dawnp63

What does verse 44 teach us about the kingdom that the God of heaven will set up? lasts forever, set up by God, never be destroyed, never be left to others, will be a historical time What kingdom is this? The Lord's final kingdom When does this kingdom come? In the fullness of time, when all that were chosen before time to enter the Kingdom have been gathered to Him (not a one which was given to Him (as a bride to a bridegroom) will be lost How is this related to Mark 1:15? The time was fulfilled with Christ's birth, and the Kingdom is "at hand" - near enough to touch, but just out of reach When will it destroy all other kingdoms? At the final judgement

How does Daniel show humility in this situation? He does not puff himself up as the one with the knowledge (which would have been easy to do, considering the circumstances - Arioch had already boasted that he had "found a man... who will make known to the king the interpretation". This is most certainly a court lesson learned - make sure you have value so you are not dismissed (killed). How does he use this situation as an opportunity to witness before the king to his faith in God? Daniel boldly declares that "[men] cannot declare to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets". He shows that his seeking of the Lord is where the answer came from, not from all the knowledge and wisdom of Babylon. According to 1 Peter 5:5-6, should we try to exalt ourselves? NO If we do so, what will happen? "God resists the proud"... we are to clothe ourselves and be known for our humility.

Q4. (Daniel 1:8-16) What is Daniel’s first approach to eat a different diet? Daniel asked that they be allowed to not eat the food presented to them. What does he do when his first attempt failed? Offers a short-term test to prove that a diet that would not defile them would not cause them any harm, either. What is his demeanor towards those over him? Respectful, requesting; this must have always been his demeanor, as the Scripture says "God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief fo the eunuchs" (Dan 1: 9) In what ways do you think God affects the outcome of Daniel’s request? It is evident that God provided a softened heart of the chief of the eunuchs, and health to Daniel and the other 3 young men. They easily could have contracted any number or usual illnesses during that 10 day period which would have negated any positive outcomes of the others. God directs even the steps and minds of those who don't serve Him!

Q3. (Daniel 1:8-10) Why do you think Daniel took a stand concerning being defiled by the king’s food and wine? Daniel may have been given a dream or thought from the LORD (he surely did late in life!) that instructed him to test the Babylonian king and THE KING to see who would provide best. This was his quiet testimony to the people around him of his dependence on Jehovah. How do you think eating the king’s food would cause defilement to Daniel’s conscience? Hebrew children learn the dietary restrictions from an very early age - and the results of not being clean would have been drilled into their heads. What does this tell you about Daniel? Daniel was wise, gentle and strong, obedient (even though it could have cost him his life!)

Q2. (Daniel 1:1-7) What changes did Daniel and his friends experience? They were removed from their home (most likely forceably) and relocated to another country with different foods, different language and different values. They were essentially orphaned and put at the mercy of their "keepers" What was their status in Jerusalem? Ruling class, admired, free In Babylon? Captive, looked down upon, court servants What do you think was the effect of changing their names to Babylonian names? I wonder how long it took them to respond to their new "names". I am certain they used their real names in private (if they had privacy at first). Taking away a name dehumanizes, that is why we dislike "honey, sweetie, etc" - that is not who I am, except to my husband! What impact might it have on them to be made eunuchs? To be disfigured in this way would have made them realize on a daily basis that they are bounty recovered from a nation beseiged. Being an eunuch also made them "unclean" and unable to participate in temple worship if they did return to Jerusalem. Did they make compromises?There is no indication of that, and I'm certain if there were compromises made, it would have been early on.

Q1. (Daniel 1:1-5) Have you ever made a rapid transition between your customary culture and a new and radically different culture? Yes, when I went from a single room 23 student K-8 church school to public high school. What did it feel like? Getting lost! Although my high school was small (graduating class of 112), it was radically different from what I was used to (we had moved from the Northern Indiana to Central Texas only 3 years before, another culture shock). Were you able to take your faith with you, or did it fade to the background during this time? While I took my faith, I'm not sure that I demonstrated my faith... recently I asked as classmate from that time "where you a closet Christian, too?". I did not keep company with people who shared my faith and values and instead ran wild.

