July 14, 2025 • 46 mins
Ever faced a moment when everything was stacked against you? Daniel's life in Babylon reveals what genuine faith looks like when confronted with impossible situations.
Daniel and his friends encountered three life-threatening challenges that mirror our own spiritual battles: fear when Nebuchadnezzar demanded the impossible, fire when refusing to bow to idols, and fangs when Daniel's prayer life earned him a trip to the lions' den. In each impossible scenario, God transformed the situation into something remarkable.
The fear of death became supernatural peace as God revealed Nebuchadnezzar's dream to Daniel. The fiery furnace meant to destroy Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego became an encounter with God's presence, as a fourth figure appeared walking with them among the flames. The lions' den designed to silence Daniel's devotion became a platform for God's provision as He shut the mouths of hungry predators.
What stands out is how Daniel maintained unwavering integrity. He didn't compromise when offered the king's food, didn't hide his prayers when they became illegal, and didn't waver in his convictions when threatened with death. His testimony wasn't built on last-minute emergency prayers but on a lifestyle of consistent devotion—serving God "continually" as King Darius observed.
This message challenges us to examine our own response to cultural pressure and spiritual threats. Are we bowing to the golden statues of our day? Are we praying only in emergencies or maintaining a consistent relationship with God? Do we believe God can transform our greatest threats into our greatest testimonies?
The God who delivered Daniel is still working today, ready to transform your fear into peace, your fire into process, and your fangs into provision. Your trial has purpose beyond what you can see. Stand firm in your faith, and watch God show up powerfully in your impossible situation.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Young Daniel (00:00):
What's up?
Kingdom Crew Daniel hereProbably the only guy who went
on the Daniel fast and gainedweight.
Crazy news just dropped inBabylon.
King Nebuchadnezzar had anightmare.
Couldn't remember it, but itfreaked him out.
He threatened to unalive allthe wise men if they couldn't
tell him the dream and itsmeaning, including yours truly.
(00:21):
So I prayed with my guys andguess what?
God revealed the dream to me ina vision.
The dream was about a giantstatue made up of a gold head,
silver chest, bronze stomach,iron legs and mixed iron slash
clay feet.
Then a rock, not cut by humanhands, smashed the statue,
(00:44):
becoming a huge mountain.
The interpretation the statuerepresents successive kingdoms,
starting with Nebuchadnezzar,but the rock that's God's
eternal kingdom that will crushall others and last forever.
I told the king he was amazed,gave God the glory and even
(01:05):
promoted me.
Talk about a glow up, remember,even kings have nightmares, but
God has the ultimate plan.
Jason Brown (01:15):
Amen.
Today we're going to be talkingabout the minor prophets,
focused on Daniel, and we'll betalking about this idea of fear
and fire and fangs.
A few weeks ago I was inMedellin, colombia, and having a
chance to be there with PastorIsai and be there in a beautiful
country.
I was there with Pastor Alberto, who's been here in our pulpit
sharing the word of God, and wehad an opportunity to go and to
(01:38):
challenge pastors and youngleaders across Colombia to
respond to the gospel and totake that gospel as church
planters and as missionaries tothe world around them.
And it was powerful.
It was beautiful to see, as wewere there in Medellin, going up
the hillside and seeing thechange that's happened in that
community.
(01:58):
You know, from an Americanperspective, we always connect
it to the cartels and to allthose things that have happened
there, but it was beautiful tosee the change that's been
happening in the investment thatthe government's been making in
the people and seeing some ofthis opportunity for them to
move from place to place.
And it's not perfect, but wewere sharing with some people
there in the gondolas.
We were headed up the side ofthe mountain.
(02:20):
They were saying how it tookhours sometimes to navigate the
different gangs and differentareas that they had to miss, to
come down to go shopping at themarket, and now they could go
right over all that mess and goright and get connected right
where they're at, and I washappy to hear that for their
quality of life.
But what I was more encouragedto see was actually the move of
God, what was happening amongstthem, in their community, and to
(02:43):
be there in Medellin and seeingthis next image with the people
of God.
They were there and they wereexcited.
This is an off night, it's noteven a Sunday, and it was packed
and people were worshiping theLord and they're saying yes to
the challenge of missions, thechallenge to say yes to God
whatever he has for them.
They're raising their hand tosay yes, lord, whatever you want
(03:03):
to do.
I want to be a part of that,for what you're doing through me
.
We were able to do that inMedellin.
We were able to go toBarranquilla and to make that
same kind of challenge and thepeople there were responsive.
In the same kind of way, wewere able to go to Bogota and to
be there as well, and to bethere with the youth and to
excited.
And I'll tell you, pastor Rauland I, man, this thing was going
on.
It was like an hour numberthree and Pastor Raul and I are
(03:26):
like man, it's time for somedinner or something.
But they were still going, man.
They were still rocking androlling.
We were hanging out with theyouth after the service for
another 45 minutes and I mean itwas really going.
It was a powerful time toworship with them.
What we also saw was in Chilewas the word of God going
forward and many peopleresponding to say yes to God and
(03:47):
to say yes to the next thingthat God would have for them.
I got a chance to preach with auniversity church and it's all
of them.
The majority of the church ispeople in university or getting
their master's or theirdoctorate, and these are people
that are going to be leaders inthe next generation in their
country and we're talking withthem and challenging them to say
yes to whatever God would havefor them, that they would use
(04:07):
their platform to say yes to God.
We got to pray over some churchplanters.
We got to pray over somemissionaries that were being
sent out.
It was a powerful move of Godand the altars were filled with
people that were pursuing aftermore of the spirit of God so
that they could say yes to him.
Aren't you excited that we geta chance to be a part of what
(04:30):
God is doing around the worldthrough Kingdom Builders?
We say amen to that.
Hey, I wanted to give a specialhonor today.
We have some missionaries inthe house.
I just want them to stand so wecan honor them.
It's the Clantons, flynn andRenee.
They actually serve in Medellin, colombia.
We have a hand of appreciationfor them.
So very thankful you guyspartnered with us today.
Friends, that's what it's aboutis that we want to be those that
(04:51):
are on this mission from God.
We've been talking about itthrough the Minor Prophets,
about how each one of us iscalled to say yes and to use our
voice for God.
It's why we talk about beingChrist followers.
It's why we all say that noneof us has arrived.
None of us is perfect.
Amen.
I'm the first to tell you thatI'm not perfect, but what we're
trying to do is we're trying tofollow Jesus where he's leading
(05:14):
us to go.
That's why we use this imageryof Christ walking with his
disciples, because that's how wesee ourselves.
Is that we're following Jesus.
We want to be more like him, bemore like Jesus.
It's why we love God, it's whywe make disciples, that's why we
reach the world, it's why wesacrifice and we give and we
pray and we go, and it's alsowhy, beyond just the weekend
(05:36):
gatherings of the church, likewe have here, that we do life
groups throughout the week,throughout the city.
And I want to encourage you inthis even though we just had a
semester, stop and be a blessingto us here in June, another
one's coming in fall and I wouldencourage you and challenge you
to pre-decide to get involved.
It's so easy in this churchlife to just to come to a
(05:57):
gathering on a weekend and slipin late, slip out early and meet
nobody, but whenever the hardtimes come, guess what?
We don't have those friendshipsthat help sustain us and walk
us through Friends.
The very thing that you'relooking for is found in living
this life together, and so wewant to be intentional in that.
(06:19):
Let me encourage you to connect, to grow in your relationship
with God, grow in a relationshipwith others, to go deep after
the things of God and to serve.
Use your gifts and abilitiesfor the Lord.
Today we're talking about theminor prophets.
We're picking up here withDaniel.
If you have your Bible, yourtablet, your phone, if you move
to Daniel 6, be jumping off hereand then be moving backwards.
(06:41):
Daniel 6, verse 26 says thisKing Darius is saying I make a
decree that in all my royaldominion, people are to tremble
and fear before the God ofDaniel, for he is the living God
enduring forever.
His kingdom shall never bedestroyed and his dominion shall
(07:02):
be, shall be to the end.
He delivers and rescues, heworks signs and wonders in
heaven and on earth.
He who has saved Daniel fromthe power of the lions, would
you say amen to that?
That is the God we serve.
Lord, we pray today over yourword that you would make it
(07:22):
alive and rhemaema.
Breathe upon it by your spiritto challenge it.
Use it in our lives.
We pray in jesus name, amen.
Now we're talking about thisidea of fear and fire and fangs,
and we pick up here with daniel, and daniel on the timeline of
of our of these different minorprophets is one that whenever
(07:44):
Assyria has taken some peopleaway.
Now Babylon has come andthey've actually conquered the
next known world around them andthey've taken both Israel and
Judah and they've taken thepeople from them to themselves.
So Daniel finds himself as onebeing taken in captivity.
Daniel was young.
It says that he was handsome.
It says he was smart.
I mean, he was a dime piece.
Look at this guy, wow.
(08:04):
Ooh, he looks pretty Europeanfor being a Jewish guy.
But hey, what are you going todo, you know?
And so what we have is thesefour people in this story
throughout Daniel.
We can't go heavy into everypiece today.
Let me encourage you in thisTake your Bible this week and
add it to your daily reading,just the way that you would do
in reading your gospels andreading your Psalm and your
(08:25):
Proverbs every day.
Add some of Daniel and go deep.
After these pieces, this storypicks up with Daniel and
Hananiah, mishael and Azariah.
Those are the four Hebrews thatare in this story.
You might better know them asDaniel and Shadrach, meshach and
Abednego, but it's Daniel'sname.
Whenever he went to Babylon wasactually Belteshazzar, which is
(08:48):
a lot harder to say than Daniel.
Right?
You're like Danny orBelteshazzar?
You know what I'm talking about.
That's a hard one.
Anybody Belteshazzar in thehouse?
No, nobody named that.
Okay, so you just understandwhy they went with Daniel.
So that's, and he's the onewriting it from his perspective.
So we pick up here with KingNebuchadnezzar.
Now, king Nebuchadnezzar hadconquered the known world around
(09:09):
him and so in doing so, he wassomeone that God had lifted up
to take the authority away fromthese other nations as a
consequence.
And so he starts saying to hiseunuchs, the people in his court
listen, we want to take thecream of the crop, the best and
brightest.
We want to bring them togetherand we want to train them in our
ways.
