Faith is more about how you live than where you live Tests create trust Daniel 1:1-2 – In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. Daniel 1:3-4;6 – Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans…among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. The test is to trust when you don’t get your way Daniel 1:5 – The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king… Gospel Identity means that Jesus moves us from death to life It’s better to live with God in Babylon than it is to live without God in the Promised Land Daniel 1:8– 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. Daniel 1:12-13 – “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 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.” Your “resolve” is rooted in your identity Three ways to respond to Babylon: 1. Retreat & blend in 2. Attack & act out 3. Live like an exile Living in the Promised Land was not nearly as important as the One who made the Promise Daniel1:14-15; 19-20 –And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. Where willpower fails, love succeeds Jesus was the ultimate exile