Daniel 6:7 NKJV

All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.

A royal statute, according to the above Bible passage, is an executive order, a sovereign law. It is a decree that is binding on all, as long as you live in that state, province, or kingdom.

If you look at the story critically from Daniel 6:1, you will discover that, although they proposed the law in order to find fault against Daniel, it was actually an executive order against God because the only thing that was left as an alternative to Daniel was to stop praying to God or stop serving God. The enemies knew that it would be impossible for Daniel to stop serving his God for a whole thirty days, so they manipulated the king to sign the bill into law.

Have you noticed that there are so many royal statutes in our world today? Many great nations now have laws that are anti-God. Examples are abortion rights, LGBT rights (Genesis 13:13; 19:1-11; Leviticus 18:22; 20;13,15-16) and so on. All these newly established rights are just like the “royal statute” that the enemies set for Daniel, not just to find fault with him but also to stop him from serving his God freely.

Any government’s or company’s policy that stands against Christian values is a royal statute we are talking about. Unfortunately, many Christians have been partially separated from God through these laws. While many (especially in developed countries) are seriously doubting the existence of God or His relevance in today’s world, some have also embraced these new-age movement activities as norms. They now see the Bible as an archaic book because it stood against so many activities that the world is legalizing today.

Presently, some powerful personalities are looking for ways to write another edition of the Bible that will reflect the present world in terms of what is acceptable and what is not.

The question we should ask ourselves today is, What is my position as regards these royal statutes? What is your position about LGBT rights and others? Do you believe what was written in the Bible concerning those activities or what the New Age movement is writing or saying about them today? Your position will determine whether you have already surrendered to these “royal statutes” or are still standing on biblical principles.

God has a standard that doesn’t adjust itself to the lustful desires of men (1 Timothy 2:19). He has always been desirous of having a man (like Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Paul, etc.) who will serve him wholeheartedly. He is still reaching out to you and me today, saying that we should forsake wordly friendship (James 4:4), that is, activities the Bible regarded as unholy, and embrace him by becoming a living sacrifice for Him (Romans 12:1-2).

What will be your answer to him today, and whose side are you on?

Joshua 24:15 — The New International Version (NIV)

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

You can also read the next chapter of the book of Daniel, Daniel 7, and come up with a topic we can discuss from the chapter.

Daniel 5:22-23 The Message (MSG)

“You are his son and have known all this, yet you’re as arrogant as he ever was. Look at you, setting yourself up in competition against the Master of heaven! You had the sacred chalices from his Temple brought into your drunken party so that you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines, could drink from them. You used the sacred chalices to toast your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone—blind, deaf, and imbecile gods. But you treat with contempt the living God who holds your entire life from birth to death in his hand.

There are some terrible activities that we see or hear almost every day, either from the news media or on social media platforms; these activities all boil down to the fact that people no longer honor God or the things of God like they used to.

This present generation is full of people that don’t belong anywhere; some may claim to be Christians, but when you see the manner in which they criticize ministers of God on social media (without any respect for their old age), you will wonder if their motive was to discourage those who are willing to serve God or to make others feel that Christianity does not have any standard again. The painful part is that of the supposed “men of God” that will come on social media, not in order to preach the gospel of salvation (which is the bedrock of Christianity) but to criticize other men of God (especially the popular ones) with unverified information. This is why many young people never honor God again.

King Belshazzar, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 27:6-7), was alive when his grandfather’s heart was turned to that of a beast (Daniel 5:18–22) and was restored back to the throne, yet he failed to honour the God of Israel. He organized a feast for his lords, wives, and concubines and ordered his servants to bring out some sanctified vessels (that Nebuchadnezzar carried away from Jerusalem) to drink wine. Even Nebuchadnezzar had never, for any reason, used any of the vessels for such purposes; he only kept them somewhere as treasures from Jerusalem.

