The Lord encouraged me to look over the progression of events

in the book of Daniel this morning.

Daniel and his friends make up their mind they won't defile themselves.

Don't matter if you call me by my Babylonian Captive name or that I am living in Babylon....I am still a son of Israel. When you are a son, your heritage doesn't change with those you are around. You influence culture instead of it influencing you.

So they tested them for 10 days.

The King PROMOTES Daniel and friends. 

King has a dream and no one can interpret it so he is extremely furious and gave a command to destroy all the wise men. They look for Daniel and friends to kill them.

Daniel gets a vision from God and interprets the dream and the King loves him some Daniel and he gets promoted again. 

From death row to the court of the king.

Then the King makes an idol commanding everyone worship it...and all the leaders gathered for the dedication of this false idol. All people are commanded to bow or burn.

Daniel's friends won't bow like they won't let culture define allegiance kinda "rebellious" types. 

= the king, in a furious rage, commanded they be brought before him. He tried to get them to bow once more....like "Let's try this again...BOW or burn!"

They bowed alright to the ONE and only TRUE God and decided we going in dat fire!

The king was filled with fury and the king's face was changed towards this sold out trio. The king is like "Matter fact make it 7 times hotter."

The people who assisted in the burn....died....but not the ones IN THE FIRE because there was Another in the fire. ayyyyyyyyyy! 

They saw the fire had no power of their bodies....and the king starts praising the true God. Makes a decree like "Don't talk about their God, k? Or you die too!"

THEN THEY GOT PROMOTED.

You catching this cycle yet?

New king in wants to promote Daniel. 

Makes up a decree that you have to agree to only pray to him in the next 30 days or to the lion's den you go.

Compromise or be killed basically.

Daniel knew the document had been signed and openly defied it, praying with the windows open and nothing to hide including his worship to the real King.

The king was greatly pleased to know Daniel wasn't eaten.

Again the ones who attempted murder died in the same way they tried to take out these men of God.

Moral of the story: Don't dictate your success off the reaction of a king.

Stand firm.

You will be tested.

They want to be worshipped.

You will not bow.

You will be persecuted.

Use your gifts.

You will be promoted.

God gets worshipped.

Repeat.

=kings can be fickle. But there is one King that isn't.

Kings can promote you one minute and persecute you the next.

Earthly kings can throw accolades at YOU and then throw YOU into the fire.

It's insanity. To not go crazy under it is proof of Who you are submitted to.

Same old same old...still happening today...just different characters.

Just make sure you know Who it is you are bowing to.

You will bow to the God you serve.

If it's the King of Kings then you will be free in the fire.