The road of life forks every few steps. Where you are today depends upon what road
you took when it forked yesterday.

marriage, friends
a vocation
habits of study, or of life
cf. A farmer. The harvest according to the ploughing, sowing in the spring time
cf. A man. What become, what did, decided in his youth
Daniel--70 years later--prophet 1:21
Can read the evening of life in the morning of life

(1) To eat the king’s meat--to drink the king’s wine. Why object to that? To fare like a prince, a king’s son. Object to that?

(2) The customs of the people:
Customary for the young princes, candidates for the higher court, to eat, drink. This the way to get along, be promoted, in Babylon. “When in Rome do as Romans do. When in Babylon, do as Babylonians do.” Act as other people act. As they think, you think, as they speak, you speak. Wear those chains of fashion. Worse to be called: square?
bigot?

(3) Doubly difficult for him.
A captive. A slave. If free, hard enough, but a slave. Seemed to face loss of career, advancement, maybe his head 1:10

The purpose of the king, to change their religious faith, life, being. The reason for the change of names.

The reason for the king’s fare
Nebuchadnezzar’s idea of the way to foster their growth, to free their doubting, feed them the food offered to the gods, Bel-Merodach
Spectacular Babylon--Wall 300' high 80' broad, 50-60 miles long
Euphrates running through the city, separated into canals
More like a civic empire than a city
The palace of the king like a city
Walls painted with brilliant hunting scenes
Gardens rose one above the other like a succession of mts.
(One of the seven wonders of the world)
But the most remarkable structure of the city--Temple of Bel
Some say rose 600' in the air
Some say, neither Karnak of Egyptian Thebes
St. Sophia of Constantinople
St. Peter’s in Rome
Rival the grandeur of the primeval sanctuary
The whole city given to this idolatry.
The feeding of the princes and--part of the idolatry.

Had he done so, he would have melted into another Chaldean, ceased being a child of God to whom belonged the promises. A heathen; pagan

Had he done so, forgotten Jerusalem, father, mother, God, turned away from the laws of Moses.

The decision made in his heart. Prov. 4:33 Religious commitment to obey God, not man. Changed his name, could not his nature. God’s Word everything!
Can burn but not turn
Can die but not deny

The only decision that can really matter, change life, deliver.
(A) Tom Landry If right with God, drugs alcohol, . . .
If wrong with God, drugs, alcohol . . .

II. With a Loving Spirit
1:9
cf. W. R. White. Fundamentalist, the finest doctrine, the worst spirit
we can be unkind, ungenerous, unlovable
Firmness can become obstinacy, determination to bigotry, faithfulness to cantankerousness

Daniel, a lovable disposition to support his religious determination. Courteous in protests. Many ways of doing the same thing. Ask God for wisdom, direction.
1:9
God’s intervention [cf. 1 Sam. 2:30]
(a) Henry Wilson of Mass.
I read this story in an old, old book:
A young man in a Massachusetts town, the son of a drunkard. He seemed to have promise. He even made the debating team at school. A godly man took an interest in him, led him to the Lord and to make a vow never to drink.
He was entrusted with a message to John Quincy Adams, President of U.S. The President, knowing of the young man and of the circumstance from whence he came, said to him: "Tonight you will have dinner with me and some of the great men of the nation."
At the table, the young man prominently seated, greeted, welcomed. Wine on the table. The President lifted his glass to drink with the young man. A flush came across his cheek, but he openly said, "Mr. President, you must excuse me for I have taken a vow that prevents me from drinking wine." The President sat his glass upon the table: "there will be no wine drunk at this table tonight." Every glass was pushed aside.
The U.S. Congress heard about it. The daily newspaper heard about it. The whole world heard about it. He became one of the great men of the nation. Sat down in the Vice President's chair. No man of finer, nobler character ever occupied that chair than Henry Wilson of Massachusetts.

III. Put to the Test
1:12
Wherever faith in God, will be tested, someday, sometime
cf. Even the house built on the rock, rain descended, floods came, winds blew
cf. The evil world in which we live
cf. But pleased to let our religion be tried by fire

Am I a soldier of the cross
A follower of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His name?

Must I be carried to the skies
On flow’ry beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed thro’ bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord!
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.


Dare to be a Daniel
Dare to stand alone
Dare to present a purpose firm
Dare to make it known

Conclusion

The decision for God, deep in his heart was forever.

cf. Martin Luther “Here I stand. So help me God. I can do no other.”
The grace of God, a great heart settler..

How different the case of Lot.
Compromise in Jordan. Reared children there. The curse that ruined him--his indecision.
Got his children out of Jordan, but never got Jordan out of his children. Incest.
A decision for God.
Joseph
Moses, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter
Hebrew children in furnace
Prodigal son - "I will"

Song “I have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back no turning back.”