DANIEL & HOSEA

It's Friday, and I'm in Daniel and Hosea.  I have to be at the church soon for an early staff meeting with the assistant pastors and I don't want to be late so I'm having to write just a little today.  Here are three thoughts I marked out this morning: 1) CHANGED THE KING'S WORD- I have read over and over the story of the three Hebrew children facing the furnace, but today I noticed that one phrase found in Dan. 3:28 "have changed the king's word".  It says that they "trusted in him (God), and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God."  Now I knew their stand for God, but that phrase "changed the king's word" spoke to me because all they did was to obey God and the outcome was that the word of the King was changed!  Then I thought, that is how we as Christians are to behave in our society... we are to obey God and let God "change the word of the king".  We can all do our part... not in protesting, but in obedience to God!  Oh that our lives and actions of obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, could and would "change the king's word".  Praise God for this passage that reminds us that it is what God does through us, not we we do in our own strength! 2) CHANGED THE KING!  Not only did God use the three Hebrew children to "change the king's word", but God was not through with Nebuchadnezzar.... God was going to change the king before it was over.  In chapter four of Daniel, we see that after he as lived as a wild animal, that God changed the king.  In verse 37, it says:  "Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven...."   Now we have not lived in the woods for seven years, but as God's children to begin with.... shouldn't we also praise and extol and honour the KING OF KINGS??  Yes, we should.  Let's do it today.... ok? 3) NAME CHANGES- In Hosea chapter two, we see some name changes:  (vs. 1) "Say ye unto your brethren, AMMI; and to your sisters, RUHAMAH."  "Ammi" means: my people; and "Ruhamah" means:  Having obtained mercy.   and (vs. 16) "... that thou shalt call me ISHI; and shalt call me no more BAALI"   "Ishi" means:  my husband; and "Baali" means: "my lord".  In each of these name changes, it means that God has a much more personal relationship with His people.  He is spoken of as their husband... not just another authority (such as lord); and they are spoken of as "his people" "whom have found mercy".  Here God is saying how much He loves His people and the personal relationship He wants to have with them.... and each of us!!   Love HIM today! Have a blessed day,.... time has come and gone.  Pastor Mike Mutchler