Summary: Cultures Greatest Culprit Daniel 5:1 - 24 Handwriting on the Wall (Daniel 5:25-26) “This is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. This is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.” We tend to squander what we think we have a lot of but protect what we think is in short supply. Prophetic warnings 1. We forget that our days are numbered Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is destined that each person dies only once and after that comes judgment, (Daniel 5:27) “Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.” 2. We allow our lives to get out of balance Average American will spend 13 years and 4 months watching TV Spend 5 years waiting in line. Spend 1 year looking for lost things. A good question to ask: Does this contribute to God’s purpose? Eccl.4: 4 - 6 (Daniel 5:28) “Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” If you do not realize you are divided then it will destroy something, your health, your peace, your marriage, your livelihood. 3. We ignore the warning signs. Destruction and division will happen if we ignore the warning signs. Pain is often a sign that something is wrong. Some warning signs: The risk of sinful choices increases. You find yourself easily tempted and falling into the temptation. You are overstretched, spent, tired. My emotions are inconsistent. Flying off the handle, mad, withdrawn, yelling at cars that cannot hear you. You may say, “That’s not me” I am less productive I Can’t hear God. God is speaking but your world is too noisy and you cannot hear Him. Psalm 46:10 Be Still and know I am God. Lessons to walk out: (Daniel 5:29-31) Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two. A. Live with a sense of Purpose Today (Psalm 39:4-5 NLT) LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath. B. Put first things first. Order determines capacity, order affects outcome. The first of your day, the first of your time, the first of your finances. The first of your week, The first of your attention. The first things have the power to affect the rest of your things. Psalm 90; 12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom Jesus said it this way: Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. C. Do it Now.! 2 Corinthians 6:2 I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation
