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Introduction
Let’s face it!
We all have to deal with unreasonable people at times.
We all experience seasons when the bottom falls out and we are left wondering what to do.
What is the solution?
I say that we must remind ourselves daily, like Daniel did in Daniel chapter 2, that “there is a God in Heaven” (2:8).
Even when things seem big, bad, and ugly…we have hope…more than hope.
We have an assurance that God is with us — we can call upon Him and He will answer.
Introduction
I know I focus a lot of my messages upon how we should respond when we face trials or complete disaster at times.
There are reasons: God’s Word has a lot to say about it, we are all slow learners, and we will continue to face things that challenge us to step up and trust God, or to give up and try to fix it ourselves.
Be honest, which category do you fall into most of the time?
Do you trust Godor give up and try to fix it yourself?
There is another category some of us fall into: put your head in the sand and pretend everything is fine or just ignore it and maybe it will go away.
I know I focus a lot of my messages upon how we should respond when we face trials or complete disaster at times.
There is a reason for that.
We are all slow learners.
And we will continue to face things that challenge us to step up and trust God, or to give up and try to fix it ourselves.
Be honest, which category do you fall into most of the time…trust God or give up and try to fix it yourself?
There is another category some of us fall into at times: put our head in the sand and pretend everything is fine or just ignore it and maybe it will go away.
Today’s passage is Daniel chapter 2 - and the question is this: “Are there Daniels here today?”
Here’s the setting:
Nebuchadnezzar took thousands captive and brought them to his country, Babylonia.
These things began in approximately 605 B.C.
The king ordered one of his officials to bring in some of the young Hebrews that were from the royal family or nobility, specifically strong, smart, and defect-free.
After 3 years of training, the best of them would serve in the palace.
The king made sure that they were taught Babylonian language, culture, and literature.
They were to eat at the king’s table — the best food and drink available.
Among these young men were: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azaria.
God highly favored these 4 Hebrew boys with wisdom and insight.
God blessed Daniel with the gift of understanding visions and dreams of all kinds.
Can you imagine the culture shock for the Hebrew people that the King brought into captivity?
Another land, culture, and religion.
Everything they had ever known was stripped from them — almost like being swept away to another planet for these sheltered people.
It was like the bottom fell out of their lives.
Let’s take a peak into the palace in chapter two.
Daniel and his 3 friends faced a life or death dilemma that would take a miracle to survive.
Thankfully, Daniel was more than confident that “There is a God in Heaven...” This fact would be their only hope in the face of a hopeless situation.
We learn from Daniel an important truth:
There’s no need to fall apart when things fall apart; call your friends to prayer and trust God for miracles!
Interrogatory: Do you think it is important to call out to God immediately in the face big trouble?
— we all would say yes…but is that what we actually do?
Transitional: Some situations really do seem hopeless…that is the time to pray
UNREASONABLE PEOPLE CAN MOTIVATE YOU TO PRAY
Exposition
A. Desperate people can be unreasonable
The king was deeply shaken by his dreams — so he wanted to make sure his magicians, sorcerers, etc., gave him the truth.
“You tell me what my dream was first.
Then tell me what it means”
They had no way to tell him what the dream was — “Only the gods could tell you what your dream is and they don’t live among men!”
They were terrified, I’m sure, but they had no way to tell him what the dream was — “Only the gods could tell you what your dream is and they don’t live among men!”
In essence, they said to the king, “You are being unreasonable.”
He didn’t care…He had to be absolutely certain about the meaning of his dreams.
After they made the same excuse a couple of times...
Daniel 2:
B. God’s people must learn the importance of trusting God
Daniel and his 3 friends were considered part of the group that were supposed to be executed
Something had to be done…and quickly
Nebuchadnezzar was an unreasonable, possibly unstable man
Nebuchadnezzar was an unreasonable, possibly unstable man
But God had a plan…God always has a plan
In January 1989, Linda and I had recently left our youth pastor position in Alvin, TX and I had taken a job as an assistant manager for Eckerd Drug (like Walgreen).
We left our position because of an unreasonable expectation placed upon us.
Linda was due with our first child at the time.
She went into labor January 13 or 14.
I took her to Humana Hosptial in Clearlake.
She was in labor far too long and the baby was in distress; she had to have an emergency c-section.
When our beautiful little girl was born, she had severe Meconium aspiration.
She was placed immediately into intensive care, where she stayed for 14 days.
When I had a chance to breathe I went and told my manager the story and that I would not be able to come to work for a few days.
He told me that I could not miss work.
I thought that was unreasonable, so I told him he would have to fire me because I needed to be with my family.
We had a stare-down — He didn’t budge so I called his boss.
Mysteriously, my manager then budged!
Unreasonable situations and people are not the end of the story…we must call upon a higher authority!
Application:
Application:
They have unfair expectations
They might be desperate…like a wild animal that’s backed into a corner — who knows what they will say or do
Hopeless situations and unreasonable people call on us to put our trust in God for the answers
Transitional: Daniel and his friends didn’t know how things would change, but they did know their only solution was to seek the Lord.
WHEN THE BOTTOM FALLS OUT...PRAY TOGETHER
God’s will is for His people to call upon Him with one voice and one heart
God definitely revealed mysteries to Daniel — he became one of the major prophets of the OT
A. Don’t delay…pray!
A. Don’t delay…pray!
B. Be confident in God’s faithfulness
Daniel obviously had confidence in God’s ability to do whatever it took to deliver them
He obviously had confidence in God’s ability to do whatever it took to deliver them
The same thing was in play when he chose not to eat the king’s rich food and drink.
Transitional: You can be confident that as you come together with one another in prayer, God will bring the answers...
Transitional: You can be confident that as you come together with one another in prayer, God will bring the answers...
One reason might be the condition of our own heart
Sin
We don’t want to deal with it or even admit it at times
Maybe we try to deny our sinful heart/attitude because we don’t want to change anything.
We don’t want to have to face the fact that our hearts are distant from the Lord.
Sin will drive a wedge between you and God
Sin grows when our commitment to God’s path weakens
His house, His Word, His people, His calling
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