Always Worship God Only

Bible Story Podcast
Bible Story Podcast
Always Worship God Only
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Always Worship God Only

Daniel 6

Key Point

Always worship God only. Now you may say to yourself well who or what else would I worship? Essentially worship is expressing how great God is. Now telling someone or others how great something or someone is good. Trouble comes when we fail to keep God number one in our worship. It’s not good when we express how much higher things or people are than God. Difficulties will arise when we forget to worship God altogether.

About the Story

Today we will hear the final story in the Daniel series. Daniel is now an older man, probably in his 80’s. Daniel is currently serving under King Darius. Darius liked Daniel, and it kind of sounds like they became friends before this story took place.  

Also, Darius made a lot of changes within the kingdom. He divided the empire into 120 provinces, each with a leader. Daniel and two others were in charge of these provincial leaders. Darius noticed how well Daniel did in his role and made plans to promote him to be in charge of the entire empire!

We need to put 10% of the effort of what we usually give to receive praise from others and put all that energy into worshipping God!

Application

Always worship God only. King Darius and his leaders could have avoided a lot of difficulties if they had never agreed to the law. The law stated that people could only worship and prayed to the king! 

You may not think that you are looking for others to worship you, and that is probably true, but I would like to challenge your thinking. We tend to want others to see the best in us, and so we share stories, images, or videos that show the world how great we are. When exchanging stories around the campfire, at work or school, we tend to leave out the fails and highlight the stories that show everyone how great we are. Or, maybe we are praised with the amount of knowledge we have, or how funny we can be, or how encouraging we are, or how successful we are, and then we work hard at those things people praise us for being.

In my opinion, we need to put 10% of the effort of what we usually give to receive praise from others and put all that energy into worshipping God! Imagine how different life would be. We would probably be a lot less cynical, angry, anxious, and a lot more at peace, confident in our relationship with God and place in this world!

Discussion Episode | Always Worship God Only

Bible Story Podcast
Bible Story Podcast
Discussion Episode | Always Worship God Only
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Discussion Episode | Always Worship God Only

Always worship God only. In today’s story, a bunch of King Darius’ leaders convince him to sign a law. This law will have people only worshipping and praying to the king for 30 days. Daniel continues to pray to God three times a day. Even though the king doesn’t want to, he has daniel thrown into a lion’s den. The next morning the king checks Daniel and praises God because Daniel is unharmed by the lions.

Lesson

Always Worship God Only.

Questions

  1. What social media platforms do you use?  Who do you highlight in your posts?
  2. How do you seek praise from others? Do you make people laugh, show your skills or smarts, be super kind and loving, make yourself pretty or handsome, tell stories? How do you seek praise from others?
  3. At the end of the story, King Darius announced to the world how great God is. This is a form of worship. What are some ways that you worship God that don’t include singing?

Growth Tip

Have you ever noticed on social media that nobody shows their whole self? You don’t ever see a picture on Instagram of a person who just woke up and looks awful or a selfie of a person with broccoli stuck in their teeth. People show photos and videos of themselves that tell the world how great they are. 

So here is my challenge to you, share photos, videos, and stories that express how great God. Maybe you are not even in the picture or post at all. Do it for a week and see how making posts like that makes you feel and then talk about it with friends or family.

Prayer Requests

At the end of your discussion, go around the group and ask for prayer requests.

God is in Control

Bible Story Podcast
Bible Story Podcast
God is in Control
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God is in Control

Today we are going to learn that God is in control. Now, that does not mean God is controlling. He has given us free will and allows us to make every big and little decision for our lives. God is in control of everything because He is all-powerful.

A few years have passed since Daniel, and his three friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were taken from their homes in Jerusalem and forced to serve King Nebuchadnezzar. All was going well for these four men, but I am sure they were all still hurting and missed their families, friends and home back in Jerusalem. 

I am confident they could see how God was protecting them and guiding each of them as they settled in the land of Babylon and served King Nebuchadnezzar. God was watching out for them and blessed each of them. Our God has not changed; He does not change. He was good back in Daniel’s day, and he is good now. Since our Lord is good, we can have confidence in the fact that God will care for you and watch out for you.

Daniel 2

Story Episode Link

God is in control even when it seems the worst is about to unfold.

God is in control even when it seems the worst is about to unfold. The king did not kill Daniel and his three friends instead he promoted. God puts the world leaders into their roles. God knows the future, and he takes care of those who love and follow him!

One of the things I admire about Daniel is that when he got news about the King’s order to execute all the wise men, he didn’t panic, but he and his three friends started praying. They believed that could help them. Learn from Daniel, pray because God is in control.