Willow Ridge Sermons | Daniel • Week 2

August 17th, 2025 • "And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs" – Daniel 1:9

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Host

Beau Bradberry

Senior Pastor

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I want to invite you to join us in Daniel chapter 1.

We continue on week 2 in our study of this book.

If you do not have a Bible, we would like to give you one.

And so after the service is over with, you can come back to this table right back here

to my left.

We have some black Bibles that are back there.

We'd love to give you one of those.

As a gift, we want you to be in God's Word, studying God's Word, and engaging with God's

Word on Sunday morning as we gather here together.

And it's a wonderful opportunity to get you connected with a Bible.

No strings attached.

You can be a member.

You can be a first-time guest.

Anybody who is here is welcome to come back there and get one.

And then also for our first-time guest, my wife Erin and I will be in the very back as

well at the end of the service at that table.

Would love for you to stop by with just an opportunity for us to meet you and to thank

you and to welcome you today for worshiping with us.

I want to read this verse from Daniel chapter 1, verse 9 as we get into God's Word.

And it says,

God, I thank you for the beauty, for the wonder, for the truth of your Word.

God, as we dive into the study in Daniel today, Lord, may you teach us what you would have for

us.

God, may you convict our hearts, the sin that we have.

Lord, may you draw us closer to you.

And Lord, if there's anyone here who does not know you, Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior.

May today be the day of their salvation.

God, may I be faithful to your Word and may all that is said bring glory and honor to your name.

And it's in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

We started last week in our study in Daniel.

This will be our study that we go through this fall.

And Daniel's a very interesting book.

It's one of the major prophets that we find in the Old Testament is Daniel.

But it's written a little bit differently than when we see a lot of our prophetic books in the Bible.

Chapters 1 through 6, we're going to deal with the man and the story of Daniel.

It will be a narrative of Daniel's obedience to God.

And then what we'll see in chapters 7 through 12, we'll deal with the message of Daniel.

So Daniel is the prophet that God is using.

So in the first six chapters, we'll see Daniel's obedience to God.

And then the last half, we'll see this apocalyptic vision that God gives Daniel.

And Daniel shares, Daniel records, because Daniel is also the writer of Daniel.

And then for us to be able to see what God has for us.

Last week kind of helped us in the setting of what brings us into Daniel.

So if you weren't here last week and you haven't listened to it online, I would encourage you to do so.

It gives kind of an introduction into how do we find ourselves, how do we find Daniel,

where we find Daniel and God's people, where we find God's people being conquered by the Babylonians.

So here, a couple sentences, what happened?

The Babylonians conquered God's people.

And verse 2 tells us that this happened by the hand of God.

So it was not through military cunning.

It was not through the power of man.

But it happened by the very hand of God that God handed over his people to these pagan outsiders.

As God's people have ignored his calls to return to him, to be obedient to him.

And God says, this is what I'm going to do.

This is what I'm going to do.

And then God, because he is truth, God doesn't just speak truth.

God doesn't just operate in truth.

God is truth.

God fulfills what he says he is going to fulfill.

So we're looking at God's people who are largely marked by their disobedience to him.

But just as not always everyone is faithful, we find here that not everyone is unfaithful to God.

That there are those in this time who have been faithful to God, but they're not set free from this captivity that they have to walk through.

There's young and old that have been faithful, but large majority have not.

And we're introduced to four of these faithful teenage boys last week.

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, all from the tribe of Judah.

All part of God's people.

And as we begin in this part of Daniel, we see that these are some of those who have been faithful.

Now this is not the first nation that the Babylonians have overtaken.

This isn't the first group of people that they've taken captive.

And so what they seek to do, and this is very interesting, we think of domination.

We think of when one country takes over another country.

We think through, they then govern that country through military power, right?

That's largely what Rome would do when Rome came in and overtook Jerusalem, right?

There was a military presence that's there.

Or through governmental powers, they would do that as well.

But the Babylonians, their strategy would be, is that they would come in and try to convert people into their culture.

They would try to change people.

