DANIEL'S PRAYER DANIEL 9: 1 - 19

DANIEL'S PRAYER    DANIEL 9: 1 - 19

   Chapter nine of the Book of Daniel has been called "the backbone of prophesy".  This chapter details the prophetic 70 weeks, which we must understand properly.  If the 70 weeks are misunderstood, we will try to twist other prophesy to fit that narrative.  Therefore, it is imperative that we get this right.

   Chapter 9 (1)  In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom--(2) in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the Word of The Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.  (3) So I turned to The Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

   (4)  I prayed to The Lord My God and confessed:
"Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, (5) we have sinned and done wrong.  We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from Your commands and laws.  (6) We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your Name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.

   (7) "Lord, You are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame--the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to You.  (8) We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against You.  (9) The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him; (10) we have not obeyed The Lord our God or kept the laws He gave us through His servants, the prophets.  (11) All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey You.

   "Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You.  (12)  You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster.  Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem.  (13) Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of The Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to Your Truth.  (14) The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for The Lord our God is righteous in everything He does; yet we have not obeyed Him.

   (15)"Now, Lord our God, Who brought Your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and Who made for Yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong.  (16) Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, turn away Your anger and Your wrath from Jerusalem, Your city, Your holy hill.  Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and Your people an object of scorn to all those around us.

   (17) "Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant.  For Your sake, Lord, look with favor on Your desolate sanctuary.  (18) Give ear, our God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your Name.  We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy.  (19) Lord, listen!  Lord, forgive!  Lord, hear and act!  For Your sake, my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your Name."  (NIV)

H.A. IRONSIDE COMMENTARY

   Daniel was a student of prophesy.  It is noted here that even though Daniel did not have the complete Bible as we know it today, he did have the Book of Jeremiah.  Twice Jeremiah wrote that God would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem.  So, Daniel added it up and realized the 70 years were about to end.

   It is amazing that rather than being excited and happy, Daniel accepted responsibility in his relationship with God.  He prostrated himself before The Lord and cried out.  When he realized that the time was upon them, he begins by exercising His people that they may be restored in soul if they have wandered from Him; and thus blessing would result upon their being brought into the place of self-judgement and humiliation before Him.

  Dr. Ironside writes, "...if these things we have been going over, all that God has been bringing before us, shall result in casting us down in lowliness before Him, and causing us to cry, 'O Lord God, we have sinned, we have much reason to be before Thee in confession and brokenness, because of the failure of Thy people, the Church of which we form a part:'  I say if it has this effect upon us, yea in us, it will be indeed for God's glory and our blessing."

   He says that when we look around us and see the failure in the Church, the fleshliness and the worldliness that prevails on every hand, let us not assume the "holier than thou" posture, because we too are part of that Church that failed.

   We are to ask, "Who are we to judge another man's servant?  To his own master he stands or falls."  So, let us be exercised about individual holiness and faithfulness to God; concerned, too, about corporate righteousness and freedom from unholy associations.

MY THOUGHTS

   How powerful is Daniel's prayer!  While Daniel refers to the Jew and Israel, let us keep in mind that the gentile has been grafted to The Vine.

   America was founded on God's Word.  Don't you think we have enjoyed His blessings because of that?  Today, America is in trouble spiritually, because we have "forgotten our first love".  

   Let us prostrate ourselves before our God and seek His face.  We need to be repentant, receptive, and available for Him to use us for His purpose and glory.

   Do you know my Jesus?  For more information, please click here:   https://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/path-to-salvation.html.

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#jointhemovement

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

   Christians everywhere are preparing to bring attention to the persecution of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ in July.  We will be wearing our "prison garb" each Sunday, as we stand in solidarity with Christians worldwide who are being killed or imprisoned for their faith.  Wearing the prison orange is symbolic, much like tying a yellow ribbon was in the past.  It is a religious statement as well as a political statement, but it is mostly a humbling experience.

