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Burning Question #43How Important Is It That Someone

Learns Specific Prayers?Matthew 6:7-15; Luke 11:1-4

January 28, 2018Communion: Archie MillerCare Calling: The Saunders

Host: Carol HillSaturday 1/27 Clean Up: Ciera Plett

1 ♫ How Majestic Is Your Name 1212 ♫ Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing [ALL] 113 ♫ Sweet Hour of Prayer [ALL] 640 4 ♫ Doxology 5 ♫ The greatest thing [ALL] 6446 ♫ Glorify Thy Name [ALL] 97 ♫ 456 - Find Us Faithful [Once] 456

Matthew 6:7-15 (NASB) 7 "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 "So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. 9 "Pray,

Luke 11:1-4 (NASB) 1 It happened that while Jesuswas praying in a certain place,after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just asJohn also taught his disciples."2 And He said to them, "Whenyou pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.

then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 'Give us this day our daily bread. 12 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.'] 14 "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 "But if you donot forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

3 'Give us each day our daily bread. 4 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us notinto temptation.'"

Should our prayers be structured or spontaneous?Wow!Where do you folk come up with these jewel of questions.I doubt that I would have ever thought about a sermon on this question had not one of you asked it.And, I admit this question prompted a lot of reflection on my part.

Buddhists use a "Prayer Wheel" to to provide a rapid, structured, series of chants.They have them every where.Some are turned by hand.Some are turned by wind power.Some are turned by water power.

Prayers are engraved on the outside of the cylinder, and as it turns, it is conveying your prayers to some god.That's a pretty structured way to pray.

Prayer beads are used by members of various religious traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Catholicism, Islam, Sikhism and the Bahá'í Faith to assist in the repetitions of prayers, chants or devotions.The beads help you keep count of the number of prayers, or chants you are making.And, the beads are also a very structured way to pray.

Before having a meal, our Jewish friends will pray for a meal which contains grain:"Blessed are You, L-RD our G-d, King of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth."

And, after the meal, will recite:"Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, Who, in Hisgoodness, provides sustenance for the entire world with grace, with kindness, and with mercy. He gives food to all flesh, for His kindness is everlasting. Through His great goodness to us continuously we do not lack food, and may we never lack food, for the sake of His great Name. For He, benevolent G-d, provides nourishment and sustenance for all, does good to all, and preparesfood for all His creatures whom He has created, as it is said: You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Blessedare You, L-rd, Who provides food for all."

Some years ago, I was asked to say the closing prayer for a High School graduation.My friend, the local Methodist minister, was asked to say the opening prayer.When he was introduced, he asked us to bow our heads.And he began:"On this day of the birth of our Lord..."Then silence.

I peeked, and he was madly looking through his minister's manual for the prayer for a graduation program.

He, along with our Catholic, Episcopal, Jewish, and Islamic friends, rely on ancient, carefully worded, prayers of tradition.

And, frankly, up front, I am not as concerned whether you use spontaneous prayers or structured prayers, as I am about your relationship to our Heavenly Father.I am concerned about you praying consistently and continuously toour Heavenly Father.Does not the Apostle Paul say:1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NASB) 16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

The phrase "without ceasing" is the Greek word adialeiptōs.In the New Testament adialeiptōs also means “constantly” or “unceasingly.” It is used four times, each time referring to an action continued over an indefinite period of time, but probably not with such intensity that forbids a rest. It has connotations of mental alertness, consistency, and discipline.

And, prayer does take discipline.

I think the discipline of prayer is what my sister Marie was teaching me when I was about five years old, when she taught me to pray:

"Now I lay me down to sleep.I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

But if I die before I wake,I pray the Lord my soul to take."

Is that not a structured prayer?And, it is definitely a specific prayer.

As I reflected on this question, I began to see that there are three things to consider:1. Structured Prayers2. Spontaneous Prayers3. Specific Prayers

Let's see what we can learn from today’s question: How Important Is It That Someone Learns Specific Prayers?

