Daniel is an outstanding example of faithfulness. The reason why Daniel is faithful to his King and the Kingdom in which he has been called to serve is his faithfulness to God in prayer. Prayer is the connection between heaven and earth, the source of power moment by moment every day. The spirit of prayer is the key to Daniel’s success, Daniel 6:3. Prayer is a relationship with God, a sweet fellowship. The Spirit of prayer is the source of power for all that we need. Somehow in spite of Daniel’s prayer trouble rises in every direction. Prayer did not keep Daniel from trouble, but it kept him safe in the midst of a great storm of trouble. Daniel trusted God in the face of every problem. Each of us like Daniel has got our own problems to overcome. Jesus said “In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world” John 16:33. We all must go through tribulation because the system of this world is Evil. But we can take courage from the victory of our Lord in overcoming the world. His victory is our victory for we are in union with Christ. Christ in you by faith is overcoming power in a world full of trouble. The good news is that no matter what you are facing God is a deliverer out of all your troubles. It was Paul who said “Out of them all the Lord delivered me” 2 Timothy 3:11. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in the virtue of long-suffering that we are kept through the tribulations of this world. Paul went on to say that “the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdom” 2 Timothy 4:18. Paul could say this because he had been faithful unto God through many troubles for the cause of the Gospel. It is important to be faithful to God in the face of tremendous opposition. We must confidently trust God to deliver even if it means through Death. The ultimate deliverance is through Death to Eternal life. “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have wash their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:14.

Agape love is divine therefore the only way to know agape love is by being born again. The love of God is transformative in the life of the believer. The seed of God’s word enters the heart and produces new life. New life is the fruit of the seed of God’s word. Divine love is manifested in our serving and caring for one another. Because of the New Birth the Christian Community has been empowered by God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to love one another. The love of God is not in the human nature of man. It is only through the divine nature by faith that we are partakers of agape love, 2Peter 1:4. It is the work of God in you to serve and care for one another. We are led by the Spirit and convicted in our hearts to love the unlovable. This is the living witness of Christ in the life of the believer. “….everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8. Christ dwelling in the heart by faith has made it possible for us to love one another. It is the Spirit of Jesus working in the good that we do for one another. The Apostle Paul prayed that we be rooted and grounded in love, Ephesians 3:17. Faith in God is how we come under the control of his love being filled with the fullness of God. As we love one another we become the visible expression of Christ presence in the world. We are his hand and feet in serving and meeting the needs of others. God is the source of the indwelling love that empowers the believer to show forth works of love in which God is seen. People come face to face with the God who lives in you by our love one to another. https://soundcloud.com/reginald-lee/god-is-love-2 http://www.soundclick.com/members/default.cfm?member=kingdavid123&content=myBlogs

Daniel 7:15-22 we began our study looking at Daniel who is gifted in dreams and visions. This gift is a vehicle of expressing divine truth as well as things to come. The Prophet asked God for and interpretation of the dreams and visions that he had. Whenever we have dreams and visions that trouble us we should ask God and seek God through consecration and study of his word for understanding. If a dream continues to trouble you there is usually a reason or message from God. We are to seek out the meaning through prayer and scripture. A vision is something which is seen that brings new knowledge this is the beauty of the dream or vision. In the book of Acts it speaks of “your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:” Acts 2:17. The knowledge that comes by virtue of the spirit is for direction in all of life. This is the fruit of the spirit filled life. Vision can come by inward sight such as an unconscious dream. When you are sleeping the spirit can minister and speak to you in a dream. There is also outward sight which is to see with the physical eye. The spirit can show you things to come while you are awake. You can physically see something before it happens. Through vision God gives direction an inspiration. The scripture says “Where there is no vision, the people perish:” Proverbs 29:19. Visions are important; it is a sad day when the leadership no longer has a vision for God’s people. It is a sad day when we the people of God cannot be stirred by the Spirit of God to move forward as a result of the knowledge and wisdom that has been inspired by the spirit of the Holy Ghost. It is necessary for men and women to consecrate their lives so that they can receive the direction and power that only God can give in this day that we live in. In this text we find four beasts that the prophet saw who represent Kingdoms. These beasts have come to plague the saints. The four Kings that the scripture teaches shall arise out of the earth. Daniel 7:18 “But the saints of the most high shall take the Kingdom, and possess the Kingdom forever, and ever” This is an everlasting possession that the Lord shall give over into the hands of the Saints. Ultimately the Saints will rule forever in the Kingdom of God. But in this present world don’t be surprised and don’t be troubled has the ruling powers of the world continue to conspire against the church, as more laws are being passed that come against our religious freedom to witness and build to the glory and honor of God. Don’t think it strange when the trials come against you. We are seeing the move of the Antichrist who is already in the world. His spirit is going to and fro as never before. Daniel 7:17 “These great beasts, which are four, are four Kings, which shall arise out of the earth.” In Verse 19 the fourth beast is going to rule the world as a result of his great military power. He will wage war against the saints according to verse 21. This world power in the person of a King will demand that all the nations of the world worship him. Remember that no matter what happens God is in charge of the course of History. Be encouraged and rise up in this truth. Not man, not the devil but only God the Father is in charge of the course of History.

“He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? Saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 22:16. This verse is part of a text taken from Jeremiah 22: 13-19. God said that Josiah took care of the poor and this act of benevolence demonstrated his relationship that he had with God. God said that because of Josiah’s benevolence the favor of God was upon his life. How we treat the poor is a strong witness to the world about our faith in God. Knowing God always will bring one into a right relationship with others. The Spirit of the Lord in the heart of the believer is power to love others. The true work of God’s grace upon the heart can be experienced in the practice of love, “By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35. There is a divine love at work in self-denial and self-sacrifice on the behalf of others. It was the work of the Holy Spirit in a multitude of Saints who sold land and houses and gave the money to the Apostles and distribution was unto every man according to his need, Acts 4:32-35. The Holy Spirit filled the believers whit love that was evident in there care for one another. We know God by faith, the fruit of faith is love. The more we love the more we grow in our relationship with God by faith. Faith is the gift of God but each of us as with the gift a responsibility to use it or lose it. We all have a stewardship as faithful servants in the labor of love. To refuse to love others is to fail to love God. For no man can say that he loves God and hate his brother.

Daniel 6:6-12, Daniel is in the midst of a conspiracy that as ultimately been designed to destroy Daniel. Daniel is the victim of jealousy. The King had elevated Daniel to the highest position in the kingdom. Because the King had seen the spirit of excellence in him, all of the other ruling authorities conspired together to bring Daniel to a demise. The ruling powers of this world are yet conspiring to wage war against the saints of God; Spiritual wickedness in high places, those who rule the world. The Prince of this world Satan himself heads a conspiracy with the powers of the land to wage war against the Saints. Verse 8 “Now, O King, establish the decree, and sign the writing,” There are laws that are being legislated many are unjust. These laws affect the worship and religious freedom we once enjoyed. For example, the religious freedom of reading the bible in our schools we no longer have. The religious freedom of praying prayers in the name of Jesus we no longer have in the schools and public places. The battle is being waged in our communities. Satan is calling a great battle against the Sons of God, the family of God. Therefore we must pray for our government and those who are in positions of authority. The key weapon for overcoming the adversity that has been sat before us is prayer. We should pray in spite of laws that say you cannot pray here. We should give ourselves continually to the word of God and prayer. Daniel served the Lord continually in spite of the unjust laws, in spite of the conspiracy of Satan waging a war against the saints. We should pray and give ourselves to the Lord without fear, knowing that God is with us in whatever we face. God suffers with us just as God will reveal his power through us, if we give ourselves to the glory and honor of God without fear. The enemy wants to create fear among the people of God. Our faith and faithfulness to God is something that we should not compromise. We should not be willing to compromise our dedication and commitment to God. The time, service and worship that we give to God must never be compromised. Just like the Devil is on the street corner, in the schools, and in the community; God has called the saints of God to take a stand and go to the streets, leaving the church to serve the kingdom of God, our community, in love and compassion. The Devil is doing his job because he knows he has a short time. We to the saints of God should recognize that we are on a timetable to and we are living in the last and evil days. We should feel a compelling urgency to reach out to the lost. We must stand upon the flame of sacrifice in service to be consumed by the love of God in reaching out to the lost. The Day of Judgment is soon to come. How long do we have to share our testimony with a lost neighbor? How long do we have to share the message of salvation to a world that is searching for the true and living God? To a world lost under the dominion of Satan. How long do we have to bring the light of salvation to those who walk in darkness? Let’s be faithful like Job, Daniel, Jesus and many of the great Patriarchs of the bible who stand as witnesses that if we be faithful in the mists of our trials and persecution God will stand with us, to deliver from every circumstance we face. Just as the resurrection power raised Jesus from the dead. That same power has been made available to every believer who acts in obedience to the word of God. The Lord will deliver just as he delivered Daniel from the den of lions that same God stands to deliver us if we be faithful. If we serve the Lord continually we can know that he is with us to keep us and bring to us that liberating power that man might see the salvation of the Lord and glorify the father which is in heaven.