Hear and Act
"Lord, hear and act!" - Daniel 9:19
If you are like me, it’s my guess that you have a list of things you’d like God to act on. Some of the things on my list are: my Dad’s Alzheimer’s, broken relationships, Covid, friends that post too much about politics, my never-ending battle with weeds in my yard, my lack of motivation to work out, my kids’ grades, my kids’ attitude, my kids’ laziness… and on and on. “God, how long must I suffer?” Ok, maybe that is a little dramatic.
However, the truth of the matter is that we all have problems in our lives, both big and small, that we simply cannot control. They are problems that we just can’t fix; difficulties that are so deep seated that if God doesn’t act, they will haunt us for the rest of our lives. Pretty soon, you just resign yourself to the fact that nothing will ever change and that you just have to live with your problems.
And the sad truth is that this is what we do. We give up, and we just end up coping. I wonder what would have happened to Daniel if he had just given up. His situation was much worse than ours, but what if he had decided that all hope was lost and just decided to throw in the towel? But the fact that he doesn’t, gives you and I hope today. You see, at the very point at which Daniel realized that he was in over his head… when he realized he couldn’t do anything anymore, he turned to the One who could.
Not only did Daniel pray, but he confessed and fasted and humbled himself. He prayed as if his prayers were actually heard. He prayed as if his prayers could move the hand of God.
And when Daniel cried out, “hear and act,” the God of the universe heard and acted. In fact, our passage says multiple times that “while” Daniel was in prayer, God acted. The truth is that Daniel’s prayer moved the hand of God!
I want you to hear something very important today. Daniel is not special in this sense. It wasn’t because of who Daniel was that caused God to act. God acted because of who God is. And God is a God who responds to the prayers of his people. Prayer moves the hand of God. There is nothing that you are going through that is too big or too small to bring to God in prayer. James 4:2 tells us, “you do not have because you do not ask.”
So, do you want God to act? Well… what is God hearing from you today? Maybe it is time to pray like God actually hears and acts.
Josh Rose
Teaching Pastor
Own Your Stuff
We had the privilege of having our two toddler grandkids staying with us for two weeks recently. It was the best of times and most exhausting of times. While they often played like best friends, when things went wrong, it was “Marley pulled it, and “Auggie, did it.” Shifting blame when trouble came or just trying to get each other in trouble--sound familiar?
At the beginning of Chapter 9 we see that seeking wisdom in Scripture was Daniel’s starting point as it should be for us. What comes next reflects Daniel’s attitude toward and relationship with God. Daniel 9:3 says: So, I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
We see Daniel in an attitude of humility putting on sackcloth and ashes (a sign of submission) and turning his face to God in repentance not only for his own sins, but those of the whole nation of Israel. “I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: ‘Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong.’” The fasting, sackcloth, and ashes tell us of the seriousness of Daniel's prayer and his attitude of submission and the “we” instead of “they” tells us the rest of the story.
Daniel began his prayer by telling God he was aware of His greatness. Likewise, Jesus taught the disciples to pray. "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” In both there is recognition of God and His power first. Daniel was a very humble man, who knew his wisdom came as a gift from God. He reached out to God with a humble spirit, knowing that all truth comes from God. In his awareness of God’s holiness, Daniel realizes his own sin and seeks forgiveness while also repenting for his people’s sin. Acknowledgment of God’s holiness results in the understanding of our unholiness.
It is easy to place the blame for things on someone or something else. We’ve all done it, but as mature believers, we have been called to not only confess our own sins, but to be an example and to share in the burdens and failures of others, just as Daniel did.” Oswald Chambers said, “When we are put to the test the hidden resources of our character are revealed exactly.”
So, the question is, are we toddlers or mature believers? (Hebrews 5:12) Do we approach the failings of others with humility, help them on their journey, and intercede for them with prayer? In these days of uncertainty do we have Daniel’s attitude of faithfulness and trust in God not just for ourselves but for everyone?
