Don’t wait for Sunday to praise the Lord! Heartlight.org Psalm 65 (ESV) To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song. 1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. 2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. 3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. 4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple! 5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; 6 the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; 7 who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, 8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy. 9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. 11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. 12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122 Q. What does the first request of the Lord's Prayer mean? A. “Hallowed be your name” means, Help us to really know you, to bless, worship, and praise you for all your works and for all that shines forth from them: your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. Summary What a great way to end the work week and to already begin preparing our hearts for worship this upcoming Lord’s Day by meditating on this psalm of praise! Indeed, in it, David pours forth his praise to the One True, Living God for so many things! We’re not quite certain when in David’s life he wrote this psalm, nor the circumstances in daily life that surrounded it, whether a famine had wrought havoc on the land, or if it was harvest, but at the heart of this psalm, as Richard Phillips in his commentary on Psalms points out: “…is that God’s people always have reasons to lift up our hearts in praise. In whatever circumstances we may find ourselves, it is always right and beneficial to us to think about how marvelous God is and to worship him with awe and joy. Psalm 65 argues that believers do not require a special reason to worship the Lord, so we should devote portions of each day simply to exulting in the goodness and grace of God and in praising him from open hearts.” As we dig into this psalm, we see David praise God for a number of things, specifically God’s salvation and grace (vv. 1-4), God’s awesome power on display in creation (vv. 5-8), and God’s abundant provisions and blessings that He graciously pours out (vv. 9-13). Dig Deeper Like David, we have so much to praise God for, and we ought to! Whether it’s health, our families, cars that run and gas to fill them, food in our fridges, friends, work to be done, the salvation from our sins and reconciliation with God that we have received through Christ that David points forward to even in this psalm, and so on, when we stop and take a look at our lives, there is so much to lift up our hearts and voices in praise to God for. We of course praise God as a part of our worship on Sunday for Who He is and all that He has done for us, but how often do you take time individually or as a family to praise Him for all His many gracious blessings throughout the rest of the week? If you do so often, fantastic! May the Lord help you to continue in that wonderful pattern! If not, may the Lord refresh you in the awe and wonder of Who He is and all that He has done, bringing you to a renewed place of daily praise. Yes, life gets busy, and we can so easily get distracted with everything going on, but may the Lord help us to slow down, to notice His mighty hand at work in His creation, in our lives, and to thank and praise Him for it. Maybe it’s short prayers of praise throughout the day whether at work, on the road, outside mowing the lawn; maybe it’s carving out time at the start or end of your day, or being intentional to praise the Lord around the table at family meals. As we head into the weekend and throughout the rest of our lives, may we ever praise the God of our salvation! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the God of our salvation; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll give to God the praise that is due to Him all week long, and especially on the Lord's Day. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

How hungry are you for the Word of God? Bible.com SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Nehemiah heard of Jerusalem’s broken walls and mourned, fasted, and prayed before the LORD. God then opened the door for him to ask King Artaxerxes for permission, protection, and supplies to rebuild the city. Despite opposition, mockery, threats, and internal injustice among the people, Nehemiah led with prayer, courage, organization, and reform. The wall was finished, the people were registered, and all Israel gathered as one in Jerusalem to hear the Book of the Law. Nehemiah 8:1–12 (ESV) 8 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose... 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 ...the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 65 Q. It is by faith alone that we share in Christ and all his blessings: where then does that faith come from? A. The Holy Spirit produces it in our hearts by the preaching of the holy gospel, and confirms it through our use of the holy sacraments. Summary After completing the work of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, and as the people stand on the brink of celebrating a number of festivals prescribed by the Lord, they all gather together in Jerusalem and ask for something, not of Nehemiah, but of Ezra. Returning on the scene, Ezra is asked to bring out “the Book of the Law of Moses.” Notice that the people initiated this! Ezra, of course, is more than happy to do so. He brings it out and begins reading it to the people from early morning until midday. Not only is it read to the people, but God’s Word is also expounded - that is, taught to the people by the Levites! As