Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: AFP
Program Code: AFP000059
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00:00 >> COMING UP NEXT ON
00:09 "AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS--" >> DANIEL COULD SERVE THEM WELL 00:13 'CAUSE HE SERVED A HIGHER MONARCH FIRST. 00:20 >> FOR OVER 40 YEARS, AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN 00:23 DEDICATED TO SHARING GOD'S WORD THROUGH MEDIA. 00:27 THIS PROGRAM FEATURES HIGHLIGHTS FROM SOME OF OUR BEST TELEVISION 00:30 BROADCASTS. 00:33 WE INVITE YOU TO SIT BACK AND ENJOY THIS EDITION OF 00:36 "AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS." 00:39 TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS AN EXCERPT FROM 00:41 THE "EVERLASTING GOSPEL" VIDEO SERIES. 00:49 >> AND SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A STORY THIS MORNING THAT 00:52 IS VERY FAMILIAR AND MAYBE TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT A STORY THAT HAS 00:57 BEEN REFERRED TO, ESPECIALLY FOR THE CHILDREN. 01:00 AND IT'S THE STORY OF DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN. 01:04 VERY QUICKLY TO GIVE YOU THE HISTORY, DANIEL, WHEN HE WAS 01:07 A YOUNG MAN, HAD BEEN CARRIED OFF CAPTIVE TO BABYLON DURING 01:12 THE REIGN OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 01:14 THROUGH A SERIES OF MIRACLES, HE WAS EXALTED FROM THE POSITION OF 01:17 BEING A CAPTIVE TO BEING PRIME MINISTER AND CHIEF COUNSELOR 01:21 FOR NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 01:22 NOW GO WITH ME TO THE BOOK OF DANIEL 6. 01:26 WE'RE GONNA READ VERSE 1 WITH THAT BACKGROUND. 01:28 "IT PLEASED DARIUS TO SET OVER THE KINGDOM 120 PRINCES, OR 01:32 GOVERNORS, TO BE OVER THE WHOLE KINGDOM AND OVER THESE THREE 01:36 GOVERNORS OF WHOM DANIEL WAS CHIEF, OR FIRST, THAT THE 01:40 PRINCES MIGHT GIVE ACCOUNT TO THEM AND SO THE KING WOULD HAVE 01:43 NO LOSS." 01:44 PART OF DELEGATING SUCH A BIG KINGDOM, 'CAUSE NOT ONLY WAS IT 01:47 THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE, BUT NOW THE BABYLONIANS HAD BEEN 01:50 ABSORBED BY THE PERSIANS, SO YOU GOT THIS VERY BIG KINGDOM 01:53 TO ADMINISTRATE. 01:54 AND SO HE PUTS DANIEL IN AMONG THE THREE GOVERNORS 'CAUSE HE 01:58 CAN BE TRUSTED. 01:58 WELL, YOU KNOW THE OTHER MEDO-PERSIANS SORT OF RESENT 02:01 THAT. 02:02 HERE YOU TAKE THIS CAPTIVE FROM JUDAH WHO HAD BEEN-- 02:05 HE'S NOT EVEN A NATIONAL. 02:06 AND NOT ONLY YOU GIVE HIM A POSITION OF HONOR, BUT THE KING 02:10 WAS THINKING ABOUT SETTING HIM OVER THE WHOLE REALM. 