(09:30):
He says this in Daniel 1, 4,youths without blemish of good
appearance and skillful in allwisdom, endowed with knowledge,
understanding, learning andcompetent to stand in the king's
palace and to teach them theliterature and language of the
Chaldeans.
And so the chief of the eunuchs, he gives them these other
(09:51):
Babylonian names.
But they also start to say, hey, you need to come and be
trained up in the way of theking.
That includes eating from theking's table.
Now, this is problematic forDaniel and for the three Hebrew
children, because they arepeople who believe and follow
the living God.
Someone say amen to that, butthat also means that they're
(10:12):
going to eat according to theOld Testament ways, they're
going to eat in a kosher way.
So they're not going to eat thepig that he serves and the
other things that he serves athis table as a Babylonian king.
So they asked to be reservedaway from that and they're
saying to him actually we wouldactually like to have favor to
not eat that way.
We're gonna eat these otherthings as a way to stay in
(10:35):
worship our God.
And the guy who's ahead of himis like listen, man, you're
gonna get me in trouble, you'regonna become skinny scrawny, I'm
gonna get my head chopped offbecause you're going to look
terrible.
And Daniel's like look, trustme.
And the Lord gave Daniel favor,says.
Did Daniel resolve that hewould not defile himself with
the king's food or with the winethat he drank.
(10:57):
Therefore, he asked the chiefof the eunuchs to allow him not
to defile himself.
And God gave Daniel favor andcompassion in the sight of the
chief of the eunuchs and at theend of the time, whenever
everybody was brought forward,it was these four guys who were
seen to shine and be ahead ofeverybody else, it says.
(11:17):
As for these four youths, godgave them learning and skill in
all literature and wisdom, andDaniel had understanding in all
visions and dreams and in everymatter of wisdom and
understanding about.
The king inquired of them.
He found them 10 times betterthan all the magicians and
(11:37):
cantors that were in his kingdom.
Somebody say 10 times.
What's amazing about this isthat it was their heart, to be
in alignment with God whichelevated them 10 times higher
than everybody else.
See, it would have been mucheasier for them to be like well,
we're not in Jerusalem anymore,the rules don't apply.
(11:59):
You know when in Babylon, do asthe Babylonians do.
But they didn't do that.
What they said is no, I'm goingto have a heart after God.
I'm going to still live for Godthough I be in Babylon.
Do as the Babylonians do.
But they didn't do that.
What they said is no, I'm goingto have a heart after God.
I'm going to still live for God.
Though I be in Babylon, I stillworship the one true God.
You ever lived in a place whereyou had a different value set
than the culture around you?
You ever lived in America oranywhere else on the planet that
(12:24):
I've lived.
I've lived in Mexico.
I've lived in France and inEurope.
I've lived in the Middle East.
Guess what?
All of them the exact same.
We live as unto God, not as theculture around us.
And, as a result, what happens?
The Lord elevates them and theyare 10 times better than the
other people around them.
Why?
Because their source is notfound in the king's hand, it's
(12:46):
found in the heart of theeverlasting king.
That's why, and so what happensis there's a situation where
they're elevated to this place,but then they're struck with
this fearful situation.
How many people deal with fear?
How many people are afraid toraise your hand?
Yeah, exactly so.
That's everybody.
Everybody's dealing with fear.
(13:08):
And what happens is the king hasa dream.
I tricked you guys all into it.
You guys like that one.
It's good.
The king has a dream, and theking's dream is a little
daunting.
Now, the king, he's very savvy.
Obviously, he had taken overeverybody, he had got all these
pile of people together and nowhe wanted to know if his
magicians, if his wise people,really knew what they were
talking about.
So he has a dream and he bringsin this dream, now his dream.
(13:29):
You know, you kind of be off inla la land Sometimes.
Maybe your dream is just badpizza, or maybe you ate, you
know, some sushi from three daysago, and it was a bad choice
Anybody.
So maybe that's the dreamyou're dealing with, but that
wasn't the dream in his case.
He had a dream that had meaning.
It was coming back to him.
And so he goes to his magicians.
He's like listen, I had a dream.
And they're like great, tell usthe dream.
(13:49):
We'll tell you the meaning.
Right, because they were goingto do like this there's somebody
here.
They have an A in their name,anyone, an A in your name Over
here, hey, from over here, right?
He's like uh-uh, you tell me mydream.
They were like dun, dun, dun,how does this work?
He's like no, you tell me thedream I had.
(14:11):
If you don't, I'm going to killeverybody.
So you know, he was in a goodmood, you could tell.
And so there's this quandarywhere they're like okay, we
better come up with the dream hehad and the meaning of the
dream, or everybody dies.
And so Daniel hears about thisnews and he goes in and asks the
Lord, lord, that you wouldreveal this dream to me, because
(14:33):
the captain of the guard comesto kill everybody.
Daniel's like wait, wait, wait,wait, wait, don't kill
everybody yet.
Let me go talk to the king, butlet me first talk to God, who
is the originator.
He's the one that gives theanswers.
Amen, let me go find out theanswer first.
And so that's what Daniel does.
He goes in and tells hisbrothers he's like listen, the
four of us we need to pray andask the Lord to reveal it.
And so the Lord does.
(14:54):
He gives him the insight on thedream Daniel 2, 19 says.
Then the mystery was revealed toDaniel in a vision of the night
.
Then Daniel blessed the God ofheaven.
Daniel answered and saidblessed be the name of God
forever and ever, to whom belongwisdom and might.
(15:15):
And so he goes into the kingand he starts to tell the king
what his dream means.
Daniel answered the king andsaid no wise men, enchanters,
magicians or astrologers canshow to the king the mystery
that the king has asked.
But there is a God in heavenwho reveals mysteries and he has
made known to KingNebuchadnezzar that he will be
(15:38):
in the latter days.
For what will be in the latterdays?
Your dream and your visions asyou lay in your bed was this.
And he starts to unpack hisdream, scene after scene, and
the king is impressed because hehas found the real deal.
He's not someone faking it but,just like Daniel had said.
(16:00):
No one else, under any otherpower, could give the insight,
but the living God could,because he's the one that gave
the dream to start, with Friends, a situation that was fearful.
They were afraid that they weregoing to die, that they had
fear that was crippling.
This fear that was overwhelmingwas taken and turned to a
(16:22):
situation of peace where theliving God, the Prince of Peace,
the originator of all things,the peace that passes all
understanding, was now restingupon them.
And not just that, but God tooka situation of fearfulness and
he brought peace.
And then he brought promotion.
He actually elevated them sothat they were the ones now
(16:45):
ruling over everything.
He put Daniel in his court andhe put the three Hebrew guys out
taking over Babylon and lookingover situations that were there
.
Can you say praise?
Be to God.
See, some of us are facingfearful situations.
Some of us are in the midst ofsomething that is actually it's
stopped you from wanting to moveforward.
(17:06):
You're so locked in fear.
So often the fear that we'redealing with is because we can't
be in control.
Somebody say amen, somebody sayouch.
I'll say ouch with you.
We can't be in control.
So because we're not in control, we're afraid of what can
happen, lord.
What if I can't provide Lord?
(17:27):
What if I can't do this?
Or what if I can't keep mypromise?
Or what if I?
All those fears, but instead wego to the very one who created
us, who knit us together in ourmother's womb.
He knows the number of hairs onour head.
He knows our future.
He knows our past.
He doesn't hold us against us.
He's made us a new creation.
He's called us his own child.
(17:49):
He gave us Jesus and he's thevery one that can be the peace
that we're looking for in ourcircumstance.
Somebody say amen to that.
The second is fire.
We see the situation wherethey're met, the very fire that
can cut them off at their knees.
Now, king Nebuchadnezzar he wasa big fan of King Nebuchadnezzar
(18:09):
.
Somebody say, yeah.
Now, he was such a big fan ofhim.
He had this big dream and hehears oh man, there's going to
such a big fan of him.
He had this big dream and hehears oh man, there's gonna be a
big statue.
So why don't I build a bigstatue?
Who should I make the statue of?
Let me think.
Let me think KingNebuchadnezzar.
So he makes a big statue ofhimself, makes it out of gold.
It's a huge statue and it sayshere, in Daniel three, king
(18:30):
Nebuchadnezzar made an image ofwas 60 cubits and breath was six
cubits.
He set it up on the plain ofDura and the providence of
Babylon.
That's where those boys werebeing.
And so he starts to do this andhe says listen, I'm going to
play my theme music.
And when my theme music plays,everybody bows down and worships
the big gold, me.
Do you guys get it?
And they're like, yes, so themusic plays, or whatever the
(18:54):
music was.
You guys know what I'm talkingabout.
And when it played, everybodywas supposed to bow down.
I can tell you, a few weeks agoI was at the soccer match in
Medellin and it's for National.
And at the soccer match there's40,000 people cheering for
National Guess who?
I was cheering for Nationalbecause I'm not crazy.
So we were in the middle ofthem and we're like, yeah, let's
(19:14):
go national because I'm notcrazy.
So we were in the middle ofthem.
We're like, yeah, let's go.
And I was learning all sorts ofnew Spanish vocabulary that I
can't repeat here.
And they were saying it aboutthe other team and I was like
that's interesting.
And they're cheering, they'rechanting, they're popping smoke,
there's fireworks going off,they're hitting drums.
The whole match just cheering,the team not playing very well.
Still cheering the whole time.
(19:35):
Just going forward, goingforward.
Guess what?
Half an hour into it startspouring.
Rain starts pouring on thepeople.
Did they leave?
Nobody left.
People get up three timesduring one sermon of half an
hour to go to the bathroom.
Nobody left.
I'm like need these people atthe soccer match in the church?
They stayed right therecheering for their team and I
(19:58):
was like this is awesome, but itmakes you want to go along with
the crowd.
I started hating the other team.
I didn't know the other teamexisted before that day.
Now I hate that team Boo on theother team Because it's so easy
to go along with the crowd.
(20:19):
Now the music plays, the biggold statue gets set up,
everybody bows down.
Guess who doesn't?
The three guys put in that areato run that area, who were
followers of the most high God,shadrach, meshach and Abednego,
were like of the most high God.
(20:40):
Shadrach, meshach and Abednegowere like nope, not bowing down.
And so they.
Everybody notices they're theones supposed to set the example
that we're supposed to bow downto the big shiny statue of the
king and worship it when themusic plays.
And they didn't do it becausethey don't bow down to anything
except for the living God.
And so whenever that comes toit, they got brought to the king
.