all of this is done for probably about six or so hours, like the people hearing Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, the Israelites assembled there are cut to the heart, for we find the people weeping as they heard the words of the law. We’re not told what parts were exactly read, but through the reading and exposition of God’s Word, the people were reminded of their sin, and were convicted of it. Even so, Nehemiah encourages the people not to weep, but to have joy, to celebrate, for the joy of the LORD is your strength! Indeed, because of the LORD’s great grace, mercy, and forgiveness of sins, both they and we have much to be joyful over! Dig Deeper At various points in our lives, we know the pangs of hunger acutely, whether it’s when we forget our lunch at home, or when we smell a delicious roast in the oven throughout the day, making us hungrier by the minute. Maybe it’s after a long day’s work, or a really intense sports practice, and we come to the supper table famished. Something for us to ponder, though, is how hungry are we for God’s Word? Are we satisfied with mere morsels here and there, or are we constantly wanting more of the Bible, and not just the parts we like, but the parts that are hard to hear too? We see the people of Israel in our passage today hungry for God’s Word; they can’t get enough of it, even after six or so hours of hearing it read and expounded. They take it all in, including the parts that lead them to weep over their sin. It’s important for us to reflect on our own attitude towards God’s Word, for His Word is the Truth we need over against all the lies we hear from our world and culture. His Word is nourishment for our souls; it is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path in the midst of this world darkened by sin (Psalm 119:105). You need to cherish, hunger and thirst after God’s Word day by day, looking forward to immersing yourself in it throughout the week and looking forward to hearing it proclaimed on Sundays from the pulpit! Be hungry for the Word of the Lord, so that you grow in your love for Him more and more each day as you learn more about Him and all that He has done for you in Jesus Christ! The only thing left to ask, then, is - who’s hungry? AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll be a good servant of the LORD who delights to fear His name; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Whatever you face in life, take it to the LORD in prayer! Faithlife.com Nehemiah has heard that those who've returned from exile to Jerusalem are in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire. Nehemiah 1:4–11 (ESV) 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king. Canons of Dordt Point 1, Article 13: The Fruit of This Assurance In their awareness and assurance of this election God’s children daily find greater cause to humble themselves before God, to adore the fathomless depth of his mercies, to cleanse themselves, and to give fervent love in return to him who first so greatly loved them. This is far from saying that this teaching concerning election, and reflection upon it, make God’s children lax in observing his commandments or carnally self-assured. By God’s just judgment this does usually happen to those who casually take for granted the grace of election or engage in idle and brazen talk about it but are unwilling to walk in the ways of the chosen. Summary Today, we turn our attention to the book of the Bible immediately following Ezra, that of Nehemiah, who, as we will see tomorrow, lived at the same time as Ezra. By the time of Nehemiah, Ezra and others had returned to Jerusalem, where they had worked on the temple of the LORD amidst great persecution from surrounding peoples. Now, as we are introduced to Nehemiah, cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, a troubling report reaches him from his kinsmen that the walls are still destroyed, and it brings him to his knees in concern. Instead of wallowing in despair, Nehemiah turns to the LORD in prayer. There have been various ways Nehemiah’s prayer has been dissected, but taking a look at it, we can see that AAA prayer pattern we use each day: Acknowledge Who God is Oh LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. I love how Derek Thomas describes this: “Like bookends, the prayer begins and ends with adoration. Like a lot of other biblical prayers, Nehemiah begins by telling God about God. Doing so, of course, helps Nehemiah (and us) to put everything into perspective. When we remember that God is God, problems seem to take on smaller dimensions.” Align Your Life with God’s Will Nehemiah goes on to confess his and his people’s sin before the Lord, recognizing they are sinners in need of His mercy, grace, and forgiveness, yet are also those who have been redeemed by the LORD. Ask God For What You Need Nehemiah asks the LORD to be attentive to his prayer, asking that the LORD would give him success when he goes and talks to the king about what is troubling his heart, because it could very well lead to the end of his life. Notice that the asking portion of the prayer is the shortest! Dig Deeper When Nehemiah was met with the troublesome report of those who had returned to Jerusalem and was in the throes of despair, what was his first reaction? In the midst of his mourning and weeping, he responded with fasting and prayer. Nehemiah’s gut reaction was to turn to the God of the universe, Who is ever faithful, in prayer. When we face trials and tribulations, when we are faced with the throes of despair, is that our initial response, to pray? How about in good times, is it our gut reaction to turn to God in prayer, thanking Him for His blessings to us? When things go wrong, it can be so