Into the Lion's Den - Daniel - Part 6

Suddenly it is old age. God calls Daniel back to the front lines here in Daniel six, and in the process God is going to ask Daniel to face what probably was the greatest trial of his life. My father-in-law raised four children, put them through school, paid their way through college, got a Mary even paid for the weddings. In the case of three out of four because they were girls. He got them living for the Lord. He became a grandpa and his attitude was, you know, Judy and I pull up all my duty I can relax now some you older folks are going. Amen.

God bless and we know exactly what I always feel you know what happened then. His youngest daughter. My wife's sister got cancer and died from cancer and I'll never forget the day he and I were sitting around, just kind of talking that we were really talking about whole Lotta anything but we were just, talking and I asked him how he was feeling about all of this and he's not a man who expresses his feelings to readily or or wears them on his is a sleeve but what I just caught them at the right moment where he was ready to talk for just a minute about how I was feeling I'll never forget what he said to me. Did you know what I learned long is I learned that God never lets us get so old that we don't have something that we need to trust him for and I thought that significant. I need to write that down and remember that God never lets us get so old that we don't have to trust him for something, and maybe old Daniel figured he'd faced all his big trials.

I mean he'd been through his vegetable and water thing. In chapter 1. He'd been through his tell Nebuchadnezzar his dream and interpreted thing in chapter 2. He'd been through his help Nebuchadnezzar through his animal thing in chapter 4. He'd been through his facedown bell schnauzer and rebuking thing in chapter 5, and I think frankly old Daniel probably felt ready to retire. He figured he done his job. But you know God never lets us get so old that we don't have to trust them for something in the greatest challenge of Daniel's lively deadhead right here in chapter 6 and tonight we want to look at it.

So let's begin chapter 6, verse one, it pleased Darius stall said stop will have three words I know, but we got a problem you already have three words honey, what would Daniel be without a historical problem or the book of Daniel be without some kind of interpretative problem where critics picked on it and attack the integrity of the book and we got one right here is a really what's the problem.

The problem is Darius's. It was a problem with him what it says in the end of chapter 5, verse 31 the Darius the Mead took over the kingdom at the age of 62 and if you look down a little farther in chapter 6, verse seven it says that he was the king you say okay so what's the problem.

The problem is we have no record of anybody ever being the king of the Persian Empire.

At this time. Name Darius at the problem later on. There is a whole line of kings over the Persian Empire name Darius begun by Darius the first, who ruled beginning in 522 BC, but this is 17 years later and certainly will not. The statements that are made about this guy Darius the me HH Rowley who is a very well-known nodding Christian but a well-known archaeologist in Old Testament scholar wrote said this and I quote the references to Darius the Mead in the book of Daniel, have long been recognized as providing the most serious historical problem in the book the claim of the book of Daniel to be a work of history is shattered beyond repair by this fiction of Darius, the me understand what he saying what he saying is that the fact that the book of Daniel refers to Darius the Mead proves once and for all that the book of Daniel cannot be a historical were there is no such and it's true.

As we look to the historical records we do not find anywhere any reference to Darius the me to silk along the what's a solution well is only three solutions possible. Number one. The Bible is wrong, inaccurate, and untrustworthy. While I don't accept that.

When do you so that's not the right answer for us is able what other options do we have one. A second theory is that Darius and Cyrus the great, who we know was the first Emperor of the Persian Empire.

We know Cyrus the great was the man would 539 BC conquered the city of Babylon.

The Darius and Cyrus the great, are one and the same person that they're just alternate names for the same person. Now this is not unheard of for example some of the kings of Israel had alternate names bell of the alternate name for Solomon. Some of you may know it was Jedediah an alternate name for King Josiah was Azariah, the Bible records that the Assyrian king to graph the laser was also known as pull UL or pool move, and that appears in the Bible in second Kings chapter 20. Both names appear in the Bible.

