Try the Daniel Test

Try the Daniel Test

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
Print, Study and Apply

Title: Try the Daniel Test -------------------------------- Date: 10/16/2000
Keywords: "confidence" "resolve" "trust"

Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation.

Passage: Daniel 1:3-13*

3. Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles,

4. youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding, and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king's court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

5. And the king appointed for them a daily ration from the king's choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king's personal service.

6. Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

7. Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach, and to Azariah Abed-nego.

8. But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.

9. Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials,

10. and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king."

11. But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,

12. "Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink.

13. "Then let our appearance be observed in your presence, and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king's choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see."

Questions

1. What is the prominent mindset you see Daniel exhibiting in verse 8?

2. What attitude is underpinng this mindset (verses 11 through 13)?

3. How can following Daniel's lead help you in a struggle with pornography?

Practical help

With a casual read of this passage you might walk away saying "It's just a plug for vegetarianism. How can that help me with a porn struggle?"

Well, you have to dig a little deeper than the menu. Daniel trusts God. That's number one. Since Daniel trusts God, he also trusts God's menu. In fact, he's resolved (developed a mindset) to trust God's menu. Now, when his resovle is challenged, Daniel acts with confidence. His confidence isn't simply in trusting God's menu, it's in knowing God's menu is trustworthy. The proof is in the pudding (or bowl of veggies). Daniel says, "check me out in ten days and you will see."

Just as Daniel trusted God for his physical (food) menu, you can trust God with your sexual appetite.(Click here, if you want to know how to trust Him.) In scripture God gives you many wise words and a trustworthy menu for your sexual appetite. Viewing pornography isn't on the menu. Today, why don't you follow Daniel's lead and trust God's menu. Strike porn from the entree list and give it ten days. You can know that you'll be healthier for it.

eXXit homepage
Index of three-minute studies

Copyright 2000 by eXXit
*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLEŽ, Š Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."