Dr H Reflections

Bibliophilia ∙

Bibliophilia ∙

Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing shall offend them. – Psalms 119:165

Psalms 119:159-165

159 See how I love your commandments, LORD. Give back my life because of your unfailing love.

160 The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.

161 Powerful people harass me without cause, but my heart trembles only at your word.

165 Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble.

On December 7, 2010, Reuters reported that a privately owned copy of John James Audubon’s richly illustrated “Birds of America” sold for a record $11.5 million, smashing all previous records for a printed book.

The book was purchased by London book dealer Michael Tollemache, who described the work as “priceless” after the sale.

The term “bibliophilia” denotes a love for books, originating from the Greek words phila (love, lover) and biblio (book). A bibliophile is someone who loves books and is fascinated by them and the stories they tell.

“Bibliophile” is an ideal term for someone who is in love with the Book of Books, the Bible, and the Word of God. David, king of Israel, was such a man, a true bibliophile.

Psalms 119:47 How I delight in your commands! How I love them!

What biblical materials did David have available to contemplate, cherish, and hide in his heart?

David lived around 1000 BC. The parts of the Bible that were written at his time included the Torah, which consists of the Five Books of Moses, as well as Joshua, Judges, and Job. David spent most of his time reading and contemplating the Torah, which contained the Law of God, including commandments, statutes, and ordinances. While some people find the content of these books, especially Leviticus and Numbers, to be tedious and seemingly irrelevant to everyday life, David found them fascinating. To him, they were sweet, delightful, precious, and highly desirable.

Ideally, when you fall in love with God, loving His Word is a natural outcome. Anyone can do it.

Psalms 19:10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.

They brought David great delight and joy. The serious student of the Bible already knows this. When you get beneath the surface, the Father often discloses great treasures unnoticed by the casual reader. David was a unique individual with a special heart for the Father and His Word.

We live in the 21st century with access to a complete Bible. We discover the profound beauty, knowledge, and wisdom in the Gospel of John, the Psalms, and Proverbs. There are thought-provoking, extremely cerebral books such as Romans, Ephesians, and Hebrews. We also have challenging and almost titillating books regarding the end times, such as Daniel and Revelation.

We have so much more than David could ever imagine. Yet do we ravenously feast upon it, never seeming to get enough?

Winston Churchill said regarding the Battle of Britain, “Never was so much owed by so many to so few. Sadly, with apologies to Churchill, we can paraphrase his thoughts, “Never have so many done so little, with so much.”

REFLECT & PRAY

Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Father, may I experience a profound and enduring love for Your Word. May I regularly meditate on it, allowing it to guide and inspire me in all aspects of my life.

INSIGHT

Focusing on the Father and loving His Word has two delightful benefits: peace and stability.

Remarkable things happen when we worship the Father and partake from His Word. “Focusing on the Lord, asking for nothing, and totally lost in our praise of Him has a way of making the problems look much smaller and the future much brighter. But praise also helps us to have poise in our Christian walk and not to stumble (Jude 24) or cause others to stumble (1 Corinthians 8:13; Romans 14:13). The singing saint is a stable saint, walking on a level path even when the enemy digs pits and sets up obstacles” (Wiersbe).

Psalms 119:165 Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble.

The Hebrew word translated as peace is shalom. Shalom means far more than the absence of conflict. It implies well-being, wholeness, health, completeness, prosperity, and having nothing essential lacking (UBS).5352844

The Scriptures characterize life as a walk, a journey.

The Hebrew term translated as stumble or offend is mikshol. Mikshol conveys the image of a hindrance or obstacle (HAL). Consider an individual traversing a challenging path through rough terrain. When such an individual loves the Father’s Word, they are less likely to stumble or fall due to offenses. Although stumbling blocks exist, they do not get tripped up by them.

When we fall in love with the Word of God, we become less responsive to offenses, insults, and hardships that are inherent in our fallen world. We can confront the upheavals and challenges of life with calmness, tranquility, and steadfastness. This inner peace and stability are not derived from an absence of difficulties but from the ability to maintain composure during adversity. The children of the King are not exempt from grief or hardship, but they possess the freedom not to be trapped by them.

