Don't Let Your Resolve Dissolve

Don’t Let Your Resolve Dissolve !

Daniel 1:8

Somone has said......A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.

I’m afraid that is the case most of the time. I doubt if many of us can remember what we resolved to do or not to do this time last year.

The word "resolve or resolution" means "to fix or settled in opinion or purpose; to determine in mind !

As believers there are somthings that we should have fixed or settled in our mind. There are some purposes that we should be determined about. There are resolves that should not be dissolved !

This morning I want to share with you the message "Don’t Let Your Resolve Dissolve !"

I. We should not let our resolve to be pure dissolve ! 1:8

It’s pretty easy to take a stand....to walk with Christ.....to act like a Christian...to stay pure when we’re around the church, and around church folk. But to stay pure in a world that is impure is quite another task. Daniel was a young man who resolved in his heart that he would keep himself pure !

He was resolved.....determined to be pure in spite of the.....

a. Place he was in.

Daniel was away from home. In fact he was in a strange land, not by choice, but by force ! There are some places where it’s relatively easy to walk in purity, but can you imagine being in a strange place far away from home away from your family, and many of your friends !

This coming year we will find ourselves in some difficult places where it will be difficult for us to walk with the Lord, and keep ourselves pure. I encourage you....be determined ! Be courageous ! Be holy !

Don’t let your resolve to stay pure dissolve !

Daniel was resolved...determined to be pure in spite of the.....

b. Position he was in.

In spite of being in captivity in a strange land, Daniel still had the opportunity to find favor in the King’s sight ! It would have very easy for Daniel to think of survival, and what was best for him. He could have thought of gain rather than God. But Daniel was determined to keep himself pure in spite of the position in.

This coming year...we will find ourselves in positions where it will be easy for us to compromise our principles, and our purity ! Stay resolved ! Stay determined ! Don’t let your resolve to stay pure dissolve !

Daniel was resolved....determined to be pure in spite of the.....

c. People he was around.

Daniel was in a minority ! He was a Jew living in Babylon. He was a worshipper of the one true God living in a land that was idolatrous. It is easy to do what everyone else is doing ! Yet, it takes determination, courage, principle, resolve to stay pure ! On our job, at school, in our neighborhood, perhaps even in our family, we may find ourselves in a situation around some people where the temptation will be to go with the flow, and join the crowd.

I encourage you.....be resolved........stay determined ! Don’t let your resolve to be pure be dissolved ! Be faithful !

d. Pressure he was under.

Daniel was under an extreme amount of pressure. In a strange people...among strange people........and the pressure was upon him to forget his principles, and to forsake his purity ! Yet, Daniel remained faithful, and the reason he did was because he had resolved in his heart that he would not defile himself. If all we have is understanding, then we will fail..........if all we have is ideologies, then we will fail....we must be people of principles.....people of conviction ! Be determined ! Be dedicated !

Don’t let your resolve to stay pure be dissolved !

II. We should not let our resolve to be pious dissolve ! Daniel 3:1-30

In this chapter, we are introduced to three of Daniel’s Jewish friends who had also been taken captive with him ! These young men, like Daniel, are men of tremendous comittment, conviction, and courage !

We see in this chapter that their faith is about to go through a challenge !

a. Their faith is challenged by a commandment from the King. V10

Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image, and passed a law that everyone had to bow before the image and worship whenever they heard his orchestra play. What to do ?

Abide by the laws of a man or be obey the word of God ?

Peter said once in the book of Acts 5:29 "We ought to obey God rather than men."

Be dedicated .. . .. be determined......even if it means disobeying the commands of the King !