Dad's Ramblings -- Spiritual Battles

SPIRITUAL BATTLES
Daniel 10:12-13
 
" 'Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia." ' "
 
David had been in diligent prayer and fasting for three weeks (vs. 3) when this heavenly messenger appeared to him. He told Daniel that God had heard his prayer from day one, but that there was a heavenly battle that raged for those three weeks. When we pray, there are struggles in the spirit-realm that are real, even if we do not see them. We do battle, not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). But we don't fight them alone. We have God's angels on our side. So we can take heart when it seems that our prayers are not answered. God has heard our prayers!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Prayer involves battle in the unseen spirit-realm.
 
Have a victorious day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Time Is In God's Hands

TIME IS IN GOD'S HANDS
Daniel 9:24a, 25a, 26a, 27a
 
" 'Seventy weeks are determined .... Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there a shall be 7 weeks and 62 weeks .... And after 62 weeks Messiah shall be cut off .... Then he [the coming prince] shall confirm a covenant with many for one week ....' "
 
It is comforting to know that the times of this world are in God's control. But so are my times. I rest in the confidence that "my times are in Your hand," O Lord. I trust You because You are my God (Psalm 31:14-15).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God controls time – of the world and of my life.
 
Have a resting day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Beloved By God

BELOVED BY GOD
Daniel 9:21-23a
 
" 'While I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel ... reached me about the time of the evening offering. And he informed me, and talked to me, and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; ...." ' "
 
Does God love some people more than others? I think so. I know that there is no partiality with God (Acts 10:34), and that God loves the world (John 3:16). But there is a special kind of love God has for those who believe in Jesus (John 16:27). He loves them just as Jesus was loved by the Father (John 17:23). But there is a deeper love for those who are close to Him. The disciples are an example. Jesus had twelve disciples who were followed Him. But there was an inner circle (Peter, James, and John). And of the three, only John could say of himself that he was "the one whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23). He had a relationship with the Lord Jesus that allowed him to lean on Jesus' breast. Daniel also had a special relationship with God. He was "greatly beloved." How do you get that kind of relationship? By spending time in His presence. Both John and Daniel spent time with God. Daniel had an consistent prayer life – communing with God. Relationships take time to develop. I think there is a special thing God has with people who will spend time with Him.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Those who are greatly beloved by God spend time in His presence developing relationship with Him.
 
Have a "greatly beloved" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Desperate Heart

DESPERATE PRAYER
 
Daniel 9:19
 
" 'O Lord [Adonai], hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hasten, and act!' "
 
In Daniel's prayer, I hear the pathos and pain of a broken heart who knows that no one or nothing else can deliver them. It was a plea from a desperate heart. God hears that kind of prayer. I have heard prayers that command and demand God to do something, as though He was a servant or a genie in a bottle. But God is Adonai – Master. He is not our servant to do our bidding, but He is a loving Master who responds to the cries of desperate hearts when His people call out to Him.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The Lord Adonai hears the pleas of a desperate heart.
 
Have a "desperate" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Prayer For A Nation

PRAYER FOR A NATION
 
Daniel 9:4-5
 
"And I [Daniel] prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, 'O LORD, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenants and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.' "
 
Daniel saw the state of his people, and understood that the reason Jerusalem lay desolate and the nation was in captivity was because they had turned away from God. So he appealed to God for deliverance, based upon God's mercy and confession of sin. This echoes II Chronicles 7:14: If we humbly seek God and turn from our evil ways, He will hear and answer. O God, hear our prayers for America. We have forsaken You and Your precepts.  Have mercy on our nation and deliver us.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God is merciful and hears the prayers of His people when they confess their
sins.
 
Have a humble day before God. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Appointed Time

THE APPOINTED TIME
 
Daniel 8:17b, 19
 
"But [Gabriel] said to me, 'Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end...' And he said, 'Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter times of indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be.' "
 
It is not the purpose of Dad's Ramblings to do deep Bible study, so it is for other venues to unwrap the meanings of Daniel's visions. But they will happen at God's "appointed time." God is in control, and the future of the earth is in His hand. God has an appointment calendar. God is not slack concerning His promises, and the day will come when the earth will pass away with a great noise and melt with fervent heat (II Peter 3:9-10, 12). This will not happen until God says, "It is time." Just as Jesus came in the "fulness of time" (Galatians 4:4), so all these things will happen when the time is right. I don't know all about the future, but I know Who controls it.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God has an appointed time for all things.
 
Have a patient and trusting day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Pompous Words

POMPOUS WORDS
 
Daniel 7: 19, 23-25
 
" 'Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast .... Thus he said: "The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; he shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time, and times and half a time." ' "
 
Throughout history, Christians have borne the brunt of persecution, more than any other religion. Why is this? Because they stand in the way of Satan's rule of the earth. He wants the power to rule totally, and anyone who does not bow to him is to be destroyed. He will even attempt to change times and laws to accomplish his dominion. It will get worse before Jesus comes and sets up His earthly kingdom when "all kingdoms and dominions shall obey Him" (vs. 27b). So when we hear "pompous words" against God, and the Christian faith is attacked, we know that Satan is behind it, but he will not win.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Satan hates Jesus-followers – the saints – and wants to get rid of them so he
can rule unimpeded.
 
Have an understanding day. Love you.