How to Stop Making Excuses A Study of Daniel
Temptation to Indulge in Sin Daniel 1:1-16 Huge changes for these young men Many potential excuses New place and new king God has abandoned us in this foreign land Need to avoid death or disgrace so we can have an impact
Temptation to Become Arrogant With Success Daniel 2:24-30 A time of great crisis that some wanted to take advantage of for personal gain Possible excuses God has revealed this to me for a reason Take any opportunity for advancement Need to come up with something to save my life
Temptation to Give in to Persecution Daniel 3:9-18 Nebuchadnezzar had built a golden statue for the people to worship Some excuses All we have to do is bow (it’s not real) Must preserve our lives because of our positions Temporary situation, so God will understand
Temptation to Hide His Faith Daniel 6:1-28 A devious plot forces Daniel to choose between serving God and obeying the king Excuses to try to make both work Shut the windows Wait 30 days Leave town for a month
How Do We Stop Making Excuses? “Purposed in their hearts” Make our decisions ahead of time Growth requires a single focus When we are ruled by God and His word, we won’t make excuses