Hear God call you to worship through his word:

1 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
    make known his deeds among the peoples!
² Sing to him, sing praises to him;
    tell of all his wondrous works!
³ Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
⁴ Seek the Lord and his strength;
    seek his presence continually!

          -Psalm 105:1-4

Song 1 – Behold our God

Song 2 – A Mighty Fortress

Song 3 – Only a Holy God

Song 4 – How Deep the Father’s Love For Us

Our welcome team members will pass an offering basket during this song.

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Praise God, from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Amen. 

It is good and right to make and take time to acknowledge our weakness and to acknowledge and confess our sin, both before God and before one another, together as his people. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; all have failed, time and time again, to live up to the standards of holiness that our Father God has set before us. Already sure of his great mercy and love for us, we humble our hearts to confess our sin and we join our voices as we read together the following prayer:

Our Father, forgive us
for thinking small thoughts of you
and for ignoring your immensity
and your greatness.

Lord Jesus, forgive us
when we forget that you rule
the nations and our small lives.

Holy Spirit,
we offend you in minimizing your power
and squandering your gifts.

We confess that our blindness to your glory,
O triune God,
has resulted in shallow confession,
weak conviction, and only mild repentance.

Have mercy upon us,
in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

Titus chapter 2 verses 4 to 7 reminds us of the good news of God’s mercy – let us read together those verses, which assure us of his forgiveness:

When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Let’s pray.

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Daniel’s Terrifying Vision of a Man

10 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.

² In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. ³ I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. ⁴ On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) ⁵ I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. ⁶ His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. ⁷ And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. ⁸ So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. ⁹ Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.

¹⁰ And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. ¹¹ And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. ¹² Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. ¹³ The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, ¹⁴ and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

¹⁵ When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute.¹⁶ And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength. ¹⁷ How can my lord’s servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.”

¹⁸ Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. ¹⁹ And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” ²⁰ Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. ²¹ But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.

11:1 “And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.”

– Daniel 10:1-11:1

God Rules Behind the Curtain          -Daniel 10:1-11:1

1. Behind the Curtain of Daniel’s Struggle (vv 1-3)
2. Behind the Curtain of the Heavenly Messenger (4-11)
3.  Behind the Curtain of History (vv 12-11:1)

Song 5 – O Church Arise

Song 6 – When the Stars Burn Down

Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name;
your kingdom come;
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. 
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.

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Life Group Study, Daniel 10

I. Introduction

1. The chapter gives us an insight into the relationship between prayer and spiritual warfare as God builds His everlasting Kingdom. How do you think prayer engages us with that conflict as God builds His Kingdom? 

 II. Into the Text 

1. Remembering that Daniel 10 is an Introduction / Preface to the final vision in the book (Chs. 10–12), when did Daniel receive this vision and what’s the significance of the timing (10:1)?  

2. The text suggests that Daniel has been engaged in an intense period of prayer before he receives the vision (vv. 2-3). What does this tell us about Daniel’s attitude / seriousness in prayer? 

3. What are the two reasons Daniel is praying and how do they relate to one another (v. 12)? 

4. When is Daniel’s prayer heard (v. 12)? Can we take that as a general principle? What about the timing of God’s answers to our prayers? 

5. The answer to prayer Daniel is given concerns ‘a great war’ or conflict (v. 1) and ‘what will happen to your people in the future…a time yet to come’ (v. 14). This will be the focus of the vision recorded in chapters 11–12. What do these phrases mean? 

6. Who is the heavenly messenger that comes to Daniel and what accounts for Daniel’s reaction (vv. 4-9)? 

7. What reassurance is Daniel given and what is revealed to him about prayer and spiritual warfare (vv. 10-14)? 

8. How does Daniel react and what further reassurance is he given (10:15-11:1)?  

III. Application

1. Daniel prays for understanding and to humble himself before God (v. 12). He also prays with an evident seriousness (vv. 2-3)? What can we learn and apply to our prayer life from Daniel as an example?

2. Daniel was deeply affected by what he saw – both seeing the heavenly messenger and the reality of spiritual warfare. What effect does God’s revelation in His Word about Jesus, spiritual warfare and the outworking of His purposes have on us? 

3. What do we learn from this chapter about the reality of spiritual warfare? Living this side of the cross, when God’s everlasting Kingdom has come, is there still spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:10-12)?

Close in Prayer.