Dare to be a Daniel: Taking Up the Challenge

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.  

(Daniel 1:8 KJV)

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.  (Daniel 6:10 KJV)

**This post is the sixth post in the Dare to be a Daniel series. [1]

  For the first five posts, please see:  Abiding: Some Thoughts on Daniel, Dare to be a Daniel: Introduction, Dare to be a Daniel:  Purposeful Determination, Dare to be a Daniel:  Counting the Cost, and Dare to be a Daniel:  Believing God—The Lions’ Den.**

After taking an unplanned break last week due to computer and other technology issues, I am back to share the last post in the Dare to be a Daniel series.  Over the last several weeks I have shared about the courage, boldness, commitment, humility, and integrity of Daniel. 

Even after all these centuries, Daniel’s witness and testimony of God’s faithfulness, protection, and guidance shines brightly.  Many of us are inspired by this and desire to “be a Daniel” in our society.  My challenge remains unaltered:  dare to be a Daniel in your generation, in your family, in your daily life.  The question that remains:  will you take up the challenge?  Taking up the challenge is not for the faint of heart. 

We can be assured that since God never changes (see Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 13:8), therefore, we can trust Him like we can trust no one else!  God remained faithful to Daniel because Daniel remained faithful to Him.  If we remain faithful to God, we can rest assured that He will remain faithful to us.

During my time away from the computer and internet, I learned much (there is still much to sift through); for now consider the benefits of resting in God.  It seems to me Daniel rested in God.  Praying, worshiping God, reading the Word is rest.  In making the effort to do this, we will find, like Daniel, that we are different from the world—the world will react in a variety of ways.

Pulling closer to God, resting in Him, living a holy life seems to me part of daring to be a Daniel.  Come to think of it, it is part of abiding too!

What will you decide?  Who will join me in this challenge?

In closing, I would like to share the following Scriptures (not exhaustive by any means) that should provide encouragement as we take up the challenge and dare to be a Daniel.

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 
(1Peter 1:6-7 KJV)

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 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.  (James 1:12 KJV)

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Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.  
(1 Peter 5:8-9 KJV)

Photo credit: C. Meissner

At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.  Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.  And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

(2 Timothy 4:16-18 KJV)

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And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 
(Revelation 12:11 KJV)

Photo Credit: P. Whitlach

Please join with me in prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, through Your Holy Spirit fill us with courage—the courage we need to live fully sold out for You in a world that grows darker day by day.  Remind us to draw near, to cling to You with determination to not succumb to the sinful world around us, no matter the cost.  Thank You for Daniel’s witness of how to live a righteous, holy life and not compromise, while respecting those who live for the world,  guide us to live a godly life.  Empower us to take up the challenge and dare to be a Daniel.  In Jesus’ Name, we pray.  Amen.

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim

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[1] Beth Moore’s Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy (2006, LifeWay Press) was the inspiration for many ideas in this sermon/blog post.

Dare to be a Daniel: The Lion’s Den—Believing God

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.  

(Daniel 1:8 KJV)

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.  (Daniel 6:10 KJV)

**This post is the fifth post in the Dare to be a Daniel series. [1]

  For the first four posts, please see:  Abiding: Some Thoughts on Daniel, Dare to be a Daniel: Introduction, Dare to be a Daniel:  Purposeful Determination, and Dare to be a Daniel:  Counting the Cost.**

Last year (2015), I started a series of posts on believing God, which included getting to know God through His Names.  In order to fully believe God, like Daniel, we need to know His characteristics.  To read the posts in that series see: Believing God.

Believing God at His word is a far cry from believing in God.  The difference is stark.  James tells us demons believe in God and shudder (2:19).  Believing God is Who He says He is and will do what He says He will do changes our perspective on life and how we live.

Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.  

(Daniel 6:23 KJV)

Photo Credit: P. Whitlach

From this short study on Daniel, we know that Daniel believed God.  His faithfulness allowed God to use him mightily.  Therefore, I offer you the concluding paragraphs of my sermon; along with a few other thoughts and additions.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.  ....