Deb Hill
Executive Assistant
Prophecy Announced and Fulfilled
Fulfilled prophecy is one of the greatest gifts and signs of God’s influence that the church has today. God’s revelation to Daniel in chapter nine inspires prayer, reverence, and assurance of God’s love and story. Here is one part of the prophecy and the explanation of its unfolding.
Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times. — Daniel 9:25 NLT
The Hebrew word shabua means a period of seven, either seven days, a week, or seven years. Both periods of time were important on the Hebrew calendar and both concluded with a sabbath. The weekly sabbath is more familiar, but every seven years the fields were to lay unharvested or have a year of rest too.
Daniel is told that a period of time will pass that equals seven sevens and sixty-two sevens. Let’s look at this mathematically — information sourced from the booklet How Do We Know Jesus Is God? By Ralph O. Muncaster, pg 26, from Harvest House Publishers copyright 2000.
7 sevens + 62 sevens = 69 sevens of years.
69 sevens x 7 = 483 years.
483 years x 360 days (the Hebrew calendar was for a 360 day year) = 173,880 days.
The decree to rebuild Jerusalem was given by King Artaxerxes on March 14, 445 B.C. (the first day of Nisan from the Hebrew calendar that year — Nehemiah 2:1-7). This was 90 years after Daniel’s revelation.
Transfer those 173,880 days to our modern calendars by dividing by 365 days of the year. With adjustments for leap years, and the final scientific adjustment (leap year dropped every 128 years), this number of days brings us from March 14, 445 B.C. to a day that the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England confirms to have been the Sunday before Passover, April 6, 32 A.D. This was Palm Sunday.
Now consider Jesus’ words from Luke 19:41-44 NIV.
"As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, 'If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes...44 because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.'”
God announced the day the Anointed One, Jesus, would enter Jerusalem, but the people missed it. We have a record of this amazing prophecy given 566 years prior to its fulfillment. Daniel’s response to being amazed by the Scriptures at the beginning of chapter nine lead him directly to prayer. May our hearts be like Daniel’s, compelled to praise and thank God for how he reveals himself so clearly through prophecy given and fulfilled.
Pastor John Riley
Jr. High Ministry
Rest and Rise
“And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king's business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.” Daniel 8:27
There have been a couple of times in my life when I received shocking and devastating news. Dealing with difficult circumstances and news; it’s part of the human experience. Whether it’s the call regarding the loss of a loved one, finding out you’re being laid off, or receiving a diagnosis that you weren’t prepared for and now facing an uncertain future. We face the difficulties and challenges that life loves to throw our way.
In Daniel 8, Daniel is going to receive a vision from God about challenges that the nation of Israel was going to face in its future and his commentary on how it made him feel is telling. Daniel says, “And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king's business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.”
This vision made Daniel physically sick. He was appalled by the things that he had seen. It raises the question for us, how do we respond when we receive a vision that we don’t want? How do we respond when we receive news that makes us sick?
Daniel’s response is telling. The first thing he does? He lies down. Sometimes we do so much to avoid pain, we forget Jesus’ example as he would sit in his own pain and that of others when his dear friend Lazarus died (John 11). Sometimes the invitation is for us to stop, digest, process, and respond in faith. That’s what we see with Daniel, instead of being consumed by the trouble caused by the vision, eventually, he rises and goes about the king’s business. There are going to be many points in life where we don’t understand exactly what is happening in a given moment. The invitation for us is to put our trust in a kingdom that cannot be shaken. To put our trust in a God who understands the things that we go through and ultimately to respond in faith and go about the business of God’s kingdom. Is there a vision or news that’s troubling you? May the God of peace grant you rest, and may we all find the strength to rise and continue to pursue the kingdom that cannot and will not be shaken.
