19 August: From the Frying Pan into the Fire!

If you feel like your life is going from the frying pan into the fire, today’s chapter may help you feel a little less alone

READ DANIEL 6  Make notes, if you’d like, of what stands out for you. Feel free to use the “Leave a Comment” box below to also write some of your thoughts.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

If we’re evolving as some believe, I can’t see that we’ve changed a lot in almost three millennia. Even with all our sophisticated development for example, our attitudes and behaviour can still be as horrible at the core, as much as they were in ancient times, with no real signs of change. So then, one thing that caught my eye in today’s story was how Daniel conducted his life. In addition to distinguishing himself by his exceptional qualities [v3], he was neither corrupt nor negligent. [v4]  By contrast however, I find it amazing how cruel humans can be when someone else advances ahead. In Australia, we call it the tall poppy syndrome.

With nothing to find against Daniel in the obvious places, the only other place where his contemporaries could find fault was related to the law of Daniel’s God. [v5]  Even if they themselves didn’t believe there was such a god or follow Daniel’s faith system, they set Daniel up in such a way as to force him to choose between the latest governmental law of the land thought up by a human, or else maintain his relationship with his Father God – regardless of cost. But even though his life was like the saying: going from the frying pan into the fire, Daniel seemed to see things differently. He knew that he didn’t belong among those around him (he belonged to a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God – in other words: a citizen of Heaven), and he knew that he wasn’t alone…

Read More? CLICK to follow “19 August – Additional Notes”

But what about your thoughts – can you tell me what today’s “breadcrumb” is? Leave a note in the “Comments” box below to tell me what you think of today’s chapter.

Wanting to connect with Immanuel: God with Us? The rest of this webpage uses Jesus’ own prayer to help…[a]

THE LORD’S PRAYER:

   1.   Praise: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come! Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven …”

Father God, I know that it’s good to give thanks and to sing praises to the Name of the Most High. To declare Your loving-kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night! [Psalm 82:1-2]

   2.   Ask: “…Give us today our daily bread…”

  • The World: The people of Madagascar[b]
  • Your Country: Wisdom for the early planning stage of new laws
  • Yourself: Concern for your friends
  • Your concerns for today
Lord, please help my nation, my neighbours and I, to humble ourselves in Your presence today so that You will lift us up. [James 4:10]

   3.   Admit: “…Forgive us our sin as we forgive those who sin against us…”

When it comes to forgiveness (and getting tied up with “who did what to whom”), help me, Lord God, to know what Jesus meant when He said: “…if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward…” [Matthew 10:42]

   4.   Protect: “…Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”

I pray that You help me to take warning every day from Your Words: “…He casts the wicked down to the ground…” At the same time, I take great courage in the fact that You, Lord, lift up the humble. [Psalm 147:6]

“For Yours Lord is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory now and forever. Amen!”

When questioned, tested, tricked or in His hour of great need, Jesus spoke what was previously written in God’s Word.[c] So, the final section on this page is about memorizing the script through 10 topics. Following these will help you learn 52 portions from the bible in a year!  THIS WEEK’S MEMORY VERSE: Prayer

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” [1 John 1:9] 

[a] Matthew 6:5-15

[b] http://www.operationworld.org/country/mada/owtext.html

[c] Matthew 4:4,6,7,10; 11:10; 21:13; and 26:24,31

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