Trusting God’s riches, finding His peace

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Bible Reading

Daniel 2
Philippians 4

Daniel 2:18-23 Daniel urged his friends to pray and ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret of the kings dream, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men. So, that night, the secret was revealed to Daniel.

Daniels response: Praise the name of God forever, for he has ALL wisdom and ALL power. He controls the course of world events. He removes kings and sets up other kings. (Daniel was under a king who was threatening to kill him) He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars. He reveals the deep mysterious things, and knows the lies hidden in the darkness. I thank and praise you, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked for. (Dan 2:20-23)

Daniel’s reply to the king: There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune tellers who can reveal the king’s secret. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebi what will happen in the future.. (Dan 2:27-28) The great God was showing the king what will happen in the future (Dan 2:45)

The Kings response: Truly your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord OVER kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret. (Dan 2:47)

Phil 2:6-7 Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything! Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace which exceeds anything we can understand.

Phil 2:8 And Now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true… For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength (Phil 4:13) For the same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ. (Phil 4:19)

Devotional Thoughts

I love how these 2 passages compliment each other. In Daniel 2 we see Daniel and his 3 friends facing a very difficult situation. Either you come up with the content of the kings dream, and give an interpretation, or you’re all dead! Just a slight challenge in their life eh?

Phil 2:6 says, “Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything!” That’s exactly what Daniel did. Daniel 2:18 Daniel urges his 3 friends to pray and seek the Lord. It doesn’t say whether he was worried or not. But, his response later, seems to indicate that he had complete confidence in God. And what we know about Daniel’s friends and the fiery furnace, they had a pretty unshakable faith. As they prayed, they found God’s unexplainable peace that exceeds anything those around us can understand.

Facing certain death, Daniel and his 3 friends pray, and they experience the peace of God. The peace they had was based on what they knew about God. Interesting what Paul says in Phil 2:8. “Fix your thoughts on what is true…” What had Daniel and his 3 friends fixed their thoughts on? Dan 2:20-23

  • Praise the name of God forever, for he has ALL wisdom
  • He has ALL power.
  • He controls the course of world events.
  • He removes kings and sets up other kings. (Daniel was under a king who was threatening to kill him)
  • He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.
  • He reveals the deep mysterious things,
  • He knows the lies hidden in the darkness. 

As they prayed confidently, knowing that their God is the one who can and does reveal secrets, they received their answer. God revealed the secret of the king’s dream.

I love what happens next. Daniel and his 3 friends go to the king and declare, “O great king, what you have asked is impossible. there is no MAN on earth that can do what you are asking, no matter what his title or ability is. But, THERE IS A GOD in heaven who can do what you are asking. We asked HIM and he granted what we asked! (Dan 2:27-28)
Daniel and his 3 friends could have echoed Paul’s words, “For I can do everything through Christ (For Daniel it would be by the power of God through me), who gives me strength (Phil 4:13) For the same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ. (Phil 4:19)

This is the God we serve, our faithful unchangeable friend, whose love is as great as his power, and neither knows measure nor end.”

Prayer Points; What I am praying for you today.

  1. Don’t worry… pray
  2. Occupy your thinking with what you know is true.. God has ALL wisdom and ALL power. He controls the course of world events. And He loves you so much he gave the life of His one and only son, so you can live.
  3. As you trust Him…. may you will find that peace that is beyond understanding.
  4. Live with confidence that you can do everything, go through anything, and live victoriously, THROUGH Christ who gives you strength.
  5. As you find God’s peace, and experience him supplying your needs, I pray you will be an encouragement to others, and inspire them to trust him and be supplied with what they need by his glorious riches.

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