They were alternate names, so maybe Darius the Mead is just another name for Cyrus the great. In fact, the last verse of Daniel chapter 6. Many people hold this theory say that it ought to be translated like this. So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius, even the rain of Cyrus the Persian, not hand but even meaning to the same person now. Will that will that work, not really. It is possible that you can translate the word and in Hebrew to mean even that is possible.

However, Cyrus was not a Mead. He was a Persian and if you read his historical references to himself never refers to himself as a Mead, but always as a Persian. Second of all, it's doubtful that Daniel would use two different terms to refer to the same man throughout the book, and that's confusing. Why would he do that doesn't make much sense.

And finally, and I think most damaging in Daniel chapter 9 verse one were given the name of Darius's father's name is assurance and yet we know for certain that Cyrus is the great's father's name was not sure is but was cam BSEs and so this will work.

We got to man with different daddies that this won't work season one.

What, then, been one of we got well there is 1/3 theory, though I personally believe is correct and that's this that Cyrus indeed was the first Emperor of the Persian Empire, but that Babylon and the Babylonian empire.

The old Babylonian empire was like a little colonel within the larger Persian Empire, and that this Darius the Mead was the governor was the head of this little colonel within the Persian Empire that Cyrus placed over Babylon in the ancient kingdom of Babylon in Persian and Babylonian documents. We know that this man's name is Goodbar room that there was a governor placed over Babylon and the Babylonian Empire as a section of the Persian Empire that we know his name was Goodbar room. We know from the Nevada cylinder that I talk to you about last week that after he captured Babel and Cyrus the great installed this regional governor name Goodbar room and placed them over what used to be the Babylonian Empire, and his title in Persian was he was a beehive to which a person means a governor Persian records tell us that these be hot to use and there were several of them over sections of the Persian Empire had all of the prerogatives of King Aramaic in which the book of Daniel chapter 6 is written has no word for it be hot to so it's entirely reasonable that Daniel would've picked a word like King to speak of this guy, because in essence he was the king of this huge section of the Persian Empire and all of this recall accords well with what the book of Daniel says about Darius that is that Darius was placed over Babylon. Not that he conquered it look chapter 5, verse 31 it says that after the fall of Babylon, chapter 5, verse 31 the Darius the Mead. The Bible says received the kingdom of Babylon as though it was given to him by someone else even more significant is Daniel Chuck chapter 9 verse one where it says in the first year of Darius amoebae descent who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom will who made them a ruler. The implication here is somebody else appointed which would make all the sins of the world, Cyrus the great appointed in the governor over this province. It's interesting that the cylinder the Nava night cylinder also goes on to tell us that Goodbar room went ahead and then appointed lower-level officials over all that used to be the Babylonian empire. And that's exactly what Daniel chapter 6 verse one says that it please Darius to a point hundred and 20 governor's regional governors to rule throughout the kingdom and so my understanding of this is that the best way to explain this is the Darius the me was another name a throne name. Perhaps for this fellow Goodbar room that Cyrus the great placed over the Babylonian section. The old Babylonian empire of the Persian Empire and that he gave him the authority to serve almost as a little King over this section of the Persian Empire.

It's interesting that in the book of Daniel. Daniel never calls him the king of Persia. He only refers to Darius as the king of Babylon, which was a smaller section within Persia, which would make sense if indeed Cyrus was the king of Persia to borrower. Darius was just the controller Babylon. So where does that leave us well and you summarize Dr. John Whitcomb is our conviction that Goodbar ruled the governor Babylon and the region beyond the River Providence that was that section within the Empire that he appears in the book of Daniel as Darius the me the monarch who took charge of the Babylonian kingdom immediately after the death of Bill Shatzer. We believe that this identification is the only one that satisfactorily harmonizes the various lines of evidence that are found in the book of Daniel, and with those that are found in contemporary Babylonian records to say but long. I got a problem. What about the fact that no document is ever been found that identifies this fellow Goodbar room and closing Darius the me well can I remind you that until a few years ago no document had ever been found that contain the name of Bill Chavez are in chapter 5 you remember and so critics picked on the Bible and said we never found the same it doesn't exist. The Bible is wrong, but now we have found his name and we know that indeed the Bible is not wrong, it's right and I believe that one day we will probably find Darius's name somewhere in one of these clay tablets that they dig up identify with this fellow Goodbar room you give archaeology enough time and I believe it will corroborate the Bible. Every single time. So where we have a little approach Daniel chapter 6 like this understanding, the Darius the Mead is the governor of the entire ancient Babylonian empire. A section of the Persian Empire and that he calls Daniel out of retirement to serve as a lawn.