There are three things to consider:1. Structured Prayers2. Spontaneous Prayers3. Specific Prayers

I. What Are Structured Prayers?

On one end of the spectrum is spontaneous prayer, and on the otheris structured prayer.I doubt that your prayers always fall in just one of those groupings.In all likelihood, most of your prayer lives don’t live in either extreme, but fluctuate back and forth on the spectrum. Some likely have times where their prayer is at least a little structured, such as a routine of praying before meals or a commitment to pray for your family everyday. Some likely often follow a simple formula, known as a acronym.Acronyms can help when we feel we do not know how to pray.

Write your favorites inside the cover of your Bible so they are handy.

Here are some suggestions:An acronym for remembering what prayer is:PRAYER Positive Reassuring Action Yielding Eternal Results

And, a couple of acronym for remembering types of prayer:ACTS

Adoration Confession Thanksgiving and Supplication

PRAYPraise Repentance Asking for others and asking for Yourself

PRAY Praise Repent Ask and Yield

Some Christians that are structured in their prayer life have a topic of the day.

I use a structured prayer life, when I go through our roster, and pray for several of you each day.And, when I finish the list, I begin all over again.I also use a structured approach when I think in terms of circle.I start with my family, then the church, then the community, and soforth. You can see that modeled in your bulletin.

One of the benefits of structured prayer is that it can help you to pray in situations where you don’t really feel like it and might haveotherwise failed to do so. Because you know what you want to say, you tend to follow through on praying much more often than you would otherwise.One of the advantages of the very most structured variety of prayers, namely pre-written prayers, is that they give you words to say that you mean when you can’t find the words.

In Biblical terms, the Lord’s prayer is a good example of a structured prayer. It is a prayer that you didn’t come up with, and that you have likelyeither recited or modeled other prayers after.One of his disciples apparently felt left out by knowing John the Baptist had taught his followers how to pray.one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples." 2 And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your

kingdom come. 3 'Give us each day our daily bread. 4 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'"

Notice that Jesus says When you pray, say

I think it is significant that Jesus doesn't give them set times to pray, because prayer is more than a mere religious routine we go through, as it is in some religions in which worshipers recite certain words and bow in a certain direction at specified times of the day.

"say" is the Greek word λέγω legō, a verb which has reference to the meaning and substance of the words.

What Jesus is saying is that we need to carefully choose our words as opposed to praying as mere religious rote without careful thought.It should remind us of the conversational nature of our talk with God.

In the parallel passage in Matthew, Jesus says it this way:9 Pray, then, in this way:

in this way is the Greek way of saying that what follows is to be taken as a model for prayer, not a prayer to be memorized and merely recited.

Just prior to this teaching on a model prayer, Jesus condemns repetitious prayer.Matthew 6:55-7 is a specific warning against praying in a repetitious manner and the warning there is followed by this teaching which gives us a model for prayer.

In the remainder of the New Testament, this prayer is never repeated though its pattern or principles are basically followed in one way or another.

So, to view this as a prayer to be repetitiously repeated would be inconflict with what the Lord had just commanded.There are, to be sure, some deep thinking required to pray along the lines of this model prayer.Under line the following words in Luke 11:2-4 for your contemplation:Luke 11:2-4 Fatherhallowed Your nameYour kingdom our daily bread. forgive us our sinsAnd lead us not into temptation

What is Jesus referring to when He says lead us not into temptation.This particular request has troubled many, including Pope Francis. Exactly what does this mean? One thing for sure, it is not a request out of fear that God might lead us into some form of temptation.James 1:12-14 (NASB) 12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he hasbeen approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

James reminds us that God tempts no man.James implicates us in our own temptation.Now think about how Paul's description of spiritual armor fits here:

Ephesians 6:10-11, 18 (NKJV)10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the powerof His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ... 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints God can use our temptation as a time of testing to see if we can remain solidly committed to the Him.

I hope you can see there is a place for structured prayer, and the model prayer of our Lord brings us into deep contemplation, does it not?

II. Spontaneous Prayers

Prayer doesn’t have to be structured though; sometimes you can just talk to God and tell him what is on your mind.

