Daniel Pt 1 Series

Video Illustration: Daniel meets King Neb

Daniel – God’s kingdom changer

Series Thesis: Daniel was a man sold out to the Lord and as a result it influenced his life situations, rather than letting his life situations influence him. His dedication to the Lord and His Word brought him many spiritual breakthroughs. Our commitments in life reveal what our hearts treasure.

Series Introduction:

Let's do a character sketch on Daniel reveals why he received spiritual breakthroughs – a committed man of God- and learn how to be men and women who have a committed spirit to change world leaders and empires.

Daniel lived what he believed every day of his life and others stood up and took note. Note: Even some secular leaders and kings! His story is an example of faith and courage over fear and it changed world leaders. He became known in 3 different Kingdoms as wise and in tune with God.

He could resolve mysteries and interpret dreams.

He could resolve seemingly unsolvable problems and visions.

He would not compromise his faith even in the face of death.

He would speak what God wanted him to speak in spite of the repercussions.

He was respectful to foreign leaders and secular leaders but stood on his morals and beliefs with them.

He influenced three powerful secular leaders over vast empires for the Lord.

He was used by God to open the eyes of these leaders to the truth that “God controls the stars on this earth and everyone on this earth.”

Text: Proverbs 16:3 “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

Introduction: Daniel was a man committed to the spirit of God and the worship of God alone. His commitment to the things of God influenced his life situation, rather than letting his life situation influence him. He models lifestyle evangelism and shows how effective it is in impacting people with the truth of the Gospel. Even world leaders!

Christianity without commitment To the ways of God and the Bible is always Christianity without Christ “The Messiah”.

Commitment is the mindset that refuses to compromise its relationship with Jesus Christ in a immoral world. To commit to something means – to have a mindset that has pledged or promised to live your life fully to that committed area. When we commit to being a Christian we in essence commit to being a witness for Jesus Christ and commit to following the Word of God. This means conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the name Christian. It means that whoever we come in contact with daily whether they are Christian or not will know who I have made a covenant with. Are you understanding how faith – and a commitment to faith raises up courage inside of us – this enables us to overcome the fears of a godless society – and make a difference for the Lord to others – even leaders of nations by living Godly lives.

Illustration from a few years ago: I was channel surfing and came across a scene on Seinfeld where Kramer was trying to convince Jerry that he should not make a commitment to the girl he was seeing. Jerry asked him why? Kramer responded, “Because when you commit – you’re committed to marriage prison.” He spoofs it like a mental patient is committed because he has lost his mind. Jerry bursts out, “No I want to commit to her.” Kramer right back at him, “No man no he said. Listen to what happens if you commit. You can no longer watch television and eat supper. You have to sit down at the dinner table and talk to her man.” Jerry responds, “No way, you’re kidding?” Kramer, “Yeah man you become a slave to her you have to do the “I want to know talks.” He continues, “You have to tell her what was good and bad about your day.” Jerry responds,” Get out of here!” Kramer says, “It’s over man and you are committed to prison and its pure torture.”

Commitment has received a negative rap today in our society we laugh about the Seinfeld show’s play on commitment being negative and bad but really our society has become a culture lacking more and more commitment to godly causes such as patriotism, charitable organizations, churches, God, Jesus, the Bible, Christian schools, and yes, even to each other in marriage.

I find it perplexing that those who God says to commit together in marriage lack commitment to each other - so we have people just living together – and those who are not to be committed together in marriage want to be allowed to commit together. Have you thought about that? Something is drastically wrong in our society “Gays” want to be able to commit to each other in marriage which is condemned in Romans 1, Leviticus, Genesis and many other texts. But the ones God says who should commit together in the sacred act of marriage do not want to do that – they want to forgo commitment to God and to the divine sacrament of marriage and live in sin.