DANIEL’S REPENTANT HEART

Daniel, a righteous man, had such devotion that you would not expect to find him repenting. Daniel's heart, however, was sensitive to sin and also he identified with the people's sins.

"O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. . . . We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled. . . . Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land" (Daniel 9:8, 5-6).

Daniel repeatedly used the words we, us, our. He was saying, in essence: "Every one of us is affected!"

The key to it all is found in this verse: "And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God" (Daniel 9:20).

Daniel said, "God, deal with me while You are dealing with Your people. If there is any iniquity in my heart, bring it out.”

Daniel was given new lips that had been touched by God's purging hand: "And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake" (Daniel 10:16). Whenever Daniel spoke, he spoke "as unto the Lord."

Isaiah was a godly man who had issued mighty prophecies, but when he stood before the Lord in all His holiness, this prophet could only say, "I am a man of unclean lips . . ." (Isaiah 6:5).

God took coals of fire from the altar, put the tongs on Isaiah's lips, and burned out all self and flesh—everything that was unlike Him. And then He gave Isaiah a new pair of lips! I believe the prophet never again had to have his lips purged.

God does this for every person who repents! Once your tongue and lips are purged, you will never again want to speak anything that is unlike Jesus. The words that flow from you will be pure!