Sermons

DISTRACTION IS DEADLY

Saturday, January 31, 2004 • PASTORS EARL AND WANDA • Personal Growth
THE POWER AND FOCUS TO LIVE IN DAILY VICTORY

DISTRACTION IS DEADLY


 


DANIEL WAS TAKEN INTO CAPTIVITY AS A TEEN. HE WAS TO SPEND HIS LIFE IN THE LAND OF HIS MASTERS, NEVER TO BE REUNITED WITH HIS PARENTS.


Daniel 6
1IT PLEASED [King] Darius [successor to Belshazzar] to set over the kingdom 120 satraps who should be [in charge] throughout all the kingdom,
2And over them three presidents--of whom Daniel was one--that these satraps might give account to them and that the king should have no loss or damage.
3Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4Then the presidents and satraps sought to find occasion [to bring accusation] against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no occasion or fault, for he was faithful, nor was there any error or fault found in him


DANIEL, NOW IN CAPTIVITY FOR DECADES WAS FINALLY PROMOTED BY GOD. SOME ACCOUNTS INDICATE THAT HE WAS BETWEEN 75 AND 80 YEARS OF AGE.  PROMOTION DID NOT BRING PEACE, BUT RATHER PERSECUTION AND THOSE EAGER TO FIND FAULT. WHO TRICKED US INTO BELIEVING THAT LIFE WOULD BE WITHOUT ISSUES? OF SPECIAL NOTE IS THAT AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT WAS FOUND IN HIM.


10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he got down upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.  


DANIEL MADE A HABIT OF PRAYING 3 TIMES A DAY. THREE TIMES A DAY ON GOOD DAYS AND THREE TIMES A DAY ON BAD DAYS. THREE TIMES A DAY IN CAPTIVITY AND THREE TIMES A DAY IN THE PALACE.


 


13Then they said before the king, That Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, does not regard or pay any attention to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.
14Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed [over what he had done] and set his mind on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the sun went down to rescue him.
BASED ON THE DECREE, DANIEL SHOULD DIE!


16Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, May your God, Whom you are serving continually, deliver you!
17And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that there might be no change of purpose concerning Daniel.
18Then the king went to his palace and passed the night fasting, neither were instruments of music or dancing girls brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
19Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions.
20And when he came to the den and to Daniel, he cried out in a voice of anguish. The king said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, Whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?


THE KING COULDN'T SLEEP! ALTHOUGH HE HAD NOT EMBRACED DANIEL'S GOD, HE KNEW THAT DANIEL'S GOD ALWAYS CAME THROUGH FOR HIM..ALWAYS. PEOPLE ARE WATCHING US, OUR ATTITUDES, OUR HABITS AND OUR CONSISTENT LIFE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT GOD IS REAL. 
21Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever!
22My God has sent His angel and has shut the lions' mouths so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent and blameless before Him; and also before you, O king, [as you very well know] I have done no harm or wrong.
23Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel should be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no hurt of any kind was found on him because he believed in (relied on, adhered to, and trusted in) his God.
24And the king commanded, and those men who had accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions, they, their children, and their wives; and before they ever reached the bottom of the den, the lions had overpowered them and had broken their bones in pieces.


THE LIONS WERE HUNGRY! BEFORE THE BODIES TOUCHED THE BOTTOM OF THE PIT, THE LIONS JUMPED UP TO DEVOUR THEM.
25Then King Darius wrote to all peoples, nations, and languages [in his realm] that dwelt in all the earth: May peace be multiplied to you!
26I make a decree that in all my royal dominion men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the living God, enduring and steadfast forever, and His kingdom shall not be destroyed and His dominion shall be even to the end [of the world].


THE KING TURNED TO DANIEL'S GOD AND COMMANDED HIS SUBJECTS TO DO THE SAME.
27He is a Savior and Deliverer, and He works signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth--He Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28So this [man] Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.


DANIEL WAS NOT DISTRACTED BY THE PEOPLE, HIS TITLE, OR THE LIONS. HIS CONSTANT STEADY FAITH IN AND STAND FOR GOD BROUGHT ABOUT HIS DELIVERANCE!

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