1 00:00:29,859 --> 00:00:30,115 Thankful. 2 00:00:30,115 --> 00:00:32,555 We can call him Abba. 3 00:00:32,587 --> 00:00:33,947 Father, Daddy. 4 00:00:34,123 --> 00:00:34,923 Amen. 5 00:00:35,051 --> 00:00:40,091 What a blessing to know that he is faithful. 6 00:00:40,235 --> 00:00:41,243 He is true. 7 00:00:41,371 --> 00:00:43,919 If you put in your Bibles tonight, turn to the book of Daniel, 8 00:00:44,499 --> 00:00:45,755 Daniel chapter one. 9 00:00:45,827 --> 00:00:50,239 And like this morning, we're just going to cover two verses. 10 00:00:51,139 --> 00:00:55,467 We'll spend one more message in the first chapter and then we'll 11 00:00:55,483 --> 00:01:01,269 get to do some, some prophecy in the next sermon after that. 12 00:01:02,129 --> 00:01:04,549 So if you would, Daniel chapter one. 13 00:01:06,529 --> 00:01:11,081 As you think about the Bible again and understanding the Bible, 14 00:01:11,145 --> 00:01:13,829 that the Bible is a complete guide for life. 15 00:01:16,289 --> 00:01:18,969 And it's not complicated by that. 16 00:01:19,009 --> 00:01:24,891 I mean, 99% of the Bible can be understood as you read it, as 17 00:01:24,915 --> 00:01:26,091 you study it. 18 00:01:26,275 --> 00:01:29,467 And I'm thankful for the Holy Spirit who illuminates us, helps 19 00:01:29,483 --> 00:01:31,199 us to understand what we're reading. 20 00:01:31,539 --> 00:01:38,443 But the practical life guide, 99% of that, that could be understood. 21 00:01:38,491 --> 00:01:39,451 I mean, it's pretty simple. 22 00:01:39,515 --> 00:01:43,323 When the Bible says, you know, thou shalt not kill, that's pretty 23 00:01:43,371 --> 00:01:43,691 simple. 24 00:01:43,755 --> 00:01:46,235 You know, the guide for life is don't murder. 25 00:01:46,427 --> 00:01:47,979 But there's so many things like that. 26 00:01:48,019 --> 00:01:50,645 Whether it's the things we should do or the things we shouldn't 27 00:01:50,677 --> 00:01:57,189 do are pretty easy to glean from in the Bible. 28 00:01:57,349 --> 00:02:00,929 The Bible is unlike any other book in that it gives life. 29 00:02:01,389 --> 00:02:05,685 That not only does it give eternal life, but it gives life here 30 00:02:05,757 --> 00:02:06,369 now. 31 00:02:06,749 --> 00:02:08,485 And it's a miraculous book. 32 00:02:08,637 --> 00:02:10,929 It empowers us, strengthens us. 33 00:02:12,269 --> 00:02:15,729 One of the greatest and effective tools in training children 34 00:02:16,449 --> 00:02:18,281 is our lives. 35 00:02:18,465 --> 00:02:20,469 The example that we set. 36 00:02:21,089 --> 00:02:26,537 We think about telling our kids not to do something, but then 37 00:02:26,593 --> 00:02:27,749 we do it. 38 00:02:28,369 --> 00:02:30,109 That's counterproductive. 39 00:02:31,329 --> 00:02:34,361 I can just tell you now, for the most part, unless God intervenes, 40 00:02:34,425 --> 00:02:38,589 when you tell a child to do something but you're living the opposite, 41 00:02:39,089 --> 00:02:43,631 it will absolutely negate anything that's coming out of your 42 00:02:43,655 --> 00:02:44,223 mouth. 43 00:02:44,351 --> 00:02:47,311 Eventually, when they're kids, you might be able to get them to 44 00:02:47,335 --> 00:02:50,335 do those things, but when they're out of their own, they're 45 00:02:50,367 --> 00:02:50,703 just. 46 00:02:50,791 --> 00:02:52,527 It will negate what you taught them. 47 00:02:52,583 --> 00:02:57,615 So again, having an example before a child is the. 48 00:02:57,767 --> 00:03:00,943 One of the greatest tools, if not the greatest tool in teaching 49 00:03:00,991 --> 00:03:01,739 a child. 50 00:03:02,359 --> 00:03:06,799 And we see that examples are set for us in the Bible, as I said 51 00:03:06,839 --> 00:03:09,909 this morning in the book of Joshua, that the Old Testament again 52 00:03:09,949 --> 00:03:14,325 is written that we might have these examples that it's written 53 00:03:14,357 --> 00:03:15,477 for our learning. 54 00:03:15,653 --> 00:03:21,525 And we have wonderful examples in the Bible of godly character and 55 00:03:21,597 --> 00:03:23,653 godly characteristics. 56 00:03:23,781 --> 00:03:26,929 And Daniel is at the top of all those. 57 00:03:27,469 --> 00:03:28,117 At the top. 58 00:03:28,173 --> 00:03:30,981 And tonight I'm going to speak on something that you already, most 59 00:03:31,005 --> 00:03:31,989 of you already know. 60 00:03:32,109 --> 00:03:34,149 And if we're not careful, we'll just kind of turn it off. 61 00:03:34,189 --> 00:03:37,093 We've heard this message a hundred times because it's on Daniel. 62 00:03:37,141 --> 00:03:38,849 Chapter one, verse eight and nine. 63 00:03:39,709 --> 00:03:40,757 Verse eight and nine. 64 00:03:40,813 --> 00:03:41,529 Ready? 65 00:03:41,869 --> 00:03:45,973 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself 66 00:03:46,021 --> 00:03:49,349 with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he 67 00:03:49,389 --> 00:03:50,009 drank. 68 00:03:50,509 --> 00:03:53,477 Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might 69 00:03:53,533 --> 00:03:55,369 not defile himself. 70 00:03:55,789 --> 00:03:57,569 I love verse nine, though. 