A lot of times when people think about prophecy, it’s generalities and possibilities that might be misinterpreted.  But one of the cool things about the prophecy in this chapter of Daniel is that an angel explains exactly what is going to happen centuries before the actual events!

Take a listen and see what I mean…

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Someone once told me that any morning you can get up and go to the bathroom by yourself, it’s a good day.  I think it’s even better than that.  Any day you wake up and find yourself still breathing, that means God is at work in the world, and he wants to do amazing things in the world through you.

This week’s message takes a look into how God can bring good out of the worst of situations.  It’s a really interesting look at how God has been working through his people across the ages to bring grace and peace to a world in spite of all the pain and suffering that evil people choose to do.

Take a look around, and maybe you’ll see just how much good is going on in the world around you!

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How could prophecy from thousands of years ago really have an impact on the world today, on the country, on you personally?  The warnings God gave to kings and kingdoms millennia ago hasn’t changed.  He’s been trying to get people just to be good people and live moral lives since the beginning.  And I for one am glad that he hasn’t given up on us yet!  And you can see throughout history how the nations that fear God and live according to his moral law find peace and prosperity, while the nations that push God away also push away his protection and providence.  So these ancient kingdoms and peoples that are prophesied about in Daniel serve as examples for us to learn from to either follow God to success or follow the world to destruction.  Which do you prefer?

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Were you ever afraid of monsters in your closet or under your bed?  What are you afraid of now?  What if you could turn monsters into hope?

When you read through the prophecy in Daniel, there are so many frightening and disturbing images and metaphors.  But the ultimate message is one of God setting things right in the world.  One day Jesus will get rid of all evil and usher in his kingdom where his people will rule in faithfulness and righteousness.

One day, the monsters will all be slain and the Lamb will rule and reign.

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So Daniel received this wild vision of weird looking beasts that represented world kingdoms that would rise up one after another to rule the world.  And now we look back in History and see how that prophecy unfolded, and how those “mighty” nations rose up and conquered everyone around them and then disappeared again .  So what does that matter to us?
Well, it just goes to show that when God says something he means it.  So we ought to pay more attention to what God wants from our lives than what the world says.  All the nations of this world are temporary and the only thing that endures is God’s Kingdom.  So if you want to have a hope for a truly meaningful life now, and beyond the pinpoint of life we live on Earth, the only way to avoid a meaningless existence is to start living your life according to the design specs of our Creator.

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Some people think that prophecy is meant to tell the future.  But the real purpose of prophecy is to get us to prepare for the future.  If you will repent and believe, you will change your future!

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So Daniel had a wild vision.  And the things he saw would’ve totally freaked me out.  But the cool thing is that all the crazy things Daniel saw showed exactly what was coming for the world.  This was real life prophecy about the future.  And that ought to blow your mind!

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Ok, it’s time to get into the prophetic visions of Daniel.  And this first prophecy was pretty wild, with scary and exotic beasts.  But there is a pig piture to be seem behind these freakish images.  And tha picture is the eternal God who not only outlasts kings and kingdoms, but the world and even the universe.

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Are you a person of character?  How solid is your integrity?  Does your life reflect God.  Let’s see what Daniel’s life reflected.

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Why did Jesus die for us?  And what does it really mean for us?  There is no greater love than being willing to lay down your life for another.

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