To ‘go with the flow’ can be helpful at times but there comes a moment when someone needs to make a decision.

Daniel 2:1-49

Reference: v.16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. (TNIV Bible)

Explore: I have a great group of friends that I catch up with fairly regularly.  They are so easy going that when we catch up they don’t mind what kind of food we eat, they don’t mind what movie we watch and they don’t even mind whose house we meet in.  They are so happy to just go with the flow.  The only problem comes when everyone is so happy to go with the flow that we end up spending most of the night going round and round in circles just to make one decision! “What do you want?”… “I don’t mind”… “You choose”… “I’m happy with whatever”…To ‘go with the flow’ can be helpful at times but there comes a moment when someone needs to make a decision.

Application: If Daniel was the kind of person to just ‘go with the flow’ then his life would have been very short lived.  The king was so frustrated with a dream that he had had that he decided he was going to have all the wise men killed.  This decision was very harsh but instead of just going along with what the king proposed Daniel stepped up to try to fix the situation.  Because Daniel did not ‘go with the flow’ all the wise men were saved and he and his 3 mates were promoted to higher positions.  There are times when it’s ok to just go with the flow but when it comes to making life decisions we need to step up and take control of our destinies.  There are moments where we need to stand against society and not live a life focussed on fame, fortune and earthly dreams but to go against the flow by putting Christ first in our lives.

Prayer: Lord, there are times when its hard work going against the flow.  Help us to stand firm on your promises and make Godly decisions in our lives. Amen.

Are you the type of person that would go with the flow?

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The saying means that if you are too confident about yourself, something bad will happen to show you that you are not as good as you think you are.

Daniel 4:1-37

Reference: v.30 He [Nebuchadnezzar] said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (TNIV Bible)

Explore: Pride comes before a fall.  This is a saying that I learned early in life when one of my teachers picked up on a fellow student who was boasting about their sporting ability.  I was never the kind of student to boast about athletic ability but the teacher used the situation as a chance to teach us all about humility.  The saying means that if you are too confident about yourself, something bad will happen to show you that you are not as good as you think you are.  This isn’t about karma or fate but often when people boast about their own abilities they become lazy and stop trying so hard.  It’s at this time that failure can come knocking on the door.

Application: This kind of pride is certainly not on God’s top characteristic list!  God often promoted those who were humble and in Christ’s ministry he was quick to condemn the arrogance of the powerful and build up the confidence of the downcast. Even King Nebuchadnezzar could not escape the teaching of God.  When he boasted about his power and ability to build a nation God brought him to the lowest of positions.  It was in this lowly place that Nebuchadnezzar really understood and appreciate the glory of the King of Heaven.  All of us have a tendency to become proud of our own achievements.  While a positive self-esteem is good we must be careful not to take the glory from God when it is through Him that all things are possible.

Prayer: Lord God, forgive my pride.  Help me to not rest on my own ability but to give all power and glory to You. Amen.

When do you find pride creeping into your life?

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It is not that I feel I have more to say, or what I have to say is any better…

Daniel 10:1-21

Reference: v.19 “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.”
When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.” (TNIV Bible)

Explore: I must say that I often find shy people quite difficult in social situations.  I work hard to eliminate any awkward moments in a conversation, and when dealing with a shy person, I feel the responsibility to keep the conversation moving along.  It is not that I feel I have more to say, or what I have to say is any better, because I actually prefer to hear from other people rather than give my own content.  But, I like the conversation to flow, and so often ease the silence by filling it with my own voice.  Once a shy person feels comfortable, I usually find that they have much more of value to share, but they are often quite hesitant to let it out.

Application: While a shy person may stay silent in a social conversation, it seems that Daniel was so in awe of his vision that he was struck dumb.  And yet, he was given strength to speak up.  We all have something of value to say. Our opinion is important and valued by God.  We don’t have to speak loudly or often, however, God does desire to hear our thoughts and share our belief with others.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be bold in speaking up for you. Amen.

