DANIEL - TAKE A STAND How can I live out my faith in a world that has other values?

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1 DANIEL - TAKE A STAND How can I live out my faith in a world that has other values? Current Series Daniel lived in a foreign country and held onto his values despite the consequences. It was important to him to be true to his convictions and to follow God wholeheartedly. We are often put under pressure, may not see a way out of certain situations and we ask ourselves what would be the right thing to do. With reference to the story of Daniel in the Bible, we want to understand what God can do when belief conflicts with culture. 07/01/2018 How can I live out my faith in a world that has other values? 14/01/2018 How do I deal with pressure? 21/01/2018 How can I get closer to God? 28/01/2018 ICF Celebration 04/02/2018 What can I do if I do not see a way out? 11/02/2018 What should I do when God speaks to me? 18/02/2018 How can I live courageously? Small Group Evening Ice Breaker What do you love about the Swiss culture? What do you not love about it? Summary of the Message Live with the divine identity The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. Daniel 1:7 (The Bible - New International Version) Seite 1 / 5

2 Daniel = God is my judge Belteshazzar = Lady, protect the king Gender Hananiah = Yahweh has been gracious Shadrach = I m fearful of God God Mishael = Who can compare to my God? No one! Meshach = I m despised contemptible and humiliated Faith Azariah = Yahweh has helped Abednego = the servant of Nebo Future When culture shifts, we must know who we are. Abram - nomad Abraham - big nation Jacob - cheat Israel - truth Simon - God has heard Petrus - rock Decide what you will stand up for But Daniel made up his mind that he would not make himself unclean with the king s best food and wine. So he asked the head ruler to allow him not to make himself unclean. Daniel 1:8 (The Bible New Life Version) If you don t stand for anything you will fall for everything. MY STATEMENT: SEX - I AM IN LOVE Seite 2 / 5

3 MY STATEMENT: MONEY I AM GENEROUS I never would have been able to tithe on the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed on my first salary, which was 1 dollar and 50 cents a week. (John David Rockefeller) I am blessed that I can earn several hundred million dollars. But I cannot take it with me and neither can you. It is not about how much you have, but about what you do with what you have. (Denzel Washington) MY STATEMENT: PRIDE - I AM HUMBLE Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you. Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see. Daniel 1:9-13 (The Bible New International Version) When culture shifts, we must respond the right way. DANIEL-DILEMMA Deny, reject and condemn the culture. Accept and adjust to the culture. Confront and influence the culture. Be merciful when you are confronted with the society The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth John 1:14 (The Bible New International Version) WITHOUT TRUTH, WE ARE CORRUPT WITHOUT GRACE, WE ARE CONDEMNED WITHOUT TRUTH, WE BECOME WORLDLY WITHOUT GRACE, WE BECOME JUDGMENTAL WITHOUT TRUTH GRACE IS MEAN WITHOUT GRACE TRUTH IS MEANINGLESS TRUTH AND GRACE IS MEDICINE! Seite 3 / 5

4 Jesus straightened up and asked her, Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? No one, sir, she said. Then neither do I condemn you, Jesus declared. Go now and leave your life of sin. John 8:10-11 (The Bible New International Version) Because Daniel honored God, God honors Daniel Sharing & Consolidation How do you think God perceives you? God always changes the names from the negative to the positive (see summary of the message) Which values have you defined in your life? You need to know what you are fighting for before you fight. Daniel did not bow down before Nebuchadnezzar because he had established certain values before he was in this situation. Which values are immovable in your life, no matter what happens? You take a stand, this is who you are, this is who you will remain. No matter what happens. Action Step & Prayer Write down your values and keep them in a place, so you can always get them out. Share which values you have written down and give each other the permission to point out if compromises are being made in connection to these values during the coming weeks and months. Pray that through setting these immovable values you will become more and more like Jesus and that your life and your surrounding will change positively. Seite 4 / 5

5 HEARTBEAT FOR SMALL GROUP LEADERS Test your goals Our goal: As a church, it is our passion that people become more like Jesus Christ, live fearlessly and have a positive impact on their environment. Which people in my Small Group am I challenging to take on leadership? Which possibilities do I give them to practice? Which goal will I set for the Small Group meeting? Make sure the ICF styles can be experienced At the heartbeat of our time Excited about life Welcome home Developing potential Giving the very best Nothing is Impossible Pray for your Small Group Pray for your participants and their concerns. Pray that each one has an encounter with God and that you may all achieve your goals together. Consciously submit yourself under God s leadership so that the evening may take place according to his will. Plan your Small Group meeting Think about what you can delegate (administration, hospitality/food, prayer, worship, input ). Everybody should be informed where and when the meeting is taking place. Communication is the responsibility of the leader! Count on God s presence: For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:20 Seite 5 / 5

Daniel 1:1-21 Lesson 1

Daniel 1:1-21 Lesson 1 Literary Form: apocalyptic literature, means an unveiling, a disclosing or a revelation. Characteristics of Apocalyptic Literature 1. In apocalyptic literature a person who received