Join Pam as we take a deeper look at Daniel Chapter 6. Daniel is described as a man of “excellent spirit” and “faithful”. This one chapter reveals so much that we can glean from Daniel and apply to our own life. 

1. There are significant things that bloom in our life when we consistently spend time with God.
2. Sin is in the world, but God is greater, focus on him.
3. Our devotion and trust in God doesn’t go unnoticed by those around us.

Sisters, I feel like I say this a million times. And for one, I am preaching to myself, two times that many. All of us need to recognize that there is so much power in the time that we spend with Christ. There’s so much power in our life when we do that on a consistent basis. And so we go back to last week’s podcast, set up your holy and healthy routines so that God is number one. All of us know this is no big secret. But the people that we invest in the most in our life, are probably the relationships that we would count as the closest. And why do they look that way? Because we give them the most attention. Sisters God wants your attention. He wants to be in fellowship with you. And just as much as you desire to grow closer to Him. He wants to be in fellowship, but there are some things that you And I simply have to do. We cannot ignore our time with God. It has to be consistent. 

Transcription

Welcome to the Soul Sister Podcast with Pam Bailey. Grab a cup of coffee sister, and let’s sit and chat about all of the things that lead us to a Christ-centered life, full of purpose, and joy. Hi sisters. It’s Pam welcome back to the soul sister Podcast. I’m pretty excited to jump into this week’s topic. Last week if you were able to listen. We talked about Daniel, and we put his just a smidgen of his life into the perspective of the conversation of having routines in our relationship with Christ. That story in Daniel, just jumped out at me so much so that I chewed on it for several days after, and I just felt the urge to do a follow-up podcast about Daniel. So today, I want to jump right back into Daniel chapter six. And I want to look at all the things that are happening in that one chapter, and what you and I can learn from the life of Daniel. 

If you have followed me on social media, or any of my previous podcasts you know that I often use Pam’s abbreviated version of the Bible. Please, please, please hear me when I say, do not use Pam’s homemade bread as your source of the Bible. I am just giving you a snippet overview and I really, really need you to devour the bread of life, which is the word of God. Not Pam’s homemade bread. With that being said, let’s look at Pam’s little version of what’s happening in Daniel chapter six. 

As we began to read six, we find that Daniel is leading as one of three presidents appointed by King Darius. We know that in this little section here, the kingdom is made up of the king, underneath him are presidents and then underneath those are say traps. And Daniel is one of the three presidents. Verse three states that Daniel became distinguished above all the other presidents because an excellent spirit was in him. In the king’s plan to set him over the whole kingdom. Now, as one can imagine that did not go over well with all the other people who were in government positions. And so we know that at this point the other presidents in the say traps did not like it and they wanted to devise a plan to find fault in Daniel and present that to the king. 

However, as verse four tells us they were unsuccessful. So, you got to keep going, you’re determined to get someone out of the way, you don’t stop. And as the story reveals these folks were ruthless, and so they knew the only way to find fault with Daniel. Was they were going to have to involve his relationship with God. So the presidents in the say traps approach the king and urged him to create a mandate that no one would petition, any God or man for 30 days, except for King Darius. The king agreed and he signed an official document, establishing this ordinance. Daniel knew that the document was signed, he went into his house and he prayed to God, just as he had done three times a day, previously. And if you were with us last week. I don’t want to always repeat everything but for those of you who are just listening to this podcast, we know that Daniels time spent in the kingdom in leadership, or various roles and worshiping God were about 70 years. So it wasn’t like Daniel just all of a sudden decided for a week that he was just going to spend three times a day with God. No, this was a consistent thing that existed in his life. For decades, for decades. Daniel was faithful in his time with God. 

Of course, the presidents and the say traps were ready and waiting the moment that Daniel decided to worship God. I mean like they were ready, they were ready to pounce. So they wasted no time and going into King Darius to report that Daniel was of course in disobedience to the mandate that he had officially signed. And Darius despite hearing this knew that he had to stick to his word. But the Scripture reveals to us that he was even sickened by the thought of having to do anything to Daniel. Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den. He spent all night with the lions and the next morning Darius rushed down to the den to discover the fate of Daniel. Okay, I’m actually going to read the word now. So, in verse 20 This is, the morning we’re Darius comes down to the lion’s den. Starting with verse 20. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declares to Daniel. Oh Daniel servant of the living God, has your God whom you serve continually been able to deliver you from the lions. 

Then Daniel said to the king. Oh king live forever my God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouth, and they have not harmed me because I was found blameless before him, and also before you oh king. I have done no harm. Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him because he had trusted in his God. Alrighty. Fun story right. There is a lot going on in this one little snippet of Daniel’s life. And we know from reading the five chapters of Daniel before that, and other scripture that Daniel was faithful, that is the one word that consistently pops up in Scripture about Daniel. 