In Psalm 23:4, the term traditionally translated as the shadow of death elsewhere simply means darkness. Here, it has the sense of “the valley of deep darkness,” “the dark valley,” “the darkest of all valleys,” and “a valley dark as death.” It connotes a dangerous and foreboding place (UBS).

Psalms 23:4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

The rod and staff provide reassurance and protection from the perils of everyday life. “The rod (a cudgel worn at the belt) and staff (to walk with, and to round up the flock) were the shepherd’s weapon and implement: the former for defense (cf. 1 Samuel. 17:35), the latter for control – since discipline is security” (Kidner).

Previously, the Father was portrayed as a compassionate shepherd leading David (Psalm 23:2) and guiding him on his journey. However, now, the Father is described as walking beside David, acting as a companion and providing not only guidance but also protection.

King David was a man after God’s own heart. He had fallen deeply in love with the Father and His word. He shows us how to face dark and foreboding circumstances confidently and fearlessly.

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Recalculating ∙∙

Recalculating ∙∙

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. – Proverbs 16:9

Proverbs 16:1-3

1 We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer.

2 People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives.

3 Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.

Do you remember those times when you were driving and missed a turn? The GPS voice switches to a somewhat passive-aggressive monotone and says, “recalculating,” serving as a subtle reminder that you’re not following its directions. It’s as if the GPS is gently chiding you for your navigational misstep. Whether it’s due to a momentary distraction, an unexpected road closure, or just a wrong turn, we’ve all experienced that slightly exasperated tone from our GPS. It’s a universal moment of mild frustration mixed with humor, reminding us that even in the age of advanced technology, we’re still prone to human error.

Perhaps a bit of GPS humor might help set the tone.

My GPS asked me how much I loved it. I replied, “Well, I’d be lost without you.”

My Dad kept using this GPS in his car, directing him to cliff edges. I think that is what led him to his downfall.

I tagged Waldo with a GPS device. Problem solved.

I recently gave my soulmate a new GPS for her car. I am not saying she is a bad driver, but after driving a bit with her new GPS, it blurted out, “After 400 feet, stop and let me out!”

One helpful tip is to avoid setting your “Home” address on your GPS to your actual home address. In the event that your car is stolen, the thief might discover that you are not at home and could take advantage of the situation to burglarize your property. Instead, consider setting the “Home” address to the location of your local police station. This will hopefully deter potential thieves and protect your home. It might even teach them a lesson (gpstracklog.com/2015/03/funny-gps-jokes-for-your-sunday-afternoon.html).

How do we commit our work to the Lord? We do so not just by asking Him to bless our efforts but by dedicating ourselves and our plans to Him before, during, and after completing our work (Stanley).

How often do we bring unwarranted expectations to our experiences and aspirations? We create our plans and timelines, hoping everything will go smoothly and turn out exactly as desired. Yet, so often, our expectations are unmet. Eventually, we come to realize that life doesn’t work that way. This truth is even more evident in the Kingdom of God.

The Father frequently introduces totally unexpected and unanticipated events as He mysteriously works in our lives and circumstances. Consider these examples from Scripture: the burning bush, a night spent unharmed in the lion’s den, horses and chariots of fire, cryptic handwriting on a wall, prison doors and chains suddenly unlocked, and the parting of the Red Sea.

We cannot predict the unexpected, and the same goes for our spiritual journey. The Father has a way of redirecting our lives, either accelerating or decelerating our progress. Unlike a GPS, He does not “recalculate.” He brings His predetermined plan and dreams for our lives to fruition.

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, understood the concept of “recalculating” long before GPS technology existed. Recalculating becomes necessary when we make our plans without considering the Father’s direction and guidance. While Solomon didn’t have a GPS, he was well-acquainted with the need to realign one’s path. He contrasted the futility of making plans apart from the Father’s input with the wisdom of planning as directed by the Father.

We might paraphrase Solomon’s insights from Proverbs 16 as follows: We often devise our own plans, but the Father has the final say; true success comes when we align our plans with the Father’s; we propose and aspire, but ultimately, the Father’s will prevails.