One of my very favorite movies is Fiddler on the Roof.It is set in Imperial Russia in the small village of Anatevka in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters (or Tevye the Dairyman) and other tales by Sholem Aleichem. The Hebrew phrase Shalom aleichem literally means "Peace be upon you", and is a greeting in traditional Hebrew and Yiddish.

The story centers on Tevye, the father of five daughters, and his attempts to maintain his Jewish religious and cultural traditions as outside influences encroach upon the family's lives. He has to cope both with the strong-willed actions of his three older daughters, who wish to marry for love – each one's choice of a husband moves further away from the customs of his faith – and with the edict of the Tsar that evicts the Jews from their village.

The prayers of Tevye have long fascinated me.Spontaneous expressions of his heart.

Tevye: As the Good Book says, ev... [chuckles] Why should I tell You what the Good Book says?

Tevye: Anyway, Motel and Tzeitel have been married for some time now. They work very hard, and they're as poor as squirrels in winter. But, they're so happy, they don't know how miserable they are.

And, I am sure you remember Tevye's prayer when he is pulling his milk cart, and his horse is limping along behind:Tevye: Dear God. Was that necessary? Did you have to make him lame just before the Sabbath? That wasn't nice. It's enough you pick on me. Bless me with five daughters, a life of poverty, that's all right. But what have you got against my horse? Really, sometimes I think, when things are too quiet up there, you say to yourself, 'Let's see. What kind of mischief can I play on my friend, Tevye?' As the Good Book says, 'Heal us, O Lord, and we shall be healed.' In other words, send us the cure. We've got the sickness already. Well, I'm not really complaining. After all, with your help, I'm starving to death. Oh, dear Lord! You made many, many poor people. I realise, of course, it's no shame to be poor. But it's no great honour either. Lord who made the lion and the lamb. You decreed I should be what I am. Would it spoil some vast eternal plan If I were a wealthy man?"

Tevye: I know, I know. We are Your chosen people. But, once in a while, can't You choose someone else?

Spontaneous. Non structured. I shall not get into a discussion of the philosophy behind the prayers of Tevye, or their similarity to the theology of Calvin.You and I could relate to Tevye's prayers in one way or another, could we not? The advantages of this type of prayer is that it facilitates an active

relationship between yourself and God and is flexible enough to cover whatever you are going through.

It was sometime in the month of November–December when Nehemiah learns that the wall of the city of Jerusalem is broken and that the gates are burned down.His spontaneous response is to this disaster is given in Nehemiah 1:4 (NASB) 4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

His prayer, which follows in verses 5-11, is a genuine, heartfelt reaction to the state of his people and their city. There is an honest confession of the sin of his people, and a requestfor God to be with him as he approaches the king to ask to rebuild the wall.Three months go by, I suspect with his fasting and praying.Finally in March-April, Nehemiah approaches King Artaxerxes, and the King sees that Nehemiah is visibly upset.Nehemiah 2:2-5 (NASB) 2 So the king said to me, "Why is your face sad though you arenot sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart." Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, "Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the placeof my fathers' tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?" 4 Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 I said to theking, "If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it."

Did you see that?Right in the middle of his reply to King Artaxerxes

So I prayed to the God of heaven

The contents of his next prayer aren’t given, but it’s an equally strong example of spontaneous prayer. Right in the middle of his conversation with the king, the king askshim what he is requesting and before he answers, he prays.This is about as spontaneous as it gets; your right in the middle of aconversation and you realize you need the Lord’s help so you fire off a quick prayer. This was probably like the prayer equivalent of President Trump's tweets. Just a short, sweet piece of communication.Spontaneous prayer is the style of prayer when you know you havesomething on your heart, something burning and needing to come out, and be shared immediately with your Heavenly Father.

I like the prayer life of Brother Lawrence who insisted that you could pray while you are cooking and washing dishes.

So, we have Structured Prayers, Spontaneous Prayers,and now let's look at

III. Specific Prayers

And, of course there is over lapping with the two previous discussions on prayer.If you have something specific you know you want to say, you tend to follow through on praying much more often than you would otherwise.

