There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. [Daniel 2:29]

Today I go back to November 2002. The word of God is good for all seasons and times, and it never gets old or stale. This is "Along Life's Road", 14 years ago!

There have been a lot of pros and cons about the legalization of the number business, which to me is a part of our culture. Growing up over the hill, the questions "What you dream last night?" and "What fall?" were as common as peas and rice. Also, interpreters of dreams were here, there and everywhere. Dreams have always been intriguing. I do remember of going to the home of a Christian lady whose husband had recently died and words of comfort were being extended by myself when the phone rang. Very solemnly she answered, assuring the person on the other end that she was trying to make it. Suddenly I was startled as her voice changed and became loud with excitement, "You mean Toote throw 38 and Percy throw 38?" I got the message --she had won big!

The Bible is filled with biblical characters that received messages, good or bad through dreams -- kings being no exception. The Book of Daniel has a special appeal to young people. They know the story of Daniel and often sing, "Dare to be a Daniel".

Writing from Babylon during the time of the exile, Daniel tells of God's miraculous power to protect those who belong to him. God gave Daniel and his friends the ability to stand firm and to serve effectively in a hostile environment. Today in our text for your meditation, I give you God's word about the importance of dreams -- dreams that are for your spiritual health and not your personal wealth. Dreams that are not for the house but for the nation; dreams that will determine if we go forward or backward; dreams that cannot be interpreted by King Tut or Mother Rosa from Rocky Mountain, but by men and women called of God.

In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams -- his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. So the king summoned his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, "I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means." Then the astrologers, answered the king in Aramaic, "Oh king, live forever; tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it."

Then the king answered, "I am certain that you are trying to gain time because you realize that this what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me the dream there is one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me."

The astrologers answered the king: "There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean. Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh."

This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. He asked the king's officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?" Arioch explained the matter to Daniel. At this Daniel went to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret his dream for him.

Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends, Hanniah, Michael ad Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said, "Praise be to the name of God forever and ever, wisdom and power are his." He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.

I thank and praise you, Oh God of my fathers. You have given me wisdom and power. You have made known to me what we asked of you and you have made known to us the dream of the king.

Then Daniel went to Arioch whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, "Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him."

Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, "I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means."

The king asked Daniel also called Belteshazzar, "Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?"

Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come."

Daniel went on to interpret the king's dream. It was honest, impartial, void of favoritism and the truth. What I like about Daniel is that he asked the king not to kill the wise men, magicians or diviners but allow them to live to see that God is greater than any dream book.

I want you to get your Bibles and read the interpretation in the remaining chapter of our text. God is now speaking in dreams ad it has nothing to do with your financial gain. Our land is in need of some Daniels if we are to survive the shape of things to come globally.

The world is at the critical survival crossroads and it is for us as Bahamians to look to the God of all ages who can reveal all mysteries. It will only be God and God alone to reveal to us who is who, for many come in sheep's clothing, but in essence are ravenous wolves. It will only be God and God alone who can cause us to survive the financial lion's den that the world would seek to put us in. I will only be God and God alone who will save us from mandated world fiery furnaces.

It is my prayer, dear readers, that you position yourself to be used by God. It does not matter what man may do to you. It does not matter if you are denied. It does not matter if you are overlooked. It really does not matter for if you are indeed a child of God, as he will share his mysteries to you. Believe me, your dreams are worth more than you ever thought.

o E-mail rubyanndarling@yahoo.com, Facebook Ruby Ann Darling or write to P.O. Box SS 19725 Nassau, Bahamas with your prayer requests, concerns and comments. God's blessings!

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