Category: Scripture

“Then God looked over all that He had made, and He saw it was good! And evening passed and morning cam, marking the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31, NLT)

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will face away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-26, NLT)

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By His death, Jesus opened a new life-giving way through the curtain of the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting in Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.: (vv. 19-25, NLT)

“Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the sone, and sat on it. His face shown like lightning and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him and they fell into a dead faint.

Than the angel spoke to the women. ‘Don’t be afraid! he said. ‘I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as He said would happen. Come, see where His body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead and He is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there. Remember what I have told you.’

The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him. Jesus said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”(vv. 1-10, NLT)

“Darius, the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a hight officer to rule over each province. The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the hight officers and to protect the king’s interest. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.” (vv. 1-3, NLT)

“So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, ‘ Long live King Darius! We are all in agreement – we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors – that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human – except to you, Your Majesty – will be thrown into the den of lions.'” (vv. 6-7, NLT)

“So they (the officials) went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. ‘Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human – except to you, Your Majesty – will be thrown in the den of lions?’

‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘ that decision stands, it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.’

Then they told the king,’That man, Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.’

Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a ay to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.”(vv. 12-14,NLT)

“So at last, the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, ‘My your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.’

A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. Then the king immediately returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.

Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. When he got there, he called in anguish, ‘ Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue your from the lions? ‘

Daniel, answered, ‘Long live the king! My God sent His angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in His sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.'(vv. 17-22, NLT)

Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.

Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world:

“Peace and prosperity to you! I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.

For He is the living God, and He will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His rule will never end. He rescues and saves His people; He performs miraculous signs and wonder in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.’

So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” (vv. 25-28, NLT)

“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the One who lives forever.

His rule is everlasting, and His kingdom is eternal.
All the people of the earth are nothing compared to Him.
He does as He pleases among the angels of heaven
and among the people of the earth.
No one can stop Him or say to Him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’

When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before.

Noe I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All His acts are just and true, and He is able to humble the proud.” (vv. 34-37, NLT)

“Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach,and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fulled dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. And because of the king, in his anger, he had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.

But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, ‘Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?’

‘Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,’ they replied.

‘Look!’ Nebuchadnezzar shouted,’I see four men, unbound, walking around the fire unharmed! And the fourth one looks like a god!’

Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: ‘Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! come here!’

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire hd not touched them. Not a hair on their heads were singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!” (vv. 19-27, NLT)

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar threw himself down before Daniel and worshiped him, and he commanded his people to offer sacrifices and burn incense before him. The king said of Daniel, ‘Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.’

Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Sadrach, Meshach, and Abendego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.” (vv. 46-49, NLT)

“He (Daniel) said, ‘Praise the name of God forever and ever, for He has al wisdom and power. He controls the course of the world events; He removes kings and set up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars. He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in the darkness, though He is surrounded by light. I think and praise You, God of my ancestors, for You have given me wisdom and strength. You have old me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded.'” (vv. 20-23, NLT)

“Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. ‘Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,’ he said. ‘Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.’ The king assigned then a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then would enter royal service.

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azarah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach. Azariah was called Abednego.

But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. No God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. But he responded,’I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If your become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.’

Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. ‘Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,’Daniel said. “At the end of the ten days,, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the kings’s food.Then make your decision in light of what you see.’ The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days.

At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others.

God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding evert aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.” (vv. 3-17, NLT)

“In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing from east from beneath the door of the Temple passing to the right of the altar on its south side. The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the water flowing out though the south side of the east gateway.” (vv. 1-2, NLT)

“Then he asked me,’Have you been watching, son of man? ‘ Then he lead me back along the riverbank. When I returned, I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river. Then he said to me,’This water flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure. There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for the waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows. Fisherman will stand along the shores of the Dead Sea. All the way from En-gedi to En-eglaim, the shores will be covered in nets drying in the sun. Fish of every king will fill the Dead Sea, just as they fill the Mediterranean. But the marshes and swamps will not be purified; they will still be salty. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will be a new crop every month, for they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing.'” (vv. 6-12, NLT)