Homesick: A familiar voice
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Daniel & 3 friends
taken from homeland
learn enemies culture
food
new names
food
They took a stand to honor God
Because when we honor God
God honors us!
There are many who are NOT Christians but who believe in God
many know it in their heads but not in there hearts
live like God doesn’t exist
likeGod is not around
We are fearful, worried, & anxious
but God does not bring a spirit of fear but of sound mind
confident in His power
we end up enduring life rather than enjoying life
like it’s a burden to bear rather than a blessing to enjoy
If we are not careful we can end up acting like there is not a God in heaven
Isaiah talked about that problem that was prevalent in his day, and he wrote this: “We have become like those over whom you have never ruled, like those who were not called by Your name.”
It’s easy to fall into that place but the God of heaven wants to encourage us today
We will be in today
just in this chapter Daniel talks uses the expression God in heaven 5 times
in v.28 he tells the king that there is a God in haven
I hope that today we can allow it to sink into our hearts that there is A GOD IN HEAVEN allow that thought to change our lives
Last week:
Daniel & 3 friends
taken from homeland
learn enemies culture
new names
food
They took a stand to honor God
Because when we honor God
God honors us!
But we see that they have another big problem on their hands
In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.” The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
King has specific dream repeatedly
worries him
calls his top guys in to interpret
but worried that they will make something up so he won’t tell them the dream
since they can’t do it the king loses his cool & desideds to kill all the wise men including the junior members
That’s pretty much a bummer
is anyone else in the middle of a bummer
maybe some of you are like Daniel and it’s not even because of anything that you did or didn’t do but just because someone lost their cool
Let’s look at Daniels response and what we can see God doing in his life
1: God knows what you are going through
God knows what you are going through and what is coming in on you
He knew what was happening to Daniel
when we look back to Scripture
they are coming to get Daniel & his 3 friends because they are part of the group called the wise men of Babylon
Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. He declared to Arioch, the king’s captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.
Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon.
The captain of the bodyguard of the king comes and says:
come outside
I have a sharp sword
I’m going to hack you into bits because the king’s command is firm
That’s when I start looking for an exit
trip one of my friends and run
You don’t need to be the fastest just can’t be the slowest
But Daniel knew something different
He knew the God in heaven
we need to learn that God was in control
lose your job - God is in control
He is not up there worried about how things will work out
pacing heavens floor
He’s never wandering what He is going to do now
if He could just think up a good idea
sweating bullets
GOD DOESN’T HAVE A PANIC MODE!
God is in control
He has numbered the hairs on your head
it’s not that awesome for me but it’s awesome for you because God knows
He is in charge
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
He is a very present help in trouble
abundantly available to help you in your problem
big or small
Often though we wander - why would God want to help me?
He is running the universe
BECASUE HE LOVES YOU
He cares about you
There is a God in heaven who knows your problem/situation
2. There is a God in heaven who answers your prayers
Daniel says to the men that are going to kill him that he needs a minute but that he will ask the God of heaven to give him the interpretation
so in
Dan 2:17
Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
God is a God who answers prayers
The Scripture says that God is the One who troubled King Nebby with the dream
he didn’t know the interpretation
God hadn’t revealed it to him
The problem is that Daniel didn’t know the interpretation either
v.17 said that Daniel went into his house and informed his friends
we know that they prayed
& v. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel
nothing was revealed until he prayed
then he prayed
and it was revealed!
In James it says “ you do not have because you do not ask”
It’s not that you do not have because
God doesn’t have
God is stingy
God doesn’t want to help you
BECASUE YOU DO NOT ASK
Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
If we need to know what to do next… CALL TO GOD
For work I called an insurance adjuster the other day and his voicemail picked up & said that he was on vacation and that I needed to
call someone else
her voicemail said that she was on vacation and to call someone else
I call the 3rd number just to leave a VM that never got returned
God will never redirect us to someone else
stop asking your drinking buddies for advise
your mom may not have all the answers
unless she is praying for you
but sometimes we may have to call God more than once
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Those 3 words - ask, seek, knock
in greek mean keep going
ask & keep asking
know & keep knocking
seek & keep seeking
Don’t Stop
Don’t Quit
God is not McDonanld’s Drive-thru
He might be in Chick-Fil-A
but that’s another message
We don’t pull up to a box
tell it what we want
they repeat it back to you
you confirm
pull up & pay
get food and leave
we want God to be like that but that’s not Him
sometimes He wants to see if we are serious about seeking Him for change
sometimes He needs to wait for the change to happen
prepare situation
prepare you
prepare another person
Jesus told a story
Men ought to pray & not quit
parable of a woman
widow woman
who had been wronged
Judge
did not fear God
Woman came to judge for legal protection
judge sent her out
your a widow
no standing in society
I don’t have time for you
get out
She kept coming
day after day
Finally the judge said
listen I don’t fear God
I don’t repsect man
but this widow is wearing me out with her continual coming
I’m going to give her what she wants to get her off my back
Jesus said
hear what the unrighteous judge said
Your Father in heaven is not an unrighteous judge
how much more will your father in heaven want to do for you
Keep calling, seeking, knocking
George Mueller - great man of faith in England
“The great fault of the children of God today is that they don’t continue in persistent prayer”
He said “If they desire anything for God’s glory they should pray until they get it”
Then he said “I have seen God answer tens of thousands of my prayers”
and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
There is a God in heaven who knows your problems
There is a God in heaven who answers your prayers
Then we need to praise Him
Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
God deserves your praise
God rewards His people
He took care of Daniel & promoted him rather than killed him
The Scripture says, “He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Do you understand that? God is a rewarder of those who seek Him. If you seek Him and keep seeking Him, He will reward you. He is such a good God.
It‟s easy to get discouraged in the Christian life. It‟s easy to get your eyes off the Lord. It‟s easy to start thinking that God is not a rewarder of those who seek Him. You look at other people who don‟t know God who seem to be blessed, and you say, “I don‟t think it pays to serve the Lord.” And that thought can start to germinate in your mind. It doesn‟t pay to serve God. But it does!
Listen. Some of you are living lives where people, as they look at your life, they would never know that there‟s a God in heaven who answers prayer, who works miracles, because you‟re living a life like God is dead. It‟s time for you to get up. The Scripture says, “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed with me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” God will reward you as you seek Him. He is alive. And He wants to work in your life. He loves you, and He has a wonderful plan for you if you‟ll trust Him, if you‟ll obey Him, and if you‟ll seek Him with all your heart.
wants to work in your life. He loves you, and He has a wonderful plan for you if you‟ll trust Him, if you‟ll obey Him, and if you‟ll seek Him with all your heart.