Sr. Pastor Darrell G
Vaughn Text: Dan 6:10-24 (King James Version) "Father, I am your servant, willing and desiring
to be
used to
bless your
people."
The Fields are white and the laborers are few! Daniel 6:10
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house;
and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his
knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did
aforetime. Daniel 6:11
Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making
supplication before his God. Daniel 6:12
Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's
decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition
of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into
the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to
the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Daniel 6:13
Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the
children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree
that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a
day. Daniel 6:14
Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with
himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the
going down of the sun to deliver him. Daniel 6:15
Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O
king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute
which the king establisheth may be changed. Daniel 6:16 Then the king commanded, and they
brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said
unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver
thee. Daniel 6:17
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king
sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the
purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. Daniel 6:18
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither
were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep went from
him. Daniel 6:19
Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the
den of lions. Daniel 6:20
And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto
Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living
God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the
lions? Daniel 6:21
Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
Daniel 6:22
My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they
have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also
before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Daniel 6:23
Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should
take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no
manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his
God. Daniel 6:24
And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused
Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and
their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or
ever they came at the bottom of the den. Let's pray. Father, Open my eyes so I can see Your truth.
Open my ears so I can hear Your voice. " An interviewer asked Billy Graham if he had it all to
do over again, would he do anything differently. He answered, "I'd travel less
and pray more." If Billy Graham had known over 60 years ago what he knows now,
he would have traveled less and prayed more. We should learn from his
wisdom. How we come out of a trial often depends on how we went
in to it. The Bible says that Daniel was in the habit of praying 3
times a day before he was thrown into the den of lions, but that's the reason the lion's mouth's
were shut. James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may
be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth
much. James 5:17
Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed
earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of
three years and six months. James 5:18
And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought
forth her fruit. The story of Daniel in the lions' den has to rank, I
would imagine, in the top ten of the most familiar and beloved passages of
scripture. Daniel, was brought as a teenager-captive, to Babylon. At the setting
of this text Daniel is nearly 90 years old. A whole lot of changes have taken
places. They have changed his name. They have changed his language. They've
changed his homeland. However, they could not change his heart. With all of the
changes that have taken place, Daniel is the same man at 90 that he was at 19.
For when we read the book of Daniel, we read that Daniel honored God. And
because he honored God, God exalted Daniel; even in the midst of captivity.
Joshua 14:10
And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and
five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children
of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and
five years old. 85 Years Joshua 14:11
As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as
my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and
to come in. Joshua 14:12
Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day;
for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities
were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able
to drive them out, as the LORD said. "Daniel, knowing that the decree had been signed, when
into his house, went up into his chamber, opened his window towards Jerusalem
kneeled down and prayed three times a day. Business as usual. Let me say a few things and then I'll let you go. First
let me say something about Daniel's Difficulties. Daniel, after he had been
promoted by King Darius, it was not long afterwards that envy reared it's ugly
head. And envy is a terrible thing. Jealousy is a terrible thing. Someone once
said that envy is the tribute that failure pays to success. Most of the times we
become envious and jealous of other people because their success has a way
exposing our own failure. But have you ever thought about it? Whenever you are
jealous about what God has blessed and given to someone else; literally what you
are saying is that what you are saying
to God is that I am not satisfied with what You have done in my life. But
you see, you need to learn how to grow where you have been planted and bloom
where you have been placed. That is the marvelous witness and power you posses.
Their plan had been put into motion. Not because there
was a flaw in Daniel but rather because there was a flaw in King Darius. And the
flaw in the king was his pride. Not only is envy a terrible thing but so is
pride. Pride will destroy you. What these men were saying to the king is that you need
to be god for a month. And the king liked the sound of that and he signed the
decree. Notice that they are envious and jealous of Daniel because he had been
promoted. They could find no fault in Daniel as it relates to his job and his
performance on the job. And they decide that if we are going to get at Daniel,
we must get after him concerning the law and his god. Notice the method to the
madness of these men. There problem with Daniel is a personality conflict. But they camouflage it and make it appear
on the surface to be religious. And after all these years, little has
changed. Because we have a way of spiritualizing our evil. Amen walls! You know that when you get to the bottom of all the
trouble in the church, 95% of the time it grows out of a personality conflict.