 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.  (Daniel 3:16-17, 25 KJV)

Two stories from the book of Daniel are fairly well-known:  the fiery furnace (chapter 3) and the lions’ den (chapter 6).  We see God at work in and through His servants—servants willing to die rather than deny Him.  Daniel in the lions’ den took place after Babylon fell to the Medo-Persian Empire (led by Darius).  Daniel had already found favor with Darius; however, the other presidents and princes were not so favorable to Daniel (6:3-5).  Due to jealousy the other presidents and princes manipulated Darius to make a decree that all prayers and requests were to be made to Darius alone; disobedience meant a sure death in the lions’ den (6:6-9).

Photo Credit: P. Whitlach

As we know, Daniel remained faithful to his God and believed Him.  Even into his eighties Daniel continued to kneel in prayer towards Jerusalem in full sight of others (6:10); he also continued serving in another pagan government (Medo-Persian)—remaining faithful to God.  His faithfulness sent him to the lions’ den, where God closed the mouths of the lions.

In Daniel chapter 6, we read the famous account of Daniel’s defying the decree to pray only to Darius.  Daniel knew the cost of continuing to pray to the Lord and he did it anyway—as openly as before.  For Daniel there was no hiding, he continued to pray three times a day on his knees, with the windows open (in full view of others) towards Jerusalem.  Those around him clearly know of his witness and character.  Clearly there was a great degree of jealousy within his colleagues.  God blessed Daniel greatly throughout his life—this obviously riled his colleagues.  They tried all they could, including lying to Darius (counting on his self-centeredness) to bring Daniel down.  May we all have Daniel’s boldness in prayer!

Photo Credit: P. Whitlach

Daniel believed God.  Daniel believed God.  This belief helped Daniel have the courage to face the consequences of disobeying the law of man.  God delivered him from the lions’ den, just as He delivered Daniel’s friends from the fiery furnace! 

Rest assured, God will do the same for us.  God will keep us safe or bring us to Him through death.  During our times of trial, we can claim the sure promises in the Word, in particular Psalm 27 and Psalm 91.

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Daniel’s life could be summarized as follows:  he was solid in his beliefs and prepared to follow through on them; he was faithful in small things, therefore, God gave him more responsibilities; because Daniel stood for a simple conviction—he had a stepping stone for greater challenges in the future; because Daniel obeyed God, God placed him where he could have a great impact on a pagan culture.[2]

May we, like Daniel, be a positive, godly influence on our culture!  We can impact the world by being markedly different from it.  The world is hungry for what we have, even if they do not know it.

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In summary, it is about God—His faithfulness and provision to His people, even during seasons of great hardship, trial, and tribulation.  Our belief in Him, staying true to Him no matter the cost reaps huge dividends, if not on earth, then in heaven.  We can note that in Daniel’s (and his friends) story:  how people of faith respond, our testimony makes a huge difference.

In closing let us consider the words of an old Sunday school/VBS song written by Phillip Bliss, Dare to be a Daniel.

Standing by a purpose true, Heeding God’s command, Honor them, the faithful few! All hail to Daniel’s band! Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known. Many mighty men are lost, Daring not to stand, Who for God had been a host By joining Daniel’s band. Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known. Many giants, great and tall, Stalking through the land, Headlong to the earth would fall, If met by Daniel’s band. Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known. Hold the Gospel banner high! On to vict’ry grand! Satan and his hosts defy, And shout for Daniel’s band. Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known.[3]

How can you believe God today, living in a world that grows increasingly dark?

Please join with me in prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for the witness of Daniel showing us how to live boldly for You in a sinful world.  Help us to continue to count the cost of what it means to follow You no matter what is expected of us.  Woo us to learn more about You and Your character, so we can grow our faith and trust in You.  Remind us that whatever happens, as long as we have Jesus as our Savior, we will be safe and secure in You alone.  In Jesus’ Name, we pray.  Amen.

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim

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[1] Beth Moore’s Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy (2006, LifeWay Press) was the inspiration for many ideas in this sermon/blog post.

