Your Faith Journey 208
Sunday (11/20)
To conclude our reading of the Major Prophets section of the Old Testament of the Bible before transitioning to Advent we will read selections from the book of Daniel. After the Advent season the Your Faith Journey devotional will guide you to read portions of the 12 books of the Minor Prophets before we transition to the Gospel of Matthew during the 2023 Lenten season. The Introduction of the book of Daniel in The NIV Study Bible states, “The theological theme of the book is God’s sovereignty…The book is made up primarily of historical narratives (found mainly in chs. 1-6) and apocalyptic (revelatory) materials (found mainly in chs. 7-12).” The book shares part of the life and ministry of Daniel, who was taken captive with three of his friends by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, after Judah was besieged. In addition to serving as an advisor to Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel served Nebuchadnezzar’s son, King Belshazzar, as well.
If you did not read the previous books of Genesis through Ezekiel, you are encouraged to watch the Bible Project video about the Old Testament to have a clearer understanding of the full story within the text of the Hebrew Bible. The video summarizes the scriptures of the ancient Jewish people that became the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. It is available on YouTube.
TaNaK/Old Testament by the Bible Project:
Below are some suggestions and questions to help you as you read scripture this week:
- Approach scripture with humility. Seek to receive what the Bible reveals without trying to make it say what you want it to say.
- Invite the Holy Spirit to speak a message to you through the verses you read.
- What do these verses reveal about God?
- What do these verses reveal about humanity?
- What do these verses teach me about myself?
- How do you see yourself in the story when reading biblical narratives?
Which of these characters would I be?
In what ways is their story similar to my story?
- Read, study, and discuss the verses with another person or small group.
- Use a Study Bible. The NIV, NRSV, ESV, and NLT Study Bibles are worth considering if you do not own one. There are a few available from the AUMC Library in the back of the Chapel. You can also purchase a Study Bible from ChristianBook.com, Cokesbury.com, or Amazon.com.
*If you do not have a Bible, consider downloading the YouVersion Bible App for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play for your smartphone or tablet. You can also use www.BibleGateway.com to look up and read various translations of Bible verses online for free.
Monday (11/21)
Read the verses from Psalm 107 as a reminder to thank the Lord:
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—
those he redeemed from the land of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south…
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”
– Psalm 107:1-3, 8-9 NIV
You are encouraged to watch the Overview: Daniel video by the Bible Project that is available on Youtube before reading the verses for this week:
Overview: Daniel by the Bible Project
Read Daniel 1. If you are using a Study Bible, it may be helpful to read the Introduction for this book. As you read the verses for today, invite the Holy Spirit to reveal a word, phrase, or verse from the biblical text that is specifically for you.
Pray using part of Psalm 107 from above as a guide for thanking God.
Tuesday (11/22)
Read Psalm 107:1-3, 8-9 as a reminder that this is a week to give thanks to our God.
Solitude and Silence. You are encouraged to spend a few minutes or more alone with God silently listening for the internal whisper of the Holy Spirit. If you struggle to listen, focus on the physical sounds you hear. The Spirit of the Lord can use the noises you hear to help you set your thoughts on the One who enables you to hear and perceive.
Read Daniel 2. If you are using a Study Bible, you may want to read the study notes to understand the chapter more clearly. Consider choosing a question or questions from the Sunday list of this devotional to wrestle with as part of your study time.
Pray through your day, including for the people you will be with or have been with, as well as what you will do or what you have done. Thank God for each of the people and opportunities of today.
Wednesday (11/23)
Read Psalm 107:1-3, 8-9.
Read Daniel 3. As you read the bible verses, invite the Holy Spirit to reveal a word, phrase, or verse from the biblical text that is specifically for you for today.
Pray in response to God using the ACTS acronym as a guide:
Adoration (praise the Lord)
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication (share your needs & the needs of others)
Thursday (11/24) – Thanksgiving Day
Read Psalm 107:1-3, 8-9 as a reminder to thank God today and tell others your story.
Solitude and Silence. You are encouraged to spend a few minutes or more alone with God silently listening. Be still physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritual, knowing that God is in charge and in control (Psalm 46:10). Don’t let your mind drift towards to-do-lists or tasks, but stop long enough to let your thoughts cease so that your only focus is being with the Lord.
Read Daniel 5. You may want to read the section titles of chapter 4 before reading the verses for today. As you read the verses for today, invite the Holy Spirit to reveal a word, phrase, or verse from the biblical text that is specifically for you.
Write a list of reasons you have to be thankful today. Think about what God has done during the past year, what the Lord is doing now, as well as God’s promises for the future. On your list you should include the people in your life, opportunities you’ve had and have now, resources, as well as God’s promises.
Pray offering thanks to God for what he has done this past year, what He is doing now, and what the Lord has promised to do using the list you wrote.
Friday (11/25)
Read Psalm 107:1-3, 8-9 as a reminder that this is a week to give thanks to our God.
Read Daniel 6. Consider choosing a question or questions from the Sunday list of this devotional to wrestle with as part of your study time.
Pray for:
– Those closest to you (family members & friends)
– Those who point others towards God (pastors, teachers, mentors, authors, musicians, etc.)
– Leaders (locally, nationally, and globally)
– People in need throughout the world (the hungry, thirsty, homeless, sick, imprisoned, neglected, abused, lost, etc.)
– Yourself (share your needs and invite the Lord to guide you)
Saturday (11/26)
How are you going to remember and observe the Sabbath this weekend? The Sabbath is a day each week that is set apart from the others to stop, rest, delight in the Lord and what he has given us, and worship God. Because of our very busy culture and over-scheduled lives you may need to incrementally observe the Sabbath by setting aside an increasing portion of a day each week beginning with an hour, then increasing it to multiple hours or part of a day the next weekend, and eventually designating an entire day for remembering and observing the Sabbath.
Read Daniel’s prayer listed below from Daniel 9:
“O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with
all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong.
We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your
commands and laws. We have not listened…We do not make requests of you
because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen!
O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay…”
– Daniel 9:4-6, 18b-19 NIV
Pray a prayer of confession following Daniel’s example from the verses above. You may find it helpful to use some or most of Daniel’s words as a guide for your prayer.
Solitude and Silence. You are encouraged to spend ten, twenty, or thirty minutes alone with God seeking to rest in the peace that can only be found in and from the Lord. If you struggle to stop and rest, consider laying down, kneeling, or sitting on a very comfortable chair or seat. If you need a nap, then sleep so that your mind and body receive the rest that you need.
Pray thanking God for his forgiveness as you remember Jesus’ prayer from the cross on our behalf, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know that they are doing.” – Luke 23:34 NIV