The king, he is super mad andhe starts telling them listen,
(21:01):
when the music plays, you'regoing to hear it.
It's going to be all theseinstruments.
Now, when you're ready, you'regoing to hear the sound of all
these things the horn, the pipe,the lyre, the tag on the harp,
the bagpipe, every kind of music.
You fall down and worship theimage that I have made.
Well and good, but if you donot worship, you shall
immediately be cast into theburning, fiery furnace.
(21:23):
And who is the God who willdeliver you out of my hands?
He is mad.
You can see this picture of itfrom Sunday school, where he's
super mad.
Look at him.
Mad Shadrach, meshach andAbednego.
They respond to the king.
They say oh, nebuchadnezzar, wehave no need to answer you in
(21:52):
this manner in this matter.
If it be so, our God, whom weserve, is able to deliver us
from the burning, fiery furnace.
He will deliver us out of yourhand, o king.
Someone say amen to that?
I love this even more.
The next statement says thisbut if not, he doesn't rescue us
.
He let it known to you, o king,that we will not serve your
(22:15):
gods or worship the golden imagethat you have set up.
Friends, that's real guts.
Whenever you're living forJesus and it doesn't matter what
the threat is, you're like I'msorry.
I live for Jesus.
I'm living for the one true God, and only him, and I bow to
nothing else.
Somebody say amen.
Now Nebuchadnezzar.
(22:35):
He was super excited about thisand he was totally cool with it.
No, no, he was.
He was furious.
It says that he was filled withfury and expression on his face
changed.
And he ordered this.
The furnace heated seven timesmore than it was usually heated.
That is someone who's angry.
Anybody agree.
(22:55):
You're super mad.
You're making it seven timeshotter.
You're really mad.
That's like going home the kidshave messed up the house.
It's like you're cutting offthe air conditioning, then
coming back to punish them.
You know it's terrible, it'sbad news, and so it didn't
change what they did.
So it was a big deal to runyour mouth.
I'll never give up on you,jesus.
I'll never turn my back on you.
And then someone starts to saysomething and you?
(23:16):
Maybe you're like Peter and youwant to fit in with the crowd,
or maybe you're like these guysand you're like nope.
I say what I said and I'm goingto stand for him, even if it
costs me the flames.
And so they go, and it says heordered some of the mighty men
to bind them up.
In the scripture, a littledeeper, it says that they
(23:37):
wrapped them up, even whateverclothes they were wearing.
They didn't even take off thefancy clothes, they just wrapped
them up in them and they putthem in the flame.
As you think about the flame andas you face the flame, it's a
different threat, because nowthey're looking in the face the
very thing that's going to taketheir life, in the face, the
(23:58):
very thing that's going to taketheir life, and they have to
know that.
They know that they believe inthe one true God who will rescue
them out of this fire.
Or it doesn't matter, becausethey're going to go in this fire
and then they're going to gosee him face to face.
So it don't matter.
Either way, somebody say amento that.
It means that they are notafraid of the person that can
kill the body.
They're afraid of the one thatcan kill the soul.
They're afraid of the one whois the one that originated us,
(24:20):
the one who makes us a newcreation.
That's the one they bow theirknee to, and so they're thrown
into the fire.
It's just because the king'sorder was urgent and the fire
was overheated.
The flame of the fire killedthe men who threw them into the
fire, even though they fellbound into the fire.
Now, king Nebuchadnezzar, he wasastonished once they get thrown
(24:43):
in and he rose up from his seatin haste.
He declared to his counselorshey, how many guys did we throw
in there?
Was it three guys?
Was it three guys?
They're like yes, sir, it wasthree guys.
He's like all right, we have aproblem, because I see four men.
They're unbound and they'rewalking around in the middle of
the fire like they are not hurt.
And the appearance of the fourthone is like the son of the gods
(25:06):
.
People, how do you even knowthat we have a living God who
will not forsake you and will bewith you right in the middle of
the fire?
Somebody say amen to that.
I love it, man.
You can imagine I don't evenknow.
Someday we'll find out,hopefully, where Jesus just
walks up.
(25:26):
He's like what's up, guys?
What are you doing?
They're like nothing.
They get up off the ground.
You know, the ropes fall off.
He's like man, I like your fit.
You guys look great.
Hey, good job, good job, keepit up.
All right, I'll see you outthere.
All right, good job.
And what did he say?
What was the talk?
You're in the middle of thefire, says.
They're walking around.
(25:47):
He's just talking to them.
He's like don't worry about it,I told you, I got you.
Keep going.
Nebuchadnezzar came near thedoor of the most high God.
It's a little different thanwho's going to save you, what
God is going to save you.
I guess he changed his mindbecause his mighty men, the one
that he would send into thebattle, they're all dead.
(26:08):
They got burnt up by the fire.
But the guys he threw into thefire are not hurt by the fire.
So he suddenly has changed histune.
Servants of the most high God,come out and come here.
And so they come out of thefire, says all the people around
him, all his differentcounselors, they gathered
(26:30):
together.
They saw that the fire had notany power over the bodies of
these men.
The hair on their heads was notsinged, they didn't smell like
smoke, their clothes weren'tmessed up.
God had completely had his handon them in the fire.
Somebody say amen to that.
See, what happens sometime isthat the fire is something that
God allows us to go throughbecause it's a process of what
(26:53):
he wants to do in and throughyour life.
How many people have been in afire before You've been in a
fire?
You're seasoning your life andhere's the thing sometimes God
will allow that not cause it,but allow it to happen so that
he can use it as a refiningprocess in us, so that we can be
taken through that place to getstronger for the next thing he
(27:16):
needs us for.
That's that process.
It goes from a fire to aprocess, and I love what comes
out of this.
It says the king says blessed bethe God of Shadrach, meshach
and Abednego, who has sent hisangel and delivered his servants
who trusted in him and setaside the king's command and
yielded up their bodies ratherthan serve or worship any God.
(27:39):
See, their obedience to Godbecame a testimony to the world
around them and to the very kingabout who the real God is.
Friends, that's whenever thefear that you have and this
other fire that you're goingthrough, it becomes a process
(28:00):
that proclaims the glory of Godto everyone around you.
So take heart, have couragethat he won't leave you in the
middle of the fire.
The third story starts with avideo.
Old Daniel (28:18):
What's up, kingdom crew?
It's your boy, daniel, comingat you with some wild news.
So King Darius just issued thisnew decree For the next 30 days
, no praying to any god or manexcept the king, and if you do,
the lion's den.
(28:39):
But you know I'm not backingdown my prayer.
Life is non-negotiable.
Wish me luck, kingdom crew.
Update number two yeah, theycaught me, just like I knew they
would.
I was praying, windows open,facing Jerusalem, just like I
(29:00):
knew they would.
I was praying, windows open,facing Jerusalem, just like
always.
No regrets, pray for me.
Hey, kingdom Crew still here.
It's been a night and you won'tbelieve this.
God is amazing, these lions.
They haven't touched me.
Not one growl in anger, not onepounce.
God has literally shut theirmouths.
(29:24):
When you put your trust in theAlmighty, anything is possible.
Feeling strangely peaceful inhere.
Actually, kingdom crew, I'm out.
I'm actually out.
King Darius came rushing atdawn, probably expecting the
worst, and when he called out, Ianswered.
(29:44):
He pulled me right up.
Not a single scratch, not amark on me.
God is so faithful.
But let's be super clear I'mnot the hero of this story.
I wasn't the one in the fire.
I didn't have theinterpretation for the dreams.
I wasn't the one that shut themouth of lions, this was all him
(30:09):
.
God delivered Kingdom.
Crew, stand firm in your faith.
Jason Brown (30:15):
Kingdom crew.
Stand firm in your faith.
Kingdom crew, stand firm inyour faith, amen.
Hey, I want to say thanks tojeremy.
He's the one that's been makingall these ai videos for us.
All of these are original to us, for you.
Every week we have a goodthanks for him.
Thanks for your work, man,great job.
We pick up here in the third ofthose three things fear and fire
(30:36):
.
The third is fangs, king Darius.
He's the one that takes overfor the son of Nebuchadnezzar.
Nebuchadnezzar comes in of hisreign and then his son comes to
a short end of his reign and wepick up here with King Darius.
And so King Darius actually hasan affinity for Daniel.
He understands his value and heactually takes him and elevates
him to a place where he's thereamongst the three leading the
(31:00):
court.
And the other people around himdon't like this because they're
obviously people the Chaldeans,they're people there from
Babylon and other areas and theydon't like the idea of this guy
coming and doing this as aforeigner.
So they plot a plan against himto say, listen, the only thing
we're going to catch him on isthat he's someone devoted to his
God.
So we got to make a rule thatcatches him doing what he's
(31:21):
devoted to.
And so they set up this idea tomake a prayer for 30 days that
only people would pray to theking.
Now, the king being the king,despite loving Daniel loves the
idea of people praying for himright, and so he signs the
decree and it says whoever makesa petition to any God or man
(31:42):
for 30 days except you, o king,shall be cast into the den of
lions.
Picks up in Daniel 6, verse 10,.
When Daniel knew the documenthad been signed, he didn't do
anything different.
He did what he always did.
He went up to his house, wherehe had windows in his upper
chamber.
He opened them towardsJerusalem and he prayed three
times a day, as he always had,giving thanks to God, just as he
(32:06):
does every day.
And then, of course, they catchhim doing this and they take
him.
And they take him to come andbe prosecuted for this crime
against the decree from the king.
And the king's trying to figurea way out of it because he's
distressed.
He likes Daniel, but after all,he is the king and this is his
law.
There's no way out.
(32:28):
It says that he was muchdistressed and set his mind to
deliver Daniel.
He worked on it even till theend of the day.
But finally the end of the daycomes and he makes the command.
It says the king commanded, andDaniel was brought and cast
into the den of lions.
The king declared to Daniel mayyour God, whom you serve,
continually, deliver you.
(32:50):
Now, friends, I don't know aboutyou, but I've been around lions
, both at the zoo here at ourwonderful wildlife park, but
also in the wild in parts ofAfrica, and I could tell you
there's a big difference whenyou don't have the gate in
between you and the big kittycat and there's a different
reverence that you have forthose big animals.
(33:12):
And in the very threat of hislife, he knew that unless God
intervenes like I'm a snack forthe kitty cat here in just a
minute.