71 00:03:57,869 --> 00:04:02,069 Says now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love 72 00:04:02,109 --> 00:04:03,967 with the prince, the eunuchs. 73 00:04:03,983 --> 00:04:04,367 Let's pray. 74 00:04:04,383 --> 00:04:07,423 Heavenly Father, again we thank you for the example that Daniel 75 00:04:07,471 --> 00:04:08,015 set. 76 00:04:08,167 --> 00:04:11,007 Lord, may we learn from that example tonight. 77 00:04:11,103 --> 00:04:14,179 We love you and we thank you in Jesus name, Amen. 78 00:04:14,679 --> 00:04:16,991 I'm not going to give any background tonight. 79 00:04:17,135 --> 00:04:17,839 Is that all right? 80 00:04:17,879 --> 00:04:19,647 We're just going to jump right into it. 81 00:04:19,783 --> 00:04:20,943 We know the life of Daniel. 82 00:04:20,991 --> 00:04:21,551 Most of you do. 83 00:04:21,575 --> 00:04:23,135 If not you, go back and read it. 84 00:04:23,287 --> 00:04:26,699 Daniel's carried into captivity, him and his friends. 85 00:04:26,999 --> 00:04:32,447 Of all those young people that were brought into Babylon from Israel, 86 00:04:32,623 --> 00:04:37,819 it seems as though only four of them stood and did what was right. 87 00:04:38,119 --> 00:04:41,739 They were now 700, 800 miles away from home. 88 00:04:42,119 --> 00:04:48,031 And these four young men, probably around the age of 14 to 89 00:04:48,055 --> 00:04:53,739 19, somewhere around there, stood and did what was right. 90 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:57,809 And so as we think about this, we think about Daniel's stand. 91 00:04:58,189 --> 00:04:59,077 Daniel's stand. 92 00:04:59,133 --> 00:05:02,309 And we see here in verse 8 that he was predetermined. 93 00:05:02,469 --> 00:05:05,381 In other words, he purposed in his heart, he predetermined to do 94 00:05:05,405 --> 00:05:06,369 what was right. 95 00:05:06,749 --> 00:05:09,317 In other words, he'd already predetermined the choice he was gonna 96 00:05:09,333 --> 00:05:09,509 make. 97 00:05:09,549 --> 00:05:14,021 He decided for himself what he was gonna do, and that is not to 98 00:05:14,045 --> 00:05:15,129 defile himself. 99 00:05:16,109 --> 00:05:17,477 He purposed in his heart. 100 00:05:17,533 --> 00:05:20,661 And remind you that the heart in the Bible for the most part, is 101 00:05:20,685 --> 00:05:23,253 always speaking of the mind, will and motions, and not the pumping 102 00:05:23,301 --> 00:05:24,809 organ that's in our chest. 103 00:05:25,599 --> 00:05:27,499 It's the mind, will and emotions. 104 00:05:29,119 --> 00:05:33,779 Purposing or determining is a heart matter. 105 00:05:34,399 --> 00:05:36,019 It's a matter of the heart. 106 00:05:36,719 --> 00:05:40,295 It really does come down to who sits on the throne of our hearts. 107 00:05:40,327 --> 00:05:41,939 Who sits on the throne of your heart? 108 00:05:42,799 --> 00:05:45,383 Is it you that sits on the throne of your heart? 109 00:05:45,551 --> 00:05:46,859 Or is it the Lord? 110 00:05:47,519 --> 00:05:48,739 Is it the world? 111 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:50,535 Is it Satan? 112 00:05:50,647 --> 00:05:52,979 Whatever it may be, whomever it may be. 113 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:57,319 But the Lord ought to sit on the throne of our hearts. 114 00:05:57,479 --> 00:05:58,903 Matthew 22. 115 00:05:59,071 --> 00:06:03,495 Jesus was asked by a lawyer, what is the greatest commandment 116 00:06:03,527 --> 00:06:04,679 in the Old Testament? 117 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:06,647 And Jesus answer was this. 118 00:06:06,783 --> 00:06:11,339 He said unto them, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy 119 00:06:11,999 --> 00:06:14,631 heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind. 120 00:06:14,735 --> 00:06:16,135 This is the first and great commandment. 121 00:06:16,167 --> 00:06:17,239 The second is like unto it. 122 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:18,779 Love thy neighbor as thyself. 123 00:06:19,139 --> 00:06:22,779 In the Old Testament, over and over and over again it repeats that 124 00:06:22,819 --> 00:06:25,371 thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all 125 00:06:25,395 --> 00:06:27,279 thy mind, with all thy strength. 126 00:06:29,219 --> 00:06:31,239 Love the Lord with all thy heart. 127 00:06:34,579 --> 00:06:39,195 Daniel was determined and resolved because he loved the Lord 128 00:06:39,227 --> 00:06:40,439 with all of his heart. 129 00:06:41,539 --> 00:06:46,369 He sought to be true to God no matter what the circumstances were. 130 00:06:46,829 --> 00:06:50,389 Again we think about the circumstances he was in. 131 00:06:50,509 --> 00:06:53,729 Here he is again seven or 800 miles away from home. 132 00:06:54,109 --> 00:06:57,569 He just got inducted into Babylon University. 133 00:06:58,909 --> 00:07:00,889 Three years of free tuition. 134 00:07:03,469 --> 00:07:04,449 No comment. 135 00:07:06,509 --> 00:07:12,111 And the purpose of the training was to immerse these Hebrew 136 00:07:12,175 --> 00:07:16,019 children in the culture of the Babylonians. 137 00:07:16,679 --> 00:07:22,495 It was an attempt to eliminate their ties to God and to eliminate 138 00:07:22,527 --> 00:07:23,979 their ties to their home. 139 00:07:25,879 --> 00:07:28,303 It was that they changed their names. 