Daniel 1:8. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Living Separate From Sin
Living separate from the world requires purpose. You are not going to live for God just on a feeling or whim. Daniel purposes he was not going to defile himself with the things of the heathen. He wanted to be separate from sinners. He wanted to stand for God no matter what. He was not trying to act “holier than thou,” he was just doing what he knew would like please his Heavenly Father. Why do you live the way you do? What gives you purpose in life? Is it the Holy Ghost that lives inside you pushing you do right? Or is it just a pride that pushes you to look good in front of others?
Keeping it Clean
When you take what is clean and get it dirty, you are defiling it. You need to take time to keep your life clean. Daniel had spent a long time living a holy life. He was not about to compromise what he had worked hard at by eating what he knew would not please God. If you have lived a long time as a Christian, you should want to preserve your testimony. You should want to make sure it is never defiled. It can take years to build a good testimony and only a moment to destroy it.
Having a Design or Intention for Your Life
Purpose means there is intention or a design behind what you are working toward. Daniel had a goal, he had a design behind living holy and undefiled. It was to please the Father. When you live for the One who bought you, you are living with a purpose in mind. Having a goal of living a holy, separated life is a purpose. It is what God wants of us. In the world’s eyes that is of little value. In God’s eyes it is of great value. Are you purposed? Do you have a goal? Are you eyes set on the author and finisher of your faith or are they set on your own selfish ambitions?
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