And so they throw him into thelion's den and the king says
listen, you continually serveyour God.
I pray that your God will saveyou from this situation.
And, friends, we hearthroughout scripture how the
enemy of our soul, satan, andall those who are following, all
(33:34):
those that are a part of hiskingdom, they all want to pull
us away from the Lord.
It says that they're movingaround like a roaring lion
trying to devour, and so theywant nothing good for your life.
They want to tear you down,they want to tear your family
apart, they want to tear youaway from the purpose of God,
and so you can see very much howthat threat of a lion,
spiritually speaking, is verymuch like the enemy of our soul,
(33:56):
satan.
And so there's something that'svery much in our own power
where you'd be, like thisdepiction of Daniel in the
lion's den, where you can seethis next image.
He's very, very scared Anybody.
Could you relate to that idea?
Now, here's the thing.
I think that this is adepiction.
Obviously, it's a beautifulpainting, but I think this one
is not as accurate as the seconddepiction.
(34:17):
And this is the seconddepiction, see, I think what
happened is that an older Danielis the one that gets thrown
down there.
He's been there through allthese kings.
He's been down through thething.
He's seen God give thedescription of the dreams
multiple times.
He saw God rescue three Hebrewchildren from the fire.
He's seen the miracle.
So as he comes down into there,he's like, okay, here we go.
(34:42):
I'm either seeing Jesus face toface or he's going to have to
do something for me in thismoment and I think he was
standing right there looking atthese big, pretty kitty cats and
they did nothing.
As God shut the mouth of thelions, and it says the king.
He was beside himself, he waswrought with stress, he didn't
have any kind of distractions,he didn't eat.
And he goes in there and hepresses in and he fasts and he
(35:04):
waits till the first of morningto see, to see if Daniel will
make it.
It says in Daniel 6.20,.
As he came near the den whereDaniel was, he cried out ina
tone of anguish, because theking knew he was the one that
would have cost Daniel his life.
The king declared to Daniel ODaniel, servant of the living
(35:25):
God, has your God, whom youserve continually, been able to
deliver you from the lions?
Can we take a pause for just asecond?
I love that one Because hekeeps on saying whom you serve
continually.
What that means is that Danielwasn't just throwing up the oh
(35:46):
God, please save me, you know,in the last moment of his life,
kind of prayers.
No, daniel was someone who wasliving his life in step with God
.
Daniel was someone who wascontinually worshiping the Lord.
He was wanting to risk it, evento continue to say I only bow
my knee to the living God.
Daniel responds.
He says, o king, live forever.
(36:08):
My God sent his angel and shutthe lion's mouths, and they have
not harmed me, because I wasfound blameless before him and
also before you, o king.
I have done no harm.
See, I feel like someone heretoday needs to hear that the
living God is the one that willshut the mouth of the enemy.
(36:30):
He will shut the lion's mouthin your life, that he will shut
the one that's attacking you.
He will shut the one that'strying to bring you back into
your old self, to your old paths, to the old ruts in your life.
He's trying to drag you backinto addiction, but the living
God can cut that off and shutthe mouth of the enemy in your
life.
You don't have to live thoseold paths.
(36:51):
You are not the old person.
You are a new creation in God.
Your future is in Christ andnot in your past.
Someone say amen to that.
See, the very fangs of thethings that were going to eat
you now have been shut and theprovision of God has been made
in your behalf.
It says in the rest of thestory not to ruin it, but all
(37:11):
those people who wanted himthrown in.
They got thrown in and thekitties were hungry they hadn.
They got thrown in and thekiddies were hungry they hadn't
eaten all night, so those thingswere gone.
Suddenly he has a promotion, notjust provision, but a promotion
to a new level, because he keptthe path.
He put God first and God gavehim all the other things that
(37:32):
everybody else was living for.
See, friends, this is the thingthat he declared.
We started it with this decree.
This is what Darius says.
He says I make a decree that inall my royal dominion, people
are to tremble and fear beforethe God of Daniel, for he is the
living God enduring forever.
(37:53):
Friends, that's the word overyou today, that the living God
who endures forever, he's theone that takes things like fear
and fire and things and he's theone that changes those things
in your life.
He'll take the fear and he'llturn it into peace.
He'll take fire and he'll makea process out of it and make a
(38:17):
proclamation out of your life.
He'll take things like fangsand he'll turn it into provision
.
Very much fear and fire andfangs.
They become peace and processand provision.
Somebody say amen to that Todayas we come to this altar.
We have this opportunity to doso.
My encouragement to you is isthat as we come seeking God, we
(38:41):
seek more of him.
First him, seek him, and allthese things will be added.
So if you're someone who needsmore of God, you want more of
his presence, you're someone whoneeds direction from God, that
you would come and seek it.
If you're someone who is in themiddle of that process of the
fire, that you know that he hasnot left you, that he's right
there with you as you're beingrefined, if that maybe you're
(39:02):
someone you feel like there'sreally been an attack against
you spiritually speaking, knowthat he's the one that shuts the
mouth of the enemy.
Friends, he is more thancapable to be the prince of
peace that brings the peace thatpasses all understanding.
He's the one to guide usthrough the process so that we
can be more like Jesus.
He's the one to bring provisionthat we need.
(39:25):
Someone say amen, friends, today, it is that ambition that each
one of us have, and we have toask you that question too have
you embraced Jesus?
See for us as Christ followers,the symbol of the cross is one
of freedom, it's one oftransformation, it's one of
forgiveness.
It's one where Jesus took allof my sins, all of my mistakes,
(39:47):
all of yours.
He took them upon himself,though he committed none of it.
He took them upon himself.
He became the ultimatesacrifice, the holy sacrifice
for all people, for all time.
Upon the cross, he tookeverything and he died there so
that those things can be dead aswell.
(40:07):
But what we love is that hedidn't stay dead, but he is
alive, and so we serve a livingGod who we can have an active
relationship with.
The Apostle Paul.
He writes to the church at Romesaying this because if you
confess with your mouth thatJesus is Lord and believe in
your heart that God raised himfrom the dead, you will be saved
(40:29):
, for with the heart onebelieves and is justified.
With the mouth, one confessesand is saved.
Friends, today is your day.
It's your opportunity to sayyes to Jesus.
I'm going to ask everyonethat's here in the room if you
just stand to your feet, bowyour head right where you're at,
as Christians are praying,people are making decisions to
(40:50):
follow Jesus.
If you're online, wherever youare under the sound of my voice,
take a moment.
Let God speak to your heart andyour life.
Maybe you're here and that'syou.
You've never made a decision tofollow Jesus.
People are praying for you.
We've been praying for you thattoday would be your day.
You make a decision to followJesus.
(41:11):
You place your faith and yourtrust in him.
You say Jesus, I believe youare who you say you are and
invite you into my heart andlife.
Lord, forgive me and my sins.
Or maybe you're here and youhave made that decision in the
past, but you've walked awayfrom living for God.
Today's an opportunity torecommit your life back to him.
Friend, don't make a mistake.
Don't try to wait another day.
(41:31):
Today is your day.
We're not guaranteed tomorrow,with heads are bowed as
Christians are praying.
If that's you, you say pastor,I just want to be included in
that prayer today.
If you just raise your handright where you're at, just make
a decision to follow Jesus,invite him into your life.
We see hands that are here,hands that are there, people
making decisions, peoplereinforcing their life after God
.
Hands that are here.
See hands there.
(41:52):
Thank you Lord.
Thank you Jesus.
Thank you, jesus.
We see your hands friendsonline as well.
Thank you, lord.
I'm going to ask everyone ifthey would pray this prayer out
loud after me.
Lord, thank you for loving me.
Thank you for sending Jesus.
(42:13):
I believe Jesus died on thecross for my sins.
I believe he rose again.
Forgive me of my sins.
I surrender my life to you.
In Christ's name, I pray Amen.
Amen.
(42:33):
Friends, we rejoice with youmaking a decision to follow
Jesus today.
Several people raising theirhand in this room Praise the
Lord.
Praise the Lord.
Amazing.
Hey, that was you in the room.
We want to put things in yourhands so you'd be successful in
living for Jesus.
Connect with our team in theback.
Connect with our team outsideso we can be able to do that.
If you're online, message us.
We don't want you to live thislife alone.
(42:56):
Friends, as we come to thisaltar, we do so because we want
more of His presence, and maybeyou're someone who's been
dealing with a fear in your lifethat you would come to God, who
is the originator, the princeof peace today, for the peace
that passes all understanding.
Maybe you're someone who'sgoing through that fiery
situation that you would come tothe altar.
Ask for more of his presencebecause he doesn't forsake us.
(43:16):
He's right there with you inthe midst of it.
He's going to do something outof this circumstance, refining
you, that it's going to be aproclamation of your life, a
testimony on the other side.
And the third is that thosefangs that are biting at us so
many times, that old life, thatold thing, is trying to come
back and put teeth in us, buthe's the very one that shuts the
mouth of the enemy.
(43:36):
And now we would not just beattacked, but that we would find
the provision of God and thepromotion to what he wants us to
do on the next side.
As we open up this altar, we dowith hearts towards you, lord
Jesus, we thank you for thisword.
We thank you, lord, for theexample of Daniel.
Lord, we thank you, lord, forall that you've done in calling
and speaking to us.
Lord, we come to this altar,lord, because we want more of
(43:57):
your presence and more of yourpower.
Lord, we need you, the livingGod, to live for you today, lord
, against this culture, againstall these things that would try
to tear us down.
Lord, we come for the peace ofGod that passes all
understanding.
Lord, we come because you areour strength in the middle of
the fire.
You are the one that isrefining us and, lord, that we
come to you that you would closethe mouths of the enemy against
(44:20):
us, against our family, againstour community.
Lord, against this church, lord, and now we ask for the
provision of God and thepromotion of God, lord, to the
next thing that you would havefor us.
Lord, we come to you for moreof you.
We pray in the name of JesusChrist, amen.
Celeste Brown (44:38):
We are having party with the pastor
immediately following thisservice.
It is an opportunity for any ofyou that are new or have been
coming in the last maybe threemonths and we haven't had the
chance to meet you.
We would love to meet you.
Our team will be in there.
We want to put a name to theface, so come and join us.
If you have children, grab themfirst and then you'll head to
the east side of the building.
There's a hallway and we willmeet you in there.
(44:59):
It is quick, it is informal,but we just want to get to know
who you are amen.
