Bible Ballistics: Vol. 16 No. 03   Will I Pray Like Daniel???

 

I don’t usually do an article like this, but there are times when God’s Word needs no commentary other than to ask that we do that which Jesus calls us to do in the Book of The Revelation.  And that is the question that I want to ask us today, as we consider Daniel’s prayer in Daniel chapter 9.  I simply share this question with you and pray that we will get it.

“Blessed is he that readeth,

and they that hear the words of this prophecy,

and keep those things

which are written therein:

for the time is at hand.”  Revelation 1:3

May we all:

Read it—

Hear it—

Keep it—

For surely “the time is at hand”?

My heart breaks as we see around us the same hearts of rebellion and disregard towards God that Daniel saw around him; but will we identify with Daniel’s heart for his people (and us for ours) or will we be “rude—crude—and unkind” as we throw verbal rocks at those around us rather than praying for God to touch our hearts with a burden like Daniel had for revival of his nation!  I share only one other caveat about our own attitude’s part in it all.

“Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain,

The spirit that dwelleth in us

lusteth to envy?

6 But he giveth more grace.

Wherefore he saith,

God resisteth the proud,

but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore

to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God,

and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands,

ye sinners;

and purify your hearts,

ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted,

and mourn,

and weep:

let your laughter be turned to mourning,

and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves

in the sight of the Lord,

and he shall lift you up.”  James 4:5-10

May we ponder these words of Daniel, seeking God’s face, and asking God to use you and me to make a difference in our world.

“In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes,

which was made king over the realm

of the Chaldeans;

2 In the first year of his reign

I Daniel understood by books

the number of the years,

whereof the word of the LORD

came to Jeremiah the prophet,

that he would accomplish

seventy years

in the desolations

of Jerusalem.

3 And I set my face unto the Lord God,

to seek by prayer

and supplications,

with fasting,

and sackcloth,

and ashes:

4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God,

and made my confession, and said,

O Lord,

the great and dreadful God,

keeping the covenant

and mercy

to them that love him,

and to them that keep

his commandments;

5 We have sinned,

and have committed iniquity,

and have done wickedly,

and have rebelled,

even by departing from thy precepts

and from thy judgments:

6 Neither have we hearkened

unto thy servants the prophets,

which spake in thy name

to our kings,

our princes,

and our fathers,

and to all the people of the land.

7 O Lord,

righteousness belongeth unto thee,

but unto us confusion of faces,

as at this day;

to the men of Judah,

and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

and unto all Israel,

that are near,

and that are far off,

through all the countries

whither thou hast driven them,

because of their trespass

that they have trespassed

against thee.

8 O Lord,

to us belongeth confusion of face,

to our kings,

to our princes,

and to our fathers,

because we have sinned

against thee.

9 To the Lord our God

belong mercies

and forgivenesses,

though we have rebelled against him;

10 Neither have we obeyed the voice

of the LORD our God,

to walk in his laws,

which he set before us

by his servants the prophets.

11 Yea, all Israel

have transgressed thy law,

even by departing,

that they might not obey thy voice;

therefore the curse is poured upon us,

and the oath that is written

in the law of Moses the servant of God,

because we have sinned against him.

12 And he hath confirmed his words,

which he spake against us,

and against our judges

that judged us,

by bringing upon us a great evil:

for under the whole heaven

hath not been done

as hath been done

upon Jerusalem.

13 As it is written in the law of Moses,

all this evil is come upon us:

yet made we not our prayer

before the LORD our God,

that we might turn

from our iniquities,

and understand thy truth.

14 Therefore hath the LORD

watched upon the evil,

and brought it upon us:

for the LORD our God

is righteous in all his works which he doeth:

for we obeyed not his voice.

15 And now, O Lord our God,

that hast brought thy people forth

out of the land of Egypt

with a mighty hand,

and hast gotten thee renown,

as at this day;

we have sinned,

we have done wickedly.

16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness,

I beseech thee,

let thine anger

and thy fury

be turned away

from thy city Jerusalem,

thy holy mountain:

because for our sins,

and for the iniquities

of our fathers,

Jerusalem

and thy people

are become a reproach

to all that are about us.

17 Now therefore, O our God,

hear the prayer of thy servant,

and his supplications,

and cause thy face to shine

upon thy sanctuary

that is desolate,

for the Lord’s sake.

18 O my God,

incline thine ear,

and hear;

open thine eyes,

and behold our desolations,

and the city

which is called by thy name:

for we do not present our supplications

before thee

for our righteousnesses,

but for thy great mercies.

19 O Lord, hear;

O Lord, forgive;

O Lord, hearken

and do;

defer not,

for thine own sake,

O my God:

for thy city

and thy people

are called by thy name.”   Daniel 9:1-19

May it be so dear Lord?  May our hearts be moved to seek Thy face?  May we truly fulfill your call:

“If my people, which are called by my name,

shall humble themselves,

and pray,

and seek my face,

and turn from their wicked ways;

then will I hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin,

and will heal their land.”  2 Chronicles 7:14

Amen and Amen!!!