Topics: faithfulness, reward
I. God bestows wisdom and gifts
* Daniel was blessed with divine wisdom and spiritual gifts!
- As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams (Daniel 1:17).
- But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him (James 1:5).
- As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10).
II. God leads to places of influence
* Daniel was promoted into roles of leadership and authority by God!
- Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king?s personal service. As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm (Dan. 1:18-20).
- "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14).
III. God desires lifelong devotion
* Daniel experienced success all his life because of his faith in God!
- And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king (Daniel 1:21).
- Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying: "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah" (Ezra 1:1, 2).
Sermon by Pastor Rod Akins September 13th, 2020
