Dr. David Jeremiah Presents
Living inthe Ageof Signs
Online Destination
Living in the Age of Signs
Online Destination
Sign 2
A Life of Gratitude: For the Present
Today’s Audio Devotion:
A Life of Gratitude: For the Present
In a materialistic world one of the hardest character traits to acquire is contentment—being satisfied and patient with the way things are while trusting God for changes to be made. We can take some comfort from the fact that the apostle Paul said that he had to learn contentment, that it didn’t come naturally or easily to him. In fact, when he wrote about learning contentment, he was in jail!
Being discontent often manifests as an insistence on change. We are not happy with our possessions or our position in life, and we attempt to change our status by our own efforts. But rather than being achieved through change, contentment is frequently learned by waiting on the Lord: “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). Waiting on the Lord is not passive; it is the active pursuit of God and His will through prayerful, patient seeking.
Gratitude is a sign of contentment and can be learned while waiting on the Lord.
Contentment with what we have is absolutely vital to our spiritual health.
Jerry Bridges
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Some 2,600 years ago, God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a dream. In this dream, the king saw a five–part statue made of five different metals (see Daniel 2). Each section represented an empire, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon. Four of these empires have already risen and fallen in history—a clear fulfillment of Daniel's prophetic interpretation. The fifth and final empire indicates a future Europe—a ten nation coalition that will unite under the Antichrist's rule.
You can read about the King's dream and Daniel's interpretation in Daniel 2, but let's take a quick visual look at what you will find:
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King Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon
Daniel's words to the king are clear. "You are this head of gold" (Daniel 2:37–38).
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Medo–Persian Empire
The Medo–Persian Empire conquered Babylon in 539 BC and remained in power for approximately two hundred years (Daniel 5:28).
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Grecian Empire
Greece's Empire succeeded the Medo–Persians (Daniel 8:21).
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Roman Empire
When the Grecian empire was conquered by Rome, all the lands and peoples of the previous kingdoms were assimilated into the Roman Empire through the strengths of the "iron legions of Rome" (Daniel 2:40).
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Future European Coalition
This empire has not yet risen. Daniel foretells a time when the Roman Empire—Europe—will consist of ten kingdoms or leaders. The future Roman Empire will be present on the earth when God sets up His earthly kingdom (Daniel 2:44).