FOUR GOOD MEN
Suggested Reading: Daniel 1-2
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Among the ruins of Ephesus is one of the largest ancient amphitheatres in existence today. The four great empires of today's reading, including the one that built this gigantic structure, have come and gone. The Kingdom established by God through His Son, Jesus Christ (Messiah), remains forever!
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Daniel 2:19-20
Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His.”
Daniel, an outstanding man of God, served as a leader over the entire 70 year period of Babylonian/Persian captivity. He represented the true God so well that the emperors acknowledged the God of Israel as GOD as a result of Daniel’s ministry. This Old Testament book can only be compared with the New Testament book of Revelation for its prophetic content. God is “forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His!” (2:20).
Daniel chapter one singles out four young Hebrew men for their excellence of character. The king’s assessment, as a result of his interview with them, was that they were 10 times more qualified than the others. This provides a challenge for us to be people of excellence!
Chapter two moves us directly into the recognition that God alone knows the secrets of the human heart, and He alone can reveal that which people on their own can never know. Daniel pulls back the curtain and writes of four great empires. The current Babylonian one, and the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires yet to come. The confession of King Nebuchadnezzar in 2:47 is astonishing. This proud Emperor fell prostrate on his face and declared to Daniel, “Truly your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings!” From Daniel we learn to bring our witness for God into the culture, into government and into everyday life. This is happening today in the country called by Winston Churchill “the Pearl of Africa,” Uganda (see the video clip mentioned below).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I bow before You in recognition that You are my King! Rule and reign in my life I pray. Reveal Yourself to me as I read Your Word and pray each day. Grant me, I ask, understanding and the wisdom to apply Your Word to my life in practical ways that will bless, not only me, but all those with whom I come into contact. I pray this in the Name of the One who did this at all times, Jesus Christ. Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Some may remember the fishing trip I mentioned from two weeks ago. Well, this past Sunday those four young men were at our place for a fish dinner, along with two young ladies, as well as our neighbours, Ollie (who took us fishing), his wife Jenny, our son and his wife, David Reynold (our photographer) and Kathy. As I visited with these four men (university students, Caleb, Sam, Jaques and David), I thought of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego of today’s reading. What amazing potential there is in the lives of young people. Like the four young Hebrews, these young men (and the young ladies) are gaining knowledge, skill in literature and wisdom (Daniel 2:17).
I want to thank my sons with all my heart for their participation in this blog. I’ve mentioned before that Ron helps me (I’m semi-illiterate in computers) by formatting and posting the blog each day, every day. The amazing blog experience of Ron’s wife Ann from yesterday’s blog is well worth reading again and sending to others. Today, I want to answer the question I’ve been asked over and over. How are Reynold and Kathy doing? Right now they are here with us in the seniors mobile home park in Florida for a week. They are well and Reynold’s photos grace this blog each day. They are committed to world missions 100%. Here’s a link to a most miraculous God-called missions outreach. There’s so much to tell! (click here). Anyone who desires to know more about their mission, please visit their web site at http://worldembrace.org/uganda/. Tomorrow, God willing, I’ll try to connect readers with a prayer from Uganda’s President.
Yours for the fulfillment of God’s purposes in our time as demonstrated in their time by those four young men in today’s reading,
David
P.S. My son Ron and his wife Ann are hosting 100 Huntley Street this week and next (Moira Brown is on vacation, and Jerry Johnston is also away). If you missed yesterday’s program, here is a link to Ron and Ann’s interview with Canadian hockey legend Paul Henderson and his wife Eleanor.
God Bless you David and all your loved ones. Gods favour is upon your family.
World Embrace is certainly setting a tide of unity and mobility for Uganda, a timely and exciting mission indeed! Thanks again Ron, Reynold and Anne, for making this blog possible for your father to be such a wealth of growth and insight for us all! Whereas otherwise, the page would be blank, thousands of scriptural and inspirational words have been read, pondered and prayed. David’s daily hundred words will have now exceeded approximately 66,000 words! Blog responses must be in the hundred’s of thousands! Thank you!!
