Purpose in Your Heart
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.
It is a very common question, nowadays, when we see a successful man, to ask what has been the secret of that man’s success. Now when we hear of a successful man in the Bible, it is well for us to inquire the secret of this man’s success. I think you will find the secret of a Christian man’s success in the eighth verse of the first chapter of the prophet Daniel: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with a portion of the king’s meat nor with the wine which he drank.”…
That’s a good place to purpose—in the heart. A great many persons purpose in the head, and never get into the heart. What we want to do is to purpose in the heart, and when we do that it turns the current of our whole life. Our life is right if our heart is right.… Thank God,… Daniel had a purpose. He purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with a portion of the king’s meat nor with the wine which he drank.… I say that that young man had some backbone. He could say No! at the right time.… I like moral courage. I think there are hundreds and thousands today who are lost for want of moral courage. They dare not take their stand for God.… But thank God, [Daniel] took [his] stand on God’s side; and whenever a man takes his stand on God’s side, God will not forsake him.
D.L. Moody, The Gospel Awakening.
