Daniel 6:16 “Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, ‘Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.’”

NO WORDS NECESSARY

Do you realize Darius was a pagan? As far as we know from Scripture, He wasn’t a worshipper of Jehovah. But he recognized the power of Jehovah in the life of Daniel. Not only that, but he even believed, I think, that Jehovah could deliver Daniel from the lions’ den.

Do the pagans around you recognize the power of God in your life? What will God allow to come into your life to point unbelievers to Him? How will you respond when these trials come? Will you complain and waste the opportunity to be a witness?

TEACHING MOMENT

Our children must be taught that, as a believer in Christ, they represent a Holy and Righteous God to a lost world. They may be the only representative of Jesus their friends may see. So, all they do should point to Him. I am not saying they have to be perfect, but they need to be very aware of how the lost world sees Jesus through them.

Little things like lying about another friend, cheating on a test, or being disobedient to parents (not that any of these are little) while in the presence of a lost friend can ruin any opportunity they may have to witness to that person later. If they are no different than the lost world, then why should their lost friend change?

It is my prayer today that you will live a life of reputation. People will know whom you represent. People will acknowledge Jesus because of what they saw Him do through your life. Amen?

Revelation 8:4 “And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.”

GOD’S NOSE

Isn’t that a wonderful picture? The angel in heaven is offering up our prayers with incense to the Father. Now that begs a question – how do those prayers smell?

I have to admit that sometimes my prayers are selfish and self-centered. I would guess those prayers would not have a good aroma. Other times when I seeking the Lord’s face, He takes a whiff and says, “That’s sweet! I would like to smell more of that.”

I still remember the smells that came from my Momma’s kitchen. I long for those smells. I reminds me of her. That’s the kind of prayers the Father wants. The kind that reminds Him of us (not that He forgets us).

TEACHING MOMENT

What “smells” will remind your children of you? When they grow up and have one of those moments will it be good or bad? How do you “smell” to them? Our children need those “smells” to remind them when they are grown. They need reminders of the prayers they heard you pray. They need reminders of the words they heard you say to the Father on their behalf. They need reminders of how God answered those prayers in your family.

Will you pray today with the thought in mind that your prayers should be a sweet aroma in the nostrils of our God? If you aren’t already doing it, will you begin to leave some “scents” behind for your kids to follow? Will you be the parent who is remembered by a sweet smell or sour smell? Will those smells bring joy to their heart or bitterness?

Be sweet smelling today.

Ezekiel 48:35 “’The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, “The Lord is there.”'”

EVERYTHING

This is one of those verses that I have never noticed – until today. But read again the last half of that verse. “’…and the name of the city from that day shall be, “The Lord is there.”'” How about that? The city shall be called Yahweh Sham. The Lord is there. That is quite a simple name, but yet so deep.

Think about it. If the Lord is there, what else is needed? He is light! He is breath! He is life! He is Creator! He is Redeemer! He is….Everything. Now, you tell me another city that has absolutely EVERYTHING! It doesn’t exist. But this one will!

My name is Carl William, named for my two grandfathers whom I never met. Carl (my maternal grandfather’s name) mans strong and manly. Now that’s a hoot! William (my paternal grandfather’s name) simply means “Son of William.” But the real meaning of those names is that they belonged to my two grandfathers. I carry their names.

TEACHING MOMENT

How about your child’s name? Does their name have meaning? Do they know it’s meaning? Why did you choose it? What message does their name send to those who know it? That may seem like a crazy question, but our children need to know why we named them what we did. It could be as simple as you liked the sound of the name. Then tell them that. And whenever you call their name, even when you are upset with them, remember that.

Our children need to know their name has weight. They will be known for their name either in a good way or a bad way. When people who know them call their name they will instantly have an image of them in their head. What will their name remind them of?

My prayer is that whatever their name is, when people think of their name, they think of Jesus. They can say, “The Lord is with them. The Lord is there!”

Revelation 7:16-17 “’They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.’”

AROUND THE THRONE

In this passage John is being shown those who have gone through the tribulation and are now standing before the throne of God. Can you imagine? No more hunger or thirst, no heat, no cold, no tears! Now, don’t get me wrong. I love to eat and drink. I love summer and winter. Heck, I even like a good cry. But none of these things will be necessary in heaven.

I was in Kenya recently and traveled to an area that is in a severe drought. They hadn’t had rain in several months. I learned to appreciate (once again) the availability of clean water- simple, clean water. At home I turn on the tap and waste it. Not there. Every drop is precious. And in heaven? Well, there will be springs of “the water of life.”