02:13 VERSE 3, "THEN THIS DANIEL--" WHILE HE WAS WORKING AS ONE 02:18 OF THREE TOP GOVERNORS, "DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF ABOVE 02:22 THE GOVERNORS AND THE PRINCES BECAUSE AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT WAS 02:26 IN HIM. 02:27 AND THE KING GAVE THOUGHT TO SETTING HIM OVER THE WHOLE 02:29 REALM." 02:31 HE JUST EXUDED THE HOLY SPIRIT. 02:32 THERE WAS THE AURA OF GOD'S SPIRIT ABOUT HIM THAT OTHERS 02:36 RECOGNIZED. 02:37 WHY DID HE THRIVE DURING THE REIGN OF ALL THOSE MONARCHS? 02:40 BECAUSE DANIEL REALLY NEVER SERVED THEM FIRST. 02:44 DANIEL COULD SERVE THEM WELL 'CAUSE HE SERVED A HIGHER 02:48 MONARCH FIRST, AND THEY RECOGNIZED THAT ABOUT HIM. 02:52 AND HE THOUGHT TO SET HIM OVER THE WHOLE REALM. 02:55 HE WAS GONNA MAKE HIM PRIME MINISTER OR VICEROY OF 02:58 THE ENTIRE EMPIRE. 03:00 NOW THAT REALLY BOTHERED THE OTHER POLITICIANS WHO THOUGHT 03:06 THEY SHOULD BE IN LINE. 03:07 THERE WAS ENVY, THEY WERE JEALOUS. 03:10 NOW BEFORE I GO VERY FAR IN THE STUDY OF DANIEL 6, I WANT YOU TO 03:14 KNOW THE WHOLE GREAT CONTROVERSY IS IN THIS STORY BETWEEN CHRIST 03:17 AND SATAN, THE BATTLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL. 03:21 THE LIFE OF CHRIST IS EVEN MODELED IN THE LIFE OF DANIEL. 03:26 JESUS, SECOND ONLY TO GOD ALMIGHTY THE FATHER, THE IDEA 03:30 THAT DANIEL WOULD BE SECOND ONLY TO THE KING, THEY COULD NOT 03:33 STAND THAT. 03:35 WHAT WAS IT THAT CAUSED THE REBELLION OF LUCIFER? 03:38 HE WAS JEALOUS. 03:39 HE ENVIED THE POSITION OF CHRIST. 03:41 HE WANTED TO BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH. 03:43 SO A PLOT WAS PUT INTO EFFECT TO GET HIM OUT OF THE WAY. 03:48 "THEY SOUGHT TO FIND SOME OCCASION AGAINST DANIEL 03:51 CONCERNING THE KINGDOM, BUT THEY COULD FIND NO CHARGE OR FAULT, 03:56 BECAUSE HE WAS FAITHFUL." 03:57 WHAT DID THEY SAY ABOUT JESUS? 03:59 EVEN PILATE SAID, "I FIND NO FAULT IN HIM." 04:02 THEY SPENT SPIES WHO CAME BACK AND SAID, "NO MAN SPEAKS LIKE 04:04 THIS MAN." 04:06 HE WAS FAITHFUL. 04:09 BY THE WAY, DANIEL WAS HUMAN. 04:11 YOU CAN HAVE THE SAME SPIRIT DANIEL HAD, SO STOP MAKING 04:15 EXCUSES. 04:16 THIS STORY'S IN THE BIBLE TO ENCOURAGE YOU THAT YOU CAN LIVE 04:19 A GODLY LIFE AND HAVE INTEGRITY. 04:22 THEY SAID, WE'RE NOT--" VERSE 5, "WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIND ANY 04:25 CHARGE AGAINST THIS DANIEL--" THEY CAN'T EVEN SAY, DANIEL, 04:29 THIS DANIEL. 04:30 "UNLESS WE FIND IT AGAINST HIM CONCERNING THE LAW OF HIS GOD." 04:34 WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO PROBABLY GET SOME RELIGIOUS LAW ENACTED 04:38 AND USE THAT AGAINST HIM. 04:41 SOMEWHERE WHERE HIS LAW AND PRINCIPLES CONFLICT WITH THE LAW 04:45 OF THE MEDO-PERSIANS. 