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So as we get into Daniel 6 this morning, I want to read from Daniel 6, verses 26 and 27. Read these
last week. We'll read them again this morning. It says, I make a decree that in all my royal dominion
people are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, enduring forever.
His kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and
rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. He who has saved Daniel from the power
of the lion. Would you pray with me? God, as we come into your word, Lord, we thank you for your
working and your moving in and among us. God, as we study your word, may we hear what you have for us.
May you be glorified in what is said and in what is done.
Lord, if any of this is not
of me, Lord, remove it
so that you can clearly be heard.
And it's in Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
As we shared from week one,
the book of Daniel is divided into two
sections. Chapters one through six deal with the historical, biblical account and record in the
life of Daniel. And then chapter seven and moving forward, we'll focus on the prophetic section of
the book of Daniel. So this morning, as we conclude chapter six, as we work all our way through this,
last week we just got through the first four verses. We'll kind of conclude the part that we have of
Daniel's life and then we'll jump next week and continue on with the prophetic section of the book
of Daniel. And so I hope God is teaching you and working in you as much as God is doing in my life
and we celebrate him for all he's done. But if you weren't here with us last week, I do want to bring
you a little bit up to speed Daniel six verses one through four. So kind of give us the setting of
what we're going to find here in this very popular story that so many of us has heard. And again,
what we believe as we talk through these is if it's in the Bible, we do not believe that this is a
made up story. We believe that this is a true story, that it actually happened, that this is from
history and no archeological dig, nothing that archeologists have ever uncovered, have ever done
anything to disprove the historical count of God's words. We can hold true that what is here is
actually that. It is true. And so in Daniel six, one through four, the Mede and Persian empire has
overtaken Babylon and Darius is now the king. And Daniel that we've seen from Daniel chapter one, just
like he did in the Babylonian empire, has once again risen to leadership. So you've got these pagan kings
choosing godly Daniel to help them and to assist them. And Daniel has risen to leadership.
And he's a man of what we find in Daniel six continues to meet, to be a man of godly reputation
and continuing to be a man of godly integrity to the point. This was the driving point home for us last week
that even lost people around Daniel see the evidence of the work of God in the life of Daniel.
But there's gonna be some conflict. And I think that's the part of us that we've got to come to grips
with. If you're here and you're not a believer, not a follower of Jesus Christ, let me kind of bring
you to make sure that you know a little bit about us as Christians. Becoming a follower of Jesus Christ
does not make your life easy. Becoming a follower of Jesus Christ does not free you from persecution.
In fact, what God's word tells us, Jesus's own words is to expect it. And to actually, when we're
persecuted to kind of understand the blessing that comes from that. And Daniel falls into that category
as well. As Daniel is elevated, there's a group of men who feel that they've wrongly been passed over.
And so they look to find fault in Daniel, but there's not any fault that they can find.
We'll laugh about this. Like the government has done their due diligence to find any error, any fault,
any area of questioning of the integrity. There's not been a paperclip that this man has taken home.
He is a man of character and integrity of God. And that's who they seem, that's who they believe him
to be. But they still begin to desire and plot and plan to bring Daniel down to elevate themselves.
So read with me. We're going to read verses five through verses 15.
Then these men said we shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel,
unless we find it connected with the law of his God.
Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him,
"O king, Darius, live forever. All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps and
the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce
an injunction that whoever makes petition to any god or man for 30 days, except to you,
O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document
so that it cannot be changed according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.
Therefore, King Darius signed the document and the injunction. And when Daniel knew that the document
had been signed, he went into his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open towards Jerusalem.
He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done
previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.
Then they came near and said before the king concerning the injunction, "O king, did you not sign an injunction
that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man within 30 days except to you, O king, shall be cast into
the den of lions?" And the king answered and said, "The thing stands fast according to the law of the Medes and
the Persians, which cannot be revoked." Then they answered and said before the king, "Daniel, who was one of the exiles
from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three
times a day." Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver
Daniel. And he labored till the son went down to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to
the king, "No, O king, that is the law of the Medes and the Persians, that no injunction or ordinance that the king
establishes can be established can be changed." I want to talk to you this morning about godly routine.
