Welcome to Connect with Skiff Heitzig. We're so glad you've tuned in today. Here at Connect with Skip, we believe there's no substitute for knowing God through His Word, and we want to help you stay grounded in His truth no matter what's happening in the world around you. That's why we've created the 30K 30-Day Challenge, a free daily email series designed to help you read, understand, and apply the Bible in fresh ways. Every day, you'll receive a big picture overview of a New Testament book, along with key Bible passages to focus on, a prayer to guide you, and practical tools to help you put God's truth into action.
It's free, it's easy to join, and it can make a lasting impact on your spiritual growth. Sign up now at connectwithskip.com. That's connectwithskip.com.
Now, here's today's message from Pastor Skip.
Now here's Daniel on the job serving the Lord professionally, but what is he doing? Is he passing out tracts? No, he's Working hard. He's doing a good job. The king never said, Daniel, I need you for something special.
Daniel never said, Well, I'm witnessing to a satrap. I'll be there in 10. Or I'm praying with this satrap or that governor. No. He was a hard worker.
He distinguished himself. Notice that in verse 3. He distinguished himself. Above the governors and the sand traps. That's an Aramaic participle.
Aramaic is the language, the participle, the wording would be Daniel was regularly distinguishing himself, In other words, this was his work ethic. He was a hard worker. Whatever you would give him to do, he would do well, and he would distinguish himself above. By that work ethic. Back to those days in the medical field.
We had a kid that was a kid. I was a kid. He was a little younger kid in the department that I worked at. He was a. A guy who would go upstairs and and take the Gurneys and bring the patients down to us.
And um A young believer, great guy. And I would have them go upstairs, or the department would, and get various patients to bring them down for radiographs or scans during the day. One of the things we noticed about this orderly is that Um He was disorderly. He would bring these patients in 15, 20 minutes late, and the whole day would be backed up.
So I remember coming to him one day and saying, Everybody's noticing that you're the guy that's late, and you're always bringing patients in late, and you're getting us behind, and you're a Christian. And he smiled and goes, oh, but skip. I'm having the opportunity to witness to these patients before I bring them down and tell them about Christ and pray for them and pray with them. And I said, now I want you to listen very carefully. Do that on your own dime.
You can do that at lunchtime. You can do it after work. When you've clocked out, go back upstairs. and do witness to them and do pray with them. But when This hospital is paying you to bring patients down.
Don't do that. Just bring patience down. Listen. You want to be the best witness? Be the best worker.
When you hear a good worker, people go, I can rely on him. He's dependable professionally. Why is that? Daniel was that man. He distinguished himself.
Not only did he have a good work ethic, notice why in verse 3. He distinguished himself above the governors and satraps because an excellent spirit. was in him. That's an attitude, not an action. That's an attitude.
An excellent spirit. He wasn't the kind of employee that walks around with his head down, always bummed out, always complaining. I'm going to go talk to HR about this and that, and I'm going to go, right. This Daniel had an excellent spirit. And as I read down through the text and I see him thanking God in his prayer in the worst trial of his life, thanking God.
I see this excellent spirit. When is the last time you thanked your boss? Why should I thank my boss? I'm not getting paid enough. Thank him or her that you have a job.
Gratitude is the attitude that sets the altitude. For your Christian life. That's an excellent spirit. Daniel had a work ethic. Daniel had an excellent spirit, no matter what job was given to him.
I want you to pause for a moment and turn to the New Testament book of Ephesians, chapter 6. For a moment. Just flip over to. Ephesians chapter 6. It's right after Ephesians chapter 5.
I say it's important because chapter five. Is speaking to husbands, wives, children, parents, and then he speaks to. Employees. Only in those days the employees were actual slaves. Of slave owners.
And I want you to read with me what it says. Ephesians chapter 6, verse 5. Keeping Daniel in mind now. Bondservants Translated also slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh. with fear and trembling in sincerity of heart.
as to Christ. Not with iService, not a clock watcher. Not men pleasers. Not when your boss comes around the corner. But as bondservants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart.
With goodwill, doing service as to the Lord, not to men. Knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is slave. Or free. It's the same message as Daniel: work hard, have a great attitude. Work hard, have a great attitude.
Same message.