Pastor Seth Redden
High School Pastor
A Little Help
"...Then he touched me and raised me to my feet." - Daniel 6:15-18
One night my wife and I decided at the last minute to go to the beach for the sunset and a swim. We were not really prepared (no towels, no change of clothes, etc.) for what was about to happen. As we watched the light fade from the sky, we made our way back to the car with two tired and wet little kids. We get to the car and cannot find our keys or phones. We searched and realized they were locked in the car, ugh. I was trying to keep my cool, but not very happy. It was a long walk to find a phone, kids were getting unhappy, we were nervous, frustrated, tired, hungry, and after doing everything we could to figure out what to do, we finally turned to God.
We prayed and within seconds a man came up and offered for us to use his phone to call for help. He had no idea we were locked out of our car, but he had showed up out of nowhere at the exact right time. He waited to make sure we got the help we needed and left before we could pay him back. God intervened by sending him to help raise us up out of our situation.
Daniel was dealing with a dream that was draining him and God sent the right help at the right time to pick Daniel up (v. 15-18). Daniel was drained by the dream/vision and overall experience he was having and needed God to intervene and God did through a simple touch.
Sometimes it’s things in real life, sometimes it is dreams, but the effect different situations have on us mentally, emotionally, or spiritually take a toll. What do you do when something like this happens to you? Do you run and hide? Do you hit snooze on the alarm and go back to sleep? Do you turn to distraction (games, tv, social media)? Do you turn to God?
If you are in a spot like Daniel and need God’s touch, will you take a moment right now and tell him? Maybe just invite him into what is going on so he can have the chance to reach down and raise you up. We were surprised when God sent someone to raise us up that night at the beach, but that’s just what God does.
Jeremy Johnson
Family Pastor
Keeping the Faith as a Covid Bride
“Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, ‘How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled...?’" Daniel 8:13 (NIV)
They say (or at least I have heard it said) that planning a wedding is one of the most stressful things a person can do. For me, I got to add to the stress of planning my wedding in the time of the Coronavirus.
I can’t tell you how many times I sat in the Worship Center throughout my childhood hearing a message reminding me of the importance of God’s timing, and his reasoning behind it. The most recent time I needed that reminder was when I found myself asking God WHY did my wedding have to land in the time of the Coronavirus?
My now-husband proposed in November of last year when I was still working as a news anchor in Yuma, Arizona. We had known each other for 10 years, and by that time, I also found myself asking God, “How much longer do I have to wait for that proposal?!” At the end of 2019, wedding planning began and we had picked out a venue and set a date. Then came the “times of uncertainty.” Our wedding venue told us our original date would not be possible and my heart sunk. Still having some hope left in me, we set a new date and sent out our invitations, only to be told a day after that our venue would not be able to accommodate that date either. I was broken. All that waiting...all that praying...WHY?!
We have been married for two months now, and I can attest to the saying that hindsight is 20/20. I have since learned that “why?” is a question that won’t get you far in your walk with Christ. I learned that it’s not about why things don’t go your way, but how long it takes you to see the reasoning behind God’s plan. I now see how God blessed me in my time of being a “Covid bride.” August 20th was a date I had wanted to get married on no matter what. So when our venue had turned us down for the second time, we only had a month to re-plan everything! My mom stepped up to help me plan the wedding of my dreams -- in just those four weeks! My now husband made sure there was time to focus on growing in preparation for our union, and my dad spent every day after work in order to create decor pieces I had asked for. A small crowd of friends and family stood by our side on August 20, 2020, as God’s reasoning and timing came to fruition.
In Daniel 8:13, we learn about the idea of having a faith that runs on active, not passive perseverance. In this case, Daniel was not asking “why,” but “how long?” Daniel is looking ahead to chase the eternal kingdom of God, not question the events that take place leading up to the final days of this earthly, temporary kingdom. I encourage you friends, when tempted to ask God “why,” have faith in the duration of his promises, not the escape of this fleeting “sandcastle kingdom.”
