Teenagers in the Bible (Part 2)

Last week we talked about Joseph...this week we looked at Daniel (and his 3 buddies).

The first story we read was in Daniel 1:1-20. From it we found out that...

As a teenager, I can...stand up for what is right, even if it's hard.
Daniel and his friends were taken into exile as young men. They were chosen to see if they were fit to serve in the king's court. As they were prepped they were told to eat the royal food and drink. This wouldn't have been such a big deal, except it was always offered to an idol before being served. Daniel and his friends knew they weren't to take part in that practice. Consequently, they requested to eat different food, a request that could have cost them their lives. The man in charge granted their request and later discovered they were more fit and healthier than anyone who had been eating the royal food.

Daniel and his friends could have gone with the flow. They surely knew such a request could mean execution. However, they chose to stand up for what they knew was right and God rewarded them for it.

(The recent Miss California event is a great example of standing up for what you believe when the stakes are high.)

Are there times in your life when people around you are doing something you know you shouldn't do?
*Cheating on a test
*Lying on their taxes
*Drinking alcohol underage
*Stealing from work
How do you respond in those situations?

The second story is in Daniel 3:1-30. This tells us that...

As a teenager, I can...worship God when no one else is.
Everyone in the land was required to worship this 90ft tall idol. Everyone in the land did so, except Daniel's 3 friends. They must have stuck out like a sore thumb. Picture thousands of people bowing down and three other guys standing straight up. They knew it was a sin to bow to an idol and they stood their ground. The king even gave them a second chance. After refusing they were thrown into an extremely hot furnace. The king looked in and was surprised to see them walking around in what should have been a certain death situation. He called for them to come out and discovered they weren't singed in the least.

Are there times in your life when it isn't popular to worship God?
*It isn't popular to pray before lunch at school
*It isn't popular to go home from a friend's house Saturday night so you won't be tired for church on Sunday
*It isn't popular to give an honest answer when someone asks you why you act the way you do
How would a person similar to Daniel's 3 friends have responded in the above situations?