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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Saturday, 21 October 2023:
Daniel 6:3 — Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
Daniel was exceptional and stood out, not merely because he was talented but because of his spirit for the Lord which defined his character and influenced all that he did.
Daniel 6:7 – All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
Unbelievers will attempt to use the legal process to persecute Christians. In this case, laws were passed to restrict acts of worship. What laws have we accepted in society that restrict our freedom of religion?
Daniel 6:10 — When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.
Daniel made it quite clear that he served God over government. Daniel intentionally defied the laws of the government that were in opposition to God’s laws.
Daniel 6:18 – Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.
Daniel’s response to trouble was continual fasting and prayer.
Daniel 6:24 – The king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions.
God treats you the way you treat others.
Daniel 6:26, 27 – 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. 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’s fidelity meant that God was honored throughout the land as a matter of law.
Daniel 6:28 — So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
God protected faithful Daniel and allowed him to prosper; conversely, God didn’t prevent John the Baptist from being beheaded, though Jesus said there was no greater man born from woman than John. God’s perfect plan for our lives involves hardships and even physical death. His goal for us is that we would glorify Him in life and death, love Him more and more with each day, have greater unity with Him day by day, and be conformed into the image of His Son, Jesus. The wonders of God’s eternal plan are far beyond our greatest imaginations, and we can rest assured in His Sovereignty, grace, mercy, and love – nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
Psalm 121:2 – My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Faith comes from a true understanding and appreciation of who God is and what He has promised. If you have placed your trust in the Creator of all things who has promised to love you, what do you have to worry about?
Proverbs 21:1 – The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.
Watch and see how this truth is revealed in Joseph’s life. This truth remains true today. God controls all political leaders for His purpose. God blesses and punishes peoples through their political leaders. If you do not like what is happening politically, you can protest as the world does, or you can turn to the Lord in repentance, prayer, and obedience.
Proverbs 21:3 — To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Another major theme throughout the Bible is that proclaiming Jesus is no substitute for obeying Jesus. Obeying is far better than saying, “I’m sorry.” You should worship in church as the Bible commands, but you will worship today in your behavior. True worship is being obedient to God, doing what is right. Will you deny yourself today, take up your cross, and follow Jesus?
Proverbs 21:7 – The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just.
It’s not that we don’t know what we are supposed to do; we just refuse to do it.
Proverbs 21:9 — It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
This verse isn’t just about marriage or directed at women. It is about relationships in general, particularly close relationships. Do you lift people or bring them down? Are you positive or negative? Are you thankful or always complaining? Do you bring peace or discourse? When you walk in a room, do people light up or turn away? Maybe your answer is different for different relationships. Maybe you are positive at work or negative at home or vice versa. Seek to always be a harbinger of peace and joy. Seek to change your outward behavior towards others immediately, but simultaneously, get to the root of your behavior. If you lack grace, peace, joy, gentleness, etc, it can only be that you are not close enough to Jesus; you are not amazed enough by grace. Don’t just heal the wound superficially. Draw nearer to Christ that you would be so filled by His love that it would naturally overflow out of your life onto others.
Proverbs 21:10 – The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
If what you desire most is not God but something else, you will eventually treat people unfairly and justify your actions to defend what you really care about the most.
Proverbs 21:11 — When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise; when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
There are many possible responses to the truth. One is acceptance, one is doubt, but the scoffer wholly rejects truth, refusing to listen at all. There is no hope for a scoffer.
Proverbs 21:13 – Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
God will treat you the way you treat others.
Proverbs 21:17 – Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
Many people are pleasure seekers rather than Christ seekers.
Proverbs 21:27 — The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent.
God examines the motives behind what you do. You can do the right things for the wrong reasons and receive God’s disfavor.
Proverbs 21:30, 31 – No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.
Don’t learn this the hard way. Better to understand this upfront and follow the teachings of God rather than the counsel of people. The world is full of many very talented and intelligent false teachers. If you aren’t grounded in God’s word, being counselled daily by the Holy Spirit, you will be deceived by another teacher and go the wrong way. Judge everything you hear and see from the standard of God’s word.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 21 October 2023: Recommit to trusting in the Lord and no one or nothing else; recommit to following Jesus and no one or nothing else. Walk with Him by obeying Him and watch His fidelity revealed in your life.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 