Moving On

Introduction

Like any other day, the boy got up and prepared for the day. He would go through the usual morning routine while preparing for another ordinary day. He was use to a schedule of healthy meals, schooling, and physical training. As he lay down in His bed at the end of a good long day, he began to doze off making sure to get enough rest for his studying and training for the following day.

Laying there in His bed, the young boy noticed something that was anything but normal. It started as a low rumble. Not just a sound, but it was almost as if the ground was shaking. The rumble grew to a roar. He jumped out of bed looking around his home and realized that the chaotic sound was coming from outside. That is when he knew something was seriously wrong. This was no thunder or parade. This was a surprise attack from a powerful and evil army. Screams began to break out through the city as the foreign army knocked down walls, set the city on fire, and took prisoner every person they found to be valuable.

Eventually, the attack made its way to the boys house. He was violently taken from his home, tide up, and taken captive by the invading army. Days later, after the invasion had ended, The army headed back home with their prisoners. As Daniel was taken away from the rebel that used to be his home, he looked around to see all that he knew was burned to the ground.

When they made it to the home City of the enemy army, Daniel looked around to see all the things that were foreign to him. He saw new types of building, different looking people, different smells, different everything. In bondage he walked through the city streets. the crowds cheered on the army who destroyed everything that Daniel knew and loved.

Daniel was immediately placed in a program that was designed to make Daniel valuable to the King of this new place. They gathered all of the prisoners who they though would be able to help the king or the city and they began teaching them the ways of Babylonians. It was basically a program designed to immerse them in Babylonian culture and make them what the king wanted them to be.

By the end of this program, they would pick a few of these young men to become advisors of the king.

Daniel had as much new in His life as he possibly could.

a new city

New people

new language

new culture

new food

new smells

no family

no friends

He was officially moved on into a new phase in his life that he never would have chosen for himself.

Not only is everything new, but He is being watched very closely. The program that he was forcefully placed into was one to turn Him into a Babylonian. Daniel has 2 things that are on His agenda.

He needed to do well in the program or he would likely be killed because they found him to be useless.

He was a follower of God so he needed to continue to follow God in this new place that did not know or care about God at all.

As we look at Daniel’s story this morning we get to see how he maintained his great faith in God while still making a great impression on these new people he was around.

Perspectives in new places

So Daniel and his friends and other young men like them were placed in this program and told that they would have to eat, speak, drink a certain way.

Same God new place

You can imagine that could pose a problem for them as believers because as followers of God we are suppose to live our lives for God and do everything in a way that points to God and brings him glory. That even includes the way we eat! Old testament believers did not eat specific meats in order to set themselves apart FOR God and so that they would be viewed as God’s followers.

We are going to look at 3 ways that Daniel made an impression on these new people and how we can make an impact on people around us without compromising our faith in God.

As we read the story of Daniel, there are a few things that stand out for believers to follow God in new situations…

1. Prioritize of God’s plan

Process of God’s plan

Part of GOd’s plan is for us to get to know Him and study his word.

Just like getting to know anybody, this is kind os a process that takes time. We can get to know God little by little by studying His word REGULARLY and that is exactly what Daniel did. Daniel was a regular student of God’s word and He was very familiar with the Bible and he made sure to be familiar with God and the way that God would have us live.

What goes in comes out:

My aunt always says this… what goes in comes out.

When we filter our intake through God’s will that makes our thoughts, God’s will, our choices Gods will.

God wants us to be close to Him and in His word and something special happens when start and continue the amazing process in our lives of getting to know God closely. The more we get to know Gd the more he changes us and the way we think and the way we act and the things we want and God helps us to want the things that he does.

In Daniel’s story, He knew God’s word and knew that God had a plan for Him, and he knew that some of the things that hew as asked to do in this program was NOT GOD’s will!

Remember, O.T. believers were not to eat certain kinds of meat so Daniel could not eat the meat that he was suppose to in this program.

Look at verse 8 in

2. Providence to do God’s plan

Something special happens when we prioritize God’s plan. You see, Daniel did not make this deal with the advisor based on his own strengths or ability.

God gives you what you need.

Daniel was trading food that was going to help his body grow bigger and stronger with vegetables going and water. He was not betting on himself, but He was faithfully betting on God to provide what he needed do follow God’s plan.

God gives you what you need.

You will be qualified for what you are called

God does not call us to do something and then leave us there to do things all by ourselves and he did not leave Daniel all by himself here either.

Progress Because of God’s will

Look at verse 14 of to see how God provided for Daniel as Daniel followed God…

Even though Daniel did not have what he needed, God miraculously provided for Him.

3. Progress Because of God’s plan

The last thing that we see in Daniel’s life is progress. Progress because of God’s plan! Remember what the King wanted? He wanted young men to be as big and strong, and smart, as possible. all God wanted was for Daniel to follow Him. SO Daniel prioritized God’s plan and God provided everything Daniel needed to follow Him.

But something else happens when we commit our lives to follow God’s plan. Progress.

Sometimes we overlook this as followers of God and we think that God wants us to be boring people who just to bible studies and are nto that special at all.

That’s not true. God also wants to use you to make progress in your life, and progress for His kingdom. God wants to use you to share His great glory with the world and that is exactly what God did with Daniel .

Look at Verse 17-20

Focus on Verse 20.

It would have been so easy for Daniel to focus on what all the people around him wanted, but He decided to prioritize God’s plan because he knew that God’s way are so much greater then ours.

God’s way are so much greater then ours.

Closing

We are not all that different from Daniel. We all have a new stage in our lives that we are moving into.

As you move into that new phase, I want you to keep God’s plan in mind.

1. Prioritize God’s plan

When we filter our intake through God’s will that makes our thoughts, God’s will, our choices Gods will.

2. Providence to do God’s plan

You will be qualified for what you are called

3. Progress Because of God’s plan