Godly routine.
If someone were going to accurately attack your character,
where would they attack you?
Would they attack your honesty? Would they attack your financials? Would they attack your thought
life? Would they attack your search history? Would they attack your language? Would they attack the way
that you view other people? If people were going to attack your character, where would they attack you?
Now imagine the setting that we walk into. Imagine if the only way your character could be attacked by
the pagan laws culture you live in is for them to find fault in you due to your faithfulness to God.
That's what we find here in Daniel chapter 6, verse 5. "Then these men said, 'We shall not find any
grounds for complaint against this Daniel, unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.'"
The pagan world looks at him and says, 'There's nothing there, so where we will attack him is in his faithfulness
to his God.'" So they go to the king
And they propose a law. A law that could be common during this time amongst the nations as one nation
conquered another. That there would be a time period that the people who were conquered and everyone to
show unity under this new law, under this new king, would pledge a time period of personal devotion to that
king and that king alone. But this law will come that they impose. And this law, once it is set,
cannot be overturned. Even the king himself cannot choose to grant forgiveness for someone who breaks the law.
And so this new law will only last for one month and establishes within what they will set to accomplish,
that no one can pray, no one can worship to anyone else except the king.
And if you do, it's not a financial matter, it's a life matter.
And what will cause you is your life.
And so the king agrees. You see, for Darius, this makes sense.
For Darius, remember as we looked through and we saw the kings of Babylon, right, it's not that one
king decided, you know what, it's time for me to retire and let the next person come in and lead.
You get removed from leadership when your life is removed.
And so Darius, I'm sure, not confident in where he stands, probably worried that there are assassins
all around, no one can seek out, no one can petition, no one can worship unless it's Darius.
And so Daniel finds out about the law.
Daniel, who, what we could kind of come to understand is there's the king and then there's like a prime minister
and this is the capacity in which Daniel is fulfilling at this time.
He finds out about the law and what does he do?
Verse 10 tells us when Daniel knew that the document had been signed,
He went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem.
He got down on his knees three times a day and he prayed and he gave thanks before his God as he had done previously.
People have speculated, well, Daniel did this in his home, so he was hiding.
No.
Daniel was in a foreign land.
Daniel was amongst pagan temples.
Daniel opened the windows.
Daniel did what Daniel had been doing every single day in his 85 years of what we find,
70 of those of being a captive of a foreigner in a foreign land continues in his love, continues in his prayer, continues in his worship of God.
What we see about Daniel's routine is Daniel's routine displayed Daniel's loyalty.
Sometimes we look at routine as a bad thing.
Oh, I get stuck in my routine.
I've got to get out of the routine I'm in to bring about a freshness.
Well, let me challenge you to begin to look at routine with a way that I feel like the Lord is challenging me to look at the spiritual routine in my life.
It's to not look at a spiritual routine as a rut to get stuck in, but to look at my spiritual routine as the spiritual disciplines that God is using to grow me and to grow me closer to him.
And that's what we find with Daniel.
Now, I want to ask you a question.
And I want to be careful with this question, and not that this question is coming from me at you,
but that this question was a question that the Holy Spirit prompted me to evaluate over the last several weeks about myself.
If a law was passed
and prayer was banned,
if a law was passed
and worship was banned
for 30 days,
what would it change in your life?
what if
a law
was passed
that says
if you pray to your God
it'll cost you your life?
What if a law was passed
that said if you worship your God
whether individually or corporately
it'll cost you your life?
Would anything change?
would anything more than maybe what we tune our radio to in the morning?
Would anything change more than what we say before we eat a meal?
Change?
There's a couple ways that we could look at this law.
It's only 30 days, big deal, God's grace.
Or would we respond like Daniel?
I don't care
if it's 30 days,
if it's 30 minutes,
if it's 30 seconds.
I'm not stopping no matter the cost.
You see, it's very interesting.
Daniel was probably 13 years old in chapter 1.
He's probably somewhere around 85 years old in chapter 6.
We don't see all of the events
and all of the details about Daniel's life.
