YEAR 2, WEEK 42, Day 2, Tuesday, 17 October 2023

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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Tuesday, 17 October 2023:

Daniel 2:11 – The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

Nebuchadnezzar intentionally gave the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans an impossible task because he wanted a supernatural answer rather than a fake miracle from people who claimed a power that really didn’t have.

Daniel 2:17, 18 – Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

In distress and faced with an impossible situation, Daniel went to the Lord in earnest prayer, but he did not go alone, he called his friends seek God’s mercy with him. Daniel understood that prayer would be more effective if it were done in companionship. God calls us to worship and pray with other fellow Christians.

Daniel 2:20-22 – Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

Wisdom comes only from God; all power comes from God. Through God, we can know what we would otherwise never be able to know. God will reveal to you what you need to know if you will walk with Him in fidelity.

Daniel 2:27, 28, 30 – Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days…. But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living….

Daniel was very careful not to share glory with God or to suggest that he had any knowledge apart from what God had revealed to him. Daniel gave God all of the glory by ensuring the king knew that Daniel was not special. Are you still trying to be special? Are you still trying to give people your opinion as if it has any value? Or, are you saying, “Not me, but Jesus.” Never be a self-promoter.

Daniel 2:44, 45 — And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold.

We are subjects of God’s Kingdom, and we are called to be the KING’s ambassadors “in the days of those kings.” Even the United States is one of “those” kingdoms. We are citizens of the Kingdom of God, a much higher calling than any national loyalties. God calls us to obey government, but to remain faithful to Him and His Kingdom above all else.

God’s Kingdom is ‘set up’ in the days of the worldly kingdoms, though it will not be fully realized until Christ’s return; it is not like other kingdoms and will never be destroyed. Jesus announced, “the kingdom of God has come upon you…. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand…. The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” (Matthew 12:28; Mark 1:15; Luke 17:20, 21) Furthermore, concerning God’s true church, the Bible says He has “made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:10) God’s people “are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,” among the nations, preparing the way for the return of the King. (1 Peter 2:9) Micah 5:7-9 describes a global, spiritual insurgency for the Lord – “Then the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which delay not for a man nor wait for the children of man. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, when it goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver. Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off.” Of course, this insurgency is not violent like that envisioned by the Islamists but rather is spiritual – “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4) Also, we don’t win the victory, Christ does when He returns. What role are you playing in the advancement of the Kingdom?

Daniel 2:47, 48 – The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

Do you want to impact the world? We need merely to be faithful and un-comprising ambassadors and let the true power of God be revealed through us.

Daniel remained faithful to God and trusted God, regardless the personal risk, and was given power he never could have imagined, not for his comfort and prestige but rather so that he could be placed in a position to have an even greater impact for God’s glory. Daniel’s new position would only increase his challenges.

2 Peter 1:1 – Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ….

All who are saved through Christ have equal righteousness and equal access to the power of the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:2 – May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

The more we truly know Jesus, the more we grow in grace and peace.

2 Peter 1:3-9 – His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness…. so that… you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

As a Christian, you have everything you need to live a holy and abundant life (2 Pet. 1:3-11). Your intelligence, your education, or your family background do not determine the holiness of your life. Everything you need to live a victorious, joyful, and abundant life is found in the Holy Spirit who resides within you. (Gal. 5:22-23) According to Peter, each Christian, by faith, has access to these qualities: goodness, knowledge of God, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. It would be of no use to inherit a fortune if you did not know it was yours. Likewise, it is of no benefit to inherit everything necessary to become like Christ if you do not claim it. If we continue to lack self-control when God has made it available, we rob ourselves and those around us. If God is willing to instill brotherly kindness into our behavior, but we never display it, people will suffer needlessly as a result. The key to all that God has made available to us is our faith. We must believe that God wants to build these qualities into our lives. In the Gospels, Jesus related to people according to their faith. (Matt. 8:13; 9:29; 15:28) He rewarded genuine faith by granting salvation and healing. If He met unbelief, He did not reward it. (Mark 6:5-6) Review the qualities that Peter said God wants to instill in you. If you lack any of these qualities, ask God to work them into your character, so that you will be more like Christ.