04:49 "SO THE GOVERNORS AND THE PRINCES THRONGED BEFORE 04:51 THE KING AND THEY SAID, "KING DARIUS LIVE FOREVER? 04:54 ALL THE GOVERNORS OF THE KINGDOM AND THE ADMINISTRATORS AND THE 04:58 PRINCES HAVE CONSULTED TOGETHER, AND THE ADVISORS HAVE CONSULTED 05:03 TOGETHER TO ESTABLISH A ROYAL STATUTE.'" 05:05 WELL, THEIR LYING, IT WASN'T ALL OF THEM. 05:07 DANIEL WAS CHIEF. 05:09 HE WASN'T IN THERE, I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT. 05:12 THEY'RE TRYING TO GIVE THE KING THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY 05:15 HAD CONSENSUS AND EVERYBODY AGREED THIS WAS A GOOD THING 05:17 TO UNITE THE KINGDOM. 05:19 "WE'RE CONSULTING THAT THE KING ESTABLISH A ROYAL STATUTE AND 05:24 MAKE A FIRM DECREE THAT WHOEVER PETITIONS--" OR PRAYS TO, "ANY 05:29 GOD OR MAN FOR 30 DAYS EXCEPT FOR YOU, O KING, HE'LL BE CAST 05:34 INTO THE DEN OF LIONS. 05:36 NOW O KING, ESTABLISH THE DECREE AND SIGN THE WRITING THAT IT 05:40 CANNOT BE CHANGED ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF THE MEDES AND THE 05:43 PERSIANS WHICH DOES NOT ALTER." 05:46 I UNDERLINED IN MY BIBLE "CANNOT BE CHANGED, DOES NOT ALTER." 05:50 THEN IT GOES ON TO SAY, "THEREFORE KING DARIUS SIGNED 05:54 THE WRITTEN DECREE." 05:57 NOW THE MEDO-PERSIANS, WHEN THEY MADE A LAW, IT WASN'T LIKE IN 06:00 NORTH AMERICAN WHERE WE VOTE A LAW AND THEN WE VOTE IT OUT. 06:03 WE SAY, "HERE'S A GOOD LAW. 06:04 NO, WE'RE CHANGING THAT LAW. 06:05 WE'RE REPEALING THAT LAW. 06:06 WE'RE MODIFYING THAT LAW." 06:07 DEPENDS ON WHO'S IN OFFICE AT THE TIME AND WHETHER 06:09 OR NOT WE LIKED IT. 06:12 WHEN THEY MADE A LAW BACK THEN, THE LAW OF THE KING DID NOT 06:17 CHANGE. 06:18 AND IT WASN'T JUST HIS VANITY, "NOBODY PRAYS TO ANYBODY 06:22 BUT ME FOR 30 DAYS." 06:24 DARIUS WASN'T--AND PROBABLY APPEALED TO HIS VANITY. 06:27 BUT YOU SEE, THEY KNEW SOMETHING BACK THEN THAT LEADERS KNOW. 06:31 WHEN YOU CANNOT UNITE DIVERSE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF POLITICS OR 06:35 BECAUSE OF LANGUAGE BARRIERS BECAUSE THERE ARE CULTURAL 06:39 DIFFERENCES OR GEOGRAPHY, IF YOU CAN GET PEOPLE UNITED 06:42 IN RELIGION, THEY CAN OVERCOME ALL THE OTHER BARRIERS. 06:46 THE DEVIL KNOWS THAT. 06:48 NEBUCHADNEZZAR KNEW THAT. 06:51 WHY DO YOU THINK HE SAID, "I'M GONNA HAVE EVERYBODY GATHER 06:52 ON THE PLAIN OF DURA. 06:54 WE'RE GONNA MAKE A STATUE, WE'RE ALL GONNA BOW TO THE SAME 06:56 STATUE AT THE SAME TIME, UNITE THE KINGDOM. 06:59 WE'LL BE WELDED TOGETHER BY COMMON FAITH IN WORSHIP." 07:03 BRING THE PEOPLE TOGETHER. 