But what I believe
when we draw from this
and see what God is teaching us
are these Daniel's daily walk
leading him to these summit moments
where his obedience
is called into question
and every single time
Daniel's character in Christ
comes forth.
Not just in the easy
but in the difficult.
Danny Akin in his commentary
on Daniel says
Christian character
is not forged in the moment of adversity
but Christian character
is revealed
in the moment of adversity.
Christian character
is not forged
in the moment of adversity.
Christian character
is revealed
in the moment
of the adversity.
Are you working now
to build,
to strengthen,
to develop
your Christian faithfulness,
your Christian toughness
so the moment
that you're called
to act upon
to be ready to fight
that you'll be ready.
Or are you doing nothing
to build,
to strengthen,
to develop
your Christian toughness
so that in the moment
when and if
you're called to fight
what you'll do
is simply fold.
Daniel's daily communion
with God
had so shaped
his character
that he was ready
to simply continue
in faithfulness
no matter
the cost.
that's not a routine
that you get stuck
in a rut with.
That's a godly routine
that builds
and strengthens you
through the power
of God's spirit.
So the rulers
come to the king.
The king finds out
Daniel.
Daniel's broken the law.
Daniel hasn't stopped
praying to his god
and now the king
is torn
because we see
he has an affection
for Daniel
but even he realizes
that he's not
above the law.
So continue with me
in verse 16.
then the king
commanded
and Daniel
was brought
and cast
into the den
of lions.
The king
declared to Daniel
may your god
whom you serve
continually
deliver you.
And a stone
was brought
and laid
on the mouth
of the den
and the king
sealed it
with his own signet
and with the signet
of his lords
that nothing
might be changed
concerning Daniel.
Then the king
went to his palace
and spent the night
fasting.
No diversions
were brought
to him
and sleep
fled from him.
Then at the break
of day
the king arose
and went in
with haste
to the den
of lions.
And as he came
near to the den
where Daniel was
he cried out
in a tone
of anguish.
The king
declared to Daniel
O Daniel
servant
of the living
God
has your god
whom you serve
continually
been able
to deliver you
from the lions?
Then Daniel
said to the king
O king
live forever.
My God
sent his angel
and shut
the lions
mouths
and they
have not
harmed me
because I
was found
blameless
before him
and also
before you
O king
I have
done
no
harm.
Then the king
was extremely
glad
and commanded
that Daniel
be taken up
out of the den.
So Daniel
was taken
out of the den
and no kind
of harm
was found
on him
because he
had trusted
his God
and the king
commanded
and those men
who had maliciously
accused Daniel
were brought
and cast
into the den
of lions
they
their children
and their
wives
and before
they reached
the bottom
of the den
the lions
overpowered
them
and broke
all their
bones
in pieces.
I want to
talk to you
about godly
confidence.
Godly
confidence.
We have seen
throughout the
book of Daniel
Daniel's not a
man who gets
rattled easily.
In Daniel
chapter 2
when he knew
that his
life might be
on the line
and he
was dependent
on a
revelation
from God
Daniel
went
to sleep
because he
was confident
of what God
was going
to do
and what God
could deliver
from
but not only
was he confident
what God
could do
Daniel
could rest
when God
moved
and when God
seemingly
didn't move.
I think
what's
interesting
here
is that
the person
who's
emotionally
affected
by this
entire
situation
isn't
Daniel
but it's
Darius.
It's Darius
who can't
eat.
It's Darius
who can't
sleep.
It's Darius
who's consumed
with the
troublesome
thoughts of
his mind
and while
we don't
have the
specifics
concerning
Daniel's
state of
mind
like we've
talked about
before
in his
godly
routine
that he's
rested
in
before
we see
his
confidence
does not
rest
in his
circumstances
that his
confidence
doesn't rest
in his
situation
but that
his
confidence
rests
in
God.
