JR - 5 Secrets of Success in any Any Culture

Hi everyone and welcome today, so glad that you are here.

Open in Prayer

We have been talking in the life of our church about the subject of honour and how honour is a choice.

Today we are going to be looking at the life of Daniel, Daniel is a person in the Old Testement. The book of Daniel is about his life in Mesopotamia.

We are going to take a moment to check out a video clip from the History Chennel that tell us little bit about that area and set the scene for what we going to look at this morning.

Video Clip

Title: 5 Secrets of Success in any Any Culture

Intro: Babylon was one of the Seven Wonders of the World, but ancient Babylon attracts more insurgents than tourists these days, with the nearby modern city of Hillah achieving notoriety as the scene of the recent Isis activity.

We know that there has been heeps of destruction, lives lost and a lot of pain.

How did such an amazing place Babylon become a den of terror?

When it used to be visited by scientists and educated people from all over the world.

It has been discovered and found over the years that there has been all kinds of conflict

Hillah is the heir to Babylon, with many of its buildings made out of bricks taken from the great palace of Nebuchadnezzar.

The ancient city, famed for its immense, fortified walls and the magnificence of its buildings, was at the centre of Mesopotamia, the land regarded as the cradle of Middle Eastern and European civilisation.

But as it lay deserted for two millennia, many believed it was no more than a Biblical myth, a metaphor for wealth and power until its extensive remains were discovered in the 19th century.

Lets look at the life of Daniel in this envirnoment

Daniel is famous for his wisdom, prophetic insight, and the incredible influence he had in the highest places in government. But just imagine his backstory for a minute.  From a young age, he was taken from his family and planted into the enemy’s camp. Daniel and his three friends had names with significant, Godly meaning (“God is my judge,” “who is like God,” etc). They were given new names—Belteshazzar (Daniel), Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—and suddenly they are named after the Babylonian gods Bel, Aku, and Nebo.

Nebuchadnezzar was trying to prove that his gods were greater than the God that Daniel and his friends served.  He tried to give them new identities; in Biblical times, names often dictated a person’s character, traits, and significance.  He tried to force them to adhere to Babylonian culture, throwing them into training with witch doctors and pushing them to eat their unclean food.

I would encourage you to Read the book of Daniel

But when you know who you are, you are rooted and grounded in the love of God, and you become the force that changes culture.  The culture around you has no power to change your identity.

Daniel was a covert influencer who changed the environment from the inside out.  Throughout his life, we can see how the language he spoke and the actions he took shaped society:

My message title if you are taking notes is: 5 Secrets of Success in any Any Culture

No -1 Daniel prayed and listened to God when faced with any crisis.

Daniel prayed after receiving bad news.  When King Nebuchadnezzar issued an order to execute all of his royal advisers, Daniel and his friends prayed and received wisdom.  When King Darius signed an order that nobody could request anything from any god other than him,

Daniel prayed, “just as he had always done.”  He wasn’t ashamed, either.  He prayed in front of open windows where people could see him, in a culture that rejected God.

Daniel’s prayers were so significant that God sent an angel to tell him, “God has heard your prayers ever since the first day you decided to humble yourself in order to gain understanding.”

Daniel 10:12 NKJV

12 Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.

As a result, the angel came to give him strategy and vision for the future.

No – 2 Daniel chose his words carefully.

After King Nebuchadnezzar issued a country-wide execution, Daniel “chose his words carefully” and requested more time from Arioch, the lead executioner.  He received wisdom after praying, and explained to the king that God could not only interpret his dream, but describe the dream to him.  As he described the dream and its interpretation, his words deeply impacted the king because they were true and accurate.  It impressed the king so much that Daniel and his friends were promoted to one of the highest places in government.

It is incredible how the Lord went before them and led the way.

No -3 Daniel was not willing to compromise.

Before Daniel was recognized by any person of power, Ashpenaz—Nebuchadnezzar’s chief official—taught him Babylonian culture and issued the king’s order to eat his food and drink his wine.  Daniel approached Ashpenaz to request help, and God made him sympathetic.  However, Ashpenaz’s fear of the king prevented him from helping Daniel.

Daniel would not compromise, so he approached the guard whom Ashpenaz had placed in charge of him and his three friends.  He was given favor again, and God gave him the strategy to ask for 10 days to eat clean food.  In that time, he and his friends appeared stronger than any one of the king’s men, so he was allowed to follow God’s orders over the king’s for the next three years.

Proverbs 3:5–6 NKJV

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

No- 4 Daniel spoke honour, even when he was terribly dishonoured.

Each time Daniel spoke to the four kings he served under, he addressed them by their respected title, “Your Majesty.”  Love was so perfected in his heart that when he had bad news to deliver, he said, “Your Majesty, I wish that the dream and its explanation applied to your enemies and not to you!”

Daniel 4:19 NKJV

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies!

I can only imagine how these loving words softened the king’s hard heart.

So all the way through dealing with these tirents,

dealing with these dicktaters,

dealing with these kings that were very aggresive,

If you go and study a bit of the Babylonian history, the gods that they served, the sacrifices, the barbaric culture will scare you and you will be thankful that you live today and not back in Daniels time.

Daniel’s consistent display of honour and love caused the kings he served under to respect and even befriend him.  Daniel was especially close with King Darius, so it must have come as quite a blow when the king—out of duty—commanded Daniel to be thrown in with the lions for violating his own law.  

But instead of harboring resentment, he responded to the king the next morning with honour when he inquired of his wellbeing: “I’m fine, thanks for asking! May you live forever, king! God rescued me since I’m innocent!” Can imagine Daniel curling up in their long manes, sleeping well in the midst of his enemies.  Again, Daniel was promoted after this whole ordeal.

Daniel kept a sweet spirit through his life.

Daniel spoke the truth without fear.

Daniel lived with a confidence to tell the truth in love without fear of the consequences.  He didn’t water down the news the Lord led him to give.  The kings Daniel served under would kill people for delivering bad news!

But they treated Daniel with favour, promoting him even when he interpreted dreams or writings that prophesied the destruction of the kingdoms he served.

Imagine what Daniel’s situation would look like today. Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar is similar to ISIS.  He was quick to anger and issued barbaric punishments over anyone who disagreed with him. 

Daniel was like the child soldiers of ISIS today, kidnapped and recruited, brainwashed, and forced to do their bidding.

God didn’t tell Daniel to honour a king like this because he did anything to deserve honour. 

But we know that we should show honour to those that are in places of honour. The language of heaven is love and honour.  

No -5 God knew that if Daniel spoke love to the harshest, most evil leader, it could change him.

Could this happen today if a Daniel spoke to the leaders of ISIS? Or dictators?

Or the people around you that drive you crazy?

What would happen to these individuals?

Would we speak about them in love? Speaking the truth in love could be the catalyst that causes them to wake up. Then they can help you fight the fires in this world.

Daniel was able to flurish in the environment that he was in and see God glorified.

Conclusion:

Honour is a choice and starts by respecting those around us. Don’t wait for people to earn your respect, give them respect.

Show honour to positions of leadership and Authority.

When the police pull you over show respect.

When the mayor visits our church. Show respect.

When you have opportunities to interact with your parents. Show respect.

When the teacher walks in the room. Show respect.

Daniel showed great insite in to honour and love that will change any bad culture or life.

Lets close in prayer.