You are greatly loved!
Daniel 9:3 ‘And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes..’
Friend, the reason for our mediocre lives, broken homes and debt-drenched lives is because we read more of ‘how to become rich and how to have stress-free life’ rather than the Word of God. We are not boldly able to look straight at the face of kings and say, ‘look, this is what God is telling you’ because we chat more on face book rather than with God like Daniel. If there is a niggle here, let me tell you, because we have neglected personal relationship with God, we run seeking for prophesies (which is available in heaps now a days) thrilling experiences and something new rather than quietly fast and pray for ‘DIRECT’ Word from God. Young people! Youth Leaders! Listen! When would you abandon the world, work and spend time with God in fasting and prayer, so that you could get directions from ABOVE for your life rather than running behind men/women of God? How about going on plain tea and bread for a few days and praying? Your ministry, work and life would have spectacular changes when you do that! I challenge you! We talk big about the Big God, alright; but when would we do something big for Him, like crucifying our flesh, desires and appetite and sit at His feet? Tell me. I thank God as my passion for Him has not been buried even after several years; the pain, suffering, tribulations, sickness, betrayal, lampooning and humiliation has not dented my craze and love for Him one bit. All the above said persecutions were meant to shape and mold me as His Servant and be able to speak to the rural and the urban crowd around the globe and prepare a generation for His Second Coming and also be able “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest He come and strike the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:6)
Daniel was a great politician, prime-minister of state to one of the greatest monarchs upon earth, a great prophet, one who was able to interpret dreams and visions; yet he was a diligent student in the scripture and found time to refer to the ‘book of Jeremiah’ and know of the future of the people of God, he understood that the 70 years of exile was about to expire but the lives of the children of God were atrocious, hence fearing the wrath of God over them again, Daniel determines his heart to fast and pray. This is the background of chapter nine from the book of Daniel. We see in the previous chapters Daniel being actively involved in his work and getting plum positions in the palace, but now in this chapter, we see him as a man closely speaking to God, reading His Word and also being a ‘spokesperson’ for God. Friend, never give an excuse that your work hinders your walk with God. If you’re passionate about God, you would do all it takes to cut the ‘unwanted stuff’ and commune with Him. Are you hearing me? If you put browsing facebook before your prayer, I guarantee, facebook would rob all the time, leaving you with just enough time to yawn and sleep. Beware!
I want to split the prayer of Daniel into different headings and expound it to you so that you understand it clearly and your fasting and prayer would be efficacious and successful. Amen.
a) CONFESSION:I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession said Daniel! (verse 9:4)
Friend, I love this! Daniel did not plead, cry and confess about only his own personal sins, but he was confessing the sins of the nation. Man, we need more Daniels today!
“………..fast not unto men, but unto they Father…” (Mathew 6:18)
We have a whole gamut of people who point fingers, but very few would cry and pray for the sinners. Recently, the people of America were gripped with fear because of the hurricane Sandy and America emerged out of this with less damage. I found harsh words and curses against the people of America on Face book, ‘they deserve to be punished’ etc., my question is this, in what way are we Indians any better? Tell me. If you travel the villages and the interior pockets of India and North India you would know what it is to live without God and churches. Internet hubs are spread widely even in villages which is a big opening point for satan, which enables the villagers to watch ‘evil’ for as less as five rupees for half hour. You can see group of young boys/adults/old people huddled in the corner and watching ‘evil’ that brings death in their life. Men and women together consume arrack and toddy in villages. In what way is India any less sinful nation? Friend, the growth and sizes of idols in India is gigantic, and the next tsunami is not very far away to hit India. Beware! Be it America, India or for our own homes and lives, we got to confess the sins and pray. Proverbs 28:13 says, “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
b) Disobedient to His Word: Daniel prayed, ‘We have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.’(verse 10)
Friend, we have no explanation or reasoning outside the Bible; the Bible should be our instruction manual for our life. If someone prophesies contradicting the Word of God, then mark it, it is not from God but from the devil. The Bible says: Pro 13:13”He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.” When the Bible is clearly against yoking with nonbelievers, it is futile to fast and pray about something that is already said in the Bible. It is for this reason, we should read the Bible attentively and diligently. Lack of Bible knowledge is a huge gap for satan to plant lies in your life. ‘It is okay’ is the excuse of the world for every form of sin, take the Word of God seriously today. Apostle Paul said: Romans 7:22(amp Bible)” For I endorse and delight in the Law of God in my inmost self.” You got to delight and love His Word in order to obey it instantaneously! Are you there? Jesus very clearly and categorically stated: 1 John 5:2 ‘This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands..’ David has written 176 scriptures in the book of Psalm, chapter 119 and tells us his great love for the scriptures. David said in Psalm 119:103 ‘How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!’ Have you ever said that in your life? Tell me.
