Pastor Bob DuPar
December 2, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

Daniel 9:1-11:1; 1 John 2:18-3:6; Psalm 121:1-8; Proverbs 28:27-28

Observation

“We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your name.” Daniel 9:18-19

“As soon as I began to pray, an answer was given…” Daniel 9:23

“Then he continued, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.”
Daniel 10:12

“And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming. …How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! …Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 2:28, 3:1-3

“No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.” 1 John 3:6

“The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121:8

“He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.” Proverbs 28:27

Application

We never know the impact our prayers have. Daniel’s prayers were answered the minute he began to seek God. It’s interesting that Daniel 10 says that when Daniel set his mind to gain understanding and when he humbled himself, that’s when his words were heard. God desires that I be committed/resolved (surrendered) to His will.

1 John 3:6 is convicting. Sin and a true knowledge of God, a true relationship with Him, are incompatible. Sin should not be my normal practice. The longer I know God, the longer I walk with Him, the less sin should rule my behavior.

Prayer

“Lord, I love Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9, and I echo it. Because of Your great mercy, please listen O Lord! O Lord, please forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake O my God, do not delay.”