The study in Daniel continues in Chapter 11. Click here to download the sermon which is about 47 minutes in length.
Recap of the sermon from September 11, 2011 (Daniel 11:21-35):
1. Some purposes of suffering:
-to strengthen our faith, James 1:2
-to demonstrate that our faith is genuine, 1 Peter 1:6,7
-to remind us of eternity and of our dependence upon God
-to make us more human, more vulnerable and compassionate toward others
-to spread the gospel
-to show that Satan’s worst won’t stop God
-to unite us with Christ, identifying with Him, growing in intimacy with Him
2. How to deal with our suffering?
-know that God will use it for good, Romans 8:28
-seek good uses, seek to glorify God and draw unbelievers to Christ, learn compassion for others, learn to depend upon God and grow in faith
-get support, through prayer and Bible reading, through fellowship with other believers
-don’t rationalize; don’t make up reasons why God allowed the suffering
-focus on good; be thankful for the good people and things in your life; praise God for them
(credit for the above to: A Compact Guide to the Christian Life by K.C. Hinckley)
3. Scripture to meditate on in the midst of trials: Isaiah 26:3; 41:10; 43:1-3; 43:5; Psalm 31:14-15a
Monday, September 12, 2011
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Troubling Times for God's People
Click here to download the sermon.
A recap of the August 28th sermon from Daniel 11:2-20:
1. Dr. Merrill F. Unger writes about Daniel chapter 11: “This marvelous pre-writing of history by the Spirit of prophecy through Daniel of the 6th century B.C. seems impossible to rationalistic critics and is the chief reason for the rejection of the genuineness of the book of Daniel. History has minutely verified these prophecies fulfilled by Persian kings, 2; Alexander the Great, 3-4; the Ptolemies of Egypt, 5, ‘the king of the South’ and the Seleucids of Syria, ‘the king of the North’, 6-35. Even the Romans, 30…”
2. Daniel is writing in approximately 536.B.C. and records events, Kings, and Kingdoms that would not come into existence for several hundred more years. J. Vernon McGee writes of this passage: “The prophecy of this chapter is so detailed and so accurate that the liberal critic will not accept the fact that it was written before it happened. He insists that Daniel’s prophecy was written after it had become history.” “Obviously, this chapter before us is one of the most remarkable passages of pre-written history in the Word of God, and conservative scholarship can sustain the early date of Daniel. This means that you have a miracle on your hands.”
3. Though these prophecies concern the people of Israel and the nations around her, we can make several applications for Christians today:
-Fulfilled prophecy should give us the utmost confidence in the accuracy and reliability of the Word of God. We can trust our lives to God’s Word, the Bible.
-God in His sovereignty sets up one ruler and puts down another according to His purposes.
-God’s plans always succeed
-God cares for His people and will deliver them in the midst of difficulties.
A recap of the August 28th sermon from Daniel 11:2-20:
1. Dr. Merrill F. Unger writes about Daniel chapter 11: “This marvelous pre-writing of history by the Spirit of prophecy through Daniel of the 6th century B.C. seems impossible to rationalistic critics and is the chief reason for the rejection of the genuineness of the book of Daniel. History has minutely verified these prophecies fulfilled by Persian kings, 2; Alexander the Great, 3-4; the Ptolemies of Egypt, 5, ‘the king of the South’ and the Seleucids of Syria, ‘the king of the North’, 6-35. Even the Romans, 30…”
2. Daniel is writing in approximately 536.B.C. and records events, Kings, and Kingdoms that would not come into existence for several hundred more years. J. Vernon McGee writes of this passage: “The prophecy of this chapter is so detailed and so accurate that the liberal critic will not accept the fact that it was written before it happened. He insists that Daniel’s prophecy was written after it had become history.” “Obviously, this chapter before us is one of the most remarkable passages of pre-written history in the Word of God, and conservative scholarship can sustain the early date of Daniel. This means that you have a miracle on your hands.”
3. Though these prophecies concern the people of Israel and the nations around her, we can make several applications for Christians today:
-Fulfilled prophecy should give us the utmost confidence in the accuracy and reliability of the Word of God. We can trust our lives to God’s Word, the Bible.
-God in His sovereignty sets up one ruler and puts down another according to His purposes.
-God’s plans always succeed
-God cares for His people and will deliver them in the midst of difficulties.
Monday, August 22, 2011
The Invisible War, Part 3
Click here to download the sermon.
Recap of the sermon from August 21st (Daniel 10:14-11:1):
1. Daniel 10 is a fascinating look at spiritual warfare in action. As one writer puts it: “This report [of the angel concerning the delay in answering Daniel’s prayer] gave Daniel some insight into the unseen spiritual battles going on in this world.”
2. The Bible teaches the following about spiritual warfare:
-Demons are fallen angels who joined in Satan’s rebellion against God, who have great intelligence and power. They promote Satan’s agenda in this world.
-They are spirit beings, however, they are not omnipresent (they can only be in one place at a time), nor are they omniscient (they are not all-knowing). Their effectiveness is due to their long existence and their observations of humans in all kinds of situations.