And so it would be like today if one country took over another country,

and everything about them being their religion to the way that they operate, to the language that they speak.

Instead of saying, we're going to plant military bases all over your country,

what they would do is they would begin to bring in people into their country and begin to influence them

so that maybe at the end of the day, they're like, well, yeah, this is, I'm now a Babylonian.

And this is, this is who I am.

So it tells us at the beginning of chapter one that they brought the youngest, the best, the brightest of the people of Judah.

And they brought them in.

And those four, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, are four of those who get brought in.

Four of the faithful.

Babylon even realizes, Nebuchadnezzar realizes, that they're part of the best.

So they had a strategy of what they would do.

They would isolate them, all right?

So they would take them away, remove them from their people.

They would indoctrinate them.

They would teach them their language.

They would teach them their literature.

They would teach them their religion.

They would assimilate them.

They would eat of their food.

They would drink their wine.

They would literally change them from the inside out.

With a goal of converting them.

And very early on, when convert them, what I mean is that they want to change their identity.

And very early on, these four men, teenage boys, have their names changed and they're given Babylonian names.

And we saw last week that their names had meant, their previous names had been in their relationship with who God is in their life.

And now their Babylonian names would be names that honor different Babylonian gods.

I mean, it's wrong of what they do.

But it's, it works.

And you see this begin to happen.

But what we see and what we left off with Daniel in verse 8 is that there's a part of Daniel that says,

I'm not going to compromise.

I am who I am.

And I am who I am because of God.

So let's read back.

We're going to drop back one verse.

Let's read verses Daniel chapter 1, 8 through 13.

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food or with the wine that he drank.

Therefore, he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.

Verse 9 that we've already read.

And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.

Pause real quick.

The same hand of God who delivered him over was the same God who gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.

Holding in God's hand.

Verse 10.

And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel,

I fear my lord the king who assigned your food and your drink for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are your own age?

So you would endanger my head with the king.

And then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

test your servants for 10 days.

Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.

Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king soon be observed by you and deal with your servants according to what you see.

So here's what's happening in here.

So Daniel makes an appeal.

God grants him favor in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.

Daniel says, like, here, man, don't make us eat this.

And the chief of the eunuchs, like, he knows Nebuchadnezzar.

He's like, why should I risk my life so that you can be obedient to your God?

Like, I know what's going to happen to me if you're not well cared for because Nebuchadnezzar doesn't want death.

Nebuchadnezzar wants conversion.

And if I'm not obeying my king, why should you be able to obey your king?

And so Daniel says, give us 10 days, man.

Give us 10 days.

Let everyone else.

And I think it's important.

They're eating the food of the king.

I mean, like, if all of a sudden, like, a king invites you over for dinner, like, go.

Right?

Like, that's going to be good, you know?

And he says, just give us vegetables and water.

Now, let's challenge.

If someone wants to do nothing but vegetables and water for 10 days, and I'll stick to my diet, like, let's see what happens.

All right?

All right.

And Daniel's like, you won't.

And then compare us with everyone else.

Compare us with everyone else.

So let's see.

Basically, what Daniel says is, when we understand his heart, let's see what God's going to do, man.

Let's see what God's going to do.

So we see this willingness of this obedience of Daniel of being uncompromised.

And so, first of all, it's his uncompromised obedience.

Obedience requires, when it comes to you and I, being obedient before the Lord and what he's called us to do and who he's called us to be.

Obedience requires determination.

Daniel makes the decision of what he will do.

Why?

Why is this, of all of the things that are happening and taking place, why does Daniel drive his stake in the ground on the food that he will eat?

Well, God had given his people laws and dietary restrictions that they had to obey, that God had called them to in order to be faithful to him.

Now, we don't particularly know why the food that he was unclean, even though it was unclean, even though it was probably the best, but Daniel resolved, is what the Bible says, Daniel resolved that he would not eat the food.

It's interesting, it's interesting, it's interesting, it's a compound word in the original language.

And it means to determine in the heart.

It means to determine in the heart.

And your heart, biblically speaking, is your connected point of your will, your intellect, and your feelings.