Jason Brown (45:04):
We have a lot of great things coming up,
including helping at mercy house, the back to school this week,
baptism coming up, a lot ofthings get involved in.
So make sure you're checkingthose events to find out what's
going on.
And also let's honor ourmissionaries one more time for
them being in the house with theclans today.
Thank you, guys, appreciate you.
Make sure you say hi before wego more praise, blessing over us
(45:24):
.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
Lord, make his face shine uponyou and be gracious to you.
Lord, lift up his countenanceupon you and give you peace.
Lord, I pray a blessing uponyour church, your people.
(45:46):
Lord, you empower us by yourspirit to live your love out to
those around us.
Pray all this in the powerfulname that is Jesus Christ.
Amen, amen.
Know this we love you very muchhere at Cornerstone.
God bless you and have a greatweek.
What's up?
Kingdom Crew Daniel hereProbably the only guy who went
on the Daniel fast and gainedweight.
Crazy news just dropped inBabylon.
King Nebuchadnezzar had anightmare.
Couldn't remember it, but itfreaked him out.
He threatened to unalive allthe wise men if they couldn't
tell him the dream and itsmeaning, including yours truly.
(00:21):
So I prayed with my guys andguess what?
God revealed the dream to me ina vision.
The dream was about a giantstatue made up of a gold head,
silver chest, bronze stomach,iron legs and mixed iron slash
clay feet.
Then a rock, not cut by humanhands, smashed the statue,
(00:44):
becoming a huge mountain.
The interpretation the statuerepresents successive kingdoms,
starting with Nebuchadnezzar,but the rock that's God's
eternal kingdom that will crushall others and last forever.
I told the king he was amazed,gave God the glory and even
(01:05):
promoted me.
Talk about a glow up, remember,even kings have nightmares, but
God has the ultimate plan.
Jason Brown (01:15):
Amen.
Today we're going to be talkingabout the minor prophets,
focused on Daniel, and we'll betalking about this idea of fear
and fire and fangs.
A few weeks ago I was inMedellin, colombia, and having a
chance to be there with PastorIsai and be there in a beautiful
country.
I was there with Pastor Alberto, who's been here in our pulpit
sharing the word of God, and wehad an opportunity to go and to
(01:38):
challenge pastors and youngleaders across Colombia to
respond to the gospel and totake that gospel as church
planters and as missionaries tothe world around them.
And it was powerful.
It was beautiful to see, as wewere there in Medellin, going up
the hillside and seeing thechange that's happened in that
community.
(01:58):
You know, from an Americanperspective, we always connect
it to the cartels and to allthose things that have happened
there, but it was beautiful tosee the change that's been
happening in the investment thatthe government's been making in
the people and seeing some ofthis opportunity for them to
move from place to place.
And it's not perfect, but wewere sharing with some people
there in the gondolas.
We were headed up the side ofthe mountain.
(02:20):
They were saying how it tookhours sometimes to navigate the
different gangs and differentareas that they had to miss, to
come down to go shopping at themarket, and now they could go
right over all that mess and goright and get connected right
where they're at, and I washappy to hear that for their
quality of life.
But what I was more encouragedto see was actually the move of
God, what was happening amongstthem, in their community, and to
(02:43):
be there in Medellin and seeingthis next image with the people
of God.
They were there and they wereexcited.
This is an off night, it's noteven a Sunday, and it was packed
and people were worshiping theLord and they're saying yes to
the challenge of missions, thechallenge to say yes to God
whatever he has for them.
They're raising their hand tosay yes, lord, whatever you want
(03:03):
to do.
I want to be a part of that,for what you're doing through me
.
We were able to do that inMedellin.
We were able to go toBarranquilla and to make that
same kind of challenge and thepeople there were responsive.
In the same kind of way, wewere able to go to Bogota and to
be there as well, and to bethere with the youth and to
excited.
And I'll tell you, pastor Rauland I, man, this thing was going
on.
It was like an hour numberthree and Pastor Raul and I are
(03:26):
like man, it's time for somedinner or something.
But they were still going, man.
They were still rocking androlling.
We were hanging out with theyouth after the service for
another 45 minutes and I mean itwas really going.
It was a powerful time toworship with them.
What we also saw was in Chilewas the word of God going
forward and many peopleresponding to say yes to God and
(03:47):
to say yes to the next thingthat God would have for them.
I got a chance to preach with auniversity church and it's all
of them.
The majority of the church ispeople in university or getting
their master's or theirdoctorate, and these are people
that are going to be leaders inthe next generation in their
country and we're talking withthem and challenging them to say
yes to whatever God would havefor them, that they would use
(04:07):
their platform to say yes to God.
We got to pray over some churchplanters.
We got to pray over somemissionaries that were being
sent out.
It was a powerful move of Godand the altars were filled with
people that were pursuing aftermore of the spirit of God so
that they could say yes to him.
Aren't you excited that we geta chance to be a part of what
(04:30):
God is doing around the worldthrough Kingdom Builders?
We say amen to that.
Hey, I wanted to give a specialhonor today.
We have some missionaries inthe house.
I just want them to stand so wecan honor them.
It's the Clantons, flynn andRenee.
They actually serve in Medellin, colombia.
We have a hand of appreciationfor them.
So very thankful you guyspartnered with us today.
Friends, that's what it's aboutis that we want to be those that
(04:51):
are on this mission from God.
We've been talking about itthrough the Minor Prophets,
about how each one of us iscalled to say yes and to use our
voice for God.
It's why we talk about beingChrist followers.
It's why we all say that noneof us has arrived.
None of us is perfect.
Amen.
I'm the first to tell you thatI'm not perfect, but what we're
trying to do is we're trying tofollow Jesus where he's leading
(05:14):
us to go.
That's why we use this imageryof Christ walking with his
disciples, because that's how wesee ourselves.
Is that we're following Jesus.
We want to be more like him, bemore like Jesus.
It's why we love God, it's whywe make disciples, that's why we
reach the world, it's why wesacrifice and we give and we
pray and we go, and it's alsowhy, beyond just the weekend
(05:36):
gatherings of the church, likewe have here, that we do life
groups throughout the week,throughout the city.
And I want to encourage you inthis even though we just had a
semester, stop and be a blessingto us here in June, another
one's coming in fall and I wouldencourage you and challenge you
to pre-decide to get involved.
It's so easy in this churchlife to just to come to a
(05:57):
gathering on a weekend and slipin late, slip out early and meet
nobody, but whenever the hardtimes come, guess what?
We don't have those friendshipsthat help sustain us and walk
us through Friends.
The very thing that you'relooking for is found in living
this life together, and so wewant to be intentional in that.
(06:19):
Let me encourage you to connect, to grow in your relationship
with God, grow in a relationshipwith others, to go deep after
the things of God and to serve.
Use your gifts and abilitiesfor the Lord.
Today we're talking about theminor prophets.
We're picking up here withDaniel.
If you have your Bible, yourtablet, your phone, if you move
to Daniel 6, be jumping off hereand then be moving backwards.
(06:41):
Daniel 6, verse 26 says thisKing Darius is saying I make a
decree that in all my royaldominion, people are to tremble
and fear before the God ofDaniel, for he is the living God
enduring forever.
His kingdom shall never bedestroyed and his dominion shall
(07:02):
be, shall be to the end.
He delivers and rescues, heworks signs and wonders in
heaven and on earth.
He who has saved Daniel fromthe power of the lions, would
you say amen to that?
That is the God we serve.
Lord, we pray today over yourword that you would make it
(07:22):
alive and rhemaema.
Breathe upon it by your spiritto challenge it.
Use it in our lives.
We pray in jesus name, amen.
Now we're talking about thisidea of fear and fire and fangs,
and we pick up here with daniel, and daniel on the timeline of
of our of these different minorprophets is one that whenever
(07:44):
Assyria has taken some peopleaway.
Now Babylon has come andthey've actually conquered the
next known world around them andthey've taken both Israel and
Judah and they've taken thepeople from them to themselves.
So Daniel finds himself as onebeing taken in captivity.
Daniel was young.
It says that he was handsome.
It says he was smart.
I mean, he was a dime piece.
Look at this guy, wow.
(08:04):
Ooh, he looks pretty Europeanfor being a Jewish guy.
But hey, what are you going todo, you know?
And so what we have is thesefour people in this story
throughout Daniel.
We can't go heavy into everypiece today.
Let me encourage you in thisTake your Bible this week and
add it to your daily reading,just the way that you would do
in reading your gospels andreading your Psalm and your
(08:25):
Proverbs every day.
Add some of Daniel and go deep.
After these pieces, this storypicks up with Daniel and
Hananiah, mishael and Azariah.
Those are the four Hebrews thatare in this story.
You might better know them asDaniel and Shadrach, meshach and
Abednego, but it's Daniel'sname.
Whenever he went to Babylon wasactually Belteshazzar, which is
(08:48):
a lot harder to say than Daniel.
Right?
You're like Danny orBelteshazzar?
You know what I'm talking about.
That's a hard one.
Anybody Belteshazzar in thehouse?
No, nobody named that.
Okay, so you just understandwhy they went with Daniel.
So that's, and he's the onewriting it from his perspective.
So we pick up here with KingNebuchadnezzar.
Now, king Nebuchadnezzar hadconquered the known world around
(09:09):
him and so in doing so, he wassomeone that God had lifted up
to take the authority away fromthese other nations as a
consequence.
And so he starts saying to hiseunuchs, the people in his court
listen, we want to take thecream of the crop, the best and
brightest.
We want to bring them togetherand we want to train them in our
ways.
(09:30):
He says this in Daniel 1, 4,youths without blemish of good
appearance and skillful in allwisdom, endowed with knowledge,
understanding, learning andcompetent to stand in the king's
palace and to teach them theliterature and language of the
Chaldeans.
And so the chief of the eunuchs, he gives them these other
(09:51):
Babylonian names.
But they also start to say, hey, you need to come and be
trained up in the way of theking.
That includes eating from theking's table.
Now, this is problematic forDaniel and for the three Hebrew
children, because they arepeople who believe and follow
the living God.
Someone say amen to that, butthat also means that they're
(10:12):
going to eat according to theOld Testament ways, they're
going to eat in a kosher way.
So they're not going to eat thepig that he serves and the
other things that he serves athis table as a Babylonian king.
So they asked to be reservedaway from that and they're
saying to him actually we wouldactually like to have favor to
not eat that way.
