Monthly Archives: July 2019

Article #12 of our Daniel Series

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 Daniel and possibly his three compatriot Hebrew buddies were standing in front of the King of Babylon. They are about to interpret the dream the king had that bothered him very much…about the future.

The Dream – Daniel 2:31-35

31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Daniel 2:36

This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

Notice that Daniel says WE will tell once again including his three friends. This verse even suggests that they came with Daniel to tell the king of his dream.

The Interpretation – Daniel 2:37-38

37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

As we mentioned earlier, no subsequent king had the absolute power of Nebuchadnezzar. Other empires may have exceeded Nebuchadnezzar’s in physical size, but not in absolute authority.

Nebuchadnezzar’s statue dream is shown pictorially on the following page.

The Babylonian Empire is shown to the left and the conquering Persians to the right (below).

Daniel 2:39

And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

The detail and accuracy of this prophecy is a thorn in the flesh to critics; for after Babylon (that had much gold), another kingdom did arise, but not with the absolute power of Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. In 539 B.C. Cyrus of Medo-Persia conquered Babylon (without a battle! – see our coming article on Chapter 5). Cyrus was part Median and part Persian and so united the two factions into the great Medo-Persian Empire. Silver coinage became the currency of the empire. After the Medo-Persian Empire, history confirms that a third kingdom, wielding brass shields and swords, with stunning speed conquered the Persians and went on to take the known world. It is recorded that Alexander at only 30 or so years of age wept because there were no more lands to be conquered. After Alexander’s death around age 32 the Greek Empire was ultimately divided between his four generals, but it never had the same power as it did under Alexander. Eventually the Greek Empire fell to a fourth empire. 

Daniel 2:40

And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. Now we move onto the ‘iron’ nation that breaks into pieces and subdues all things. Even those with a basic grasp of history will be familiar with the empire that succeeded the Greeks; Rome. Whereas the previous empires took the best of the cultures and nations they were conquering, leaving much intact, Rome did not. The Roman Empire seemed to thrive on what it could destroy. It really did break into pieces and subdue all things. NOTE: Tradition/history has it that when the Romans came to town, they crucified the first 5 or 6 people they encountered. This went a long way toward discouraging ANY rebellion, even if none was in the plans of the conquered villages and cities. Crucifixion was common practice with the Romans.

I personally cannot but wonder if Proverbs 27:17 may have implications during this iron age and the future yet not played out. Proverbs 27:17 reads…

“Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Did this iron period of Rome in fact sharpen the future Holy Roman Empire; the empire of the antichrist?

Article #11 in our Daniel Series

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Daniel 2:41

And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

Unlike the previous empires, Rome was never defeated. It divided into the eastern and western ‘legs’ with the eastern leg [Byzantine] outlasting the western portion by about 1000 years). Since the demise of the western portion, parts that made up the old empire have had their day at ruling; The Ottoman Turks, the French under Napoleon, The Germans, the Dutch, the Spanish and of course, the British Empire. Even America (USA) was founded by people from the old Roman Empire. As we come to this verse we are told of a phase of the (Holy) Roman Empire of which our secular history knows nothing. It is reasonable to conclude that it is yet to come, something that is confirmed in subsequent verses and chapters of this book. We are told this final phase of the Holy Roman Empire will consist of feet and toes, partly potters clay and partly iron – not a good mixture for these two will not stick together. This kingdom will be divided, yet there will be the strength of iron in it. The Antichrist will NOT unite but will divide. There will always be deserters.

Daniel 2:42

And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

This verse hints at the strong part of this kingdom ruling over the ‘partly broken’. This easily fits the era of Antichrist. More on this as we get to chapter 11; Daniel’s view of a future yet to become history.

Daniel 2:43

And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

It is easy to just read over this verse and continue with the interpretation; however, if we read carefully there is a strange remark. We are told that, just as iron was mixed with miry clay in the vision, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men. Who are the ‘they’? From the context, and the fact that they mix themselves with the seed of men, would seem to exclude them from being the seed of men themselves. Chuck Missler (among others) sees this as an allusion to the Nephilim (offspring of fallen angels?). The first mention of these beings is in Genesis 6, the flood came to wipe them out, but we read they still existed (DNA) after the flood (Gen 6:4) only to be finished off by Joshua and then finally by David (remember Goliath & his brothers?). However Jesus said: “as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man” (Luke 17:26). Might it be that the Nephilim (offspring) of fallen angels are set to make a return as part of a major End Time? Perhaps this may be the fallen angels themselves and their offspring. (For more on this subject see ‘Alien Encounters’ by Dr Chuck Missler & Dr Mark Eastman.

