“Watch Who You Let Feed You”

Daniel 1:8-16

8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. 16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

"We have to be careful who we break bread with, because not every table has our best interest in mind. The host may not take your interest into consideration because their goal is to take from you, even though they may have more than you. Daniel was carried out, and while he was there Nebuchadnezzar brought back two things after he conquered Judah. He brought sacred things, and he put it in the temple with his gods. To show others that his god was better than the God of Hebrews. Not only did he bring back sacred things, but he brought back some Hebrew people. He brought them back to show them, and teach them what it was to be a Babylonian. He put them under the care of his unit, and taught them their culture. He changed their names: Daniel (Belshazzar), Hananiah (Shariq), Meshaal (Meshack), Azariah (Abednego). Be careful about letting others call you out your name. They changed their names to change their spiritual identity. Don’t let anybody but God change your name. Stop letting the Devil change your name. The people said to John, “are you the Light or should we look for another?” John replied, “ I am not the Light, there’s one that is coming after me. I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Don’t let anybody just tell you anything. The Lord made you beautifully and wonderfully made. You are above and not beneath, the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. Nebuchadnezzar not only changed their name, but he changed their diet. Daniel refused, and asked for only vegetables and water. You have to make up in your mind who you are, and who you will serve. It is easy to say but it is harder to do. Daniel made a choice, and he had to not only make up in his head but in his heart that he serves the Lord. In like fashion we serve a risen Savior and He is in the world today. Daniel and his friends were Jews, and according to Jewish customs, they were not allowed to eat food prepared by Gentiles. Daniel decided that even though he was in a different culture, he did not have to do as they did. He stayed true to who he was. He never demanded to have other cuisine, he asked. At first he was denied, and he asked another. When you recognize your commitment and decide to honor it, expect somebody to test you. Will you hold up or fold? Daniel found favor in love, with those who were in charge of those assigned to him. He found favor with man, because he was obedient to God. Not because of who Daniel was, but because who Daniel believed. This happens when you stay true to what you believe. He asked to be fed vegetables and drink water for ten days to show that their diet worked for them. While the Gentiles were unfit, Daniel and his friends were the opposite.”