140 00:07:28,351 --> 00:07:31,151 As we mentioned in the last message, they changed the names of 141 00:07:31,175 --> 00:07:32,047 these four young men. 142 00:07:32,103 --> 00:07:35,983 And these names they had been given when they were a kid were names 143 00:07:36,031 --> 00:07:37,859 associated with Jehovah God. 144 00:07:38,769 --> 00:07:41,881 These names that they were given by their parents reminded them 145 00:07:41,905 --> 00:07:42,553 of their faith. 146 00:07:42,601 --> 00:07:47,113 And so the Babylonians took those names away and gave them Babylonian 147 00:07:47,161 --> 00:07:49,869 names that had to do with Babylonian gods. 148 00:07:51,089 --> 00:07:57,961 Again, trying to brainwash them, immerse them in order that 149 00:07:57,985 --> 00:08:03,859 they might pull them away from what they learned as kids and cut 150 00:08:03,899 --> 00:08:09,011 the ties between their faith and the faith of the Babylonians. 151 00:08:09,075 --> 00:08:10,079 To cut that. 152 00:08:11,499 --> 00:08:14,515 Daniel and his three friends did not hesitate to stand for God 153 00:08:14,547 --> 00:08:15,479 in the faith. 154 00:08:16,059 --> 00:08:23,139 What a great example they are and were understand that here they 155 00:08:23,179 --> 00:08:28,179 are all this many miles away and they're the best of the best 156 00:08:28,219 --> 00:08:29,279 of the young men. 157 00:08:30,189 --> 00:08:34,289 They're the princes, they're the upper echelon of the Jews and 158 00:08:34,829 --> 00:08:36,529 been brought in for a reason. 159 00:08:37,229 --> 00:08:43,849 And it would be political suicide for them not to participate 160 00:08:44,349 --> 00:08:52,249 and not to indulge in the luxuries that the king was providing. 161 00:08:52,669 --> 00:08:55,243 It would be offensive to the king. 162 00:08:55,421 --> 00:08:57,183 It would be an affront to the king. 163 00:08:57,231 --> 00:09:00,159 Here I am giving you the best of the best of food and the best 164 00:09:00,199 --> 00:09:03,819 of the best of drink and you're not taking it. 165 00:09:04,279 --> 00:09:05,951 You see what I'm saying? 166 00:09:06,055 --> 00:09:08,191 It would be offensive to the king. 167 00:09:08,335 --> 00:09:10,099 So it's political suicide. 168 00:09:10,919 --> 00:09:14,059 It definitely, I have no doubt it would be unpopular with others. 169 00:09:14,519 --> 00:09:16,863 So again we think about these four young men. 170 00:09:16,951 --> 00:09:18,459 Where are the rest of them? 171 00:09:18,919 --> 00:09:21,887 And when these four young men stand up for right and do what's 172 00:09:21,903 --> 00:09:24,831 right, there's no doubt in My mind, because we know how it works, 173 00:09:24,975 --> 00:09:28,459 that the others are going, hey, what are y'all doing? 174 00:09:29,879 --> 00:09:32,559 Don't rock the boat, right? 175 00:09:32,599 --> 00:09:35,295 I'm looking at teenagers, but adults, we all are. 176 00:09:35,367 --> 00:09:39,743 You know, we all get affected by this kind of stuff, trying to 177 00:09:39,751 --> 00:09:42,431 do what's right and trying to live right. 178 00:09:42,615 --> 00:09:45,019 It becomes unpopular with others. 179 00:09:46,599 --> 00:09:49,983 I could see his friends, the other Hebrew children, saying, hey, 180 00:09:50,031 --> 00:09:54,209 just accept the good fortune we've been given, man. 181 00:09:54,249 --> 00:09:56,081 We could be in jail, we could be in prison. 182 00:09:56,145 --> 00:09:57,345 We could all these things. 183 00:09:57,417 --> 00:09:58,593 Listen, we're eating here. 184 00:09:58,681 --> 00:10:03,585 I mean, we're having filet mignon, you know, we're eating porterhouse 185 00:10:03,617 --> 00:10:04,389 steaks. 186 00:10:05,609 --> 00:10:06,673 I like sirloin. 187 00:10:06,721 --> 00:10:08,017 That's what I was raised on. 188 00:10:08,153 --> 00:10:10,149 I just like a good sirloin. 189 00:10:11,369 --> 00:10:14,589 We're getting the best of the meat, the best of the everything. 190 00:10:15,449 --> 00:10:17,265 You ought to be happy with your good fortune. 191 00:10:17,297 --> 00:10:18,469 Don't rock the boat. 192 00:10:19,259 --> 00:10:21,879 You know, we're not in Israel anymore. 193 00:10:22,619 --> 00:10:25,879 Could you see that in your mind's eye? 194 00:10:29,659 --> 00:10:32,147 I don't know how many times I've had someone come to my office 195 00:10:32,203 --> 00:10:37,619 for counsel and they would say things like, preacher, my boss asked 196 00:10:37,659 --> 00:10:38,879 me to do this. 197 00:10:40,859 --> 00:10:42,159 Do I do it? 198 00:10:42,859 --> 00:10:46,347 And it's something that's wrong, something that this person 199 00:10:46,403 --> 00:10:47,359 knows wrong. 200 00:10:49,459 --> 00:10:54,199 And my answer is always, it's always right to do right. 201 00:10:57,139 --> 00:10:58,919 It's never wrong to do right. 202 00:11:01,139 --> 00:11:02,651 And yeah, it's not popular. 203 00:11:02,715 --> 00:11:05,899 And, yes, it'll rock the boat and all those things. 