Belshazzar not only dishonoured the God of Israel by using those sanctified vessels for drinking, but he (together with his guests) also gave honour and praise to their many gods: gods of wood, stone, gold, etc. Suddenly, a hand appeared and wrote something on the wall, which all the wise men couldn’t read or interpret except for Daniel. God had placed Belshazzar’s reign on a scale and found it wanting. He had not learned any lessons from his father. He died that same night.

Dishonoring God can come in different forms: If you are always punctual to your place of work five times a week but always get to your church service late on Sundays, it’s a sign that you don’t hold God in high esteem yet. If you find pleasure in criticizing ministers of God for every little thing (publicly) or you love to chat with friends during church service and pay no attention to God’s word, you are not honouring God.

I have discovered that one of the key reasons why people knowingly or unknowingly dishonour God is because they are trying to please men. From the story of Balaam, when he still went ahead to see King Balak despite the fact that he knew God was against the idea (Numbers 22:9–12, 22–24), to the story of King Saul, when he offered sacrifices unto God instead of waiting for Prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 13:6–14), to the story of King Herod, when he ordered that the head of John the Baptist should be given to Herodias (Matthew 14:1–9), you will discover that all these men committed grave errors because they wanted to please men. They wanted to prove to people that they were in charge because they were too occupied with “what will people say”.

The reason a married Christian young lady will fall to the temptation of sleeping with her boss in the office or with a fake pastor could be trying to please the man against honouring God with her body (which is the temple of God, 1 Corinthians 6:18–20).

There are so many situations that have brought many down in their spiritual lives and Christian journeys because they have chosen to honour men while unconsciously dishouring God. Most lies that people tell, which usually lead to other lies (when they are trying to cover them up), are deeply rooted in trying to please men or prove a point as opposed to pleasing God.

If God decides to place you on a scale today, are you very sure your result will not be like that of Belshazzar? “You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting” (Daniel 5:26–28). Turn back to Christ today and prioritize honouring Him over “being at peace with men” or looking for favour from men. Any favour or benefit that you receive from men that will dishonour God in your life should be rejected without any consideration because God will always honour whoever honours Him.

If you have learned one or two lessons, share your thoughts in the comment section below. You can also read the next chapter of the book of Daniel (Daniel 6), as we deduce another topic from the lessons learned.

Daniel 4:25 NKJV

They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.

Inside every man is a desire to want to be God. This desire is so silent that you may not discover it on time, but it will always reflect in your thoughts and attitudes.

Whatever achievement you have that makes you feel very important to the extent that you ascribe the glory to yourself already places you side by side with God. This mindset will make you very proud and, in most cases, arrogant. You will always want people to bow to you for everything you have done or want to do for them. When you lead a team to achieve something great, you will always be quick to think that you are the reason for the success.

King Nebuchadnezzar was a very powerful king, according to Daniel chapter 4:20-22, but he had forgotten that there was another King who could dethrone him without any consultation. I am referring to the King of Kings, the Most High God.

Nebuchadnezzar thought in his heart that there was no one as great as he was. He thought all the great transformations, reconstructions, and so on that Babylon had experienced were because of him. What happened next? God sent him to the school of “Humilitycology” (if there is anything like that), where he studied how humility works. His heart was changed into that of an animal, and he was sent to the forest as a beast. He lived with animals and ate grass and everything animals eat on the ground, including spoilt fruits.

Matthew 23:12 KJV

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

After seven years of hard training (in the University of the Jungle), God replaced Nebuchadnezzar’s heart of a beast with that of a man and restored his glory and throne to him. Who else has the power to relegate a powerful king into becoming an animal, keep him away from humans for seven years, and still be able to restore his throne back to him if not “The Most High God,” who rules in the affairs of men?

Never allow what you have to make you think you don’t need God. Don’t allow your position to make you treat others as slaves or as if they were nothing. Don’t allow your challenges to make you feel that hope is totally lost. Always remember that The Most High (who raises the poor out of the dust and the needy out of the dunghill and elevates them to the palace) rules.

