Kingdom Digits

This is the third message in a series by Mike Brunk from the week/weekend of your accident. The studies are in Daniel.

Daniel 4 & 5 God's sovereign control
dealings with pride
Nebuchadnezzar & Belshazar (Beltashazar-Daniel)
raw feelings right now
-hurt will heal
-let God speak to you
both men were proud
we are all proud
pride-thinking like we're better than we are
putting others down, God included
will not listen to what someone else says
we think we know better than God
God hates pride
N. eventually humbled himself, B. didn't
everything fully within control of God
God does things for multiples reasons-not just one
Daniel 4:1
N. recognizes that God has the right to rule eternally
his dream-tree centrally located
picture of N.
God is the ultimate ruler
N. believed himself to be an animal
gap in his reign in the Bible
'til he acknowledges God
Daniel:
(1) expresses grief and concern
(2) words are direct and pointed
(3) tactful reminder to repent (action)
vv. 28-33
claws on hands-digits (title of message)
man has been brought low
every good and perfect gift from above
God-ultimate blesser
fail to give Him the glory
v. 34  acknowledging of heavens
picture of repentance
see we are bankrupt
something we need to change
James 4:7  submit yourselves
repentance
laughter--> mourning
things you know are not right
sane attitude towards them
battles, conflicts
come from a heart of pride/idolatry
time to examine ourselves
What do you want me to change?
Daniel 5
contrast
fingers of a man's hands writing on wall
B. refused to humble himself
Writing on wall:
(1)God has numbered thy kingdom and finished it (what one of words means)
(2) Thou art weighed in the balances and found wanting
(3) He has divided (kingdom) and given to Medes and Persians
Daniel to be ruler that night
God in Whose Hand thy breath is
Days are numbered, your time is up
We are all proud
God used types of tragedies to get our attention
Consider our own lives
(1) We all have appointment with death
      Not guaranteed tomorrow
      Our life is but a brief moment
(2) We also are weighed in balances
      Unbelievers
      every idle thought, every idle word
      only way-one to stand in your place
      give you His righteousness
(3) God pulls plug on wickedness eventually
      God is longsuffering but also judge
Hayden's time-way too short (amen!)
Take seriously the admonitions of God's Word
Get serious in our service to Christ
thinking as world thinks-bad