OCTOBER 23 READING…DANIEL 5-6 & JAMES 2
Every kingdom of man will fall…it does not matter how great it is. Nebuchadnezzar dies, and soon Babylon falls into disarray. His grandson Belshazzar is as corrupt as they come. He has no respect for anyone…and apparently, he thinks life is a party. In his debauchery he brings the Temple implements captured by Nebuchadnezzar to his drunken party and defiles them. All of the sudden a hand appears and writes on the wall…immediately, Belshazzar who was drunk, became stone cold sober. Daniel was brought out to interpret the writing…which said, that very night Babylon would fall. Just like the dream God gave Nebuchadnezzar had in chapter 2, the head of gold became the arms of silver…Babylon falls to the Medes and the Persians. Daniel was placed under Darius the Mede, and the Lord blessed him there. But, the other “wise men” became jealous of Daniel, and tricked Darius into condemning Daniel to die in the lion’s den. God was merciful to Daniel and shut the mouths of the hungry lions. All of this happened because Daniel daily walked in his faith. In James 2 we are told the biblical faith does not show favoritism, nor does it discriminate…especially concerning a person economic status. Biblical faith treats all people with the same respect and concern. There is no hierarchy in the church, no one is more important than anyone else. We are reminded that faith is seen by the way we live our lives. Words are cheap, real faith is seen in actions. May the Lord help each of us not only to declare our faith, but to live our faith.
Please share your thoughts.
TOMORROW’S READING…DANIEL 7-8 & JAMES 3