The best and wisest course of action is to ask the Father what He wishes to accomplish and what His plans are. When we receive divine guidance, we have a choice to make. We can choose to follow His direction and pray that it will be done as He desires.

Often, we get this process backward. We make our plans first and then ask the Father to bless them. This approach, as they say in parts of the southern United States, “that dog won’t hunt.” And we become very disappointed when He does not come through as we expected and hoped. This often leads to discouragement and disillusionment. Anger usually follows along with bitterness, resentment, and separation.

REFLECT & PRAY

Trade trust for frustration and disappointment, and The Father will guide your way.

Father, I acknowledge that I often make plans without involving You, leading to great disappointment and discouragement when things don’t go my own way. Help me to trust in You and rely on Your guidance every step of the way.

INSIGHT

The Father is always at work around you. He has been actively involved in human affairs throughout history. In fact, He is orchestrating history. The Father invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

The Father is the sovereign ruler of the universe. He has been working throughout history to accomplish His purposes. He does not ask us to dream our dreams for Him. He does not invite us to set magnificent goals and then pray that He will help us achieve them.

When He approaches us, He already has His own plan. He desires to get us from where we are to where He is working. He leads us from being self-centered to being God-centered. When the Father reveals to you where He is working, that becomes His invitation to join Him in His activity. When the Father reveals His work to you, that is the time to respond to Him (Blackaby).

It is deplorable but common to repeatedly lose track of this spiritual truth. We make our plans without consulting Him, and we forget to ask Him what His plans are.

Proverbs 16:9 The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

A man’s mind plans his way: In this context, “a man’s mind” refers explicitly to “a man’s heart,” which is considered the center of mental activity, thoughts, and reflections. When it says “plans his way,” it encompasses all of a person’s activities.

But the Lord directs his steps: The term “directs” here is the same word translated as “established” in verse Proverbs 16:3. However, in relation to “steps,” it is best rendered as “leads,” “guides,” or “determines.”

Steps is often rendered literally in various versions, but it carries a similar meaning to “way” in the previous line; it refers to a person’s actions and the course of their life. For instance, we might say, “But the Lord decides the road we will take” (UBS).

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes: “The ways” refers to actions, behavior, or conduct, contrasting with the plans and reflections of Proverbs 16:1. “Pure” in relation to human behavior means being morally upright, without fault or wrong. “In his own eyes” means “in his opinion” or “from his own point of view.”

But the Lord weighs the spirit: “The spirit” literally translates to “spirits,” referring to human nature and its motives. To “weigh spirits” is to test or judge the aims, purposes, or motives of a person.

We might rephrase this to say, for example, “A person may think he is right in everything he does, but the Lord examines the heart” or “. . . but the Lord looks inside people” (UBS).

In place of feeling disappointed and angry, we can choose to follow Solomon’s advice. It’s a matter of trusting the Father and allowing Him to reveal His plans to us. As we choose to follow Him, He will guide our ways. We need to be flexible and expect to “recalculate” and “redirect” as required.

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Straight thinking ∙∙

Straight thinking ∙∙

Commit your works to the LORD, and your plans will be established. – Proverbs 16:3

James 1:6-8

6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

Straight and Crooked Thinking, by Robert H. Thouless, was first published in 1930 and revised in 1953. The author reviews and critically evaluates common flaws in reasoning and argumentation, discussing thirty-eight fallacies of wrong thinking. Among them are:

Proof by example (also known as inappropriate generalization) is a logical fallacy in which the validity of a statement is illustrated through one or more examples or cases rather than through full-fledged proof.

Cherry-picking, or the fallacy of incomplete evidence, involves pointing to individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position while ignoring a significant portion of related and similar cases or data that may contradict that position. Such evidence is suppressed. Bias can blind a person and prevent honest evaluation, judgment, or decision-making.

What does it mean to think straight?

To think straight means to think rationally, calmly, clearly, or logically. For example, the phrase “I’m so tired I can’t think straight” is often used to convey the opposite condition, indicating mental exhaustion or confusion.

Romans 1:28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind.

