Paul McKenzie

Memory Verse, Sunday Review, November 16, Daniel 6-7 outline

In my opinion, the overall theme of Daniel comes from his prayer in chapter 2:

"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him." (20-22)

In this great book we see that He cares not only for the great things, but every detail of our lives. And when we walk in faithfulness, He is always by our side, from strengthening us with our daily bread to seeing the vision of His will being done on earth as it is in heaven. And we see the great coming of His mighty Kingdom within this vision, and the great suffering of the saints as they reflect His glory and walk in His path.

We learn that we live in the eternal. That we live with the great assurance that we are eternal. We will soon see in the coming chapters the "cutting off" of the Messiah, and His great return.

I was honored to sing and give the closing prayer at the Downriver Right to Life meeting this week. The guest speaker was a woman who was adopted. Her birth mother had to be institutionalized because of schizophrenia, and her birth father was a sexual predator. Yet, being adopted into a Christian home she learned all about the love of Christ and is now forming a Christian adoption agency. Though her intent is completely non-profit, the State is putting her through much suffering with red tape and regulations just to get started.

When I first heard of the guest speaker, I knew exactly which song I wanted to open with. It was the great adoption passage from Romans 8:14-18. In Roman days, some citizens would adopt a person, often slaves, to become their sons. Many times they were faithful stewards that the citizen trusted to give his estate when he died.

An adopted child has something unique compared to birth children: They were picked, chosen in love by a family to cherish and raise up as one of their own. And this is one way God compares us. He cares not only for the great battles, kings, and the coming rule, but the small, intimate things, even counting the hairs falling from our head.

And we, as His adopted children, reflect Him and declare Him before a lost, self-serving world, for He, in His great wisdom has chosen His church to call a people to Himself. And each of those children know that "He who lives and believes in me will never die". (John 11:25-26) Never die, because all mortal death does is release us from these old clay pots and bring us directly into His glorious Presence. And when this Age has ended, He will give us perfect, resurrection bodies and we will reign with Him forever.

As you prepare for church today, I leave you with that great passage from Romans to contemplate. Feel free to share this verse with others as a conversation starter instead of how the Lions are going to do today! And if you have to talk about lions, how about that chapter of Daniel in the lion's den, right?

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

Now that you read it quickly, read it again slowly, out loud, and get the full impact of this great promise!

Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.

Memory Helps:

Chapter 6: "Daniel is in a big FIX! MIXES with Lions."
Chapter 7: "First HEAVEN-LY Vision: The Four Beasts, The Ancient of Days: King of HEAVEN, and The Son of Man comes from HEAVEN"