Daniel was faithful to God and God’s Word. We know from just firsthand and Daniel six that three times a day he went and knelt before God. We also know, even in his youth. When approached to live a different way. Daniel was faithful to God’s law. And so Daniel would deny the things that were going on around him, in order to be blameless before God. Daniel was after God’s heart. So we just look at the story of Daniel and the lions. What can we learn, what can you and I take away from this, what seems like such a simple kid’s Bible story. But yet, it’s so much more. 

Number one, there are significant things that bloom in our life when we consistently, spend time with God. Okay, if we go back and look at the Scripture, I want to use words that are in, and I use the ESV version when I’m reading my study Bible. So in my study Bible, there are words that are used that are popping out that you and I need to take hold up. One is excellent in spirit. Daniel was excellent in spirit. 

Number two was faithful. Daniel was faithful. Why did those things exist? I believe they existed because Daniel was consistent in his time with God, his consistency with God, produced fruits of the Spirit, and for Daniel, these fruits were faithfulness, excellence, and spirit. Daniel was also unfazed by naysayers and negativity, no matter what the say traps and other presidents around him we’re saying, or devising Daniel was unfazed. There is not one moment in this scripture where we are given any indication that Daniel is up in his room with his knees shaking, begging for God to save him. Now I’m not saying that possibly didn’t happen, but we have no indication of that whatsoever. Because of that, I can assume that Daniel had peace. What else can you and I learn from Daniel? 

Number two, sin is in the world, but God is so much greater. God is so much greater. And we need to keep our eyes focused on him. What’s really interesting about this situation. Is that Daniel didn’t argue with the other presidents and the say traps. While they were suggesting this edict to the king. There is no account in this story of Daniel’s rebuttal. In fact, it says that all of the presidents and the say traps. And so, I honestly want to think that Daniel was actually standing there in the court. When this thing was presented. We do know in verse 10, that when he knew the document had been signed. That he went about his business. So what was his business? To spend time with God three times a day. As he had previously done. Sin is in the world. It’s all around. There is chaos, there is craziness, but God is greater than all of that. And the more time that we spend with God, and the more time that we focus on Him, the less we become involved in the chaos and the craziness. 

Number three, our devotion and trust, in God doesn’t go unnoticed by those around us. Let me say that one more time because it’s so good. Our devotion and trust in God don’t go unnoticed by those around us. And sisters we’re not doing anything to put on a spectacle or show for anybody in the world, that’s not our place, that’s not our position. Hopefully, that’s not that the desire of our heart. But the reality is that when we are focusing, and we are vocal. And we are just engulfed in the testimony of God’s goodness, it can lead to others worshiping, and choosing Christ. Verse 25, I want to read the rest of Daniel chapter six for you. It says then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell on all the earth. Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree that at all my royal dominion. People are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the Living God, enduring forever. His kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. He who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions. 

So this Daniel prospers during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. Daniel was prosperous, and it doesn’t mean that he had these great riches, but he was rich, in his ability to worship God, and his ability to lead others to God. That’s what Daniel was prosperous in. Because of that he saw him elevated to positions that I am sure, Daniel would have never ever dreamed up for himself, but God did because God had a great plan for a man, who chose to honor him, spend time with Him, and be consistent with him. 

So a little recap. What can you and I learn from Daniel? Number one, there are significant things that bloom in our life when we consistently spend time with God. Number two, sin is in the world, but God is greater, focus on him. And number three, our devotion and trust in God doesn’t go unnoticed by those around us. Sisters, I feel like I say this a million times. And for one, I am preaching to myself, two times that many. All of us need to recognize that there is so much power in the time that we spend with Christ. There’s so much power in our life when we do that on a consistent basis. And so we go back to last week’s podcast, set up your holy and healthy routines so that God is number one. All of us know this is no big secret. But the people that we invest in the most in our life, are probably the relationships that we would count as the closest. And why do they look that way? Because we give them the most attention. Sisters God wants your attention. He wants to be in fellowship with you. And just as much as you desire to grow closer to Him. He wants to be in fellowship, but there are some things that you And I simply have to do. We cannot ignore our time with God. It has to be consistent. 

Sisters, thank you so much for joining me on today’s podcast, I pray for you and I pray for myself in this moment that we would just feel the passion and the burning desire to just spend time with God the Father. That would be so real for you and me at this moment. This week, that we really seek how to establish holy and healthy routines that put God as the first priority. Thank you, sisters, for joining me, I am praying for you wherever you are and at this moment. If you have enjoyed today’s podcast, I would love it if you could subscribe to the podcast or even share this with people in your life. If you are not already following me on social media. You can find me on Facebook and Instagram at Jesus and Pam. And sisters, you know how this ends. This week keep worshiping and finding joy in every moment.