Regardless of what we are talking about on the surface, when we get to the root
of most the difficulties in the church it comes down to: "I don't like her." I
can't stand him." And "I don't want to work with them." Oh, come somebody. You
can't tell me that after 16 years Battlefield Ministries folk have always gotten
along! (PAUSE) Their problem was a personality conflict but they spiritualized
their evil. And nobody can beat church-folk spiritualizing their evil. That is
Daniel's Difficulties. " He could have said, "Well I don't have to
pray...publicly." Now he could have said, "Now there is no reason to loose all
of my influence over this 30 day moratorium on pray." Or he could have said what
most church folk would have said, "God...knows...my...heart." You know that we can dismiss
anything we don't want to do by saying, "God knows my heart." Staying at home
for no reason at all... "You know I couldn't get there. I wanted to be there.
You know God knows my heart." And the truth is you don't know how right you are!
God does!!! Know your heart! But Daniel's Decision is to be true to his God. For the
word says that in spite of all the thing s he could have done, v 10 tells us
exactly what he did do: "Knowing that the decree had been signed. He goes into
his house. He goes into his chamber. Opens his windows towards Jerusalem. Gets
down on his knees and prays three times a day as he had done afore time." Now
Daniel's Decision tells us a few things about his pray-life. Not only did he have a place for prayer but he also had
a posture in his prayer. The Bible says that he bowed his knees. As a sign of
humility, he bowed. As a sign of reverence, he bowed. As a sign of submission,
he bowed. Kneeling, is a begging posture. And when we come before God, we all
come before Him as nothing more than a beggar. Now bowing is more than a
position is a posture. His bowing was symbolic of him bowing in his heart. You've got a certain time of the day that you have that
first cup of morning coffee. Set time of the day to even watch a t.v. show. I
mean you won't even answer the telephone when your show is on. And if you do,
you hurry the person off and say call me back once my show is over. We got a set
time for everything but prayer. But you see I discovered something. I want you do get
this. If you bow before God, you can stand before any man. The Bible said that
he knew that the decree had been signed but he went on into his house, went up
into his chamber, opened his window and prayed three times a day as he had done
afore time. He continued on with business as usual. Maybe that's God word for somebody here this morning.
You're faced with an awful situation. You find yourself in a crisis. But I want
you to know this morning that in spite of what your doctor has told you. In
spite of what your lawyer is saying. In spite of how it may appear to be in your
life right now! Get down on your knees! Tell God all about! Go to bed tonight
and get a good night's sleep! And in the morning! Business! As! Usual!
For I've discovered that if you pray; something is bound
to happen! Darius' power
was limited. But the God whom he served was able to do all
things. You never
have to doubt in the dark what God has promised to you in the
light. For Daniel realized. That he was
not trusting in the king. But he was trusting in. His God. And the word says
that when Darius went back to his room. When he got back to his palace. That he
fasted all night long. Sleep passed from him. All night he paced the floor.
Worried about Daniel. And early the next morning. He went to the lions den. And
said Daniel, is the God whom you serve continually, able to deliver you? That is why. The hymologist says. Be not dismayed.
Whatever be tied. God will. Take care of you. Anybody here. Know God will. Won't
He fight your battles. Won't He lift heavy burdens. Won't make a way. Out of
know way. Won't He wipe tears. From your eyes. Prop you up. On every leaning
side.
Faithfulness - A Key Step to Happiness
Apr 1, 2012:
"In to the
end"
Sun AM Worship
C.H. Spurgeon said, "If
God does not save a man by truth he certainly will not save them by lies, and if
the old gospel is not competent to work a revival, then we will do without the
revival;"
Open my mind
so I can understand Your Word.
And open my heart so I may receive all that
You want me to receive. AMEN
Paul told Timothy to be a good soldier. Soldiers prepare for battle
in time of peace. They practice.
When the enemy is closing in, you don't have
time to get out the Book and find out how to load your
weapon.
You don't have time to figure out how prayer works as you are
being thrown into the lions.
Daniel chapter 6 says that King Darius has placed a
120 princes over the providence of Babylon. He has made three men president over
all the princes. And one of the three was the prophet, Daniel. Fact about it,
the Bible says that he was preferred over the other two presidents. And the king
had given thought to placing Daniel over all of the others. In the midst of
that, those other princes and presidents began to look at Daniel with eyes of
envy. And they thought to try and find some fault in Daniel as it related to the
kingdom. But they could find nothing faultful in Daniel as it related to the
kingdom. And they decided that if we're going to find some fault in Daniel...if
there is anything that we're going to be able to get after him about, it must be
concerning the law of his God. Are you
praying with me? For as obedient and as loyal as Daniel is to the king and the
kingdom of Babylon, we know, that he is even more loyal to the god that he
serves!
