serve to the God of Daniel. The heart of Nebuchadnezzar was not satisfied with the many idols and images that were already established in his kingdom. The hearts of sinful men are seldom satisfied. The pleasures of sin are but for a season. They continue to seek for something that will satisfy. The king commands that an image of gold be erected. This image was to be about 100ft tall and 10ft in diameter. It is speculated that the King made this image to be liken unto himself. Daniel had said in the dream that he interpreted for the King that he was the golden head of the great image. The king is not satisfied just being the head he desires to be the complete image. Self always desires to be the center of the world. Everything evolves around them. If it is not their idea, then forget it. What will be the benefit? What will I get out of it? How will this make me look? They live on a ONE WAY highway. It is my way or no way! If it ever goes the other way, it is done with resentment and indifference. A true selfless life is not force to serve and give, it seeks out ways to aid, serve and help others. May God help you and I not to be enslave by a selfish, self-serving life and attitude.

The Chaldeans- It would appear that these men were only doing their civic duty by informing the king that there were some that were not obeying the law. It is important that those who call themselves Christian uphold the laws of the land. It is not expedient and right that laws be broken just because we don’t like them. We must be careful to lend our influence for good. But, this law or decree went contrary to the law of God. The Chaldeans no doubt were motivated by envy and jealousy. They do doubt remember the way they were stood up by Daniel. Their pride was crushed by the power of God when God revealed the dream to Daniel. Resentment and hatred filled their hearts and they sought ways to get back at those foreigner from the land of Israel. They looked on Daniel and these three Princes with envy as the King elevated them up to position of power. The carnal heart works in the same way in the heart of those who have not obtained the love of God. When the love of God is shed in our heart by the Holy Spirit, then we seek the good of others before seeking the good of self. We live the life of preferring. Even when wrong has been exacted, a heart that is filled with God’s love will forgive and give the benefit of the doubt. Who are we to hold grudges and resentment toward others, when God has shown us so much love and mercy. May God help us, to put aside those things which create strife and bitterness and give ourselves to a Christ like spirit of humility and compassion.

The Three Princes- As Daniel, these three men of God purpose in their heart to serve God. They would not be moved. They knew of the power of God. They remembered how God showed the vision to Daniel. They were confident that God was the God of all gods, and the Lord of all lords, They did not need any more proof of God ability to deliver. These three men purpose:
To serve God, no matter who gave the command, Christ did what was right regardless of who oppose him
The weaknesses of the flesh- The Temptation of Satan
He stood against legalist tyranny of the day. Scribe and Pharisees
The compromise of his followers- “Strike them with fire”
The ridicule and authority of rulers- Pilot, “Know ye not I have power to set you free”

To keep the commands of God, took a stand against sin. Christ said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments”
He that is born of God does not commit sin.
Ye cannot serve God and Mammon at the same time
What then? Shall we sin, God Forbid!
To believe God, in spite of the circumstances- Paul said, “What shall separate us from the love of God”
Circumstance and situation will not always go as we like- What is our attitude and spirit reflect?
Circumstance that seem to go against our constitution serve as opportunity to show forth the glory of God
To put their lives, in the hands of God. Christ said, “Not my will but Thy will be done”
We can rest knowing that God doeth all things well. Christian live a “win-win” life
The Son of God- In the midst of the fiery furnace, God is always faithful to show himself to those who stand for a purpose. If the purpose is to stand for those things that Christ would stand for, then he will show Himself mighty to deliver. He has promise not to leave us or forsake us. When you get to the end of your rope, don’t hang on, but let go and drop yourself into the hand of God and He will lift you up.
Ask yourself, What would Christ stand for? If you stand for the same purpose, then we can be confident that Christ is standing next to us to help us face the battle and difficulty that life brings.