TEACHING MOMENT

How can we help our children under heaven? It is really hard to put in human words. But this verse can help. The next time you sit down to the table to eat, read this verse. Show them that we won’t get hungry or thirsty in heaven. The next time they complain about the weather, show them this verse. We won’t get hot or cold in heaven. Or maybe the next time they get hurt and are crying, read this verse to them. We won’t need to cry in heaven. And if we do, guess who wipes the tears? Yep, God will. Wow! Kids can relate to those things.

It’s hard to imagine heaven, but these images give us a glimpse of what we can look forward to. Will you allow the Lord to show you how to appreciate each of these without making them the center of your life? He can and He will.

Ezekiel 44:4 “Then He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the house; and I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord, and I fell on my face.”

GLORY

Have you ever truly experienced a “Glory Moment”? I mean, one of those moments when you knew only the presence of God could explain it? The air seemed electric! You could hardly catch your breath! Those moments are rare.

Ezekiel was having one of those moments in this verse. He was being shown a vision by the Lord (which starts back in chapter 40). The Lord explains everything to him about the Temple and its setup, and then here in chapter 44 God’s glory fills the Temple. Now notice, he’s been with the Lord the past four chapters, but not until God’s glory falls does Ezekiel fall. That impressed me. How about you?

TEACHING MOMENT

Our children are going to have all kinds of spiritual experiences in their lives. They will have many highs and lows. Summer camps are normally one of those highs. I recall last summer at our church’s Kidz Kamp one moment when, during our worship time, I observed these children, 4^th through 6^th graders, experiencing that. We were singing and all of a sudden you could feel the Holy Spirit. Now don’t get weird on me! I am not freaking out here. But it was one of those moments when I saw the kids truly worshipping. I felt kind of like Ezekiel. I didn’t, but I should have fallen on my face.

How do we help our children interpret those moments? How do we help them not start pursuing the experience instead of the glory? We teach them to stay in the Word and just pursue Jesus. Stay close to Him in prayer and study. When He chooses to bless us with one of those tender moments, we relish in it. But we don’t start a new denomination over it. We don’t stop all we are doing to stay in that moment.

When is the last time you had one of those pure moments of glory? You know it can happen anywhere. You don’t have to be in corporate worship. You could be in the middle of reading this devotion and BAM! You could be in your prayer time and all of a sudden the Lord lifts you to that special place. But you have to be ready and wiling. Remember, Ezekiel was with the Lord when he experienced it. That’s the key – stay close to Him.

Revelation 6:11 “And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.”

CHOOSE LIFE OR DEATH

The Martyrs! We hear everyday about believers who are being killed just because they love Jesus. It is happening all over the world. Shot, burned, beheaded…

But what does John tell us here in Revelation 6:11? There will be more. Now that’s encouraging, isn’t it? The number, as of the writing of this devotion, has not been completed. So there are more who will lose their lives for their faith.

TEACHING MOMENT

I will readily agree that this topic is not an easy one to talk about with our kids. But is still important to share with them when we hear about persecution and martyrdom that we don’t hide it from them. In this day of radical Islam, there are many who will “martyr” themselves for Allah! That is NOT what I am talking about. This is not about trying to die for your God.

For a Christian, martyrdom is simply a result of not being afraid to take a stand for Christ. We shouldn’t shy away from Christ just to keep ourselves safe.

Chances are you or your children will never face the choice to deny Him and live or confess Him and die. But it could happen. Your children, when they are age appropriate, should be prepared to make that choice.

Listen brothers and sisters! Death is nothing to fear. We have hope! We have a promise! We are safe in the hands of Jesus. And if He chooses to allow us to meet Him as a result of persecution, so be it. After all we are His, and we long to be with Him. Hallelujah!

Ezekiel 37:10 “So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.”

OBEDIENCE

Chapter 37 of Ezekiel is the famous passage about the Valley of Dry Bones. I have probably heard dozens of sermons from this passage in my lifetime, all of them good. But as I read this passage today what struck me was not the picture of the bones coming back to life. What struck me was Ezekiel’s obedience to prophesy only what the Lord told him to prophesy. He didn’t make up his own words.

How many times do we think we can do it better than God? After all, we are the ones living our lives, not Him. We pray, of course, but we pray even though we know what we are going to do before asking. We just want God to anoint our decisions. That’s not how it works. We have to go to God with an open mind and heart and allow Him to show us what we need to do.