I think I followed you okay well for those of you like to crunch on archaeology all that stuff we did that. Now let's get on and do the chapter Joey chapter 6 it please Darius to point hundred and 20 little County executives about the kingdom with three administrators over them, one of whom were dad was Daniel and these County executives were made accountable to these three administrators so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among these administrators by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom okay.

What happens you get a new president you get a new cabinet. We know that we live in Washington this is DC reality new president comes in. He shifts all the top executive post in the government, and Darius decided to do that to reorganize the entire empire into 120 counties, states: what you want and then he appointed County executives over each one of them and all these County executives reported to three administrators.

Daniel was one of an Daniel distinguished himself as being such an above reproach leader, but Darius decided he was going to put them over the whole ball of wax for making prime minister grand vizier or whatever you want to call now verse four. At this the administrators in the County executives tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of governmental affairs, but they were unable to do so they could find no corruption in him because he was trustworthy, and neither corrupt nor negligent. Now as soon as they heard that Daniel was going to be made prime minister. All of these other folks all of his fellow officials decided that they had to do something to get rid of this guy. And so they first looked as his organizational condo but they said we can't find anything there to impeach this man.

He's impeccable so verse five.

They said we will never find any basis for charges against this man.

Daniel, unless it has something to do with the law of his God, that's only way we're going to. They concluded the only chance I had getting was if they could do something in relationship to his room, hit his God somehow to set them up in such a way that they could use his devotion to God in order to implicate now. I thought as I was studying. This isn't a great that Daniel's fidelity to God was so well known and so predictable that these men were sure that if they could create a situation where loyalty to God was on one hand and loyalty to anything else, including the king was on the other hand, that they felt absolutely certain what Daniel would do he pick loyalty for God would be great. Deborah Tatian like the that was man's reputation.

They knew they could get him like that well versus so they went to the king and they said all Darius live forever. The Royal administrators and prefects and satraps and advisors and governors. We all got together we all agree that he did mention the fact Daniel wooden in this visit we all agree that you should issue.

Indeed, you should enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any God or man during the next 30 days, except to you oh king should be thrown into the lion's den. Now king gives you the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered in accordance with the laws of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be changed, so King Darius put the decree into right they would in and said, not king. Here's what we think your to do.

We think are come up with one of these evenings you know the kings like to do when they got put out all over the kingdom and say anybody who prays to any God or any man, except for you king in the next 30 days is good be put to death. That's a great idea.

We all agree on a king so doing king decided to do it and so verse 10, when Daniel learned the that the decree had been published. He went home to his upstairs room where the windows open towards Jerusalem three times a day. He used to get down on his knees and pray, giving thanks to God and he did it, just as he done it before. Then these men went as a group and they found Daniel praying and asking God for help.

So they went to the king and they spoke to him about his decree and they said king didn't you publish a decree that during the next 30 days. Anyone who prays to any God or any man, except you would be thrown in the lion's den and the king said, yeah, I get it, and it stands in accordance with the law. The Medes and the Persians that cannot be changed.

Mesa working Daniel one of the exiles of Judah pays no attention to you or to the decree that you put in writing.

He still prays three times a day when the king heard this, he was greatly distressed and was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save and when Daniel found out that the king and made this decree, he didn't let that interfere with his commitment to God. He went home at lunchtime like he always went home at lunch time he opened his windows towards Jerusalem. He got down on his knees and he prayed in fact the Bible says used to do this three times a day.

