Missions Paul

Daniel 3

I have a few questions today:

1. Will the performances of man outshine God’s performance? v1
2. Will God’s image (ourselves) bow to man’s image? v1-11
3. Will God be displaced from the throne of your life? v12
4. Is there anything impossible for God? v15
5. Do we always have to defend and explain ourselves? v16
6. Should we be afraid of death? v18
7. Is anger against God foolishness? v19
8. Is God still with us even when it goes wrong? v25

God will not be defeated. He always wins.
Which question do you want to answer today?

Daniel 2

Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful man in the Babylonian empire. He could take anyone’s life, but he had feet of clay.
We use this phrase of organisations and people who may look big and impressive but who have vulnerable weak spots which means they can fall quite easily.

In the dream the rock smashes against the feet of the statue. The great figure is reduced to nothing and the rock becomes a mountain filling the whole world. The rock is Jesus.

Whether speaking to God’s people in exile or to us today in a shaking angry world, the message is God can be trusted, His kingdom is a rock.
It is an indestructible kingdom.
It is an all-victorious kingdom.
It is an eternal kingdom.

Nebuchadnezzar is found at the feet of Daniel.
Christ the rock has put all his enemies under his feet.
For those of you facing an enemy attack today … Where do these attacks belong? Under your feet! What is the response to satanic attack? Get under my feet!
God can be trusted!

Daniel 1

The book opens with the city of Jerusalem taken. This is devastation, humiliation, that the people of God are overruled by the people of the world.
On the surface it looked like Nebuchadnezzar had all the power.
BUT God was and is always in control.
Daniel knew it. God’s Word told him so.
He was a student of Jeremiah the prophet (chapter 9 will show this).
They began to build houses and settle down just as Jeremiah had prophesied.
Wherever you are and whatever has happened God can cause you to flourish again.
They learnt how to sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land (Psalm 137:1-4).
God is behind our lives. He is in control.
We can know what Paul knew, “I want you to know that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.” (Phil 1:12)
Daniel knew this. The evidences of God told him so.
Nebuchadnezzar took articles from God’s temple and placed them in his own temple. He could have destroyed them but they were preserved.
If you look at your story you will be able to say “it could be worse”. God is in control.

Ezekiel 48

We call Him down but He is already there, so why do we do it?
Why do we worship as if He’s not there when He is?
We get so anxious about tomorrow as if we face it alone, why?
Having no evidence for His presence, does this mean He is not present?

It was a new name, a new revelation.
They hadn’t known God by this name.
Everything suggested God had left them. He was a departing God.
They had proof, no city, no temple, nothing.

But this is Jehovah Shammah: The Lord is there.
Do you know this name?

Ezekiel 47

There is Hope for the world today because the river of God flows from the altar.
It is an altar of death, of emptying oneself and of holiness.

There is Hope for the world today because the river of God is flowing to people who are in most need.
The flow is bigger than we ever can know. No one can control the river, it is beyond limit.

There is Hope for the world today because the river of God transforms everything.
Nothing is too dead or finished that the river cannot transform.

Yes, there is Hope for the world today because of the river of God and the river lives in you!

Ezekiel 46

No one is to return through the gate by which they entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate, v49.

You cannot go back.
You must keep on moving on.
Going out is to go forward

Oncoming traffic slows our journey down as we move more cautiously.
Oncoming traffic can cause our path to be distracted.

So whatever you do, don’t turn around.
You’ve come too far.
Go on.

Ezekiel 45

Enough is enough. You have gone far enough.
Do right to people. Treat people with justice. Don’t oppress people. Don’t be unkind.
When will the leaders learn? They cannot continue to rule with an iron fist. They cannot continue to manipulate and deceive those who serve them. They will not be able to arrogantly steal and destroy the futures of people.
God will step in for those who have received injustice.
Enough will be enough.

Ezekiel 44

The eastern gate was shut. It was not to be opened. For The Lord had entered it.
That’s what Ezekiel was told. Ezekiel knew this was futuristic.
This vision before him was the Second Coming of Christ.

A couple of years ago I was in Jerusalem and saw the eastern gate sealed up. It has been like that since 1541 when a Muslim, Sultan Suleiman had it sealed for fear the prophecies would be fulfilled in which the Messiah would come through that gate. It has remained sealed for over 2,600 years since Ezekiel saw this happening.

Why was it shut really? The answer is because The Lord entered there.

When he rode into Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday He came through the Eastern gate.
When He comes again He will come through that gate.
Until then it remains closed.

The one who can open any closed door experience is the one who will enter through the shut eastern gate.
One day we will see this happen. For now let’s enjoy as many opened doorways as possible!

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Ezekiel 43

We all need to see His glory.
We all need to hear His voice.
We all need to be brought into a new season.
19 years ago I saw the temple destroyed, His glory leave and the work of God come to a standstill.
Today that is reversed.
For this is the final Temple. The end-time move of God.

ezekiel 42

God continues to measure, outside the temple.
The outer courts and the accommodating rooms for the priests are also measured.
Are we accountable for every area of our life?
Can we be measured?