And so Daniel determines in his mind, I will obey God.

In the intellect of who I am and what I know to be true, I resolve.

He determined in his will.

It doesn't matter what it smells like, it doesn't matter the temptation, it doesn't matter where I'll be pulled, I'm determined.

Determined in his heart.

Determined in his feelings.

Well, I'm here, obviously, believing the lie God's left me here.

What I've done wrong, all I've been is faithful.

And I can't believe that I would feel this way.

But what Daniel does is he resolves in his whole being, with all that he is, that he will obey God.

Church, when it comes to obedience, obedience isn't a move of the emotion.

Obedience isn't an agreeance with the mind.

Obedience is not a personal characteristic of faithfulness.

Obedience is a determination of the heart.

Of all that I am, God, I will obey you.

And that's what this 14-year-old boy does, even if it costs me my life.

The second thing, I think this is interesting.

We see from Daniel, uncompromised compassion.

Uncompromised compassion.

Now, think about this.

Daniel stood his ground, but he does so with grace and humility.

Daniel stands for what he believes in, but does so in a way that he knows that this is going to affect this pagan eunuch who is before him.

And so Daniel's got a situation where I can go on a hunger strike and make this worse for you, because who are you with your pagan god and your pagan land to tell me, Daniel, what I should do?

I'm going to say, I'm going to say, I'm going to say, I'm going to say, I'm going to say, I'm going to follow God.

Who are you to stand in my way?

But that's not what he does.

This decision carries great implications, not only for himself, but for the chief of the eunuch.

The chief of the eunuch is like, listen, this could cost me my life.

Daniel doesn't say, I don't care.

Daniel doesn't say, not my problem.

Daniel doesn't say, your pagan convictions are not going to influence who I am as an obedient follower of God.

Instead, what he does, that church, I think we can miss so much in this, is Daniel stands in his convictions, uncompromised obedience, but he shows compassion.

For the man who just doesn't get it.

Lost people should not understand yours and my depth of love for the Lord.

It should be foreign to them.

It should be difficult for them to wrap their minds around.

And our response to them shouldn't be, you fool, you idiot.

Compassion.

Daniel could have fought him.

But instead, he loves him.

I think sometimes our, I'm going to say our, but also my, I'm in this.

I think sometimes as we stand in our convictions,

we begin to look at those who are outside of our convictions

as the enemy

instead of the object

of who we're seeking to share the gospel and the love of God with.

And the beauty of this

is that what we see

is that the people of God

can stand

both

in obedience

to God

and in compassion

for those who don't know him.

And that's exactly what Daniel does.

The next that we see

is uncompromised faith.

Uncompromised faith.

Here's what Daniel shows.

Daniel shows in this faith in God.

Daniel knows in this situation

logic doesn't work.

He's got to know

that committing to vegetables and water

while everyone else eats meats, cakes, and drinks the finest wine

is going to put him at a disadvantage

physically speaking

but in his 14 years

he's learned

in all situations

in great and in loss

to trust God.

To trust God

and to simply

be obedient.

To take step of faith

after step of faith

after step of faith.

and what comes next

he doesn't know

but he knows

that God does.

The God who put

his people

into the hand

of Nebuchadnezzar

is the same God

that holds Daniel

in the palm of his hand

and he knows

he knows

that he can trust him.

So let's see what happens.

Cake and ice cream

vegetables and water.

Let's see.

Verse 14.

So he listened to him

in this manner

and tested them

for 10 days

and at the end

of 10 days

it was seen

that they were

better in appearance

and fatter

in the flesh

than all

the youths

who ate

the king's food.

That's got to be God.

Little Debbies

or baby carrots, right?

Who wins?

So the steward

took away

their food

and the wine

they were to drink

and gave them vegetables.

As for these four youths

God gave them

learning

and skill

in all literature

and wisdom

and Daniel

had understanding

in all visions

and dreams.

At the end

of the time

when the king

had commanded

that they should be

brought in

the chief of the eunuchs

brought them in

before Nebuchadnezzar

and the king

spoke with them

among all of them

none was found

like Daniel

Hananiah

Mishael

and Azariah.