You say will. Where did he get that from well not sure, but you know in Psalm 55 David says evening and morning and noon.

I cry out in distress and the Lord hears my voice and maybe Daniel had read that.G that sounds good evening and morning and noon, three times a day. Sounds with enemies waiting for they knew he was going to do it and soon as they caught it soon as he got on his knees and started praying they burst in the room, they caught them red-handed in the act. They picked him up. They dragged him off the Darius they said Harriet recording right in the on his knees praying it was God disregarding being flippant towards everything you commanded king flowing in the lines didn't just like you said, there is began to try to figure way out. Problem is, he couldn't verse 15 after he been trying all day to figure a way out.

The men came to him and said, remember king that the law of the Medes and the Persians says this note decree or edict that the king issues can be changed. I'd like to be running a government when anything you said or did want you said or did it. You can never change. I mean, that would become unwieldy wooden but this is the way the Medes and the Persians ran thing and you say are come online.

No actually serious if I got only does the book of Esther confirm this because in the book of Esther.

You remember the king of Persia wants to change the edict that he gave out by Heymans coercion and he couldn't but we have what we have secular historians that confirm that this is the way it was in the Persian Empire dear Doris secular's who is a secular historian, writes in one of his works that a Persian king. Once he had issued a decree it was revocable for any and every reason this is the way it was. We know that from outside of the bond was nothing thinking to do so. The king gave the order.

Verse 16 and they brought Daniel and they threw them in the lines and the king said the Daniel. He said well, your God, he's gotta save you now as I tried everything I can think of Daniel and I can't save, so Daniel was cast in the lion's den and cast upon God like a wonderful woman lines down what you know role Nebuchadnezzar built a great furnace out there what he just taken out and put them in the furnace.

I mean it was there waiting. Well, interestingly enough, there's a reason why they use the lion's den.

Because you see the official religion of the Persian Empire was Zoroastrianism, and they worship the God called HR who was a God of fire and to take Daniel out and kill him by using fire would've been sacrilegious and blasphemy to their God. So they did not killed by fire. They threw people in the lines it great when you learn more how the Bible is so incredibly accurate.

Now what happened when the king was genuinely upset about all this. Verse 17 and the stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den and the king sealed it with his own signet ring so the Daniel situation might not be changed in the king returned to his palace and he spent the night without eating and without entertainment being brought to him. He couldn't even sleep in no income. In contrast to Nebuchadnezzar who when the three you said we will not bow down.

The Bible said he was furious. All Darius was really upset that he got tripped got hoodwinked got bamboozled, setting up his own number one man was so upset that he went back to his house and it was no wine in ruins all night. It was a party and there was no dancing girls, no court jester's no sleep. He was up all night worrying about Daniel. The Bible says early the next morning. Verse 19 the king got up and ran to the lion's den. When he came near, lines that in these days were built down into the ground so there was an opening above or you could look down and in any came early in the morning, and he looked down and of the dead, and when he came he yelled down the Daniel and he said Daniel servant of the living God has your God, whom you serve continually been able to rescue you from the lions.

He came and yelled out hey Daniel, you live down there.

I'm not your you really expect to hear much. Daniel answered and said king my God sent his angel and shut the mouths of these lions. They haven't hurt me because I was innocent and I never done any wrong before you okay Daniel said hey God sent an angel and he spent the whole night in your protecting me and I was even able to lay down and get some sleep mother. We had to sleep.

King will Darius got excited, he said, getting out of there hoist them up out of there and they did and then if you notice it says verse 23 the king was overjoyed and gave orders to get Daniel out of the den. When Daniel was lifted out of the den know who was found morning because he had trusted in his God and at the king's command, the men would falsely accuse Daniel were brought in and thrown in the lion's den, along with their wives and their children as teachers you to marry smart and before they reach the floor. The dandelions overpowered them in Christ there bones the people of said well you know the only reason Daniel survives because the lines were really hung though they were hungry. I don't know what kind of supernatural God feel that Angel gave but it worn off on morning and they the Bible says he they crushed the bones of these people before they even hit the ground like autumn in midair coming down to the chapter ends much is chapter 3 ends after God and deliver the boys in the fiery furnace with dad Darius sending out a great proclamation all through the Empire lifting up and exalting the God of Daniel. Look verse 25 and King Darius wrote to all the people and the nations and the men of every language throughout the land and said I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom. People should fear and reverence. The God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he endures forever.