Praying for specific needs like that has several advantages:

A. Praying for specific needs clarifies our minds.

As Jesus was leaving Jericho, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus confronted Him, crying out over and over "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me."I'm quite sure Jesus knew what was on Bartimaeus' mind, but He makes Bartimaeus specify.

Mark 10:51 (NASB) 51 And answering him, Jesus said, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And the blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!"

B. Praying for specific needs helps us define our needs.

I make it a point when praying with folk, to ask them what specifically do they need prayer for, or, I listen carefully to what they are saying and zoom in on the specifics of their need.Maybe you don’t relate to God in quite that way. But I think Jesus’ instruction to pray specifically for our needs helps us to say what we really want to ask.

Saying “Lord, bless me” won’t lead me to recognize that I don’t need more money as much as I need to say NO to buying more stuff, and being a better steward. God deals with our needs, not our wants, but it's our wants that drive our lives.

C. Praying for specific needs emphasizes our dependence on and intimacy with God.

Go back and look at Jesus' model prayer.See how He emphasizes our dependence and intimacy with God?

If I really pray for God to provide daily bread, I may be tempted to forget that James 1:17 (NASB) 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

But if I pray for the things I NEED, I am not only reminded of thatfact but am also drawn closer to my Heavenly Father.Are we not learning to love and trust the one we call "Father?"

D. Praying for specific needs makes us more alert to answers.

I prayed with someone the other day for specific help with antibiotics, and a couple of days later, they told me that the antibiotics had kicked in.I have such joy when I hear of specific prayers being specifically answered.

When we pray for specifics, we will be more attentive and alert to the answer when it comes.And the specific answers help us become better praying people.Another way to say that is...

E. Praying for specific needs increases our faith. Over and over, we see God’s faithfulness in hearing and answeringour prayer. The more we learn to pray specifically, the more we will see and remembered His answers. And each time that happened, our faith grew.

Some recommend keeping a prayer journal, so you can see the results of your prayer.

When we pray specific requests, we bring God’s person, promises, principles, and purposes directly to bear on the details of our lives and the lives of others. This kind of praying fits with the basic concept we have seen about prayer in Jesus' model prayer.

It is not just a religious exercise or ritual divorced from our mind, emotions and will, and the specifics of our lives. Why? Because prayer is a means of fellowship and growth by whichwe are to seek and discover more about the Lord and His will.

There is an old hymn that bring all this into focus.There is a place of quiet rest,Near to the heart of God;A place where sin cannot molest,Near to the heart of God.Refrain:O Jesus, blest Redeemer,Sent from the heart of God;Hold us, who wait before Thee,Near to the heart of God.

How close are you to our Heavenly Father.Do you desire to deepen your relationship with Him.Well, if you haven't turned your life over to God, this is your opportunity to do so.

Prayer and Invitation

January 28 Lesson 9 (NIV) A Strong FaithDevotional Reading: Revelation 1:9-18

Background Scripture: Daniel 10, 11DANIEL 10:10-19 10 A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. 12 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. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” 15 While he was saying this to me, Ibowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless. 16 Then one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened mymouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak. 17 How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.”18 Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. 19 “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.”When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”

KEY VERSE

“Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you havegiven me strength.”—Daniel 10:19

Introduction

http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dan%2010:19http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Da+10%3A10-19http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Da+11http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Da+10http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Rev+1%3A9-18

A. What Are the Odds?The question above pops to mind when something unusual happens or when we consider taking a risk. For many situations, anactuary has already calculated the odds. For example, the odds of being hit by lightning in any given year is about 1 in 960,000. Those with a fear of flying may be relieved to know that the odds of a person dying in a plane crash are only 1 in 8,000. Nature lovers can be confident that the odds of dying from contact with a venomous plant or animal is about 1 in 42,000.Some odds are comforting. But at other times circumstances of lifecause us to feel as if the odds are stacked against us and we can’t go on. Daniel’s faith gave him strength in uncertain times for himself and for his nation.