easy to respond with complaints, wallowing in our despair, or we turn to everyone else rather than turning in prayer to our Great God through our mediator and Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, He Who is Sovereign and faithful, laying at His feet our cares and concerns. When things go well, it can be easy to forget the LORD, to forget to respond with thanksgiving and gratitude in prayer. Rather, whether we are in a time of despair and trial, or when things are going well, may the LORD ever mold and shape us through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit to turn to Him in prayer first, bearing our souls to our Creator, our Redeemer, our God! As that beautiful hymn reminds us: Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. May we truly carry everything to God in prayer, not as an afterthought, but as our initial response in both joys and trials! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll be a good servant of the LORD who delights to fear His name; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Enjoy reminiscing… but don’t let it become your whole world. SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Cyrus returned the temple vessels Nebuchadnezzar had carried away, showing that the LORD was restoring what exile had taken. The first wave of exiles returned to Judah, each to his own city, and the people gave freely toward rebuilding the house of God. Once settled, they gathered in Jerusalem, rebuilt the altar, and began offering sacrifices again—even before the temple foundation was laid—because worship had to be restored first. Ezra 3:6–13 (ESV) 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. 7 So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia. 8 Now in the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their kinsmen, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to supervise the work of the house of the LORD. 9 And Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together supervised the workmen in the house of God, along with the sons of Henadad and the Levites, their sons and brothers. 10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the directions of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away. Canons of Dordt Point 1, Article 13: The Fruit of This Assurance In their awareness and assurance of this election God’s children daily find greater cause to humble themselves before God, to adore the fathomless depth of his mercies, to cleanse themselves, and to give fervent love in return to him who first so greatly loved them. This is far from saying that this teaching concerning election, and reflection upon it, make God’s children lax in observing his commandments or carnally self-assured. By God’s just judgment this does usually happen to those who casually take for granted the grace of election or engage in idle and brazen talk about it but are unwilling to walk in the ways of the chosen. Summary After being reminded of God’s Sovereignty and faithfulness as the LORD worked through Cyrus to draw His exiled people from lands afar back to their homeland, those exiles, including Ezra, made their way back to Jerusalem, to the House of the LORD, or what was left of it, to rebuild. Just prior to our passage, they rebuilt the altar in order to offer sacrifices to the LORD, which had not been done for a number of years. Now, their attention turns to the House of the LORD itself, and rebuilding begins. Wood is brought from the north by Tyre and Sidon, as had been done with the previous temple years before. Not only were the physical components of the temple brought for rebuilding, but also Levites were appointed to supervise the work. Then, at long last, the foundation is laid, and everyone broke forth into praise and worship to the LORD, seeing the fulfillment of His Word to them! Yet, for some, the shout that they raised wasn’t one of praise, but of gloom and sorrow, for they had seen Solomon’s temple, which probably seemed like a lifetime ago before being taken into exile. Now, having returned, what lay before them did not compare to what had once been. Sadly, when we take a look at other books of the Bible like Haggai, even though the two shouts intermingled on that day, the voice of the disheartened won out, for the building of the temple stalled for a while. Dig Deeper Nostalgia. It’s an interesting concept, but oh so real. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines 'nostalgia' this way: “a sad pleasure experienced in recalling what no longer exists : a wistful or sentimental yearning for a return to or the return of some real or romanticized past period or some irrecoverable past condition or setting.” Every now and again, I come across short videos online that are filled with nostalgic things from the 90’s and early 2000’s when I grew up, and it can be fun to reminisce. Sometimes my wife and I will show them to each other and ask, “Do you remember that?” all excited about something from our childhood. But nostalgia can be a dangerous thing, like we see going on in our passage. The people who had seen Solomon’s temple remembered it, and dwelling upon it, became disheartened, and their voices were loud enough, and voiced long enough so that building of the LORD’s temple screeched to a halt. This is a struggle for each generation as the torch is passed from one to another. While it can be fun to reminisce, when we hold on tight-fisted to what once was, we can miss out on lifting our eyes and seeing the joy, blessing, and faithfulness of God continuing to work in our churches, our families, etc. Yes, there are foundational truths that must be held to, but when and where they are upheld, may we be able to rejoice as we see the LORD working in and through each new generation of believers, faithfully proclaiming and sharing the Good News of the Gospel until He returns. