The Daniel Dilemma
Week 1
The Danile Dilemma
Unless You Stand for Something, you will Fall for anything.
Ps. Rob began a new series this week titled “The Daniel Dilemma.” It is a book written by Ps Chris Hodges to teach us how to stand firm and love well in a culture of compromise.
Every day we all find ourselves battered with competing messages, from movies to TV shows, social media, and even our friends and family. The fact is culture has an agenda which is to influence the way we think and feel. Popular culture attempts to have us compromise our standards and create a confrontation when we try and live by our standards. By doing this culture aims to make us feel confused and weak without the strength and clarity to respond to the world around us in truth and love. So, the question is “How do we navigate a culture that is constantly shifting its core values?”
Through Daniel, we learn that when culture attempts to transform us we need to reaffirm our internal convictions and respond. How do we do this? We learn to live in the tension between truth and grace. Truth is God’s standard, and without it we lose our way. Grace is God’s favor, and without it we can seem judgmental and mean.
Culture wants to do away with truth, believing a lie that true freedom is in a grace that says, “anything goes, and truth is yours to discover.” However, the bible teaches us that without truth we are corrupted and without grace we are condemned.
We need truth, but we need God's truth that is revealed to us through his word. We need his truth, because you can never experience grace without first discovering the truth. Truth and grace together are medicine that the whole world needs. As we begin to hold high God’s truth and give freely the grace we freely received, we can journey together to make a difference.
Discussion
What stood out to you in Ps. Robs message on Sunday?
Have you ever thought about how culture is always preaching at us? Consider movies, T.V shows, social media, books, etc., they all have a point to get across. In what way has culture transformed how you think and what you deem to be acceptable? Does it differ from God’s truth?
Considering God’s truth is often at odds with cultures popular opinion, and culture attempts (often not maliciously) to cause us to compromise our standards. Share about a time when you found yourself having to choose between God’s standards and cultures. How did this play out, and what did you learn from it?
To navigate a culture far from God, we must be prepared for a test. Talk about a time when you were tested. How did you respond? What did you learn from that situation?
Think about your daily life. What are some areas in your life where you can influence the culture around you? Discuss what that would look like with the group.
Prayer Focus
As God to grow and teach you to become more like Jesus each day so that you can resist cultural temptations and live by example. Ask God to reveal the ways culture has influenced you, and to give you the strength to resist those snares in future.
Week 2
The Daniel Dilemma
Life, You’ll live like it is all about you, until you discover it is all about him.
The Babylonian Mentality.
While Babylon is the physical setting for the book of Daniel, it is also a way of seeing the world around us. The Babylon Mentality, is rooted in a “Self-Fixation” that stands up to God in pride.
In Chapter 4 of Daniel, the content and prosperous Nebuchadnezzar began to praise himself. As a result of his pride, he was driven away to live with the wild animals. After seven years Nebuchadnezzar praised and glorified God, and his kingdom was restored. In the same way, when we choose to elevate ourselves-follow our own way instead of God’s way – confusion, self, and pride step in and direct our lives. Just like he did with Nebuchadnezzar, God disciplines those he loves with the desire of restoring them. Perhaps the question is, “How do we deal with our own Babylonian Mentality?” We lift up God, acknowledge His grace and authority, and humble ourselves before him. As we live in a culture that continues to change more and more, we need to cling to God’s word and seek his presence daily so that we can have the power and presence to stand firm and love well.
Discussion
· What stood out to you in Ps. Robs message on Sunday?
· Hebrews tells us that God disciplines those he loves. Seeing that King Nebuchadnezzar was far from a Godly king (quite the opposite), what does God’s desire to discipline King Nebuchadnezzar reveal to us about God’s Character?
· Social media can be a slippery slope towards a self-adoring lifestyle. Discuss a few ways that social media can promote or invite a Babylonian Mentality. What are some ways that you can protect against these dangers?
· Humility is a term that can often be misunderstood. Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking less of yourself, its thinking of yourself less. Using that definition, how have your shown humility in your life? Would you say humility comes easily to you, or is this an area where you would benefit from growth?
· Think about the accomplishments in your life. Discuss ways in which God has provided for your successes.
Prayer Focus
Praise God today and humble yourself before Him. Acknowledge that every good gift is from Him and belongs to Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you to live humbly and grow in wisdom and discernment so that you can see the lies of the enemy for what they are. Ask for grace to stand firm in your convictions in a way that glorifies His name.