We're gonna eat these otherthings as a way to stay in
(10:35):
worship our God.
And the guy who's ahead of himis like listen, man, you're
gonna get me in trouble, you'regonna become skinny scrawny, I'm
gonna get my head chopped offbecause you're going to look
terrible.
And Daniel's like look, trustme.
And the Lord gave Daniel favor,says.
Did Daniel resolve that hewould not defile himself with
the king's food or with the winethat he drank.
(10:57):
Therefore, he asked the chiefof the eunuchs to allow him not
to defile himself.
And God gave Daniel favor andcompassion in the sight of the
chief of the eunuchs and at theend of the time, whenever
everybody was brought forward,it was these four guys who were
seen to shine and be ahead ofeverybody else, it says.
(11:17):
As for these four youths, godgave them learning and skill in
all literature and wisdom, andDaniel had understanding in all
visions and dreams and in everymatter of wisdom and
understanding about.
The king inquired of them.
He found them 10 times betterthan all the magicians and
(11:37):
cantors that were in his kingdom.
Somebody say 10 times.
What's amazing about this isthat it was their heart, to be
in alignment with God whichelevated them 10 times higher
than everybody else.
See, it would have been mucheasier for them to be like well,
we're not in Jerusalem anymore,the rules don't apply.
(11:59):
You know when in Babylon, do asthe Babylonians do.
But they didn't do that.
What they said is no, I'm goingto have a heart after God.
I'm going to still live for Godthough I be in Babylon.
Do as the Babylonians do.
But they didn't do that.
What they said is no, I'm goingto have a heart after God.
I'm going to still live for God.
Though I be in Babylon, I stillworship the one true God.
You ever lived in a place whereyou had a different value set
than the culture around you?
You ever lived in America oranywhere else on the planet that
(12:24):
I've lived.
I've lived in Mexico.
I've lived in France and inEurope.
I've lived in the Middle East.
Guess what?
All of them the exact same.
We live as unto God, not as theculture around us.
And, as a result, what happens?
The Lord elevates them and theyare 10 times better than the
other people around them.
Why?
Because their source is notfound in the king's hand, it's
(12:46):
found in the heart of theeverlasting king.
That's why, and so what happensis there's a situation where
they're elevated to this place,but then they're struck with
this fearful situation.
How many people deal with fear?
How many people are afraid toraise your hand?
Yeah, exactly so.
That's everybody.
Everybody's dealing with fear.
(13:08):
And what happens is the king hasa dream.
I tricked you guys all into it.
You guys like that one.
It's good.
The king has a dream, and theking's dream is a little
daunting.
Now, the king, he's very savvy.
Obviously, he had taken overeverybody, he had got all these
pile of people together and nowhe wanted to know if his
magicians, if his wise people,really knew what they were
talking about.
So he has a dream and he bringsin this dream, now his dream.
(13:29):
You know, you kind of be off inla la land Sometimes.
Maybe your dream is just badpizza, or maybe you ate, you
know, some sushi from three daysago, and it was a bad choice
Anybody.
So maybe that's the dreamyou're dealing with, but that
wasn't the dream in his case.
He had a dream that had meaning.
It was coming back to him.
And so he goes to his magicians.
He's like listen, I had a dream.
And they're like great, tell usthe dream.
(13:49):
We'll tell you the meaning.
Right, because they were goingto do like this there's somebody
here.
They have an A in their name,anyone, an A in your name Over
here, hey, from over here, right?
He's like uh-uh, you tell me mydream.
They were like dun, dun, dun,how does this work?
He's like no, you tell me thedream I had.
(14:11):
If you don't, I'm going to killeverybody.
So you know, he was in a goodmood, you could tell.
And so there's this quandarywhere they're like okay, we
better come up with the dream hehad and the meaning of the
dream, or everybody dies.
And so Daniel hears about thisnews and he goes in and asks the
Lord, lord, that you wouldreveal this dream to me, because
(14:33):
the captain of the guard comesto kill everybody.
Daniel's like wait, wait, wait,wait, wait, don't kill
everybody yet.
Let me go talk to the king, butlet me first talk to God, who
is the originator.
He's the one that gives theanswers.
Amen, let me go find out theanswer first.
And so that's what Daniel does.
He goes in and tells hisbrothers he's like listen, the
four of us we need to pray andask the Lord to reveal it.
And so the Lord does.
(14:54):
He gives him the insight on thedream Daniel 2, 19 says.
Then the mystery was revealed toDaniel in a vision of the night
.
Then Daniel blessed the God ofheaven.
Daniel answered and saidblessed be the name of God
forever and ever, to whom belongwisdom and might.
(15:15):
And so he goes into the kingand he starts to tell the king
what his dream means.
Daniel answered the king andsaid no wise men, enchanters,
magicians or astrologers canshow to the king the mystery
that the king has asked.
But there is a God in heavenwho reveals mysteries and he has
made known to KingNebuchadnezzar that he will be
(15:38):
in the latter days.
For what will be in the latterdays?
Your dream and your visions asyou lay in your bed was this.
And he starts to unpack hisdream, scene after scene, and
the king is impressed because hehas found the real deal.
He's not someone faking it but,just like Daniel had said.
(16:00):
No one else, under any otherpower, could give the insight,
but the living God could,because he's the one that gave
the dream to start, with Friends, a situation that was fearful.
They were afraid that they weregoing to die, that they had
fear that was crippling.
This fear that was overwhelmingwas taken and turned to a
(16:22):
situation of peace where theliving God, the Prince of Peace,
the originator of all things,the peace that passes all
understanding, was now restingupon them.
And not just that, but God tooka situation of fearfulness and
he brought peace.
And then he brought promotion.
He actually elevated them sothat they were the ones now
(16:45):
ruling over everything.
He put Daniel in his court andhe put the three Hebrew guys out
taking over Babylon and lookingover situations that were there
.
Can you say praise?
Be to God.
See, some of us are facingfearful situations.
Some of us are in the midst ofsomething that is actually it's
stopped you from wanting to moveforward.
(17:06):
You're so locked in fear.
So often the fear that we'redealing with is because we can't
be in control.
Somebody say amen, somebody sayouch.
I'll say ouch with you.
We can't be in control.
So because we're not in control, we're afraid of what can
happen, lord.
What if I can't provide Lord?
(17:27):
What if I can't do this?
Or what if I can't keep mypromise?
Or what if I?
All those fears, but instead wego to the very one who created
us, who knit us together in ourmother's womb.
He knows the number of hairs onour head.
He knows our future.
He knows our past.
He doesn't hold us against us.
He's made us a new creation.
He's called us his own child.
(17:49):
He gave us Jesus and he's thevery one that can be the peace
that we're looking for in ourcircumstance.
Somebody say amen to that.
The second is fire.
We see the situation wherethey're met, the very fire that
can cut them off at their knees.
Now, king Nebuchadnezzar he wasa big fan of King Nebuchadnezzar
(18:09):
.
Somebody say, yeah.
Now, he was such a big fan ofhim.
He had this big dream and hehears oh man, there's going to
such a big fan of him.
He had this big dream and hehears oh man, there's gonna be a
big statue.
So why don't I build a bigstatue?
Who should I make the statue of?
Let me think.
Let me think KingNebuchadnezzar.
So he makes a big statue ofhimself, makes it out of gold.
It's a huge statue and it sayshere, in Daniel three, king
(18:30):
Nebuchadnezzar made an image ofwas 60 cubits and breath was six
cubits.
He set it up on the plain ofDura and the providence of
Babylon.
That's where those boys werebeing.
And so he starts to do this andhe says listen, I'm going to
play my theme music.
And when my theme music plays,everybody bows down and worships
the big gold, me.
Do you guys get it?
And they're like, yes, so themusic plays, or whatever the
(18:54):
music was.
You guys know what I'm talkingabout.
And when it played, everybodywas supposed to bow down.
I can tell you, a few weeks agoI was at the soccer match in
Medellin and it's for National.
And at the soccer match there's40,000 people cheering for
National Guess who?
I was cheering for Nationalbecause I'm not crazy.
So we were in the middle ofthem and we're like, yeah, let's
(19:14):
go national because I'm notcrazy.
So we were in the middle ofthem.
We're like, yeah, let's go.
And I was learning all sorts ofnew Spanish vocabulary that I
can't repeat here.
And they were saying it aboutthe other team and I was like
that's interesting.
And they're cheering, they'rechanting, they're popping smoke,
there's fireworks going off,they're hitting drums.
The whole match just cheering,the team not playing very well.
Still cheering the whole time.
(19:35):
Just going forward, goingforward.
Guess what?
Half an hour into it startspouring.
Rain starts pouring on thepeople.
Did they leave?
Nobody left.
People get up three timesduring one sermon of half an
hour to go to the bathroom.
Nobody left.
I'm like need these people atthe soccer match in the church?
They stayed right therecheering for their team and I
(19:58):
was like this is awesome, but itmakes you want to go along with
the crowd.
I started hating the other team.
I didn't know the other teamexisted before that day.
Now I hate that team Boo on theother team Because it's so easy
to go along with the crowd.
(20:19):
Now the music plays, the biggold statue gets set up,
everybody bows down.
Guess who doesn't?
The three guys put in that areato run that area, who were
followers of the most high God,shadrach, meshach and Abednego,
were like of the most high God.
(20:40):
Shadrach, meshach and Abednegowere like nope, not bowing down.
And so they.
Everybody notices they're theones supposed to set the example
that we're supposed to bow downto the big shiny statue of the
king and worship it when themusic plays.
And they didn't do it becausethey don't bow down to anything
except for the living God.
And so whenever that comes toit, they got brought to the king
.
The king, he is super mad andhe starts telling them listen,
(21:01):
when the music plays, you'regoing to hear it.
It's going to be all theseinstruments.
Now, when you're ready, you'regoing to hear the sound of all
these things the horn, the pipe,the lyre, the tag on the harp,
the bagpipe, every kind of music.
You fall down and worship theimage that I have made.
Well and good, but if you donot worship, you shall
immediately be cast into theburning, fiery furnace.
(21:23):
And who is the God who willdeliver you out of my hands?
He is mad.
You can see this picture of itfrom Sunday school, where he's
super mad.
Look at him.
Mad Shadrach, meshach andAbednego.
They respond to the king.
They say oh, nebuchadnezzar, wehave no need to answer you in
(21:52):
this manner in this matter.
