What does the religion of today preach?
Jesus is not politically correct, he is just correct
Be aware of the battle (Understand the times)
! Chron. 12:32 from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do
Be aware of the battle in your own beliefs
God’s truth may feel wrong
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Read the Bible/ Confess Sin/ Listen to Spirit
More than be aware? Do we fight the world?
Daniel rejected the system but loved the people
Daniel 1:8, 11-13 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way…
Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”
Daniel provided creative alternatives
Reject the system/ love the people
Daniel lived a public faith in the face of persecution
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Daniel prayed with his widows open
Daniel 6:14-18 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.
Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.” So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
Dan. 6:19-20 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
Dan. 6:21-23 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
How people come to Jesus in a post modern world:
- Distrust to Trust
- Complacent to Curious
Be aware of the battle
Reject the system/ love the people
Pray with your windows open