3. Dr. Charles Ryrie categorizes the work of demons as follows:
-they promote a system of false doctrine (teaching) that includes salvation by good works, denial of the deity or humanity of Jesus Christ, is deceptive (can promote evil or good to accomplish their purposes, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
-they promote destruction of men’s bodies and/or minds, they promote moral impurity, they will torment humans physically in the Tribulation (Revelation 9:11)
-they delude the nations (Daniel 1013,20; Revelation 16:13-14,16)
4. The believer’s defense against Satan and his demons is as follows:
-don’t take Satan lightly, Jude 8,9
-be alert to Satan’s attacks, 1 Peter 5:8 (but see 2 Chronicles 16:9)
-use the armor of God, Ephesians 6:11-18, especially prepared by knowledge of the Word of God and prayer
-flee sexual situations, Genesis 39, 2 Timothy 2:22
-make no provision for the sin nature, Romans 13:14
-be careful about attitudes toward sin (especially repetitive sin), toward your mate, secret sin, the things slipping into your language, actions, thought life.
Recap of the sermon from August 21st (Daniel 10:14-11:1):
1. Daniel 10 is a fascinating look at spiritual warfare in action. As one writer puts it: “This report [of the angel concerning the delay in answering Daniel’s prayer] gave Daniel some insight into the unseen spiritual battles going on in this world.”
2. The Bible teaches the following about spiritual warfare:
-Demons are fallen angels who joined in Satan’s rebellion against God, who have great intelligence and power. They promote Satan’s agenda in this world.
-They are spirit beings, however, they are not omnipresent (they can only be in one place at a time), nor are they omniscient (they are not all-knowing). Their effectiveness is due to their long existence and their observations of humans in all kinds of situations.
3. Dr. Charles Ryrie categorizes the work of demons as follows:
-they promote a system of false doctrine (teaching) that includes salvation by good works, denial of the deity or humanity of Jesus Christ, is deceptive (can promote evil or good to accomplish their purposes, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
-they promote destruction of men’s bodies and/or minds, they promote moral impurity, they will torment humans physically in the Tribulation (Revelation 9:11)
-they delude the nations (Daniel 1013,20; Revelation 16:13-14,16)
4. The believer’s defense against Satan and his demons is as follows:
-don’t take Satan lightly, Jude 8,9
-be alert to Satan’s attacks, 1 Peter 5:8 (but see 2 Chronicles 16:9)
-use the armor of God, Ephesians 6:11-18, especially prepared by knowledge of the Word of God and prayer
-flee sexual situations, Genesis 39, 2 Timothy 2:22
-make no provision for the sin nature, Romans 13:14
-be careful about attitudes toward sin (especially repetitive sin), toward your mate, secret sin, the things slipping into your language, actions, thought life.
Monday, August 15, 2011
The Invisible War, Part 2
Click here to download the sermon.
Recap of August 14th sermon from Daniel 10:9-13:
1. When we become active for the Lord, especially in prayer, we energize the enemy. Speaking of Daniel 10, Dr. Gleason Archer writes: “These verses give us a fascinating insight into the supernatural forces involved when a believer engages in protracted and earnest prayer.” “…mighty forces are unleashed when we really devote ourselves to intercession before the throne of grace.”
2. Daniel was called “highly esteemed” in 10:11 (see also 9:23; 10:19). Literally, Daniel was precious to God. This description showed how much God loves and cares for His own. We who are on the other side of the cross should understand God’s great love and care for us even greater than Daniel did. Do we take God’s love for granted? Do we take our position for granted? Sometimes trials can cloud God’s love and care for us making us question that love.
3. The other side of the coin is that Daniel was wholly committed to God. He held back nothing.
Recap of August 14th sermon from Daniel 10:9-13:
1. When we become active for the Lord, especially in prayer, we energize the enemy. Speaking of Daniel 10, Dr. Gleason Archer writes: “These verses give us a fascinating insight into the supernatural forces involved when a believer engages in protracted and earnest prayer.” “…mighty forces are unleashed when we really devote ourselves to intercession before the throne of grace.”
2. Daniel was called “highly esteemed” in 10:11 (see also 9:23; 10:19). Literally, Daniel was precious to God. This description showed how much God loves and cares for His own. We who are on the other side of the cross should understand God’s great love and care for us even greater than Daniel did. Do we take God’s love for granted? Do we take our position for granted? Sometimes trials can cloud God’s love and care for us making us question that love.
3. The other side of the coin is that Daniel was wholly committed to God. He held back nothing.
Monday, August 08, 2011
The Invisible War
Click here to download the sermon.
Recap of 8/7/11 (Daniel 10:1-9)
1. J. Vernon McGee said of Daniel 10, “We are moving into a very eerie section. Maybe you would call it weird or strange. The veil of the spiritual world is partially and momentarily pulled aside, and we get a look into the unseen world. There is nothing here to satisfy the morbid curiosity of an idle spectator. However, there is enough to produce a beneficial and sobering effect upon the humble believer similar to the effect that it produced upon Daniel.”
2. The background to Daniel 10-12, the last vision of the book, is as follows. The Jewish exiles had begun to return to Jerusalem, the exile was ending, the Temple was being rebuilt, and it seemed that at last Israel might be in the land in peace. The year of the vision is 536 B.C. Daniel’s vision, however, is not a vision of peace but a vision of war, of suffering, of persecution, of testing and crisis for Israel. This prompts Daniel to mourn, to fast, and to pray for clarification.
