Open Those Windows!

Problem with New Year’s Resolutions

Without a plan, the resolution lasts only a couple of days or weeks

Not talking about New Year’s resolutions today

Talk about HABITS

Center for Bible Engagement, 2012

Extensive research on the impact of being in the Bible min. 4 days/week

Findings:

Dramatic decrease in giving in to temptations

Excessive drinking

Viewing porn

Sex outside of marriage

Gambling

Lashing out in anger

Gossip

Lying

Neglecting family

Overeating/mishandling food

Mishandling money

Produces significantly more peace and joy, decreasing at same time

Bitterness

Thinking destructively about self or others

Feeling like have to hide what you do or feel

Difficulty forgiving others

Feeling lonely

Experiencing fear or anxiety

Great example in Scripture is found in Daniel

Find the description in Da 6:1-11

Daniel 6:1–11 ESV

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.” 6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction. 10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.

1. Open Your Windows

Daniel had opened the windows in his room

Daniel 6:10–11 (ESV)

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.

Even though he knew of the new “law”

Even though he knew the risk involved

At the same time, Daniel knew how vital these times with God were

Nothing would stop him

The Greatest Challenge to us opening our own windows and spending time with the Lord

Time management

Too busy

Truth: you have all the time to do the things you want to do

If this is something you know you need to do, realize that you might have to plan to make some changes in your habits

2. Point the Right Direction

Look to be in the presence of God

The reason for why you throw the windows open

There is a plan in place

Daniel faced Jerusalem when he prayed

Daniel 6:10 (ESV)

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

Daniel had lived in captivity since he was roughly 16 years old

Never again to see Jerusalem

Yet God’s presence was represented by the Temple…in Jerusalem

Don’t get caught up in the externals

Not referring to facing a certain direction or taking a certain physical posture

Seek the face, the presence, of the God who gives you life

Know what it is you will be reading…have a plan

Devotional book

Just go verse by verse in a book of the Bible

3. Understand Who You Seek

You seek Jesus

The One who loves you

The One who knows you

The One who died for you

The One who rose from the dead for you

The One who intercedes for you

Daniel sought “his God”

Daniel 6:10–11 (ESV)

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.

Is Jesus Enough for you?

If He is, then praising Him for who He is is in order

If He is, then thanking Him for what He has done is in order

Prayer is much more than giving God your shopping list of things you want Him to do

John Piper

If you seek God’s hand, you might miss His face,

But if you seek God’s face, He will always bring His hand

4. Be Specific

When you ask, aim to be more specific with your asks

What you ask God for can take you deeper in your intimate love relationship with Him

The more specific your request, the sooner you can make the connection between your request and what God does next

Daniel was specific when he came to his God

Daniel 6:10–11 (ESV)

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.

Daniel was making petition

Example of how he would pray is found in Da 9

What God did next was easy to spot

Plea

Chanan

To plead, to implore favor

What happened next?

He was “outed”

He was arrested

He was thrown into the lions’ den

Was God at work?

Yes

But working in a way no one had ever experienced before

But no one would ever forget after He was done

5. Do It Again Tomorrow

Daniel had been doing this discipline for some 65+ years

Daniel 6:10 (NKJV)

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

Daniel was taken captive at roughly age 16 (605 BC)

Daniel had his windows open…

…when he faced having to defile himself with the Babylonian food when he was a youth

…when he was faced with execution if someone wasn’t able to tell King Nebuchadnzezzar not only what he had dreamed, but what the dream meant

…when his three friends refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s idol and were thrown into the furnace

…when he had to tell Nebuchadnezzar the meaning of another dream

…when, years later, Belshazzar saw the writing on the wall and didn’t know what it said or what it meant

Now it is over 65 years later

Daniel was over 80 years old at this time (539 BC)

Did it make a difference?

In Daniel?

One of few people in Bible of whom nothing negative was said

What about you?

Can opening your own windows make a difference in what God does in you, with you, and through you?

One way to know for sure…

Now What?

Instead of a New Year’s Resolution…

Why not aim for just tomorrow?

Spend 5-10 minutes with the Lord

If you make it on Monday, here’s your next goal:

Tuesday

Make it on Tuesday?

Your next goal: Wednesday

Miss it on Wednesday?

Here’s what you do:

Make Thursday your next goal