If it be so, our God, whom weserve, is able to deliver us
from the burning, fiery furnace.
He will deliver us out of yourhand, o king.
Someone say amen to that?
I love this even more.
The next statement says thisbut if not, he doesn't rescue us
.
He let it known to you, o king,that we will not serve your
(22:15):
gods or worship the golden imagethat you have set up.
Friends, that's real guts.
Whenever you're living forJesus and it doesn't matter what
the threat is, you're like I'msorry.
I live for Jesus.
I'm living for the one true God, and only him, and I bow to
nothing else.
Somebody say amen.
Now Nebuchadnezzar.
(22:35):
He was super excited about thisand he was totally cool with it.
No, no, he was.
He was furious.
It says that he was filled withfury and expression on his face
changed.
And he ordered this.
The furnace heated seven timesmore than it was usually heated.
That is someone who's angry.
Anybody agree.
(22:55):
You're super mad.
You're making it seven timeshotter.
You're really mad.
That's like going home the kidshave messed up the house.
It's like you're cutting offthe air conditioning, then
coming back to punish them.
You know it's terrible, it'sbad news, and so it didn't
change what they did.
So it was a big deal to runyour mouth.
I'll never give up on you,jesus.
I'll never turn my back on you.
And then someone starts to saysomething and you?
(23:16):
Maybe you're like Peter and youwant to fit in with the crowd,
or maybe you're like these guysand you're like nope.
I say what I said and I'm goingto stand for him, even if it
costs me the flames.
And so they go, and it says heordered some of the mighty men
to bind them up.
In the scripture, a littledeeper, it says that they
(23:37):
wrapped them up, even whateverclothes they were wearing.
They didn't even take off thefancy clothes, they just wrapped
them up in them and they putthem in the flame.
As you think about the flame andas you face the flame, it's a
different threat, because nowthey're looking in the face the
very thing that's going to taketheir life, in the face, the
(23:58):
very thing that's going to taketheir life, and they have to
know that.
They know that they believe inthe one true God who will rescue
them out of this fire.
Or it doesn't matter, becausethey're going to go in this fire
and then they're going to gosee him face to face.
So it don't matter.
Either way, somebody say amento that.
It means that they are notafraid of the person that can
kill the body.
They're afraid of the one thatcan kill the soul.
They're afraid of the one whois the one that originated us,
(24:20):
the one who makes us a newcreation.
That's the one they bow theirknee to, and so they're thrown
into the fire.
It's just because the king'sorder was urgent and the fire
was overheated.
The flame of the fire killedthe men who threw them into the
fire, even though they fellbound into the fire.
Now, king Nebuchadnezzar, he wasastonished once they get thrown
(24:43):
in and he rose up from his seatin haste.
He declared to his counselorshey, how many guys did we throw
in there?
Was it three guys?
Was it three guys?
They're like yes, sir, it wasthree guys.
He's like all right, we have aproblem, because I see four men.
They're unbound and they'rewalking around in the middle of
the fire like they are not hurt.
And the appearance of the fourthone is like the son of the gods
(25:06):
.
People, how do you even knowthat we have a living God who
will not forsake you and will bewith you right in the middle of
the fire?
Somebody say amen to that.
I love it, man.
You can imagine I don't evenknow.
Someday we'll find out,hopefully, where Jesus just
walks up.
(25:26):
He's like what's up, guys?
What are you doing?
They're like nothing.
They get up off the ground.
You know, the ropes fall off.
He's like man, I like your fit.
You guys look great.
Hey, good job, good job, keepit up.
All right, I'll see you outthere.
All right, good job.
And what did he say?
What was the talk?
You're in the middle of thefire, says.
They're walking around.
(25:47):
He's just talking to them.
He's like don't worry about it,I told you, I got you.
Keep going.
Nebuchadnezzar came near thedoor of the most high God.
It's a little different thanwho's going to save you, what
God is going to save you.
I guess he changed his mindbecause his mighty men, the one
that he would send into thebattle, they're all dead.
(26:08):
They got burnt up by the fire.
But the guys he threw into thefire are not hurt by the fire.
So he suddenly has changed histune.
Servants of the most high God,come out and come here.
And so they come out of thefire, says all the people around
him, all his differentcounselors, they gathered
(26:30):
together.
They saw that the fire had notany power over the bodies of
these men.
The hair on their heads was notsinged, they didn't smell like
smoke, their clothes weren'tmessed up.
God had completely had his handon them in the fire.
Somebody say amen to that.
See, what happens sometime isthat the fire is something that
God allows us to go throughbecause it's a process of what
(26:53):
he wants to do in and throughyour life.
How many people have been in afire before You've been in a
fire?
You're seasoning your life andhere's the thing sometimes God
will allow that not cause it,but allow it to happen so that
he can use it as a refiningprocess in us, so that we can be
taken through that place to getstronger for the next thing he
(27:16):
needs us for.
That's that process.
It goes from a fire to aprocess, and I love what comes
out of this.
It says the king says blessed bethe God of Shadrach, meshach
and Abednego, who has sent hisangel and delivered his servants
who trusted in him and setaside the king's command and
yielded up their bodies ratherthan serve or worship any God.
(27:39):
See, their obedience to Godbecame a testimony to the world
around them and to the very kingabout who the real God is.
Friends, that's whenever thefear that you have and this
other fire that you're goingthrough, it becomes a process
(28:00):
that proclaims the glory of Godto everyone around you.
So take heart, have couragethat he won't leave you in the
middle of the fire.
The third story starts with avideo.
Old Daniel (28:18):
What's up, kingdom crew?
It's your boy, daniel, comingat you with some wild news.
So King Darius just issued thisnew decree For the next 30 days
, no praying to any god or manexcept the king, and if you do,
the lion's den.
(28:39):
But you know I'm not backingdown my prayer.
Life is non-negotiable.
Wish me luck, kingdom crew.
Update number two yeah, theycaught me, just like I knew they
would.
I was praying, windows open,facing Jerusalem, just like I
(29:00):
knew they would.
I was praying, windows open,facing Jerusalem, just like
always.
No regrets, pray for me.
Hey, kingdom Crew still here.
It's been a night and you won'tbelieve this.
God is amazing, these lions.
They haven't touched me.
Not one growl in anger, not onepounce.
God has literally shut theirmouths.
(29:24):
When you put your trust in theAlmighty, anything is possible.
Feeling strangely peaceful inhere.
Actually, kingdom crew, I'm out.
I'm actually out.
King Darius came rushing atdawn, probably expecting the
worst, and when he called out, Ianswered.
(29:44):
He pulled me right up.
Not a single scratch, not amark on me.
God is so faithful.
But let's be super clear I'mnot the hero of this story.
I wasn't the one in the fire.
I didn't have theinterpretation for the dreams.
I wasn't the one that shut themouth of lions, this was all him
(30:09):
.
God delivered Kingdom.
Crew, stand firm in your faith.
Jason Brown (30:15):
Kingdom crew.
Stand firm in your faith.
Kingdom crew, stand firm inyour faith, amen.
Hey, I want to say thanks tojeremy.
He's the one that's been makingall these ai videos for us.
All of these are original to us, for you.
Every week we have a goodthanks for him.
Thanks for your work, man,great job.
We pick up here in the third ofthose three things fear and fire
(30:36):
.
The third is fangs, king Darius.
He's the one that takes overfor the son of Nebuchadnezzar.
Nebuchadnezzar comes in of hisreign and then his son comes to
a short end of his reign and wepick up here with King Darius.
And so King Darius actually hasan affinity for Daniel.
He understands his value and heactually takes him and elevates
him to a place where he's thereamongst the three leading the
(31:00):
court.
And the other people around himdon't like this because they're
obviously people the Chaldeans,they're people there from
Babylon and other areas and theydon't like the idea of this guy
coming and doing this as aforeigner.
So they plot a plan against himto say, listen, the only thing
we're going to catch him on isthat he's someone devoted to his
God.
So we got to make a rule thatcatches him doing what he's
(31:21):
devoted to.
And so they set up this idea tomake a prayer for 30 days that
only people would pray to theking.
Now, the king being the king,despite loving Daniel loves the
idea of people praying for himright, and so he signs the
decree and it says whoever makesa petition to any God or man
(31:42):
for 30 days except you, o king,shall be cast into the den of
lions.
Picks up in Daniel 6, verse 10,.
When Daniel knew the documenthad been signed, he didn't do
anything different.
He did what he always did.
He went up to his house, wherehe had windows in his upper
chamber.
He opened them towardsJerusalem and he prayed three
times a day, as he always had,giving thanks to God, just as he
(32:06):
does every day.
And then, of course, they catchhim doing this and they take
him.
And they take him to come andbe prosecuted for this crime
against the decree from the king.
And the king's trying to figurea way out of it because he's
distressed.
He likes Daniel, but after all,he is the king and this is his
law.
There's no way out.
(32:28):
It says that he was muchdistressed and set his mind to
deliver Daniel.
He worked on it even till theend of the day.
But finally the end of the daycomes and he makes the command.
It says the king commanded, andDaniel was brought and cast
into the den of lions.
The king declared to Daniel mayyour God, whom you serve,
continually, deliver you.
(32:50):
Now, friends, I don't know aboutyou, but I've been around lions
, both at the zoo here at ourwonderful wildlife park, but
also in the wild in parts ofAfrica, and I could tell you
there's a big difference whenyou don't have the gate in
between you and the big kittycat and there's a different
reverence that you have forthose big animals.
(33:12):
And in the very threat of hislife, he knew that unless God
intervenes like I'm a snack forthe kitty cat here in just a
minute.
And so they throw him into thelion's den and the king says
listen, you continually serveyour God.
I pray that your God will saveyou from this situation.
And, friends, we hearthroughout scripture how the
enemy of our soul, satan, andall those who are following, all
(33:34):
those that are a part of hiskingdom, they all want to pull
us away from the Lord.
It says that they're movingaround like a roaring lion
trying to devour, and so theywant nothing good for your life.
They want to tear you down,they want to tear your family
apart, they want to tear youaway from the purpose of God,
and so you can see very much howthat threat of a lion,
spiritually speaking, is verymuch like the enemy of our soul,
(33:56):
satan.
And so there's something that'svery much in our own power
where you'd be, like thisdepiction of Daniel in the
lion's den, where you can seethis next image.
He's very, very scared Anybody.
Could you relate to that idea?
Now, here's the thing.