TEACHING MOMENT

Our children often will come to us asking permission to do something. Have they ever come to you asking although they have ALREADY done it? Little Elrod asks, “Hey Mom, Dad! Can I go over to Bubba’s house to spend the night?” Now they have already told Bubba they could go and probably have already packed a bag. So when you inform them that the family has plans for the night, they pitch a fit.   They scream, “But I have already told him I could!”

You see, our God has a plan for us, one in which He knows best. But just like our children, we already have our plan made. And when God intervenes to direct us another way, we pitch a fit like a five year old. “But God, you don’t understand! I really need to do this!”

Tantrums! We still have them. Only now we do it “spiritually.”

Will you be like Ezekiel today and only say the words God gives you? Will you follow the Lord’s directions completely? Will you allow Him to use you the way He wants to use you?

Revelation 4:11 “’Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.’”

HEAVENLY WORDS

Won’t you join with me and the 24 elders in heaven by saying these words in worship? Just look at what they are saying, even now, before the throne of God.

He is Worthy! No one else is! Only God is worthy of our praise. He should receive “honor and glory and power.” After all, He is the only One who is truly glorified, honorable and powerful.

He is the Creator! Nothing exists that did not first come through His thoughts, plans and work. Every creature in heaven and on earth are the works of His hands. He spoke and created, with the exception of man whom He touched and created with His hands.

TEACHING MOMENT

So how do we explain to our children what “worthy” means? How can we possibly help them understand this divine principle? There really is no simple way. But we can give them a visual. Get a small scale and demonstrate to them how it works. On one side you put an object you want to weigh. On the other side, you use the weights to measure just how much the object weighs. You can physically weigh anything that way. That’s what “worthy” means. It means to find the matching value.

God is equal to glory, honor and power! He is Glory! He is Honor! He is Power! Won’t you join me today in bowing before the throne of God? He Is Worthy!!

Ezekiel 33:6 “’But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.’”

ARE YOU LOOKING?

Just as in Ezekiel’s day, we have an obligation to warn all of God’s coming judgment. We know it’s coming. We have the Word of God that tells us. So why aren’t we doing all we can to warn those who aren’t walking in the light? Why aren’t we searching the horizon watching for His return? For many of us, we are just too preoccupied with our own lives to give two seconds to someone else.

Now, let’s be clear. It is NOT our responsibility to make someone believe. That is clearly up to them. Even those who have been raised in the church and turn their back on it have to make up their own minds about returning. I was talking to a parent recently about her daughter who has turned her back on everything she believes. There is just something about turning eighteen in America that seems to give young people a reason to go off the reservation. I just don’t get it.

TEACHING MOMENT

Your child will face that moment of faith when they will have to choose to believe all you have poured into them. Your faith has been their faith for the longest time. But now, they have to formulate their own belief. Their relationship with Christ has to become their own. They must choose to walk in faith or walk in darkness. But it is their choice.

Our job as parents is to prepare them and then warn them of the costs for their choices. We must not stand idly by as they “find themselves.” Excuse me, but that is just hogwash. No one needs to find themselves. We only need to “find” Jesus Who will show us who we are in Him. Without Him we are nothing, nothing at all. But in Him, we are joint heirs of the kingdom and His precious child.

So watch and warn! That is our duty! Be a watchman!

Revelation 3:10 “’Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.’”

RUNNING

I have several friends who run marathons. Why? I don’t know! I guess they just love to run. And they run long distances. I gave up running years ago after I had a knee injury and a bad hip. At least that’s my excuse.

In order to run a marathon you can’t just decide one day to run 26.2 miles. You have to train. You have to build up to it. You start out small and add more and more distance until you reach your goal. It’s kind of like eating an elephant – one bite at a time.

The verse today talks about perseverance. That word means to bear up under, to endure, to persevere. The Lord is telling the Church of Philadelphia that He will keep and guard them because they have kept the word of His perseverance. They have believed God. They have trusted Him. They have endured the testing and trials sent their way.

TEACHING MOMENT

Your children are going to have tests and trials. They are going to be tempted to quit. Don’t let them. Show them this verse. Show them that as we persevere, God is there to guard and protect us. As we endure hardships, God is there to keep us from further judgment. We just have to keep trusting and keep following Him, no matter what.

What trial has your child faced lately? Was it a life or death struggle? Most are not! Most of the trials our children face are really miniscule in the eyes of eternity. But to them they are gigantic. They don’t think they will survive. It always helps to put our trials in perspective. But don’t expect your kids to quite understand that yet. Help them to trust right where they are.

Remember, you run a marathon by first running the short distances.