Therefore

they stood

before the king

and in every matter

of wisdom

and understanding

about which the king

inquired of them

he found them

ten times

better

than all the magicians

and enchanters

that were in

all his kingdom.

And Daniel

was there

until the first year

of King Cyrus.

So here's what we see.

We see Daniel

come forward

I'm not going to compromise.

I'm going to be obedient.

I'm going to love.

And I'm going to claim faith.

It's pretty simple right?

That's my plan.

Obedient

love

faith.

He can't control

his situation.

He can't maneuver.

He can't manipulate.

He can't set himself

free.

Obedient

love

faith.

Look what God does.

What we see

uncompromised

blessing.

Uncompromised

blessing.

Physically

physically

they got bigger.

They got bigger.

In a day

where fatter

is celebrated

this is what they get.

Right?

They get bigger.

They should not be

but they are.

Mentally

they get smarter.

God

this blows my mind.

God

grew

their minds

even

in the way

of the Babylonians.

this could be

a whole other message.

God's building

some missionaries

to understand

a pagan culture

in a pagan land

to be wise

in their ways

while they're wise

in the ways

of God.

God

grew them

mentally.

God

grew them

spiritually.

It says

specifically here

about Daniel

that Daniel

received the gift

of interpreting

dreams

and visions.

God

grew

Daniel's

giftedness

in this.

So what we see

physically

they're being

blessed.

Mentally

they're being

blessed.

Spiritually

they're being

blessed.

And then

socially

these were

boys chosen

out of

influential

families

and nobilities

from Judah

who were brought

in and now

captives

and when Daniel

stands before

Nebuchadnezzar

and Daniel's

wisdom and

understanding

he brings in

all of his

spiritual leaders

that he has

and Daniel

beats them all

in Babylonian

jeopardy.

This is what

we've got.

The wisest

the best

the smartest

and it says

socially

no one

was

their

equal.

What does

that mean?

God's

growing

their

influence.

God's

growing

their

influence

in a

foreign

pagan

land

as their

hearts

are centered

and focused

on him.

We live

in a

day.

We live

in a

time

where

everyone

around us

Christians

and

non-Christians

desperately

seek

the

blessing

God

whether

they

know

it's

the

blessing

God

not.

We live

in a

time

and a

culture

in our

modern

day

Babylon

and that

is not

like a

prophecy

or a

political

statement

alright

but we

live

in a

time

and a

period

marked

by the

pagan

practices

of this

world

and you

can't

convince

that we

don't.

We live

in a

time

and a

period

and we're

going to

look at

some

things

later

where

third

the

people

the

United

States

33%

say that

they are

Christian

whether

they're

Christian

not.

we're

not

even

the

majority.