3. Daniel has a vision of an angelic visitor. All his companions fled leaving Daniel alone with the angel. God often moves in our lives to remove the props which unwittingly get in the way of our hearing Him. He separates us from the familiar, the routine, the comfortable to have our complete attention. He uses that alone time with us to give us a fresh vision of Himself, to renew our commitment to Him first. Often other people and circumstances (not bad in themselves) serve to distance us from really knowing God.
4. The first casualty of that aloneness was Daniel’s strength. As Matthew Henry said: “Before God gives strength and power to His people he makes them aware of their own weakness.”
Recap of 8/7/11 (Daniel 10:1-9)
1. J. Vernon McGee said of Daniel 10, “We are moving into a very eerie section. Maybe you would call it weird or strange. The veil of the spiritual world is partially and momentarily pulled aside, and we get a look into the unseen world. There is nothing here to satisfy the morbid curiosity of an idle spectator. However, there is enough to produce a beneficial and sobering effect upon the humble believer similar to the effect that it produced upon Daniel.”
2. The background to Daniel 10-12, the last vision of the book, is as follows. The Jewish exiles had begun to return to Jerusalem, the exile was ending, the Temple was being rebuilt, and it seemed that at last Israel might be in the land in peace. The year of the vision is 536 B.C. Daniel’s vision, however, is not a vision of peace but a vision of war, of suffering, of persecution, of testing and crisis for Israel. This prompts Daniel to mourn, to fast, and to pray for clarification.
3. Daniel has a vision of an angelic visitor. All his companions fled leaving Daniel alone with the angel. God often moves in our lives to remove the props which unwittingly get in the way of our hearing Him. He separates us from the familiar, the routine, the comfortable to have our complete attention. He uses that alone time with us to give us a fresh vision of Himself, to renew our commitment to Him first. Often other people and circumstances (not bad in themselves) serve to distance us from really knowing God.
4. The first casualty of that aloneness was Daniel’s strength. As Matthew Henry said: “Before God gives strength and power to His people he makes them aware of their own weakness.”
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
A Disturbing Vision of the Future
Click here to download the sermon.
Recap of 7/31/11 (Daniel 9:27-10:1)
1. Daniel 9:27 describes the seven years called Daniel’s 70th week or in other places in Scripture, the Tribulation. Sometime after the rapture and resurrection of the church (1 Corinthians 15:51ff; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) Israel will sign a peace pact with the Antichrist (called the “little horn” in Daniel 7:8). In the middle of the seven years the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel by putting an image in the Temple (called the Abomination which causes desolation), putting an end to the sacrificial system and organized worship. He will receive worship (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 11:1,2; 13:8). Jesus, in Matthew 24:15,29,30, places these events of Daniel 9:27 at the time of His second coming.
2. The Antichrist will come to the end appointed him by God, being cast into the Lake of Fire along with the False Prophet (Revelation 19:20). “Men are free to make decisions and even rebel against God if they want to, but He will accomplish His purposes in the world. With confidence you can pray, ‘Thy Kingdom come!’” (Warren Wiersbe)
3. Just as the events of the first 69 weeks (483 years) of Daniel 9 were fulfilled completely so we would expect that the 70th week (7 years) will be also.
4. Daniel 10 introduces the last prophecy of the book of Daniel which will cover chapters 10-12. It unveils a fascinating and sober view of the warfare that is going on all the time in the realm of the spiritual (the realm that is real though beyond our five senses).
Recap of 7/31/11 (Daniel 9:27-10:1)
1. Daniel 9:27 describes the seven years called Daniel’s 70th week or in other places in Scripture, the Tribulation. Sometime after the rapture and resurrection of the church (1 Corinthians 15:51ff; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) Israel will sign a peace pact with the Antichrist (called the “little horn” in Daniel 7:8). In the middle of the seven years the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel by putting an image in the Temple (called the Abomination which causes desolation), putting an end to the sacrificial system and organized worship. He will receive worship (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 11:1,2; 13:8). Jesus, in Matthew 24:15,29,30, places these events of Daniel 9:27 at the time of His second coming.
2. The Antichrist will come to the end appointed him by God, being cast into the Lake of Fire along with the False Prophet (Revelation 19:20). “Men are free to make decisions and even rebel against God if they want to, but He will accomplish His purposes in the world. With confidence you can pray, ‘Thy Kingdom come!’” (Warren Wiersbe)
3. Just as the events of the first 69 weeks (483 years) of Daniel 9 were fulfilled completely so we would expect that the 70th week (7 years) will be also.
4. Daniel 10 introduces the last prophecy of the book of Daniel which will cover chapters 10-12. It unveils a fascinating and sober view of the warfare that is going on all the time in the realm of the spiritual (the realm that is real though beyond our five senses).
Monday, July 25, 2011
A Glimpse of the Future, Part 2
Click here to download the sermon.