07:05 SO DARIUS SIGNS THE DECREE, "GOOD IDEA. 07:07 I GOT 127 PROVINCES, THE PEOPLE ARE SCATTERED. 07:10 WE GOT SOME BABYLONIANS, SOME MEDES, SOME PERSIANS, SOME JEWS 07:14 AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT-- WELD THEM TOGETHER. 07:17 YOU ALL PRAY TO THE KING FOR 30 DAYS AND DEVELOP MORALE 07:21 AND SUPPORT." 07:23 SO HE SIGNED THE DECREE. 07:25 BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS REALLY A RUSE, THE WHOLE THING 07:28 WAS TO GET RID OF DANIEL. 07:34 NOW HERE'S WHERE, FOR ME, THE STORY IS PHENOMENAL. 07:40 DANIEL IS A MAN OF STERLING CONVICTION AND COURAGE. 07:46 YOU READ IN VERSE 10, I'VE GOT THIS UNDERLINED IN MY BIBLE. 07:51 "NOW WHEN DANIEL KNEW THAT THE WRITING WAS SIGNED--" I DOUBT 07:54 WITH HIS HIGH POSITION THAT THEY COULD GET THE DOCUMENT PRINTED, 07:58 COPIED AND CIRCULATED WITHOUT HIS KNOWING. 08:02 SOMEBODY BROUGHT HIM A COPY BEFORE IT WENT OUT. 08:06 "WHEN DANIEL KNEW THAT THE WRITING WAS SIGNED, 08:08 HE WENT HOME." 08:10 HE WITHDREW FROM THE CORRUPTION OF THE PALACE, 08:12 BACK TO HIS HOUSE. 08:15 "AND IN HIS UPPER ROOM, HIS WINDOWS BEING OPENED--" 08:20 NOW WHY WOULD THAT BE MENTIONED? 08:23 WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY? 08:24 ANYBODY CAUGHT PRAYING FOR 30 DAYS. 08:29 YOU KNOW DOESN'T JESUS SAY, WHEN YOU PRAY, ENTER INTO YOUR CLOSET 08:32 AND SHUT THE DOOR? 08:34 WOULDN'T THIS HAVE BEEN A GOOD TIME TO GO IN THE CLOSET 08:36 AND SHUT THE DOOR? 08:38 WHY DID HE PRAY--NOT ONLY DID HE PRAY WITH HIS WINDOWS OPEN, 08:42 HE PRAYED ON HIS KNEES SO THEY COULD SEE PHYSICALLY HE WAS 08:46 IN A POSTURE OF PRAYER. 08:47 HE COULD HAVE JUST SAT THERE IN THE WINDOW WITH HIS ARMS 08:49 FOLDED AND LOOKED LIKE HE WAS MEDITATING. 08:51 BUT HE GOT DOWN AND TOOK ON THE POSTURE OF PRAYER, AND HE 08:54 DID NOT PRAYER TOWARDS THE PALACE IN BABYLON OR IN SHUSHAN, 08:59 HE PRAYED TOWARDS JERUSALEM. 09:01 EVERYTHING ABOUT WHAT DANIEL DID SAID, "I AM NOT GOING TO WORSHIP 09:06 MAN. 09:07 I AM GONNA WORSHIP GOD BECAUSE IT'S BETTER TO OBEY GOD 09:10 THAN MAN," RIGHT? 09:11 ANOTHER REASON HE LEFT HIS WINDOW OPEN, JESUS SAID IN 09:14 MATTHEW 5, "LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MAY 09:18 SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS." 09:21 NOT TO GLORIFY YOU, GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. 09:24 DON'T HIDE WHAT YOU BELIEVE. 09:26 DANIEL WAS READY TO BE CAUGHT PRAYING AT THE COST OF HIS LIFE. 09:32 AND THERE WERE PROBABLY SPIES SET UP WATCHING TO SEE, IS HE 09:36 GONNA CONTINUE HIS CUSTOM, IS HE GONNA CLOSE HIS WINDOWS? 09:39 IS HE GOING TO HIDE THE POSTURE OF PRAYER? 