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll remember and appreciate God's past blessings, but keep your eyes fixed on where He's calling you in the future; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Whatever may come, look to your Sovereign and faithful God! Faithlife.com Ezra 1:1–11 (ESV) 1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” 5 Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem. 6 And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. 7 Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8 Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, 10 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; 11 all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem. Belgic Confession Article 34: The Sacrament of Baptism We believe and confess that Jesus Christ, in whom the law is fulfilled, has by his shed blood put an end to every other shedding of blood, which anyone might do or wish to do in order to atone or satisfy for sins. Having abolished circumcision, which was done with blood, he established in its place the sacrament of baptism. By it we are received into God’s church and set apart from all other people and alien religions, that we may be dedicated entirely to him, bearing his mark and sign. It also witnesses to us that he will be our God forever, since he is our gracious Father. Summary Probably not too often do we find ourselves in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. At first glance, they may seem like dusty history to us today, but in these books of the Bible we find the continuation of the story of redemption after Israel’s fall and exile to Babylon. Not only that, but in Ezra and Nehemiah, as with the rest of God’s Word, we find such beautiful truths that impact our lives even today, the first of which is this - the One True Living God Whom we worship is Sovereign and Faithful! As we take a look at this opening part of Ezra, we find ourselves some years into Israel’s exile. The people, exiled from their homeland, have seen kings come and go, but now a new one arrives on the scene - Cyrus, and does he have a proclamation for them! Cyrus proclaims that he has been charged by the LORD, the God of heaven…to build him a house at Jerusalem and so encourages the people of Israel to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple of the LORD. There’s been debate over Cyrus’ motivations for doing this, but most likely a kind of religious tolerance, or a desire to hedge his bets with different deities, lies behind it. Yet, that’s not the whole of it, for we are given a peek behind the curtain, as it were, as we are told: In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia. As has always been the case, our God is Sovereignly in control over all things and is faithful to His promises! Dig Deeper Over the past few weeks, our congregation has had the blessing and privilege of celebrating the sacrament of baptism as little ones were presented by their parents. As we celebrated that sacrament, we were reminded of how Christ’s blood has washed us whiter than snow, as well as God’s amazing faithfulness to His promises to be our God and to be God to our children, and of His calling these children His, looking forward to the day when they will call God their God. As we have been reminded in our passage from Ezra today, our God is faithful to all His promises made throughout Scripture, that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Joshua 1:5), that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), that the seed of the woman - Jesus - would crush the serpent’s head even as His heel was bruised (Gen. 3:15), and so much more! What a blessing we have that we can take our faithful, Sovereign God at His Word, and are able to rest knowing that even when we walk through the fire and the flood, He is always in control, and will faithfully walk with us all the way through to the other side! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who always remains faithful and in control; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will live into the covenant promises that God has signified in your baptism; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

God's best blessings often come in life's thirstiest moments. Bible.com PSALM 63 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. 1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2 Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. 3 Because Your lovingkindness (ḥěʹ·sěḏ) is better than life, My lips will praise You. 4 So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. 5 My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness [NIV: the richest of foods], And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. 6 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, 7 For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. 8 My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me. 9 But those who seek my life to destroy it, Will go into the depths of the earth. 10 They will be delivered over to the power of the sword; They will be a prey for foxes. 