70 YEARS
Today’s Reading: Daniel 9-10
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
On display in the Pella Archaeological Museum in Central Greece is a sleeping baby angel. The imagination of the sculptor here is a long way from Daniel’s description of the Angel who came to him. Read Daniel 10:5-7.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Daniel 9:2-3
In the first year of his [Cyrus’] reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of years specified by the word of the Lord, given through Jeremiah, the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem. Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
Daniel’s prayers were not just the “Now I lay me down to sleep” variety. The content of his prayer was directly from his reading of his Bible. When we understand God’s will “by the Book” and pray God’s Word, we can expect God’s action. Even so, here in this blog, we read from “The Book” and then we pray accordingly. We may be sure that two of the “Books” which Daniel read and understood were Jeremiah and 2 Chronicles (read Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 2 Chronicles 36:18-23). Now we can understand why Daniel prayed as he did. Let us pray the prayer of Daniel as if we were reading from a prayer book. Scripture has one true interpretation but many applications. Let’s apply this prayer to the nations where we live, in my case Canada, and part-time in the United States.
In the space allotted to this blog, we cannot possibly comment thoroughly on the amazing prophecy of the 70 weeks (literally “heptads” or weeks of years – 490 years).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, today I pray with fervency the prayer of Daniel. Thank You for the Son of man, the Lord Jesus Christ (Messiah), Who touches me and strengthens me as the one “having the likeness of a man” did for Daniel. (Daniel 10:19) In His Name I pray, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Two stories – the first I know personally. Dr. John Wesley White, associate evangelist with Billy Graham, on the live 100 Huntley Street telecast, held up a copy of the Toronto star and pointed out “prophecies” for the new year by psychic Jean Dixon. John said, “If even one of these comes true, I’ll shred this paper one year from now, put it in a bowl, put some milk and sugar on it, and eat it right here on live TV.” One year later I prepared that shredded paper, poured milk on it and added sugar, but when reviewing the year’s events, not one of Ms. Dixon’s predictions had come to pass. John did not have to eat even one spoonful! We had a great laugh, but the deceit practiced by psychics is not funny. God’s true prophets are 100% accurate, no fuzzy generalizations in order to weasel out when it does not happen, as is the case particularly of the practise of astrology.
Tomorrow, God willing, I’ll tell the second story of a prayer meeting where a menacing person who introduced himself as “The Prince of Los Angeles” showed up. Today’s reading tells us of several princes who serve the evil one (remember Ephesians 6:12-13).
Yours for “understanding” and “praying” accordingly,
David
P.S. It’s my understanding that many of those who pray at the retaining wall of the original Temple platform in Jerusalem (known as the Western Wall or Wailing Wall) often pray the prayer of Daniel 9. Below is a recent photo taken at that wall.
The Western Wall or Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. Men pray on the left and women in the crowded area on the right. The land behind the wall, the area where the Temple once stood, is under the control of the Muslims. On the horizon is the Mount of Olives. The steeple seen about 3/4 of the way across the top of the picture is the place where tradition says that Jesus ascended into Heaven.
Our Heavenly Father, hear the prayers and petitions of your saints, out of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear! Lord, act! Lord, our great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him. We pray for all good things, today, to come into fruition for the saints and their loved ones. Lord God, watch over us. To You, do we humbly pray. We place our hope and trust in You and You alone. For You are the most high. We worship You and give You all the praise. In Jesus mighty Name, we pray. Amen, amen and amen.
One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. Psalm 27:4 ESV
50 Greatest Gospel Hymns of all Time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omwUPwsih78
Amen.(Our camp council most often meets at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Truro,NS.)
Amen Bill!
Amen Amen and Amen!
Here is the live link of my church service, Emmanuel Baptist Church:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMpfc5fRvbE
For anyone else:this service should begin again live at noon ET.
Amen to your powerful prayer, Beverlee. The prayers of Daniel in today’s reading is, I believe, very fitting for today and for what we are experiencing in the world. I believe God is calling us as His children to pray like Daniel, as never before.