B. Lesson BackgroundLast week’s study covered Daniel’s fervent prayer of repentance onbehalf of himself, his captive people, and his homeland in Judah. The verses immediately following (Daniel 9:20-27) record a response to Daniel by the angel Gabriel while Daniel was praying. Gabriel said he had come to give Daniel understanding regarding what lay ahead for God’s people. The prophecy of the seventy sevens follows. It includes descriptions of some of the Messiah’s achievements, though persistent questions remain regarding how tointerpret details of the prophecy.Daniel 10:1 introduces a chronological note: “In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel.” This was the year 537 or 536 BC, two or three years after the aforementioned prayer (see Daniel 9:1). The exact nature of the revelation to Daniel is not provided in the text, although verse 1 goes on to say that “its message was true and it concerned a great war.” In addition, “the understanding of the message came to him in a vision.” Whatever this consisted of, Daniel records a period of “three weeks” during which he mourned and suspended his daily routine of eating and grooming (Daniel 10:2, 3). We do not know the reason for Daniel’s mourning.Daniel 10:4 then describes a vision that Daniel had “on the bank of

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the great river, the Tigris” (compare Genesis 2:14). An unidentifiedbut spectacular, powerful figure appeared to him. While the figure is not identified, some suggest he may be the angel Gabriel, in keeping with other visions (Daniel 8:16; 9:21). The men with Daniel on this occasion did not see the vision but fled in terror nonetheless (Daniel 10:7; compare Acts 9:7; 22:9).The bewildered Daniel eventually fell into “a deep sleep” as the unidentified individual spoke (Daniel 10:9). This is the point at which our printed text begins.

I. Faith Relieves Fear(Daniel 10:10, 11)

A. Touched by an Angel (v. 10)

10. A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.We do not know how long Daniel remains in his “deep sleep” with his “face to the ground” as the verse before this one describes (Daniel 10:9). Listening to a voice had led to the sleep, and now the touch of a hand results in the opposite. He awakens to the point of being on all fours (compare Revelation 1:17). We can compare this with what happens to the prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 2:2. He is a contemporary of Daniel; Ezekiel’s ministry is carried out among the captives in exile, whereas Daniel remains at the royal court in a more official capacity. We do not know whether the two men ever met.

B. Commanded to Listen (v. 11)

11. He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.When a heavenly messenger appears to someone, a word of commendation may be spoken first (examples: Judges 6:11, 12;Luke 1:26-28). That happens here as well, and this is not the first time a heavenly messenger has called Daniel highly

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esteemed (see Daniel 9:21-23).In order for Daniel to be able to consider carefully the words that will be spoken to him, he must be fully awake; that may be why heis directed to stand up. In other cases, such a command from a heavenly messenger is accompanied by a hint of disapproval or impatience (see Joshua 7:10; Jeremiah 1:17; Acts 12:6, 7; 22:14-16). That is not the case here (compare Ezekiel 1:28-2:2).Even without hearing any words or tone of admonishment, Daniel is able to stand only with trembling. He also had been in a “deep sleep” earlier before standing, but at that time Gabriel touched him and set him in an upright position (Daniel 8:16-18). After Gabriel spoke to him then, he “was worn out . . . exhausted for several days” (8:27). Will the words he is about to hear have a similar effect? One can understand why Daniel is trembling at this point!

TIMES OF TREMBLING

A church group was traveling to a retreat. The driver, weary from the long hours, suddenly yelled, “Look, there is a refrigerator box breaking apart and flying in the air.” A passenger said, “No, there’san accident ahead. It’s a van.”The driver slammed on the brakes. Members of the church group were the first to reach the mangled van and a destroyed car, which had a family inside. The group quickly understood the situation, but felt inadequate to help due to lack of first-aid training. They didn’t even have a bandage. Fear began to take hold.One of the group reminded the others that “perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). Immediately everyone prayed for the strength to serve and love those in need. Fears were put aside in order to do what was necessary. Each began to meet the needs of the injured. One of the group flagged down an 18-wheeler, which happened to be driven by a trained emergency medical technician. The Lord had provided.