I think that this is adepiction.
Obviously, it's a beautifulpainting, but I think this one
is not as accurate as the seconddepiction.
(34:17):
And this is the seconddepiction, see, I think what
happened is that an older Danielis the one that gets thrown
down there.
He's been there through allthese kings.
He's been down through thething.
He's seen God give thedescription of the dreams
multiple times.
He saw God rescue three Hebrewchildren from the fire.
He's seen the miracle.
So as he comes down into there,he's like, okay, here we go.
(34:42):
I'm either seeing Jesus face toface or he's going to have to
do something for me in thismoment and I think he was
standing right there looking atthese big, pretty kitty cats and
they did nothing.
As God shut the mouth of thelions, and it says the king.
He was beside himself, he waswrought with stress, he didn't
have any kind of distractions,he didn't eat.
And he goes in there and hepresses in and he fasts and he
(35:04):
waits till the first of morningto see, to see if Daniel will
make it.
It says in Daniel 6.20,.
As he came near the den whereDaniel was, he cried out ina
tone of anguish, because theking knew he was the one that
would have cost Daniel his life.
The king declared to Daniel ODaniel, servant of the living
(35:25):
God, has your God, whom youserve continually, been able to
deliver you from the lions?
Can we take a pause for just asecond?
I love that one Because hekeeps on saying whom you serve
continually.
What that means is that Danielwasn't just throwing up the oh
(35:46):
God, please save me, you know,in the last moment of his life,
kind of prayers.
No, daniel was someone who wasliving his life in step with God
.
Daniel was someone who wascontinually worshiping the Lord.
He was wanting to risk it, evento continue to say I only bow
my knee to the living God.
Daniel responds.
He says, o king, live forever.
(36:08):
My God sent his angel and shutthe lion's mouths, and they have
not harmed me, because I wasfound blameless before him and
also before you, o king.
I have done no harm.
See, I feel like someone heretoday needs to hear that the
living God is the one that willshut the mouth of the enemy.
(36:30):
He will shut the lion's mouthin your life, that he will shut
the one that's attacking you.
He will shut the one that'strying to bring you back into
your old self, to your old paths, to the old ruts in your life.
He's trying to drag you backinto addiction, but the living
God can cut that off and shutthe mouth of the enemy in your
life.
You don't have to live thoseold paths.
(36:51):
You are not the old person.
You are a new creation in God.
Your future is in Christ andnot in your past.
Someone say amen to that.
See, the very fangs of thethings that were going to eat
you now have been shut and theprovision of God has been made
in your behalf.
It says in the rest of thestory not to ruin it, but all
(37:11):
those people who wanted himthrown in.
They got thrown in and thekitties were hungry they hadn.
They got thrown in and thekiddies were hungry they hadn't
eaten all night, so those thingswere gone.
Suddenly he has a promotion, notjust provision, but a promotion
to a new level, because he keptthe path.
He put God first and God gavehim all the other things that
(37:32):
everybody else was living for.
See, friends, this is the thingthat he declared.
We started it with this decree.
This is what Darius says.
He says I make a decree that inall my royal dominion, people
are to tremble and fear beforethe God of Daniel, for he is the
living God enduring forever.
(37:53):
Friends, that's the word overyou today, that the living God
who endures forever, he's theone that takes things like fear
and fire and things and he's theone that changes those things
in your life.
He'll take the fear and he'llturn it into peace.
He'll take fire and he'll makea process out of it and make a
(38:17):
proclamation out of your life.
He'll take things like fangsand he'll turn it into provision
.
Very much fear and fire andfangs.
They become peace and processand provision.
Somebody say amen to that Todayas we come to this altar.
We have this opportunity to doso.
My encouragement to you is isthat as we come seeking God, we
(38:41):
seek more of him.
First him, seek him, and allthese things will be added.
So if you're someone who needsmore of God, you want more of
his presence, you're someone whoneeds direction from God, that
you would come and seek it.
If you're someone who is in themiddle of that process of the
fire, that you know that he hasnot left you, that he's right
there with you as you're beingrefined, if that maybe you're
(39:02):
someone you feel like there'sreally been an attack against
you spiritually speaking, knowthat he's the one that shuts the
mouth of the enemy.
Friends, he is more thancapable to be the prince of
peace that brings the peace thatpasses all understanding.
He's the one to guide usthrough the process so that we
can be more like Jesus.
He's the one to bring provisionthat we need.
(39:25):
Someone say amen, friends, today, it is that ambition that each
one of us have, and we have toask you that question too have
you embraced Jesus?
See for us as Christ followers,the symbol of the cross is one
of freedom, it's one oftransformation, it's one of
forgiveness.
It's one where Jesus took allof my sins, all of my mistakes,
(39:47):
all of yours.
He took them upon himself,though he committed none of it.
He took them upon himself.
He became the ultimatesacrifice, the holy sacrifice
for all people, for all time.
Upon the cross, he tookeverything and he died there so
that those things can be dead aswell.
(40:07):
But what we love is that hedidn't stay dead, but he is
alive, and so we serve a livingGod who we can have an active
relationship with.
The Apostle Paul.
He writes to the church at Romesaying this because if you
confess with your mouth thatJesus is Lord and believe in
your heart that God raised himfrom the dead, you will be saved
(40:29):
, for with the heart onebelieves and is justified.
With the mouth, one confessesand is saved.
Friends, today is your day.
It's your opportunity to sayyes to Jesus.
I'm going to ask everyonethat's here in the room if you
just stand to your feet, bowyour head right where you're at,
as Christians are praying,people are making decisions to
(40:50):
follow Jesus.
If you're online, wherever youare under the sound of my voice,
take a moment.
Let God speak to your heart andyour life.
Maybe you're here and that'syou.
You've never made a decision tofollow Jesus.
People are praying for you.
We've been praying for you thattoday would be your day.
You make a decision to followJesus.
(41:11):
You place your faith and yourtrust in him.
You say Jesus, I believe youare who you say you are and
invite you into my heart andlife.
Lord, forgive me and my sins.
Or maybe you're here and youhave made that decision in the
past, but you've walked awayfrom living for God.
Today's an opportunity torecommit your life back to him.
Friend, don't make a mistake.
Don't try to wait another day.
(41:31):
Today is your day.
We're not guaranteed tomorrow,with heads are bowed as
Christians are praying.
If that's you, you say pastor,I just want to be included in
that prayer today.
If you just raise your handright where you're at, just make
a decision to follow Jesus,invite him into your life.
We see hands that are here,hands that are there, people
making decisions, peoplereinforcing their life after God
.
Hands that are here.
See hands there.
(41:52):
Thank you Lord.
Thank you Jesus.
Thank you, jesus.
We see your hands friendsonline as well.
Thank you, lord.
I'm going to ask everyone ifthey would pray this prayer out
loud after me.
Lord, thank you for loving me.
Thank you for sending Jesus.
(42:13):
I believe Jesus died on thecross for my sins.
I believe he rose again.
Forgive me of my sins.
I surrender my life to you.
In Christ's name, I pray Amen.
Amen.
(42:33):
Friends, we rejoice with youmaking a decision to follow
Jesus today.
Several people raising theirhand in this room Praise the
Lord.
Praise the Lord.
Amazing.
Hey, that was you in the room.
We want to put things in yourhands so you'd be successful in
living for Jesus.
Connect with our team in theback.
Connect with our team outsideso we can be able to do that.
If you're online, message us.
We don't want you to live thislife alone.
(42:56):
Friends, as we come to thisaltar, we do so because we want
more of His presence, and maybeyou're someone who's been
dealing with a fear in your lifethat you would come to God, who
is the originator, the princeof peace today, for the peace
that passes all understanding.
Maybe you're someone who'sgoing through that fiery
situation that you would come tothe altar.
Ask for more of his presencebecause he doesn't forsake us.
(43:16):
He's right there with you inthe midst of it.
He's going to do something outof this circumstance, refining
you, that it's going to be aproclamation of your life, a
testimony on the other side.
And the third is that thosefangs that are biting at us so
many times, that old life, thatold thing, is trying to come
back and put teeth in us, buthe's the very one that shuts the
mouth of the enemy.
(43:36):
And now we would not just beattacked, but that we would find
the provision of God and thepromotion to what he wants us to
do on the next side.
As we open up this altar, we dowith hearts towards you, lord
Jesus, we thank you for thisword.
We thank you, lord, for theexample of Daniel.
Lord, we thank you, lord, forall that you've done in calling
and speaking to us.
Lord, we come to this altar,lord, because we want more of
(43:57):
your presence and more of yourpower.
Lord, we need you, the livingGod, to live for you today, lord
, against this culture, againstall these things that would try
to tear us down.
Lord, we come for the peace ofGod that passes all
understanding.
Lord, we come because you areour strength in the middle of
the fire.
You are the one that isrefining us and, lord, that we
come to you that you would closethe mouths of the enemy against
(44:20):
us, against our family, againstour community.
Lord, against this church, lord, and now we ask for the
provision of God and thepromotion of God, lord, to the
next thing that you would havefor us.
Lord, we come to you for moreof you.
We pray in the name of JesusChrist, amen.
Celeste Brown (44:38):
We are having party with the pastor
immediately following thisservice.
It is an opportunity for any ofyou that are new or have been
coming in the last maybe threemonths and we haven't had the
chance to meet you.
We would love to meet you.
Our team will be in there.
We want to put a name to theface, so come and join us.
If you have children, grab themfirst and then you'll head to
the east side of the building.
There's a hallway and we willmeet you in there.
(44:59):
It is quick, it is informal,but we just want to get to know
who you are amen.
Jason Brown (45:04):
We have a lot of great things coming up,
including helping at mercy house, the back to school this week,
baptism coming up, a lot ofthings get involved in.
So make sure you're checkingthose events to find out what's
going on.
And also let's honor ourmissionaries one more time for
them being in the house with theclans today.
Thank you, guys, appreciate you.
Make sure you say hi before wego more praise, blessing over us
(45:24):
.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
Lord, make his face shine uponyou and be gracious to you.
Lord, lift up his countenanceupon you and give you peace.
Lord, I pray a blessing uponyour church, your people.
(45:46):
Lord, you empower us by yourspirit to live your love out to
those around us.
Pray all this in the powerfulname that is Jesus Christ.
Amen, amen.
Know this we love you very muchhere at Cornerstone.
God bless you and have a greatweek.
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