204 00:11:05,939 --> 00:11:08,715 And I really believe, if you'll stand for right and do what's 205 00:11:08,747 --> 00:11:13,897 right, as we find here in the recorded Daniel's life, that you'll 206 00:11:13,913 --> 00:11:21,001 be rewarded for, may be that you lose a job, but we ought to stand 207 00:11:21,025 --> 00:11:21,321 for right. 208 00:11:21,345 --> 00:11:23,897 We are predetermined to do what's right, young people, predetermined 209 00:11:23,913 --> 00:11:27,385 to do what's right, as we said a couple of weeks ago or last Sunday 210 00:11:27,457 --> 00:11:32,921 night, again being confronted at school or being confronted as 211 00:11:32,945 --> 00:11:34,841 you go off to college, it's going to happen. 212 00:11:34,945 --> 00:11:36,709 You're going to have to make a decision. 213 00:11:37,329 --> 00:11:38,655 Some of the seniors are here tonight. 214 00:11:38,737 --> 00:11:39,699 You're going to have to make a decision. 215 00:11:39,739 --> 00:11:40,803 You ought to do it beforehand. 216 00:11:40,851 --> 00:11:43,955 I am not going to do this because I know it wouldn't. 217 00:11:43,987 --> 00:11:44,839 Please God. 218 00:11:46,139 --> 00:11:49,603 Daniel purposed in his heart and his three friends purposed in 219 00:11:49,611 --> 00:11:49,907 their heart. 220 00:11:49,963 --> 00:11:51,719 They would not defile themselves. 221 00:11:52,779 --> 00:11:57,519 Think about the character of these four Hebrew young men again. 222 00:11:57,899 --> 00:12:00,639 A character is what you are when nobody's looking. 223 00:12:01,499 --> 00:12:03,635 A character is what you are when nobody's looking. 224 00:12:03,707 --> 00:12:08,205 Or that they'll never know again. 225 00:12:08,277 --> 00:12:10,889 Dad and Mom's 800 miles away. 226 00:12:11,189 --> 00:12:15,165 I could just see those other Hebrew kids going, hey, mom and dad 227 00:12:15,197 --> 00:12:16,089 aren't here. 228 00:12:16,629 --> 00:12:17,629 Mom and dad aren't here. 229 00:12:17,669 --> 00:12:18,649 Nobody know. 230 00:12:18,949 --> 00:12:20,289 Go ahead and eat. 231 00:12:20,869 --> 00:12:22,649 Eat that pork, it's good. 232 00:12:23,269 --> 00:12:24,429 Pig tastes really good. 233 00:12:24,469 --> 00:12:25,609 It does taste good. 234 00:12:29,029 --> 00:12:33,507 You know, I hear them say, you know, I know those. 235 00:12:33,693 --> 00:12:37,111 The meat was offered to false gods, but nobody's going to know 236 00:12:37,135 --> 00:12:37,319 that. 237 00:12:37,359 --> 00:12:38,899 And it tastes really good. 238 00:12:41,759 --> 00:12:46,619 Someone has said this, that the hardest word in the English language 239 00:12:47,119 --> 00:12:52,819 is the word no is no. 240 00:12:54,719 --> 00:12:57,095 And that is true, I think, about Dr. 241 00:12:57,127 --> 00:12:57,383 Barbara. 242 00:12:57,431 --> 00:12:57,607 Dr. 243 00:12:57,623 --> 00:12:58,663 Barber said, this one. 244 00:12:58,751 --> 00:12:59,779 I like this one. 245 00:13:00,339 --> 00:13:04,651 Daniel could handle the den of lions at the age of 90, which he 246 00:13:04,675 --> 00:13:09,403 was close to that age, around that age, because he learned how 247 00:13:09,411 --> 00:13:14,359 to handle temptation at the age of 19 or 18 or 17. 248 00:13:15,939 --> 00:13:19,691 Young people, that's true, handle temptation when you're young 249 00:13:19,715 --> 00:13:21,159 and you stand when you're old. 250 00:13:22,579 --> 00:13:25,723 He would not defile himself again. 251 00:13:25,891 --> 00:13:27,147 Leviticus, chapter 11. 252 00:13:27,203 --> 00:13:28,347 Leviticus, chapter 17. 253 00:13:28,403 --> 00:13:29,755 And we could go back in the Old Testament. 254 00:13:29,787 --> 00:13:34,825 We won't take the time to do about all the laws, the dietary laws 255 00:13:34,857 --> 00:13:35,609 the Jews were under. 256 00:13:35,649 --> 00:13:38,281 I just had this conversation with somebody here just the other 257 00:13:38,305 --> 00:13:42,393 day about why do the Jews have all these dietary laws? 258 00:13:42,441 --> 00:13:44,229 Well, it was for their good. 259 00:13:44,849 --> 00:13:49,401 It was because of the day and age which they lived in. 260 00:13:49,585 --> 00:13:52,713 There wasn't technology like we have today. 261 00:13:52,881 --> 00:13:55,269 Y'all know that pork has worms in it. 262 00:13:55,969 --> 00:13:57,751 Most pork has worms. 263 00:13:57,905 --> 00:13:58,799 Nobody. 264 00:13:59,939 --> 00:14:00,523 Amen. 265 00:14:00,571 --> 00:14:01,479 Tastes good. 266 00:14:01,779 --> 00:14:02,891 I just eat it. 267 00:14:02,995 --> 00:14:05,691 But that's one of the reasons why we make sure, especially with 268 00:14:05,715 --> 00:14:08,519 pork, that you make sure it's cooked good, right. 269 00:14:09,139 --> 00:14:12,839 You don't want that, you know, like you do with a steak that real, 270 00:14:13,219 --> 00:14:16,039 you know, you don't want your pork raw, you know what I'm saying? 271 00:14:19,459 --> 00:14:20,811 Nobody wants to give a witness. 272 00:14:20,875 --> 00:14:21,479 No. 273 00:14:21,779 --> 00:14:23,771 You know, you want to be careful with that turkey or that 274 00:14:23,795 --> 00:14:24,043 chick. 275 00:14:24,091 --> 00:14:25,659 Anyway, other things, but anyway. 276 00:14:25,819 --> 00:14:28,095 But they couldn't, you know, they didn't have the technology. 277 00:14:28,167 --> 00:14:31,183 We have to make sure that things were cooked well and so forth. 