09:42 DANIEL DID NOT CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD 09:47 EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT COST HIM HIS LIFE. 09:50 WAS IT BECAUSE HE WAS STUBBORN? 09:53 IS THERE ANY VIRTUE IN CHRISTIANS BEING STUBBORN, 09:55 WEARING OUR RELIGION ON OUR SLEEVE AND BEING OBSTINATE? 09:58 NO, I THINK DANIEL DID IT BECAUSE HE LOVED GOD AND HE WAS 10:02 MORE INTERESTED IN THE HONOR OF GOD, HIS REAL BOSS, THAN 10:07 THE KING OF MEDO-PERSIA. 10:09 YEAH, HE WASN'T DOING IT BECAUSE HE WAS JUST STUBBORN. 10:13 IT WAS ABOUT LOVE. 10:15 AND HE SAID, "I'M NOT GONNA LET ANYTHING COME BETWEEN MY 10:18 RELATIONSHIP AND MY TIME WITH GOD." 10:20 NOW I CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT TRYING TO EXPLOIT 10:24 A VERY SIMPLE POINT. 10:25 THE REASON THERE IS A BOOK IN THE BIBLE CALLED DANIEL, 10:28 I BELIEVE, IS SEEN RIGHT HERE IN THIS VERSE. 10:32 HE PRAYED AND HE READ HIS BIBLE. 10:35 "HOW DO YOU KNOW, PASTOR DOUG, THAT HE READ HIS BIBLE? 10:38 IT DOESN'T SAY THAT, IT SAYS THAT KNELT DOWN AND PRAYED 10:40 THREE TIMES." 10:41 WHY IS HE PRAYING TOWARDS JERUSALEM? 10:43 'CAUSE DANIEL READ IN 2 CHRONICLES 6:21 DANIEL READ 10:49 WHERE SOLOMON SAID, "MAY YOU HEAR THE SUPPLICATIONS OF YOUR 10:53 SERVANT AND YOUR PEOPLE ISRAEL WHEN THEY PRAYED TOWARDS THIS 10:56 PLACE." 10:57 MATTER OF FACT SOLOMON SPECIFICALLY SAID, "IF YOUR 10:59 PEOPLE ARE UNFAITHFUL AND THEY'RE CARRIED OFF TO A FOREIGN 11:01 LAND, IF THEY PRAY TOWARDS THIS PLACE--" THAT STARTS HERE 11:06 WITH SOLOMON, DANIEL DID THAT. 11:09 DO YOU HAVE A DEVOTIONAL LIFE? 11:11 IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE THE CHARACTER OF DANIEL, YOU MIGHT 11:13 NEED TO HAVE THE DEVOTIONAL LIFE OF DANIEL. 11:16 AND A GOOD TIME FOR GOD IS NOT FOUND, IT'S MADE. 11:19 YOU'VE GOTTA JUST DO IT. 11:22 NOW, HERE'S WHERE I WANT TO MAKE THE CONNECTION. 11:24 THERE IS A BIG TEST COMING IN THE LAST DAYS. 11:29 THERE IS A BIG TEST COMING. 11:31 SOME PEOPLE ARE PREPARING ALL ALONG THE WAY, SOME PEOPLE TRY 11:34 TO CRAM FOR THEIR FINALS RIGHT AT THE LAST MINUTE. 11:37 THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE 11TH-HOUR WORKERS 11:40 THAT WILL STILL MAKE IT. 11:42 BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT'S THOSE WHO ARE STUDYING NOW 11:46 FOR THE LITTLE QUIZZES THAT WILL PASS THE FINAL. 11:50 IN THIS BIG TEST THAT IS APPROACHING, WE'RE GONNA MAKE 11:55 A DECISION, DO I LOVE THE LORD SO MUCH I WOULD RATHER 11:58 DIE THAN DISOBEY HIM? 12:01 THIS IS THE TEST THAT SHADRACH, MESHACH AND ABEDNEGO PASSED. 