Today’s Verse—Ephesians 6:17
And take the sword of the Holy Spirit. The sword is God’s word.
King Darius put Daniel in charge of the whole kingdom, and the royal rulers weren’t happy about it. The rulers, who knew that Daniel prayed to God every day, told Darius to make it a law that if someone was caught praying to anyone other than Darius himself, that person would be put to death. But praying every day was important to Daniel, so he kept right on praying.
The king found out and reluctantly gave the order to throw Daniel into a den of lions. The royal rulers were happy that Daniel would soon be dead. But the next morning when the den was opened, Daniel was alive and safe. God had protected him from the lions’ jaws. King Darius was glad that God had spared Daniel’s life, and he threw the royal rulers into the lions’ den instead. (You can read the full story in Daniel 6.)
This is an exciting story, and most of us have heard it. But is that all it is? Isn’t there something more we can learn from it? And more important, is there something helpful we can learn from it that we can use in our own lives?
Look at the story again and think about the lessons it teaches. (1) Avoid jealousy. The royal rulers were envious of Daniel’s position, and they ended up paying for it with their lives. Now apply that to your life. Is there any jealousy in your heart? Are you envious of your brother’s athletic ability? Your friend’s intelligence? (2) Prayer is powerful. Daniel wouldn’t stop praying to God, even though he knew it could mean the end of his life. How important is prayer to you? (3) God gives courage. Daniel had the courage to stand up for what he believed in. Is there a situation you’re dealing with right now that requires courage? (4) God grants protection. God kept Daniel alive because God loved him. Is there anything you’re afraid of? Perhaps you should trust that God will protect you, just as He protected Daniel.
Whit and Wisdom
Connie convinced me to go to a movie with her the other day. It was a comedy and we joined some other people from the church. I read about the movie first and thought it was harmless, so I went. About halfway through, right after the third time the main character had told a really unfunny joke, I decided I’d seen enough. I slipped out into the lobby, pulled out my pocket New Testament, and began reading. It was so much more interesting than the movie, and a better use of my time!
Sometimes I think about all the time we spend doing things that don’t really matter. We do one thing or another, wasting our time away, when we have the very heart and words of God at our fingertips. God longs for us to know Him better. Reading the Bible is the best way I know to do that.
So now you know what’s in the Bible, you know the importance of the Bible, and you’ve even memorized some of it. But none of that will mean anything if you don’t apply the lessons of the Bible. The Bible has a lot to say to us. Read it and find out what God has to say to you.
Family Challenge #5—Bible Trivia
Have a Bible trivia contest. One of your parents could be the host. You can play it like a real game show. Categories could be Bible Stories, Bible Verses, or Books of the Bible. Include prizes for the winners. You should have fun with it, but it could also be a great time of learning for the whole family.
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Bible Theme Memory Verse—Psalm 119:89
Lord, your word lasts forever. It stands firm in the heavens.