My tears are still flowing, knowing how God is using Reynold and Kathy in the World Embrace ministry for the people of Uganda. To hear the Honourable Richard Todwong, Minister of the Office of the President of the Republic of Uganda speak about uniting the Ugandan people with Christ and working hand in hand with World Embrace is a miracle! To hear how the door was opened wide by God, exhilarating! To make the connection with John 17, powerful! ‘Father may they be one, so that the world will know that You have sent me and have loved them.’ Thank you, Kathy and Reynold! Thank You God, for using them as Your tools to bring healing and unity to the beautiful people of Uganda! Amen!
It is not often that I am at a loss for words, but the power of today’s scripture in Daniel 1-2; the brilliance of the prophecy; the depth of God’s love has left me speechless. I can’t wrap my mind around how utterly divine it is, other than to describe it as my mind and my heart feel the depth of God’s love at the same time, and I am awe-struck by the wonder. Words cannot describe how much love I feel for God, our Creator, our Lord, and Sustainer.
The combination of the World Embrace ministry by your amazing son and daughter-in-love, Reynold and Kathy, and Daniel 1-2 of the Old Testament, has perhaps been my most treasured day on your blog, since it began, David Mainse! Praise God for the amazing work you and your family are doing in ministry around the world. Oh, how He loves us, so!!
Amen and Amen! We have an awesome God! I just posted on Facebook the clip of Reynold and Kathy with World Embrace…
Daniel 1 – 2… An amazing miracle where God implanted the very dream of King Nebuchadnezzar into Daniels mind with interpretation… Amen!
May our heavenly Father continue to bless his work through the Mainse family and this amazing blog! AMEN and AMEN!
And AMEN!!!
Amen!
I is wonderful to see Reynold and Kathy and the amazing work God has called them to. Good message as well today. Much thanks to all who put this together so well.
Daniel, what a great book. You encouraged us to get involved in government, David. We can google StopProstitution.ca and sign a petition and today is the last day I believe. Your story, Ann is inspiring as well as the work of World Embrace by Reynold and Ann. Lord, please use each of us to further your kingdom. I feel the Lord wants me to help out songleading in our church. Please pray that God will open the door if it is truly His will. My practise singing by CD is coming along quite well. Praise God. Contemplating the story of Ann, I am hearing the old saying, MOVE IT! Daniel needed friends to do help him do God’s will and so do we. Thank you David, Norma-Jean, Ron, Ann, Reynold for all your inspiration and teaching. God bless all.
Sorry, I mean Reynold and Cathy.
Dear Rev. David M.
It is with tears of joy that I go through the 100 words today. What an amazing God we serve . How very encouraging to see Gods Church coming to unity like Jesus Christ so very well expressed and prayed it to His Father in our behalf a week before His death. So Heavenly Father thank you for the giving of Your Begotten Son Jesus Christ (Messiah) our Redeemer, our King . Protect and sustain World Embrace Ministry and all the missions that are now doing your will until until Jesus RETURNS IN GLORY. Amen .
Have a blessed day everyone .
XXXX Carole.
AMEN!
It’s wonderful to see Ann and Ron hosting the show again. I’ve missed them. I wish they would host with Moira.
Thank you Reynold and Kathy for sharing
with us today. Your enthusiasm is such
an inspiration and how wonderful to see
God going before you, opening the doors,
answering the desires and prayers of the
people there wanting unity. What a great
need all around the world. This was very
exciting for me to hear today.
And also to be in the book of Daniel now.
What a blessing. I feel as you Beverly
with all the sharing today, “the blessings
of God are abundant”. Thank you everyone
who has shared today, and thank you
David, Ron and Ann.
“Fresh fish dinner sounded real good too.”
Blessings to all. Faith
Wow! Amazing mission:) how I wish Sierra Leone will be part of this too:) may the Good Lord see them through as He has already started:) stay blessed my blogg family