Sunday, December 14, 2014

Choices to Make in a Babylonian Culture


But Daniel resolved…..Daniel 1:8

We live in a Babylonian culture.  Our culture is focused on youth and beauty.  It values the educated and the prosperous.  This culture has many indulgences for us to choose from.  We have a wide array of entertainment venues.  Even the variety of food choices gives us pause to think about at lengths.  Many people are self-absorbed and focused on their next indulgence.  The question is, are the choices you are making in this Babylonian culture bringing honor and glory to God?  We need to strive to be like Daniel.  Daniel resolved to not be defiled by the Babylonian culture in which he found himself living.  Daniel 1:8 – But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.  Daniel was living in a culture that did not honor God, yet he chose to obey God’s laws.  We are living in a culture that does not honor Almighty God.  Will you resolve today to make choices that honor and glorify God or will you allow this Babylonian culture to influence your choices?

Long before Daniel was taken into captivity he resolved to commit his life to Almighty God.  He chose to be devoted to God and His ways.  Pressures from our culture are all around us but we can commit to making choices that honor and bring glory to our Savior and LORD.  Prayerfully ask God to help you make a lifelong determination to do what is right in the eyes of God and not succumb to the pressures in our culture.  Proverbs 3:6 - In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  When we acknowledge God in all our ways, He will guide us.  Choose to make Almighty God a vital part of every area of your life and allow Him to lead and guide you as you journey through this Babylonian culture. 

Our culture is filled with moral depravity and sin-inducing pressures.  In this world we will be faced with temptations, but Scripture clearly reveals that our God will help us resist when confronted with these temptations.  1 Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.  Prayerfully ask God to help you live in this extravagant, excessive culture without being poisoned by it.  Just as Daniel resisted the poisonous charms in Babylon, we are able to resist the poisonous charms of our culture.  God will help us to stay strong and focused when faced with deception if we turn to Him. 

Daniel learned all he could about this new culture he was living in so he could do the work he was assigned to do.  Yet while he learned, he maintained steadfast allegiance to God.  God blessed him with skill and wisdom.  Daniel 1:17 – To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning.  And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.  We must make the choice to maintain steadfast allegiance to our God.  God is faithful and will give us the grace to stand even if we are the only ones committing our allegiance to Him. 

We live in a culture which has turned away from God.  Will you influence your culture or will your culture influence you?  Choose today to commit all your ways to Almighty God.

Dear Heavenly Father, lead and guide us.  Help us to stay strong and focused on You when we are faced with the temptations of this wicked world.  Bless us with godly wisdom and knowledge.  I pray that we will be people who have a godly influence on our culture.  In Jesus Name I Pray…..Amen.

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