12:04 THERE WAS A LAW MADE. 12:06 THEY HAD TO DECIDE, AM I GOING TO OBEY THE LAW OF GOD OR MAN? 12:10 THEY SAID, "EVEN IF IT MEANS THAT I'M GONNA LOSE MY JOB IN 12:13 BABYLON, EVEN IT MEANS I'M GONNA LOSE MY LIFE, I WOULD RATHER 12:19 BURN TO DEATH--" WHICH CAN'T BE PLEASANT, "THAN TO BOW DOWN 12:25 TO THE GRAVEN IMAGE." 12:26 ONE OF THE COMMANDMENTS SAYS, "DON'T WORSHIP IMAGES." 12:28 THEY SAID, "WE'D RATHER DIE." 12:30 IN DANIEL 6 DANIEL SAYS, ONE OF THE COMMANDMENTS SAYS, "THOU 12:34 SHALT NOT HAVE OTHER GODS BEFORE ME--" AND WOULD CERTAINLY 12:36 INCLUDE THE KING OF MEDO-PERSIA, "I'M NOT GONNA WORSHIP HIM 12:39 AS A GOD." 12:41 WE'RE TO PRAY TO THE LORD. 12:43 I'M MAKING A DECISION, I'M GONNA OBEY GOD'S COMMANDMENTS INSTEAD 12:46 OF THE POLITICAL COMMANDMENTS OR THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN. 12:49 "I'D RATHER DIE, BE TORN LIMB FROM LIMB BY LIONS THAN DISOBEY 12:53 GOD." 12:54 IN THE LAST DAYS, THOSE WHO LIVED DURING THAT TIME 12:57 WILL FACE THE SAME TEST. 13:00 DO YOU LOVE THE LORD SO MUCH YOU WOULD RATHER SAY, "I'D RATHER 13:04 STARVE, CAN'T BUY OR SELL, BE PERSECUTED, LOSE MY JOB, LOSE 13:11 MY LIFE THAN BREAK ONE OF GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, LIKE THE SABBATH?" 13:17 HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT ONE? 13:19 "WELL, MAYBE YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T REALLY BREAK IT. 13:23 I'M STILL GONNA KEEP IT. 13:24 I'M JUST GONNA KEEP IT A DIFFERENT DAY THAN 13:25 THE ONE THAT GOD PICKED." 13:27 WHAT IF SHADRACH, MESHACH AND ABEDNEGO, WHEN THEY PLAYED 13:29 THE MUSIC AND EVERYBODY BOWED DOWN TO THE STATUE--I'M ASSUMING 13:32 YOU ALL KNOW THIS STORY. 13:35 WHAT IF THEY HAD SAID, "WE'RE NOT GONNA PRAY TO THE STATUE, 13:37 BUT THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO CHECK OUR SANDALS, AND GO DOWN 13:40 AND START? 13:42 "NO, NO, WE'RE NOT--WE'RE JUST, WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE 13:45 A SPECTACLE. 13:46 MAY AS WELL GO ALONG." 13:47 THEY WOULDN'T COMPROMISE. 13:49 THEY WERE FANATICS ABOUT LITTLE THINGS. 13:52 LIKE GOD SAID THE 7TH DAY AND THAT MEANS THE 7TH DAY, 13:55 AND WE KNOW WHAT DAY THAT IS. 13:56 THAT'S THE DAY WE'RE GONNA KEEP EVEN IF WE'RE THE ONLY ONES. 13:58 DANIEL WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH HIS WINDOW OPEN PRAYING 14:02 TOWARDS JERUSALEM. 14:03 SHADRACH, MESHACH AND ABEDNEGO WERE THE ONLY ONES STANDING UP 14:08 WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE BOWED DOWN. 14:10 DO YOU LOVE THE LORD SO MUCH THAT IF EVERYBODY IN THIS CHURCH 14:13 WAS TO GIVE UP THEIR FAITH, WOULD YOU STILL KEEP IT? 14:17 NOW BACK TO DANIEL 6, WE WANT TO RETURN TO OUR STORY. 