Sermon Tone Analysis

* Features of Character

* Sum up the story of Daniel 5

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Character is Timeless in Our Lives (10-12)

* "Live your life with such character that when your old and reflect on your life you can enjoy it a second time"

* For 66 years roughly in service (15 to 81) (roughly 605 BC - 539 BC) Daniel had remained a man of character.

* Our goal is to live lives that reflect character in God, consistently.

* In other words, do people associtate you with God? Can they come to you when they have issues and know that you will represent the truth of God?

* /illustrate/ I can't think of anyone who shows this better than Ladonna.

She has so many people come to her on a daily basis bearing their soul to her.

Why?

Because she's a good listener, maybe.

Because she there best friend, no, sometimes it's people she barely knows.

Why?

Because people associate her character with God's character.

They know that she will give them what God says and she'll be honest and she'll be consistent.

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Character Does Not Seek Reward (17)

* We all deal with a srong influence from the world to chase success.

And there is really nothing wrong with that, unless it becomes your motive for success.

Then you sacrifice your relationship with God for the pursuit of worldly achievement.

* But here is an important note for you - God holds the keys to success and failure in His hands.

Daniel 5:19-20.

* Daniel was going to help out the king but not for the sake of what he would get in return.

But rather to be faithful to what God wanted Him to do.

(Now notice that God still gave Daniel the success.)

* Why?

Because his heart and motives were right, His character reflected that of God's, he wasn't seeking reward.

* Why do you do what you do?

Are you after something, do you think God should give you more than you have already gotten from Him?

You need a character check.

What's your motive for service, for helping, for love?

Is it so you will gain something.

* Let's take prayer for example: What is your motive in prayer?

To get something from God, to be seen by others so they will know you are a person of God? Jesus warned about this in Matthew 6:5, "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.

I tell y ou the truth, they have received their reward in full".

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Chacter Abounds in Humility (22)

* contrast here Belshazzar with Daniel

* Daniel consistently showed his character, Belshazzar not so.

* All the kings showed pride, not humility, and as a result, there judgment was written on the wall.

* Answer: God has numbered the days of his reign.

He has been weighed and found wanting, your kingdom has been divided and given away.

* There will come a time in this life when God will put you on the scales.

How will you be found, faithful?

or wanting?

Will you be found full of pride, or will you be found humbly bowing before Your Lord?

* The amount of character you have is proportional to the amount of humility you have.

Do you think more highly of yourself then others?

Do you think you are just fine without God?

If so, you can see the handwriting on the wall - pride comes before the fall.

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this is what Daniel shows us - with a humble, character filled relationship with God, we can trust Him to lead us, to work through us.

It is amazing how Daniel's character impacted so many people - How about yours?