The goal will be to try to understand more about God’s sovereignty in both seeing the big picture of prophecy but also in see how God providentially engages with individuals—who lived in difficult, antagonistic circumstances.  So that we can learn how we are to live in a pagan land as we trust and wait for God to act.

In Daniel 1 we see how God was involved but also we were able to see Daniel’s character, conviction and courage as he dealt with a situation that challenged him. One element of this challenge required Daniel not only to act courageously but with great tact—wisdom, discernment and positive shrewdness.

Let me encourage you to go back over Daniel 1 and then engage with your small group with these questions.

In preparation for this coming Sunday let me encourage you to read Daniel chapter 2 (it’s a long chapter). 

You may have heard the story—and there are biographical elements about Daniel we can learn from.  But we will also focus on the big picture of prophecy (part 1)—to see what we can learn about God and His plan.

"Just as fire only brings warmth when contained in the fireplace, and devastation when allowed to burn where it chooses, sex that is not contained in marriage brings devastation to individuals, families, and communities.

"How can we promote the higher purpose of sex?

"First, we can teach our young men that the essence of manhood is not their ability to be morally loose with many women, but rather to be faithful for a lifetime with one.

"Second, we can teach each of our daughters that if a man really loves her, he will protect and respect her purity, rather than disregard and abuse it.  We can also teach them that virginity is an honor, and not an embarrassment."

TONY EVANS (in Urban Family, Spr 1994)

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Ken Sande, author of Peace Maker, the best book I personally have read on biblical conflict resolution has extracted some of the key principles from Peace Maker and released them in a readable short (107 pages) book for anyone. I still recommend the fuller Peace Maker, but you can't go wrong with this free audiobook.

You can get Resolving Everyday Conflict free this month from ChristianAudio.com/free.

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. (ESV)

Winning an argument at the expense of integrity is a lose,
Winning an argument while trying to defeat another brother is a lose.

Honoring the Lord with my word and my thought is victory.

Thanks to Justin Talyor

J. I. Packer describing the heretical spirit of our age, which holds that:

the newer is the truer,

only what is recent is decent,

every shift of ground is a step forward,

and every latest word must be hailed as the last word on its subject.

This is what C. S. Lewis called “chronological snobbery” (a lesson he learned from his friend Owen Barfield. Lewis defined it like this:

the uncritical acceptance of the intellectual climate common to our own age and the assumption that whatever has gone out of date is on that account discredited.

Lewis explains what’s wrong with this approach:

You must find out why it went out of date.

Was it ever refuted (and if so by whom, where, and how conclusively) or did it merely die away as fashions do? If the latter, this tells us nothing about its truth or falsehood.

From seeing this, one passes to the realization that our own age is also ‘a period,’ and certainly has, like all periods, its own characteristic illusions. They are likeliest to lurk in those widespread assumptions which are so ingrained in the age that no one dares to attack or feels it necessary to defend them.

Sources:

J. I. Packer, “Is Systematic Theology a Mirage? An Introductory Discussion,” in Doing Theology in Today’s World: Essays in Honor of Kenneth S. Kantzer, ed. John D. Woodbridge and Thomas Edward McComiskey (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1991), 21.

C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy (Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1966) ch. 13, pp. 207-8

Some people do the minimum they can do at work to get by and other seem to be the first in and last out.

There is an old apherism that says, "If you want something done find a busy person."

When hiring we tend to look for high capacity people–those that will get things done and find additional things to work on.

So how do we find the right balance?

When it comes to work ethic what some call doing their job would be work idolatry. Yet there is a great tension that we might feel in an economic climat where jobs are not easy to come by.  So how do we find the balance?

Taking pride in a job well done.
Doing what you are paid for and a little more.
Being responsible.
Being willing to do what is needed.

I was raised in a home where hardwork was the normal things.  Serving was assumed.  But beyond that, I enjoy what I do–but doing too much of it isn't appropriate.

David Murray recently wrote two blog post that were good in causing me to "stop and evaluate"–to insure that I have an appropriate balance.  You too might find them helpful.

