Stand Firm. Refuse Compromise.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
Some years ago in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania a graduation speech caused a storm of controversy. Shannon Wray is not a celebrity. She is simply a graduating senior who earned the honor of giving an address at graduation. The school asked Shannon to speak about the past, including how friendships helped her get through high school. Shannon decided to write about her best friend.
He, even more so than the people I love, has been there every day, never forcing me to do anything, but always encouraging me to stretch my limits and strive for the best He has to offer. His name is Jesus; He is my greatest friend. It is because of Him that I have achieved and succeeded, and, no matter how much knowledge Hollidaysburg High has bestowed upon me, I would know nothing if I didn't know Him.
After reading a copy of Shannon's speech, the teachers in charge of graduation forbid her talk about Jesus. They censored her statements and prohibited Shannon from making other religious references in her speech. Shannon was in the jaws of a dilemma. Should she remain true to her Best Friend or abide by the rules of her teachers?
If Jesus is your best friend, if He is your Savior and Lord, then you can expect to face the same opposition which confronted Shannon. That’s the reality of what is ahead for all who follow Jesus.
If the world had it’s way,God would not exist. Im not talking about the false gods who bless you and allow you to do whatever you want to do, but rather the Living God, who has a Standard of morality and a moral compass for His people.
Imagine if you would, a world without Yahveh, our God.
Babies being tossed to the side or murdered for convenience
Handicapped, old, or sick members of society cast aside or denied treatment and care for convenience
Human sacrifice to appease the favor of the gods, to achieve convenience
not just one measly little, but a pantheon of gods to attend to your every need for convenience
Men, women, and children sold into slavery and forced into bondage for you to enjoy your life of convenience
Imagine living in a world such as this, would you have believed any differently? Would you be able to step away from the convenience of serving yourself like everyone else? Would you be able to go against the flow?
Remarkably, this world did once exist but one man discovered and chose to follow the One true God. His name was Abraham, and God made a covenant with him. His commands were not that difficult to understand, in simple terms, God told Abraham to “Depart”
This one man charted a different course, and out of him came a nation. A nation that would Follow God, and even after going astray, would eventually find their way back to him.
Over 3,300 years ago, an entire nation witnessed and experience a divine revelation that has only ever happened once in human history.
the giving of the 10 Commandments on Mt Sinai, and the Torah to Moses, the Jewish people, and then the world.
Man had been given a moral compass, a guide to best live one’s life to better himself and the world around him.
But even a nation called out and chosen by God, would still turn their backs on Him and forget where they came from and what God had brought them through.
But God always has a remnant
few and obscure
Israel as a nation chose not to take a stand with God and His Word. Because of this, they were led into captivity and scattered throughout the earth.
Deuteronomy 28:64 "Moreover, the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known.
Lamentations 4:16 The presence of the LORD has scattered them, He will not continue to regard them; They did not honor the priests, They did not favor the elders.
Ezekiel 11:16 "Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Though I had removed them far away among the nations and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where they had gone."'
Daniel is a great example of one that God stayed with and comforted while he was an alien in a strange land. Daniel is one of the only men we read about that the bible declares no wrong in his life. He had life figured out.
2 decisions he made with his life style separated him from everyone else.
He chose to Stand for what was right
He chose to never compromise what was true.
The oldest trick of the devil is COMPROMISE.
it robs us of pour potential
it has devastating effects
Compromise robs us of our WORSHIP!
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
James 4:4 Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
Compromise robs us of our SERVICE!
Hebrews 7:26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
JESUS was our great example, we cant serve if we are compromised in our walk. we must be HOLY. The church has lost its effectiveness because of the compromise we have allowed into our body.
2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore,“Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
I hear people say, you just don't know how hard it is…..
you don't know what i have to deal with….
imagine the journey Daniel took leaving his home
that walk must have been tormenting
most people would have broke down
Daniel had it going on and lost it all
looks
brains
brawn
fruit (emasculated)
Even when the future he had hoped for was shattered, Daniel still purposed in his heart that he would remain faithful to God.
Read Daniel 1
Vs 1
Jehoakim means Yahweh raises up “ however” he was actually raised up by Pharaoh
Nebuchadnezzar means - Nabi protects the crown- Nabi is a spokesman for God
Vs 2
God let Jehoakim be overthrown due to idolatry and failure to keep the Sabbath
he took the articles from the temple as a way of saying, “my god is better than your god”
Vs 3
not only did he take take away their god in a sense, he took away the best and brightest of their nation.
their times, talents, and capabilities would now be used to serve a wicked
king
Vs 4
According to many early historians, youth began their education or indoctrination at the age 13 until the age of 17
no blemish - M’um …physical and moral purity
Skillful - Sakhel…expertise and insight
wisdom - Chokmah…experience and capability to apply knowledge
understanding - Bin… perception, to know right from wrong
Just like world, Nebuchadnezzar looked upon the outer appearance, while God sees the heart
Vs 5
another form of brainwashing, give then the finer things in life and make them dependent on you for it
the Prodigal son wanted to have the finer things in life and we see where that got him, not everyone makes it back home
don’t take a chance with the things this world has to offer, it could cost you your life now, and your life after
the love of money is the root of all evil
Vs 6-7
The world wants you to forget where you came from
to ‘STAND BEFORE THE KING’ means to serve him, He wanted those that would dance to his tune and follow his ways.
The name Daniel (meaning God is my judge) was changed to Belteshazzar (meaning Bel's prince).
The name Hannaniah (meaning Beloved by the LORD) was changed to Shadrach (meaning Illumined by Sun-god).
The name Mishael (meaning Who is as God) was changed to Meshach (meaning Who is like Venus).
The name Azariah (meaning The LORD is my help) was changed to Abed-Nego (meaning Servant of Nego).
WHATEVER YOU DO WITH YOUR LIFE, DONT LET IT CHANGE WHO YOU ARE,
Vs 8-10
Daniel ‘Purposed’ in his heart
sum..to stand upright, to establish
He did not manipulate, gossip, or try to bribe the master of the Eunuchs but rather God gave Daniel favor in the way He gives grace to the humble
they didn't fight the educational process,
they didn't fight the name change, because it don't matter what anyone calls you as long as your name is written in Heaven
the 3rd thing is where the line was drawn. they would not eat the King’s portion because it went against strict dietary laws of the OT.
This is the first ‘ NO WAY JOSE!’ we will see from the life of Daniel and his friends
Defile means to pollute, or stain, Daniel would not allow his life or his body to be defiled by the world.
Daniel drew the line of NO COMPROMISE when he was tempted to go against the Word of God
Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes his enemies be a peace with him
It would have been easy for Shannon Wray to buckle under pressure and be quiet.
How could one high school senior hope to speak in the face of these school officials? But Shannon believed if she deleted references to God, her speech would be a lie. Jesus Christ is her best friend and the one most responsible for her making it through high school. Shannon did not back down. Instead, she took a stand. She informed the school that their censorship of her speech violated the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. So on a warm June night, Shannon Wray took her stand before her classmates at Hollidaysburg and announced that Jesus Christ is her best friend.
The time is coming when your faith will be challenged and tested in your school, your workplace, your neighborhood, your home.
Will you choose to Stand Tall and Refuse Compomise?