We don’t obey to be saved. We obey because we have been saved and are being saved.

2 Peter 1:12-15 – Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

We are called to be disciples and to make disciples, learning and teaching others to observe all that Jesus commanded. (Matthew 28:18-20) Some discipling is done by instructors – those sages on stages who teach Biblical truths to various audiences. Some discipling is done by mentors, wise, trusted advisors who offer valuable counsel from their knowledge and experience; but perhaps the most valuable discipling comes from spiritual coaches, those examples of faith who are willing to walk alongside you and guide you personally through practical spiritual application, those who are fully invested in you and are committed to being there, thick or thin.

Like professional athletes, we all need coaches who will hold us accountable but who will also feel a sense of responsibility for our success as do professional athletic coaches who get paid to produce winners. Interestingly, the better athletes get, the more and better coaching they need and receive; but as most Christians mature, they seem to get less coaching, which often produces tragic results. If you think you need less coaching in your spiritual walk, you are in danger of slipping.

Coaches don’t usually tell you what you don’t know; rather, they remind you of what you already know and hold you to it, spurring you on to continually exceed your current capabilities. Peter was committed to always reminding his fellow believers of the qualities they were to maintain so they would never forget and so they would continue to ‘win’ when he was no longer there to coach them.

Also, coaches make you run laps you don’t want to run so you can win the game you want to win. There is no growth in the comfort zone, and there is no comfort in the growth zone. A good coach will challenge you to get committed, to step out in faith, to strive, to endure, to persevere and to do it with joy.

• 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 — Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Coaches can’t coach everyone. You can instruct many. You can mentor fewer, but you can coach even fewer. Coaching is personal and a big investment of time, energy and effort. Jesus had his twelve, but he particularly invested in three.

Who is coaching you spiritually, and who are you coaching? Who is on the playing field with you daily in mutually invested relationships? If you aren’t in good spiritual coaching relationships, pray that God will increase your commitment and place the right people in your life.

• Deuteronomy 6:6-9 — And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

2 Peter 1:16 – For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

Witnesses testify to what they have personally seen or experienced, not what they have heard from others. Your witness to others is a testimony to what Jesus has done in your life and what you have personally grown to know about Him. If you have a hard time sharing your testimony, it may be that your real experience with Jesus is very limited. Don’t just read about Jesus and then try to convince people of what you have read – your heart won’t be in that. Instead, walk with Jesus in faith, watch Him work miraculously in your life, and grow closer and closer to Him in genuine relationship. If you truly experience the power of Jesus and the truth of His word in your life, you won’t have any trouble bearing witness to it.

2 Peter 1:19-21 – And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

All Scripture is the word of God.

2 Peter 1:21 – For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Everybody has an opinion, and many seek to use Biblical proof texts to validate their opinion. The Bible has been used to justify all sorts of thoughts and deeds; it has been used as a self-help book; a business book, and for all sorts of ambitious ends. However, true prophecy comes from the Holy Spirit and draws from God’s word to communicate what God would say on a current situation or matter, always pointing to Jesus; God’s prophet will not add, take away, or conflict with God’s written word but will place it in current context in ways that could not have discerned through mere intellect. God’s message will always be different than what we would have expected because His thoughts are farther from ours than the Heavens are from the earth.

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 17 October 2023: Journal today on how well you personally know the person of Jesus and what you have personally experienced from Him vice what you have merely read about or heard from others. Use this experience as the foundation of your personal testimony, and pray above all other prayers for a deeper, more meaningful personal relationship with Jesus. Pray that you will worship and glorify God wholeheartedly and share the Gospel in a powerful way.