in terms of that. Sometimes I think in terms of that, we have all the auditory skills, we have all the knowledge, but we lack integrity. And Daniel and his three friends are confronted with this. And the title is basically Maintaining God's Standards. And I'm going to give you five principles this morning But let's look at the word and it's not a long passage so I'm going to read just one verse and then when I deal with the other pointers I will then deal with the verses concerned. Let's just look at verse 8. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's food, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not to defile himself. This particular verse is key to this passage because it actually deals with the conscious decision that Daniel had come to, that he was going to live a life together with his friends in a strange country, maintaining the standards of God. We find ourselves as believers, in different circumstances, we might not be at our church environment at a particular time and we go on holiday and sometimes we lose track of who we are. And Daniel, we will look at this passage in these five principles and we'll get some clarity in terms of maintaining our standards for God. And so Daniel made this conscious decision in his heart, together with his friends, that he will not defile. The word defile is used In three ways, it's used to contaminate, it's used to adulterate, and it's used to pollute or to corrupt. Now what was the issue around this diet? The issue around the diet is that it was offered, the portion of the meal was offered to idols and because of that, Daniel knew about this because of the dietary restrictions of the Jewish law. And he knew and he understood that he could not get involved with this meal. The second thing with this meal is that the wine was offered to pagan gods. And because this wine was offered to pagan gods, he would then defile himself, he would corrupt himself, he would pollute himself. And he was not prepared to do that with his friends. Now why do they find themselves in this situation is that the nation of Judah, of Israel, had been exiled to Babylon because of their breaking the covenant with God and because of that they found themselves in this strange country. But the first principle that I want to deal with is the unashamed boldness. It says Daniel's purpose in his heart that he would not defile himself for the worship of the king's needs. This was courage under conviction. And the question is asked when he presented his position to Aquinas, he mentioned, please test us for 10 days and we're going to come to that. But on the basis of that, the unashamed boldness is that he was not going to corrupt himself. The threat of an uncompromising life that is characterised by boldness, is synonymous with a few examples that we have from the New and the Old Testament. I want to use the phrase that he uses in this verse. When he went to Aparnas, the Bible says he used choice words. And if you read the background of this request, he did not come there in a rude and crude way. He came and explained to Apenas the Jewish dietary restrictions. And he said this would be an indictment on his own faith. Could they have a different diet? Now, why was he and his three friends chosen? We need to understand that the three friends and Daniel were from a royal stock. And so everybody who had to be involved in this meal were taken from royalty, both from Babylon and also from the Jewish men and women who were taken into captivity. And so Daniel and his three friends were from royal stock. they were used by the king to serve in his courts. Proverbs 29 verse 25 says, the fear of a man brings a snare. So it's not only accentuated by boldness, but sometimes an unashamed boldness is not characterized by fear. The Bible says, Proverbs 29 verse 25, the fear of a man brings a snare. When you find yourself in adverse circumstances, when you find yourself in a difficult situation, is fear the overriding factor? In the case of Daniel and his friends, this was not the case. It's also characterized not only by an unashamed boldness by stating for what you believe, or by not being fearful, but is characterized by a life of transparency between issues of right and wrong. And so if you want to have an unashamed boldness, you must have actuated by issues of right and wrong. Look at some of these things. Sometimes believers are intimidated by opinions of others and fall short of the scriptural standards. of an unashamed boldness. Daniel says in the same passage, you who trust in the Lord will be exalted. David, he writes in Proverbs Psalm 40 verse 90-10, he says, I proclaim glad tidings of righteousness. Isaiah says, Isaiah 50 verse 70 says, For the Lord helps me, therefore I am not disgraced. Therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. When we have this unashamed boldness, we can echo the sentiments of Isaiah. For the Lord helps me, therefore I am not disgraced. Therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. John the Baptist, in addressing the Pharisees and Sadducees, he said, you brood of vipers, You bring fruit in keeping with your righteousness. Paul under the pressure of the gospel, he boldly proclaimed Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ as his saviour. His life was marked by boldness and then he says in Philippians 1 verse 27-28, only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. When he writes to Timothy, his protege, and he says to him, God has not given us the spirit of timidity, but of power and love and of a sound mind. But he does not stop that because we always quote that verse. But he continues and he says, therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. And unashamed boulders this morning, my brothers and sisters, as we ponder Paul's life, Daniel's life, he recognized that he was not going to contaminate himself. But secondly, there was the uncommon standard. Verses 11 and 12 says, Then said Daniel to Malzahar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, and Anaiah, and Mishael, and Nazareth, Ten days servants I beseech thee, ten days. and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. The uncommon standard. Why vegetables? According to Jewish dietary restrictions, this was a mixture of beans and seed. And because of that, young men would be much more healthier when they partook of this diet. Somebody made this statement, he says, leaders who are committed to a standard of spiritual excellence would have to make personal sacrifices. In the case of Danone and his three friends, they made those personal sacrifices, not only because of the dietary constrictions, but they knew that they had to look better and stronger and more wiser than the Babylonian counterparts. Leviticus chapter 10 verse 8 to 11 speaks about the priesthood. And I just want to read this verse. It says, Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you may not die. It is a perpetual statute throughout your generation. And so make a distinction between the holy and the profane, between the unclean and the clean. And so as to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which the Lord had spoken to them throughout Moses. The Lord had set a high standard for the priesthood. And so they should not defile themselves or corrupt themselves. Daniel wanted to be distinguished from the gluttons and drunkards of the Babylonian court officials and the royal court by maintaining a standard that was uncommon. Not only do we have an uncommon standard, but thirdly, we have an unearthly protection. Look at verses 9. Now God had brought Daniel into favour and compassion with the prince of the eunuchs. An unearthly protection. Psalm 92 verse 12 to 14 says, God is pleased with righteousness and those who hold and honor it. The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree. He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon, planted in the house of the Lord. They will flourish in the courts of our God. They will yield fruit in old age. They shall be full of sap and very green. And he uses the two trees that we're familiar with. the palm tree and the cedar of Lebanon. These trees withstand all kinds of conditions. They withstand all kinds of pestering winds and storms and rain. And the roots are deeply grounded. When he speaks about these, Then the Lord, the righteous man, will flourish like the palm tree, will grow like a seed in heaven, planted in the house of the Lord. They will flourish in the gates of our Lord. They will still yield fruit in old age. They shall be full of sap and very green. And when we speak about an unearthly protection is that when we live righteousness, when we live a life that is fitting and pleasing to the Lord, as in the case of Daniel and his three friends, there will be a protection over our lives. Daniel's life fit that pattern as evidence that he was accepted in Boat Nebuchadnezzar's court. God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight and the mind of the officials. Nothing that Boat Nebuchadnezzar or Apennines could have done to thwart the purposes of God. Why? Because God had protected them. And the reason for that is that they had a life that was filled with righteousness. And he was not going to corrupt himself. Proverbs 21 verse 1 says, The king's heart is channels of water in the hand of the Lord. Neither Aparnas nor Nebuchadnezzar could do anything to change God's plan. for Daniel's life. You make a decision in your own life, I make a decision in my own life, that if we need God's protection, He requires from us a life of righteousness and holiness. Unhurt, supernatural protection will be granted us if we consistently, obediently and uncompromising walk with the Lord. Consistently, obediently and uncompromising in our walk with the Lord. Proverbs 16 verse 7 says, when a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. When your life is pleasing to the Lord, even those around you who are your enemies will come to the understanding that you serve a living God. And God had protected Daniel and his three friends. And God had made sure that they would be covered by his protection. It is interesting when you look at the three names that was given to all of them, particularly Daniel is given the name, a Babylonian name for Belteshazzar. And in the Babylonian culture, it meant God's protection. How did these men know to give these three for these four men, these names, God was intervening and interacting in the lives