AN INDEPENDENT NATION TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON GOD!
Daniel 9:1-19
INTRODUCTION: Daniel was a very godly man. He is one of only a few men that the Bible speaks a great deal about that no sin is recorded in his life. Daniel was a praying man. Three times a day he prayed toward Jerusalem, even when it could have caused his death. Daniel was a very patriotic man and he had a love for his God and for his nation. We can learn from Daniel how a man can approach a holy God for a sinful nation he loves. Our founding fathers made a compact with their God also. The Mayflower Compact! There is a growing belief in our nation that love for God and a love for country are inconsistent. Every Christian, no matter where they live should love their country. We love our independent nation, but we must never forget that our nation like all others is totally dependent on our God! Psalm 33:12.
- WE MUST SEE WHAT DANIEL SAW!
Daniel 9:1-2: Daniel prayed for his nation because of what he saw in the Word of God. A Christian in our nation who cannot see the dire need for prayer and fasting for our nation does not know the Word of the Living God. Hebrews 12:4-6. The people of Daniel’s day had disobeyed God and so they spent 70 years in captivity because of it. God’s judgement can be poured out on individuals, on congregations, and on nations. Malachi 3:6-12. When a nation begins to make laws that are contrary to God’s laws and tolerate things the Lord abhors, that nation is heading for certain judgement. Proverbs 14:34; Psalm 33:12.
2. WE NEED TO SAY WHAT OUR GOD SAYS!
Our national leaders have proclaimed the need for national days of prayer and fasting many times in the history of the United States. 1 Timothy 2:1-4: We are commanded in the Scriptures to pray for our national leaders. We need to pray for repentance for our leaders and our nation: Daniel 9:3-14. Daniel is saying “Lord we have insisted on living our way instead of your way and it has led to bondage. Our own nation has done the exact same thing. We have not confessed our shortcomings until we are sick of sin and sick over our sin! We need to call our sins exactly what they are and confess and repent of them. Psalm 12:7-8; 2 Chronicles 7:11-16.
3. WE NEED TO SEEK FOR OUR NATION WHAT DANIEL SOUGHT FOR HIS NATION!
Daniel 9:14-19. We serve a gracious God. We do not want what we deserve so we should cry out the same as God’s prophets cried out to God: Habakkuk 3:2. Wouldn’t that be a great prayer for us to pray to our God for our nation! We have more power in our prayer closet than we will ever have at the ballot box. One of God’s greatest promises was given in 2 Chronicles 7:14. It is time for God’s people to get serious in prayer and fasting for our nation! Please pray asking God if you should join us in taking one day between July 1 and July 8 of this year to fast and pray for our national repentance and renewal.