The next point Daniel repents about is rejecting the word sent by His prophets; most important is to have a teachable spirit and accept instruction and advice from spiritual elders, the Bible says:
• Proverbs 17:10”Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a fool.”
• Proverbs 19:20”Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days.”
c) Acceptance of fault and wrongdoings: Daniel prayed: ’Therefore the curse has been poured out on us..’ (verse 11)
Friend, stop blaming others and finding fault with others; it’s time to clean our lives from the muck that has accumulated for many, many years. My mom is not okay, my dad is not okay, I have no family, I had a nightmarish childhood and so on; sure, some of us do have a horrendous past but let us also take onus for the misery that we are in. Are you listening? I know of a young lady whose mother sprinkled chilly powder in her eyes while she was young as discipline and punishment. She was made to parade naked as a young girl, abused by her step-father and much more. Think of it! All this made her an angry, venomous woman but I helped her come out of it and get healed through His Word. Can we turn the torch to the darkness in our lives and set it right please? We call bribe as gifts and donation, we call adultery as friendship, we call lie as adjustment, we call laziness as rest, we call luxury as necessity, we call theft as software piracy and so on. When people in deep distress, problems and mess come to me for prayers, they speak to me for hours together but are restless when I start speaking to them. Are you listening? People never ever want to CONFESS their sins and wrong doings! We love to do a general confession, ‘forgive us our sins’ and we quickly say Amen. Don’t we? Why not spend time to search the deep crevices of your heart for hidden sins and dirty motives? Think of the people you chat on face book, think of the names of people you have hidden in your mobile, think of the documents stuffed inside your brief case. Think of all the ‘little untruth’ that you had told in the last 30 days. I’m sure when we dig that deep, it would start stinking. Confess. Be totally honest with God. Will you?
We have not prayed enough, forgiven enough, read the Bible enough, yet we have the audacity to blame God for our miseries, read verse 13, “all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth.” I know many, many Christians who are into adulterous relationships, swindling money, boozing, who have sat for several years and listened to my ‘strong preaching’ and have never made an effort to confess their sins, turn from their iniquities nor understand HIS truth. Observe the words, ‘YOUR’ truth! Today we live on our own terms rather than as per His Word. Jesus said: (Mathew 15:9)’They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’
Isaiah 10:1"Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, Who write misfortune, Which they have prescribed.”
If we have to work on Sundays, we conveniently shun church, Bibles are carelessly thrown away in the shelves to gather dust, prayer is forgotten, we do not even know to spell the word ‘fasting’ and yet we dare to blame God for our failures. Can we humbly identify the sins in our own life and confess it to God please?
d) Seek God’s forgiveness: verse 19 “O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name."
Friend, your life, finances, marriage, home, health and children may be in utter mess and chaos; however, if you humbly confess you sins, plead for His mercies, accept wrongdoings in your life and plead for His forgiveness, He would sure turn your sins that are red into white as snow. Isaiah 1:18 " Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, " Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” Amen.
e) You are greatly loved! (verse 23) “At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved.”
The book of Daniel is a great book to be read by youngsters and also corporate professionals; we could see the word success, promotion and victory in almost all the chapters. The key to the success in the life of Daniel is prayer coupled with fasting. An astute brain, business acumen, smart skills, technical skills and language proficiency is not just enough to scale the corporate ladder of success, the grace of God and His favor on you is most important. Can we say Amen? Angel Gabriel looked at Daniel and said, ‘Daniel, you are greatly beloved!” I guess more than million dollars this blessing is enough in our life!
Final few words from my heart: Look around and you would see the obnoxious greed of humans, the decline of morals, sexual bombardment in every area of life, violence, perversion and what not! Movies, TV shows and programs have lost dignity and caliber, most of them are not healthy, stay away from them please. Do not be proud, rebellious and stiff-necked and refute the Word of God, I had quoted scriptures and explained every point. I write profusely and elaborately explaining every command of God so that you understand and set right your lives. There are many prophets in the Bible who cried and pleaded like Daniel for the people of God. I quote the words of Jeremiah and conclude the message with a lot of burden:
• Jeremiah 13:15’Hear and give ear: Do not be proud, For the LORD has spoken.
• Give glory to the LORD your God Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains, And while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death And makes it dense darkness.
• But if you will not hear it, My soul will weep in secret for your pride; My eyes will weep bitterly And run down with tears, Because the LORD's flock has been taken captive.
God bless you!
