Live Free with Josh Howerton - The Pursuit of Authenticity | Ep. 441 | Monday , October 14, 2024

Episode Date: October 14, 2024

Defining integrity can be challenging; it's often easier to recognize than articulate. This week, we focus on studying Daniel, emphasizing authenticity and Godly character when placed in unholy cultures. “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Roman 12:2 HCSB) For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

Thanks for tuning in to today's Daily Drive with Lake Point Church, a daily dose of God's Word for your morning drive. When the word, not the world, becomes the majority of your week, your life will start to change. For that reason, our prayer is that God will speak to you through today's devotional. For more digital content to feed your faith, visit lakepoint.comit. And now let's dive in to today's devotional. everybody thanks for joining us on the daily drive where we spend a few minutes Monday through Friday just trying to get the know God better and it doesn't matter if this is all brand new to you if you've been walking with God for a long time

we are in this pursuit together and God honors anybody who will humbly seek after him my name is bro by the way and last week we unpacked the story about three young Jewish guys Shadrach Meshach and Abedigo who were exiles living in the empire called Babylon. It's an inspiring story about courage, conviction, and trust, and how whenever the heat gets turned up in our lives, God will be there to help us through it. If you missed it, I'd encourage you go back and give it a listen to such a phenomenal story, and I hate to move on without mentioning their more famous friend, a young guy named Daniel. You might have heard of him. You know, one of the more attractive traits in people is authenticity, isn't it? I mean,

in a world of image management and fake profiles, it's refreshing to come across someone who is, you know, what you see is what you get. I mean, I mean, so many leaders, politicians, athletes, celebrities that we follow only leave us longing for some consistency in our role models. Teachers, coaches, pastors, parents that we admire all too often show just how human all of us can be. And it leaves us hungry for something, someone that's real. Now I'm not talking about perfection. That's totally unattainable and not healthy. I'm talking about just being real, authentic, full of integrity and character.

Just trying to simply walk with God and honor him with your life. You know, we talk on the Daily Drive all the time about you and me becoming God's best version of us, cooperating with God and his desire to mold us all into the image of his son, to take our unique personality, our unique gifts and talents and background and experiences, and make us look and love and live more like Jesus. That transform us from the inside out into people of high character. Now, how would you define that kind of character? If I were to ask you to write a definition of authenticity

or definition of faith or courage or integrity or confidence or hope or undying faithfulness or humility, would you say, well, you know what, I'm not sure I could give you like a clear definition. I may not be able to put it into words, but I know when I see it. I know what consistency looks like. I could point to a person of integrity and say, right there, that, that right there.

That's what it looks like. One of those people that you'd point to is Daniel. He's just one of those people you look at and say, right there, that dude right there, he's the real deal. I'd like to hang out with that guy. I'd like to learn from that guy. I'd like to be more like that guy.

So I'd like to read part of his story this week, and you can find it in the Old Testament section of the Bible. It's in a book called, Catch this, the book of Daniel. Let me get started with chapter 1, verse 1. During the third year of King Jehoelcom's reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it with his armies. The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoecom of Judah. When Nebuchadnezzar returned to Babylon, he took with him some of the sacred objects, from the temple of God, and placed them in the treasure house of His God in the land of Babylonia. Verse 3.

Then the king ordered Ashpanaz, who was in charge of the palace officials, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah's royal family and other noble families who have been brought to Babylon as captives. Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men, he said. Make sure they are well-versed in every branch of learning, are a gifted, with knowledge and good sense, and have the poise needed to serve in the royal palace. Teach these young men the language and literature of the Babylonians. In other words, we need to indoctrinate them into our culture.

We need to mold them into our image. Well, the king put them in his leadership academy, and they would be in this internship program for three years. They were put on a very special, rich Babylonian diet, very different than the ones they were used to, and their names were changed. from their given Hebrew names to names that would represent all the new gods of the Babylonians. Daniel was called Belshazzar, Hennoniah was called Shadrach, Bishel was called Meshach, Azariah was called Abednego. Again, all in hopes of molding them into the image of their culture.

And that's why I love verse 8. But Daniel made up his mind not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief official for permission to eat other things instead. Now, God had given the chief official great respect for Daniel, but he was alarmed by Daniel's suggestion. My lord, the king has ordered. He has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age,

I'm afraid the king will have me beheaded for neglecting my duties. Have you ever known anybody with a hands-on kind of management style, or maybe a hands-off kind of management style. Nebuchadnezzar had a heads-off kind of management style. When he terminated people, he, like, terminated people. Now, the text doesn't say why this food would defile Daniel. Maybe it violated ceremonial laws. He was taught.

Maybe it simply put the wrong kind of fuel into his body, and he wanted to be at peak performance. Probably because it was food offered to pagan idols since it was from the king's kitchen. It's not real clear why, but it is clear that in Daniel's heart, He just knew he needed to draw a line. So Daniel drops down the org chart to the athletic trainer and proposes the trial period. He isn't defiant.

He isn't rebellious. He just offers a suggestion. He says, what do you say we try the diet that we are accustomed to? You can call it the Mediterranean. You can call it keto-dash-south beach or the Daniel diet. Whatever. Just tell your superiors that we're trying out an experimental nutrition program that a few of the guys are on. this vegetable slash water diet for 10 days, and then you can decide.

I had some blood work numbers out of whack a few years ago, and my doctor really got on me. And I told her, I said, I exercise, I work hard, and I'm active, I'm always getting my hands dirty. And she told me, listen, you can't outwork a bad diet. And then she pointed out all these numbers to which I said, well, that number right there, that one's Pop-Tarts. I know that one's Cheetos. I'm pretty sure that one's golden Oreos. You can't outwork a bad diet. Well, check out what happens to Daniel and his crew.

Verse 15. At the end of 10 days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the rich foods and wines. God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for learning the literature and science of the time. And God gave Daniel special ability in understanding the meaning of visions and dreams. When the three-year training period ordered by the king was completed,

the chief official brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with each of them, and none of them impressed him as much as Daniel had an eye, Michel, and Azariah, so they were appointed to his regular staff of advisors. In all matters requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, the king found the advice of these young men

to be ten times better than that of all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. Four young guys. just trying to be the real deal, just trying to stay true to God, try to walk humbly with him and make a difference right in the middle

of Babylon. And gang, that's what we're called to do as well. I need to be often reminded of Romans 122 that says, don't let the world squeeze you into its mold. I like how the message puts it, don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.

Instead, fix your attention on God and you'll be changed from the end of it. side out. So what do you say we fix our attention on God today and live authentically? And maybe people will look at us and say, I can't really define authentic, but I know it when I see it. And there they go, right there. We'll pick this up tomorrow. Hope you have a great day. See you then. Thanks for tuning in today. For more biblical teaching and worship, join us for our church online live weekend services on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information about all the digital ministries of Lake Point,

visit lakepoint.compt.ch slash daily drive. Also, if this podcast was helpful to you, would you be sure to rate, review, and share this podcast to help get the word out?