datethewordtest

Tag: 2-23

  • Acknowledging The Answerer For The Answer With Appreciation

    Daniel 2:23 “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”

    Daniel 2 tells of the precarious situation Daniel and his friends along with all the magicians of Babylon found themselves in when King Nebuchadnezzar wanted to know what his dream meant without telling them the dream.  Failure to give him an answer meant OFF WITH THEIR HEADS.  A precarious situation indeed!

    You may recall how Daniel pleaded so respectfully for an opportunity to get the king an answer.  Given the opportunity he and his friends prayed to God and God revealed to Daniel the meaning of the dream.  Upon receiving the answer Daniel does not rush back to answer the king but first acknowledges the Answerer for the answer with appreciation and adoration.   Notice Daniel 2:19-23 

    19  Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20  Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 21  And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. 22  He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him. 23  “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king’s demand.”  

    Our verse challenges us (challenges me) about how we respond to God answering prayers.  Desperate situations cause us to almost demand of God His immediate help.  However, upon receiving the answer to our urgent prayer do we pause to acknowledge God with appreciation and adoration?  

    The proper approach to God in prayer is with THANKSGIVING (Phil. 4:6 and Psalm 100:4) and the proper response to His response is with THANKSGIVING!  

    Continue Strong giving thanks and adoration to God for answered prayers,
    And remember to DATE the Word  

  • Cry Out to the God Who Hears

    Exodus 2:23 “Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out, and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.”

    At various times during our life, we are going to have very hard and difficult times. Our hearts will be broken.  We will find ourselves carrying incredibly heavy burdens. When the burdens and the pains of life hit you to whom will you cry out with your groanings?  An answer is found in Exodus 2:23.

    The children of Israel are in bondage. They were slaves in the land of Egypt.  While it was restrictive it was also very repressive. So repressive was the bondage that Exodus 2:23 says, “They groaned because of the bondage.”  Looking for relief, they cried out and their cry came up to God!  Just so know verse 24 says, “So God heard their groaning.”  In verse 25 it says, “So God looked (took notice) on the Israelites and was concerned about them.”

    Friends, when we cry out to God, the God of the universe hears!  He hears our prayers.  He hears our cries of agony and pain. He hears the cries of bondage – yes of physical bondage  – yes of spiritual bondage.  Hear that God hears. Listen. God listens to your cries for help.  Hearing and then helping and healing the brokenhearted is one of His specialties.
    I don’t know if you need more proof but if so, read the few testimonies from David:
    Psalm 3:4 “I cried aloud to the LORD, and He answered me from his holy hill. Selah
    Psalm 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God, I cried for help. From His temple, He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears.
    Psalm 31:22 I had said in my alarm, “I am cut off from Your sight.” But You heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to You for help.”
    Psalm 77:1 I cried out to God with my voice — To God with my voice; And He gave ear to me.
    Psalm 138:3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me and made me bold with strength in my soul.

    Nehemiah gives a history lesson that includes how God heard His people during the days of the Judges,
    Nehemiah 9:27 Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies, Who oppressed them; And in the time of their trouble, when they cried to You, You heard from heaven; And according to Your abundant mercies You gave them deliverers who saved them From the hand of their enemies.
    Nehemiah 9:28 “But after they had rest, They again did evil before You. Therefore, You left them in the hand of their enemies, So that they had dominion over them; Yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; And many times You delivered them according to Your mercies,

    Friends, God hears you!  To the brokenhearted, He hears you. To you facing an unspeakable difficulty He hears you! He hears you! 

    And make no mistake that from hearing you will find His hands working! (See chapter 3 and forward in the Book of Exodus!)  He hears and He helps!

    Don’t hesitate to Cry out to Him

    Continue Strong knowing He hears and He helps,
    And remember to DATE The Word