The Fabulous Life of… The Fabulous Life of… DanielDaniel

Understanding the Understanding the BlessingBlessing

This is the text of the letter that the This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the priests, the prophets and all the other people other people Nebuchadnezzar had Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exilecarried into exile from Jerusalem to from Jerusalem to Babylon...Babylon...

This is what the LORD Almighty, the This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Babylon: "Build housesBuild houses and settle and settle down; plant gardens and eat what down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. they produce.

Marry and have sons and daughtersMarry and have sons and daughters; ; find wives for your sons and give find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and they too may have sons and daughters. daughters. Increase in number Increase in number therethere; do not decrease. Also, ; do not decrease. Also, seek seek the peace and prosperity of the citythe peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will because if it prospers, you too will prosper."prosper."

Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "the God of Israel, says: "Do not let Do not let the prophets and diviners among the prophets and diviners among you deceive you.you deceive you. Do not listen to Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. you in my name. I have not sent I have not sent themthem," declares the LORD. This is ," declares the LORD. This is what the LORD says: "When what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. you back to this place. For I know For I know the plans I have for you," declares the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future…you hope and a future…

Then you will call upon me and come Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I you back to the place from which I carried you into exile..."carried you into exile..."

You may say, "The LORD has raised You may say, "The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon," but up prophets for us in Babylon," but this is what the LORD says about this is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David's throne the king who sits on David's throne and all the people who remain in and all the people who remain in this city, this city, your countrymen your countrymen who did who did not go with you into exile--yes, this not go with you into exile--yes, this is what the LORD Almighty says: is what the LORD Almighty says: "I "I will send the sword, famine and will send the sword, famine and plagueplague against them and I will against them and I will make them like poor figs that are make them like poor figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten…so bad they cannot be eaten…

I will pursue them with the sword, I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth and an object of of the earth and an object of cursing and horror, of scorn and cursing and horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. where I drive them.

For they have not listened to my For they have not listened to my words," words," declares the LORD, "words declares the LORD, "words that I sent to them again and again that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets. And by my servants the prophets. And you exiles have not listened you exiles have not listened either," declares the LORD. either," declares the LORD. Therefore, hear the word of the Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I have LORD, all you exiles whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon Babylon - Jeremiah 29:1, - Jeremiah 29:1, 4-204-20

1- Build 1- Build houseshouses, settle down. , settle down. Plant gardensPlant gardens

- - QuitQuit looking for a way out looking for a way out

2- 2- MarryMarry, have kids, let the kids , have kids, let the kids marry marry

Make it a point to Make it a point to increaseincrease wherever you are instead of wherever you are instead of waiting for the right waiting for the right circumstances and the right circumstances and the right timetime

3- Seek the 3- Seek the peacepeace and and prosperityprosperity of the people who of the people who have conquered and captured have conquered and captured youyou

If the If the peoplepeople prosper, so will you prosper, so will you

To those still living back in To those still living back in JerusalemJerusalem

1- “I will send sword, famine 1- “I will send sword, famine and plague against them”and plague against them”

They're under a They're under a cursecurse

To those still living back in To those still living back in JerusalemJerusalem

2- They refused to listen to 2- They refused to listen to God’sGod’s Word Word

The ones who appear to be The ones who appear to be blessedblessed are the ones who are are the ones who are cursed. And the people who cursed. And the people who appear to be appear to be cursedcursed are the are the ones who are blessedones who are blessed

The eyes of the Lord range The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him are fully committed to him

- 2 Chronicles - 2 Chronicles 16:916:9

How I view my circumstances is How I view my circumstances is paramount to how my paramount to how my lifelife isis livedlived

It’s not where I am, it’s It’s not where I am, it’s whosewhose I I amam

Looking Looking forwardforward, not backward, not backward

Looking at where I Looking at where I amam , not , not where I where I wish I were wish I were

Or- where someone else is Or- where someone else is relative to merelative to me

Do we allow Do we allow fearfear to dictate our to dictate our actions? Or actions? Or faith?faith?

FearFear decreases... our options, decreases... our options, our abilities, our blessingsour abilities, our blessings

FaithFaith increases...our options, increases...our options, our abilities, our blessings our abilities, our blessings

Maybe we ought to be praying Maybe we ought to be praying for peace and prosperity while for peace and prosperity while we pray for revival? we pray for revival?

I can’t seek God I can’t seek God wholeheartedlywholeheartedly while cursing my while cursing my circumstances or waiting for circumstances or waiting for them to change firstthem to change first

For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” - 2 Chron. 16:9