THE BOOK OF DANIEL - #2              

THE TEST OF WORSHIP

Daniel 3:1-6   King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it. Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."    NIV

Daniel 6:5-9   Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.” So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: “O King Darius, live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den. Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered--in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” So King Darius put the decree in writing.   NIV

 The Battle Over Worship  2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

1. Exalt man above God. 

Daniel 3:16-18  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”    NIV

2. Stop the worship of God. 

Daniel 6:10-12  Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions' den?" The king answered, "The decree stands--in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."    NIV

Culture’s Greatest Test 

Mark 12:30     Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'   NIV

HEART AND SOUL – WHAT DO I LOVE THE MOST?                      

  MIND  -  WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE MOST?                                S

STRENGTH –  WHAT DO I DO THE MOST?

WHO YOU WILL NOT WORSHIP?

2 Chronicles 16:9   For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.   NIV

WHO YOU WILL WORSHIP?

John 4:23   Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.    NIV

WILL I CHANGE THE WORLD OR LET THE WORLD CHANGE ME?