Daniel 2:44

And in the days of these [future] kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

This verse confirms that the final phase of the Roman Empire is a future not yet lived out, for ‘in the days of these kings….”. The simple fact that these kings have not yet reigned and from the context it is clear that they must reign – nor have they been destroyed, nor has the God of heaven set up a world government (which is the whole subject of the dream), shows that this is yet to be fulfilled. But when it is fulfilled it will be the end of man’s rule and the beginning of God’s eternal kingdom that will stand. 1,000 years later it is the Great White Throne Judgement and eternity for all will be in one of two places. None will be left in the grave.

Daniel 2:45

Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

JIV NOTE: Jesus Christ calls himself the “CORNER STONE.” [Ephesians 2:19-22] “the stone cut out of the mountains without human hands”

There are those who would try to suggest that all prophecy has been fulfilled, and that Christ’s kingdom was established at His first coming in and through the church. Furthermore, it is proposed that the church is now to fill the earth and subdue it in the name of Christ; but this seems to be faltering if not coming to a stop. Churches have rituals, liturgies, routines, and a bulletin but the Holy Spirit is often missing. Today’s church is fill with unequally yoked memberships.

One of the underlying points is a non-literal interpretation of scripture, particularly in regard to prophecy. The emphasis is on getting people into the church (nothing wrong with that on the surface) but at the expense of watering down the word of God so as not to be ‘offensive’ (and there we have a two-fold and real problem – to present a sinner with a gospel that says he is a sinner on his way to hell unless he repents and puts his trust in Jesus, is always going to be offensive until such a person is brought under conviction by the law – see Psalm 19:7 / Rom 7:7 / Gal 3:24). By watering down the gospel message and not presenting the law, the modern church becomes nothing more than a caring social club. A group that will yield to popular opinion, and political correctness every time. The church today is a mix of unequally yoked people; some believers, some just religious, and some unsaved or members of the “praise team” musical talent. How does the Book of Acts play out today if and when the worship service is unequally yoked worshipers?

As even a casual reading of this chapter (and these last few verses in particular) will show, this simply cannot be, because the church is not a political kingdom but it has been made just that. The kingdom that God establishes here will be a Theocracy. The fact that the church exists alongside political ‘kingdoms’ in the world today shows that the church is not the stone cut without hands, for once that stone smites the feet of the image, it all comes crumbling down and there will be no more opposition. The fact that the church has opposition in this order of things shows that it cannot be the kingdom that Daniel sees in his vision. It is also clear that the stone that is cut from the mountain is done so without hands, i.e. supernaturally. Jesus Christ our Rock! (See 1 Corinthians 10:4; Deut. 32:4; 2 Sam 22:2; Ps 18:31; Is 51:1; Matt 16:18; Acts 4:11; Matt 21:42-44; 1 Peter 2:8)

Psalm 2 – Jesus will rule the nations with a rod of iron – this hasn’t happened yet! We are too busy today claiming His love and ignoring his justness. We miss or ignore the full meaning of God’s Love. It also means He loves JUSTICE.

Daniel 2:46

Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him.

Nebuchadnezzar makes the classic mistake of worshiping the instrument and not the source. Daniel had already made the point that it was not because of his ability, but rather it was because of the God of heaven that he was able to interpret the king’s dream.

Daniel 2:47

The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

Neb didn’t get it! The dream wasn’t to show Nebuchadnezzar that God can reveal and interpret dreams, but to show him that it is God who rules in the kingdoms of men. It is He who puts one down and raises another up,“he removeth kings, and setteth up kings” (Dan 2:21). As Jesus said to Pilate:“Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above” (John 19:11).

Nebuchadnezzar will get another warning that it is God and not him that is running the show, but as we will see in chapter 5, he once again misses the point and is humbled before God and man in dramatic fashion! Keep in mind Jeremiah 33:10…”God says, I will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar…”Also keep on mind that God influences but does not interfere with Free Will.

Daniel 2:48-49

48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

So Daniel is promoted and ensures that his friends are too. As a result of these four Jewish young men the wise men of Babylon were spared from being cut in pieces and their houses being made a dunghill. Were they grateful? The answer is an emphatic NO! In fact as we move into chapter three we will find these wise men conspiring against Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach) and Azariah (Abed-nego) and trying to get them killed. Their principle motivation; jealousy. After all they represented the greatest minds in the kingdom but had been made to look foolish by four teenage Hebrew slaves.