   It is our hope and prayer that our Lord will notice the sea of prison orange around our country and around the world.  It is our prayer that as we choose to wear a t-shirt in place of our fine clothing and jewelry to church, that we will humble ourselves in many areas of our lives.  Our Lord says that "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  2 Chronicles 7: 14  (KJV)

  To the angel of the church of Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God says this:  'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.  So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.'    Revelations 3: 15, 16  (NIV)  Let us ignite a revival like the world has never seen!  Let us catch on fire for Christ, and "remember our first love"!  Today is that day!  #jointhemovement.  

   Our country is very sick.  Our politicians at every level are enslaving us; they are passing laws that slap our God in His face.  Christians are being persecuted.  How can we, God's soldiers, be so impotent?  We need Him to hear us from heaven!  Then, as we "blow our trumpets and march and shout"  He will cause walls to tumble.  (Joshua 6: 3 - 5)

   If you have been studying with us about fasting, you already know the type of "fast" that God wants:  Isaiah 58: 9 - 14 (NIV)

9)..."If you do away with the yoke of oppression,

   with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

10) and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

   and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

then your light will rise in the darkness,

   and your night will become like the noonday.

11)  The Lord will guide you always;

   He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

   and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

   like a spring whose waters never fail.

12)  Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins

   and will raise up the age-old foundations;

you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,

   Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

13) "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath

   and from doing as you please on My Holy Day,

if you call the Sabbath a delight

   and The Lord's Holy Day honorable,

and if you honor it by not going your own way

   and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,

14)  then you will find your joy in The Lord,

and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land

and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."

FOR THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HAS SPOKEN.

   Brother, it doesn't get any better than this!  So, #jointhemovement.  Let God see us humbling ourselves.  Let us pray for our Brothers and Sisters who are being persecuted.  Let us ask God to guide us and forgive us.  God has promised these things to us.  Goodness and mercy are ours for the taking.  Praise God!

   It starts with a prison orange shirt.  You can order yours today at www.booster.com/prisonorangeforChrist.   Let us be united as we take a bold, unmistakable stand for Christ.  You only have a short time to order these shirts for them to be delivered in time for July. So, #jointhemovement.

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DEFINITION OF FASTING------MATTHEW 6:

DEFINITION OF FASTING-----MATTHEW 6:

   Our Pastor gave The Message from Matthew chapter 6 this Sunday:

¹⁶ “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."  (NKJV)

   Pastor pointed out that Jesus said, "when you fast" not "if you fast".  He said "when" you fast in the New Testament, so it is not just for the Old Covenant.  Fasting is expected from all of Jesus' followers.

   I confess that I am no "fast" scholar, so I had to do some research.  There are different kinds of fasts:



1)  Normal Fast:  no food.  water only

2)  Absolute Fast:  Absolutely no food or water.  This should not be undertaken over 3 days and     only then if you have a clear directive from The Lord and are in good health

3)  Partial Fast:  Abstinence from certain kinds of foods, such as meats or sweets, soup only, fruit and vegetables only, etc.  In Daniel 10: 3, Daniel ate no pleasant bread.

4)  Juice Fast:  fruit and vegetable juices only

5)  Corporate Fast:  a church or group of people who feel God has called them to fast together for a certain period of time.

6)  Chain Fast:  a church or group of people who commit to fasting for a long period of time and each individual commits to fast for a day or longer and signs up for so many days so that the entire period is covered for the designated fasting period.  

7)  Jewish Fasting Period:  The Jewish fast begins at 6pm one evening and ends at 6pm the following evening.

8)  Fasting Plus Prayer:  We are called to fast and pray.  Accounts in the Bible reveal that fasting was arranged during times when work was not expected, so the focus was on seeking God.  Some work and responsibilities cannot be avoided while fasting, but if you are seeking God, you want to set yourself up for success, not distraction.

9)  Fasting and Abstinence:  You can practice abstinence from other pleasures as well while fasting.  Abstinence is not fasting.  Fasting is abstaining from food.


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Do you know Jesus?  He is The Way to an eternity in Heaven with God.  Click here to learn more:  https://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/path-to-salvation.html


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