It’s always easier to hide. I would much rather hide than face a difficult situation.

Daniel tells of a future where a leader violently opposes the work and people of the Lord. Daniel’s prophecies make my head spin, trying to keep up with all the possibilities. It makes for interesting reading, if not necessarily a lot of clarity.

According to Daniel, this blasphemous leader shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant. In other words, he will pull people away from the right path with misleading words and false promises.

But there’s a way to resist—those who know their God shall stand firm and take action.

How do I hold out against false promises? How do I take action against ways counter to my faith? By knowing God. How do I know God? By reading and studying and understanding his Word.

Best wishes fail to hold up under intense pressure. I cannot build a foundation of faith by listening to sermons and reading books. While this is helpful, it’s not fundamental, and I say this as a person who gives sermons and writes books.

Time in the Word, pondering what I’m taking in, and looking to apply what I learn, gives the Spirit room to work in my life and builds that sure foundation. Nothing else substitutes.

Daniel 11 in week forty six of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Sixteen Miles Out