5-23-14. Daniel 6:1-15. DANIEL’S LIFE OF PRAYER –my devotional

Daniel 6:1-15                                                         Kevin E. Jesmer                                                         Friday, April 23, 2014

Key Verse: 6:10

“When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” (ESV)

Dear Father in heaven. Thank you for Jesus, the Rock of our salvation. Jesus is steadfast. He is immovable. He is the anchor in life. He is the solid foundation that will not fail. His love never changes. His truth never changes. His hope never changes. Jesus is our faithful and true friend. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever. Knowing this Solid Rock, Jesus Christ, we can trust, we can hope, we can build the structure of our lives, families, communities and nation on this solid foundation. We can find peace with the stability that you bring us. We too can be faithful and steadfast in all we are called to do, because we know you, the Rock. Lord, thank you for being such a foundation in our lives. Thank you Lord, for helping us to know you. Thank you for empowering us. I pray that all the people in our land may know you and also build their lives upon you. I thank you and I pray in the name of the Solid Rock, Jesus Christ.

Part 1: A Faithful Steward (1-5).

Who are the people whom God raises up and uses? Verses 1-5, “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

Who are the people whom God raises up and uses? Daniel was an exceptional servant of Darius as well as an exemplary leader. He distinguished himself to such a degree that King Darius decided to set him over his entire kingdom. This brings to mind, who are the people whom God raises up and uses? Is it the super disciplined people, with all kinds of human skills that God uses? What about those who do not have as many human skills? Do we even have a chance to serve some important role in the church of God? Yes…we all have an opportunity. First of all, we could have the best human qualifications, but we still can not be used by God because we lack humility and a basic attitude of obedience to God. An engineering expert, Robert B. Johnson, once wrote in 1999, “The world is run by those who show up.” (http://redwoodtech.org/world-run-those-who-show) He is right. A person may not possess all the knowledge, but showing up and being faithful fulfills most of the job qualifications in so many instances.

Another fact is that God chooses to work through the weak things in this world. Look at what 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (NIV) God’s way is always to choose the weak things of this world and glorify himself through the weak. Think about Jesus born in a manger, 12 under-educated disciples, suffering and death on the cross. God works through the weak to bring glory to himself.

Daniel was not some super hero. He grew up as a young man, like many others. But he grew and matured because of the grace of God. Daniel 6:3a reads, “because an excellent spirit was in him…” This excellent spirit was the Holy Spirit of God. God was with Daniel. He was with him through all of his sufferings. God raised him up and made him the man he became. Daniel was open to God and he followed the leading of the Holy Spirit, but it was all about the grace of God.

This gives hope to each and every one of us. Jesus is Emmanuel. He is “God with us”. He will raise us up, in his way and his time, to serve his purpose in our lives. We don’t need to be some super human or be endowed with all kinds of skills and talents. No. We just come to Jesus in our weakness and surrender our lives to him. Then the excellent spirit of God will dwell within us and he will mold and make us after his will. Jesus will do wonderful things when we remain in him. John 15:4-5 reads, “4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (NIV)

God was working powerfully through Daniel. When this happens one can expect persecution and persecution happened. The other governing officials were jealous, so they conspired to find some way to bring charges against him. They failed because God was with Daniel and Daniel was without corruption and of the highest integrity. Above all he was faithful to word of god. God was protecting Daniel from their attacks. Thus Daniel’s life example shows us part of the secret to a victorious life, “they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.” (4b)

We can see one reason why living a holy life is so important. Such a life protects the work of God. Armies know this. That is why they don’t want their soldiers to loose the moral high ground so that the people of the land will trust them. Christians must not loose the moral and spiritual high ground either. God will help us to stand so that he can continually glorify himself through our lives. (But suffering may still come, if it is God’s will.)

Why was Jesus protected from Satan’s attacks? Look at John 14:30-31, “³⁰ I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, ³¹ but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.” Jesus loved the Father and did exactly what the Father commanded him. Jesus also held onto the written word of God. (Matt 4:1-11) Satan had no hold on Jesus. Jesus was free even though he faced lots of persecution and even death. This is the secret to our own spiritual protection. May God help us to always hold the moral and spiritual high ground. May we stand, holding onto Jesus’ grace.

 Part 2:  Daniel Prayed (6-15).

Verses 6-15, “6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction. 10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” 14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

Finally, the other officials thought they had the perfect plan to implicate Daniel. They convinced Darius to sign a binding decree prohibiting prayer to any god other than the king under penalty of death. This reflects the Pharisees and their manipulation of Pilate to have Jesus crucified by the Romans.

The decree did not alter Daniel’s life. He prayed just as he had done before. Daniel was unchanged. He kept up living his daily spiritual life despite of looming persecution. This took a great decision of faith to do this. Most of us would shrink back, but God gave him courage to stand firm in his faith. Isaiah 7:9b reads, “…If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” But keep in mind, that standing firm in your faith, may lead you into the path of suffering as Daniel was experiencing.

He was a man of prayer regardless of the situation. He knew the importance of prayer in developing his relationship with God. There is no way that he could stop praying. There are some things that a believer cannot stop doing, and prayer is one of them. Prayer should be like breathing. Bible study, worship and sharing the Gospel are other things that a Christian cannot stop doing. We need to be ready for whatever may come our way when we stand firm in our faith.

Not everyone was against Daniel and his friends. The king wanted to rescue Daniel, but he had to be faithful to his decree. Pilate was in the same corner. He wanted to see Jesus released. But he could not release him. There were so many factors stopping him from doing what he knew he should do. But one thing we see is that there were people sympathetic to Daniel’s plight. People of faith are not alone. God has his people everywhere in the world, even in the places like Mecca or a Taliban enclave. When Elijah felt all alone, God assured him that he was not all alone.  God told him that he had reserved 7000 people who had not bowed their knee to Baal. 1 Kings 19:18, “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” (NIV)

Prayer: Lord, help me to be faithful to your word and faithful in prayer. Thank you for helping me to stand by faith, by your grace.

One Word: Pray and stand by faith in Jesus.