Daniel 6:1-28
 

Daniel was stolen away from his family and his homeland but he remained faithful no matter what. Daniel faithfully served under many different kings during his captivity. The kings changed but Daniel stayed faithful. He had to re-prove himself with each new king. King number three was Darius. Darius was the king that was tricked into throwing Daniel into the lion’s den by the other satraps (the other governors). You would think that he would have gotten fed up with always having to prove himself faithful. That’s the difference when you get the big picture. Daniel was never just serving an earthly king; he served and remained faithful to the King of kings. Neither did Daniel suffer from the small god syndrome that most American Christians do. He knew his God was greater than anyone. Daniel faced the king of the largest empire in the world and didn’t bat an eye at staying faithful to the one true God. What would you do if praying to God were against the law? The sad part is that most American Christians wouldn’t even miss it because they don’t do it now, when they are free to do so.  Do you get what you have access to by being a follower of Christ? We are children of the Most High God! Remember Daniel hadn’t experienced the gift of Christ that we do today. Whose ear are you capturing by your faithfulness, God’s or somebody else’s?

James 4:4-5 (NIV)
4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?

Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

There can only be one love. This is the problem presented here. James is trying to smack the readers back to the reality that God will NEVER settle for part of your worship. God’s biggest issue with his people through out the Old Testament is the fact that they chose to set up other gods for worship. They would still worship him, but with only part of their heart. This is still God’s heart. He will NEVER share your heart and attention with anything else. But we over and over again elevate things over Him. You might say I don’t worship any other god. Maybe not in the normal sense, but we do.

Ezekiel 43:25 .........you are also to provide a young bull and ram from the flock, both without defect.”

What is being communicated here is don’t go get your almost dead, lame, non producing bull and sacrifice it. God doesn’t want our left overs, He wants our best. Have you been giving God your scraps? Here is another example of a man of God refusing to worship and give an offering that cost him nothing. The man was David, a man after Gods heart. So what better model can we have than someone that spent his life chasing after Gods heart. Here is the reference. 1 Chronicles 21:24 (NIV) 24 But King David replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing." So what is your worship/offering costing you? If your answer is nothing. You have a problem.

Proverbs 28:13 (NIV)
13 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

You may read the “does not prosper” and think of many people who live a concealed sinful life and prosper. The question you have to ask is what kind of prospering is the writer talking about. Don’t think of prosper in a worldly sense, but rather think about it as prospering with God. Having and living in peace. Knowing that you are right with God. Is your heart prospering with the Lord? If not, maybe it’s time to bring the light into your dark places. The truth is that we will all sin until the a day we die but life comes from not hiding our sin. Letting the light of the Lord in our life expels darkness. Read the scriptures below ask God what you need to release.

1 John 1:8-10 (NIV) 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

James 5:16 (NIV)
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

These are the words we use when we know what we are doing is destructive but do not want to change. The more we give into the thought that it doesn’t really matter the more we will be given over to the things that destroy us. For example read Matt. 5:29-30 “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” The advice here is do whatever it takes to make sure sin does not grow and take root in our lives. I believe the writer is talking about the extreme because we tend to allow things to fester and grow into destructive patterns all while saying it not that bad. Statements like these begin to run through our minds, “That movie only had a few bad scenes”, “I don’t listen to the lyrics I just like the beat”, and “this book is just for entertainment”. Sin normally doesn’t over take us all at once but rather little by little. James 1:14-15 (NIV) 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Do you value today or are you always thinking how good it will be tomorrow

James 4:13-17 (NIV) 13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

The big issue here is the fact that we waste most of our lives thinking about tomorrow. There is no guarantee about tomorrow but the truth of matter is that you definitely have the here and now. The question is: what are you doing with your NOW? Are you pondering what will happen next on the night time soaps (TV shows) you watch. When we are God’s children we are on His time not our own. You might be able to cheat your employer/teacher out of time without him knowing about it but God is everywhere all the time. (yeah let that sink in) And the truth of the matter is that He is a jealous God. He will not play second to anything. He wants us to make the most out of every moment. Whether that means making the most out of every opportunity with everyone we come in contact with or redeeming some of our wasted time. God’s word is the life bread for all believers, but most of us are starving. Don’t be an anorexic christian. Get fat on the word of God. Stop worrying about tomorrow and make the most of today. So what is your heart telling you?