Read Daniel 2:31-49
A spirit medium:
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Functions as a holy servant of Yahweh
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Shrewdly pretends to have secret knowledge
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Can accurately foretell the future by communicating with the dead
What made Daniel think he could interpret the king's dream?
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He was used to seeing secrets in dreams
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He was good at interpreting secrets.
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He knew Yahweh could help him if he prayed to Yahweh for help.
Daniel got the answer to the secret
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By searching Babylonian archives
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By a night vision from Yahweh
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By consulting with his friends
What is the most important message of this chapter?
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That human kingdoms succeed one another throughout history.
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That Daniel had supernatural powers.
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That the history of the world as well as its future is in Yahweh’s hands and not men’s
Today’s Prayer:
Lord, help us to trust you, and to rely on you in our times of need. In Jesus Name we pray, amen.
Observation
Some people are just naturally talented. Johnathan Ray, a most talented drummer came out of the womb with music in his blood. My late brother Richmond Turner could have played professional basketball, football or baseball had he continued down the right path. My mother would be embarrassed when I as a child, would calculate the grocery prices in my head, and then dispute the amount that showed up on the cash register. She did however reward me by allowing me to keep the difference. She thought numbers came natural to me.
For Amanda Gorman, the first-ever Youth Poet Laureate, who amazed the country with her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” at the inauguration celebration of President Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris, words are a natural. Her 10th grade English teacher said that Amanda was the only student who could be left to work on her own. She went on to say that Amanda would pulsate and slip into another world as she put pen to paper.
During the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar and Beltshezar kings of Babylon, Daniel was considered naturally talented in the realm of prophesy. Through his prophetic gifting, Daniel declared God’s will and purpose in the lives of individuals and nations.
On more than one occasion, Daniel stood in contrast with the other wisemen, astrologers, and wisdom-carriers of his day. He was the only one to declare the: will, purpose and judgement of God. His reputation was so accurate that they said in Daniel dwelt the Spirit of the Gods. For Daniel, in seemed so natural.
As the people of God, we realize that we are mere stewards of the gifts and talents that God gives to us. He gives them to us not for our glory, but that the world may glorify Him.
We must caution ourselves not to operate in our own gifting, because it is too easy to take the credit for what God does in us and through us. Only by acknowledging God as the giver of the gift and praising Him for the results of the gifts, are we able to ensure that God gets the glory, honor and praise. This allows the world to not only celebrate your gifts, but also to celebrate the giver of the gift.
Question to Ponder
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What areas are you gifted in? How do you make sure God gets the glory from your giftedness?
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