Recap of the sermon from July 24th (Daniel 9:24-27):
1. Daniel’s understanding that the Babylonian exile of Israel was about to end caused him to ask several questions: What would happen after that? What about the Messiah and the Kingdom? How and when would God’s promises (Abrahamic, Palestinian, and Davidic Covenants) be fulfilled? What about the people of Israel, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple? God sends the angel Gabriel to give Daniel a panoramic view of the future of Israel. In Exploring the Old Testament, the author writes: “God told Daniel through the angel Gabriel that it would be seventy weeks of years [490 years] before God would remove all sin, bring in everlasting righteousness, anoint the holy temple, and fulfill all prophecy (9:24). During this period, Jerusalem would be rebuilt, the anointed Messiah would come and be cut off, and then the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed, and the people would undergo great persecution and war (9:25,26). In the middle of the last week of years all worship at the temple would be halted. But by the end of that week, the one who desolated and persecuted the people of God would be defeated.”
2. To understand this passage it is essential to understand verse 24. This passage specifically concerns Daniel’s people and the city of Jerusalem. J. Dwight Pentecost writes: “This prophecy, then, is concerned not with world history or church history, but with the history of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.”
3. This passage predicts the coming of Messiah (and His rejection and death) some 483 years from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem by Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2:1-8) in 445-444 B.C. Thus the Kingdom would be delayed.
4. Daniel 9:27 contemplates the Seventh week of Daniel, also called the Tribulation. The seven years begins with the signing of a peace treaty between Israel and the Antichrist. All throughout Israel’s history they had a tendency to trust in earthly alliances instead of in the Lord. We are not unlike Israel in this area. As several writers expressed it. “How prone we are to choose earthly alliances, confederacies of the world and the flesh, instead of God’s gentle way.” ”We recite: ‘Some trust in chariots and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God,’ we boast that our God is able to deliver us; but in an emergency we go to Egypt for help….It ought to embarrass us to ask help from this world.” By nature it is easier for people to trust limited human resources than God’s inexhaustible supply….are you trusting others to do what only God can—and will—do on your behalf?”
Recap of the sermon from July 24th (Daniel 9:24-27):
1. Daniel’s understanding that the Babylonian exile of Israel was about to end caused him to ask several questions: What would happen after that? What about the Messiah and the Kingdom? How and when would God’s promises (Abrahamic, Palestinian, and Davidic Covenants) be fulfilled? What about the people of Israel, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple? God sends the angel Gabriel to give Daniel a panoramic view of the future of Israel. In Exploring the Old Testament, the author writes: “God told Daniel through the angel Gabriel that it would be seventy weeks of years [490 years] before God would remove all sin, bring in everlasting righteousness, anoint the holy temple, and fulfill all prophecy (9:24). During this period, Jerusalem would be rebuilt, the anointed Messiah would come and be cut off, and then the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed, and the people would undergo great persecution and war (9:25,26). In the middle of the last week of years all worship at the temple would be halted. But by the end of that week, the one who desolated and persecuted the people of God would be defeated.”
2. To understand this passage it is essential to understand verse 24. This passage specifically concerns Daniel’s people and the city of Jerusalem. J. Dwight Pentecost writes: “This prophecy, then, is concerned not with world history or church history, but with the history of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.”
3. This passage predicts the coming of Messiah (and His rejection and death) some 483 years from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem by Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2:1-8) in 445-444 B.C. Thus the Kingdom would be delayed.
4. Daniel 9:27 contemplates the Seventh week of Daniel, also called the Tribulation. The seven years begins with the signing of a peace treaty between Israel and the Antichrist. All throughout Israel’s history they had a tendency to trust in earthly alliances instead of in the Lord. We are not unlike Israel in this area. As several writers expressed it. “How prone we are to choose earthly alliances, confederacies of the world and the flesh, instead of God’s gentle way.” ”We recite: ‘Some trust in chariots and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God,’ we boast that our God is able to deliver us; but in an emergency we go to Egypt for help….It ought to embarrass us to ask help from this world.” By nature it is easier for people to trust limited human resources than God’s inexhaustible supply….are you trusting others to do what only God can—and will—do on your behalf?”
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
A Glimpse of the Future
Click here to download the sermon, which is just less than 45 minutes in length.
Recap of 7/17/11 (Daniel 9: 20-24)
1. Daniel had a habit of prayer, especially at the times of the morning and evening sacrifices which Israel would have been observing had they still been in the land. Though they were in exile in Babylon (and Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed at this time) Daniel still observed these as appropriate times for adoration, praise, and prayer requests. Worship for Daniel was a thing of the heart, not just going through the motions. God’s repeated accusation against His people is that they just went through the motions of worship, without a heart commitment (See Malachi 1 for example).
2. The issue of Israel’s restoration to the land, but more importantly restoration to the Lord, was so important to Daniel that he took an extended time in prayer. God rewarded his diligence by sending the angel Gabriel to give him the answer to his prayer. In the words of Dr. Ronald Gibson, “Some of the deep things of God only come with an investment of time.” Yet so often in our lives we do not give spiritual issues sufficient time, we are too busy with so many things. We can be so busy that we lose our way spiritually. Again, Dr. Gibson warns against what he called “the danger of the barrenness of busyness in God’s work.” We can even substitute business in God’s work for building intimacy with Him.
3. Dr. James M. Gray (early leader of Moody Bible Institute for over 30 years) said this about this passage: “What mystery is shrouded in these verses! The nearness of heaven, the interest of God in the petition of His people, the nature and ministry of angels, the divine estimate of the saints, who can fathom these things?”