His kingdom will not be destroyed, and his dominion will never in the rescues and he say he performed signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth and he is rescued Daniel from the power of the lion, so Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian say how much longer did this guy live well. We know from chapter 10 that he had a prophecy in the third year of Cyrus which is two years from now and that's the last record we have of Daniel being alive and so I'm assuming Daniel may have lived three for five years and probably died in his nine what a great great passage. You know the Bible doesn't specifically say this, but I got to thinking this week.

I wonder if Daniel wasn't called up to see Cyrus you know Cyrus was in here Cyrus the great was in Susa, the capital of Persian. But don't you think if this needed went out all through the kingdom that the critique that the head of the Persian Empire might've wanted to see who this guy wasn't that he might even have been called into stand in front of Cyrus. I think that's possible, and maybe when that happened. Daniel talk to Cyrus about more than just a miracle that happened to him. Perhaps he talked to Cyrus about the fact that Cyrus is name appeared in the book of Isaiah chapter 4550 years before Cyrus was born and maybe Daniel talk to Cyrus about the fact that God had promised Jeremiah 2910 to return the Jews to their land after 70 years in Babylon and this year year one of Cyrus was the 70th year and made the he talked to Cyrus about Cyrus being God's man to return the Jews to their life and I wonder if when we read in Ezra chapter 1 the words of Cyrus Cyrus said the Lord, the God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. And God has appointed me to build him a temple in Jerusalem. The general wonder how Cyrus came to that conviction say what God appeared to him in the middle of the night and told him yeah that's possible. It's also possible that God as a result of what happened with Daniel gave Daniel an audience with evoking Cyrus knowing Daniel the way I know him. I don't think that he took that lightly. But I think he took that Persian emperor and set them right down and opened up the Bible and said to another brother I got some things I want to show you and do some things God wants you to do. I can prove it. Just a hunch, but it won't surprise me when I get to heaven to find out that old Cyrus figured out it was time to let the Jews go back and rebuild the temple because Daniel had an interview with him after this. And Daniel told he was the man God chosen to make it happen.

Just a thought lays a lawn that's great so what so what difference that makes for me. Let me answer that in the last three minutes on God and I got kind of a shotgun approach. What I like to do usually is.

Pick out one thing and just give you that actually take one thing whole, but the so many neat things in here I couldn't decide which one thing to pick out some of your Malta you get ready for shotgun you pick whichever one you like and it will be yours for the night I got for five of my want to give you number one. Some great things here that I see number one the first thing I see is Daniel's tremendous reputation with outside you pick that up here. First Timothy chapter 3 says that any man or woman in spiritual leadership should have a good reputation with those who are outside of the family of God and Daniel's reputation for honesty and integrity was so clear that they even say here in chapter 6. Back in verse four we will never find any basis to discredit this man. There is no way we will ever discredit any of these two incredibly honest, there's no amount of money we can offer him there is no bra. We can give him there's no graft that we can interested in in there's no porkbarrel that we can, offering the man is impeccably honest. When you find a way to discredit this guy lives, we can figure out some way to do it with regard to his God. What a reputation and incredible reputation. I wonder how many of us really worry about what our neighbors really think what our coworkers really think what our fellow students really think all of us have a reputation as a Christian, whether we like it or not.

The question is what kind of reputation is and I believe that God expects us to be very careful about making sure that we got a good reputation just like Daniel. I don't know about you but when I try to share Christ with people maybe run into this know the most common objection. I run across what he think it might be, they can accept the virgin birth, they can accept the resurrection. No other can accept the fact God made the world and then use evolution. No, you know, the most common objection I run across here comes.