[2] Charles Stanley From the Pastor’s Heart September 2014

[3] Dare to be a Daniel by Phillip Bliss.  Public Domain.

Dare to be a Daniel: Counting the Cost

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.  

(Daniel 1:8 KJV)

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.  (Daniel 6:10 KJV)

**This post is the fourth post in the Dare to be a Daniel series. [1]

  For the first three posts, please see:  Abiding: Some Thoughts on Daniel, Dare to be a Daniel: Introduction, and Dare to be a Daniel:  Purposeful Determination.**

Today we are embarking on the fourth week of finding hope and encouragement in the life of the godly prophet Daniel.  When the Lord brought to mind this sermon that He gave me to share with at least one church in 2014, I had no idea how it would be edited for blog posts, nor how long it would take to share it.  Moreover, I had no idea regarding all the recent terror acts.  God knew all of this, thus the timeliness of the posts is not an accident.

When we have Jesus as our Savior and place our trust and faith in Him (as did Daniel), we can face the sheer ugly forces of evil with confidence—confidence that the Lord will see us through come what may.  Truly knowing the whole of Word should cause us to see current events as prophecy being fulfilled before our eyes.

As I have shared before on this blog, there is a definite cost to following Jesus; the cost can be steep.  Believers in many parts of the world, in such places as North Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Middle East; for example, lose everything in following Jesus—EVERYTHING—including their very lives.  Persecution is real today!  As believers, we—no matter where we reside—need to be prepared to face that very same type of persecution for following Jesus.

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In the New Testament, Jesus spoke of counting the cost of following Him (see Luke 14:25-35 and John 16).  There is a cost—sometimes a high one.  The costs depend on the person.  Friendships change, relationship with family members change, one’s job may have to change too.  I believe that Daniel counted the cost of remaining true to God (in the pagan Babylonian society) and found the benefits of staying true to God to outweigh the temporary pleasures of worldly riches.  In doing so, Daniel was blessed and used mightily by God. 

History is full of men, women, and children who treasured Jesus more than the riches of this world and more than their own life.  They counted the cost and paid the price.  Today, they are among “the great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1)—cheering us on as we run our race for the Lord.

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Here are some examples of men who died rather than deny Jesus:  John Hus, Bishop Hugh Latimer, and Nicholas Ridley.  These men bravely faced the flames; just as Daniel faced the lions and his friends the fiery furnace.  They remained loyal to God—He remained loyal to them.  Countless people suffered greatly, all because they believed all should have access to God’s Word and because they believed salvation was through Christ alone.  These are just a few of many examples.

In many parts of the world today (and one day here in America we will face this too), that to have Jesus as Savior and Lord is to suffer greatly—even to the point of losing EVERYTHING, including our very life.  The testimony of modern day martyrs is moving and heart wrenching.  Yet like the members of the early church (see Acts 5:40-48)—there is rejoicing in suffering for Jesus.

Photo Credit: C. Meissner

Somewhere along the way, the prosperous Western Church has gotten off course and gotten things horribly wrong.  Being a Christian—having Jesus as Savior and Lord of our life is not a ticket to worldly abundance, affluence, and riches.  Being a Christian is a call to dying to self and self-sacrifice; focusing on storing up riches in heaven.  And yes, perhaps losing worldly things we hold dear—jobs, family, friends, and hobbies.  In the end, we will find that staying true to the Lord outweighs anything the world has to offer us!

The time to decide where we stand and what we will do is now; not when to call on the Name of Jesus is to lose one’s life.  Where do you stand?  What will you do?  Will you deny Jesus or will you count the cost, determining (or purposing) to not deny Jesus (when we deny Jesus, He denies us before the Father)?  These are questions only you can answer.  As for me:  I say Jesus is worth it!

I ask you the question Beth Moore asked in her study:  “Have you predetermined your loyalty to Christ (italics in original)?[2]

Dare to be a Daniel this week!