Would you say that you are more inclined to be shy or verbose? How does this impact you sharing your faith?

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Daniel 12:1-13

Reference: v.8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?” (TNIV Bible)

Explore: A friend of mine recently had to move out of her house.  She lived in a share home with three others, two of whom were Christians and another who didn’t believe.  They were all planning on moving together, however, through unforeseen circumstances, the house they were going to move into fell through.  They had a very stressful four weeks and they spent every weekend looking through potential rental properties, and hurriedly applying for any that were suitable.  While my friend and her Christian housemates were stressed, they also had the assurance that God was with them and everything would work out for the best.  Their other housemate, however, was extremely stressed, as she did not have the hope in her future as the others did.  It really highlighted to my friend the peace that God can give to us when our future is uncertain.

Application: Daniel had been through a considerable life journey.  He was forced to live in a foreign land, work for the rulers who had decimated his nation, and stand up for his faith when he was clearly in the minority.  The Lord had come through in some really significant ways to show Daniel that He was there with him, and yet Daniel still considered, ‘What will the outcome of all this be?’ God assured him that everything would turn out as it should.  We can often get concerned with our future and not know how things will work out.  But just as God cared for Daniel, and just as he cared about a house for my friend, so too does He care about your future.  The stronger our faith, the more hope we have that God is there for us in the future.

Prayer: Lord, may our hope be firmly in Your hands. Amen.

What are you stressing about? What is it that you are hoping for? 

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Daniel 11:1-45

Reference: v.5 “The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power.” (TNIV Bible)

Explore: I recently read an amazing book called Love Our Way by Julia Rollings.  This is the incredible story of an Australian woman who adopted six children from overseas, as well as bringing up her own family.  Rollings does a brilliant job of retelling some of the trials and joys she experienced through the whole adoption process.  The greatest disappointment about this book, for me, is that it’s only 300 pages long.  I wanted to hear so much more of her experience, right down to the every day goings on in her household.  I was left with so many questions: Who did all the washing? How did she monitor homework? How did they transport all the children to different activities? Did they all sit around the table for evening meals???  These questions seem mundane, but I was so intrigued by her story, I just wanted to know all the details.

Application: When Daniel had a vision from God he had to wait a considerable amount of time before he was given an explanation.  When I read through the explanation he was given in chapter 11, it made me wonder whether Daniel wanted more detail.  It was a pretty broad summary over a very intense situation and, if it had have been me, I would have ended up with more questions… just like after I read Love Our Way.  This is where our faith plays a pivotal role.  We may not know all the details of our future, but we have hope in a God who knows what is best for us and has us in the palm of His hands.

Prayer: Lord, there are times when I worry because I don’t know all the details.  May I have more faith in You and put my future in Your hands. Amen.

What is your hope for your future?

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Daniel 10:1-21

Reference: v.19 “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.”
When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.” (TNIV Bible)

Explore: I must say that I often find shy people quite difficult in social situations.  I work hard to eliminate any awkward moments in a conversation, and when dealing with a shy person, I feel the responsibility to keep the conversation moving along.  It is not that I feel I have more to say, or what I have to say is any better, because I actually prefer to hear from other people rather than give my own content.  But, I like the conversation to flow, and so often ease the silence by filling it with my own voice.  Once a shy person feels comfortable, I usually find that they have much more of value to share, but they are often quite hesitant to let it out.

Application: While a shy person may stay silent in a social conversation, it seems that Daniel was so in awe of his vision that he was struck dumb.  And yet, he was given strength to speak up.  We all have something of value to say. Our opinion is important and valued by God.  We don’t have to speak loudly or often, however, God does desire to hear our thoughts and share our belief with others.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be bold in speaking up for you. Amen.

Would you say that you are more inclined to be shy or verbose? How does this impact you sharing your faith?

