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Thursday, October 18, 2007

Faith Like Daniel

After the last post, I am overwhelmed by the trials you have endured and the faith You have in our Lord. Some of your comments and emails bring me to tears. You are truly living this!!
There's nothing shallow about you. You've been through REAL pain and now are able to testify of the Lord's goodness. I am so blessed by your candidness. Thank you for sharing your stories from the heart!!!

I am going to be highlighting some of the wonderful testimonies of faith in God's Word.
I don't think we will ever tire of having our faith encouraged will we?

Here is a condensed version of the story that most of us are familiar with, feel free to read it in it's entirety if you like:

Daniel 6:6-7
The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors
have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that
anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except
to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den.

NIV

Dan 6:10-11
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to
his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem.
Three times
a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he
had done before.

NIV

Dan 6:16
So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and
threw
him into the lions' den
. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom
you serve continually, rescue you!"
NIV

Dan 6:19-22
At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions'
den.
20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice,
"Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually,
been able to rescue you from the lions?"
21 Daniel answered, "O king, live
forever!
22
My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the
lions
. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his
sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."
NIV


Don't let the familiarity of this story take away the power of it!
Personnally, I am afraid of lions. There have been stories of cougars in our area (yes, Michigan) and it scares me silly! I have had nightmares about lions since I was a little girl. I won't even go close to the glass at the zoo!

A lion is a fierce animal!

Wouldn't you have preferred that God said, "Oh I will change that Kings mind and not let him make Daniel go into the lion's den!"

However, God saw that it would be better for him to experience that trial so
that WE could see the power and glory of God!!!!


God sent angels to come and close the mouths of the lions!
Isn't He wonderful?!!!

Can you picture it? How awesome a sight that must have been for Daniel.

We serve an amazing God. He will close the mouths of the lions if need be in our lives!
Thank you Lord!!!

1 Peter 5:8-9
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls
around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know
that your
brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of
sufferings.
NIV

Let's believe God, whether whatever type of lion's den we are facing!


22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen to witnessing God's power and glory.
Blessings,
~Toni~

Susan said...

God's promises is never to give us more than we can bare. Praise God for that. Also, He never leaves us or forsakes us.
Susan

Bev Brandon @ The Fray said...

Amen!

He has closed the mouth of lions for me in my childhood and decades later---may I find Him this moment, no hiding in my heart. I did the Daniel study recently & these powerful verses come to remind me today of how God loosened the chains for me through this book of His. Your post also reminded me of Lucy in Narnia---the LION?? will he harm us? "He's not safe...but He is good."

thankyouthankyouthankyou for pensive posts!

Annie said...

I never tire of watching the way God works His miracles. I am amazed at the beauty and creativity he uses. I was reading about Elijah and the boy who died this morning. He laid on him three times and he lived again. God could just do things in an instant but instead He does things in a way that not only shows His power and love, but also teaches us something powerful that carries us through the next trial.
Thank you for sharing the story of Daniel. It is amazing.

gail said...

God saw that it would be better for him to experience that trial so
that WE could see the power and glory of God!!!!

Sue---
this is so, so, so good! after hubby had a terrible accident and lost 90% of his sight, lost our biz, and lost our income, i came across max lucado's book its not about me. basically he says the same thing. once i could see that my trial, my response to my trial could bring glory to God, it all fell in place and the joy returned.

it has been an amazing adventure, and we have grown so much in the Lord becuz he allowed us to go thru it. God is good, all the time!

love your blog, gail

Pen of Jen said...

What a great thing for us to reflect upon. Thank you again.
Jennifer

Living Beyond said...

Amen lady - "Lord shut the mouths of the lions" - is a prayer I pray often. I have learnt that He often places me with the lions so that I can face my biggest fears and see time and time again that He is true to His Name "Faithful & True" Rev 19:11.

Aren't you glad that HE IS - THE LION of the Tribe of Judah! Bless you Lord!

I'm reminded of the Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe where one of the children asks Mrs Beaver if Aslan is safe. She replied (from my poor memory) with "SAFE, who said anything about safe - He's not safe but HE's GOOD!" Oh how that sticks with me - My God is Good even in my hardest places and He keeps on shutting the mouths of the lions.

Thanks again Sue

Christin said...

I agree...sometimes the familiarity of a story strips us of really feeling the WEIGHT of it. I love the story of Daniel...all of it.

He had such a peaceful, deep faith and assurance of the character of God. I want that in my life too, you know?! The kind of unwaivering faith where you can stand before a lunatic king (who is threatening you with death) and be still enough in your heart to receive wisdom from God. It's amazing!!

Bev Brandon @ The Fray said...

you inspire me!

Middle-Aged Moi said...

I think it's so important to remember that these Bible stories are REAL! It's so easy to just view them as just another children's tale, but it's HISTORY and it's amazing. Thanks for pointing that out.

Heather C said...

"Jesus said to her, 'Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?'" (John 11:40)

Here's to believing!!

Melissa Davis said...

Amen my dear Sister that was awesome. I just found your blog and will be reading it more often - I need to play catch up (lol).

God bless and lots of love

Roo said...

i love you sue! God bless your LIONHEART!

happygeek said...

Sue,
I often find myself checking to see if there is a new thought from you! God's Word is living and active and I find your posts so very refreshing. Thanks for sharing from your heart and the Bible.

JavaMama said...

AMEN!! Good stuff... you are so very encouraging and in the word... thank you!!

By the way we have the same coffee image in our sidebars :0).

Have a truly blessed day!!

JOYfully in Him,
Kelli

Mary@notbefore7 said...

What a fresh look at this passage for me. Thanks Sue. I read the previous post and comments. God has really used you to speak to the hearts of many. God bless!

Sharon Brumfield said...

Thank you girl.
I thank Him for protecting Daniel. And I also thank Him for letting Daniel go through that. If He had not what would give hope to our hearts when life seems to be taring at our very being?
I love Him.

AbbyLane said...

good word...
it is hard but so rewarding when we can learn to say, "blessed be the name of the Lord" in the good AND the bad

JavaMama said...

I have a little something for you...

Amrita said...

I am facing quite a few lion. They have not been able to chew me up but they roar at me, try to scare me. and sometimes I do get scared and throw up my hands, but i guess the Lord keeps their mouths shut.

Anonymous said...

Such a powerful story indeed.

Kimmie said...

Yes, I am believing God...he is MORE than faithful!
In His arms;
Kimmie
mama to 6
one homemade and 5 adopted

*believing He will work out the details of our Guatemalan adoption!

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