​This principle runs throughout scripture: If you honor God, God will honor you. We often want to negotiate with God and say, “God if you’ll do this for me, I’ll do this for you, but it simply doesn’t work that way.

Daniel 1:8 - “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.”

Convictions guide our decisions and determine our character.  To live a life that pleases God, we need strong biblical values.  If you and I have a firm foundation on God’s Word then we will be ready to face whatever challenges come your way.

The temptation to compromise our biblical values is all around us. If you haven’t faced it, you will. It often comes when we least expect it, so it’s necessary for us to establish our convictions before the temptation arrives.

Changing Daniel’s name was insulting.  Putting him through the Babylonian educational system was something that required Daniel to think clearly and to remember his convictions.  However, changing the diet would actually defile Daniel.  It would cause him to disobey God’s Word.  It was time to take a stand.

I believe there is a battle going on for the minds and hearts of each one of us.  There is a gradual conditioning that is taking place.  We have to stand against this and the only way to do that is with God’s Word.

“Daniel resolved in his heart not to defile himself.” 

Verse 8 is the hinge point for the entire book of Daniel.  It’s a decision that impacted the rest of his life.

The Babylonians were attempting to determine everything in his life.  His name, his training, his culture, his identity, his food, and his occupation.  But Daniel determined to honor God.  Likewise, we live in a world that attempts to tell us what to believe, how to live, what is acceptable.  We must gather the courage to decide to follow God’s Word.

Like Daniel we live in a perverse culture.  We can follow his example.  We do not have to compromise.  We do not have to go with the flow. 

Challenge: Identify small compromises and surrender them to Jesus. Develop your own personal convictions based on the truth of God’s Word

Discussion Questions:

• What is a biblical conviction?
• Why is it important to identify your convictions before you are tempted?
• Do small things really matter to God?

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