Something tragic happened when people chose not to acknowledge the existence and reality of the living God. There is a play on words in the original Greek that does not come across in English.

The Greek verb translated as not see fit is dokimazo. Dokimazo has the basic sense of testing something to approve it. The people in mind did not regard God as even worth considering. They are basically theophobic.

The Greek word translated as debased or corrupted is adokimos. Adokimoscomes froma – without and dokimos – acceptable, tested,and approved. Hence, it means failing to meet the test; therefore, it is worthless, unqualified, unapproved, unworthy, spurious, or reprobate. In the present context, corrupted refers to a mind that no longer functions as it should . . . [it lacks the] ability to make moral and spiritual distinctions. Phillips renders this phrase as “degenerate minds” and the NEB as “depraved reason” (USB).

Humans’ thinking is often limited and flawed. In some cases, it’s not capable of making sound moral judgments. The human mind is powerful but can be slightly distorted. It has been compared to a giant buzz saw used in sawmills to cut tree trunks into boards. Just like a saw blade that is slightly out of alignment and skewed, when you run a tree trunk through it, the result is less than ideal. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that their thinking is not accurate.

On the other hand, the Father’s thinking is perfectly straight, unwavering, and trustworthy. His thoughts have always been consistent and will continue to be so.

REFLECT & PRAY

Can you imagine the Father saying, “Whoops, I made a mistake?”

Father, I recognize that my thinking is limited and often bent and biased. Enable me to think Your thoughts after You and gain stability and consistency.

INSIGHT

He created us in His own image and granted us the remarkable gift of critical thinking and reasoning. Nevertheless, our capacity for knowledge is exceedingly limited. When compared to His infinite wisdom, even the most astute and intellectually gifted individuals throughout history have barely scratched the surface of understanding.

Isaiah 55:8-9

8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”

9 “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Right thinking stems from a proper understanding of the Father’s character and attributes. The apostle recognized that the Father is all-knowing, all-powerful, and sovereign in all things. Paul’s understanding enabled him to think clearly and remain calm in challenging circumstances.

Psalms 46:1-2

1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.

2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come, and the mountains crumble into the sea.

Wrong thinking results in instability (Chuck Swindoll).

James 1:6-8

8 A person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

The Greek word translated as “double-minded” or “Their loyalty is divided” is dipsuchos. Dipsuchos literally means having two minds. It originates from the Greek words dis(meaning “two”) and psyche (meaning “mind”). This term epitomizes the internal conflict and opposition within the human psyche, reflecting the duality of thoughts, emotions, and motivations. It connotes being uncertain about the truth of something or someone, characterized by doubt or hesitation. It describes a person with divided loyalties.

The Greek word for “unstable” is akatastatos. Akatastatosis derived from a (meaning “not”) and kathístemi (meaning “to settle”). Akatastatosdenotes ceaseless motion that lacks stability, fixedness, or firmness. It conveys a sense of being unsettled, unsteady, restless, fickle, unruly, or not subject to control.

The children of the King should be single-minded and stable in their thinking and actions as we learn to place our complete confidence in Him. We should exchange our thoughts for His thoughts and our ways for His ways. We begin by acknowledging that the Father is the ultimate decision-maker. What He says is not just an opinion but the absolute truth.

Psalms 55:22 Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

The psalmist encourages us to give our burdens to the Lord and let Him carry the load. We should give Him our anxious thoughts, worries, and troubles, allowing the Father to bear them for us.

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Stand up for yourself ∙

Stand up for yourself ∙

We will not boast about things done outside our area of authority. We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us, which includes our working with you. – 2 Corinthians 10:13

2 Corinthians 11:2-4

2 For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband – Christ.

3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning ways.

4 You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.

Chick-fil-A has long stood out in the fast-food industry with its unique marketing strategy, featuring cows as its bovine spokespersons for over 25 years. Their slogan, “Eat Mor Chikin,” underscores their distinction from other fast-food chains that primarily serve hamburgers. As the largest poultry-based fast-food chain in America, Chick-fil-A achieved more than 21.6 billion in domestic sales in 2023, nearly triple the combined sales of both KFC and Popeyes.