Article #10 of Daniel Series

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We left our previous article [#9] questioning if Daniel might have doubted if God would answer his prayer and give him insight as to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Note…he didn’t quote the Lord’s Prayer. Matthew gives specific instructions about our prayer life but that book wouldn’t be written for another 550 plus years. He did however go into his prayer closet and pray from the heart; not from a quote or tradition.

Daniel 2:20-23

20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

21 And he changed the times and the seasons: he removed kings, and sett up kings: he gives wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

22 He reveals the deep and secret things: he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.

Oswald Chambers once said: “If God is the God we know Him to be when we are closest to Him, what an impertinence worry is”. The God that Daniel is thanking here is our God; He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. That means that the next time one is in a difficult situation, the God of Daniel is ready to take our call!

Philippians 4:6 states  “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.” This is a New Testament quote but Daniel practiced it hundreds of years before the New Testament was even written.

Daniel 2:24

Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will show unto the king the interpretation.

Daniel could have used this as an opportunity to get rid of all these other ‘wise men’, yet he says ‘destroy not’. Daniel no doubt saw this as an occasion to witness to them also, showing that, despite their fancy Babylonian names, there is just one God who reigns. The sad side to this in modern times is, there are many sitting in the pews today who build their hope and salvation upon a Daniel prayer of being saved due to someone else’s life in Christ. Perhaps these church attenders without Christ feel they will be caught up in the rapture by credit given for church attendance. This is a fatal and flawed thought.

Daniel 2:25

Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.

Arioch is typical of your bureaucratic professional type. Notice how he seems to take credit for solving the king’s problems! It is Arioch who claims to find the solution in another man’s abilities. Arioch didn’t find Daniel. Daniel found him.

Daniel 2:26-27

26 The king answered and said to Daniel, [whose name was Belteshazzar,] Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?

27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, ‘The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;’

After Arioch’s confident assertions, the king asks Daniel ‘Can you show me the dream and the interpretation?’ In effect Daniel says no way, nor can anyone else on earth! – Arioch’s heart must have skipped a beat! Fortunately, Daniel continued…

Daniel 2:28

But there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets, and makes known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed are these;

Here Daniel gives the king a 7-word summary of the subject of the dream. Note that Arioch wished credit for discovering Daniel but Daniel only offers his God as the answer. This is the beginning of God training Nebuchadnezzar to be “His Servant” [Jeremiah 27:6].

“Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.”

Daniel 2:29

As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets makes known to thee what shall come to pass. Now this is impressive. Daniel actually tells the king what he was thinking about before he went to sleep – it was this that gave rise to the dream. And notice again the scope of the dream: what is going to happen hereafter. Essentially Daniel did more than interpret the dream; he pointed out what was on the king’s mind prior to him even going to bed to have the unknown dream.

Daniel 2:30

But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

Daniel again makes it clear that it is not because he is more intelligent or better than anyone else that God has revealed the dream to him; but for 1) ‘their sakes that shall make known the interpretation’ i.e. Daniel and his three friends and 2) for the king himself that he would understand.

Here as in verse 49, Daniel includes his three friends in the ‘who deserves credit’ list. Just because Daniel was the one that received the vision does not negate the part that his friends played through their prayers. This should serve to remind us that those who support a ministry are as important as those who head up and are the public face of that ministry – ‘every part doing its share’ (Eph 4:16).

The Dream – Daniel 2:31-35

31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Daniel 2:36

This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

Notice that Daniel says WE will tell once again including his three friends. This verse even suggests that they came with Daniel to tell the king of his dream.

Church attendance is NOT a ticket to Heaven.

Article #9 of Daniel Series

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REMINDER: We left off in our previous article with the wise men of Babylon weaseling their way to addressing the King’s dream. He won’t tell them what it was but insists they not only interpret it but also (remind) tell him what it was. They can’t do it.

Daniel 2:8

The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.

King Nebuchadnezzar sees their problem, and just as he thought, there is a limit to these guys usefulness. Just as in the closing paragraph of our previous article in this series and its ending joke-comparison, Nebuchadnezzar is telling his wise-guys to “get their own dream” The problem now? How can he trust their interpretation? And he perceives that they are trying to stall for time. They are!

Daniel 2:9

But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me [and probably his father before him), till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can show me the interpretation.

The king underlines the decree – cut to pieces; dunghill etc. – and then tells them that he doesn’t trust them. He probably has been suspicious previously. The king is not going to be fooled this time. He wants evidence of actuality as much as factuality. Can they do it? He suspects fake news or at this time in history, fake interpretations; Evidence not speculation. This is similar to so-called scientists who hide everything in “well over millions of years” while one states the ice age ended one million years ago and another states it was 4,000 years ago. It is all speculation but presented just as was previous Nebuchadnezzar wise-guys handle dreams…speculation that makes sense to the deceived or ignorant.

