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We live in a world that is, let's be honest, falling apart at the seams. A world where children are drowning in confusion, overstimulation, and moral fog. A world where families are collapsing faster than schools, churches, and governments know how to respond.

But this isn't the first time God's people have had to raise children in a dysfunctional age.

Because 2600 years ago...

Four Hebrew young men walked into the most pagan, powerful, seductive empire on earth.

Babylon.

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and they became the most functional, wise, stable voices in the entire kingdom. Their names?

Daniel, Hananiah, Michelle, and Azariah.

They were in Babylon.

but not of Babylon surrounded by dysfunction.

but they didn't become dysfunctional.

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If they could do that, then.

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We can do it now.

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The moment your child steps outside your home.

They walk into Babylon.

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not the ancient city, but the modern system.

the Babylon of social media, the Babylon of gender confusion.

the Babylon of godlessness.

the Babylon of entertainment addiction.

the Babylon of political idolatry.

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Babylon of broken homes.

Ecclesiastes 1.9 tells us that there's no new thing under the sun.

Babylon has quite simply been repackaged. But the story of Daniel...

gives parents hope.

Your kids don't have to match the culture they live in. They can walk through Babylon with conviction, clarity, courage, and calmness.

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Daniel 1.8 says, but Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. Before Daniel ever faced the lions,

before his friends ever faced the fiery furnace.

before he interpreted dreams and visions.

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They won the small battle.

of the dinner table.

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Most parents don't realize your child's diet.

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physical, spiritual.

and intellectual.

is shaping who they become.

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regarding your physical diet.

The Hebrew young man refused the king's meat.

because it violated God's law.

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they chose discipline over indulgence.

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Nebuchadnezzar fed his princes luxuriously.

just like the modern culture feeds children.

Sugar.

screens, dopamine, entertainment, instant gratification, Instagram, Snapchat.

Quick hits.

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A child shaped by indulgence becomes an adult ruled by impulse.

A child shaped by discipline becomes a leader ruled by wisdom.

What your children consume spiritually forms their worldview. Daniel consumed God's Word. He prayed. He worshipped. He feared God more than the King. Ask yourself,

What is your child feeding on daily? TikTok, Disney, social media influencers, modern music full of confusion and blasphemy? Or are they feeding on the Word of God?

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Daniel and his friends were trained in all the learning and wisdom of the Chaldeans.

but they filtered it all through biblical truth.

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You can teach your children math, science, economics, even Babylonian culture.

without letting Babylon poison them to the core.

Functional children are not sheltered children. They are rooted children.

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Daniel 1-7 says, under whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names.

They tried to rename the Hebrew children.

Daniel they called Belteshazzar. Hananiah they called Shadrach. Mishael they called Meshach. Azariah they called Abednego. Why? Because Babylon always tries to rename what God has already named.

Today's Babylon does the same. Boy becomes gender. Girl becomes identity. Father becomes optional. Mother becomes birthing person. Marriage becomes a social contract.

Sin becomes self-expression.

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But here's the lesson.

They changed their names, but they couldn't change their nature. Because identity rooted in God cannot be overwritten by culture.

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Most parents wait for the crisis before training their children.

But Daniel and his friends had convictions before the test came. That's why in Daniel 3, when the music played and the whole empire bowed down to the Golden Idol,

Three teenagers stood tall.

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No hesitation, no debate, no compromise.

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That's why in Daniel 3, when the music played and the whole empire bowed down to the golden idol, three young men stood tall. No hesitation, no debate, no compromise. Conviction was already settled.

Parents today complain, my child won't stand for truth. But the real question is, did you teach them truth before Babylon demanded they bow? Proverbs 22, 6 says, train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Train is not the same as tail.

Why? Because training requires repetition, example, patience, practice, consistency, consequences, and most importantly, love. Train your children before the battle.

before the battle arrives. Check.

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Train your children for the battle before the battle arrives.

Daniel 1, 17 says, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom.

Notice, they didn't just avoid corruption, they excelled. Functional children don't simply survive Babylon, they become the wisest people in Babylon.

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Christians should not raise mediocre children.

Raise children who read more, think deeply, speak clearly, work diligently, solve problems, serve others, walk humbly, and lead courageously. Functional children are not defined by the dysfunction

around them.

Daniel 610 gives us the blueprint.

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He kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God. Three daily habits your children must adopt.

Prayer. Not just God is great, God is good. Teach them morning prayer, thanksgiving, confession, praying for others, asking for wisdom.

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teach them gratitude. Babylon produces entitlement. The Bible produces gratitude. A grateful child becomes a stable adult.

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Daniel prayed when the law allowed him and when the law forbade him.

Consistency is what separates children who stand from children who collapse under pressure.

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Daniel faced lions.

his friends faced the furnace.

Parents today try to remove every difficulty from a child's life, but God used difficulty to form the Hebrew young men.

Teach your children. Hardship is not failure. Discomfort is not danger. Trials are preparation.

Pressure reveals character. Romans 5, 3, and 4 state tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope.

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Everyone needs hope.

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Functional children are not fragile children. They are resilient, rooted, and ready.

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Daniel 2, 20 and 21 state, blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His.

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the wisest young man in Babylon wasn't wise because he was smart.

He was wise because he feared God. Proverbs 9 10 says, fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

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Teach your children to fear God, not in terror, but in awe. A child who fears God fears nothing else.

A child who does not fear God fears everything.

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some practical steps.

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Create a righteous household culture. Your home should feel like Jerusalem, not Babylon.

Structure it.

family worship.

family meals.

Chores. Responsibilities. Order.

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boundaries.

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No drama, no chaos.

and respect.

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reduce Babylon's voice, cut off.

constant stimulation of screens and blue light.

unfiltered internet.

ungodly music.

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woke propaganda. Propaganda in general.

and peer pressure from foolish children.

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Increase God's voice. Add scripture reading. Memorization.

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journaling.

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A pattern of prayer.

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Good books. Great biographies.

and a Christian community that supports all of those things.

We also have to expect excellence. Daniel wasn't average. Your children shouldn't be either.

Excellence is not perfection. It's giving their best every time.

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model what you want your children to become.

You can't raise disciplined children while living undisciplined. You can't raise prayerful children while never praying.

You can't raise strong children while living weak.

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Children imitate what you are and who you are, not what you say.

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Your children can and should thrive in Babylon. Daniel's story isn't just history. It's a blueprint.

The world is dysfunctional, yes.

but that only makes functional children shine brighter.

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Your children can be wise in a foolish generation.

in a corrupt and perverted generation.

courageous in a fearful generation.

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faithful in a faithless generation.

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functional in a completely chaotic, dysfunctional world.

Jesus said in John 17, 16.

And they are not of the world, even as I am not.

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raise children who belong to God.

even while they walk.

in Babylon.

I hope this helps today y'all. If you do love our content and information go on over to thetexasboys.com. The food forest in the box and other cuttings are up and available. We cut them fresh and ship them direct to your door. If you wonder about that you can check out our rooting playlist that we have on our YouTube channel and we'll see y'all next time.