How to Say ItBabylonianBab-ih-low-nee-un.CyrusSigh-russ.EphesiansEe-fee-zhunz.

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EzekielEe-zeek-ee-ul or Ee-zeek-yul.EzraEz-ruh.GabrielGay-bree-ul.JeremiahJair-uh-my-uh.PersiaPer-zhuh.TigrisTie-grus.

As we encounter the unexpected situations of life, may our trust in the Lord help us put aside our fears so we can face our trials with courage. Daniel’s God is our God. As God responded and strengthened Daniel, so also God will strengthen us for his tasks.—V. S.

What Do You Think?What steps can you take to ensure that your memory ofGod’s love will be a source of strength during a difficult time?Talking Points for Your DiscussionIn times of physical sufferingIn times of spiritual sufferingOther

II. Faith Welcomes the Future(Daniel 10:12-14)

A. God Reveals (v. 12)

12. 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.Along with or in place of words of commendation, the words do not be afraid are sometimes spoken by a heavenly messenger to the recipient (examples: Judges 6:23; Luke 1:13, 30). As this messenger speaks of the first day that Daniel set [his] mind to gain understanding, perhaps the reference is to the series of dreams and visions Daniel has been given. These go back to the beginning of chapter 7, and each one recorded inchapters 7 and 8 have caused him great distress (Daniel 7:15,

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28; 8:27).It is also possible that the messenger’s words in the verse before usdescribe Daniel’s response to the angel Gabriel’s message in Daniel 9:21-27. Daniel’s act of chastening himself would then referto his three-week period of mourning and his denying himself certain food and drink and portions of his daily care (10:2, 3). Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9 may be the words to which the messenger is now responding, or possibly the reference may be to prayers that Daniel offered during his three weeks of mourning.Perhaps most important to note from this verse is the description ofDaniel’s spiritual condition: he has set his mind to understand God’s ways. Seventy years of captivity in a foreign land have not affected the state of Daniel’s mind or made him bitter toward God. He is as firmly committed to the Lord as when he and his friends had first set foot on Babylonian soil. What could be more important than humbling oneself before God as one works to understand his ways? Other passages, including Ezra 8:21, also speak to the issue of self-humbling.What Do You Think?What are some ways we can help each other remainspiritually constant during hard times?Talking Points for Your DiscussionWhen plans are frustratedWhen weariness threatensWhen doubts ariseWhen escapism tempts

B. Powers Resist (vv. 13, 14)

13a. “But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days.Since a heavenly messenger is speaking these words, one gets the impression that the prince of the Persian kingdom is a spiritual being who stands opposed to the work to be carried out through the Lord’s messengers. Thus he may be seen as representing Satan as he attempts to thwart God’s holy purposes. The New Testament uses the phrases “ruler of the

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kingdom of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) and “prince of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) to describe Satan.

This half-verse may therefore be describing the kind of spiritual warfare that Paul outlines in Ephesians 6:10-18. It is noteworthy that the twenty-one days are equivalent to the three weeks of Daniel’s mourning (Daniel 10:2). The struggle pictured in the present verse is the reason for the delay in answering Daniel’s prayer.

13b. “Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me,Gabriel and Michael are angelic beings designated by name in Scripture (see also Revelation 9:11). Michael is mentioned also in Daniel 10:21, where he is described as Daniel’s “prince,” and in 12:1 as the defender and deliverer of God’s people during a time of great trouble.

In the New Testament, Michael is called “the archangel” in Jude 9, where he is described as “disputing with the devil about the body of Moses.” Michael and his angels fight and win a war in Heaven against the dragon (Satan) and his angels (Revelation 12:7-9). It appears that whenever Michael is mentioned in Scripture by name, he is engaged in some kind of intense conflict. So it is in the present verse.We further note that Jesus’ return will be announced “with the voice of the archangel” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). We presume this archangel to be Michael, although his name is not used.