278 00:14:31,231 --> 00:14:35,419 And, you know, God was protecting them. 279 00:14:36,919 --> 00:14:38,575 Most catfish are bottom feeders. 280 00:14:38,607 --> 00:14:40,751 You know, they're slimy bottom feeders. 281 00:14:40,895 --> 00:14:44,127 I'm thankful they're there because they help keep, you know, 282 00:14:44,183 --> 00:14:47,979 the waters clean and they help the God's got them there for a reason. 283 00:14:49,719 --> 00:14:50,751 It's a. 284 00:14:50,935 --> 00:14:54,641 To understand that what God put down and those laws he put down 285 00:14:54,745 --> 00:14:56,385 was for their good. 286 00:14:56,537 --> 00:14:57,713 It was to protect them. 287 00:14:57,801 --> 00:15:00,593 It also was again to make them distinct from the nations around 288 00:15:00,681 --> 00:15:01,309 them. 289 00:15:02,089 --> 00:15:04,385 When the Bible says in the New Testament, come out and be separate, 290 00:15:04,417 --> 00:15:07,073 saith the Lord, you know, love not the world, neither things in 291 00:15:07,081 --> 00:15:07,281 the world. 292 00:15:07,305 --> 00:15:09,377 If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 293 00:15:09,433 --> 00:15:13,249 That we as Christians ought to be distinct people, that there ought 294 00:15:13,249 --> 00:15:15,041 to be a difference about us. 295 00:15:15,225 --> 00:15:18,411 And so that Old Testament example is Israel. 296 00:15:18,585 --> 00:15:19,783 They were different. 297 00:15:19,871 --> 00:15:23,031 They were to be different than the nations around them. 298 00:15:23,215 --> 00:15:27,607 But the difference was not, you know, superficial. 299 00:15:27,703 --> 00:15:32,259 The difference was that it truly was for their good. 300 00:15:32,799 --> 00:15:36,935 I was just watching another YouTube videos about tattoos, and 301 00:15:37,007 --> 00:15:39,735 they are continuing to find out more and more about this ink 302 00:15:39,767 --> 00:15:42,807 that you allow yourself to put in your skin and that that stays 303 00:15:42,823 --> 00:15:43,431 there forever. 304 00:15:43,495 --> 00:15:44,627 And that it is. 305 00:15:44,783 --> 00:15:47,451 It makes me more prone to cancer and many other things. 306 00:15:47,555 --> 00:15:50,799 Tattoos are bad for you physically. 307 00:15:51,539 --> 00:15:53,979 I mean, wouldn't that make common sense if you're going to put 308 00:15:54,019 --> 00:15:55,387 ink in your skin? 309 00:15:55,563 --> 00:15:56,523 Nobody. 310 00:15:56,651 --> 00:15:57,835 I'm looking around the room. 311 00:15:57,907 --> 00:16:01,211 Okay, you say preachers, Should Christians get tattoos? 312 00:16:01,275 --> 00:16:02,331 My answer is no. 313 00:16:02,435 --> 00:16:03,883 Your body's the temple of the Holy Spirit. 314 00:16:03,931 --> 00:16:04,891 You're not your own. 315 00:16:04,995 --> 00:16:06,519 You've been bought with a price. 316 00:16:08,419 --> 00:16:16,123 Also, tattoos are still, you know, connected to the world. 317 00:16:16,291 --> 00:16:17,179 How do I know that? 318 00:16:17,219 --> 00:16:19,079 There's an easy way to determine that. 319 00:16:20,179 --> 00:16:21,211 Easy way to determine it. 320 00:16:21,235 --> 00:16:23,279 Just go try to work at certain jobs. 321 00:16:24,339 --> 00:16:25,995 They're going to make you cover up your tattoos. 322 00:16:26,027 --> 00:16:26,599 Why? 323 00:16:27,939 --> 00:16:29,147 If they're okay, why? 324 00:16:29,203 --> 00:16:30,283 Why are they doing that? 325 00:16:30,371 --> 00:16:32,599 Even in the secular world, they do that. 326 00:16:34,019 --> 00:16:35,547 It makes common sense to me. 327 00:16:35,603 --> 00:16:37,439 Everybody good and nobody's praying. 328 00:16:38,159 --> 00:16:40,023 Tattoos have become popular among Christians. 329 00:16:40,071 --> 00:16:42,423 By the way, there's a good booklet back there in the bookstore 330 00:16:42,551 --> 00:16:44,567 about why Christians shouldn't have tattoos. 331 00:16:44,583 --> 00:16:47,495 And it'll give you the why and really spell it out for you. 332 00:16:47,647 --> 00:16:50,099 And Paul Chapel does a good job with it. 333 00:16:51,199 --> 00:16:57,223 I'm just saying the Old Testament, God had laws and dietary 334 00:16:57,271 --> 00:17:01,219 laws and things for the children of Israel for their good, 335 00:17:01,759 --> 00:17:06,583 to help them stay healthy, and then also to make them a distinct 336 00:17:06,631 --> 00:17:07,219 people. 337 00:17:08,079 --> 00:17:10,487 And they were absolutely distinct from the nations around 338 00:17:10,543 --> 00:17:11,047 them. 339 00:17:11,183 --> 00:17:17,047 So when these four young men stood up and stood for. 340 00:17:17,183 --> 00:17:20,407 Right, they predetermined these things. 341 00:17:20,543 --> 00:17:24,471 It was because the meat that they were being offered to eat had 342 00:17:24,495 --> 00:17:26,935 been offered to false gods. 343 00:17:27,127 --> 00:17:30,615 It also more than likely still had the blood in it. 344 00:17:30,687 --> 00:17:34,201 If a Jew was to eat a steak, all the blood had to be cooked out 345 00:17:34,225 --> 00:17:37,225 of it, which I would say that means all the goodness is cooked 346 00:17:37,257 --> 00:17:37,641 out of it. 347 00:17:37,665 --> 00:17:39,705 But my wife would feel otherwise. 