Recap of 7/17/11 (Daniel 9: 20-24)
1. Daniel had a habit of prayer, especially at the times of the morning and evening sacrifices which Israel would have been observing had they still been in the land. Though they were in exile in Babylon (and Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed at this time) Daniel still observed these as appropriate times for adoration, praise, and prayer requests. Worship for Daniel was a thing of the heart, not just going through the motions. God’s repeated accusation against His people is that they just went through the motions of worship, without a heart commitment (See Malachi 1 for example).
2. The issue of Israel’s restoration to the land, but more importantly restoration to the Lord, was so important to Daniel that he took an extended time in prayer. God rewarded his diligence by sending the angel Gabriel to give him the answer to his prayer. In the words of Dr. Ronald Gibson, “Some of the deep things of God only come with an investment of time.” Yet so often in our lives we do not give spiritual issues sufficient time, we are too busy with so many things. We can be so busy that we lose our way spiritually. Again, Dr. Gibson warns against what he called “the danger of the barrenness of busyness in God’s work.” We can even substitute business in God’s work for building intimacy with Him.
3. Dr. James M. Gray (early leader of Moody Bible Institute for over 30 years) said this about this passage: “What mystery is shrouded in these verses! The nearness of heaven, the interest of God in the petition of His people, the nature and ministry of angels, the divine estimate of the saints, who can fathom these things?”
Monday, July 11, 2011
A Model for Prayer, Part 3
Click here to download the sermon.
Recap of 7/10/11 (Daniel 9: 4-19)
1. Daniel was well practiced in prayer; according to Daniel 6:10 it was his practice to pray three times a day. Because of this he was prepared for this moment in his life. The Daily Walk Bible asks this question: “How well do you pray ‘on the spot?’ Have you learned through practice and persistence to communicate often and long with your heavenly Father? Standing side by side with Daniel’s confidence in God was his communication with God. The two are inseparable, for to trust God is to talk to Him, and to talk to God is to trust Him all the more. We must be practiced in prayer so that we are ready for prayer in times of confusion, doubt, trial, discipline.
2. Daniel’s prayer, by the numbers:
-4 Parts (Adoration, Confession, Acknowledgment of God’s rightness in His actions, Request)
-4 Themes from Evangelical Commentary on the Bible: (Israel’s rebellion against God, the Law, and the Prophets; God’s righteousness, especially in judgment; the Fulfillment of the Curses of the Law – Deuteronomy 28:1,15,49,64; and Hope in God’s grace and mercy) (Evangelical Commentary on the Bible)
-4 Predications (1. That God forgives and restores—if He didn’t Daniel would have no reason to pray; 2. He and Israel are in a relationship with God; 3. God is a merciful God; and 4. His concern that the world would take God seriously, His name and reputation would be restored.)
-3 Contrasts (God is righteous, the people are sinful; God is merciful, the people are rebellious; Contrast between God’s law and the lawlessness of the people).
3. “Daniel realized he could not urge on God any merit of His nation for they had forfeited all claim to divine mercy. They lacked any ground of merit on which to beg God’s favor. The only basis for Daniel’s approach to God was his earnest desire for the Lord to glorify Himself by displaying the riches of His mercy and grace in pardoning and restoring His guilty but repentant people.” (Dr Gleason Archer)
Recap of 7/10/11 (Daniel 9: 4-19)
1. Daniel was well practiced in prayer; according to Daniel 6:10 it was his practice to pray three times a day. Because of this he was prepared for this moment in his life. The Daily Walk Bible asks this question: “How well do you pray ‘on the spot?’ Have you learned through practice and persistence to communicate often and long with your heavenly Father? Standing side by side with Daniel’s confidence in God was his communication with God. The two are inseparable, for to trust God is to talk to Him, and to talk to God is to trust Him all the more. We must be practiced in prayer so that we are ready for prayer in times of confusion, doubt, trial, discipline.
2. Daniel’s prayer, by the numbers:
-4 Parts (Adoration, Confession, Acknowledgment of God’s rightness in His actions, Request)
-4 Themes from Evangelical Commentary on the Bible: (Israel’s rebellion against God, the Law, and the Prophets; God’s righteousness, especially in judgment; the Fulfillment of the Curses of the Law – Deuteronomy 28:1,15,49,64; and Hope in God’s grace and mercy) (Evangelical Commentary on the Bible)
-4 Predications (1. That God forgives and restores—if He didn’t Daniel would have no reason to pray; 2. He and Israel are in a relationship with God; 3. God is a merciful God; and 4. His concern that the world would take God seriously, His name and reputation would be restored.)
-3 Contrasts (God is righteous, the people are sinful; God is merciful, the people are rebellious; Contrast between God’s law and the lawlessness of the people).
3. “Daniel realized he could not urge on God any merit of His nation for they had forfeited all claim to divine mercy. They lacked any ground of merit on which to beg God’s favor. The only basis for Daniel’s approach to God was his earnest desire for the Lord to glorify Himself by displaying the riches of His mercy and grace in pardoning and restoring His guilty but repentant people.” (Dr Gleason Archer)
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
A Model for Prayer, Part 2
Click here to download the sermon.