Now he's writing to slaves. You go, well, I feel like a slave. No, these actually were slaves. They were owned, and the early church, the writings of Paul and Peter, all taught the slaves who had become Christians. To so exercise their slavery by being humble and hardworking and subservient to their slave owners, so that they would have an opportunity to spread the gospel.
If you took that attitude, that little bit of truth, that knowledge to work tomorrow morning, Monday, it would transform your entire workday. It would transform your work day. It would change a job of drudgery into a meaningful ministry. I'm here by the will of God, and I can spread the word and the work of God. There were three men.
out doing a job. Same job, they were doing exactly the same task. A man walked up to one of the three of these men and said, What are you doing? First guy said, I'm breaking rocks. He grumbled just like that, I'm breaking rocks.
He went up to the second man and said, What are you doing? Second man said, I'm earning a living. It's a little better. Went up to the third guy and said, What are you doing? Third guy said, I'm building a cathedral.
They were all doing exactly the same thing: breaking down rocks, building blocks to build a building. One guy saw it as I'm just breaking rocks. The other guy saw it, I'm just earning a living. The other guy thought, I'm building a cathedral. That's the big picture.
I'm building a cathedral. That's an excellent spirit. So Daniel was Faithful. consistently, faithful, professionally. Third, I'd like you to notice that Daniel was faithful under scrutiny.
Look at verse 4. The governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or fault. because he was faithful. Nor was there any error or fault found in him. Then these men said, We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
So these governors and satraps Thronged before the king and said to him, King Darius, live forever. They loved to butter the guy up. All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators, the satraps, the counselors, the advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute. And to make a firm decree that whoever petitions any God or man for thirty days a month, Except you, O king. shall be cast into the den of lions.
Now, O king. Establish the decree and sign the writing so that it cannot be changed according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which does not alter. Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
So you got 120 provincial rulers, three administrators. And it says that the king sought, verse 3, to set Daniel above all of them and put him in charge of all of the realm of God. of Babylon. That is what got the jealousy going. It's not that this guy just got a promotion, because we all got a promotion, but He might get a promotion above our promotion.
A little historical note: it is not uncommon when one nation takes over another nation in antiquity. To use the existing talent of that nation, i.e., the infrastructure of government and government officials for the purpose of taxation to keep the peace. Especially if they could swear an allegiance to the new king.
So he felt pretty safe in doing that, but Because Daniel has always occupied a place of position, probably a lot of these other guys. Are seeing this as their opportunity to jockey for position, especially now that Daniel is going to be promoted, perhaps, over them. That is just pure Envy, pure jealousy. Anytime you occupy a position of authority. Or a position of power, or you're in a prominent position.
You will be eyed by the envious. and exposed to criticism. That just comes with the territory. No matter what field it's in. They'll look at you and they'll envy you and they'll criticize you.
They tried to do that with Daniel. To flip the coin and look at the Christian ethic, it says in Romans 12 that you are to rejoice with those who rejoice, and you are to weep with those that weep. How many of you think it's harder to rejoice with people that rejoice than to weep when they weep? I do. I'll give you an example.
Somebody hurting around you. Oh man, that's the first thing you'll do. You'll get around them. I'm so sorry. Oh, how can I help?
Oh, I love you. I hurt when you hurt. But when somebody else, Gets a promotion. Where you work? Your brother or sister?
How does that feel? And you didn't get one. It's hard to rejoice with those that rejoice. Hey, brother. They just gave me a $100,000 a year raise.
Wow, isn't that great? Aren't you happy for me? Are you kidding? Or If you were to come next Sunday and... Have the keys to a brand new car and say, Somebody in the church gave me a brand new car.
And the people around you that you know. Who've been praying for a car for a long time? How excited are they going to be for your rejoicing?
Well, maybe you'll have a few go.
Well, that's really good for you. Lord, where's mine? But Lord, it's good. It's good. It's all good.
Daniel was promoted, they were promoted.
Now, Daniel, the king, was just about to put him over the rest, and they thought, oh, this has got to stop. And with an envious eye they looked toward him. Put them under scrutiny. This is Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before we return to Pastor Skip's message, think about this.
If we really are living in the last days, wouldn't you want to know? The Bible doesn't leave us guessing about the future. It offers clear prophecies, solid truth, and real hope to anchor your faith in uncertain times. That's why this month, we'd like to send you two resources from Pastor Skip. The Bible from 30,000 feet 2 CD teaching from Daniel.
and his booklet, Are We Living in the Last Days? These explain key end times passages, how they apply today, and how to live with confidence in Christ. They're yours when you give $25 or more to support Connect with Skip Heitzig. Request yours at connectwithskip.com slash offer. or call 800-922.