14:21 SO WE JUST FINISHED READING VERSE 10 WHERE HE SAID ONCE HE 14:24 KNEW THE WRITING WAS SIGNED, THERE WERE SPIES WATCHING HIM 14:27 PRAY. 14:28 THEY SAW HIM DO IT THREE TIMES THAT DAY. 14:31 "THESE MEN ASSEMBLED AND FOUND DANIEL PRAYING AND MAKING 14:34 SUPPLICATION BEFORE HIS GOD, AND THEY WENT BEFORE 14:37 THE KING AND SPOKE CONCERNING THE KING'S DECREE. 14:40 'HAVE YOU NOT SIGNED A DECREE THAT EVERY MAN WHO PETITIONS ANY 14:43 GOD OR MAN WITHIN 30 DAYS EXCEPT YOU, O KING, SHALL BE CAST INTO 14:47 THE DEN OF LIONS?' AND THE KING ANSWERED AND SAID, 14:51 'THE THING IS TRUE ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF THE MEDES AND THE 14:53 PERSIANS WHICH DOES NOT ALTER.' SO THEY ANSWERED AND SAID TO THE 14:58 KING, 'THAT DANIEL WHO WAS ONE OF THE CAPTIVES FROM THE TRIBE 15:02 OF JUDAH, HE DOES NOT SHOW REGARD FOR YOU, O KING, OR FOR 15:06 THE DECREE THAT YOU HAVE SIGNED, BUT HE MAKES HIS PETITION THREE 15:09 TIMES A DAY.'" AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HAD 15:12 A SNAPSHOT OF THE KING'S FACE WHEN HE HEARD THEM SAY, "THAT 15:17 DANIEL," THE KING HIS MOUTH PROBABLY FELL OPEN. 15:21 I BET HE WAS, "OH, WHEN I SIGNED THAT 15:23 DECREE, I FORGOT ABOUT DANIEL. 15:26 THREE TIMES A DAY HE PRAYS TO HIS GOD. 15:28 OH, NO." 15:31 HE WAS SET UP. 15:32 HE SPOTTED IT RIGHT THEN THAT HE HAD BEEN PLAYED, THAT THERE 15:36 WAS JEALOUSY, THEY WERE TRYING TO GET RID OF HIM. 15:39 PILATE KNEW THAT THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS WERE TRYING TO GET 15:42 RID OF JESUS JUST BECAUSE OF JEALOUSY AND ENVY. 15:45 AND HE SOUGHT TO DELIVER HIM, BUT HEY COULDN'T BECAUSE THEY 15:49 KEPT AFTER HIM THREATENING THAT IT WAS GONNA BE REBELLION 15:52 AGAINST THE LAWS OF ROME 'CAUSE JESUS WAS MAKING HIMSELF A KING. 15:56 AND ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF ROME, IF ANYONE ELSE CLAIMED 15:59 TO BE KING, THEY WERE TO BE EXECUTED. 16:02 SAME KIND OF THING. 16:05 "AND THE KING, WHEN HE HEARD THESE WORDS, WAS GREATLY 16:07 DISPLEASED WITH HIMSELF. 16:10 AND HE SET HIS HEART ON DANIEL TO DELIVER HIM, AND HE LABORED 16:14 TILL THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN TO DELIVER HIM." 16:18 WHAT TIME OF DAY DID JESUS DIE? 16:23 WAS IT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN? 16:25 "AND THESE MEN APPROACHED THE KING AND SAID, "KNOW, O KING, 16:30 THAT IT IS THE LAW OF THE MEDES AND PERSIANS THAT NO DECREE 16:33 OR STATUTE WHICH THE KING ESTABLISHES MAY BE CHANGED." 