Well, I knew a Christian wants you get that one.

Well I lived and went to church when I was growing up and I saw how they act them. You know what Christians would bad reputations defeat more evangelism than any amount of theology or theological disagreement that I've ever heard.

Would be great if you didn't have to bring people back to neutral from negative because what some Christian had done or said dear friends, I want to challenge what reputation this man. He had a reputation for being impeccable.

Do you think your coworkers would say man, we will never find any way to discredit Joe is no way to do it is to honest about your neighbors.

We will never find any way to discredit Susie just too good a name we think about a reputations and a lot of things we would do. We wouldn't do if we really sensitive to how it was going to make people feel about this on the ballfield in the office at lunch. We need to be sensitive to the fact people are judging price with the siesta. I got a second thought, that I see here and that is the role of angels in the world. I wish I had more time to develop this but you know, the angel came down and shut the lion's mouth every time those lines even work that night that Angel said shop and online just heard like a pussycat that's what Daniel said he didn't think God shut that out that outline duty. He said an angel dated and that Angel came down and sat right in the lion's den, and every time those lines even look cross highlighted Daniel.

He just sit back off buddy.

That's pretty neat you know what the Bible says everyone of us as Christians has an angel that does that for us.

Say no. We do Hebrews chapter 1 verse 14 says that angels are sent to be ministering spirits to those of us who know Christ and you know the idea of a guardian angel is not an old wives tale. It's true said really had to have an angel goes everywhere I go. And some of you working overtime. Try to keep you out of trouble, but it's true. Hey, that's really neat yet is you got one well which had more time to develop them but immigrate to know God is not left us unprotected in this world. It is not just you in the spirit. Although you in the spirit would be enough, but isn't a great God sent an angel long just to go with you everywhere you go and you know that Tommy step down almost got hit what you think it was push the car back six or 8 inches know that Tonya almost got yourself killed doing some stupid hoodie think it was got you out of that without getting to say I was lucky right don't believe that somebody was there watching over you because God gives you one just like you gave that 1/3 thought. I've got is how I see here that God loves to turn the schemes of the wicked back on their own head and that interesting how God worked it out so that the very people who wanted Daniel thrown in the lines then ended up getting thrown in there themselves. God loves to do that he does it all the time you know he hang Heyman on the very gallows that Haman built for Mordecai God loves to do that.

Psalm seven says the wicked will fall in the ditch that he made and is Mr. will return on his own head, which says to me we don't have to protect ourselves. God will do it for us.

He did for Daniel he did for Mordecai. He'll do it for you got somebody to get on your worry about it.

God think the very things that they're using to try to get you and you give them enough rope and the Bible will convince you hang themselves. Just get out of the way and let God work.

Joe shut time to develop these is a fun article are two more number four.

Another thing I see here is that God loves to deliver us through our trials. Many times, not from think that so many times were faced with a difficult trial of wheat we want. Now we get on our knees and we say God get us out. God gets out. I have the feeling old Daniel was on his knees praying that very same thing with a person owning say Lord get me out of this. How my going to get out of this. Paul did that three times.

The Bible says. Second Corinthians 12, he prayed for his thorn in the flesh.

Whatever it was to be taken away civil Paul was an apostle, UW school human and he didn't want to deal with it. He wanted to take it away.

He wanted out of the trial, but God often replies to us that know he will not deliver us out of the trial he will deliver us through trial. That's what he did for Dan.

That's what he did for Paul. He said Paul no I'm sorry I'm not taken the foreign away, but my grace will be sufficient for you to go through friends reason God does. That is because so often, if were faithful and we go through a trial it brings God far more glory than we go around the trial. Just think of Daniel had gone around the lines down. Just think of all the things that be different me to book an annual review chapter shorter to start with. There would be no great story to tell your kids about diet. Daniel Lyons then and far more importantly, think how much glory.

God would've missed it.