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Daniel 9:1-27

Reference: v.20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill… (TNIV Bible)

Explore: No matter how great your work place is there always seems to be one person who creates issues for others.  These issues came to a head recently for a friend of mine in his work place.  There was one person who was in a position of authority but always seemed to make life difficult for other workers.  My friend decided to go into bat for his colleagues and explained to the boss the issues this one person was causing.  The boss was open to my friend’s conversation but when they went and chatted to the other workers they shut down and didn’t say anything.  This made my friend look like a dobber when really he was just trying to bring the issues to the surface.  He was so hurt by his colleagues leaving him out to dry when he was only trying to make work life easier for them.

Application: It’s always hurtful when you stick your neck out for someone and you are the one that gets hurt.  But you are not alone.  That was like a constant occurrence for the prophets in the Bible.  They were always sticking their necks out for the people by instructing them in the best way to live or defending them to God through prayer.  And yet the people would reject them and continue to do wrong.  It seems perseverance would have had to have been high on a prophet’s characteristic list! While their lives were challenging they continued to be the go-between for the people and God. So while my friend had a challenging time at work he was showing Godly character by being a prophet to his colleagues and his boss.

Prayer: Lord, it’s a tough gig to declare your will to the world. Help us to stay strong and not be put off by other people’s lack of change. Amen.

Which place has God placed you to be a prophet and show Godly character?

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Daniel 8:1-27

Reference: v.1 In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had already appeared to me. (TNIV Bible)

Explore:  A few years ago I felt that God was giving me a new direction in my personal life.  While it wasn’t a distinct ‘voice from God’ I started getting hints that something needed to change.  Do you ever get hints from God where you just start noticing the same thing numerous times and it tugs at your heart each time? Well, this was happening to me. I’m usually a very impatient person and once I set my mind on something I just focus on it completely but this was such a significant change that I felt I needed to take my time.  And so I mulled over this new direction until 6 months later (this is an eternity for me!) I noticed the same nudging coming to the surface. It was then that I realised I needed to start having some conversations with those close to me.

Application: This whole process was a good reminder to me that God does not forget about us.  While I needed time to work things through God was patient and in His right time starting nudging me again.  I see this happen in stories in the Bible too.  We might read one chapter straight after the other but often there is a considerable amount of time between each one.  Daniel had a dream in chapter 7 then chapter 8 tells us of another vision that was 2 years later.  God does not forget us, he is patient with us and will continue to nudge us in the correct direction. It’s up to us as to how we respond.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your patience and for not forgetting about us. Amen.

What is God nudging you towards at the moment?

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Daniel 7:1-28

Reference: v.1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream. (TNIV Bible)

Explore: As soon as I woke up and recalled what I had been dreaming about I instantly realised that I must be really stressed.  Many people struggle to sleep when they are going through a stressful time in their life.  I must say that it takes a lot to stop me from sleeping but stress will always work its way into my dreams.  I have two recurring stress dreams: one is that I have to return to school and complete my final year of primary or secondary school but something is stopping me from studying; the other is that I have a big task to do but I find myself underprepared and constantly distracted from completing the task.  These dreams come in all sorts of different forms, in different locations with different contexts but they always have the same theme.  As soon as I dream one of these dreams it confirms to me that I really am worried about something.

Application: While the dreams are not pleasant it’s a good way for me to realise exactly how I am feeling and start being proactive about what I’m stressing about.  While not every stress dream is from God, it is clear that God can communicate with some people through their dreams.  He certainly gave a number of people in the Bible dreams and visions – Joseph, Daniel, Peter, and numerous kings.  These dreams and visions may not be crystal clear they are a chance for us to take note of something else that’s going on and start being proactive as to what God is communicating to us.  God has many ways of connecting with us, let’s not be closed minded to the voice of God.

Prayer: Lord, we are so blessed that you care for us so much that you wish to connect with us.  May we be open to your voice and active in our response. Amen.

How does God communicate with you?

