Historical Posts
Daniel 01:08-21; 06:01-10 Children Today
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Text: Daniel 1:8-21; 6:1-10
Introduction
1. The Bible is filled with accounts of many godly men and women who are worthy of our emulation
2. One such person is Daniel, a man who obtained preeminence and power in his lifetime.
a. He started out preeminent among the children of Israel – Daniel 1:3-6
b. He gained preeminence among the wise of men of Babylon – Daniel 1:17-20
c. He was given power over all of Babylon – Daniel 2:48-49; 5:29
d. He received similar power over the Medo-Persian empire – Daniel 6:1-3, 28
3. How was Daniel able to reach these positions of power and influence without compromising his position as a godly man?
4. A close look at the book of Daniel reveals his secret, and shows how we too can be successful without selling our souls
Body
I. DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PURPOSE
A. DANIEL PURPOSED IN HIS HEART… – Daniel 1:8
1. A young boy in a strange land, Daniel was immediately faced with a challenge to violate God’s law by eating the king’s food
2. Despite his youth and the obvious pressures to conform, Daniel purposed in his heart to uphold the law of God, no matter the cost
3. Because of his willingness to put God first, God granted Daniel favor in the sight of others – Daniel 1:9
a. How God did this is not explained, but it happened in the case of Joseph also – Genesis 39:1-4; 21-23
b. By putting God first, God blessed Joseph in such a way that favorably impressed others
B. EVERY CHILD OF GOD NEEDS TO BE A PERSON OF PURPOSE
1. No one respects a wishy-washy person, someone with no direction in their lives
2. Whereas a strong sense of purpose often breeds respect and admiration in others
3. What should be the purpose of the Christian?
a. Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 6:33
b. to seek the will of God and fulfill it in our lives, no matter the circumstances
4. As Jesus promised, this will guarantee God’s favor toward us and in turn likely gain us favor in the eyes of those around us
II. DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PRINCIPLE
A. HE REFUSED TO COMPROMISE HIS CONVICTIONS
1. As a young man, by refusing to eat the king’s meat or drink his wine – Daniel 1:8
2. As an old man, by refusing the gifts of Belshazzar – Daniel 5:13-17
3. Under the threat of persecution, by refusing to obey the decree of Darius – Daniel 6:10
B. PEOPLE ADMIRE PERSONS OF PRINCIPLE
1. Outwardly they may ridicule them, but inwardly they wish they had the same intestinal fortitude
2. And when they need someone that can be trusted, and depended upon to carry through with an assigned task, who do you think they will turn to?
3. God also admires individuals who will stand by their principles, and by their words – Psalm 15:1-5
III. DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PURITY
A. HIS OPPONENTS COULD NOT FIND ANY FAULT
1. He was faultless when it came to management of his business affairs – Daniel 6:1-4
2. This would help to explain his rise to positions of great responsibility and power
3. Of course, his purity in business affairs was related to
a. His overall purpose to please God first
b. And the fact that as a man of principle he could be trusted
B. THE CHRISTIAN IS ALSO TO MAINTAIN PURITY OF CONDUCT
1. Whether young or old – 1 Timothy 4:12; Titus 2:6-8
2. Whether slave or free – Titus 2:9-10
3. People who maintain purity in their dealings with others are often given positions of great responsibility and privilege, because they can be trusted to use them wisely
IV. DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PRAYER
A. A GLIMPSE OF HIS PRAYER LIFE – Daniel 6:10
1. He knelt in prayer, a demonstration of his humility
2. He prayed three times daily, a demonstration of his continual dependence upon God
3. He gave thanks in the midst of persecution, a demonstration of his gratitude and the fact that he had not lost sight of God’s blessings
4. His prayers were a custom since early days, demonstrating his persistence and faithfulness in his service to God
5. Is it not likely that his custom to pray so diligently helped him to remain a man of purpose, principle and purity, despite his rise to power and preeminence over the empire?
B. CHRISTIANS WOULD DO WELL TO FOLLOW DANIEL’S EXAMPLE
1. “Let us learn the lesson that the finest of God’s servants must maintain regular and fixed prayer habits in order to continue steadfast in devotion to the Lord.” (Strauss)
2. As Christians, we too are to pray often – 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18; Colossians 4:2
3. If our efforts to live purposeful, principled, and pure lives are not what they should be, could an undisciplined prayer life be the reason?
4. Are we willing to Dare To Be A Daniel in regards to prayer?
Conclusion
1. There is a false assumption that to “get ahead” in this world one must conform to the sinful practices of the world
2. But even today there are many Christians who demonstrate that when one dares to be a Daniel they can succeed in the affairs of men without selling their souls to the world
3. How about you? Will you Dare To Be A Daniel by becoming a person of:
a. PURPOSE?
b. PRINCIPLE?
c. PURITY?
d. PRAYER?
