Daniel 4 - 10.12.23
Scripture
Daniel 4:30 NLT
“As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’”
Observation
King Nebuchadnezzar has accumulated quite a fortune and built himself a pretty powerful kingdom since he has been king. One problem though…it was not by his own might that King Nebuchadnezzar acquired all these things. Rather it was through God’s might and sovereignty that King Nebuchadnezzar was allowed access to all these things. And now it looks like King Nebuchadnezzar will have to eat some humble pie.
Application
Everything I have is from God.
My house, my job, my car, and yes, even my beautiful family is from God. God gives me the strength and wisdom to do my job competently so I can have a job, and make income to support my family. God blessed me with a beautiful, hard working wife, that helps me manage the finances, care for our kids and home while I’m at work. God blessed me with 2 healthy daughters who fill our home with joy and laughter. It ALL comes from God! He is the source behind it all.
So let’s not get it twisted the way King Nebuchadnezzar did in this passage. It was never from our own might that we were able to accomplish the things we have done. It was always because God gave us the will, the ability, the strength, and the wisdom to accomplish and be successful at the things we do and here is a humbling thought for us to have. As hard and as long as it took us to accomplish all the things we have done, God can take it all away in an instant! So let’s make sure to give credit where credit is due. Give God all the glory! 🙏🏽🙌🏽
“The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.”Proverbs 18:11-12
Prayer
Father God, thank You for blessing me with so much in life. You are the source behind it all. You deserve all the glory, honor, and praise. Please forgive me for ever thinking that I accomplished what I have from my own strength. May I use the blessings that You have given me, to share with others about Your goodness and faithfulness. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽
-Moses Gaddi
Proverbs 17 - 10.11.23
Scripture
Proverbs 17:9 - Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
Observation
“The real lesson of Proverbs 17:9 is much richer than just an encouragement for us to forgive others and refrain from gossip – it teaches how Christians should live their lives. Simply put: Everything a Christian does should be driven and motivated by love.”
(Jordan Iacobucci, Insights into Life)
Application
We can break this verse down into two parts:
1. Fostering love covers an offense
2. Repeating the matter separates close friends
The first part is something I have been trying to work on. When I perceive an offense, I am trying to remember to: 1) Assume good intentions – maybe I misunderstood, maybe it wasn’t meant the way I took it; and 2) Allow time for God to work on my heart and attitude so that can I respond in a loving way. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath …” and I have been able to see that happen a few times recently!
I need to also to work on the second part of the verse. I frequently feel the need to share my story with someone. I justify it – if I can get it out, it will help me to move on. But I need to learn to pour it out to God instead of the people around me.
Prayer
God, I want to be someone whose every thought and action is motivated in love. Thank you for the work you are doing on my heart. Thank you for forgiving me when I fail. Thank you for loving me and teaching me to learn to love others.
- Debbie Dunn
Acts 6 - 10.10.23
Scripture
Acts 6:15
15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Observation
Stephen is described in the Word of God as “full of God’s grace and power (vs. 8) and filled with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit when he spoke (vs. 10 paraphrased). The members of the Synagogue didn’t like it and felt threatened by it, very similar to how the Pharisees felt threatened by Jesus. As a result, they made up lies about Stephen and tried to get other people to buy into those lies. They spread false rumors about Stephen that eventually had him brought to the Sanhedrin. They even produced false witnesses to testify against him. However, Stephen remained at peace the whole time and his countenance was proof of that. His face looked like it was “the face of an angel.”
Stephen didn’t literally get transformed into an angel or his face changed to that of an angel. Commentary says that Stephen, as a servant of the Lord, “possessed a clear conscience, cheerful hope, and Divine consolations, which enabled him to smile in the midst of danger and death (Matthew Henry’s Bible commentary-concise).” Stephen felt secure knowing he did no wrong and was confident in who his Defender was. The Holy Spirit’s peace and comfort was shining and showing through his face, which made it look like that of an angel.
Application
Trust Jesus to be our Defender.
The Lord is our defender and it is His job to avenge, not ours. (Romans 12:19).
Have you ever been falsely accused of something? The Biblical term for it is slander, which the New Oxford American Dictionary defines as “the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person’s reputation.”
When we become Christians, living by a different standard than the world will naturally bring upon “haters” and opposition, sometimes from even within the walls of the church. Commentary blames “the heart of a fallen creature, which is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (Matthew Henry’s Bible commentary-concise).” However, when we are living in submission to God’s ways and in righteousness, He will defend us.
“In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?” -Psalm 56:11 NIV
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” -Matthew 10:28 NIV
Prayer
Thank you Lord for being our defender. Thank You that we can live in your peace in the midst of trial and persecution. May we be reminded that we can have the “ face of an angel” in the midst of trial, just like Stephen did, as we live for You. Amen.
-Michelle Gaddi