But

what we

deeply

what everyone

wants

what everyone

wants

at their

core

listen to

the

news

talk to

your

friends

think about

this

yourself

we want

satisfaction

we want

to be

satisfied

we want

peace

we want

joy

we want

hope

we want

worth

we want

purpose

the difference

the world

can never

fulfill

these blessings

they can only

come

from God

satisfaction

peace

joy

hope

worth

purpose

are not

defined

by the

ways

and means

of this

world

but they're

defined

by the

God

who

gives

them

and who

gives

them

freely

the question

as we

stand

in this

day

as we

stand

in this

pagan

culture

that we

live in

heaven

that God

has called

us to

you could

have been

born at

any time

and at

any place

in the

history

of the

world

and God

chose you

for here

and God

chose you

for now

do we

live in a

manner

worthy

and ready

to receive

the blessing

of God

we live

in a

compromised

culture

but we're

called

to be

uncompromised

people

Jesus

in his

high

priestly

prayer

prays to

God

prays to

the

Father

and says

that I'm

sending

them

and they

are going

and they

are going

to be

in the

world

just like

we are

in it

but not

of it

what does

that mean

that they

would be

wise

that they

would be

passionate

that they

would be

purposeful

but that

what would

mark them

is the

blessing

and obedience

to God

and not

the

foolishness

of the

world

the question

I have

for you

is we

live

in a

compromised

culture

but are

we a

compromised

people

are we

compromised

people

American

Christianity

and I'm

talking about

all of us

as a whole

all of us

as a whole

not just me

not just you

the churches

down the road

when we look

at our

culture

has

American

Christianity

at its

core

become

compromised

now before

we talk about

you and me

this is the

snapshot

I would say

yes

I would

say yes

that as a

whole

American

Christians

that we

are among

a compromised

people

but Daniel

decided

I came

from a

disobedient

people

I'm in

a disobedient

land with

a new

disobedient

people

that I'm

going to

be a

man of

God

who's

going to

uncompromised

in who

I am

and are

you and I

willing to

make that

same

stand

I'm going

to share

some

statistics

with you

this morning

there are

some glaring

issues that

are probably

more hot

topics than

the statistics

and the

issues that

I'm going to

look at

this morning

some of

those would

be divorce

sexuality

pornography

chemical

dependence

issues

the list

goes on

and on

which by

the way

in those

just quickly

again

divorce

sexuality

pornography

chemical

dependence

issues

that are

rampant

in our

culture

today

the

percentage

of those

outside of

the church

who engage

in these

activities

and many

of them

those statistics

are the

same

and if

they're not

the same

the number

of Christians

engaging in

those is

growing at

the same

rate and

at the same

percentage that

the world is

growing

so even in

those big

hot topic

ones that

we all want

to look at

and we all

want to talk

about

we're there

we're

compromised

but Daniel

his

the opportunity

for him to

give in

was on

a more

everyday

subtle

stand

it was

food

it was

on food

it wasn't

attendance in

the temple

it wasn't

on sacrifices

to idols

it was

on food

and here's

what I think

is crazy

and very

interesting

about this

when it

comes to

the issue

with food

is that

no one

blames

a hungry

person

no one

blames

someone

who can

find

great

justification

in their

mind

that they

will partake

in this

act

even though

they're not

supposed to

no one

would blame

them

how do I

know that

because if I

asked in here

how many of

you have

ever been

on a diet

I would

be willing

to bet

if you're

over the

age of

you'd

raise

your hand

if I

then asked

you

how many

of you

have ever

cheated

on that

diet

the same

number

of hands

would go

right

we're

people

who

compromise

even

in the

everyday

but Daniel

stood with

the resolve

so I'm

going to talk

about three

areas this

morning

share some

statistics

and hopefully

see that you'll

begin to

understand that

more at the

core not

even just in

the big

topics

but in

the everyday

that we're

we're part

of a

compromise

people

and are

you

compromised

first one

is money

money

we live

in a

time

where great

level

of importance

just as it

always been

has been

placed with

money

how much

money can

you get

how much

money can

you obtain

what can

you do

with your

money

what would

you do

to get

money

and as

Christians

speaking as

a whole

right for

these

we've

become

compromised

read this

statistic

this week

baffled

my mind

the statistics

came from

2024

so it's

relevant in

today's time

the average

American

family

I'm

sorry

the average

Christian

American

family

their

average

weekly

offering

seventeen

dollars

seventeen

dollars

which

means

that over

the course

of the

year

the average

American

Christian

family

gives

eight

hundred

and eighty

four

dollars

gospel

work

the

average

American

family

spends

one

thousand

five hundred

and sixty

five dollars

per year

on streaming

and internet

the

average

American

family

spends

one

thousand

five hundred

dollars

per

child

participate

sports

the

average

American

family

spends

one

thousand

three

hundred

and sixty

five

dollars

on their

family

cell phone

plan

I would

like to

switch to

that

provider

the

average

American

family

spends

two

thousand

eight

hundred

and forty

three

dollars

on their

summer

vacation

here's

what that

means

if we

and we

are a

part of

the culture

as a

whole

which we

are

these numbers

apply to

which means

this

the average

American

Christian

family

spends

eight

times

the amount

of money

entertainment

than they do

the gospel

we might

not

say it

but we

care more

about Netflix

than the

gospel

we might

not say

but we

care more

about sports

than the

gospel

we might

not say

but we

care more

about

dipping

our toes

in the

sand

than we

about

eternity

as a

culture

we become

compromised

are you

I don't

know

I've not

seen anyone's

bank account

I don't

know what

you do

give and

what you

don't

give

I don't

know what

you do

pay

and what

you don't

pay

but I

know what

these numbers

tell me

is that

we live

in a

compromised

culture

are you

part of

the

compromise

the second

area

is time

time

again

one third

of the

U.S.