13c. “because I was detained there with the king of Persia.We can only speculate as to what this detainment involved. Perhaps it reflects the struggles that the exiles who have returned home are confronting in their efforts to rebuild the temple and reestablish themselves in their homeland (Ezra 4:1-5). Are satanic elements (referring to Satan’s use of various individuals or circumstances) at work to counter God’s plan forhis people? Is that why Michael has been dispatched to help themessenger speaking with Daniel? We cannot be certain.

What Do You Think?

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In what ways can acknowledging spiritual warfare affect howwe endure hard times?Talking Points for Your DiscussionRegarding our perspective on purposeRegarding our perspectives on friend and foeRegarding our perspective on resourcesOther

14. “Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”It’s one thing to know what will happen; but it’s another thing to know the timing, the when of it. What is being revealed to Daniel will not be fulfilled until a time yet to come. This most likely alludes to what Daniel is about to be told in chapters 11 and 12 (not in today’s text).

III. Faith Receives Strength(Daniel 10:15-19)

A. No Strength Within (vv. 15-17)

15. While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless.Daniel’s reaction to what he hears is similar to his reaction to the earlier vision in Daniel 10:9, although this time no “deep sleep” is recorded. One can understand his reaction. He has already been given an array of visions and dreams that have lefthim an emotional and physical wreck.

Daniel is an elderly man at this point; this may contribute to a lack of stamina for all of this. Yet here in chapter 10, a heavenly messenger has thus far said, in essence, “But wait—there’s more!” No wonder Daniel can only turn his face toward the ground as he becomes speechless.

16. Then one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one

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standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak.Daniel is rescued when an individual with the appearance of a man (apparently another angelic being) comes on the scene. This is the fourth of five instances recorded of Daniel’s being touched by a heavenly being (compare Daniel 8:18; 9:21; 10:10, 18). The fact that this touch occurs on Daniel’s lips echoes Isaiah 6:6, 7 and Jeremiah 1:9. This enables Daniel to speak, whereupon he immediately confesses his extreme weakness. His use of the term my lord is not to be understood that he sees the one touching him as being deity. Rather, it is a polite term of respect for the being’s exalted status (compare Daniel 1:10).

What Do You Think?Can Daniel 8:18; 9:21; and 10:10, 16, 18 speak to theusefulness of human touch in counseling situations today?Why, or why not?Talking Points for Your DiscussionRegarding potentially positive outcomesRegarding potentially negative outcomes

17. How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.”We get the impression that Daniel speaks these words while literally gasping for air. He remains more than a little unnerved by what he has been privileged to see and hear! But he is still aware of his status: he is merely a servant to the being with whom he converses. In acknowledging his weakness, it is as if Daniel is pleading for a second touch in order to obtain additional strength. And that is indeed what he receives (next verse).

B. Strength from Above (vv. 18, 19)

18. Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength.Once more Daniel receives a strengthening touch. The one wholooked like a man may be the same being who touched him

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earlier. Various passages speak of the spiritual hand of the Lord strengthening individuals (examples: Ezra 7:28; Nehemiah 2:18). The verse before us, however, speaks of strength via physical touch from a heavenly being acting on God’s authority.

19. “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.”When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak,my lord, since you have given me strength.”

Interestingly, Daniel’s request for strength is not so that he might question the angelic being. Rather, Daniel has desired strength so that he might be able to listen, as evident in his request Speak, my Lord.Part (most?) of the strength Daniel receives must be due to the reaffirmation that he is highly esteemed (compare Daniel 10:11, above). Sometimes we too find ourselves in a state of needing calmassurance from the Lord that we are not alone, that he is still in control, and that he will supply whatever we lack. At other times we may find ourselves in a position of being the channel or conduitof the Lord’s strength to someone who needs it. Such is the privilege of bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).What Do You Think?What has to happen to keep communication lines open withGod in hard times?Talking Points for Your DiscussionWhen we are tempted to quit (compare Jeremiah 20:9)When God seems distant and prayers go unanswered(Lamentations 3:44)When we are angry at God (compare Jonah 4)Other