The king
rushes the
next day
to the
lion's
den
I believe
hoping
I believe
the king
was sincere
in verse
16
when he
said may
your god
whom you
continually
serve
who you
serve
continually
deliver
you
I don't
believe that
was lip
service
this was a
man who
killed for
a hobby
but Daniel
was his
friend
the king
rushes to
the den
believing
and hoping
I believe
hoping
that Daniel
God would
deliver him
and what
does he
find
Daniel
alive
and he
asked a
question
has your
God
saved you
I want to
ask you a
question
has God
saved you
not
you see
Darius
would have
heard
Darius
would have
known
about the
things of
God
from his
connection
to Daniel
but Daniel
believed
Daniel
trusted
and Daniel
before
the lion's
den
in the
lion's
den
and after
the lion's
den
sat
in the
salvation
hand
of God
and he
asks
did
your
God
save
you
and Daniel
says
my God
sent his
angel
and shut
the lion's
mouth
and they
have not
harmed
me
because I
was found
blameless
before him
and also
before you
oh king
I have
done
no harm
Aaron
and I
in our
first year
of marriage
went on a
mission trip
I've talked
about it
before
to Africa
we were
down in
South Africa
in Zimbabwe
and one
of the
two days
that we
first went
there
we were in
South Africa
for two
days
and then
we were
going to
journey
into Zimbabwe
and we
were going
to drive
they told
us that we
were going
to be
riding in
a chicken
bus
their words
I didn't
know what
a chicken
bus
was
but the
moment I
saw it
I went
yep
that's a
chicken
bus
and we
drove
and I
remember
listening to
people talk
hope I
see a
giraffe
I thought
that would
be cool
hope I
see an
elephant
I was
thinking
yeah
I'm
down
I hope
I get
to see
a lion
not me
right
like
lion
people
battle
we're
going to
lose
you know
like that's
just how
this is
going to
work
this is
how
this is
going to
play
out
and
Daniel
in spite
of the
reality
before
him
was
saved
in spite
of what
could have
happened
in spite
of what
should have
happened
it
didn't
happen
because
his
God
saved
him
and
Daniel
explains
how
he says
because
I
was
found
blameless
before
him
Daniel's
salvation
was
possible
because
he was
found
blameless
before
God
church
there's
so much
in this
story
that we
could do
a three
month
series
that points
us to
the cross
and the
empty
tomb
there's
so much
that points
to the
New
Testament
work
of what
we
find
in
Christ
Daniel
here
doesn't
claim
to be
perfect
that's
not what
the word
blameless
here
means
but
he
finds
confidence
in his
innocence
and in
his
innocence
he set
free
God
sent
God
sent
Daniel
and God
sent
an angel
and for
the angel
to save
Daniel
can you
imagine
being
Daniel
you're
in the
they
describe it
as
probably
a hole
in the
floor
and the
lions
would have
been in
the floor
and that
you'd have
been thrown
in from
the top
and then
it was
sealed
so that
if you
did
figure
a way
to
climb
out
or to
climb
to the
top
you
couldn't
so what
would be
there
is
instant
death
darkness
and all
of a
sudden
Daniel
in this
moment
of
confidence
in the
Lord
but I'm
just going
to guess
also
just kind
of a
little
like
God I'm
confident
in you
but this
may hurt
a little
and then
there's an
angel
it's an
angel
so let's
put you
let's say
you're with
Daniel
and you're
in there
and this
angel shows
up
and Daniel
is like
angel of
God man
let me
just tell
you man
this is
our means
of salvation
how would
you respond
I don't
think you
would say
you know
no I
don't
really believe
in things
like this
I don't
think you
would say
you know
I really
appreciate the
offer but
I'm just
not ready
today
I don't
think you'd
say
you know
I get
that I did
nothing to
deserve this
but you
know what
I would
really like
to figure
this out
on my
own
I
watched
Return of
the Jedi
and like
Luke figured
out how
to get
out
right
there we
go
for the
Star Wars
fans
I'm gonna
figure this
out on my
own
I don't
think you
would say
no thanks
I'm not