Recap of 7/3/11 (Daniel 9:3,4)
1. Prayer energizes our work, our worship, and our walk (for example, prayer is an essential part of the abiding life of fruitfulness spoken of by Jesus in John 15).
2. Biblical prayer is relationship-oriented, not results-oriented. God is our Father and wants us to come to Him with our needs, joys, weaknesses, hurts, etc.
3. Eugene Peterson describes prayer as “the means by which we get everything out in the open before God.” He teaches about prayer that we should:
-pray our tears (prayer for that which makes us cry, keeps the balance between self-pity and suppressing our emotions)
-pray our doubt (Doubt is not sin. It is an essential element in belief. No mature faith avoids or denies doubt. Doubt forces faith to bedrock.)
-pray our death (Psalm 90:10,12 – death is inevitable, we must seek God’s help to live wisely and live well)
-pray our praise
-pray our sin (we must confess not just individual sins, but the tendency to want our own way, the demand to our right to ourselves, the tendency to go away from God)
-pray our fear (“The world is a dangerous place. Prayer brings fear into focus and faces it and affirms God’s presence in it.”)
-pray our hate (“Prayer, we think, means presenting ourselves before God so that he will be pleased with us. We put on our ‘Sunday best’ in our prayers. But when we pray the prayers of God’s people, the Psalms, we find that will not do. We must pray who we actually are, not who we think we should be.”)
-pray the Scriptures (turn God’s Word into prayer)
-pray for our enemies
Recap of 7/3/11 (Daniel 9:3,4)
1. Prayer energizes our work, our worship, and our walk (for example, prayer is an essential part of the abiding life of fruitfulness spoken of by Jesus in John 15).
2. Biblical prayer is relationship-oriented, not results-oriented. God is our Father and wants us to come to Him with our needs, joys, weaknesses, hurts, etc.
3. Eugene Peterson describes prayer as “the means by which we get everything out in the open before God.” He teaches about prayer that we should:
-pray our tears (prayer for that which makes us cry, keeps the balance between self-pity and suppressing our emotions)
-pray our doubt (Doubt is not sin. It is an essential element in belief. No mature faith avoids or denies doubt. Doubt forces faith to bedrock.)
-pray our death (Psalm 90:10,12 – death is inevitable, we must seek God’s help to live wisely and live well)
-pray our praise
-pray our sin (we must confess not just individual sins, but the tendency to want our own way, the demand to our right to ourselves, the tendency to go away from God)
-pray our fear (“The world is a dangerous place. Prayer brings fear into focus and faces it and affirms God’s presence in it.”)
-pray our hate (“Prayer, we think, means presenting ourselves before God so that he will be pleased with us. We put on our ‘Sunday best’ in our prayers. But when we pray the prayers of God’s people, the Psalms, we find that will not do. We must pray who we actually are, not who we think we should be.”)
-pray the Scriptures (turn God’s Word into prayer)
-pray for our enemies
Monday, June 27, 2011
A Model for Prayer
Click here to download the sermon.
Recap of the June 26th sermon (Daniel 9:1,2):
1. One writer said the following about Daniel 9: “This is another one of those remarkable chapters in Scripture. Dr. Philip Newell evaluates it, ‘The greatest chapter in the book and one of the greatest chapters of the entire Bible.’ The double theme is prayer and prophecy. If one were to choose the ten greatest chapters of the Bible on the subject of prayer, this chapter would be included on any list. If the ten most important chapters on prophecy were chosen, this chapter would be included on any list.” (J. Vernon McGee)
2. Daniel was a student of Scripture. While studying the prophecy of Jeremiah he came to understand that the exile of the people of Israel would last 70 years. This meant that the termination of the exile (and thus God’s discipline upon His people) was at hand. This prompts Daniel to pray.
3. Prayer and the reading/study of Scripture should go together. Too often we separate them into two separate things. We read the word and then pray our list. Or we read and study Scripture for teaching or Bible study but don’t see its connection to prayer. A lot of teaching on prayer encourages that kind of division. But what if before praying our list we prayed the Scripture? We could read and mark our Bible using our Bible reading schedule, and then pray back to God what He is teaching us. Or another way to do that is to pray our “Season of Life.” For example: if we are going through a time of trial we could read Job or Psalms and pray what we learn back to God; or if a time of restlessness, we could read Ecclesiastes and pray back to God what we learn there; or if we are wondering what service we should be involved in, we could read the Gospel of Mark (where Jesus is portrayed as the Servant in action) and pray back to God the things we see there; or if we must make an important decision we could read and pray back the Proverbs (especially chapter 16) or Romans 12:1,2. Whatever our Season, we search Scripture and pray it back to God.
Recap of the June 26th sermon (Daniel 9:1,2):
1. One writer said the following about Daniel 9: “This is another one of those remarkable chapters in Scripture. Dr. Philip Newell evaluates it, ‘The greatest chapter in the book and one of the greatest chapters of the entire Bible.’ The double theme is prayer and prophecy. If one were to choose the ten greatest chapters of the Bible on the subject of prayer, this chapter would be included on any list. If the ten most important chapters on prophecy were chosen, this chapter would be included on any list.” (J. Vernon McGee)
2. Daniel was a student of Scripture. While studying the prophecy of Jeremiah he came to understand that the exile of the people of Israel would last 70 years. This meant that the termination of the exile (and thus God’s discipline upon His people) was at hand. This prompts Daniel to pray.