ENCOURAGING MESSAGE

Eva, our church’s eldest senior at nearly 100 years of age, struggleswith physical weakness. But what she lacks in physical strength she makes up for in strong Christian love. Her wisdom and ability to share her Christian message knits the community together in

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love (Colossians 2:2). She is particularly good at alleviating the fears of mothers whose sons and daughters in the military are deployed.When Faith’s son Kevin was deployed to Iraq, Eva reminded her ofwhen at age 2 he walked up to the choir, carrying a hymnal, to singwith them. “What a courageous toddler!” Eva exclaimed. They laughed and reminisced of the congregation’s waiting each week thereafter to see the little one run up to join the choir. “We wouldn’t have had it any other way,” Eva added.“Faith,” Eva’s encouragement continued, “you are the courageous mom who raised Kevin. We know God hears our prayers. He answered the first time you ever mentioned Kevin’s courage in a prayer.”We can be God’s hands and feet in imitating this message of Daniel 10. We can set others at ease, tell them what we appreciate about them, and give them assurance that their prayers are heard. Recipients of such a message can say, as Daniel did, that the Lord has strengthened them.—V. S.

Conclusion

A. Bible ComplacencyThe availability of the Bible in the Western world today is mind-boggling. Just the sheer number of editions is impressive in an “embarrassment of riches” kind of way. For print editions, one can choose from various bindings, print size, color coding, etc. For electronic versions, Bibles are available for all the major software platforms in terms of “apps” (short for “applications”). These allow one to have the text ready to read within seconds on a smartphone or tablet. Anyone with such a device can have the Bible alongside them while they are walking, running, or working.Such an availability of Scripture is indeed a blessing, but it can also produce some less-than-desirable attitudes. It is easy for us who live in Western democracies to become complacent and take for granted what we are privileged to possess. With that

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complacency can come a decline in the passion for spending time in the Bible. Technology, while providing ready access to the Bible, can result in less memorization of Scripture or of hiding the Word in one’s heart (Psalm 119:11). The heart then becomes more vulnerable to being filled with unholy content.

B. Bible CostThe cure for complacency is to remember and appreciate the high price that has been paid in order for us to have the access to the Bible that we do. We can read in church history of individuals whopaid with their lives so that the Scriptures might be available to everyone.The struggle to communicate God’s Word traces back ultimately toindividuals such as Daniel. His experience in today’s text tells us something else about the process and struggle by which our Bible has come into being. His reception of God’s Word through the visions and dreams that begin in chapter 7 left him, an elderly man,nearly unable to function. He was not a passive, unresponsive instrument who robotically received whatever God wanted him to record. Knowledge of God’s Word, which eventually became written Scripture, came at a price to Daniel.Many of us who are reading this lesson material are doing so in comfortable surroundings—at home or in the room where our classor small group meets. If the weather outside is cold, our meeting place is probably well heated. We may be relaxing in a padded chair with a cup of coffee in front of us. We hardly think of “trembling” during our encounters with the Word of God—trembling that Daniel actually experienced.Let us never forget the price that so many individuals, including the inspired authors of Scripture, paid so that we may have and read the Bible. May we, like Daniel, set our hearts to understand and humble ourselves before God so that his Word may accomplish all that he desires of us.

C. PrayerHeavenly Father, forgive us for the times we take your Word for

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granted! May we be your instruments today to take the Word to those who lack it. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

D. Thought to RememberMinistry success is a matter of faith.

Standard Lesson Commentary NIV (2017-2018)

Ephesians 6:10-11, 18 (NKJV)January 28 Lesson 9 (NIV) A Strong FaithDaniel 10:10-19Key VerseIntroductionA. What Are the Odds?B. Lesson Background

I. Faith Relieves FearA. Touched by an Angel (v. 10)B. Commanded to Listen (v. 11)

How to Say ItII. Faith Welcomes the FutureA. God Reveals (v. 12)B. Powers Resist (vv. 13, 14)

III. Faith Receives StrengthA. No Strength Within (vv. 15-17)B. Strength from Above (vv. 18, 19)

ConclusionA. Bible ComplacencyB. Bible CostC. PrayerD. Thought to Remember