In the first post he tries to help us diagnose the causes of workaholism and the effects.

In the second post he move from these 5 causes of workaholism 

Idolatry: the worship of work
Greed: pursuit of material rewards
Escapism: avoidance of less pleasant responsibilities
Identity: defining oneself by one’s work
Unbelief: distrusting God’s provision

to the reality many of us in ministry face–the enjoyment or fulfillment that comes from ministry.

I'd say to any pastor or individual in full-time ministry, if you don't absolutely love your job–leave it or if you could see yourself doing something else–do it.  But let's not love our ministry at the expense of our relationship with God or our family.

(I could write this blog post this week–because I'm taking a week off to do projects at home.  I probably will need to review it in a few week!)

By faith in Christ I walk with God,
With Heav’n, my journey’s end, in view;
Supported by His staff and rod,
My road is safe and pleasant too.

I travel through a desert wide
Where many round me blindly stray;
But He vouchsafes to be my Guide,
And will not let me miss my way.

Though snares and dangers throng my path,
And earth and hell my course withstand;
I triumph over all by faith,
Guarded by His almighty hand.

The wilderness affords no food,
But God for my support prepares;
Provides me every needful good,
And frees my soul from wants and cares.

With Him sweet converse I maintain,
Great as He is I dare be free;
I tell Him all my grief and pain,
And He reveals His love to me.

Some cordial from His Word He brings,
Whene’er my feeble spirit faints;
At once my soul revives and sings,
And yields no more to sad complaints.

I pity all that worldlings talk
Of pleasures that will quickly end;
Be this my choice, O Lord, to walk
With Thee, my Guide, my Guard, my Friend.

John Newton, Olney Hymns (1779)

But one issues that often causes people consternation are the statement in Hebrews 2:18 and 4:15
"For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we re, yet without sin."

Many rationalize that for Jesus to fully understand our temptation he had to be able to sin.  But perhaps that misses the point.  A real conflict does not require the ability to lose.

From Dane Ortlund

If Christ never sinned, can he really sympathize fully with me in all my temptations?

Nineteenth-century NT scholar B. F Westcott, commenting on Heb. 2:18, writes:

Sympathy with the sinner in his trial does not depend on the experience of sin but on the experience of the strength of the temptation to sin which only the sinless can know in its full intensity. He who falls yields before the last strain.

–Brooke Foss Westcott, The Epistle to the Hebrews (1892), 59

1 Timothy 5:17-25

When is it hard for you to submit to those in authority over you?  What does this reveal about your personality?  What does this reveal about what/who you trust?

Encounter—read God’s Word to get to know Him

1 Timothy 5:17-25
Read 1 Timothy 3:1-7 for context

God is a God of order
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, (ESV)
Colossians 2:5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. (ESV)

At each point in history God has established a divinely delegated leadership structure
  Home
      Husband
      Parents
   Country
      Kings and leaders
   Church
      Elders

Key biblical concept
    Leaders accountable to God!
    Divinely delegate leadership
          God mediates His rule through divinely delegated leaders

What does the reality of divinely delegated leadership roles and the passages about the role of an elder, teach you about God?

Examine—what the passage says before you decide what it means
Explore—answers to these questions to better understand together the implications of this passage

Look for commands, explanatory statements (“for”) and reason or purpose statements (“so that”). How do they help you reveal the thrust of the passage?

Other than monetary compensation, how can you show honor to the leadership of your church?

Why is the instruction to not accept accusations against an Elder unless collaborated by others important—particularly in today’s electronic age?

Why might leaders need the challenge in 5:22 to not rush into initial selection, or probably in the context, restoring to a role of leadership an individual who has been rebuked (5:20)?  What might cause them to feel pushed into a decision too quickly?

Embrace—What is the one thing you need to know or do?  What is your next step in response to this passage?

How does this passage challenge you in your relationship to church leaders?
What can you do this week to show honor to those who are to be considered worthy (5:17) for willingly and faithfully fulfilling the role of elder?