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Daniel 6:1-28

Reference: v.3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. (TNIV Bible)

Explore: An old boss of mine had the amazing gift of getting along well with everyone!  It didn’t matter if you were 8 or 80, an intellect or a tradie, a believer or a searcher… my boss could have a good chat to you all.  It’s rare to find someone who is so well liked by such a diverse group of people.  It wasn’t that he was a people pleaser he was just an interesting guy who asked great questions and listened well.

Application: It seems that Daniel was a bit of an all-rounder too.  For him to be accepted and promoted by one king was a big deal, however it seems that every king he came in contact with he impressed.  It was not about being a people pleaser for Daniel either, but rather having Godly wisdom and the courage to stick to his convictions.

Prayer: Lord, while we do not desire to live by the opinion of others we ask that our actions of wisdom and integrity will appeal to those we connect with. Amen.

How well do you connect with others?

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Daniel 5:1-31

Reference: v.22 “But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.” (TNIV Bible)

Explore: We have a big drug problem in our country with our young people.  No matter how much we educate the youth about the dangers of drugs it seems that the dangers do not outweigh the appeal and peer pressure to be a part of that scene.  Schools have got on board to run drug and alcohol awareness programs, there are ads on the TV outlining the consequences of drug use and even our government sent educational pamphlets to every household to assist parents in talking to their children.  A young person would have to have had their head in the sand to not know the dangers of drug taking… and yet it continues to happen.

Application: Daniel was called to help the new king, Belshazzar, after he was not able to explain the writing on the wall – literally!  To explain to Belshazzar what he had done wrong he reminded him of the history of his predecessor.  Belshazzar had seen the downfall of the past king, he knew it well, and yet it seems that he was none the wiser and followed down a similar dangerous path.  Why is it that we don’t learn from other’s mistakes? Do we think ourselves better, more resilient, indestructible compared to others? It seems the young people in our country are the same as King Belshazzar – not willing to learn from other’s mistakes but taking the same dangerous path as those who have gone before.  May we be wise enough to recognise the folly in others and apply it to our own lives so that we save ourselves from being distant from God.

Prayer: Lord God, I make enough mistakes on my own.  May I heed the warning from others and strive to solely follow you. Amen.

Who have you learned from?

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Daniel 4:1-37

Reference: v.30 He [Nebuchadnezzar] said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (TNIV Bible)

Explore: Pride comes before a fall.  This is a saying that I learned early in life when one of my teachers picked up on a fellow student who was boasting about their sporting ability.  I was never the kind of student to boast about athletic ability but the teacher used the situation as a chance to teach us all about humility.  The saying means that if you are too confident about yourself, something bad will happen to show you that you are not as good as you think you are.  This isn’t about karma or fate but often when people boast about their own abilities they become lazy and stop trying so hard.  It’s at this time that failure can come knocking on the door.

Application: This kind of pride is certainly not on God’s top characteristic list!  God often promoted those who were humble and in Christ’s ministry he was quick to condemn the arrogance of the powerful and build up the confidence of the downcast. Even King Nebuchadnezzar could not escape the teaching of God.  When he boasted about his power and ability to build a nation God brought him to the lowest of positions.  It was in this lowly place that Nebuchadnezzar really understood and appreciate the glory of the King of Heaven.  All of us have a tendency to become proud of our own achievements.  While a positive self-esteem is good we must be careful not to take the glory from God when it is through Him that all things are possible.

Prayer: Lord God, forgive my pride.  Help me to not rest on my own ability but to give all power and glory to You. Amen.

When do you find pride creeping into your life?

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Daniel 3:1-30

Reference: v.8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. (TNIV Bible)

Explore: As the youngest daughter of three girls I became very good at dobbing.  This is when I would perceive that my sisters had acted poorly and I would run and tell the nearest adult of their wrongdoing.  I’m not proud of my young dobbing habit but as the youngest, weakest and dumbest member of the family I had few other vices.  There were times when my parents would heed my concerns and come to my rescue but there were other times when they just seemed to ignore my whinging! I can’t really blame them though, who likes a dobber?!

