(Most of our ladies "Daniel" Bible study group. Some of them could not be there today)
A special group of ladies met together this morning to finish a journey we had started together back in February. It's been a fun trip and I think most all of us are sad to see it end. Today was the last of our twelve weeks of Bible study about Daniel. What a man! But more than that, what a God he served! Of course Daniel's gone but his God is still here and ...awesome thing....he's my God too!
From the beginning of Daniel 1 to the ending of Daniel 12 it's been exciting. From watching Daniel as a young man stand up and declare that he would not do certain things because he had "Purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank;" to seeing him cast into a den of hungry lions at the age of approximately eighty because he would not stop his daily prayers to God. What a wonderful example he is even still today. A man who loved God not only just as a young man, nor one who waited until he was old to serve God, but one who was faithful to follow his God from his youth to his grave.
Because of the faithfulness and obedience of Daniel and his Hebrew friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, God gave them ten times the knowledge , skill in learning and wisdom than all the other wise men in the land. And unto Daniel he gave understanding of visions and dreams. Which, of course, really came in handy to save the necks of him, his friends and all the other wise men in Daniel 2. .... VERY interesting reading!
And of course there was the deliverance of his three friends....whom we all know better by their Babylonian names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego....from the fiery furnace. Thrown into a fire so hot the soldiers with the task of putting them in the fire died from the heat. Bound hand and foot. No hope it seemed. But then from the king's own lips we hear him say he sees not three but FOUR men walking in the fire...loosed...and the fourth man is like the Son of God! They came out alive with nothing being burned except the ropes that had bound them. Scripture says they didn't even have the smell of smoke on them! It's a God thing people! He is able!
And then there's the prophecies of Daniel about end times. And folks, it sure looks like we're getting near the end. Don't lose hope. Just look up for our redemption draweth nigh!
One of the main thoughts I came away with from this Bible study is this: If I am to be a godly woman it will have to be on PURPOSE....because no one is ever accidently a follower of God!
To all my fellow Bible study students....it was a fun trip and I hope we get to take a few more before this thing is over! :)
God bless you!
Marilyn
12 comments:
On purpose! Yes for sure. Deliberate decisions daily to follow Jesus. Love it.
These ladies look so precious, oh how I would of loved to be a part of it.
PS-I love those green tee shirts too!
Intentionality!! We must be intentional about our devotion to God. Yes!!
My husband and I are currently leading a couples group through Beth Moore's Daniel study. It is awesome to do this in a mixed group.
Leah
I'd love to be a part of a group like that! Love the story of Daniel! Enjoyed catching up on your posts!
What a wonderful Bible study Marilyn. I agree we have to purpose that we will follow Him.
I agree I believe our redemption is drawing near.
Blessings,
Sue
This is one of my favorite studies. My husband and I are doing this study with a group of couples at Leah's home.
Striving to be a Daniel.
Marilyn,
What a group of ladies, yee-haw!!! We have to be on "target" with our walk. Doesn't mean that I won't slip up from time to time, but that I have to be peculiar, set apart, not walking with the world, but living and breathing the very essence of God. To not compromise is what I came away from this study a few years ago. We've been talking that perhaps we should do this one again.
Love YOU!
Purposeful living. Oh yes! One of my "self talk" statements last week was "I will not SPEND my days. I will INVEST them."
You Daniel group looks WONDERFUL. Nothing like the sweet sisters we make through sharing Bible study!
You're right, our faith will never live accidentally...
on purpose on moving forward! I know you loved this study, as did I. Now, time to live it out.
Blessings and peace~elaine
Hey friend!! I linked to you today.
you should see my boxes and the dust they've created! xoxo
I'm very excited, I am starting the Daniel bible study as soon as school is out.
Hi Marilyn,
Glad I was able to visit with you today. Beautiful message! I love the study of Daniel. My hubby and I have done that together.
What a GOD we belong to and serve indeed!
I'm praying for you as you continue to stand for LIFE! God bless you.
I know exactly how you feel! Kind of like having to say "so long" to a dear friend for an extended absence or for the separation of death. I have preached through Daniel three different times during my tenure at our present church, each time I was blessed beyond measure during my preparation and preaching. Dr. Criswell says of Daniel, "of all the treasures Nebuchadnezzar looted from Solomon's Temple, Daniel and his three friends were by far the most precious and rare." How true! I love the book of Daniel! It has everything needed to qualify for perfect reading pleasure, drama, narrative and prophetic statement! Only the Spirit of God could inspire and author such a rare treasure of literature! It is primarily because of the Book of Daniel that I believe in the premillienial and pre-tribulation rapture interpretation of end time prophecy! I truly believe that if Daniel lived in our time today he would be of the premillenial, pre-tribulation persuasion! May God bless you and each of your students as you end your study of this precious book! I love doing studies of books in the Bible, verse by verse and passage by passage, I believe such studies builds spiritual maturity in believers and helps them to interpret the Scriptures more clearly and apply them more readily to their life circumstances. Thank you for taking the time during such a busy time in your life to share the riches of God's holy writ with His children!
Love and the Lord's blessings!
Mike
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