Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: and he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. Daniel 2:20, 21.
Behold the Jewish captive, calm and self-possessed, in the presence of the monarch of the world’s most powerful empire. In his first words he disclaimed honor for himself and exalted God as the source of all wisdom. To the anxious inquiry of the king, “Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?” he replied: “The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.” …
In the annals of human history, the growth of nations, the rise and fall of empires, appear as if dependent on the will and prowess of man; the shaping of events seems, to a great degree, to be determined by his power, ambition, or caprice. But in the word of God the curtain is drawn aside, and we behold, above, behind, and through all the play and counterplay of human interest and power and passions, the agencies of the All-merciful One, silently, patiently working out the counsels of His own will….
In the history of nations the student of God’s word may behold the literal fulfillment of divine prophecy. Babylon, shattered and broken at last, passed away because in prosperity its rulers had regarded themselves as independent of God, and had ascribed the glory of their kingdom to human achievement…. The kingdoms that followed were even more base and corrupt; and these sank lower and still lower in the scale of moral worth.
The power exercised by every ruler on the earth is Heaven-imparted; and upon his use of the power thus bestowed, his success depends…. To recognize the outworking of these principles in the manifestation of His power who “removeth kings, and setteth up kings”—this is to understand the philosophy of history.
Conflict and Courage p. 250
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for me. I am having gallbladder surgery and a hernia repair. J
—–Asking for prayers for strength and peace. My heart is broken.. Thank you. Sara
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Dear Friends,
My grandmother’s sister Bessie had a life-long habit that caused the rest of the family a lot of frustration. Whenever they were going somewhere, she would wait until the very last minute to get ready. When everyone would be ready to go, she would dash upstairs to her room to change clothes. That would take much longer than it should as she never could quite make up her mind what she should wear. She would try on one dress after another until she had a large pile of dresses on her bed. At long last Bessie would make her choice. By this time, everyone else would be waiting outside. After dressing, Bessie then had to arrange her hair just right. The waiting menfolk would threaten to go without her. Finally, she would emerge from the house as if nothing had happened.
How often we are like my great-aunt Bessie. The signs that “the end of all things is at hand,” yet we put off the needed preparation. 1 Peter 4:7 Day follows day, week follows week. Life goes on as usual. We are lulled into a false sense of security. We desire to be ready “to meet the Lord in the air,” yet, we put off getting ready for that grand and glorious event to which all the signs are pointing. 1 Thes 4:16,17
Our Dear Saviour gave us a parable warning us of this very thing. “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Matt 25:1-13 “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” Mark 13:32-37
May we, this day, realize that “now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor 6:2 May we “give diligence to make [our] calling and election sure” that we may be ready to meet our Loving Redeemer. 2 Peter 1:10 May we so live that soon we will look up and say, “Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isa 25:9
Rose