Chick-fil-A has taken legal action against 16 chicken producers, including industry giants Tyson Foods and Perdue Farms, accusing them of conspiring to keep prices artificially high. The company alleges that these producers colluded to inflate prices following Chick-fil-A’s 2014 announcement that by 2019, it would only sell chicken not treated with antibiotics. This price inflation impacted billions of dollars in chicken purchases, costs that were ultimately passed on to consumers. Other companies, such as Aldi supermarkets and Campbell Soup, have joined in the legal battle against the chicken producers.

Chick-fil-A alleges that the suppliers violated federal antitrust laws by sharing confidential bidding and pricing information with each other through phone and text messages. This has resulted in a legal dispute as Chick-fil-A takes a stand against what it sees as unfair practices (Neil Vigdor, http://www.nytimes.com).

Undaunted, Big Chicken will by no means “chicken out.” Perdue Farms’ spokeswoman, Andrea Staub, firmly asserted, “We believe these claims are unfounded and plan to contest the merits.” America will undoubtedly be witness to the most egregious cockfight in history.

The idea of taking a stand against Big Chicken seems outlandish, if not oddly intriguing, almost oxymoronic, a tad humorous, whimsical, and even preposterous.

Developing the ability to stand up for yourself and your faith is crucial in commanding respect from others. When you assert your beliefs and set boundaries, people are more likely to pause or even abandon any attempts to push you around or manipulate you. It’s important to remember that, just like water seeks the path of least resistance, individuals often test boundaries until they encounter firm, unwavering principles.

Prepare yourself to take a decisive stand and then stand firm with confidence.

REFLECT & PRAY

1 Peter 5:12 My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is indeed part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.

Father, grant me the wisdom to know when to take a stand and the courage to stand firm on the truth of the Word of God.

INSIGHT

In the early church, adversaries of the truth often conspired to harm the body of Christ. Deceivers and false teachers were widespread. As an apostle, Paul had to confront the children of the King. The book of 2 Corinthians offers several insights into what occurred.

2 Corinthians 11:4-20

13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.

19 After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools!

20 You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face.

The children of the King were being led astray from their pure devotion to the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. They were gullible, easily deceived, and ruthlessly taken advantage of by false teachers. Believing themselves to be wise, enlightened, open, compliant, accommodating, tolerant, and even benevolent, they might today have considered themselves, in a pejorative sense, “woke.” However, instead of growing more robust in their faith and walking closer to the Father, they were being deceived, seduced, and led astray. Simply speaking, they caved into false teachers.

The often-quoted pejorative aphorism “suffer fools gladly” originates from the KJV rendering of the first half of 2 Corinthians 11:19 (Baker). Referring to these gullible Corinthians as “wise” is scathingly sarcastic. Rather than being wise, they were fools. They are the very fools who embraced other fools so heartily (Baker).

Paul was confrontational and exposed the true source of the deception that fueled the false teachers: Satan himself. Paul did not hold back or mince words.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15

13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.

14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end, they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.

It was long overdue for the Corinthians to stand up and resist. They needed to confront the powerful influences misleading them, akin to fighting the “Big Chicken” of their day. They should not allow themselves to be enslaved by false teachers or taken advantage of any longer.

2 Corinthians 11:19-20

19 After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools!

20 You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face.

“The Corinthians considered themselves unusually wise, but they were being unusually foolish by not only humoring the fools in their midst but doing so gladly. They were absurdly tolerant. They submitted to the teaching of the false apostles even though it resulted in their own enslavement” (Constable).

“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything” (Albert Einstein).

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Does God have grandchildren? ∙∙

Does God have grandchildren? ∙∙

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:26

Daniel 5:18-22

18 Your Majesty, the Most High God, gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar.

20 But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.

21 He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.

22 You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself.

What is a grandparent? Even without formal training in biology, the concept of grandparents is broadly understood. Grandparents are the biological parents of an individual’s mother or father. Children have direct relationships with their parents, who gave birth to them. Although children are biologically connected to their grandparents, their grandparents did not directly bring them into the world. As a result, grandchildren have an indirect familial bond with their grandparents.