Amen
Watching now.He is speaking on the Prodigal son.Thank you,Beverlee….You live near my close friends’ son,Andrew Fortier in Brighton and another friend,Pastor Gerry Morgan,friend of Pastor Mainse,in Madoc.
I only caught about the last 10 min but it seems it was recorded so I can worship too.Thanks again.God bless
Yes Bill, if you missed the live 9 am service, it plays again at 11 am, the second service time. Also, anyone can watch and take part in the live Wednesday 1:30 pm bible study.
Thanks.I just may tune in Wed too @ 2:30 AT.I’m getting off her so I can finish the video service.God bless
PS:I used to send these little poems at the end of emails to Pastor John’s wife.She is the communicator.It was she who told me I should save them as benedictions so I have done so since then in a dedicated file.This is near the top and I felt an inspiration to post this one,for all Christians:
Manna
May fear vanish before your face
As His joy goes before your feet
And may your words show His grace
To those whom you should meet,
For you are that child of God
And in you is the One they need;
So fear no journey as you trod
For you have manna with which to feed.
G.W.Marshall/ 23 March, 2019
Amen
I guess I’m now in the the 11AM service.Now I am outta here….”Lean into God…”
I think we should all pray for Ron and Ann…and all at Crossroads.
Father God,in these trying times,a foretaste of future events,we pray for your protection against this scourge,especially for the you and the more vulnerable.Awaken within us the realization that You are trying to get our attention and want us to come back to you,the All Mighty and ONLY God.Help us to walk closer to You,that we might get to know you better as to understand You as much as humanly possible and then,Father,our love for You may grow and please you.How much does a loving father hurt when his own (earthly) children turn their backs on him?How much more is that hurt when billions have long turned their backs on You,the source of all love?Father,we beech you to give us more understanding to accomplish Your will and get ready to receive Your Son,our most holy Messiah,Jesus the Christ.Thanks you,Father.In Jesus’ precious name,we pray.Amen
“…especially for the young….”
” Father,we beseech you…”
When will I learn to check my spelling before I post??Have a great Lord’s Day.
Amen, William
Daniel’s prayer (Daniel 9:4-20):
“O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands. But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets, who spoke on your authority to our kings and princes and ancestors and to all the people of the land.
“Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you. O Lord, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. We have not obeyed the Lord our God, for we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has disobeyed your instruction and turned away, refusing to listen to your voice.
“So now the solemn curses and judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured down on us because of our sin. You have kept your word and done to us and our rulers exactly as you warned. Never has there been such a disaster as happened in Jerusalem. Every curse written against us in the Law of Moses has come true. Yet we have refused to seek mercy from the Lord our God by turning from our sins and recognizing his truth. Therefore, the Lord has brought upon us the disaster he prepared. The Lord our God was right to do all of these things, for we did not obey him.
“O Lord our God, you brought lasting honor to your name by rescuing your people from Egypt in a great display of power. But we have sinned and are full of wickedness. In view of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn your furious anger away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. All the neighboring nations mock Jerusalem and your people because of our sins and the sins of our ancestors.
“O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary.
“O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city—the city that bears your name—lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.
“O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.”
I went on praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people, pleading with the Lord my God for Jerusalem, his holy mountain.”
Father, we add our own cries to those of Daniel. We ask that You build Your church strong and pure, a lighthouse whereby people see and recognise that You are God, the One who came to save and redeem us. Bless all Your workers today, Lord, throughout this world, we ask thankfully in Jesus’s great name, amen
Amen, amen.
Indeed, amen Rob.
Amen,Amen, Amen!!!!!
Amen!
Amen
We had our church service on line today @
11 a.m. I watch another service live on line from Glad Tidings Church, Burlington @ 9:30 a.m. Both were a blessing during this unusual time in the world. Thank You Lord.
Amen Beverlee, Deanna, William and Rob. May God’s will be done in our country and around the world.
Amen yes Lord Be With Your World
Save Us
Ron,I hope you see this:It is now Monday,March 23 but today’s comments are unavailable because none of the links take us to today’s blog.I tried for about 1/2 hr but none of the links take us to today’s blog.God bless you and all your loved ones with many thanks to to you and Ann.