SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 12/14/2023 10:34 AM
LAST FROM SERMONG ON DANIEL CHAPTER ONE
“You can live in this world an
uncompromising life. Do you know that? You can live an
uncompromising life in this world that is so pure, and so righteous, and so
right, and so full of character that even the world itself has to acknowledge
your character and the quality of your life.
“The verdict, the end of verse
19. “Therefore stood they before the king.” What does that mean, to
stand before the king? I pointed it out a couple of weeks ago. It
means to serve the king. The angels stand before the Lord. In the
Old Testament, we have those who stood before the king, those who stood - the
idea of waiting to take the king’s message and deliver it, waiting to do the
king’s bidding, waiting in obedience to his command.
“And so, it said these four “stood
before the king.” The king’s personal four young men. Imagine, at
the age of 17 or 18, being in the royal court, standing along side the king, in
a foreign nation, a nation with which you would never compromise a conviction and
yet God lifted you up to that very place. Later on, Daniel, without ever
compromising, rules in that area as prime minister for 70 years. It can
be done, people. Let God lift you up. You live an uncompromising
life.
“Just how gifted were these young
men by God? Verse 20 says, “In all matters - ” I love that “ - in all
matters of wisdom and understanding - ” all of them “ - that the king inquired,
he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were
in all his realm.” Now that’s something, isn’t it? Now they had
something going for them, God.
“You know, it’s amazing, but you as
a Christian who have the revelation of God and the indwelling Spirit, are ten
times smarter than the smartest person in this country who doesn’t know
God. Ten times you’re infinitely smarter because you know the truth, the
real truth. Oh, they were blessed in every matter of wisdom and
understanding, ten times beyond anybody else.
“Listen, beloved, let God lift you
up. Let another man come to you, force you to compromise, threaten your
life, and you stand true to the Word of God. You stand bold
face-to-face. You preach what you believe and don’t let anybody
intimidate you. Don’t let anybody make you back down. Don’t let
anybody cause you to water down what you know to be the absolute, inviolable
truth of God. You hold those convictions. Hold them with
love. Hold them with the same gentleness, and the same graciousness, and
the same warmth that Daniel did, but never compromising, and God will honor
your character and lift you to a place of blessing that will set you head and
shoulders above those who are esteemed as the best in your nation and your
realm. That’s the message.
“What a great word, unmeasurable
blessing. Can I add an eighth, a final? An unlimited
influence. Oh, this is great. Verse 21. “And Daniel
continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.” Seventy years, seventy
years, and you know something? When I see Ezra chapter 1 and all the
people going back to Jerusalem, you know who’s behind that? Daniel.
When I see the wise men coming from the east, I have to see lurking in the
shadows, Daniel.
“God gave him influence, influence
that led, I believe, to the decree of Cyrus to send the people back to their
land. Influence that led to the rebuilding of the wall with
Nehemiah. Influence that led to the reestablishing of the nation
Israel. Influence that led the wise men to come to crown the King who was
born in Bethlehem. He is behind the scenes of the history of the Messiah,
as well as the Messiah’s people. He has an unlimited influence, for he it
is who brings homage to the King who is the King of kings and Lord of lords,
who reigns forever. Daniel has unlimited influence because Daniel has
penned in his prophecy the history of the world till the reign of Christ,
unlimited influence.
“Listen, the blessedness of an
uncompromising life, an unashamed boldness that calls us to an uncommon
standard, that depends on an unearthly protection. As we set forth an
unblemished faith, we face the unusual tests with an unhindered persistence,
and we find in response that God brings an unmeasurable blessing, an unlimited
influence.
“When all is said and done, beloved,
the best we can say to you is this. Don’t compromise and let God take
your life and do with it as He pleases, and it may it be ten times greater than
the life of anyone in this world. Let’s pray.
“Thank You, Father, for the freedom
we’ve enjoyed tonight, to gather in this Place and study Your Word, the freedom
we’ve enjoyed in our hearts as our hearts have opened wide to receive it.
Confirm in our hearts this is Your truth and may we live it, Father.
“Make us loving and gentle as our
Lord was, and meek, and caring, and sympathetic, but oh, so firm when it comes
to the matter of conviction that in a gentle way, we are absolutely
uncompromising, that we may know Your great blessing and the hand of power in
our lives that can turn men from darkness to light. So we pray for Your
glory in Christ’s name. Amen.
12/14/2023
10:36 AM
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