“How God Speaks”

Daniel 2:31-45

“Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly, and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The windswept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.

“This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; in your hands, he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.

“After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold to pieces.

“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

I dreamed a dream… (Les Misérables)

There are not many dreams I remember in my life. I did have some nightmares lately because of some stress in my life, but I knew where they came from. Years ago I had some surgery and they sent me home with some “Happy Pills” for pain. During the night I sat straight up in bed and told Treva, “The government was coming to take her wisdom teeth away.” I was asleep and she was in hysterics. A little later I said something unintelligible about “the cherry trees behind the fire escape.” I’m glad there was no one there to interpret my dreams and the drugs were soon gone.

God has spoken to people through the ages in many different ways. He used some special prophets through the years to interpret dreams for powerful people. Many times it was tough news they had to bring. Other times it was clarification of a direction, or a revealing of special wisdom, or sin. It was a tough job, history records that some unscrupulous “wise men” or “prophets” were killed because they were not one hundred percent correct in their interpretation. Some of these charlatans were trying to manipulate power for favor and fortune. It didn’t work out well for them.

Holy messages have come through dreams, angels, a burning bush, clouds, fire, a finger on the wall, a talking donkey, a still small voice, prayers, prophets, preachers, apostilles, angels, and the living Word of God – Jesus. We cannot put God in a box! He uses all of creation to speak to us and His voice still speaks truth! We are blessed to have scripture, ministers, Bible study, music, and media to help teach us about our Lord. Beyond these tools is a personal, God-sized dream that can only be accomplished through His strength and provision through you.

If you want your dreams to come true, the first thing you have to do is… wake up.

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 
  • What are some ways that God has spoken to you in the past? 

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 

Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Jim Sellers, Minister of Music and Director of YAH

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“Just a Little Test”

Daniel 1:8-17

“But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.”

Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food. So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”

Tara sat in my office and complained how her parents didn’t trust her and that she was always getting into trouble. Her dad would try to talk to her about how she should act, but after a while it was just so much noise. She went to church because her parents made her and she had a lot more fun with her partying friends than she did with the other kids in the youth group. 
I tried something I never had before, kind of a last ditch effort. I challenged Tara to take 30 days, just 30 days to act as if God’s ways were best. 30 days to listen and respect her parents. 30 days to stay out of trouble, read her Bible and pray and live as if she believed wholeheartedly in what she had been rebelling from. And surprisingly, she took me up on it. 
30 days later, Tara was a different girl and the trajectory of her life was on a whole new course. We both look back on that time as a pretty cool experiment and I marvel at how God has shaped her into the wife, mom, and Christian leader that she is today. Almost 25 years later, Tara is pouring into teenagers and challenging them to give God a chance, because she learned at their age that God’s way is always best. 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 
  • Tony Evans has defined faith as “acting as if God is telling the truth.” Are you willing to take some time to see if God’s ways are truly better than yours?
  • What areas in your life would you test first? 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Jon Price, Associate Pastor

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“Who is your King?”

Daniel 1:1-2


“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.”

In these verses, you will find three kings. Jehoiakim, king of Judah, pays tribute to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, with the furniture from the Temple. But, then, the Bible says God, King of kings, makes it all happen.

In each chapter, Daniel points out God’s authority over all rulers in the world. He also shows the consequences of following each king. Finally, Daniel gives detailed prophecies regarding Jesus and the “end of time”.

Jesus is seen in a fire. Jesus is seen in dreams. Jesus is seen in a prayer, a decree, and with lions. In a world that’s falling apart, you can find Jesus. He’s still here. He hasn’t abandoned us or His plan. Hallelujah!!

So, here are three applications to Daniel.

  • What king do you serve? The consequences are huge!
  • God rules the world. No, literally, God rules the world!
  • Jesus can be found in Babylon (the sinful world). Follow Him, share Him, and be strengthened by Him. 

Use the HEAR method as you spend time with today’s verse

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Pastor Stephen Williams

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“Are you seeking Him?”

Jeremiah 29:13

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” 

I’m sure most of you know the game, “Hide and Seek.” Participants hide in an area with set boundaries while one counts to a predetermined number (usually 100 and the cheaters counted quickly). After the count, the one who is “it” goes to seek/find those who have hidden.