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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Faith within the Family
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Introduction
1. As Christians, we are privileged to be members of God’s family…
a. With God as our Father in heaven
b. With Christ as our Elder Brother
c. With many fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters – cf. Mark 10:29-30
2. Even so, we also have duties as members of our human families…
a. As husbands and wives
b. As parents and children
c. As married and single
[What impact should our faith as Christians have on our physical families? What are our responsibilities as Christians who are blessed with familial relationships? Consider first…]
Body
I. THE CHRISTIAN AS HUSBAND AND FATHER
A. DUTIES OF THE HUSBAND…
1. Husbands are to love their wives – Ephesians 5:25-29
a. As Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her
b. As their own bodies, nourishing and cherishing them
2. Husbands are to leave mother and father – Ephesians 5:31
a. Leaving parents to be joined to one’s wife
b. The husband therefore gives his wife priority over his parents
3. Husbands are not to be bitter toward their wives – Colossians 3:19
a. “do not be harsh with them” – Colossians 3:19 ESV
b. “never treat them harshly” – Colossians 3:19 NRSV
4. Husbands are to be understanding and give honor to their wives – 1 Peter 3:7
a. Understanding their delicate nature
b. Honoring them as heirs together of the grace of life
B. DUTIES OF THE FATHER…
1. To provide the necessities of life – 2 Corinthians 12:14; 1 Timothy 5:8
a. Parents ought to provide for their children
b. A man who fails to do so is worse than an infidel
2. Not to provoke the children to wrath – Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21
a. That is, by unreasonable commands; by needless severity; by the manifestation of anger
b. Lest, by your continually finding fault with them, they should lose all courage, and despair of ever pleasing you
3. To provide for spiritual training of the children – Ephesians 6:4
a. Bringing them up in the training (discipline, Ephesians 6:4 ESV) of the Lord
b. Bringing them up in the admonition (instruction, Ephesians 6:4 ESV) of the Lord
4. To provide loving discipline as necessary – Hebrews 12:6-11; Proverbs 13:24
a. Even as our Heavenly Father disciplines His children
b. Though it may be unpleasant at the moment
[Such are familial responsibilities of Christian men as husbands and fathers. Now let’s consider…]
II. THE CHRISTIAN AS WIFE AND MOTHER
A. DUTIES OF THE WIFE…
1. Wives are to submit to their husbands – Ephesians 5:22-24; Colossians 3:18; 1 Peter 3:1-2
a. As to the Lord, as is fitting in the Lord
b. In everything, as the church is subject to Christ
2. Wives are to respect and love their husbands – Ephesians 5:33; Titus 2:4
a. Not just to submit, but to do so with respect and love for their husbands
b. Which older women should teach the younger women
B. DUTIES OF THE MOTHER…
1. To love their children – Titus 2:4
a. Which ought to be natural
b. Yet sin can lead to a lack of proper affection – cf. Romans 1:31
2. To manage the household – Titus 2:5; 1 Timothy 5:14
a. The primary responsibility of the wife and mother
b. Though a woman may also engage in activities outside the home – cf. Proverbs 31:10-31
3. To provide spiritual training when male leadership is lacking – 2 Timothy 1:5; cf. Acts 16:1
a. Timothy’s mother and grandmother were believers
b. Evidently his father was not, which is too often the case today
[Such are the duties of Christian women as wives and mothers. Next let’s take a look at…]
III. THE CHRISTIAN AS CHILD AND SINGLE
A. DUTIES OF CHILDREN…
1. To obey their parents – Ephesians 6:1; Colossians 3:20
a. In the Lord, for this is right
b. In all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord
2. To honor their parents – Ephesians 6:2-3
a. The first commandment with promise – cf. Exodus 20:12
b. By providing for their welfare in later years – cf. 1 Timothy 5:4, 8, 16
B. DUTIES OF THE SINGLE CHRISTIAN…
1. To utilize the advantage of being single – 1 Corinthians 7:32-35
a. Use your freedom to increase your service to God
b. Don’t be selfish with the extra time and freedom you have
c. Don’t begrudge others who may not do as much as you because of their other responsibilities (e.g., children, spouse)
2. To watch out for the dangers of being single – cf. Ecclesiastes 4:9-11
a. Temptation – make an effort to develop a close relationship with the Lord
b. Loneliness – accept invitations to be with others, initiate opportunities to be with others
c. Self-centeredness – offer yourself in service to others; be flexible
3. To remember that you are in the family of God – Mark 10:29-30
a. You have many mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children
b. Make the effort to develop and utilize these relationships
[Finally, some remarks regarding discipleship as it relates to our familial relationships…]
IV. THE CHRISTIAN AS DISCIPLE
A. PUTTING THE LORD BEFORE THE FAMILY…
1. Of course, we are to love our parents, spouses and children
2. Yet our love for the Lord must come first – Matthew 10:34-37; 12: 46-50
a. Otherwise we are not worthy to be called His disciple
b. Only then will Jesus view us as members of His family
3. By putting God and His kingdom first, our families will benefit more – cf. Matthew 6:33
a. God’s providence will help provide for our families’ needs
b. We will also be better parents, spouses and children by following Jesus
B. PRESENTING THE LORD TO THE FAMILY…
1. By way of example – cf. 1 Peter 3:1-2
a. So wives were to influence their unbelieving husbands
b. So we can influence other unbelieving members of the family
2. By way of instruction – cf. Ephesians 6:4
a. So fathers were to instruct their children
b. So we can teach other members of the family
Conclusion
1. The nuclear family is a wonderful blessing, intended by God to consist of…
a. Husbands and wives who love and respect one another
b. Parents who love and discipline their children
c. Children who honor and obey their parents
2. As Christians, our familial duties are clear…
a. Whether as husbands or wives
b. Whether as parents or children
c. Whether as married or single
3. May our faith in Christ lead us to be the best spouses and parents, the best children and singles, we can possibly be
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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