So let's remember where we are. Daniel was previously enslaved in the Babylonian empire, and then the Medo-Persians moved in with Darius in the lead. Daniel, by this time, is about 80 years old. He's up there. But Daniel has a gift, and his gift is so pronounced that he is still getting promoted. So let's make a comparison so you can see how Daniel is currently positioned. In comparison to our country, there are 94 district and 13 appeal courts overseen by 9 Supreme Court Justices and 1 Chief Justice. In Daniel's situation, 120 district officials are governed by three high court officials, one of which is Daniel, who is being considered for promotion again. This is a side note for you old guys out there today. When you are 80, you are not washed up. You might be at your best if you are still in the game. So just because you are pushing a walker and pulling an oxygen tank doesn't necessarily mean you need to get out of the game. Find a way to stay in the game because right now, Daniel's gifts are so pronounced he is still getting respect from people. But as we are going to see, not everyone. So with this context, here's the text for today:

Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, "We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God." — Daniel 6:4-5

So this is an important note. Every government, every church, and every business has a known government and a shadow government. This is a fact and not a conspiracy. Heaven had one, and Satan led it. The Garden had one, and the Serpent led it. And every government, church, and business has had one since. And they exist because men, by nature, have strong selfish desires. So we (that's all men) will manufacture ways to gain power and control. And we will construct devious ways of going about this through shadow alliances. We'll persuade others to join our side against another individual and intentionally create rules, regulations, and laws that force others to do what we want. I hate to say this, but this is happening in this country, your business, and even your church.

So let's jump back to the context. The Medo-Persian Empire operated a little differently from the Babylonian Empire. It was governed not by just a lone monarch. They were governed by a known and established legal system. So these devious men, all 120, planned to develop a law to set Daniel up. They were going to put Daniel in a position where God's Law competed with Persian Law because they knew him to be one who would never break God's Law.

Fellas, we are going to get set up sometimes in this world. We'll be pressured to obey a known law that infringes on God's Law. And sometimes, the motivation behind it is malicious. It will test our loyalty and thus our faith. And it's here we have to take a stand. There are some of you today who are going through this test. You are going through this moment in your community, business, church, or family. And today, you are struggling to know what to do because obedience to God will put your job in jeopardy, it will put you at odds with people in your church, or it will estrange you from people that you love. Let me encourage you to trust God more than a shadow government. Because the government, in the end, is on his shoulders, and no law stands against the Law of God.

ASK THIS: What stand do you need to take today?

DO THIS: Take a stand for God.

PRAY THIS: God, as I take a stand today, may it be for your glory alone!

PLAY THIS:  Stand Up.

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