Daniel 2:10-11

10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king’s matter: there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

11 And it is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is none other who can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

It is interesting in scripture how often ‘evil’ men speak the truth. Here they are absolutely correct that only ‘the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh’ can do what the king is asking. Caiaphas, the high priest made the following true statement about Jesus that was also prophetic: “Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” (John 11:49-50). Judas said: “I have betrayed the innocent blood.” (Matt 27:4).

Socrates said: ‘It maybe that God can forgive sin, but I don’t see how’. This shows great insight and understanding of the nature of God and the nature of man. God is righteous and holy and therefore cannot just forgive and forget sin. Sin – the inherent nature of man since the fall – has to be paid for, if justice is to be done. God would simply not be just if He ignored sin – this is what Socrates realized. The problem is, how can a finite man pay an infinite price? It cannot be done. But because “God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”. So God, whose dwelling is not with flesh, became flesh and dwelt amongst us (John 1:14) so that He, being infinite, could pay the infinite price for sin that we owed, thus once and for all satisfying the justice of a holy God.

Daniel 2:12-13

12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

The king’s suspicions are now fact. His pay-role of wise men are not very wise.They are deceitful but not insightful.

13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

Even though Daniel and his friends were still trainees, king Nebuchadnezzar was prepared to abandon his training program as well as getting rid of the old guard. What was the point of wasting the king’s money on these wise men if none of them could help when he needed it? It probably was not a targeting of Daniel and his three friends as much as it was the entire system being fake. He most likely did not even know Daniel at this time. See the next verse…

Daniel 2:14-15

14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

15 He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

It would appear that Daniel was oblivious to the king’s dream up until this point, thus supporting the fact that he was still in training and had not yet graduated – otherwise he also would have been called before the king. Arioch is only too pleased to explain the situation to Daniel, as killing all the wise men of Babylon was probably the last thing he wanted to do.

Daniel 2:16

Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation.

This really is Jewish hut-spa! Daniel, only 16 or 17 at this time, not yet ‘qualified’, goes into the king who has just signed a decree to have him executed! But then again, he had nothing to lose. This highlights a problem for so many Christians; we have so much to lose; so much in this world that is important to us, that we don’t want to stick our necks out for the sake of God’s glory. Daniel at this time had nothing but his relationship with God. That was clearly foremost in his mind as he went to see the king. Daniel saw this as an opportunity to bring glory to his God.

Daniel 2:17

Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

JIV NOTE: Note in this verse Daniel does NOT use his friends’ Babylonian names. He is writing text in Syriac but uses their Jewish names. This is just great! Daniel gets home and says to his friends: “Guess what guys, the king has had a dream. No one could figure it out so he was going to kill all of us…But I told him that you guys and I would be able to work it out! How cool is that? You can hear their reply: ‘You did what?’

Something tells me that Daniel did not need to encourage them to pray that evening!

Daniel 2:18

That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel

and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

It’s at times like these that we are so glad that our God is merciful. What did they pray that evening? We can only speculate but possibly something like Psalm 28:1-2 “Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.”

Or maybe Psalm 31:1-4: “In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for a house of defense to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privately for me: for thou art my strength.”

We should also note that this verse says…”should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.” This may mean Daniel expected the rest of these fakes to be cut to shreds” and their homes demolished. He wasn’t expecting that his intervention may save hundreds of others who were not of his blood line, but it will. However, a favor done is easily forgotten. We will see this in a later article on Daniel.

Daniel 2:19

Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Keep foremost in mind that Daniel prayed three times a day from a window facing Judah and Jerusalem. He didn’t simply focus his prayer time beginning out of fear for being slaughtered. It was his daily practice he carried with him for his life time in Babylon. All answered prayer is an occasion to bless God; but how much more here when, thanks to Daniel and his big mouth, God’s reputation is on the line! Daniel’s faith is remarkable; did he have any doubt that God would answer them? Not that one would notice.

How often does one finally plead with God when things get turned upside down in life? Every covenant with Israel and promise to the Christian church in the New Testament and current times is based upon the premise of an ”If you, then I” foundation. Don’t wait for a crisis to finally make a foxhole visit with God. Consider the crisis may happen because God has been waiting patiently to hear from any of us who claim Christ as our Savior. It is simple. Being right now with “Dear God of Heaven…”