ready to
follow you
out of the
situation
that I find
myself in
spiritually
speaking
if Jesus
Christ is
not your
Lord and
Savior
where you
find yourself
at is a
pit
a pit of
sin
and death
a pit of
sin and
death that
you chose
and that you
deserve
and God
offers you
through the
person
and the
work of
Christ
salvation
from his
hand
will you
choose it
will you
take it
and will
you be
confident
I'm not
perfect
I know
I'm not
perfect
I'm reminded
continually
that I'm
not perfect
I've done
a lot of
things that
are wrong
I continue
in my life
to struggle
with pride
greed
selfishness
flesh
and many
other things
but one
day I
found out
that I
was in
a pit
just like
Daniel
and the
pit that
I created
was my
fault
it was due
to my
action
it was due
to my
sin
and I
came to
the
understanding
and I
came to
the faith
that the
only way
out of
that pit
was Jesus
and that
Jesus
as guilty
as I
was
when he
took me
out of
that pit
as I
stand
before my
king
I'm
blameless
and I'm
innocent
and I
don't
care
what
level
of wicked
evil
dirty
you think
you've
done
the
offer
of
Christ
is the
same
for me
as it
is for
you
would you
take
the
offer
out
of the
pit
and then
in it
and then
in it
you
will be
made
blameless
as you're
held
in the
eternal
salvation
hand
of God
this day
is not
turning out
the way
that Darius
thought
he's
hopeful
but
the odds
of an
85 year
old man
versus
lions
verse 25
then
King
Darius
wrote
to all
the
peoples
nations
and
languages
that
dwell
in all
the earth
peace
be
multiplied
to you
I make
a decree
that in
all my
royal
dominion
people
are to
tremble
and fear
before the
God of
Daniel
for he
is the
living God
enduring
forever
his kingdom
shall never
be destroyed
and his
dominion
shall be
to the end
he delivers
and rescues
he works
signs and
wonders
in heaven
and on
earth
he who
has saved
Daniel
from the
power
of the
lions
and so
this Daniel
prospered
during the
reign of
Darius
in the
reign of
Cyrus
the Persian
so
when we
understand
what
God
has
done
as
he
called
you
as
he
grabbed
you
as
he
pulled
you
out
of
the
pit
what
we
find
is
godly
purpose
Darius
puts
out
a
statement
Darius
who
biblical
historians
do not
believe
is a
follower
of god
he just
watched
a
miracle
he just
watched
an
85
year
old
man
survive
the
impossible
he
doesn't
talk
about
how
great
Daniel
is
he
doesn't
say
let me
tell you
about
this
old
man
and
what
he's
done
he
overcome
what
hundreds
could
not
instead
he
told
the
story
of
what
Daniel
had
been
telling
about
Daniel's
god
about
Daniel's
god
see
Daniel's
life
is
not
a
story
about
Daniel
1
Daniel
2
Daniel
3
Daniel
4
Daniel
5
Daniel
6
it's
not
a
story
about
Daniel
it's
not
a
story
about
Nebuchadnezzar
it's
not
a
story
about
Darius
it's
not
a
story
about
Shadrach
Meshach
Abednego
it's
the
story
of
God
that
God's
name
be
known
that
God's
saving
work
be
proclaimed
the
story
of
Daniel's
life
is
the
story
of
God
and
closing
one
last
question
what's
the
story
of
your
life
is
it
the
story
of
the
pit
is
it
the
story
of
you
or
is
it
the
story
of
the
God
who
saved
you
from
the
pit
would
you
pray
with
me
God
we
thank
you
for
the
truth
of
your
word
God
we
thank
you
for
the
life
of
Daniel
we
thank
you
for
this
godly
man
who
put
his
faith
his
hope
and
his
trust
in
you
we
thank
you
Lord
for
the
salvation
that
you
gave
to
him
and
the
salvation
that
you
offer
to
us
and
Lord
I
pray
if
there's
anyone
here
who
does
not
know
Christ
as
their
Lord
and
Savior
that
today
will
be
the
day
of
their
salvation
it's
not
about
how
do
we
get
it
right
how
do
we
do
it
all
perfect
it's
about
trusting
the
one
who
did
and
it's
in
Jesus
name
we
pray
amen
that's
it
for
this
week's
message
be
sure
to
check
back
next
week
for
a
new
episode
and
in
the
meantime
you
can
visit
us
online
at
willowridgechurch.org
or by
searching for
Willow Ridge Church
on Facebook
Instagram
and
YouTube
thanks
again
for
listening
and