Sermon Notes courtesy of Sis. Tamala R. Maddox, Ph.D.
45 Conviction in an Age of Compromise – Sermon Series
Old Testament
Daniel 1:1 – 9
conviction – to be stopped where you are
Once faced with the authentic Word of God, you will be arrested (convicted); stop exactly where you are
We’re compromising on a lot; on who we think The Lord loves; Bible says “whosoever will”; it doesn’t give circumstances under which He loves you
Compromised on teaching our children what thus saith The Lord; we’ve compromised on reading the Word – The Daily Break is not the Word; we forsake the assembly by using the internet – convenience is not always good
How can I love The Lord and live in the world. Too many of us have compromised. It is difficult to tell those who are in the world and those who are of the world. How do we live with convictions.
Today’s Title – DETERMINED
We are so far away from God that it is easy for the enemy to get to us. The lure to compromise is there. The enemy is looking for the weakness in our perimeter.
I. The Strategies Designed to Bring About Compromise
A. Isolation – he will pull you away from everything you know that is familiar; you are isolated so that you can be controlled; Daniel was set up in high form, he was put in the palace and fed from the king’s table
B. Indoctrination – took these bright Jewish boys and tried to turn them into cultured Babylonians; some of us are black from birth and try to become culturally something else; the enemy finds a way to make you hate who you are; you are stripped of who you are when you are indoctrinated; Daniel was put into a three year training program; they changed everyone’s name – Daniel did not allow them to change his name to Belteshazzar; the other three are only known by their Babylonian names (each name was linked to a Babylonian idol) – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are the names we know instead of Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah
C. Immorality – cover you in immorality (entice you); put stuff in front of you that you will like; these boys were devout Jews who didn’t eat pork therefore eating the king’s food was against this; Daniel snuck over and asked that he not have to eat the food or drink the wine – The Lord moved on the man’s heart and he agreed to help Daniel
You have to be determined to stand on your faith. Daniel did that.
God can validate faith without you doing things the way man wants them done.