11 But the king will rejoice in God; Everyone who swears by Him will glory, For the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped. Canons of Dordt Point V, Article 13: Assurance No Inducement to Carelessness The confidence of perseverance does not produce immorality or lack of concern for godliness in those put back on their feet after a fall, but it produces a much greater concern to observe carefully the ways of the Lord which he prepared in advance. The elect observe these ways in order that by walking in them they may maintain the assurance of their perseverance, lest, by their abuse of his fatherly goodness, the face of the gracious God (for the godly, looking upon his face is sweeter than life, but its withdrawal is more bitter than death) turn away from them again, with the result that they fall into greater anguish of spirit. Summary David wrote this 63rd Psalm at one of life's low points, as he hid out in the wilderness of Judah while his enemies hunted for him. Lows like this tend to flush out true allegiances. Lifting up hands in God's name and having a mouth and joyful lips offering praises makes sense when blessings abound, but in times of trouble those same hands and mouths quickly curl into fists shaken at heaven and snarled lips filled with curses. But there's no hint of bitterness in David's song sung in a dry and weary land where there is no water - one of many low points in David's otherwise exceedingly blessed life. David remained faithful in these dark valleys, though, because the blessings he so often enjoyed were not his primary objective in life. Think about what you want and pray for when you're in life's desert. Often our prayers center around pleading that God will restore whatever has dried up: health, finances, relationships, etc. But notice David doesn't ask for any sort of physical restoration. All he thirsts and yearns for is his God; that's what he earnestly sought. He never even asks God for deliverance from the wilderness! David realizes that the best blessings often come in life's thirstiest moments; it wasn't in the shadow of his opulent palace that he realized that he dwelled in the shadow of God's wings. David's life consisted of more material wealth than most of us combined could scrounge together, but that's not at all what he valued out in the wilderness. For it was in the wilderness that he realized that God's lovingkindness - God's ḥěʹ·sěḏ covenant love - was better than life. That's exactly why rather than continually longing for temporal blessings, David's primary objective in life was to bless God as long as he lived, no matter how dry and weary his circumstances had become. Dig Deeper David's allegiance to the LORD held strong in the wilderness because of the solid theology he'd developed in times of prosperity. Theology often gets a bad rap - a bunch of nerds arguing about obscure and irrelevant topics using multi-syllabic words that normal people can't pronounce. But that's not at all what theology was for David. This shepherd turned warrior turned king was first and foremost a theologian. And you should be too. David saw God's power and His glory - fundamentally theological concepts. But it wasn't when God miraculously guide his stone into Goliath's forehead or in the beauty of God's creation that David saw God's power and glory. It was in the sanctuary. This is why it's so important for you to be there often as well, building up your theology by seeing God's power and glory on the Lord's Day so that it will sustain you as you walk through the dry wilderness all week long. And David meditated on God in the night watches. The word meditate has been co-opted by new age spiritualists to describe all sorts of bizarre activities. But the Hebrew word that David used here simply means 'to softly speak.' In other words, David would softly recite God's Word throughout the night, reminding himself that even as his soul clung to God, that God's right hand upheld him. Good theology is rooted in and saturated with scripture. You need to know it well and meditate on it often. King David's solid theology enabled him to rejoice in God even as his enemies sought his life to destroy it because David knew that God was his God. He knew that the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped. Life's wildernesses reveal true allegiances, but good theology is what builds and roots your allegiance to God. The Lord's Day is once again right around the corner, so be sure to go to see God's power and glory in His sanctuary and to be reminded that Christ's nail pierced right hand upholds you. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, whose lovingkindness is better than life; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray you would bless God as long as you live in all of life's circumstances; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The Bible's teaching about the future is meant to comfort, not frighten you. Faithlife.com Daniel 7:1–14 (NASB95) 1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a dream and visions in his mind as he lay on his bed; then he wrote the dream down and related the following summary of it. 2 Daniel said, “I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 “And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. 4 “The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it. 5 “And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, ‘Arise, devour much meat!’ 6 “After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 “After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 “While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts. 9 “I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire. 10 “A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, And the books were opened. 11 “Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. 12 “As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. 