Dr. David Jeremiah Presents
Living inthe Ageof Signs
Online Destination
Living in the Age of Signs
Online Destination
Sign 2
Sniffing the Perfume
Today’s Audio Devotion:
Sniffing the Perfume
Joseph and Daniel were so alike! Young men exiled from their home who ended up in the palace of pagan rulers who awoke with disturbing dreams. Both young men told the ruler, in effect, “I can do nothing, but I know God, and He can do everything.” It reminds us of the apostle Paul, who said, “Not I, but Christ” (Galatians 2:20, KJV).
For Christians, receiving compliments is a bit of a challenge. We’re to be thankful and gracious to the one talking with us, and we don’t want to ignore, deflect, or devalue their kind comments. At the same time, we don’t want to harbor anything in our hearts that can lead to pride or self-sufficiency. That’s why it’s good to think through our response to applause and tributes. It’s always nice to respond with “Thank you,” “Praise the Lord,” or “You’re so kind and encouraging.” One pastor, whenever complimented for his sermon, simply smiles and says, “I hope it was helpful.” Another says, “Thank you, and thank the Lord!”
A big part of being sociable is learning to accept compliments gratefully while giving God all the glory in our hearts.
When people come up and give me a compliment…I take each remark as if it were a flower. At the end of each day I lift up the bouquet…and say, “Here you are, Lord.”
Corrie Ten Boom
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Some 2,600 years ago, God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a dream. In this dream, the king saw a five–part statue made of five different metals (see Daniel 2). Each section represented an empire, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon. Four of these empires have already risen and fallen in history—a clear fulfillment of Daniel's prophetic interpretation. The fifth and final empire indicates a future Europe—a ten nation coalition that will unite under the Antichrist's rule.
You can read about the King's dream and Daniel's interpretation in Daniel 2, but let's take a quick visual look at what you will find:
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King Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon
Daniel's words to the king are clear. "You are this head of gold" (Daniel 2:37–38).
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Medo–Persian Empire
The Medo–Persian Empire conquered Babylon in 539 BC and remained in power for approximately two hundred years (Daniel 5:28).
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Grecian Empire
Greece's Empire succeeded the Medo–Persians (Daniel 8:21).
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Roman Empire
When the Grecian empire was conquered by Rome, all the lands and peoples of the previous kingdoms were assimilated into the Roman Empire through the strengths of the "iron legions of Rome" (Daniel 2:40).
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Future European Coalition
This empire has not yet risen. Daniel foretells a time when the Roman Empire—Europe—will consist of ten kingdoms or leaders. The future Roman Empire will be present on the earth when God sets up His earthly kingdom (Daniel 2:44).