Arianna Quiroz
Digital Content Producer
On Truth
"…the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did and truth was thrown to the ground…. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior." - Daniel 8:12,25a
In Daniel chapter 8 we see Daniel’s description of a vision he had from the Lord. In Daniel’s vision, there is a small horn that represents a king, and this king becomes an absolute monster. He is a master of intrigue, manipulation, and brutality. He sets himself against God and slaughters God’s people. He stops the daily sacrifices, defiles the temple, and tramples truth. The temple was the primary place where people went to interact with God, to worship him, and learn the truth from scripture. This king knew that if he could subvert the worship of God, he could control what is perceived to be true. Truth was easily manipulated, and historical sources confirm that people who had copies of the scriptures were sought out and killed.
Our reality might not be dire ... but sometimes it feels like truth has become hard to distinguish from all the lies. These days there are fiery politics, the global pandemic, and civil unrest for people to bicker over, everyone has a different passionate stance and divisions are getting deep. One might be tempted to think that truth has been thrown down like it was then.
Be encouraged! We were never meant to be responsible for world events, that’s the Lord’s domain. Rather, let’s revel in and celebrate the truth the Lord has given us. He is in control and no amount of lies can change that!
When the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, Christianity becomes a vibrant spiritual relationship that transcends the dangers of circumstance. Our very beings are hidden in Christ, our sins are forgiven, and we can commune with the Father directly. Our walk and our church can never be threatened again because He inhabits us. What happened in Daniel’s vision cannot happen to us today for the Lord has decreed his church will remain.
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." - John 14:26
I would challenge you to hold on to these promises, recognizing how amazing God's grace is to us. Thank the Lord that while deceit may be everywhere else, it can't infect a heart devoted to Jesus. His mercies are deeper than the sea and his grace stretches to the sky. We too can be like Daniel and go about the King’s business, upholding truth in a world full of lies.
Jonathan Duncan
His Story
I grew up in the home of an American History teacher. Dinners were often spent hearing my dad share about the Winter at Valley Forge, battles of the Civil War, or the Trail of Tears. I felt awed by the valor of those who endured so much calamity but I was also moved by their pain, sorrow, and fear. These historical events often left me asking, “where was their hope?”
Daniel 8 conveys another of Daniel’s dreams, along with an interpretation that was revealed to him by the angel Gabriel. As apocalyptic literature, it both explains what is now history and creates wonder for future events. The dream occurred in Susa, north of the Persian Gulf. It begins when Daniel sees a ram with two horns, destroying everything in its wake to the west, north and south. The two horns portrayed the Median and Persian Empires, yet the Persian horn grew larger, representing Cyrus the Great who eventually dominated the Median Empire amongst others. Cyrus’ reign lasted around 30 years until the “goat” entered the scene.
This goat charged from the west without touching the ground. His might was far greater than the ram; executing powerful wrath. The initial power of the goat is represented by Alexander the Great who was ruthless and became arrogant in his greatness. At the height of his power, he died and the great horn “broke off”. In its place grew four more horns, representing four more kingdoms. Yet again, one of these horns grew in strength; greater than any other thus far.
This powerful horn is known as the Hellenistic King, Antiochus Epiphanes. Verse 11 says, “It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host.” Antiochus proceeded to dominate the Jews and pressure them to surrender their religious loyalties to conform to that of Greek culture and idolatry. Catching his victims unaware, Antiochus seized Jerusalem by treachery, suppressing their faith and worship of the one true God, hence his name means, “God Manifest”. The megalomania of Antiochus reached its apex when he sacrificed swine on the altar in the temple as he dedicated it to the Greek god Zeus. This was a total affront to the Jewish people which is referred to in verse 13 as the “abomination of desolation.”
No wonder Daniel fell ill following this vision! This dream sounds like a horror movie, yet hope is still found in verse 14, “the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.” So much of history is a portrayal of evil domination; leaders attempting to have the power of God. As believers in Christ Jesus, we have confidence in the true High Priest. Hebrews 4:14 says, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.”