348 00:17:39,737 --> 00:17:47,109 She likes hers, like, well done, well done. 349 00:17:49,249 --> 00:17:52,989 It's like people who like brisket, the burnt ends. 350 00:18:00,459 --> 00:18:05,971 See how the difference in here, it's like a plethora of no 351 00:18:05,995 --> 00:18:06,563 it's all right. 352 00:18:06,651 --> 00:18:08,003 You can like what you like. 353 00:18:08,171 --> 00:18:12,387 I want that good, fatty center portion of the brisket. 354 00:18:12,563 --> 00:18:16,419 When they ask you, do you want the fatty portion or the lean portion? 355 00:18:16,499 --> 00:18:17,795 I don't want the lean portion. 356 00:18:17,827 --> 00:18:19,319 I want the fatty portion. 357 00:18:20,459 --> 00:18:23,539 I'll tell one story because I was telling this to my dad the other 358 00:18:23,579 --> 00:18:24,031 day. 359 00:18:24,155 --> 00:18:28,059 My great grandparents on the farm in Oklahoma. 360 00:18:28,879 --> 00:18:31,463 When I was a little kid, we, you know, we'd stay over there in 361 00:18:31,471 --> 00:18:35,191 the farmhouse and get up in the morning, have breakfast. 362 00:18:35,255 --> 00:18:37,495 My grandma, my great grandmother was good cook. 363 00:18:37,647 --> 00:18:44,791 But if we had steak, which we had it pretty often, my great grandpa, 364 00:18:44,855 --> 00:18:48,551 as we were eating the steak, would, you ate all the steak and 365 00:18:48,575 --> 00:18:49,405 the fat. 366 00:18:49,567 --> 00:18:52,001 He would say, my great grandpa would say, you're going to eat the 367 00:18:52,025 --> 00:18:54,909 fat because it's good for you. 368 00:18:55,529 --> 00:18:56,657 You eat the fat. 369 00:18:56,753 --> 00:19:00,065 And I got used to eating the fat growing up anyway. 370 00:19:00,097 --> 00:19:01,309 That's why I like to. 371 00:19:02,009 --> 00:19:03,601 But that's Daniel. 372 00:19:03,665 --> 00:19:07,441 Daniel's saying, this is compromising. 373 00:19:07,505 --> 00:19:08,609 We're not going to. 374 00:19:08,729 --> 00:19:12,801 Not going to defile myself and go against the Mosaic law and go 375 00:19:12,825 --> 00:19:15,473 against the dietary laws that I've been raised with and taught 376 00:19:15,521 --> 00:19:17,699 about and, and that I know that are for my good. 377 00:19:17,739 --> 00:19:18,851 I'm not going to go against these things. 378 00:19:18,875 --> 00:19:20,067 I'm going to stand for right. 379 00:19:20,123 --> 00:19:21,619 I'm going to stand and do what's right. 380 00:19:21,659 --> 00:19:23,075 I'm predetermined. 381 00:19:23,187 --> 00:19:27,079 I'm purposing in my heart not to defile myself. 382 00:19:27,659 --> 00:19:32,599 And we as Christians, all be the same, just predetermined beforehand. 383 00:19:34,539 --> 00:19:37,779 Proverbs 23, verse 31 says, look not upon the wine when it is 384 00:19:37,819 --> 00:19:38,399 red. 385 00:19:40,619 --> 00:19:41,907 First Corinthians 6:19. 386 00:19:41,963 --> 00:19:43,203 I just quoted it a while ago. 387 00:19:43,291 --> 00:19:43,539 What? 388 00:19:43,579 --> 00:19:45,959 Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost? 389 00:19:46,309 --> 00:19:47,769 Ye are not your own. 390 00:19:49,589 --> 00:19:51,049 You're bought with a price. 391 00:19:51,909 --> 00:19:55,569 Remember that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. 392 00:20:00,229 --> 00:20:01,809 Young people, be careful. 393 00:20:02,469 --> 00:20:03,213 Predetermined. 394 00:20:03,261 --> 00:20:05,369 Now you're just not going to participate in some things. 395 00:20:08,229 --> 00:20:11,969 The best way to not become an alcoholic is to never take a drink. 396 00:20:14,019 --> 00:20:18,959 You don't know who's going to be predisposed to being a drunk. 397 00:20:20,739 --> 00:20:24,359 People are born predisposed to certain things. 398 00:20:25,139 --> 00:20:26,123 That is biblical. 399 00:20:26,171 --> 00:20:26,923 That's right. 400 00:20:27,011 --> 00:20:33,131 And now scientifically we know that same sex attraction. 401 00:20:33,195 --> 00:20:34,011 Ssa. 402 00:20:34,155 --> 00:20:35,531 That's a real thing. 403 00:20:35,715 --> 00:20:37,479 Doesn't mean you have to give into it. 404 00:20:37,849 --> 00:20:38,689 But it's a real thing. 405 00:20:38,729 --> 00:20:40,349 You're predisposed to that. 406 00:20:42,009 --> 00:20:43,889 And so you don't know that. 407 00:20:43,929 --> 00:20:46,465 And I would caution you, be careful. 408 00:20:46,497 --> 00:20:47,909 Don't take the first drink. 409 00:20:49,609 --> 00:20:51,869 By the way, we shouldn't be a stomach block to others. 410 00:20:54,169 --> 00:20:57,313 And when you buy alcohol, you're contributing to an industry 411 00:20:57,401 --> 00:21:00,749 that literally destroys millions of people's lives. 412 00:21:03,139 --> 00:21:05,947 This goes with many other things I've told you about the lottery 413 00:21:05,963 --> 00:21:06,827 ticket thing. 414 00:21:06,963 --> 00:21:08,603 I use another family illustration. 415 00:21:08,651 --> 00:21:09,659 I've used it a hundred times. 416 00:21:09,699 --> 00:21:14,079 But my pawpaw again, talking about my dad's dad. 417 00:21:14,419 --> 00:21:15,883 You know, God had blessed him. 418 00:21:15,971 --> 00:21:17,595 I mean, God really had blessed him. 419 00:21:17,667 --> 00:21:20,875 And I'm talking about financially, he was fine. 420 00:21:20,907 --> 00:21:22,239 He could do what he wants. 421 00:21:22,579 --> 00:21:25,083 And he told me the story about how he went to the. 422 00:21:25,171 --> 00:21:28,411 He went to the convenience store where him and his buddies would 423 00:21:28,435 --> 00:21:29,675 drink coffee together and stuff. 424 00:21:29,707 --> 00:21:32,509 And one day he bought a lottery ticket. 425 00:21:33,569 --> 00:21:37,593 He didn't think nothing of it until he turned around and there 426 00:21:37,601 --> 00:21:39,801 was a young couple from his church behind him. 427 00:21:39,985 --> 00:21:41,497 And it smote his heart. 428 00:21:41,633 --> 00:21:43,189 He never bought another one. 429 00:21:43,649 --> 00:21:46,029 He said, I can afford to buy the lottery ticket. 430 00:21:46,769 --> 00:21:50,569 It won't do anything to me, you know, but what if the person 431 00:21:50,609 --> 00:21:53,273 behind me, this young couple, bought one and they couldn't afford 432 00:21:53,321 --> 00:21:54,309 it or. 433 00:21:55,819 --> 00:21:57,959 Gambling is addictive. 434 00:21:58,699 --> 00:22:01,199 It also can destroy your life. 435 00:22:02,779 --> 00:22:06,079 And it has many, many people's lives. 436 00:22:06,859 --> 00:22:09,559 No, you not your body is the temple. 437 00:22:10,139 --> 00:22:13,203 God has set down some things we should do and things we shouldn't 438 00:22:13,251 --> 00:22:13,971 do not. 439 00:22:13,995 --> 00:22:16,039 So we can't have any fun teenagers. 440 00:22:16,379 --> 00:22:17,475 That's not the purpose. 441 00:22:17,507 --> 00:22:20,835 He didn't set those dietary laws down for the Jews, for the Israelites, 442 00:22:20,867 --> 00:22:22,711 so they couldn't have any good stuff to eat. 443 00:22:22,835 --> 00:22:26,079 No, they set those things down because literally eating pork then 444 00:22:26,199 --> 00:22:27,419 could have killed them. 445 00:22:28,759 --> 00:22:30,159 He was doing it for their good. 446 00:22:30,199 --> 00:22:33,279 And may we be reminded over and over again that God always has 447 00:22:33,319 --> 00:22:39,739 our best interests in mind and be predetermined beforehand to do 448 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:42,219 what's Bible and what's right. 449 00:22:44,039 --> 00:22:45,259 Do what's right. 450 00:22:47,319 --> 00:22:48,779 I love verse nine. 451 00:22:50,759 --> 00:22:55,759 It says now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love 452 00:22:55,799 --> 00:22:57,459 with the prince of the eunuchs. 453 00:22:58,519 --> 00:23:02,159 Can I tell you, you stand and you do right. 454 00:23:02,279 --> 00:23:04,299 You, purpose in your heart to do right. 455 00:23:06,599 --> 00:23:11,455 God sits on the throne of your heart and you make a biblical right 456 00:23:11,527 --> 00:23:12,139 decision. 457 00:23:12,839 --> 00:23:14,939 God will bless you for it. 458 00:23:15,859 --> 00:23:21,723 And I always like to back up a little bit and remind you that God's 459 00:23:21,851 --> 00:23:26,715 favor, in other words, God's love is unconditional. 460 00:23:26,907 --> 00:23:28,239 It's not earned. 461 00:23:30,019 --> 00:23:31,131 It's not earned. 462 00:23:31,275 --> 00:23:37,083 His blessings, however, are his blessings are. 463 00:23:37,251 --> 00:23:40,799 And the illustration for us is again dealing with our own kids. 464 00:23:41,269 --> 00:23:44,809 When your kids are doing what's right, bless them. 465 00:23:45,829 --> 00:23:52,889 Kids aren't doing what's right unbless them right. 466 00:23:53,349 --> 00:23:56,169 I mean, why would You Why would. 467 00:23:56,869 --> 00:24:00,749 And I've seen parents do the opposite, like their kids doing things 468 00:24:00,789 --> 00:24:01,501 they shouldn't be doing. 469 00:24:01,525 --> 00:24:06,285 And yet mom and dad are just letting it happen and contributing 470 00:24:06,317 --> 00:24:06,969 to it. 471 00:24:07,839 --> 00:24:09,699 But that's not the way it should be. 472 00:24:11,679 --> 00:24:17,619 We bless our kids, not our love for them. 473 00:24:18,079 --> 00:24:19,059 That's different. 474 00:24:20,319 --> 00:24:21,031 But we do. 475 00:24:21,055 --> 00:24:24,499 The blessings come when they're doing what's right. 476 00:24:25,839 --> 00:24:26,919 Haven't said this in a while. 477 00:24:26,959 --> 00:24:31,655 With our children growing up, our boys, I told them, I said, hey, 478 00:24:31,847 --> 00:24:33,219 we'll pay for half. 479 00:24:34,409 --> 00:24:37,953 We'll pay for half your truck, we'll pay for half your car payment. 480 00:24:38,001 --> 00:24:41,649 We'll pay for half your insurance, we'll pay for half your 481 00:24:41,689 --> 00:24:42,309 phone. 482 00:24:42,649 --> 00:24:47,069 We just said, hey, throughout junior high, high school. 483 00:24:47,609 --> 00:24:50,049 And even we did it even past that a little bit. 484 00:24:50,169 --> 00:24:51,265 We'll pay half. 485 00:24:51,417 --> 00:24:56,989 We'll pay half your college if you're doing what's right. 