population

says they're

Christians

a poll

was done

and if

you in

that poll

identified

yourself

as a

Christian

specifically

evangelical

Christian

follower

of Jesus

Christ

and the

question was

about church

attendance

30%

say that

I attend

church

almost

every week

almost

every week

they're

there

14%

twice

a month

these are

people who

are curious

these people

I'm a

follower of

Jesus

13%

once a

month

27%

seldom

16%

blows my

mind

never

so here's

what that

means

56%

American

Christians

will

56%

will

spend

one

hour

a month

or less

in worship

56%

people

who say

Jesus

died on

the cross

and rose

from the

grave

and created

the church

and

call us

to be

a part

of it

56%

spend

one

hour

a month

or less

worshiping

him

with their

brothers

and sisters

in Christ

back to

our

American

culture

but yet

the average

American

spends

hours

a month

on social

media

the average

American

will spend

105 hours

a month

on a

streaming

service

so Lord

we're going

to give

you an

hour

but we're

going to

give

Instagram

Lord

we're going

to give

you an

hour

but we're

going to

give

Apple

105

our

culture

compromised

are you

lastly

vulnerability

here's

what I mean

by vulnerability

making

transparent

who you

actually

are

I believe

that

as God

saves us

and we see

this especially

in our

New Testament

writings

we see it

in David

in the

Psalms

we see it

throughout

the scripture

that men

and women

of faith

are very

vulnerable

open

and honest

about who

they are

and their

shortcomings

and their

failures

and their

sins

and God's

glorious

plan in

their life

they're

vulnerable

and the

reason why

I include

vulnerability

I believe

in order

for discipleship

and evangelism

to happen

not just

check boxes

not just

attend something

because it's

there

that for

discipleship

and evangelism

to happen

that you've

got to

open up

yourself

of who

you are

not just

in leading

but in

being a

part of

the process

in discipleship

meaning you

have to be

willing to

say I'm

busted

and I'm

not okay

and I need

you to

pour into

so that the

Holy Spirit

can do

work in my

life

because I'm

not okay

and I need

to be

more like

Christ

in evangelism

you and I

have to

acknowledge

that we

were not

okay

we're still

not okay

but the

beauty of

that is

God doesn't

say to me

come to me

when you're

okay

but God

says come

to me

with all

your filth

all your

nasty

all your

whatever

and I'm

not just

going to

make you

okay

I'm

going to

make you

righteous

before me

vulnerability

discipleship

in evangelism

of the

third of

americans

that

attend

protestant

evangelical

church

28%

higher than

I thought

it would

28%

are engaged

discipleship

28%

however

50%

american

culture

is a

part of

some

social

club

means

that

as we've

assimilated

into

culture

22%

are engaged

in a

social

club

average

than

they

are

growing

their

walk

with

other

believers

and I

get

you can

say

but you

don't

know

what

people

when

they're

alone

agree

and if

I felt

they'd

honest

about

their

quiet

times

we'd

those

statistics

too

but what

believe

is that

God

has

called

not

forsake

the

gathering

that

God

has

created

the

church

and

called

together

that

God

has

taught

bear

with

bear

work

through

one

another

to teach

to challenge

and that

I need

you and

that you

need me

and that

we need

each

other

28%

50%

last

statistic

of the

morning

evangelism

90%

Christians

American

Christians

polled

90%

believe

that

sharing

your

faith

is an

important

thing

now

I'm

going to

seek

to be

the

optimist

that

and

not

question

what

the

other

10%

think

but

say

that's

great

90%

American

Christians

believe

that it

important

your

faith

however

American

Christians

say

that

they've

actually

ever

talked

someone

about

Jesus

sit

down

over

cup

coffee

conversation

the

dinner

table

point

brokenness

where

someone's

at the

bottom

and

they need

to know

which way's

and

American