of these three men. And so when we speak about an uncommon standard and we speak about an unearthly protection, is that when we live righteously, God will honor us in very bad circumstances. But there's also The first principle that's brought in this is also found in verse 10 and it says, Now there are a few things that is very pertinent in this verse and we need to understand this. Daniel and his friends could have argued Let's partake of the meal because we are very far away from our country of birth. Nobody will see us. The second argument that they could present is simply, this food is sumptuous, it's appetizing, it's something that we can enjoy. Thirdly, it's a decree that was set, and if you went against the decree, you would be executed. Fourthly, that the eunuch himself's life was in danger. But West End says there was an unyielding persistence. Daniel knew all of these things. Knew that the court official's life was in danger. Understood that they were far away. That they could enjoy the sumptuous meal. That nobody would know about it. But he said he would not corrupt or defile himself. And then he persisted. It's said, he inquired by the word of the Israeli, there was a persistence. In other words, he did not ask for the first time. He continually asked and requested this meal. But then he says something very pertinent in this verse. He says, test us for ten days. Now we all know in our studies that the number seven we normally associate with the number of completeness. But in this particular verse, in the context and background of this verse, 10 was the number of completeness. And he understood that. And he knew that God in 10 days will make them look fatter, stronger, and more wiser than the Babylonians. And when we read the rest of the passage, we will discover that Daniel and his friends quoted to interpret the astrologies of the day and they were found to be much more intelligent than all the court officials in the Babylonian court. We need to be persistent in our walk with the Lord when we deal with things that is an issue between right and wrong. We must not be willing to risk our faith for the sake of our own well-being and put our faith at risk. We need to look at an alternative way to make sure that those around us understand that nothing will move us. Paul writes in Acts 21 verse 10 to 12 and Acts 20 verse 24, he says, I will not be moved, in a nutshell. My faith is firm. Standing before the officials and testifying, I said I will not be moved. Sometimes we will go with the flow. Sometimes we will be confronted with things in our lives that will cause us to compromise. I said to some students the other day, don't even think about copying. That will be an indictment on your life. And God will not bless you. You might pass the module, but you will not pass the test of integrity. I want to say to you this morning, don't go with the flow. Paul understood this. He said, nothing's going to move me. And I am committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. And that's why I preach it. And if it means my head, so be it. But I will not be moved. And lastly, an unblemished faith. Look at verses 12 to 13. It is thy servants, I beseech thee, tender them. Let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let your countenance be looked upon before you. And the accountants of the youths that eat of the portion of the king's food, as thou seest, deal with thy servants. So he consented to them in this matter, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days the accountants appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the youths who did eat the portion of the king's food. In the midst of trouble, our faith should stand. We sing so glibly songs of faith. Will your anchor hold in the storms of life? This morning the storms will come and they will be ferocious, but your faith need not to be shaken. Daniel believed God that after 10 days he will make himself known through their lives. The Bible says here they were fatter, they were fairer, but if you read the passage further, they were much more intelligent and could interpret the astrologers of the day. An unblemished faith is necessary for a life of integrity. What was the message that he sent to Apenas and his assistant basically was, I'll put my faith to the test and God will honor my uncompromising spirit. I will put my faith to the test and God will honor my uncompromising spirit. Daniel 1 ends on a positive note and validates the characteristics of the seer consented to Daniel's dietary and health test and made evaluation after 10 days. happiness or positive results of the diet and the privileges and blessings was on these two friends of Daniel and himself because they had an uncompromising standing to maintain God's standing in the midst of a difficulty. I want to conclude this morning by asking three questions If you take those three questions to heart, in the midst of your difficulty, will your fate hold? Question number two, will you ensure that in your life for the Lord, that you will not compromise the standards of God? that question and I think this is pertinent to all of us. Will you allow the Lord to be honored in your life despite the peril or danger that you will face? Amen.