Mm-hmm. Let's return now to today's message. But here's what you should notice. Even under scrutiny, Daniel is blameless. He's above reproach.
There are no skeletons in his closet. Verse 4 in the Jerusalem translation says, But they could find nothing to discredit him. and no case of negligence. He was so punctilious that they could find not a single instance of maladministration. or neglect.
Did you get that? Here's a powerful political figure. And there's no corruption. As they do an investigation on his past, they can find nothing on him. He's squeaky clean.
It was Lord Acton who said power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Here's Daniel. He almost has absolute power. He's almost always had absolute power. There's no corruption.
Kent Hughes Wrote a little article about corruption among the members of the 100th United States Congress. Relax. That's not the Congress that's in power now. But a previous Congress And he noted, that 29 were arrested for spousal abuse. Seven convicted of fraud, nineteen arrested for writing bad checks, one hundred and seventeen of them bankrupted two or more businesses.
14 were arrested on drug charges, 8 were arrested on shoplifting charges, 21 with lawsuits against them, 84 were charged with driving while intoxicated. Your tax dollars are work. Here's Daniel. In Babylon.
now under the Medo Persian domain, Daniel, who has been a very controversial figure, and in the midst of all of the controversy that has followed him, he's clean. Chapter 1, there was controversy because Daniel said, I'm not going to eat that stuff. I'm not going to defile myself with your diet. I'm Jewish. I keep kosher.
That was controversial. But the Lord blessed him because of that. He was clean anyway. In chapter 2, controversy followed Daniel. As Daniel announced to Nebuchadnezzar, your kingdom is coming down, and another kingdom is coming after you.
Nebuchadnezzar didn't want to hear that. In chapter four, controversy followed Daniel when Daniel said, King, you're very, very prideful. And God's going to humble you. Controversy followed him into chapter 5 when Daniel was the party pooper who walked in the midst of the drunken feast and said, King, you're going to be dead. within hours.
And this kingdom tonight is coming down. But in all of the controversy, He distinguished himself above the rest, a cut above. Faithful. I've always admired Dr. Billy Graham, and most Americans have as well.
In fact, though he has been a controversial figure from The days with the Nixon administration and several different things over time, and he has been under the eye of scrutiny by the media. Yet, since 1955, George Gallup has had a list called the 10 Most Admired Men in America. Billy Graham has been on that list. You know how many times? 56 times.
says Gallup more than any other human being. He's never been number one, but he's always been in the top ten. Because even under scrutiny, There's the faithful man. And Daniel, faithful. Consistently, professionally under scrutiny, and finally, let's look at this.
He was faithful spiritually. Verse 10. I love this.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he said, uh-oh. No, it says he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day. And trade. and gave thanks before God.
As was his custom since early days. Then the men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Then they went before the king and spoke concerning the king's decree. Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true.
according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which does not alter.
So they answered and said before the king, That Daniel Can't you just hear the tone in that? That Daniel. Reminds me of what my mom used to tell my dad. When she didn't like my behavior, that son of yours. That Daniel.
Who's one of the captives from Judah does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed? But he makes his petition three times a day. And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself. And he set his heart on Daniel to deliver him, and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men approached the king and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and the Persians, that no decree or statute which the king establishes.
Maybe changed.
So it's written in the law, you cannot pray. Does Daniel stop praying? Are you kidding? He goes home. opens the windows Facing west toward Jerusalem because that is his hope and anticipation that one day they're going to return after the captivity.
gets down on his knees. And that day he prays three times. You go, man, this guy, he's like ostentatious. That's so like in your face. No, it's not.
It's called being faithful. Did you notice what it says in verse 10? As was his custom since the early days. Daniel is just doing what Daniel has always done. This isn't like new.
Three times a day, Daniel did it in the past. Three times a day, Daniel's doing it now. You say, well, weren't there other options for Daniel? Couldn't he have said Okay, I'll lay low for 30 days, one month. can't hurt.
Because if I lay low for 30 days, the law is over. I can go back to my praying, go back to my religious stuff. Or couldn't he have said, I'll pray, but I'll do it in private. After all, religion is a private thing. Doesn't do that.
