Wednesday October 31, 2012

Read Daniel 6:10-11;  1 Kings 8:46-49

 

Picture yourself in Jack’s shoes (we’ve changed his name and his shoe size to protect Jack from any possible recrimination). Jack reads his Bible in the office at work each lunch time and ends his reading time by praying for his colleagues. This morning Jack’s boss boldly and fearlessly declared, ‘Anyone who reads the Bible and prays in this office will be immediately dismissed! Am I 100% clear?’ What would you do if you were in Jack’s shoes?

 

Daniel found himself in a similar situation. He was a godly man in an ungodly world, just like you and I. The king of the land made a declaration, albeit under sinful coercion from Daniel's enemies, that anyone who prays to another god except to the king for the next 30 days shall be thrown into the den of lions. Now Daniel could have prayed secretly or he could have just denied himself prayer for 30 days. But Daniel is no coward! He goes home and prays towards Jerusalem, openly and boldly declaring His faith in Yahweh!

 

If you were in Jack’s shoes would you be the man or the mouse? Would you pray and read your Bible with the door wide open? Or would you cower and stop reading/praying all together?

 

And notice that he prayed towards Jerusalem? The temple was razed to the ground and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar’s army but Daniel identified with the temple and the blood sacrifice that washed away and covered his sins. Solomon shows that this identification with the sacrifice is what’s needed. The mere act is nothing in and of itself.  The Israelites were saved because they identified with and trusted in God’s provision in the sacrificial offering.

 

As Christians, you and I need to identify with and trust in God’s sacrificial offering, but it’s not a lamb or a goat. And it’s no bull either! You and I are called to identify with and trust in Jesus - the one who offered Himself as the ultimate and eternal covering for sin.

 

If we are going to have our sins covered and dealt with once for all then we have to look to Jesus. But if you want to know more, come back tomorrow and make sure that you are present on Sonday.

 

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

 

Adoration:

 

 

Confession:

 

 

Thanks:

 

 

Supplication:

¥ Ask God to grant you peace of heart and mind. Tell God about the sins or past mistakes you are hanging onto and ask Him to free you once for all from these through the blood of Jesus so that you can praise and adore Him.

¥ Pray that you and everyone in your congregation would have opportunity to share the love of Christ in Word and deed this week. Pray that God would grow His kingdom through the witness of yourself and your brothers and sisters.

 

My Additional Prayer Points.

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2/.

 

3/.