Application: While my dobbing may have been a ploy to get my parents’ attention, it certainly didn’t put anyone’s life in jeopardy.  However in Daniel 3 we hear about some hard-core dobbers.  The king had made a decree to worship his statue and the Jews weren’t complying, so the astronomers dobbed on them (sounds very grade 2, doesn’t it?). The punishment for such insolence however was death, so the astronomers were putting the Jews’ life in danger.  Why did they have to dob? Did the Jews affect them that much? Did they want them dead to get their positions of power? Well, what ever their reason it backfired massively.  Instead of the Jews being humiliated and killed, it gave God an opportunity to make Himself known to the most powerful man at the time.
When people wrong us we can get angry, hurt and even want to seek revenge.  But what if, out of our pain, God could make Himself known to the people around us? Our reaction can either shut the door to God’s presence or open the door for God to shine through.  If we are able to be faithful followers like the Jews in the this story then we will allow God to move through our lives in times of trouble.

Prayer: Lord, may we see our times of trouble as opportunities for you to shine.  Give us the perseverance to stay faithful to You just as the Jews did standing up to the king. Amen.

How has God shone through in your times of trial?

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Daniel 2:1-49

Reference: v.16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. (TNIV Bible)

Explore: I have a great group of friends that I catch up with fairly regularly.  They are so easy going that when we catch up they don’t mind what kind of food we eat, they don’t mind what movie we watch and they don’t even mind whose house we meet in.  They are so happy to just go with the flow.  The only problem comes when everyone is so happy to go with the flow that we end up spending most of the night going round and round in circles just to make one decision! “What do you want?”… “I don’t mind”… “You choose”… “I’m happy with whatever”…To ‘go with the flow’ can be helpful at times but there comes a moment when someone needs to make a decision.

Application: If Daniel was the kind of person to just ‘go with the flow’ then his life would have been very short lived.  The king was so frustrated with a dream that he had had that he decided he was going to have all the wise men killed.  This decision was very harsh but instead of just going along with what the king proposed Daniel stepped up to try to fix the situation.  Because Daniel did not ‘go with the flow’ all the wise men were saved and he and his 3 mates were promoted to higher positions.  There are times when it’s ok to just go with the flow but when it comes to making life decisions we need to step up and take control of our destinies.  There are moments where we need to stand against society and not live a life focussed on fame, fortune and earthly dreams but to go against the flow by putting Christ first in our lives.

Prayer: Lord, there are times when its hard work going against the flow.  Help us to stand firm on your promises and make Godly decisions in our lives. Amen.

Are you the type of person that would go with the flow?

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Daniel 1:1-21

Reference: v.4 (The king ordered to bring into his service)…young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. (TNIV Bible)

Explore: When I was in the Philippines I often saw young people who fit the description above: handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand.  They were great looking younger people who had wonderful personalities, spoken English as well as their own dialect very well and took initiative in their work.  However, when I got to know these young adults I would discover that they had left their positions at university and we working in fast food stores to earn much needed money for their families.  My heart grieved for the huge potential of these young adults that were wasted behind the counters of dead end jobs.  If only they had the chance to extend themselves in education then they would be able to help their families even more.

Application: I wonder whether people looked at Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the same way.  Young men who had so much potential and such commitment to God and yet they were stuck under a foreign government.  And yet, when I look at the lives of these four fine followers I see that there is also hope for my friends in the Philippines.  It doesn’t matter where you are positioned, you can always shine strongly in your faith and commitment to God.  Even though Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were in a foreign land, eating foreign food and surrounded by a foreign culture they were able to let their light shine by being totally committed to their god.  We are the same; it doesn’t matter where we may find ourselves we are always able to set ourselves a part by showing our commitment to God comes first.  And that will not just bring us hope but will spread hope to those around us.

Prayer: Lord, You are the greatest hope that we could find in this world.  When the world around us seems so foreign, help us to stay truly committed to You. Amen.

What is the potential that is before you?

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