Christians

in the

culture

live

have

ever

and are

looking to

talk to

someone

about

Jesus

but

42%

Americans

will get

Facebook

Twitter

whatever it's

called this

week

Instagram

Snapchat

and make

a post

42%

but

are

willing to

talk to

someone

about

Jesus

live

in a

compromised

culture

are

you

willing

today

Daniel

but

today

and

today

Rick

and

today

Heather

and

today

Michelle

and

today

Joel

and

today

Emma

and

today

Chris

resolved

who

are

mind

will

and in

feeling

that

will

not

defile

myself

for

his

name

and

his

glory

would

you pray

with me

God I

thank you

for the

goodness

of your

word

God I

thank you

for the

conviction

of your

Holy

Spirit

God the

list of

proving

that we

live in a

compromised

American

culture

could go

and on

the

evidence

largely

speaking

that

people

who

call

themselves

Christians

have

also

compromised

could go

and on

God we

can leave

here this

morning

defeated

and

deflated

but the

good news

Lord

is that

in your

kindness

and in

your love

as you

called

your

people

as you

called

Judah

back to

you

God you

call us

to you

and Lord

right now

we are

found

in a

time

where as

you call

and we're

made aware

of our

sin in

our life

God what

you give

us what

you grant

us what

you overflow

to us

God is

not your

wrath is

not your

judgment but

God it is

your grace

it is your

kindness it is

your compassion

that God we

can go from

those who

have compromised

compromised

ourselves

to coming

to an

uncompromised

God

who offers

his love

to us

so God

as we read

through these

as we

as we think

through these

Lord as

your spirit

as your spirit

leads us

may it not

bring us

a defeat

of I'm not

good enough

but may it

bring us

to the

victory

that I'm

not good

enough

but Jesus

and so

God whether

it's money

whether it's

time

whether it's

discipleship

whether it's

evangelism

whether it's

the way that

we see

people

whether it's

the words

that we

say

whether it's

how we

treat one

another

whether it's

how we

think of

people

who are

different

than us

whether it's

what we

look at

on the

computer

God no

matter where

we've

compromised

ourselves

may we

understand

that your

grace is

enough

God in

that in

the power

of your

spirit

there is

victory

and it's

what you

call us

God if

there's

anyone here

today

they don't

know Jesus

Christ is

their Lord

and Savior

and they're

here this

morning

thinking

okay well

what do I

need to do

what are the

rules that I

need to follow

what's the

process that I

need to put

in place

God if they

could bring

these three

things to

you

it's not

about the

rules

God

because you

tell us

that we're

saved

by grace

through faith

so figuratively

Lord we

could lay

these three

things before

you

and coming

to Christ

we could

lay our

past

all that

we've

done

all that

we've

committed

every failure

every sin

every offense

lay the past

before you

God today

not only

to lay

our past

but to lay

our present

of who we

are

of how we

define

ourselves

with the

decisions

that we

make

that I'm

no longer

who I

was

but I

now

who I

am in

Christ

and that

we lay

our future

the next

step

that we

take

the next

breath

that we

take

the next

thought

that we

think

the next

action

that we

have

God

they're

in your

hand

have them

and do

with them

as you

please

and so

Lord you

have our

tomorrow

but Lord

you also

have our

eternity

God thank

you

thank you

Lord

that this

week

you continue

to do

you show

me in

your

kindness

and goodness

where I've

wandered

God today

through the

power of

your spirit

may I

resolve

may I

resolve

that I

will not

defile

myself

but that

in who

I am

and what

I do

I bring

glory

and honor

to your

name

let's

send

Jesus

let me

pray

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

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Church on

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for listening

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