Hello boys and girls, this is Aunt Frenita.
Today's story is called, "Put Out to Pasture."
Today's memory verse is from Colossians, Chapter 4, Verse 6.
It says,
Let your speech always be with grace,
that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
The message is, I can serve God wherever I am.
Would you like to live in a field with cows and eat grass?
A king once spent seven years living among the animals. This is how it happened.
King Nebuchadnezzar was bothered by the dream of the great image.
He was flattered and pleased that Babylon was first.
But it worried him that other kingdoms came after his kingdom.
Then he had another strange dream.
Nebuchadnezzar's wise men could not interpret the dream.
So once again Nebuchadnezzar sent for Daniel.
He told Daniel about his dream. This is what he told Daniel.
"I dreamed a large tree in the middle of a plain."
"It was enormous and it seemed to reach up to heaven."
"The leaves were beautiful and the fruit, plentiful."
"The birds made their home in its branches. And the animals sheltered under it."
"Then suddenly I saw a Holy One."
"I heard a loud voice from heaven saying."
"Cut down the tree, trim off the branches."
"Tell the animals to run away and the birds to find another home."
"But leave the stump in the field and put a brass and iron band around it."
Then the voice continued.
"Let him be drenched with dew."
"Let his mind be like an animal until seven times pass."
"I have made this decision so that the living may know that,
God is the ruler of all the kingdoms."
"And He gives them to whom He wants to."
When Daniel heard the dream, he was troubled.
The meaning was plain to him, and it was not a pleasant message to deliver to the king.
The king might become angry
But Nebuchadnezzar tried to reassure him. He just wanted to know what the dream meant.
Daniel knew that God wanted him to speak the truth.
So he told the king that his dream was a warning from God.
He explained that Nebuchadnezzar was the tree
He had become great, strong and powerful. He ruled over many places.
However, God saw his pride.
If Nebuchadnezzar did not acknowledge Him as Lord, something strange and terrible would happen.
He would become insane and live in the fields like an animal for seven years.
At the end of that time, he would become king again.
Daniel encouraged Nebuchadnezzar to turn away from his sins and his pride.
Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar ghe should do what was right.
He urged the king to be kind to those in need, then maybe this vision wouldn't happen.
A year later, Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of the royal palace.
He looked at all the wonderful things around him.
He swelled with pride, and smiled to himself.
"Is this not great Babylon that I have built by my power, and for the glory of my majesty?"
No sooner had he said these words that he heard a voice from heaven.
"Nebuchadnezzar, you will become like an animal."
"You will live out in the fields for seven years."
"At the end of that time, you will acknowledge me as Lord. Then you will become king again."
It was just as God had said.
"He lived outside in the field like an animal for seven years.
At the end of the seven years, Nebuchadnezzar became sane again.
He praised God as the ruler of the earth.
His advisers and nobles came to talk with him.
And he was made king once more.
It was hard for Daniel to deliver God's message to Nebuchadnezzar.
But God was with him. And God will be with you as you serve Him wherever you are.
This podcast was read by Frenita Buddy, for gracelink.net
Created and produced by Falvo Fowler.
Post produced by Faith Toh at Studio Elpizo.
The theme music was by Clayton Kinney
Animation and artwork by Diogo Godoy.
the audio engineer was Karel Holness
For more information, please visit gracelink.net