486 00:24:59,459 --> 00:25:00,971 Pretty simple, isn't it? 487 00:25:01,155 --> 00:25:05,719 You don't give us no problems, we'll pony up. 488 00:25:07,219 --> 00:25:09,323 And I believe God blessed that. 489 00:25:09,411 --> 00:25:12,039 I think my boys would agree to it. 490 00:25:13,459 --> 00:25:15,879 I'm thankful for a heavenly Father who loves me. 491 00:25:16,259 --> 00:25:19,307 And we see here in this example that as Daniel and his three 492 00:25:19,363 --> 00:25:23,035 friends did what was right, that God blessed them, God rewarded 493 00:25:23,067 --> 00:25:24,683 them, give them favor. 494 00:25:24,731 --> 00:25:25,915 That word favor there means. 495 00:25:25,987 --> 00:25:28,639 Is really talking about God Giving favor is wisdom. 496 00:25:29,769 --> 00:25:32,977 God gave wisdom not only to these four young men, but gave wisdom 497 00:25:32,993 --> 00:25:36,749 to this eunuch for simply doing right. 498 00:25:38,969 --> 00:25:42,993 Think about Daniel's diet that he asked for. 499 00:25:43,161 --> 00:25:49,509 He asked for this vegetables and grains. 500 00:25:50,729 --> 00:25:51,569 Now, I didn't. 501 00:25:51,649 --> 00:25:52,909 I grew up in a home. 502 00:25:53,209 --> 00:25:54,869 We ate meat, potatoes. 503 00:25:55,549 --> 00:25:58,889 Bread wasn't a big part of our diet. 504 00:25:59,389 --> 00:26:03,969 My wife grew up in a home where bread was number one. 505 00:26:06,829 --> 00:26:07,461 I don't get that. 506 00:26:07,485 --> 00:26:12,261 If I'm going to eat bread like that, it better be cake and preferably 507 00:26:12,325 --> 00:26:17,397 chocolate cake, right? 508 00:26:17,453 --> 00:26:18,869 I can take or leave a roll. 509 00:26:18,949 --> 00:26:19,845 I don't even call them rolls. 510 00:26:19,877 --> 00:26:22,415 I call every, every roll biscuit. 511 00:26:22,447 --> 00:26:23,295 All of them are biscuits. 512 00:26:23,327 --> 00:26:24,575 That's what my wife. 513 00:26:24,687 --> 00:26:26,079 I've been doing that for years. 514 00:26:26,199 --> 00:26:28,339 She said, that's a roll, that's a biscuit. 515 00:26:29,079 --> 00:26:31,139 I'd do it just to get on her nerves. 516 00:26:32,759 --> 00:26:35,407 He asked for vegetables, he asked for grains. 517 00:26:35,583 --> 00:26:37,199 Again, it wasn't that. 518 00:26:37,239 --> 00:26:38,559 Some of the other stuff he couldn't have. 519 00:26:38,599 --> 00:26:41,871 But again, there was always that question in mind about was it 520 00:26:41,895 --> 00:26:42,959 offered to idols? 521 00:26:43,039 --> 00:26:44,655 Is it cooked all the way? 522 00:26:44,807 --> 00:26:48,015 It didn't know whether it would meet the dietary laws. 523 00:26:48,047 --> 00:26:50,975 And so he just decided, I am not going to defy myself. 524 00:26:51,087 --> 00:26:59,139 Just give me some vegetables and some wheat, barley green to eat. 525 00:26:59,559 --> 00:26:59,919 Ms. 526 00:26:59,959 --> 00:27:00,399 Reed. 527 00:27:00,479 --> 00:27:00,879 Barley. 528 00:27:00,959 --> 00:27:01,663 That green barley. 529 00:27:01,711 --> 00:27:02,739 Green powder. 530 00:27:03,319 --> 00:27:04,927 How did we ever get into that? 531 00:27:04,983 --> 00:27:05,819 Years ago. 532 00:27:08,599 --> 00:27:11,871 And because of this determination and because of this 533 00:27:11,895 --> 00:27:17,059 request, God blessed amply blessed and amply rewarded Daniel. 534 00:27:17,549 --> 00:27:18,005 Why? 535 00:27:18,077 --> 00:27:21,809 Because Daniel determined beforehand to do what's right. 536 00:27:23,549 --> 00:27:24,709 To do what's right. 537 00:27:24,829 --> 00:27:28,245 May we determine to do what's right beforehand. 538 00:27:28,437 --> 00:27:32,229 Whether it's a job decision, whether it's a family decision, whether 539 00:27:32,269 --> 00:27:33,489 it's a school decision. 540 00:27:34,509 --> 00:27:35,649 Do what's right. 541 00:27:36,829 --> 00:27:38,677 Daniel stood at an early age. 542 00:27:38,813 --> 00:27:41,569 But can I remind you, no matter the age, we ought to stand 543 00:27:42,439 --> 00:27:43,579 and do right. 544 00:27:44,599 --> 00:27:46,139 Always right. 545 00:27:46,519 --> 00:27:49,539 To do right in spite of the circumstances. 546 00:27:51,319 --> 00:27:52,783 Think about this now. 547 00:27:52,951 --> 00:28:01,391 Daniel carried into captivity, drug away from his home, away from 548 00:28:01,415 --> 00:28:02,339 his parents. 549 00:28:03,319 --> 00:28:07,379 And yet, if you read the story of Daniel, you don't see Daniel depressed. 550 00:28:08,689 --> 00:28:12,589 In fact, I can't find anywhere where he was even discouraged. 551 00:28:15,329 --> 00:28:16,909 He was undeterred. 552 00:28:19,329 --> 00:28:21,229 You can see that he did not doubt. 553 00:28:24,209 --> 00:28:30,029 And he was not destroyed by his circumstances, but rather stood. 554 00:28:31,809 --> 00:28:36,849 Stood in those circumstances and did what was right. 555 00:28:37,389 --> 00:28:39,409 What an example he set for us. 556 00:28:40,189 --> 00:28:42,609 What an example he lived for us. 557 00:28:43,389 --> 00:28:46,293 And may we follow that example. 558 00:28:46,341 --> 00:28:47,989 May we be a light in a dark world. 559 00:28:48,029 --> 00:28:54,677 Let's all stand Time of invitation Invite you to come pray 560 00:28:54,693 --> 00:28:55,549 if the Lord's touched your heart.