13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed. Belgic Confession Article 37: The Last Judgment Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet. For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. Summary The book of Daniel takes a big turn here in chapter seven. The first six chapters are historical narrative - they tell the story of Daniel and his friends in Babylon. Now the genre shifts to eschatology - that is, focused on understanding the end times. And, as is often the case in eschatological books like Daniel, Ezekiel and Revelation, it all begins with dreams and visions that men like Daniel experienced. Often these visions are quite fantastic, as Daniel's initial dream is, beginning with four beasts coming up from the sea. Oftentimes eschatological passages like this can be so difficult to understand - what are we supposed to make of an eagle winged lion, a bear with three ribs between its teeth or a four winged, four headed leopard? There's no shortage of creative interpretations and applications trumpeted by enterprising preachers plying for a following on late night television or YouTube. Somehow they conjure up all sorts of interesting allusions with the current events of today, working people into a frenzy that various geopolitical events are sure signs that the apocalypse is imminent. We don't need to wonder what this particular vision is all about, or about what the beasts represent, because Daniel goes on to ask for the exact meaning of all this later on in the chapter. He's told that the four beast represent four kings who will arise from the earth. But all in all, the explanation Daniel gets raises more questions than it answers. So that just leads the speculators to develop elaborate schemes demonstrating which historical kings correspond to each of the beasts as they prognosticate what nation or dictator will be / or already is the beast that devoured and crushed and trampled down the others or who the little horn with eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts will be. Dig Deeper As interesting as all of these bizarre details seem, they're not the primary point of these types of passages. Rather than focus on endless speculations about how Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump or the Iranians are exactly what Daniel envisioned or make grand charts showing what's been fulfilled and what sort of signs we ought to still be looking for, put your emphasis on understanding the big sweeping picture theses passages paint. And that big picture shows good news. It shows the Ancient of Days, seated on a blazing throne, attended by thousands upon thousands with myriads standing before Him. What an amazing description of God Almighty! But at this point, the picture is ominous, as the court sat, and the books were opened - books recording actions that would condemn all people in the holy presence of this mighty King. That's when we're introduced to the Savior - One like a Son of Man, coming on the clouds of heaven - a description that Jesus claimed for Himself as He stood on trial. Not only was this Son of Man presented before the Ancient of Days, but He was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom. He was given exactly what was taken away from the beasts, so that peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. It's good to have a firm grip on these difficult eschatological passages, but don't be too consumed and anxious about how the details will work themselves out. The Bible makes clear what we need to know. As John Calvin famously wrote, "where God closes His mouth, there I will desist my inquiries." But hold on tightly and confidently to the massive good news that these passages present. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the Ancient of Days ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that passages like today's bring you confidence in Christ rather than anxiety from their details; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Don't just 'dare to be like Daniel'. Dare to trust Daniel's God. Faithlife.com SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Nebuchadnezzar praised God’s power but not in true repentance. His pride later brought God’s humbling hand until he learned the Most High rules all kingdoms, after which he honored Him rightly. Under King Darius, Daniel’s faithfulness set him apart, stirring jealousy among officials who manipulated the king into banning prayer to any god but himself. Daniel 6:10–23 (NASB95) 10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men [his rivals] came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12 Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.” 14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.” 16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” 17 A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. 18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him. 19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. 20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23 Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 127 Q. What does the sixth request of the Lord's Prayer mean? A. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” means, By ourselves we are too weak to hold our own even for a moment. And our sworn enemies— the devil, the world, and our own flesh— never stop attacking us. And so, Lord, uphold us and make us strong with the strength of your Holy Spirit, so that we may not go down to defeat in this spiritual struggle, but may firmly resist our enemies until we finally win the complete victory. Summary If this all happened last week, it would have gained wall to wall coverage. Shaky cell phone videos showing Daniel kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God would go viral and every network would bring out their talking heads to analyze why one of the nations top officials - that's what Daniel was! - thought he was above the law. It would happen this way now because it happened this way then. Nothing's changed... it's all engineered, and it played out exactly the way Daniel's rivals, who'd been passed over for the top