Our obedience comes from our desire to please God - not appease God. Many things we do in life are because we HAVE to : the laundry, payng bills, etc. These are done out of duty. But when I cook a special meal for my husband, or give him a back rub, these are done out of love and wanting to please him. The focus must remain on the pleasing and not on the rules/duties/laws. Love covers all, while legalism is a check-the-box type of life - often with someone else being responsible for checking off the boxes! We focus on the items on the list, and spend our days missing out on the things that are not on the list - like the opportunity to share Christ with an unlovely person, or to help someone who needs our assistance. We develop such a narrow field of view (a list or set of rules) that we can't see the beautiful things that are going on around us. We can make love our center and therefore be serious about obedience by making the ONE who displayed PERFECT love our focus. Everything He did and does is motivated by love.

Amen and amen!!!! I believe that as Christians we become very complacent with "little sins" and love to pick on others' "big sins" - but it's all the same in the HOLY LORD's eyes! I may never abuse drugs - it just isn't part of my personality, too much of a control freak - but I have other sins that I constantly have to deal with, such as laziness and pride and "control". Just because my sin is not 'in-your-face' sin, doesn't mean that it doesn't grieve my Savior. Even if the only sin I ever committed (not that this was possible, mind you) was that I told one "little white lie", my Savior still would have had to die on the cross!

John promises us that when we sin, we have a Savior who will intercede us, pleading for our forgivenss. My forgiveness is not dependant on my confession of each and every sin that I ever commit - many I don't even realize until much later that they were sin! What a comfort to know that because I am Christ's "client" and He is "on retainer" for me, that He is always ready to go to court for me and plead my case! Satan often uses our sins as a way to try to get our focus off of our wonderful Savior - and to cause the Christian to be less effective in his spiritual walk by being burdened with guilt. Yes, guilt is necessary, and I know that my sins are horrible, filty rags - BUT, if I only focus on those things, then I can never do what the Spirit would have for me to do, because I continue to wallow in bondage to the sins. I want to avoid deliberate sin because I know that it causes me to be farther away from fellowship with my Savior and other Christians, and causes me to be ineffectual in my witness and life of sanctification.

Confession is the public acknowledgement of my responsibility for my actions. Confession to God is the primary responsibility, but if I only confess to God, then I don't allow others to see how confession works in my life! Confession needs to be a true plea for help with sin - not just a "devil made me do it" sentence. When we stop confessing our sins, they lose some of their awfulness - we become complacent and start pulling around a shade of cover to shield us from God's pure light. When we confess our sins, God promises pardon (we can't be tried for that same sin again, in that exact instance) and God promises to work in our lives to help us deal with the sin in the future. Forgiveness is the pardon, cleansing is the washing off the dirt from my life!

Walking in darkness causes us to stumble, stub our toes and get lost! Fear is bred in darkness, also. A Christian who persists in living in the darkness is sure to find him/herself farther away from where they want to go, because they can't find the narrow way in the dark. In complete darkness, you can't even differientiate between a white piece of paper and a black piece of paper! So how can someone walking in the darkness even know if they're picking the right way? If we walk in the light, we have fellowship with other Christians (and accountability) and will be cleansed an purified by Christ's blood. The only way that we can get out of the darkness is to confess that we are in darkness and ask God to turn on the light of truth to show us the way (we can't even find the lightswitch, although we keep trying).

True, deep fellowship requires transparency on our part, and we are conditioned from a very early age to hide behind the "poker face" - so we won't be hurt, look foolish, seem needy ...We also need to be so closely fellowshipping with the Triune God so that we can truly have fellowship with other Christians.

I am looking forward to another great Bible Study! I live in Central Texas with a newly-empty nest, and starting a new job in 1 month, and am actively working to see where God wants me to give to HIM and others this month... John's letters are also our sermon series right now, so I figure God has something HE really wants me to get, if I'm getting it twice! Looking forward to everyone's insights into these important passages.

Jesus is the ultimate kinsman-redeemer! But everyone on the earth can become His "kinsman" and therefore receive eternal life. The kinsman-redeemer watched closely over the family, and took interest in their affairs...

Slaves were redeemed and a "ransom" was paid - just as a ransom is demanded even today to "get your family member back alive....". Slaves/kidnapped people are at the mercy to those who enslave/hold them. We were enslaved to our sin nature, unable to do any good thing through our own hands, unable to set ourselves free from sin. Slaves could escape, but anyone could pick them up and return them to their master unless they had the mark/paper of being free. Do I show the mark of my redemption in my daily life? Can others tell by looking at me/watching my conduct/listening to my talk know that I'm no longer a slave?