Daniel 4:17 King James Version (KJV)

This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Psalm 113:4-9 KJV

The LORD is high above all nations, And his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, And lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, Even with the princes of his people. He maketh the barren woman to keep house, And to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD

You can share your challenges with us at gsany03@gmail.com if you want us to pray along with you or at @regenerated.

Daniel 3:4-6 NIV

Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”

The world is full of challenges, and it’s almost impossible not to face challenges in one’s life at some point or another. Some challenges are just like a burning furnace, and if care is not taken, they can consume the person experiencing them.

In the above text, the furnace of fire was the penalty imposed on anyone who disobeyed the king’s instruction, and it is not avoidable. However, what will determine if you will be consumed by that fire or that challenge is whether you have insurance over your life or not. In this case, the insurance is the promises of God for those who fear him and are in a good relationship with him.

Isaiah 43:1-2 NIV

But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Psalm 34:7 KJV

The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, And delivereth them.

That God is with you or that you are in a good relationship with God (in most cases) does not stop you from going through the fire, but the fire will not consume you as in the case of Shadrack, Meshack, and Abed-Nego. These men were cast into the fiery furnace with so much anger from the king, thinking they would serve as scape goats to others, but instead of them being consumed by the fire, they were just having “a chat’ in the fire, not because they put on a “fireproof jacket” or they are superhuman beings, but because God was there with them in the fire.

The first thing the devil will do to you when you are passing through serious challenges is to make you hate God or make you stop believing in God. The second thing he will do is separate you from your brethren (your God’s family). You will stop going to church and withdraw from everyone to face life’s challenges alone.

The three Hebrews became a wonder and a testimony to their world just because God was with them in the fire. We must also realize that God wouldn’t have been there in the fire if they had not chosen God above worldly pleasure and fame.

When you are faced with a very challenging situation that is contending with your faith in God, will you still be able to stand on the Lord’s side, or will you silently deny him? If you stand with God, He will protect you from the fire, but if you deny him because of money, friends, or for whatever reason, you will also not find him in that fire with you because he is not used to fellowshipping with you.

Stay with God no matter what the situation may be, and you will surely come out of it victorious and a better person.

Exodus 20:4-6 NIV

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

In the book of Daniel 3:1–2, Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold that is very tall and wide; then he invited all the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the judges, and all the officials of the provinces to the dedication of the image. I believe the image was a very big project before the king, and he must have spent huge material resources and time to build that image. In fact, it must have been seen as one of his achievements as the king of Babylon.

He invited all the important officials and leaders to come for the dedication of the project, but he did not inform them that they would be compelled to bow to the image. In such a situation, your decision as to whether to bow or not must be spontaneous because there won’t be time to go and think about it, and the condition does not allow you to have a second chance if you fail to comply. However, despite the death threat attached to the command, it was reported that the three Hebrew men rejected the idea publicly and also refused to bow to the image, daring whatever the consequences would be. They knew it would be wrong for them to bow to other gods except for Jehovah, and so they obeyed God rather than deny Him in public, not minding what people would say.

There are so many things that represent the golden image in our lives today, and the painful thing is that many Christians are bowing to these images on a daily basis.

A golden image is anything that is set up by you or by someone you highly respect but that is against your Christian values. A golden image (for students) is examination malpractice, especially if it is condoned by the school management or the invigilators. It will take deep love and the fear of God for you to see others cheating and refuse to join them.

A golden image (for politicians) can be the sharing of embezzled money or public funds, especially if your refusal can lead to impeachment or a loss of political office. The golden image can appear in any form depending on what you do and what you are exposed to daily, but it’s your responsibility to stand firm in God even if it takes away your means of livelihood. You must not be afraid to let men know where you stand because it is when you take a risk for God that He will show up to glorify himself in your life, and even if he does not show up immediately, your dedication and doggedness towards obeying him will yield positive seed that will later save many and draw them to Christ.

