Finding Favor with God

FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD DANIEL OCTOBER 2, 2022 FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD DANIEL STANDS UP FOR GOD—1:8 Daniel 1:8 (NIV) 8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. • Daniel Could Not Serve God Along With Other Gods And Idols • He Could Not Pollute The Worship Of God With That Of Fallen Man • To Do So Would Invite God’s Intervention And Judgment FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD Babylon Molds, Shapes, Retrains You, To Become Like Them: Babylonians 1.Your Freedoms 2.Your Worship / Values / Spiritual Treasures 3.Your Family / Their Relationships / The Future 4.Your Devotion To God 5.They Take Away Your Name / Who God Says You Are 6.Take Away Your Gender Specific Means Of Reproduction FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD • Babylon Today Wants To Choose The Best Of Our People To Integrate Into Their System. • To Learn Their Ways -- Their Version Of Truth • This Is A Warning -- Babylon Wants You To Become One Of Them • We Must Take A Cue From Daniel Who Faced The Same Thing • Daniel Resolved Not To Defile FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD Daniel Said By His Actions: • I Am Not Going To Bend Or Bow • I Will Not Let The Kingdoms Of This World Set My Agenda • If The Crowd Is Going The Wrong Way --I Won’t Go With Them FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD We Want To Be Like Daniel – We Are Who God Says We Are •Every Day We Face The Temptation To Compromise Our Commitment We Need To Learn From Daniel:  The Importance And Value Of Refusing To Compromise  It Worked Well For Daniel -- It Can Work For Us Too FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD • Why Did God Choose Daniel To Speak And Minister Thru? • What Are God’s Requirements For Divine Revelation? • #1 -- A Separated Life • #2 -- An All-consuming Conviction Of Truth • Daniel Had Both! FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD Five Questions About Our Life-Choices: 1. Will This Pollute Or Damage My Body, Which Is God's Temple? 2. Will This Hurt My Reputation As A Follower Of Christ ? 3. Could This Control Me? 4. Will This Hurt People I Influence? 5. Will This Discredit Jesus? •“These Life-choices Will Help Us Measure Every Decision By The Things That Matter To The Lord.” • Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues" FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD Daniel Could Have Used Many Excuses To Cave In His Resolve 1. The Excuse Of “It’s The Law” • When Man's Laws Conflict With God's, We Obey The Lord. 2. The Excuse Of Staying Out Of Trouble • To Avoid Trouble Is Never A Proper Reason To Obey The King In Place Of Obeying The King Of Kings FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD 3. The Excuse Of Cost •When You Seek To Advance With Man You Get What Man Can Give •When You Advance With God – You Get What God Can Give 4. The Excuse Of Cultural Conformity-•When Government, Culture, Society Collides With Godliness: •If Everyone Is Doing It And God Says It Is Wrong, It Is Still Wrong •If No One Is Doing It And God Says It Is Right – It Is Still Right! FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD 5. The Excuse Of “No One Is Going To See It” – • Proverbs 15:3 (NIV) 3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. 6. The Excuse Of “God Must Have Wanted This” • Daniel Avoided The Excuses And He Responded With Resolve • He Demonstrated His Loyalty By Not Surrendering His Values