Category: Bible Challenge

“As my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple.” v.7 (NLT)

Have you ever been here? Maybe you haven’t been in the belly of a fish like Jonah, but have you been in a place of uncomfort or disaster? A place that make you fearful of the outcome, or causes you to panic immediately? I know I have. It’s easy to pray and cry out to God in these situations isn’t it? We want him to rescue us and make things better. As a kid I can remember making deals with God. I would pray something like this, “God if you do this ( ) then I promise I will do ( ).” For me, sometimes the only times I prayed were when bad things happened. My youth pastor or mentor called this the “Spare Tire God” The only time you need a spare tire is when one of the other tires is flat. Sadly thats the way we treat their relationship with God. When bad things, or difficult situations come their way, then they cry out to God for help!

Jonah knew he was running from God. In this prayer in chapter 2 he is just thankful to be alive. God has already rescued Him from drowning, but now he is in the belly of a great big fish. It took this situation to get Jonah’s attention. As he prays, he is thankful and repentant.

Today, I want to be person that talks to God on a regular basis. I don’t want to just talk to him when bad things happen. How about you? Is your prayer life more like the spare tire example, or are you consistently talking to God in the good times as well as the difficult times?

“The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.’

  But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.”      v.1-3 (NLT)

Have you ever ran from a place God was leading you?  How about a conversation God was wanting you to have?  There are several reasons we tend to run in the opposite direction that God leads us.  Sometimes we try to ignore thinking that maybe He will think we didn’t hear him.  Like that is possible!

Jonah was feeling the same way!  God was calling him to preach a message that he believed with all hi heart to a people he couldn’t stand.  Ninivah was evil, and Jonah knew if he went, the city would repent and God would give them grace and mercy.  Why wouldn’t he want to go and tell them then?  Great question!  Probably for many of the same reasons we don’t tell others about the life changing gospel.  Fear, pride, prejudice, and in our case now days, business, political correctness, or doubt that God could really use us.

When God calls us to do something He also empowers us for the task/mission at hand.  We go in His power not our own.  It’s pretty rad that God could use us, to be an agent leading other to a relationship with him.

What, or Where might God be leading you?  Are you stepping out in faith and following Him?  Or, are you pretending like you didn’t hear Him, maybe even running the other way?  Whatever the case, take the step toward Gods leading and leave the details up to Him.  He is big enough to handle it!

“Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.” v.3 (NLT)

At this time Daniel was over 80 years old and one of Darius’s  top three administrators.  Daniel was working with those who did not believe in his God, but he worked more efficiently and capably than all the rest.  Thus, he attracted the attention of the pagan king and earned a place of respect.  One of the best ways to influence non-Christians employers is to work diligently and responsibly.  How well do you represent God to your employer.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“He (Nebuchadnezzar) was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.

‘You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself. For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! So God has sent this hand to write this message.’” v.21-24 (NLT)

The writing on the wall was a message to all those who defy God.  Although Belshazzar had power and wealth, his kingdom was totally corrupt, and he could not withstand the judgement of God.  God’s time of judgement comes for all people.  If you have forgotten God and slipped into a sinful way of life, turn away from your sin now before he removes any opportunities to repent.  Ask God to forgive you, and begin to live by his standards of justice.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.’” v.16-18

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were pressured to deny God, but they chose to be faithful to him no matter what happened!  They trusted God to deliver them, but they were determined to be faithful regardless of the consequences.  If God always rescued those who were true to him, Christians would not need faith.  Their religion would be a great insurance policy, and there would be lines of selfish people ready to sign up.  We should be faithful to serve God whether he intervenes on our behalf or not.  Our eternal reward is worth any suffering we may have to endure first.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“Daniel replied, ‘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 Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.’” v.27-28

The king said to Daniel, ‘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.’
Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.” v.47-49

Nebuchadnezzar honored Daniel and Daniel’s God. If Daniel had taken the credit himself, the king would have only honored Daniel. Because Daniel gave God the credit, the king honored both of them. Part of our mission in this world is to show unbelievers what God is like. We can do that by acts of love and compassion; and if we give God credit for our actions, they will want to know more about him. Give thanks to God for what he is doing in and through you.

But also notice that after Daniel was named ruler over the whole province of Babylon and placed in charge of the wise men, Daniel requested that his friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, be appointed as his assistants. Daniel knew that he could not handle such an enormous responsibility without capable assistants, so he chose the best men he knew – his three Hebrew friends. A competent leader never does all the work alone; he or she knows how to delegate and supervise.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. He asked Arioch, “Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?” So Arioch told him all that had happened. Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time to tell the king what the dream meant.

Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon.” v.14-18
Daniel was at a crisis point. Have you ever been there yourself? Instead of shrinking back in fear, Daniel confidently believed God would tell him all the king wanted to know. When the king gave Daniel the time to find the answer, he found his three friends and began to pray.

When you find yourself in a tight spot, share your needs with trusted friends who also believe in God’s power. Prayer is more effective than panic. Panic confirms your hopelessness; prayer confirms your hope in God. Daniel’s trust in God saved not only himself but also his three friends and all the other wise men of Babylon.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.” v.8
Daniel was determined to be devoted to the principle and to be committed to the course of action. When Daniel made his mind up not to defile himself, he was being true to a lifelong determination to do what was right and not to give into the pressures around him. We, too, are often assaulted by pressures to compromise our standards and live more like the world around us. Merely wanting or preferring God’s will and way is not enough to stand against the onslaught of temptation. Like Daniel, we must resolve to obey God.
It is easier to resist temptation if you have thought through your convictions before the temptation arises. Daniel and his friends made their decision to be faithful to the laws of God before they were faced with the kings delicacies, so they did not hesitate to stick with their convictions. We will get into trouble if we have not previously decided where to draw the line. Before such situations arise, decide on your commitments and what you will do. Then when the temptation comes, you will be ready to say no.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. Then he asked me, ‘Son of man, can these bones become living people again?’
‘O Sovereign Lord,’ I replied, ‘you alone know the answer to that.’”
v. 1-3
The dry bones represented the people’s spiritually dead condition. Your church may seem like a heap of dry bones to you, spiritually dead with no hope of vitality. But just as God promised to restore his nation, he can restore my church, no matter how dry or dead it can be. Rather than give up, pray for renewal, for God can restore it to life. The hope and prayer of every church should be that God will put his spirit into it. In fact; God is at work calling his people back to himself, bringing life into dead churches and spiritually dead people.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“So these officials went to the king and said, ‘Sir, this man must die! That kind of talk will undermine the morale of the few fighting men we have left, as well as that of all the people. This man is a traitor!’” v.4
Judah’s leaders persecuted Jeremiah repeatedly for faithfully proclaiming Gods messages. For 40 years of faithful ministry, he received no acclaim, no love, no popular following. He was beaten, jailed, threatened, and even forced to leave his homeland. Only the pagan Babylonians showed him any respect. God does not guarantee that his servants will escape persecution, even when they are faithful. But God does promise that he will be with them and will give them strength to endure. As you minister to others, recognize that your service is for God and not just for human approval. God rewards our faithfulness, but not always during our lifetime.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible