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Rick Renner took the stage last night at the Connect 2010 conference at Family Harvest Church. He brought his usual big smile which would be greatly needed.  Rick’s opening statement described the famous Jewish exile known as Daniel and how he was gruesomely castrated.

I found my mouth drop, my legs slowly cross and my right hand grab my crotch (since I am right handed). It wasn’t a crotch grab a-la Michael Jackson or one of those brief re adjustments you see on the baseball diamond, this one was of thankfulness.

Yes folks, Daniel, the famous Jew in the Bible who was stolen away from his family and forced to work for the Babylonians was in fact castrated. Castrated … castrated … castrated!! Isn’t it weird when a man reads that word his arms instinctively move lower toward this region. His palms start to get a bit moist and forehead squeezes in discomfort. Legs and lower extremities become motionless and your future vanishes like smoke.

The following notes are directly from Rick Renner. I will not post all of them because it is enough information to write an incredible book and make a fortune. I would suggest for you to check out a few additional things from Rick Renner. He will blow your mind with all things considered in most areas in the Old and New Testament.

1. Find Rick on Facebook

2. Tell Rick on Facebook why he should be on Twitter.

• After 18 years of battle, Jerusalem fell to Nebuchanezzer.
• The temple was destroyed.
• Jerusalem was leveled to the ground.
• The nation was destroyed.
• Nebuchanezzer captured and carried high-born Jews to Babylon to serve as slaves.
• Their parents were killed – no family to return to.
• Their national identity was lost.
• Their economic high-born status was forfeited forever.
• They were reduced to slaves in chains.

• • Babylon was a horrible place for a devoted Jew.
  • It was the high level of paganism in the ancient world.
  • It was so horrible that Daniel called it SHINAR – which means “a place of faithlessness” or “a place of hostility toward God” — indicating the gross darkness of the city hostility toward the Hebrew God.
  • It was the type of paganism where god Marduk was worshipped – a god so hideous that I cannot publicly discuss the sexual overtones involved in this religious rites involved in this form of pagan worship.

• Daniel was approximately 17 years – raised as a Jewish noble.
• Educated and high-born or high-class.
• He was CASTRATED upon arrival in Babylon: Josephus wrote: “Nebuchadnezzar made the most noble of the Jewish men to be eunuchs…”
• Imagine:
• 17 years old.
• The future is before you.
• Your nation has been destroyed.
• Your family has been killed.
• You are the sole survivor of your family.
• You are the only person who can propagate your family name.
• Then you are castrated – and the end of your family.

Why Eunuchs?

• To prevent future propagation of the Jewish nobility.
• To present them from giving birth to children that would later try

to take the throne.

• Hence, castration removed all threats.

Kings and others who were in authority were considered attacked and betrayed by those who were close to them. It was rare to find an individual who posed no threat, who served with no ulterior motive, or who had no hidden agenda.

• Therefore, kings and emperors castrated men and turned them into eunuchs so they would have servants who had no hidden agendas, no ulterior motives, and who would live to serve their masters with single hearts and devotion.
• The future of the eunuch totally depended upon his master – he had no other family to turn to or to rely upon – and therefore the eunuch became the most trusted and faithful of all servants.
• Example: Acts 8:27 — the Ethiopian Eunuch was the treasurer for Queen Candace – because he was a eunuch, he was a man who could be trusted. There was no reason for him to steal because there were no children for him to leave a fortune. He was trusted, non-threatening.
• No family to rely upon, no children to turn to, eunuch understood the quality of their lives depended on the quality of service and faithfulness they rendered to their king or owner.

Thus, they became “trusted” in the ancient world, because:

• No hidden agendas.

• No ulterior motives.
• No secret dreams to fulfill.
• No heritage to leave behind.
• No claim to any dynasty.
• The impossibility of produces heirs and thus they were not a threat.
• The only way they could have successful lives is if they faithfully served their masters.
• They had no sexual relationships, and therefore no emotional attachments.
• The act of castration removed all distractions from their lives and they lived only to serve their masters, to serve them well, and hence they were viewed:

In Matthew 19:12, Jesus said: “For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.”

1. Those born with defects that make it impossible to produce their own.
2. Those who made eunuchs by the act of physical castration, like Daniel. A brutal, brutal act. But as severe as the act of castration was, it was the brutal act of castration — against their will — that qualified men for a position in the king’s court. In the case of Daniel,
   • It seems like so much was taken from him…
   • His rights were violated…
   • His future was denied…
   • His dreams were killed…
   • It was the end of his family line.
   • But this brutal act removed all distractions and qualified him to serve in the greatest way possible because it removed all distractions and enabled him to live a focused life.
3. Those who make themselves eunuchs – or those who have taken deliberate steps to DISCONNECT with the past, who have deliberately laid aside their own human ambitions and all distractions in order to use their lives to serve a greater purpose.

• This act of deliberate disconnection to their own agendas or to ulterior motives or personal is what makes them so profitable for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.
• It is very rare to find a man or woman who no personal agenda.
• It is quite uncommon to discover a man or woman who lives to serve someone else – to really serve someone else with true and undivided devotion.
• A real spiritual “eunuch” – like Jesus describes – is one who has deliberately laid aside his own plans, his own agenda, his own dream, to become a masterful servant and fulfiller or another person’s mandate from heaven.
• There are very few people who are so devoted to serving someone else.
• Most people serve selfishly, with their own secret plan, waiting for their own moment to emerge, for a dream they have never verbalized.
• Real devoted servants – called to serve someone else with no distractions are very rare – but who who accept this call are a great benefit to the kingdom of heaven.
• New Testament Examples: Luke, Timothy, Mark, Prochorus.

1. Daniel 1:3-4, Man of Physical Appearance

1:3 And the king spoke unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;

1:4: Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

• • Daniel demonstrated care about his physical appearance – it set him apart from the other men that were available to the king and made a way for him to rise to the top.
  • He had every reason to be depressed, to care less, and to give up. But his character would not allow him to give-in to his circumstances.
  • In spite of a hopless situation, he dressed well, groomed himself, and took care of his outward physical appearance – and it was THIS that set him apart from all the other Jewish men who were NOT chosen.
  • What does your physical appearance tell about you?
  • Daniel didn’t just focus on his spiritual life; his spiritual life affected his physical dress, his physical care, and the way he carried he himself. He looked serious, so he was seriously considered.
  • What does your dress and physical appearance reveal about who you are inwardly?
  • King Solomon’s court impressed Queen of Sheba – their dress, costumes, grooming, etc – it was a reflection of who Solomon was and took away the breath of the Queen of Sheba.
  • Would your personal appearance draw someone to you?
  • Would it make someone want to choose you?
  • What it make someone want to be close to you?
  • Or would it make them decide not to choose you?
  • Anything impressive about the way you look or carry yourself?
  • What does your outward appearance tell about you and affect others?

1. Daniel 1:4, Man of Mental Development

1:3 And the king spoke unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;

1:4: Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

• • Daniel was man given to his own self-development.
  • He was educated in knowledge and science – the supreme knowledge of that day –so skilled that it enabled him to stand in the kings’ palace with great confidence.
  • He was a man with so much mental development that the king knew he could be trusted to learn the Chaldean language.
  • This kind of knowledge doesn’t come accidentally.
  • He studied and used his mind to gain it.
  • What he had only known scripture? Would they have been interested in him?
  • Only knowing scripture would have been limited.
  • His commitment to grow mentally in many areas made him attractive and beneficial to those who were over him.
  • So let me ask, What are you doing to develop yourself mentally?
  • Of course, you need to be reading your Bible every day, no question!
  • But what are you doing to develop in other areas?
  • What are you doing to mentally in your profession?
  • What are you doing to educate yourself and to place yourself intellectually above your peers?
  • Is there anything about you that makes you intellectually attractive to people who are in power?
  • Are you more mentally equipped than others?
  • Is there something about your mentality that makes you brighter than your peers?
  • I am still developing mentally – feeling like I have growing in my understanding of the NT more than ever in my life.

1. Daniel 1:7-8, Man of Convictions

1:7: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed–nego.

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.

• • Daniel could have broken his vows to God in this setting and it might have made life easier for him — but he would not violate his integrity.
  • He made it clear what he would do, and what he would not do – and his behavior did not change depending on his environment, or on a potential promotion, or more pay, or greater honor. He simple would not violate his convictions.
  • What about you and your convictions?
  • To you stick to your conviction regardless of where you are or who you are with?
  • When you are put in a compromising position – and it looks like just a “little” compromise could make things easier for you or get you a promotion or get you friends — do you compromise a “little” or do you stick to your inward Bible-based convictions?
  • Example: Do you drink to become more acceptable with others, even though you believe it’s not right?
  • Do YOU change based on your environment, job possibilities, or friends you are with — or do you stay the same regardless of where you are?
  • It’s an issue of integrity. God never changes. He is not like a shifting shadow. Can that be said about you? If not, it will be hard for God to bless you, for hypocrisy is one of the most offensive things to God.

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