Jesus taught that all scripture testifies about him so that in him we might have life (John 5v39-40). King David taught that it is only by living according to God's word that we're kept on the right path (Psalm 119v9). What then could be better than reading the entire Bible? Click the menu to read about the program, choose a month or Bible book - or just work through the blog posts day by day.
BEGIN WITH PRAYER
"Lord open my eyes and my heart."
Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world.
Wisdom to chew on
Understanding to grow in
So how should we live as we work out our faith in an ungodly and sometimes hostile culture? The book of Daniel is about more than this, affirming God's supremacy and predicting something of Israel's future history to encourage the people to endure. But, along the way, it scatters instances of Daniel's faithfulness to model how to live for the Lord in a Babylonian society. 1v1-2 dates Daniel's exile to 605BC. And in Babylon, there was a danger he and his friends would assimilate, losing their identity as Jews and as worshippers of the true God. They are taught the language and literature and even given new names. This makes Daniel's refusal to eat from the king's table most likely a statement that he is unwilling to defile himself by doing what might imply friendship and allegiance with the king. After all, there was nothing within Judaism that forbade him from drinking wine. Whatever it was, the lesson is that when engaging with non-Christians in work, community or family, to wisely choose our lines and then refuse to cross them. But note, how respectful Daniel is in explaining the situation with those who oversaw him. Note too, how he offers an alternative solution to ensure that what the Babylonian's sought would not suffer. And note that because he did this in faithfulness to the Lord, the Lord enabled him to thrive, being ten times wiser than any others in the kingdom. The later book and the story of Joseph shows that things aren't always resolved so easily. But the lesson remains. When it comes to being contaminated by what is sinful, we are told: "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Cor 6v14). As you read note have Daniel negotiates the situation.
Daniel 1
Daniel 1
Finish this reading by pausing to ask yourself:
1) What’s the main thing it teaches me about God or his purposes in Christ? Then praise him for this.
2) What’s the main thing it teaches me about his will for me or the world? Then pray that home.
Devotion to offer up
You could read this aloud and perhaps as a springboard to further prayer.