Grace Community Church
Big Idea: Every day, we choose to cheat - our only choice is who we choose to cheat on.
Daniel Teaches Us The Best Way To Cheat:
1. Daniel made a decision.
Daniel 1:8-9 (NLT)
8 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. 9 Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel.
Daniel Teaches Us The Best Way To Cheat:
1. Daniel made a decision.
2. Daniel made a plan.
Daniel 1:10-14 (NLT)
10 But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.”
11 Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 12 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. 13 “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” 14 The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days.
Daniel Teaches Us The Best Way To Cheat:
1. Daniel made a decision.
2. Daniel made a plan.
3. Daniel trusted God to respond.
Daniel 1:15-17 (NLT)
15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. 16 So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. 17 God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.
For My Personal Time With God This Week:
[#1] Reread Daniel 1. How was Daniel’s situation like your own situation?
[#2] In what ways do you most often experience the tension between work and family? In what situations does this tension seem most intense? In what ways are you tempted to be more loyal to your work and career than you are to those you love?
[#3] In what ways might there be tension in your life between family responsibilities and your involvement in sports, recreation, or hobbies? If this tension is there, what will you do about it, specifically?
[#4] Read Matthew 6:33. In regard to these issues, what does it mean for you personally to obey these words of Jesus? What can you legitimately expect God to do as a result of your obedience to these words?