If you stand with God, He will restore whatever you might have lost because of your obedience and lift you above your enemies.

Have you noticed any golden images around you that you would like to share? Kindly send to gsany03@gmail.com or through the comment session below.

The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”  Daniel 2:47

Religion is a practice that is common to most men who have lived on earth and are still living on its surface. Almost every human being believes in the existence of a certain higher spiritual being called God. The only challenge is that there are so many gods. Some were carved out of wood; some were animals that some tribes chose to worship; and some were spirit beings that some ancestors had earlier accepted to be their gods and thereby transferred to their next generation.

When Nebuchadnezzar (the king) had a terrible dream but forgot, he sent for all magicians, astrologers, soothsayers, etc. to come and interpret the dream for him, but none of them could, despite the fact that they all have different gods that they usually consult for difficult matters. The reason is because their gods have limited powers (if at all they had any). However, Daniel was able to tell the king about the dream and its interpretation because he was serving an All-sufficient and limitless God.

Nebuchadnezzar couldn’t pretend that Daniel’s God was like the usual gods he knew; see what he said below:

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”  Daniel 2:46-47

As powerful as Nebuchadnezzar was, he prostrated before Daniel. Isn’t that amazing?

Two things are very important to note in that story: (1). How much you know about God determines how much of His mercy and goodness your life will display. If you know Him as the God of gods, you will never seek other gods for any challenge you are facing, and you will never doubt his existence either.

Secondly, Daniel did not reveal the secrets to the king because of his qualifications, nor because of his family background or his connections (the people he knows), but because of the God he knew, believed, and was serving.

What do you think about the God of Daniel, the revealer of secrets? Don’t you think you need to dedicate your time to getting to know Him more?

In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep.  So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.  
…Daniel 2:1-3

The world is filled with problems, and your ability to generate solutions to any of them determines how relevant you will be on earth. There are levels of problems, but the ones that can attract a greater reward to those who will solve them are those that bring confusion to kings or the entire world—problems that are bigger than the age and understanding of a natural man.

Naaman was a very powerful man in his day, but he was leprous. He was so relevant to his king and the entire kingdom that even though he had leprosy, the king couldn’t confine him to the outskirts of the city. Who on earth could have believed that mere bathing in the Jordan River for seven days would solve his nightmare? It’s amazing, isn’t it? …2 Kings 5

In the above scripture (Daniel 2), king Nebuchadnezzar had a very scary dream but totally forgot the dream immediately he woke up from sleep, so he called upon the astrologers, magicians, and Chaldeans of Babylon (the wise men he had been feeding and giving luxuries of life to for situations like this) to tell him the dream and also interpret it.

Nebuchadnezzar was highly disappointed when no one could tell him the dream, not to mention interpret it. In fact, the magicians told him that no man physically on the surface of the earth can remember the dream for him except the gods, whose addresses cannot be found on earth. Little did they know that there are some men who are still physically present on earth but are also connected to the source of revelation, that is, God.

Daniel was able to reveal the same dream that had brought confusion and a death threat to the entire Babylon within a few hours, not because he actually knew the dream but because he knew the Revealer of deep and secret things, the God Almighty.

   “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise
 and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. Daniel 2:20=22

God gave Daniel the solution to the problem that had shaken the entire kingdom and could have cost many people their lives. He was not only respected after telling the dream to the king, but he was also given gifts and promotions bigger than his qualifications.

If you have a solution to men’s problems, you will not only become relevant in this generation, but you will also attract financial rewards to yourself because people will pay you for your service.

Don’t become consumed with hatred or envy for other people who are genuinely rising to stardom; rather, be concerned about the problems you are meant to solve. It’s very interesting that you don’t really need to have a ready-made solution to the problem; all you need is to know Him and have a good relationship with Him that reveals secrets in dark places. He will open your eyes to solutions to problems, and you will become relevant in life to the glory of his name.

Would you not rather find Him now that He can be found?

Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.  Isaiah 55:6

Daniel 1:17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

Daniel and his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego), received rewards from God that no other candidate was able to match, just because they chose to partner with God. They denied themselves from what others considered as “opportunity” in order to please God. Daniel 1:8,17,19-20.

It is not very easy to partner with God because of some of its demands, but if one is able to do so, the rewards are bountiful and sustainable. Genesis 17:3-8

What does it means to partner with God? 

It means that you have decided to drop some pleasures in order to serve God. Luke 14:27

It indicates that God comes first in your life before anything else, and so whatever does not please God must automatically be rejected by you. Matthew 6:33

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. James 4:4

To partner with God means that you cannot do without having a personal relationship with Him daily. You must grow in the inner man by eating spiritual food (God’s word) daily and consistently having communication with God through prayers. See Psalm chapter 1:2–3 below:

But his delight is in the law of the LORD; And in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 

Entering into partnership with God means that you must be stupid enough to obey whatever He asks you to do, and you must be wise enough not to follow what your mind tells you to do except if it conforms with God’s pattern and will for you. John 2:5

You must be a very disciplined person to be able to play your roles effectively and also fulfill your destiny when you are in partnership with God.. Romans 12:11

While the Israelites were seeing the Red Sea ahead of them, God was seeing a well-constructed and wide road that no man has ever trod upon. He asked them to move forward and then gave them the codes (instructions) that would activate the manifestation of that dry land, and they obeyed them. The rest is history.

Many Christians who desire to be in partnership with God are too busy to receive the codes needed to activate God’s plans for them. Although they had forsaken what God told them to leave behind, because of fear and anxiety, they couldn’t hear the next instructions needed to enter into their rest. They later arrived at the conclusion that God made life difficult for them. Some eventually returned to Egypt (the old ways), while others invited strange gods and mediums to journey with them in fulfilling their destiny. What a disaster!  Proverbs 16:25

Make up your mind that you will follow God and follow Him wholeheartedly with your eyes and ears widely open to read and hear the codes needed to activate your dominion and inheritance in Christ.

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Stay on the Lord’s side

Daniel 1:8 “ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself”.

As simple as the above scripture sounds, it is a very hard decision to make, especially in this age. In fact, I can almost say categorically that many Christians cannot take such a bold step and adhere to it. Now let’s examine the scripture passage a little:

Daniel was the one who decided on his own that those foods would corrupt him. Do you always view things from God’s perspective or from men’s acceptance?

The food being given to them did not come from a fraudulent or dubious practice; it was the portion assigned to them by the king; it was their entitlement, even though it would corrupt them. Can you, as a student, reject cheating in an examination even when others are doing it and invigilators are not complaining?

Daniel (going by the king’s daily provision) did not have options other than to eat the food apportioned to them by the king, and his decision (if later discovered by the king) can cost ‘the Eunuch in charge of feeding’ his job or his life. However, Daniel used his influence to demand what he considered the appropriate meal without feeling cheated or bad that other people were eating expensive and assorted food. He was very disciplined with his ideology. Can you reject embezzlement where it has become common practice?

You will agree with me that some Christians were not corrupt until they were tested with power. Some became corrupt when they got promoted to a higher grade in their place of work, while some politicians became corrupt when they were given power over public funds. They became corrupt when they were exposed to “real money”, when they got to the position where public funds (the national cake) were at their disposal. Read John 12:6

In Nigeria today, Peter Obi seems to stand out (among many politicians) because of his ideology about public funds: he believes public funds belong to the public and should be spent on the public, not for personal gratification. He believes he was a rich man before coming into politics and so cannot depend on “the national cake” to survive or to allocate public funds to his family members under whatever name. However, while many politicians also believed they’d been rich before coming to office, they also believed (by practice) that their family members must greatly benefit from public funds even though they were not elected by the masses. They cannot take sides with Daniel. Can you take sides with God where corruption has become the norm and is generally accepted by your class or community?