Proverbs 23:1-3 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 23:1-3, which read,

When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are a man of great appetite.  Do not desire his delicacies, for it is deceptive food.

Solomon is giving us a proverb that paints a picture for us to ponder.  You are before someone who is tempting you with something that makes that sin look good.  Maybe this is a sin that you are very weak to resist.  It would be better to take a knife to your throat to threaten your own injury or death than to participate in the sin.  There is more going on than just the meal that is before you.  Deception to something away from the will and wisdom of God is presented as something good to you with self-satisfying food.

This is a picture of Daniel and the 3 Hebrew boys.  They were taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar and selected for training to be in his court.  They were taken from their home land.  Their names were changed to Babylonian names.  Their clothing was probably changed to the national flair.  Their teaching was to changed from Hebrew history to Babylonian customs and ways.  But when the food from the king's table was put before them Daniel stopped.  It says in Daniel 1:8, 

"But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself."

Daniel could see where this was going.  He recognized that it was a total makeover of who he was including his relationship to his God to the worship of the one of many Babylonian gods.  He and his friends were young men and young men love food and rich food so this would have looked very tempting.  Young men can usually eat that kind of food and a lot of it and get away with it without it causing harm initially.  Us old guys would suffer for it immediately.  Daniel in a way puts a knife to his throat and says "no" to the kings food.  The official in charge of their care isn't too pleased and explains the ramifications to himself and to Daniel if he doesn't comply and it could possibly mean death but Daniel holds firm.  The rest of the story is that honoring God brought about young men who were stronger, more alert, and prepared than those who were partaking of the rich foods of the king.

This proverb is all about exercising restraint when you see the strings that are attached that lead to a step off the path of following after God.  When your new friend says, "Hey lets go to this fantastic movie that everyone is going to and it is getting great reviews" but you watch the trailer and have a twinge from the Holy Spirit.  You look up some Christian reviews of the movie and they lay out what it contains that is not God honoring and you have a decision to make.  You really like movies.  You maybe can watch too many movies.  You could say, "Well this is just one more and the bad parts I can look away or maybe this is a help for me to know what is happening in the real world so I can better relate and witness to."  Or you could say, "No, I think I need to put a knife to my throat on this one and say no."  It could mean some ridicule from this friend or even the death of this friendship but you can see that this type of movie would lead to others that are worse. 

You make up your own scenario with the temptation that you are weak in the knees about.  It is the delicious food presented before by some influential person who probably could get you somewhere in this world.  What is it going to take to say "no" to that and say "yes" to God?  Pray for discernment from God and the Holy Spirit will give it so that you can see the deception that Satan is using to draw you away to a life of disobedience.  Let us pray.

"Lord, the table is set.  It really looks good.  I want to eat it but because of my relationship with You I shouldn't. Help me to see that my growing relationship with You is more important than some temporary earthly pleasure.  Help me to see that I am jeopardizing some eternal growth with You by participating in this activity.  Thank You for the Biblical example of Daniel and the 3 Hebrew boys who said 'no' and seeing how You honored their faithful following of You.  May I dare to be a Daniel today.  Amen."

Pastor Adam