To be continued…

Please join with me in prayer:

Loving Lord, we look to You to find the desire, the strength to stay true to You no matter the cost.  Teach us to trust You, particularly when nothing makes sense all seems lost.  We find hope and encouragement in those who paid the ultimate price—their lives—all in staying true to You.  Free us from fear of man, as we place our complete trust in You.  We desire to remain loyal to You, however, we need Your strength to not falter or give in when the going gets really tough.  Thank You for Your presence in our lives and for the testimony of countless martyrs who have gone before us.  In Jesus’ Name, we pray.  Amen.

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim        

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[1] Beth Moore’s Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy (2006, LifeWay Press) was the inspiration for many ideas in this sermon/blog post.

[2] Beth Moore’s Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy (2006, LifeWay Press), page 61.

Dare to be a Daniel: Purposeful Determination

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.  

(Daniel 1:8 KJV)

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.  (Daniel 6:10 KJV)

**This post is the third post in the Dare to be a Daniel series. [1]

  For the first two posts, please see: Abiding: Some Thoughts on Daniel and Dare to be a Daniel: Introduction.**

Returning to our study of  Daniel, today we are going to look at the decision Daniel made and how he determined to live his life, even if that meant going a different direction than those around him.  Keep in mind, when the book of Daniel opens, Daniel is a youth who grew up in Judah (south) during the days when Israel (north) was divided.  In Judah, many had strayed from the Lord and living as He desired they live, instead they lived like their pagan neighbors.

In Daniel 1:8 we read that:  “…Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” (emphasis mine) (KJV).

Webster’s Dictionary of 1828 defines purposed like this:  “Intended; designed; applied to things. …Resolved; having formed a design or resolution; applied to persons. I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.”[2]  As we will see, Daniel followed through on his convictions and did not defile himself with the king’s food and wine. 

Photo Credit: C. Meissner

By respectfully approaching those in charge of training the young men, Daniel was able to propose a test for his friends and himself (eating only vegetables and drinking only water).  The foods of Babylon were likely defiled (offered to idols), still had blood in them—in other words, not kosher.  Moreover, the meat may have been from one of the unclean animals that God told Israel they were not to eat (see Leviticus 11).  In this way, Daniel (and his friends) passed the test regarding food with flying colors.  On the other hand, Adam and Eve, while still in the garden failed the test in the area of food.[3]

In reading the first chapter of  Daniel, we know these young men pass the “food test” with “flying colors”—clearly God was at work here—God blessed them physically, intellectually, spiritually, and in many other ways.  They were used mightily by God and those around them took notice.

The faithfulness of Daniel’s friends—Shadrack, Meschach, and Abendego earned them a trip to the fiery furnace, due to their determination to bow to God alone and not an idol.  As we know, God brought them through it, showing His power and might to King Nebuchadnezzar and all of Babylon.  To read this experience in its entirety, please see Daniel 3.    

Photo Credit: C. Meissner

Daniel’s faith was a life-long faith, of dedication to the Lord and His commands.  Even on his own, separated from his family and religious nurture he stayed true to what he was taught as a youth (see Proverbs 22:6).  What about our faith—could it withstand separation from family and church?

What about the young people in our lives—how deeply rooted in the faith are they?  How can we best prepare them for the inevitable attacks they will experience throughout the rest of their lives?  How can we prepare to be attacked due to our beliefs?

We see in Daniel a portrait of how to live a life that is God-centered and God directed while in a less than godly culture.  Babylon of Daniel’s time is not so unlike our own time.  living for the day, acquiring one more “thing”, a thirst for “power”, the desire to be their own “god” drove the Babylonian culture, as well as our Western, First World culture.  Sadly, even the church has compromised and bought into the worldly mentality, at least at times.  However, there is a different way.

Compromise—compromise is something Daniel and his friends did not do.  Compromise is easy, go with the flow type thinking, yet it is deadly in a spiritual sense.  The moment a person decides to compromise makes it that much easier to do it in the future.  When others see us compromise our witness is weakened. 

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When have you been tempted to compromise your beliefs just to not face harsh treatment?

I encourage you to take time to examine your heart, to discover where you may have compromised your beliefs.  God is gracious to forgive us when we come to Him repenting of our sins.  It is not too late (or early!), no matter what your age to turn (or return) to God.  He is ready and waiting with arms open wide to receive you.