Each of Daniel around the lines. There know God got a whole lot more glory taking through. That's why God many times didn't take you out of your trials it takes you through why is he gets more glory that will and if you got a trial that you've been asking God to take you around and he's been telling you I'm not going to do it, that's all right. God has the grace to take you through just to successfully as he has a grace to take you around. He chooses to take you through you be better off if you get more glory.

Last of all, say, good grief, long well I told you was in the chapter.

Last of all, would you notice the source of Daniel's power to stand firm for God is even look at Daniel is a great jive forgot any of you remember the old song. Dare to be a Daniel dare to stand alone dare to have a purpose firm dare to make it known no they used to sing those young people's meetings about six or eight generations ago, but we'll sing on the young people's meetings anymore, but Philip Bliss actually wrote that as a children's song dare to be an annual and sometimes we think of these guys like Daniels are giants and are just born that way, that there made a different kind of protoplasm than the rest of us, but that's not true Elijah. The Bible says with a man just like us. Daniel was a guy just like us. If you want to really know what makes the difference between Daniel and the rest of mankind, I'll show you what makes the difference look at chapter 6, verse 10 where it says that Daniel three times every day would get down on his knees and pray, giving thanks to God. Want to know Daniel's inner secrets wasn't that he was made a different stuff than you are. Or I am. It was communion with God.

In spite of all of the pressures he had as a busy executive inspire in spite of all the demands on his time. Daniel went to his house three times a day open the windows and saw the face of God, and that's where Daniel's great consistency of life came from. That's where Daniel's great wisdom and discernment came from. That's were Daniel's great personal integrity came from and that's where he got the courage to go in the lines down. He didn't get it by being different than you and me.

He got it on his knees in a consistent relationship with the living God. You want to be a giant in your Christian life. My vice is be a giant in your prayer life. You can be a giant in Christian life William Runyan wrote and said, Lord, I have shut the door.

Speak now the word which in the din and throng could not be heard. Review valve.

What is vain counsel my soul bio holy will reveal my will control. Lord, I have shut the door, strengthen my heart yonder awaits.

The task I share parts only through grace bestowed, may I be true here while alone with the my string renew.

I like the way to Kit Carson. They said little more content and will more contemporary way. They said you get tall when you fall on your knees. Same message. Where did Daniel get the power to be what he was, he would made out of different genes and you are the writer had a different prayer life and you and I have three times a day, every day Solana I don't know if I can pray three times a day, every day like that my boss will let me go over my windows in the noon and go pray to Jerusalem. Well, I'm not saying it has to be three times a day.

But I'm saying it needs to be consistent and regular differential Christians bigger than his prayer life. The Christians bigger than her prayer life.

Daniel was a man of prayer and that made him a man of integrity made him the man of consistency that made him a man of courage, you be a man or woman of prayer God do the same things for you. Well I gave you five.

I can imagine somebody can find something in all that if he couldn't.

I got a few more my head to come up talk to me afterwards and I'll spit a couple more on you but anyway that's all I have time for them over by trusted from a very familiar chapter God will take his word and challenge our hearts in some areas that spring heavenly father, thank you for a chance to study your word this evening chance to worship you a chance to be challenged by your word and I pray Lord and whether it's on our own personal integrity and reputation that we got a challenge this evening. Whether it's on the issue of trusting your father to take us through trials instead of around them. When we got a challenge this evening regarding our prayer life or whatever it might've been more you use this great chapter to minister to us and to motivate us to move on and address some areas in our lives that we need to address for the sake of Christ the Lord Jesus, thank you for putting this the story in the Bible, to remind us that you do have the power to protect us when ever we put you first.

And so, dear father, help us to keep putting you first in every area of our lives. And then we can rely upon you to turn back the schemes of our enemies on their own heads.

Lord, to protect us safely all the way to the shores of heaven.

It was a great week.

Help us go out this week determined to look for somebody to share Christ with his you give us opportunity father.

Hopefully, because of our prayer life will have the courage and the boldness that will need at that moment to step out by faith and do it. He was a great week of living for you. We pray these things in Jesus name a