In contrast, there are no intermediaries between Father God and His children. Every child of the King has a direct, personal relationship with their heavenly Father. Each child of the King made an individual, personal decision to believe in and accept the Lord Jesus Christ. By doing so, we become the Father’s children and enter into a personal relationship with Him.

John 1:12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior, we are spiritually born again as children of God. This new birth is not a physical one but a transformation of our inner being. It is a spiritual awakening that occurs when we believe in Jesus Christ, leading to a profound spiritual awakening within us. This rebirth is not of the flesh; that is, it is not a physical one, but it is of the spirit, and it signifies our new identity as children of the King.

John 1:13 [We] are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

John 3:3-8

3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.”

6 “Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.”

7 “So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’”

8 “The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

REFLECT & PRAY

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk of the word so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation.

Father, thank You for making us Your children. You adopted us into Your Forever Family when You caused us to be born of the Spirit.

INSIGHT

Does the Father have grandchildren? No, absolutely not! The Father only has children. Faith is a personal decision that everyone must make for themselves. It is not like a human trait or inheritance passed from generation to generation. Each child of the King is responsible for providing biblical teaching, guiding, and leading by example to allow their children to come to faith in the Father and His word for themselves.

This is perfectly illustrated in Daniel 2-5. The Father reached out to Nebuchadnezzar in a unique way through Daniel and his three Jewish friends: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. In Daniel 2, Daniel is given supernatural wisdom to interpret dreams.

Nebuchadnezzar was suffering from a recurring nightmare. Daniel was summoned to not only interpret it but to tell Nebuchadnezzar what he had dreamed.

Daniel was not some shadowy soothsayer. He was a kingdom man empowered by the Father, the living God. The Father revealed to Daniel what Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed and its meaning and interpretation. When Daniel shared what God had provided, Nebuchadnezzar was not only impressed but amazed. Consequently, Nebuchadnezzar believed in the supernatural power of the God of Israel.

Daniel 2:47-49

47 The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.”

48 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.

49 At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to manage all the affairs of the province of Babylon while Daniel remained in the king’s court.

Next, Daniel’s three friends refused to obey the king’s command to bow down and worship Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, considering it an act of idolatry. As a result, they were thrown into the fiery furnace. The Father sent an angel to miraculously protect them. Nebuchadnezzar could not believe his eyes and came to believe in the extraordinary power, reality, and existence of the Father. He realized that the God of Israel was at work in the space-time continuum.

Daniel 3:28-30

28 “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

29 . . . There is no other god who can rescue like this!”

30 Then, the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar had faith in the Father but not the kind of faith that would make him a child of the King. He was not far from the Kingdom of God (Mark 12:34).

Because Nebuchadnezzar was proud and braggadocios, the Father struck him with a rare form of mental illness called boanthropy. When he finally recovered and came to his senses, he finally accepted the Father as his God (Daniel 4). He was in the kingdom of God (Luke 14:15).

Daniel 4:34-37

34 “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.

35 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?’

36 “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 more incredible honor than before.

37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, glorify, and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”

Nebuchadnezzar, the pagan king of Babylon, had become a believer in Israel’s true and living God. He had become a child of the King. However, he failed to pass on his faith to his family and descendants. The handwriting on the wall was a message to his grandson, Belshazzar.

Sadly, Belshazzar was unaware of Daniel and the God of Israel. He did not know what Nebuchadnezzar believed. He threw a great feast and, in so doing, mocked the God of Israel. A hand appeared, and a message was written on the wall: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN (Daniel 5:25).

Belshazzar was terrified. He was told about Daniel, who had the wisdom, insight, and understanding of the gods. He summoned Daniel to provide the meaning of the words (Daniel 5:11-12).

Daniel 5:17-22

17 Daniel answered the king, Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means.

18 Your Majesty, the Most High God, gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar.

20 But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.

22 You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself.

The Father only has children, not grandchildren!

Daniel 5:23-24

23 For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone – gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!

24 So God has sent this hand to write this message.

Daniel 5:30 That very night, Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed.

Because of his pride, defiance, and refusal to believe in the true God, the God of Israel, Belshazzar was doomed.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯6-15-3

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