3. Prayer and the reading/study of Scripture should go together. Too often we separate them into two separate things. We read the word and then pray our list. Or we read and study Scripture for teaching or Bible study but don’t see its connection to prayer. A lot of teaching on prayer encourages that kind of division. But what if before praying our list we prayed the Scripture? We could read and mark our Bible using our Bible reading schedule, and then pray back to God what He is teaching us. Or another way to do that is to pray our “Season of Life.” For example: if we are going through a time of trial we could read Job or Psalms and pray what we learn back to God; or if a time of restlessness, we could read Ecclesiastes and pray back to God what we learn there; or if we are wondering what service we should be involved in, we could read the Gospel of Mark (where Jesus is portrayed as the Servant in action) and pray back to God the things we see there; or if we must make an important decision we could read and pray back the Proverbs (especially chapter 16) or Romans 12:1,2. Whatever our Season, we search Scripture and pray it back to God.
Monday, June 20, 2011
The Storm Before the Calm
Click here to download the sermon.
Recap of the sermon from June 19, 2011 (Daniel 8:1-27)
1. Daniel 8 records another of Daniel’s visions concerning kingdoms, kings, and events future to the time in which Daniel is living. The vision occurred in 551 B.C. but foresaw events which wouldn’t occur ‘til hundreds of years later.
2. Fulfilled prophecy is one of the six evidences for the reliability of the Bible (the others being: Unity and consistency; Archaeology; Canonicity; Transmission of the text; and Self-testimony).
3. Hank Hannegraf in Defense of the Faith writes: “The Bible records predictions of events that could not be known or predicted by chance or common sense.” “Careful research affirms the predictive accuracy of the Bible. For example, the book of Daniel (written before 530 B.C.) accurately predicts the progression of kingdoms from Babylon through the Medo-persian Empire, the Greek Empire, and then the Roman Empire, culminating in the persecution and suffering of the Jews under Antiochus IV Epiphanes, his desecration of the temple, his untimely death, and freedom for the Jews under Judas Maccabeus (165 B.C.).” “It is statistically preposterous that any or all of the Bible’s specific, detailed prophecies could have been fulfilled through chance, good guessing, or deliberate deceit.” “Clearly, statistical probability concerning biblical prophecy is a powerful indicator of the trustworthiness of Scripture.”
4. Daniel 8 concerns the coming Medo-Persian regime which would conquer Babylon, which would then by conquered by Alexander the Great and the Greeks. Alexander would die young and his kingdom would be divided into four parts. Out of one of the four would come a wicked leader, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who would mercilessly persecute the Jews, desecrate the Temple with pigs’ blood and an idol of Zeus, and prevent the practice of Judaism. He would be cut off by God. Once again, as in the personal section of the book in chapters one through six, God’s people are delivered out of life threatening situations.
Recap of the sermon from June 19, 2011 (Daniel 8:1-27)
1. Daniel 8 records another of Daniel’s visions concerning kingdoms, kings, and events future to the time in which Daniel is living. The vision occurred in 551 B.C. but foresaw events which wouldn’t occur ‘til hundreds of years later.
2. Fulfilled prophecy is one of the six evidences for the reliability of the Bible (the others being: Unity and consistency; Archaeology; Canonicity; Transmission of the text; and Self-testimony).
3. Hank Hannegraf in Defense of the Faith writes: “The Bible records predictions of events that could not be known or predicted by chance or common sense.” “Careful research affirms the predictive accuracy of the Bible. For example, the book of Daniel (written before 530 B.C.) accurately predicts the progression of kingdoms from Babylon through the Medo-persian Empire, the Greek Empire, and then the Roman Empire, culminating in the persecution and suffering of the Jews under Antiochus IV Epiphanes, his desecration of the temple, his untimely death, and freedom for the Jews under Judas Maccabeus (165 B.C.).” “It is statistically preposterous that any or all of the Bible’s specific, detailed prophecies could have been fulfilled through chance, good guessing, or deliberate deceit.” “Clearly, statistical probability concerning biblical prophecy is a powerful indicator of the trustworthiness of Scripture.”
4. Daniel 8 concerns the coming Medo-Persian regime which would conquer Babylon, which would then by conquered by Alexander the Great and the Greeks. Alexander would die young and his kingdom would be divided into four parts. Out of one of the four would come a wicked leader, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who would mercilessly persecute the Jews, desecrate the Temple with pigs’ blood and an idol of Zeus, and prevent the practice of Judaism. He would be cut off by God. Once again, as in the personal section of the book in chapters one through six, God’s people are delivered out of life threatening situations.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Everything Is Under Control
Click here to download the sermon.
Recap of 6/12/11 (Daniel 7:1-28)
1. Chapter seven begins the second division of the book of Daniel. Chapters one through six were personal in nature recounting the tests of faith endured by Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Chapters seven through twelve are prophetic concerned with dreams and visions pertaining to God’s people Israel and their future persecution and triumph through Messiah.