spot Daniel got, designed it to. But they didn't pull this political coup off on their own. Daniel helped them. He knew exactly what he was doing. He could have squirrelled himself away in an inner room and prayed all he wanted without anyone noticing. But instead, he stood before open windows so all could see. On one hand, Daniel simply kept doing what he had been doing previously. His rivals had designed their law to prohibit prayer specifically because they knew how intractably ingrained prayer was for Daniel. It wasn't a crises that brought him to his knees three times a day, it was his regular habit of prayer that caused the crisis. And notice that he didn't beg God for the law to change, he just continued giving thanks before God. But on the other hand, Daniel waited until he knew that the document was signed before he opened the windows. As Iain Duguid comments, "When prayer becomes fashionable, praying in secret may be a good thing, but when prayer is proscribed, to pray in private becomes an act of cowardice." Daniel didn't back down from this political challenge because He was being held up by the power of God. Daniel was so confident in this power that he publicly bet his life on it. Dig Deeper The primary storyline here in Daniel 6 isn't that political theater is no different now than thousands of years ago. It's not a manual for taking on our ungodly rivals, and the main lesson isn't to push you to be pious or that you should 'dare to be like Daniel' (although you should do both). The key reason this famous story of Daniel in the Lions Den is in the Bible is the same reason every for every Bible story, poem, prayer and exhortation: to announce the unchanging reality that God always saves His people. Pagan King Darius, one of the most powerful men the world has ever known, was so amazed by God's salvation that he issued a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom, men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be forever. “He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions” (Dan. 6:26-27). Remember, as amazing as Daniel's salvation from the lions' den is, it's just a prelude to the salvation that God has accomplished for you in Christ. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who delivered Daniel from the lions and His people from our sin through Jesus; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your Spiritual Disciplines would be so strong that they become your primary characteristic; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The more you have to lose, the more you need to stand up for Jesus. Faithlife.com SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... God revealed Nebuchadnezzar’s troubling dream to Daniel, showing a succession of earthly kingdoms that will ultimately be shattered by an everlasting kingdom from heaven. The king honored Daniel, yet soon set up a golden image and commanded all to worship it. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused, faithful to the LORD alone, they were accused and brought before the king for defying his decree. Daniel 3:13–30 (NASB95) 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 ...But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. 17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. 22 For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. 23 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” 25 He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. 27 ...the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. -- 30 Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 95 Q. What is idolatry? A. Idolatry is having or inventing something in which one trusts in place of or alongside of the only true God, who has revealed himself in his Word. Summary Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego aren't just anonymous nobodies in the province of Babylon. After Daniel had interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream in the previous chapter, the king appointed Daniel ruler over the whole province, Daniel appointed his friends as administrators. Life was good. So it's not like these three were a bunch of captured hostages with nothing to lose who were just taking advantage of the opportunity to stick it to the king in an act of public defiance. If anything, they had more incentive than anyone else to fall in line with this silly order from the king. Besides, the whole arrangement was likely a trap set by their Chaldean rivals. Protesting would be playing right into their hands. All they needed to do was go out, listen to the music, fall down and "worship" for a few moments and move on. Then they could get back to doing the LORD's work in administering their departments for His glory. But these three put it all on the line and immediately got called out by their Chaldean counterparts who ran tattling to the king. Nebuchadnezzar's bruised ego gave way to rage and anger as he ordered his three administrators to report. But his brains catch up, and rather than just executing them on the spot, he repeats his ultimatum and gives them a second chance. Dig Deeper But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego aren't playing games. They don't even wait for the music to begin again. They flat out tell the most powerful man in the world that we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter! It's no wonder that we read that Nebuchadnezzar's facial expression was altered toward them! But they don't stop there - they go on to contradict the king, who'd boldly claimed that no god could save them from him. Not true, said the three Jews. Our God is able to deliver us... and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But notice the humility in their boast. God could save them, but they weren't obligating Him to do so. But even if He does not, these three men swore that they are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image. Our God did save His three servants, and in a most glorious way. The story ends with Nebuchadnezzar blessing their God, marveling at these men who yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. Not only that, but the king caused them to prosper in the province of Babylon. You don't need to worry about being ordered to worship a golden image, but there are thousands of ways that you can capitulate and just go with the flow in our own day and age. Don't do it. Take inspiration from these three men of old, and know that the God who saved them from the furnace has saved you even more gloriously through His Son. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who saves His people from the fire; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the courage of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

God made you holy in Christ - don't let the world defile you. Daniel 1 (NASB95) Choice Young Men 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach and to Azariah Abed-nego. Daniel’s Resolve 8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials, 10 and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.” 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 “Then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days their appearance seemed better and they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. 16 So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables. 17 As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. 18 Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s personal service. 20 As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. 21 And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 86 Q. We have been delivered from our misery by God’s grace alone through Christ and not because we have earned it: why then must we still do good? A. To be sure, Christ has redeemed us by his blood. But we do good because Christ by his Spirit is also renewing us to be like himself, so that in all our living we may show that we are thankful to God for all he has done for us and so that he may be praised through us. And we do good so that we may be assured of our faith by its fruits, and so that by our godly living our neighbors may be won over to Christ. Summary After a couple of weeks reading through the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, we're catching back up with the narrative regarding God's people Israel, and this week's opening sentence sets the stage for a sad scene: Jerusalem has been besieged by Nebuchadnezzar's forces. And even worse, it's not just Judah's king that falls into his hands, but vessels of the house of God, which end up stowed away in the treasury of Babylon's god. But lest you think that God has finally given up on and abandoned His rebellious people, Daniel reminds us that the Lord remains firmly in control - for it was the Lord who gave all this into Nebuchadnezzar's hand. As will become increasingly clear over the next few weeks, all of this is going exactly according to God's plan. Keep this in mind the next time you're feeling like God's abandoned you! Nebuchadnezzar wastes no time, immediately doing to God's people what he's done to so many other countries he'd conquered: he finds the best of them - those who are good looking, intelligent and wise - and begins conforming them to the literature and language of the Chaldeans. Step one: change their names, giving Daniel (the LORD judges) the name Belteshazzar, an Akkadian name that means "Bel (their god), preserve his life). Step two: the way to a man's heart is through is stomach, so the king changes their diet. Daniel didn't seem to mind what name he got called by. It was his diet where he puts his foot down: He would not defile himself with the king's choice food. It wasn't that there was something intrinsically wrong with this choice food, but Daniel knew that by allowing himself to become accustomed to it, he'd never want to give it up. He'd end up choosing the choice food rather than his choice identity as a man of God. Daniel's diet was his line in the sand that kept him from being conformed. What's yours?What's the most effective lure Satan and Sarx have to pull you away from the Lord? Dig Deeper Daniel certainly gives a master lesson in remaining faithful to the Lord, but that's not the primary point of this story. The primary point here, as it is in every chapter of the Bible, is the LORD's faithfulness to His people. As Daniel preserved his distinctiveness, he prospered. But don't miss why: it was God who gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom. In fact, the king found Daniel and his friends ten times better than even his own staff advisors. So Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah entered the king's service. Notice there that they're referred to by their Jewish names, not their new identities the state had tried to impose upon them. Remember, your salvation remains firmly in the hands of your faithful father. He'll never abandon you, just as He never abandoned His covenant people in Babylon. The LORD has set you apart to be holy in Christ - that is, distinct and different from the world around you. Like Daniel and his friends, cling fiercely to this distinctiveness and do not be conformed to the pattern of this world. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who always remains faithful and in control; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will continually resist the world's ongoing attempts to conform you to its sinful pattern; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: