I. Illustration
“The State of the Nation Address
I grew up in rural America in the 50’s and 60’s. On any given day, you could walk through the high school parking lot and observe that half the vehicles parked there were trucks with windows rolled down and doors unlocked. Most of them carried, as standard equipment, a FFA sticker and a gun rack with at least one gun, usually loaded. You could make the same observation at any of the four high school campuses in our country. Amazingly, I do not ever recall reading or hearing about mass shootings in any of those high schools. What has changed in America is not the accessibility of guns but the character of man.
On the wall in my parents home is a plaque awarded to my father in recognition of service for 27 years on the local school board. He told me that for years, a standard requirement on every Teacher’s contract was membership in a local church. I remember starting every school day with the pledge and a prayer. I remember when girls who got pregnant in high school were ashamed, when abortions were illegal, when the divorce rate was not 50% because couples stayed together for kids’ sake, when there were no x-rated movies, when milk cartons didn’t have missing kids faces on them and I didn’t know anyone personally who used drugs. I remember when kids were taught respect for authority and accountability to God.
I hear people say that the good old days weren’t always so good but please don’t tell me you think these are better. Last night I attended a high school football game that was covered by local and national news. The news coverage was not about the football teams, but about the defiance of a court order by one brave little Texas town to preserve the right to pray before a football game.
The more this country struggles to free itself from religion, the more we become entangled in the consequences. If people are taught they came from slime, the obvious question and consequences must follow; what is the purpose of my existence [hopelessness], who made you the boss of me [lawlessness], why are your rules good and mine bad [relativism], what does it matter how I live if I came from slime and return to slime [immorality and inhumanity]?
I realize that in any given poll, the vast majority of Americans claim to believe in God. I claim to believe that running is good for me but that does not make me a runner. Putting on my running shoes and running makes me a runner.
The climbing abortion rate, murder rate, divorce rate, alcoholism and drug abuse rate, child and spousal abuse rate contradict that claim and prove that actions speak louder than words. It is an observable truth that the best time you will ever make on any American city freeway is on Sunday morning because there are not traffic jams getting to church.
For those who believe that separation of church and state is not enough, that the world would be better off with no church at all, ask yourself this question. How many hospitals, universities, orphanages, homeless and abuse shelters have been founded by the ACLU and American Atheist Society? It is the inclusion of the word Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, Christian, etc., in the name of so many of these institutions that proves by actions, not just words, who really cares for the suffering of mankind and desires to make the world better. The question that people should be asking is not “Why does God allow tragedies?” but “When will we realize that no nation, in the history of the world, has ever separated itself from God and evolved to a better society?” Of course, to answer, you would have to know history. Most people, it would seem, prefer People magazine.”
Joyce Minor Asst. Director of Development and Alumni Relations University of Alabama School of Law
A. If we are going to change this world we need to follow Daniel’s example
II. The Calamity for Daniel (5)
A. Background for Daniel
1. Daniel was a hero for 4 different nations
2. He was willing at all times to stand for what he believed
3. His name means “God is my judge”
4. He was brought into the Babylonian Exile while young
5. Daniel is someone we can point to and say, “There stands a man of great character and priceless convictions.”
B. The impure food
1. Coffman notes, “The meats which formed, no doubt, a major part of the king’s food would have been dedicated to idols after the pagan customs that continued even till the days of the apostles.”
2. Edwin Myers, “All meals served at the king’s table were of foods which had been used in worship ceremonies dedicated to heathen idols. To share in such a feast was, according to an eternal principle, the same as worshipping the idol (1 Cor 10:20ff).
3. Daniel was given the option to fit into the crowd or obey God’s command
C. When God gives us commandments to follow
1. We need to take them to heart
2. Examples: spreading the gospel, doing unto others as you, obeying the gospel, worshipping him, and etc.
III. The Conviction of Daniel (8)
A. This conviction came from his knowledge of God’s commandments
1. If we are going to ever be as courageous as Daniel was we are going to have to know God’s word
2. We are going to have to truly believe in God
B. Where does conviction come from?
1. Have you ever really thought about that?
2. Conviction just isn’t a one dimensional faith
3. It takes mind, soul and body to be fully convicted
C. We need to put God’s word in our heart
IV. The Check for Daniel (9-16)
A. God’s involvement
1. God caused favor to be shown to Daniel
2. This was necessary due to the predicament Daniel left the man in.
a. According to eastern customs to share a meal was to commit oneself to friendship.
b. By Daniel saying, “No.” He had disrespected the king.
c. This put the prince in a rock and a hard place
B. The prince accepts the test
1. After ten days they looked healthier
2. They were better nourished
3. Quantity is not better than quality
C. Take care of the temple of God
1. I am not saying that we should all become vegetarians
2. We need to be selective instead of all encompassing
V. The Consent for Daniel (17)
A. Daniel was rewarded
1. With knowledge and understanding
2. Daniel was given the ability to interpret dreams and visions
B. God gives gifts for obedience
1. Matthew 5:14
a. If you obey him, he will forgive you
b. God has a track record like none other
c. He will forgive you
2. John 3:16
a. Whoever obeys (believes)
b. Will be given the gift of eternal life
c. God gives gifts for those that obey
d. Jesus reiterates this truth in John 14:1-2
3. Acts 2:38-39
a. They were asked to obey
b. Once obedience occurred they were given forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit
c. God is a faithful God
C. God Increased those gifts
D. God has promised you eternal life only if you obey.
E. “Dividing the pecans”
On the outskirts of town, there was a big old pecan tree by the cemetery fence. One day two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts.
“One for you and one for me. One for you and one for me.,” said one boy. Several were dropped and rolled down toward the fence.
Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate. Sure enough, he heard, “One for you and one for me.” He just knew what it was. “Oh my,” he shuddered, “it’s Satan and the Lord dividing the souls at the cemetery.
He jumped back on his bike and rode off. Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along. “Come here quick,” said the boy, “you won’t believe what I heard. Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls.”
The man said, “Beat it, kid, can’t you see it’s hard for me to walk.” When the boy insisted, though, the man hobbled to the cemetery. Standing by the fence they heard, “One for you and one for me. One for you and one for me.” The old man whispered, “Boy, you’ve been tellin’ the truth. Let’s see if we can see the devil himself.” Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything. The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of Satan.
At last they heard, “One for you and one for me. And one last one for you. That’s all Now let’s go get those nuts by the fence and we’ll be done.”
They say the old man made it back to town 5 minutes before the boy. Are you ready for God to return today? You can be just by obeying. He will live up to his bargain.
