August/15/ 2015
Pressure
Part 1:
Under Pressure
Key verse: Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Daniel 1:1-6 “During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah,[a] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia[b] and placed them in the treasure-house of his god. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. 4 “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.[c]” 5 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service. 6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah.”
1. The culture will try to rename you.
verse 6-7 “Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names:
Daniel was called Belteshazzar.
Hananiah was called Shadrach.
Mishael was called Meshach.
Azariah was called Abednego.
Daniel = Hebrew = God is my judge
Belteshazzar= Babylonian = lady, protect the king.
Hananiah = Hebrew = Yahweh has been gracious
Shadrach = Babylonian = Afraid of God
Mishael = Hebrew = who is what God is?
Meshach = Babylonian = despised contemptible and humiliated.
Azariah = Hebrew = yahweh has helped me, yahweh is a very endearing term. It was all about personal relationship
Abednego = Babylonian = servant of nebo
When the pressure is on you must know who you are.
When you know who I am, I will know what to do.
2. The culture will try to tame you.
verse 5 “The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.”
verse 8 “But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.”
When the pressure is on don’t lose your convictions.
verse 9-14 ‘Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. 10 But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.” 11 Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 12 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. 13 “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” 14 The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days.
How do we pass the test?
1. Decide before hand:
2. Surround yourself with the right people
Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 “…Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”
3. Spend time with God
verse 15-21 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. 16 So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. 17 God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams. 18 When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. 20 Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. 21 Daniel remained in the royal service until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus
If you want to make a difference you have to be different.
August/08/ 2015
Smarter Not Harder
Part 4
Smart Words
Key thought: The wise life is the best life.
Proverbs 19:21 "Life and death are in the power of the tongue."
3 ways that words can create life or death...
1. Spiritual
2. Physical
3. Emotional
If words are powerful, how should we treat them?
1. Test every word that others say about me.
Proverbs 20:12 “Ears to hear and eyes to see both are gifts from the Lord.”
Mark 4:24 "Consider carefully what you hear…"
4 word tests…
a. Does it line up with what God says?
b. It is true?
c. Who is saying it?
d. How many people are saying this?
2. Trust every word that God says about me.
Psalm 33:9 “For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.
John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Psalm 107: 20 “He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.
Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Mark 11:23 "...If anyone says to this mountain, 'Go throw yourself into the sea; and does not doubt in his heart but believes what he says will happen, it will be done for him."
3. Take every opportunity to speak life-giving words to others.
Ephesians 4:29 " Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Proverbs 15:23 LB “Everyone enjoys giving good advice, and how wonderful it is to be able to say the right thing at the right time!”
Proverbs 12:18 “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Proverbs 12:25 “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”
Proverbs 16:24 “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
Proverbs 10:21 NLT “The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.
Hebrews 3:13 "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today
August/02/ 2015
Smarter Not Harder
Part 4
Smart Words
Key thought: The wise life is the best life.
Proverbs 19:21 "Life and death are in the power of the tongue."
3 ways that words can create life or death...
1. Spiritual
2. Physical
3. Emotional
If words are powerful, how should we treat them?
1. Test every word that others say about me.
Proverbs 20:12 “Ears to hear and eyes to see both are gifts from the Lord.”
Mark 4:24 "Consider carefully what you hear…"
4 word tests…
a. Does it line up with what God says?
b. It is true?
c. Who is saying it?
d. How many people are saying this?
2. Trust every word that God says about me.
Psalm 33:9 “For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.
John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Psalm 107: 20 “He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.
Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Mark 11:23 "...If anyone says to this mountain, 'Go throw yourself into the sea; and does not doubt in his heart but believes what he says will happen, it will be done for him."
3. Take every opportunity to speak life-giving words to others.
Ephesians 4:29 " Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Proverbs 15:23 LB “Everyone enjoys giving good advice, and how wonderful it is to be able to say the right thing at the right time!”
Proverbs 12:18 “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Proverbs 12:25 “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”
Proverbs 16:24 “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
Proverbs 10:21 NLT “The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.
Hebrews 3:13 "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today
