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Tag Archives: king nebuchadnezzar

Does the grass taste good?

13 Nov

Does the grass taste good?

Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. (ESV)

King Nebuchadnezzar had asked Daniel to interpret his second dream; he did not like what he heard. God had proclaimed that he was going to loose his kingdom, his mind, and live like a wild beast for seven periods of time (thought to be seven years). God was not going to kill him, but to leave a portion in him that He will restore. God told him that He would restore him to his kingdom; but in all of this God was pointing out to the king, Who appointed him as king. God is showing Nebuchadnezzar that He is truly the ruler of all in the universe; God is giving him a big does of humble pie in an unimaginable way. He literally went crazy and lived like an animal for those seven years. But God just as miraculously as He cast judgement, restored the king. 34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

I had given my testimony this weekend at church, and the backbone of it was a man rooted in pride. My youngest son has been reading in Daniel for our Bible story each night, and low and behold in my study in 2 Corinthians this morning I was led there also; I love how God works. Even in the study of 2 Corinthians, Satan has blinded so many of today in the pride of life. There are countless ways that stem in pride that keep us from humbling our hearts and seeing the light of the Gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Even in one of my study Bible’s notes it says, “The unbeliever has a barrier to overcome. Because of Satan’s deception, what the world thinks is obviously true, is painfully wrong.” Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. You are never going to get through to God with a prideful heart; only through humbleness is eternal paradise found. If you are feeling those questions arising in your heart, make a heartfelt plea for God to open your eyes and your  heart to the truth. Be ready for Him to reveal the opposite of what the world teaches. Be ready for the Gospel of Free Grace to open your eyes, your heart, and your eternal salvation through the removal of the pride of life, and the forgiveness of sins.

 
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Posted by on November 13, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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“Because I said so” (Epic Fail)

22 Dec

“Because I said so” (Epic Fail)

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

I have two great young boys. Great kiddo’s, full of life, full of questions, full of testing me as a parent. Sometimes I feel as though I am too hard on them; but I see so many that have no discipline. I go into a lot of homes and see a lot of families, and I see a lot of children that run wild. It does not take long to get a feel of the level of structure in a home to be honest. I have had the talk with my oldest son of how I am learning to be a parent too; of how so many things I tell him are for his protection; or I have reasons behind them. It is so crucial to take the time to explain to them once we set the bar. We are hopefully looking out for their best interest and not from emotion; we should have Jeremiah 29:11 written on our hearts in the upbringing of our children.

King Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captives from Judah into Babylon. Jeremiah had spoken the words that God gave him during these turbulent years; he told them of the punishment for their idolatry; for they had gone against God. Even in their exile in Babylon, the were false prophets were leading them astray; promising a quick return to Jerusalem. God spoke through Jeremiah and told them His plan for them; 9 For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord. 10 For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. God had reason for their exile and the 70 years they were to spend there. Their hearts will change in these 70 years.

God speaks of how He will renew and restore them who seek Him during this time. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. All of these things that were happening to them, were happening as a father corrects his children. God had seen their sin, and punished them for it. Our children may often wonder and question the why of our response; but if there is reason behind it and not emotion, the true learning comes with that explanation of it. The more time you spend in God’s Word the better a parent you will become. You will be taught by example by the best parent of all.

 
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Posted by on December 22, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Adjustments

30 Nov

Adjustments

Daniel 4:14-15    He cried aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out from under it, And the birds from its branches. 15 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, Bound with a band of iron and bronze, In the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, And let him graze with the beasts On the grass of the earth.

Yesterday clearly had a word for the day; it was pride. It seemed to come up in multiple conversations; it came up in me sharing of my shoulder and that part of my testimony, it came up in sermons; it even came up in school study last night in Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar had rested on the pride of Babylon he built, but God had given him a dream. He had seen a great tree that had grown all the way to heaven, and he felt it had all been of his work, and not of God. God took him down and humbled him for seven years. He lost his kingdom, his mind, and he lived like an animal for seven years. But God restored his mind and his kingdom when Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself before God.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. I do believe pride is at the root of all sin. Even back to the Garden of Eden, the enticement by Satan came with the lure of pride; “you can be like God”.  Immediately after that came the fall of man into sin for eternity. Pride puffs us up, makes us think we are more than we are; right back to Satan in the Garden. That attitude must be at some time adjusted by God. The means of that adjustment is most likely in relation to the level of your pride. I know; He took a big piece of my pride in the removal of a shoulder muscle. It humbled me and put my eyes on Him. It brought me closer to Him as a result and I am thankful for that adjustment.

In the country in which I live, pride is at the root of it as a nation. You can do anything that you set your mind to; you only limitations are yourself; you can attain anything. This is the American Dream. This dream has invaded our churches today also. David Platt wrote an incredible book called Radical that will forever change your views on your life as a Christian. “We have taken the infinitely glorious Son of God; who endured the infinitely terrible wrath of God and who now reigns as the infinitely worthy Lord of all, and we have reduced him to a poor, puny Savior who is just begging for us to accept him.” Pride has creeped into our nations churches; and we must pray for God’s mercy on them. Isaiah 13:19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

 
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Posted by on November 30, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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You want me to what?

27 Nov

You want me to what?

Jeremiah 32:42-43 “For thus says the Lord: ‘Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them. 43 And fields will be bought in this land of which you say, “It is desolate, without man or beast; it has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.”

The prophet Jeremiah was in prison for the words he spoke from the Lord. He had delivered the prophecy that Judah was about to pay for its sin. He had told king Zedekiah of Judah that he would meet king Nebuchadnezzar face to face and be taken captive. Judah had been surrounded, the prophecy was taking place. In the middle of all this turmoil, Jeremiah purchased a tract of land from his uncle. Why would you buy a property that was about to be captured? Because God had promised him that he would again give the land back to Israel; that He would turn their hearts back to Himself; that He would be their God again. Jeremiah 32:37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. 38 They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39 then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them.

God never breaks a promise; never forgets you, never leaves you alone in any situation as a child of His. He may be allowing all these calamities in your life to draw you near to Him. How else can He get your attention if all is well and you don’t have time, or even give thanks to Him for the blessings He bestowed? He may allow you to feel trapped; a siege wall being built around your life like Judah. You may have only one way to look then – up. In all of this He is at work. He made a promise to Israel, and as a child of His you inherit that promise also. He will never forsake you. He will punish you for your sin, and turn your heart back to Him as a result. 40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.

We want the easy life; we want Christianity to be a bed of roses. The lives that are beds of roses are living for their rewards now, and suffering the consequences eternally for that decision. Matthew 6:1-5 speaks to those who do things to be seen; to elevate themselves. They have their reward now but forsake it in eternity. Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. When you ask the why of the trials that you are facing, go before God to ask if their is sin in your life that needs repentance first. If God does not show you a sin, it may be part of His greater purpose in keeping His promises. Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

 
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Posted by on November 27, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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