In whom do you place your hope today? Is it in the powers that be or historical megalomaniacs? Or is it in the God of the universe who is the writer of his own story? The God of history is also the God of our hope.
Lynette Fuson
Director of Counseling and Soul Care
Every Tongue
What language will be spoken in heaven? Will the people in heaven be divinely endowed with the ability to speak a common heavenly tongue? Sometimes my mind wanders into these kinds of questions trying to visualize our soul’s hope and my place in it.
Turns out that Biblical portraits of heaven point to an answer that I hadn’t seen before.
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory, and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14
It is interesting to me that the Scriptures often mention that there will be people in heaven from every tribe or nation and every language or tongue is also included. I wonder why both nations and languages are regularly mentioned? I used to wonder if God would miraculously give all people a new heavenly language, but now I’m beginning to doubt that idea.
Perhaps instead of giving us all a common tongue, God will give everyone the ability to understand, to know, all tongues, the opposite of what he did at the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. This could be a beautiful way to experience the richness of culture and language that we did not know we could ever experience. Take the word love as an example. In the Greek language, there are at least four words that are all translated into love in English.
- Storge (pronounced Store-gay) – a parental bond or empathy love
- Philia (pronounced Fee-lee-a) – a friend bond or brotherly love
- Eros (pronounced Air-os) – a sexual bond or romantic love
- Agape (pronounced Ah-ga-pay) – an unconditional bond or God’s love
How cool would it be to be given insight into how other cultures use words to express feelings and life. Will God grant that insight all at once or will it be a process that, while in heaven, once we come across someone new and hear their language, then we will know it, and grow in their culture’s richness, or would we actually have to learn it and practice using it like we do today?
Since the Bible expresses that Heaven will enjoy the worship and service of people with every language, spend some time in prayer and in your imagination with God today wondering what the experience might be like for you? Then, ask God to help you, and our church, in our mission to help people from every nation and language to hear the good news.
Pastor John Riley
Jr. High Ministry
From First to Worst to First
The Chicago Cubs waited 108 years for it to happen again. The Arizona Cardinals have been waiting 73. The Cleveland Indians 72. What am I talking about? I’m referring to the length of time the Cubs had to go between winning the World Series, and I’m talking about how long it’s been since the Cardinals and Indians last won a Championship in their respective sports. Sometimes the journey from first to worst to first is longer than expected.
I suspect the fans of the three aforementioned teams (plus a whole lot more) can relate some to how humanity has felt. We started off in the Garden of Eden. If ever we were in first place, it was there (Gen. 1-2). But then we disobeyed, experienced spiritual death, were banished from the garden, and began to live under the curse (Gen. 3). Last place never felt so bad. Then Jesus came to allow reconciliation to occur between God and us (2 Cor. 5:18). For those who place their faith in Him, they begin to experience winning seasons. But we haven’t won a championship yet. We aren’t back to the glory days God had in mind when He created us and placed us in the garden.
The good news of Daniel 7 is that we know that day is coming again. Verse 27 (NIV) says, “Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.” But before Daniel 7:27 comes, Daniel 7:25 (ESV) has to happen: “He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times and half a time.” The Scripture is clear: there is still a time coming when the chosen people of God will feel like they’ve finished the season in last place, even though they believe they should be winning championships.
You may be feeling the same kinds of things right now. As a child of God, you feel like you should be racking up trophies year after year after year. But you’re not. Things aren’t going according to plan. You seem to finish near the bottom of the pile every year. You’re not sure what to do.
In these moments that we all have, God speaks to us through Daniel and reminds us that a better day is coming. He encourages us to not underestimate the present power of a future hope. He tells us not to mistake a clear view for a short distance. One day we will reign and rule with Him. What a day of rejoicing that will be.
Waiting with you,
Scott Smith
Discipleship Pastor