Dare to be a  Daniel this week!

To be continued…

Please join with me in prayer:

Everlasting God, thank You for the truths in Your Word—through Your Holy Spirit illuminate Your Word in such a way that it does exactly what You desire.  Direct our examination of our hearts, increase our sensitivity to sin in our lives, and lead us to repentance.  Increase our faith, so we have the strength to not compromise our beliefs.  In Jesus’ Name, we pray.  Amen.

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim

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[1] Beth Moore’s Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy (2006, LifeWay Press) was the inspiration for many ideas in this sermon/blog post.

[2] From http://webstersdictionary1828.com/ 

[3] See http://www.danielbibleprophecy.org/daniel1.html

Dare to be a Daniel: Introduction

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.  

(Daniel 1:8 KJV)

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.  (Daniel 6:10 KJV)

In last week’s post I shared a few thoughts on Daniel and how he abided in the Lord.  How he lived his life was deeply impacted by his relationship with the Lord.  We can learn much from Daniel’s example.  This week I am launching a series of posts Dare to be a Daniel, which is an edited sermon I developed and delivered in 2014.  Much of the sermon was inspired by Beth Moore’s Daniel:  Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy study.[1] 

Starting this week, we are going to consider the life of one biblical hero, Daniel.  What a mighty, godly man of faith he was!  Daniel counted the cost of what it meant to live for God in his society (Judah), as well as the Babylonian society when he was carried off into exile.  He was willing to pay the price—even if that meant losing his life.  That is commitment—a level of commitment I desire to demonstrate.

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Due to Daniel's faithful commitment to God—he was used and mightily blessed by God.  He found favor, not only with God, but also with those above him, making an impact on them—an impact that was long-term (his influence on the wise men caused them to be looking for the coming Jewish Messiah hundreds of years later).  His integrity also “won” him some enemies!  Daniel spent the majority of his life, from his teens on in Babylonia (and at the end of his life, the Persian Empire), working at the highest levels of government—he found favor with those who did not know the Lord; showing them respect.  He interpreted dreams and proclaimed many prophecies—some of which are yet to unfold.

Daniel experienced Isaiah’s prophecy to King Hezekiah: 

"Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."     (Isaiah 39:5-7 KJV)

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What can we learn from Daniel and his life of integrity?  What decisions have we made or still need to make about what we will do when push comes to shove in following the Lord?  These are decisions that we need to make before hand—before we find ourselves in a situation where we need to make a decision in a hurry.  The time to decide is now.  Waiting until a knife is at our throat or a gun pointed to our head is too late.

We cannot live a life of integrity and commitment to the Lord without determining to do so in advance.  The world will see a difference.  As Christians our lives should look different from the world—we are to be in the world but not of the world (John15:19, for example)—in other words, we are not to assimilate to the world’s standards.  And yes, this may mean ridicule at times.  The world does not understand us and our behavior.  (Consider how often Jesus was misunderstood.)

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What changes can we make in our daily lives to predetermine how we will walk with the Lord?  What is holding us back from being like Daniel, from being “all in” when it comes to the Lord?  Fear of (fill-in-the-blank)?  Not seeing the need?  Loving the world too much?

As we continue to consider Daniel and his example, may we seek ways to grow deeper in our knowledge of the Lord and experiencing Him deep within our hearts.  We really do not need to fear those who can only kill our bodies; our fear should be reserved for the One who can kill our bodies and souls (Matthew 10:28).    

To be continued…

Join with me in prayer:

Mighty God, woo us to You, causing us to experience You more powerfully than ever before—seeking Your face more than Your hand.  Direct our attention to faithful witnesses, like Daniel, who demonstrate how to live in a sinful society.  Guide our preparations in predetermining what choices we will make when deciding for You is more costly than we could ever imagine.  Do Your work in our hearts as we learn more about following You when hostility abounds.  In Jesus’ Name, we pray.  Amen.

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim

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[1] Beth Moore’s Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy (2006, LifeWay Press) was the inspiration for many ideas in this sermon/blog post.