Week 3
The Daniel Dilemma
Living a stand up life in a bow-down world.
This week Adam Mitchell took us through the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace as an example for standing firm in faith during a challenging situation. Even though they were faced with certain death, these young men refused to bow down and worship what they were being forced to worship. What this story highlights to us is that standing firm takes courage and faith, and when do take our stand we have the opportunity to inspire others.
Culture is constantly putting pressure on us to bow down to a plethora of different idols, and the secret to avoid bowing – or giving into – peer pressure is to shift our focus away from what we are against, and toward what we are for. We can do this by standing in prayer, standing for purpose and standing for God.
Prayer is a weapon the enemy attacks. Our purpose causes us to light up dark places. And standing for God gives us solid ground to walk on. The bible encourages us that when we stand firm in our faith, Jesus stands with us. Focusing on who we are for gives us the passion and perspective to stand firm in love.
Discussion
· In his message Adam shared how the answer to what we worship centers on the answers to a series of questions.
What matters most to me?
Who do I care about the most?
Who or what gets my devoted allegiance and loyalty?
What’s my top priority?
Where does all my time, energy, and money go?
Considering your answers to these questions; what do they suggest your worship is focused on?
· In the story, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s refusing to bow to the golden idol was not a stance against the king, it was rather them standing for God. Depending on where we spend our time — work, school, home, the gym, etc., standing firm for our faith can look different for each of us. Describe some areas where you can take a stance “for” rather than “against” something.
· Sometimes taking a stand for something can be a small step. What are some ways that you can take one step toward standing for god in your life?
· In Acts 7, Stephen while being stoned to death describes seeing Jesus standing at the right hand of God. How does knowing that Jesus stands with us when we stand for god affect your faith? How does it affect the way you make a stand?
Prayer Focus
Thank God for his faithfulness today. Acknowledge that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Pray today for the wisdom and strength to be able to stand firm in your faith. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you areas in your life where you can stand for God.
Week 4,
How I act is more important than what I say.
This week Ps Rob shared with us about how we can love well in today's culture. The big idea was “How I act is more important than what I say.” Meaning, we can talk all we want about how we are filled with love and care for others, but until our actions reveal that, us loving people is just a nice idea. Without love, nothing we say or do can have the long term, positive impact we desire. So how do we love the people around us when our cultures and beliefs look so different? We choose to be faithful, responsible, and trustworthy. We choose faithfulness to God above all else. We choose to be responsible with the task God has given us of being the salt of the earth and living lives that are an example to follow. And lastly, we are trustworthy.
Discussion
When we consider sharing the Gospel, we are often encouraged to begin with our circle of influence. Think of people you interact with on a regular basis. What are some practical ways you can love them? Share some ways you have been sowing love to people in your life?
In last week’s discussion we looked at how we can shift our focus from what we are against and toward what we are for. Considering the importance of loving people who may stand for things we oppose, discuss how this advice can be helpful. Consider those around you who may have different views and opinions than you. What are some practical ways you can love them?
In Daniel 6 the office administrators searched Daniels life to try and find something they could use to discredit him. But they could not find anything. In-fact, their searching revealed than in everything Daniel was faithful, always responsible and completely trustworthy. A very confronting question – without going into personal details you don’t feel comfortable sharing with the group – if someone were to audit your life, would they find you living faithfully for Jesus, always responsible, and completely trustworthy?
In his book Chris Hodges reveals that Daniels influence — and his ability to live faithfully, responsible, and trustworthy — all stemmed from him allowing God to transform him into the person God had always intended him to be. Following on from the last question, what (if any) of the above areas—faithful, responsible, & trustworthy—do you sense the Holy Spirit wanting to further develop in you at this time?
Ps Rob closed with going back to Daniel 1 where he chose to fast from eating the king’s food because it would have made him Spiritually unclean. Rob encouraged us consider what we are allowing in our lives that may not be making us physically unclean, but it is making us spiritually unclean. Like Daniel did, what can you spend the next 10 days abstaining from that is making you spiritually unclean?
Prayer Focus
Thank God for his love. Spend time as a group asking the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to love others even when you struggle. Ask him to renew your mind today, and to help you see people in the same way he sees them.