December 25 Daily Discovery
December 25 Daily Discovery
Read Daniel Chapter 6
Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude
Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
~ Daniel 6:3
Daniel had an excellent spirit.
Daniel is in the land of the Persian empire as a result of God's judgement on Israel resulting in their captivity. He was taken into the kingdom of Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar as a young man, likely just a teenager.
He is now grown, now probably in his seventies and he has served God faithfully while he was in captivity and also serving in the courts of the kings.
Darius had organized his kingdom into 120 provinces and appointed 120 princes to help him rule, and over them three presidents, of which Daniel was the primary. Darius was thinking about promoting Daniel to a place of his vizier to rule over the entire kingdom.
Your attitude makes a world of difference when it comes to opportunities for growth and advancement.
Daniel's spirit of excellence can be understood as Daniel's positive attitude.
Opposition is Normal
If you are determined to live a life that brings Glory to God, you are going to be opposed by God's adversaries.
Peter tells us to be sober and vigilant because our adversary (the devil) like a roaring lion is walking about, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Pet. 5:8)
Our opposition will come in the way of adversity and deception.
God may open doors of opportunity for us to advance His kingdom, but more often than not, there will be adversaries in the doorway. (1 Cor. 16:9)
This does not mean you should not go through the door, it simply means you will have some things that you will need to overcome.
Conspiracies are Prevalent
Well, it seems that all of the presidents and many (or all) of the princes had it in for Daniel. Daniel had not done anything to hurt them, but they were determined to get to Daniel.
Daniel had been such a faithful servant to the kingdoms of Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome, serving these four kings: Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius and Cyrus.
We're not told how many princes were conspiring against Daniel, but the conspiracy against him was significant.
They figured out how they could trap Daniel by coercing Darius to sign a decree that prohibited from anyone praying to any other God than the king for 30 days would be thrown into the den of lions.
The lion's den was a cruel form of tortuous capital punishment that was created as a deterrent for serious crimes.
They knew Daniel had a habit of praying to God towards Jerusalem 3 times a day.
They convinced Darius to sign the decree, playing upon his pride.
Convictions are Not Negotiable
What did Daniel do? He didn't change anything. He continued to pray to God habitually, as he always did. He did not have to. He knew about the decree. He knew that this was a trap set for him. He knew he was going to be fed to the lions.
He knew God could deliver him if He chose to do so. We are not told that Daniel believed that God would deliver him, but only that he believed in His God.
Daniel did not create a new habit to challenge the law. He only continued to do what he had done aforetime. He still honored the king even while he disobeyed the law. You can be subject to laws that you disagree with, you just don't resist the arrest and punishment when you are caught breaking them.
Maybe Daniel had made a vow to God that he would pray three times a day as long as he lived and had the health to do so? It certainly is a good model.
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. ~ Psa. 55:17
Daniel had already been tested in a similar fashion when Nebuchadnezzar was king. (Daniel 3) He knew God could deliver and refused to bow to worship the idol that had been set up. This would have been a direct violation of God's first command.
If you have a conviction, you will not compromise it. Preferences can be yielded. Convictions cannot.
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Continue Your Search
Do you see any: Commands to Obey, Warnings to Heed, Promises to Claim, Examples to Follow, Vices to Avoid, Praises to Emulate, Prayers to Use, Principles by which to Live, Questions to Ask or Actions to Take?
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