His custom was To open the windows unashamedly. You know, we get ashamed to pray in a restaurant before a meal. Daniel opens the windows to his house, signifying his hope in the Lord in Jerusalem being restored. three times a day gets down on his knees. and praise.
Here's why. If Daniel would have done all this in private, Instead of what he had always done, That would discredit his testimony. His enemies, these jealous men, would have thought, aha, it worked. It worked. We got them to stop.
But Daniel believes something. It's better to die for a conviction. than to live with a compromise. I'm not going to stop even if you kill me. I gotta tell you, I read through this section, and every time I do, I stop.
And I get filled with conviction about this verse. Because I think of all the lame excuses I've had, we've had for not being consistent and faithful in our prayer life. Oh, I need my sleep. My beauty sleep I exercise at that time. I show on television.
I'm just so busy with work. But then I think of Those faithful people in our own church. They don't make a big splash. Most of you don't even know who they are. But there's the group that meets on Sundays to gather together to pray for the church, the leadership, and all of us as we gather.
every week. There's the couple that faithfully comes to the prayer room every week and prays through all the prayer requests we send them by email or written out in the agape boxes. There's the faithful woman who stands in front of the map and lays her hand on all the different parts of the world, and for 45 minutes prays for all the missionaries. as was his custom. since the early days.
Who can find a faithful man? Who can find a faithful woman? I'm praying that God will find A faithful man and me. And in you. And it just takes plodding, you know, one foot in front of the other, just being faithful, getting up, doing the same thing, long obedience in the same direction.
Let me tell you a story as I close. True story. George Bolt is his name. Was his name? B-O-L-D-T Bolt.
George Bolt managed a small little hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Not much. But he was a good manager. One evening, a couple came through the lobby, asked for a room. George Bolt said, rooms are filled, no vacancy.
There's not a room here. They were about to leave. George also knew there were no rooms in the city of Philadelphia. Travel was up. Visitors were thick.
There wasn't a single vacancy. George knew if they left his hotel they'd Wouldn't find a room.
So George said, listen. Take my room. I'll sleep out on the couch. Just take my room. They said, Oh, we can't take your room.
It said, No, I insist. If you don't take my room, you won't find a room.
So they took his room, spent the night, got up the next day, were checking out of the hotel. out of his room. And the elderly gentleman said to George Bolt, You know, you are a good manager. You ought to manage. The biggest, finest hotel in the world.
And I'm going to build it for you one day. George said, okay, yeah, right. Cool. Thanks. See ya.
God bless you guys. A few years later, George received a letter in the mail from an elderly gentleman in New York. It was that man. He reminded him of the story and asked George to come to New York and visit him for a few days. Inside the envelope was also a ticket so we could get there.
George gets to New York, is taken to a corner. Downtown Manhattan. downtown New York City. and looks up at this big, beautiful hotel, and the elderly gentleman said, I'd like you to manage this hotel. The elderly gentleman's name?
William Waldorf Astor. One of the wealthiest men in America, he just built the Waldorf Astoria, one of the finest hotels ever. You see, that elderly gentleman knew that if George could be faithful in managing a little hotel in Philadelphia. And be that caring for his. Patrons.
that he'd do a great job. with the Waldorf Astoria. He was given the job. He was the manager of the Waldorf Astoria.
Sound familiar? If you're faithful in the little things. You'll be ruler over ten cities. How are you managing your life? Because, how you're managing your life now will largely determine the position.
And rewards. that you get when you're in glory. In heaven, saved by grace. purely by grace. But rewarded.
According to faithfulness. Be a faithful worker. Be a faithful husband, be a faithful wife, be a faithful friend. Work hard. Excellent spirit.
Only God can work that in. But I figure the more we follow the faithful God, Some of it ought to rub off. We're so glad you joined us today for Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before we go, remember to request Pastor Skip's 2 CD teaching from Daniel, Bible from 30,000 feet. and his booklet, Are We Living in the Last Days?
They'll give you clarity and confidence about the days ahead. And they're yours when you give $25 or more to support Connect with Skip Heitzig. Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskip.com slash offer. And while you're there, sign up for the 30K 30-day challenge and take your Bible study deeper. Come back next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's Word here on Connect with Skip Heitzig.
Make a connect. Make a connection at the foot of the cross sand. Cast your burdens on his wood. Make a connection. Connection.
Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of connection communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