I grew up in the country and we had some pretty epic games of hide and seek. We hid in a lot of crazy places! (Kids please don’t try these, we were highly trained professionals.) We hid on rooftops, in trees, in a small cave, in the attic of a house, in and underneath parked cars, and many other places that in retrospect would be ill-advised then or now. The seeker would carefully spend time searching high and low, near and far, and anywhere they could think of “seeking” those in hiding.

Jeremiah chapter 29, is a letter written to the Israelites exiled to Babylon. The letter was a letter of purpose, hope, promise, and restoration. God deemed they would be exiled for 70 years, encouraged them to build homes, have children, and pray for the welfare of their current place of residence (even though I’m sure they didn’t want to be there).

But then He tells them in verse 13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” This was not a game of hide and seek. God doesn’t play games. There is purpose in everything He does (whether we agree with His plans or not). This was a reminder from God that they were to seek Him with all their heart, and then when their appointed time was up He would keep His promise and bring them back to their promised land.

The awesome thing about each person who has ever lived is that God created each of us to seek Him with all our heart, not just the Israelites. Everyone is seeking something and that something is Him! We can chase material things, fame, wealth, and a million other things in this world, but the ONLY thing worth seeking is a personal relationship with Him. The beautiful thing about God is that although He created us to seek Him, He was already seeking each one of us long before we ever realized it.

If you’re reading this, it means it’s not too late to start, so I challenge you to seek Him with all your heart from here on. You’ll be glad you did, but He’ll be even more glad!

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:

  • When did you begin seeking God? 
  • What does it mean to you that He was seeking you first? 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Dylan Owens, Leader of Wednesday night Men’s Group 

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“What’s Your Excuse?”

Jeremiah 1:6 

“Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.”

Excuses, excuses, excuses. It cost too much, I’m too old, it’s too far, I’m too (blank). We’re all full of them. I’m probably the worst. This verse makes me think of a willingness to follow God. That’s what God wants. God wants us to love him so much that even with the shortcomings we have, we’re willing to put one foot forward and start on His path for us. 
Jeremiah feels he’s too inexperienced and won’t be taken seriously. God tells him he was consecrated (having been made or declared sacred) for His purpose. It’s like saying it’s his destiny. To God, our tomorrow (future) already looks like yesterday. He is sovereign. All that we need He has given us. Regardless of our excuses or perceived inability, God will accomplish what he desires through us. Sometimes it’s hard to realize how much better it is to run to God than running from God. 2 Corinthians 12:9 reminds me that all I need has been provided and all the doors he’s opened for me in spite of my excuses.

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 

  • In what ways do you feel a little inadequate? 
  • What excuses do you find yourself using when you think about what God has called you to do?
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Dr Brit Jordan

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“Set Apart”

Jeremiah 1:5

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

The world we live in now is such a wild place with so many different problems and not a lot of solutions. People are very good at focusing on the negative and the failures of people rather than encouraging one another to keep moving forward. The struggle happens when we allow the negativity and lies to consume us, instead of seeking healthy solutions. Every one of us truly desires to understand our worth and where it comes from. So many of us fall into the trap of believing we have no higher purpose and that we’re created to do something great. These lies make us feel alone with no hope, so we believe the only choice is to give up at times. We allow anything to be our determination of our worth. 
I love this verse because it speaks directly against these lies. The God of the universe chose to form me in my mother’s womb before I even heard His name. Before I was born, little ole Macon Jones, God set me apart. He did not set me apart to shame me or to make me feel worthless, but to give me new life, to adopt me into His holy family. To read the words “before you were born I consecrated you” truly brings joy to my heart. I am able to find my true worth in the God of the universe. My Heavenly Father has set me apart for a reason – reason that brings Him honor, a reason that brings Him glory, a reason that grows His kingdom. The same is for you as one of God’s children. 
One of the most powerful reasons why God has set me apart is to carry His message across the nations – to all the people I come into contact with on a daily basis. The God of the universe has given me the power through the Holy Spirit to share the good news of Jesus. This allows me to carry the only solution to the problems of so many people. People that are daily consumed by lies and negativity in their lives. People need to find their worth in the one who created them, the one who knew them before He formed them, the one who has set them apart, the one who has called them. We all must understand God as our Heavenly Father through His son Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. I pray you are encouraged. I pray you find your worth in your creator. If you aren’t at the moment, please reach out to us at Belmont. We are hear to listen. Much love. 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following question: 
  • What does it mean for you that God knew you before you were born?
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Macon Jones, Young Adult and Student Pastor

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