They conspired together and they come up with this
plan and they go to the king and they say to the king, "For the next 30 days,
king we want you to sign a decree, that no one shall pray to any other god nor
man except you. And if anyone is found praying to any other god or man except
you for the next 30 days, let that man be thrown to a den of lions." The king
liked the sound of that, sounded pretty good to him. The decree was written and
the king signed it and it was put into effect. And the word says,
But lets look at Daniel's Decision. Now Daniel is
faced with an awful decision. He must decide wether to continue praying to his
God; being faithful to his God or bowing down to this god of the month plan. For
the word says that he knows that the decree has been signed! Now Daniel could
have rationalized it. He could have said, "Well you know it only 30 days. I can
go 30 days without praying.
It tells us
first of all that Daniel had a place for prayer. He went into his house. And the
word said, he went into his chamber. He had a private place for prayer. And I
want to suggest that every believer needs that private place for prayer. Every
child of God needs an Upper Room experience. That place where you can get away
from everything and everybody and be alone with God. For if you are going to do
anything for God you must first spend some time alone with God.
He
had a place for prayer, he had posture for prayer, and finally he had a period
for prayer. The Bible says that Daniel gets down on his knees and prays three
times a day. Have you thought about it, that most us have a set time for
everything but prayer. You got a set time that you get up in the morning. The
alarm clock is fix on a certain time.
Daniel knew about the decree. And yet he goes into his house.
Opens his windows. Gets down on his knees and prays to his God. And the word
says that all day; from morning to evening the king tried to deliver Daniel. And
that is why Daniel didn't have contempt
for the king. Rather, he had commitment to the King of kings. He realized
that
So the final thing we need
to look at is Daniel's Deliverance. The king tried all day to deliver Daniel and
was unable to deliver him. Finally late in the evening, Daniel was cast into a
den of lions. But I want to tell you this morning. That if you put your trust in
the Lord. Anything God brings you to. He's got enough to bring you all the way
through.
And
I've discovered the difference between Daniel and most of us is, Daniel served
God continually. But most of us serve
God when it is comfortable and convenient. We serve God until. Most of us
are guilty of having an Until Religion.' We serve Him until we can't get our way
anymore. We serve Him. As long as. Everything. Is going. Our way. Am I right
about it!? But Daniel answers, my God is able. And I wonder if anybody here this
morning knows the Lord is able. If you trust and never doubt. The Lord will.
Surely. Bring you out. For Daniel said. The Lord. Sent His angels. To watch over
me all night long. Well. Daniel said. The angel had. Shut the Lions' mouth.
And our forefathers knew something about that.
That's why thy sang. All night. And all day. Angels keep. Watching over me.
Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus. For those angels. That watch over us all night
long.
And the Bible says. That not only was Daniel
delivered. But the king. Took those same men. That conjured up that decree. And
had them. And their families. Thrown into the lions' den. Because. When you
stand up. For what is right. You don't have to worry. About. Fighting. Your own
battles. For vengeance. Is mine. Saith the Lord. And I will repay.
Anybody
here. Know. He'll fight your battles. Anybody here. Know. He'll watch over you.
Anybody here. Know. He'll keeps His arms. All around you. Have I got a
witness.
You've got to be mindful. Of how you treat the people of God. You've
got to be mindful. Of how you deal with. The man of God. For the Lord. Watched
over Daniel. But those men. Were devoured by the lions. I want you to know. That
if you stand up. For what is right. It may get dark. In your life. But the Lord.
Will. See you through. It may get rough. But God will. See you through.
I'm so glad. He will. See you through. A little girl in Sunday school.
Told her Sunday school teacher. The reason those lions. Didn't eat Daniel. Is
because the Lion. Of the Tribe of Judea. Was in there. With him.
So I want
to tell you. You may face a lion's den. But go on. With Business As Usual. For
we serve a Christ. Who's able. To go in the lion's den. We serve a Christ. Who's
able to see us through. You've got to keep your eyes. On the Lord. And not on
the lions.
You may be. In a lion's den. A lion's den. Of a broken marriage.
A lion's den. Of a broken family. A lion's den. Of a loss of health. A lion's
den. Of a loss of wealth. But keep your eyes. On the Lord. And He will. See you
through. I'm mighty glad. That my hope is built. On nothing less. Than Jesus
blood. And righteousness. I dare not trust. The sweetest frame. But holy lean.
On Jesus name. It's on Christ. The solid rock I stand. All other ground. Is
sinking sand