2. As in Chapter two, four world empires are predicted which would subjugate Israel: Babylon, the lion with wings (head of gold of Dan. 2); Medo-Persia, the bear (arms and chest of silver of Dan. 2); Greece, the leopard (belly and thighs of bronze of Dan. 2); and Rome, the ten-horned beast (the legs and feet of iron and iron and clay mixed of Dan. 2). “There has never been a world empire since. Napoleon tried it; he failed. The Kaiser tried it; he failed. So did Hitler, but in vain” (Halley’s Bible Handbook). In chapter two these kingdoms are seen as shiny metal, a human point of view, but in chapter seven, they are seen as ravenous, selfish, destructive, vicious beasts.
3. These four kingdoms would be conquered by a fifth, the Millennial Kingdom of God after which His eternal kingdom would commence.
4. After the vision of the beasts in 7:1-8, God grants Daniel a reprieve from the terror of the beast, as God gives him a vision of heaven and of God’s ultimate control over the events of earth. Often we as Christians are too focused on the events of earth (political, economic, etc.). We must look to heaven to get perspective. We need to be reminded that there is a God in Heaven Who is sovereign, eternal, and in control of the events of men and nations. Without God’s perspective we will inevitably fight the wrong battles personally, politically, and spiritually.
5. Three questions for us from Daniel 7: are we focused on Heaven or on earth; are we more concerned with protecting our investments or investing in God’s program (Mt. 28:19,20); are we willing to endure in faith for God’s sake even when it seems we are losing (Habakkuk 3) knowing that He is faith to His promises (2 Tim. 1:12)?
Recap of 6/12/11 (Daniel 7:1-28)
1. Chapter seven begins the second division of the book of Daniel. Chapters one through six were personal in nature recounting the tests of faith endured by Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Chapters seven through twelve are prophetic concerned with dreams and visions pertaining to God’s people Israel and their future persecution and triumph through Messiah.
2. As in Chapter two, four world empires are predicted which would subjugate Israel: Babylon, the lion with wings (head of gold of Dan. 2); Medo-Persia, the bear (arms and chest of silver of Dan. 2); Greece, the leopard (belly and thighs of bronze of Dan. 2); and Rome, the ten-horned beast (the legs and feet of iron and iron and clay mixed of Dan. 2). “There has never been a world empire since. Napoleon tried it; he failed. The Kaiser tried it; he failed. So did Hitler, but in vain” (Halley’s Bible Handbook). In chapter two these kingdoms are seen as shiny metal, a human point of view, but in chapter seven, they are seen as ravenous, selfish, destructive, vicious beasts.
3. These four kingdoms would be conquered by a fifth, the Millennial Kingdom of God after which His eternal kingdom would commence.
4. After the vision of the beasts in 7:1-8, God grants Daniel a reprieve from the terror of the beast, as God gives him a vision of heaven and of God’s ultimate control over the events of earth. Often we as Christians are too focused on the events of earth (political, economic, etc.). We must look to heaven to get perspective. We need to be reminded that there is a God in Heaven Who is sovereign, eternal, and in control of the events of men and nations. Without God’s perspective we will inevitably fight the wrong battles personally, politically, and spiritually.
5. Three questions for us from Daniel 7: are we focused on Heaven or on earth; are we more concerned with protecting our investments or investing in God’s program (Mt. 28:19,20); are we willing to endure in faith for God’s sake even when it seems we are losing (Habakkuk 3) knowing that He is faith to His promises (2 Tim. 1:12)?
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
The Lion Tamer
Click here to download the sermon.
Recap of the sermon from June 5, 2011 (Daniel 6:1-28)
1. Daniel 6 teaches us that when it is as bad as it can get, it’s not too bad for God to handle.
2. After God delivers Daniel from the mouths of the lions, Darius issues a proclamation with four emphases:
-Daniel’s God is a living God (in contrast to the dead idols of the pagans)
-God’s rule is indestructible and eternal (in contrast to human kingdoms which are temporal)
-God delivers His people strengthening their faith in Him. “…He intervenes in people’s affairs and delivers those who trust Him” (J. Dwight Pentecost).
-“God miraculously delivers His people, with wonders in heaven and on earth” (Gleason Archer, Jr.). “He works by miraculous power to perform His will’ (J. Dwight Pentecost)
3. Daniel 6 is:
-a call to live by faith, to live a committed life whatever the cost
-a call to trust in the power of God
-a call to live without fear, with courage
-a call to recognize we are in a vicious spiritual warfare
Recap of the sermon from June 5, 2011 (Daniel 6:1-28)
1. Daniel 6 teaches us that when it is as bad as it can get, it’s not too bad for God to handle.
2. After God delivers Daniel from the mouths of the lions, Darius issues a proclamation with four emphases:
-Daniel’s God is a living God (in contrast to the dead idols of the pagans)
-God’s rule is indestructible and eternal (in contrast to human kingdoms which are temporal)
-God delivers His people strengthening their faith in Him. “…He intervenes in people’s affairs and delivers those who trust Him” (J. Dwight Pentecost).
-“God miraculously delivers His people, with wonders in heaven and on earth” (Gleason Archer, Jr.). “He works by miraculous power to perform His will’ (J. Dwight Pentecost)
3. Daniel 6 is:
-a call to live by faith, to live a committed life whatever the cost
-a call to trust in the power of God
-a call to live without fear, with courage
-a call to recognize we are in a vicious spiritual warfare
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