16:37 THEY'RE PULLING OUT THE FINE PRINT AND THEY'RE SAYING, 16:39 "WE REALIZE THAT YOU REGRET THAT YOU SIGNED THIS LAW. 16:42 BUT KING, THIS IS THE LAW OF THE MEDES AND PERSIANS. 16:44 AND ESPECIALLY NOW WHERE WE'VE JUST TAKEN OVER THE BABYLONIANS, 16:48 WE CANNOT ALTER OUR LAWS. 16:50 IT DOES NOT CHANGE. 16:51 YOU'VE WRITTEN IT. 16:52 YOU SIGNED IT AS A DECREE. 16:54 THEY'LL HAVE NO RESPECT FOR YOU AS A KING. 16:55 THE WHOLE EMPIRE'S GONNA UNRAVEL IF THE KING CHANGES HIS LAW." 17:01 NO WAY. 17:02 THE LAW OF THE MEDES AND PERSIANS COULD NOT BE CHANGED. 17:05 NOW HERE'S THE QUESTION, HOW FIRM IS THE LAW OF GOD? 17:11 DOES GOD'S LAW CHANGE? 17:14 IN SPITE OF ALL THE EXAMPLES IN THE BIBLE, THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT 17:19 THERE THAT CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIANS THAT BELIEVE THAT 17:23 WHEN GOD SPOKE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS WITH HIS OWN 17:25 VOICE AND HE WROTE THEM WITH HIS OWN FINGER IN THE PRESENCE OF 17:28 THE WHOLE NATION, THAT HE'S JUST GONNA JUST CHANGE IT OR HE'S 17:32 GONNA SWEEP IT ASIDE AND SAY, "WELL, WE GOT A NEW PLAN NOW." 17:35 YOU KNOW HOW LUDICROUS THAT REALLY IS? 17:38 AND YET FOLKS HAVE GOT THESE CLEVER ARGUMENTS THEY'VE 17:40 CONCOCTED THAT WE CAN CHANGE THE LAW OF GOD. 17:44 IT DOESN'T CHANGE. 17:45 SO THE KING DID ALL THAT HE COULD DO, AND THERE WAS NO WAY 17:49 OUT FOR DANIEL. 17:51 SO RELUCTANTLY, THE KING-- VERSE 16, I'M IN DANIEL 6:16, 17:59 "THE KING COMMANDED, AND THEY BROUGHT DANIEL AND THEY CAST HIM 18:02 INTO THE DEN OF LIONS. 18:04 BUT THE KING SPOKE, AND SAID TO DANIEL, 'YOUR GOD, 18:08 WHO YOU SERVE CONTINUALLY, HE WILL DELIVER YOU.'" 18:13 NOW THERE'S A LOT OF US THAT MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A PEN. 18:18 I'VE TAKEN A YELLOW HIGHLIGHTER IN MY BIBLE WHERE IT SAYS, "YOUR 18:22 GOD WHO YOU SERVE CONTINUALLY." 18:25 IS IT POSSIBLY FOR US TO SERVE GOD CONTINUALLY AND 18:28 CONSISTENTLY? 18:29 I THINK EVERYBODY WHO'S A BELIEVER SERVES GOD 18:31 A LITTLE BIT SOME OF THE TIME. 18:33 RIGHT? 18:35 BUT HOW--HOW ARE WE TO SERVE GOD? 18:39 WE WERE HIS SERVANTS ALL THE TIME, CONTINUALLY, CONSISTENTLY. 18:42 AND THEN THE PROMISE IS "YOUR GOD WHO YOU SERVE CONTINUALLY, 18:45 HE WILL DELIVER YOU." 18:47 IS THERE A TIME OF TROUBLE AND A STORM COMING? 18:50 IF WE SERVE GOD CONTINUALLY 'CAUSE WE LOVE HIM, 18:53 WILL HE DELIVER US? 18:55 I BELIEVE THAT'S A PROMISE WE CAN COUNT ON. 18:59 "THEN THEY TOOK A STONE AND THEY BROUGHT IT AND THEY LAID IT ON 19:01 THE MOUTH OF THE DEN." 19:04 OH, THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR. 19:07 WAS THERE A STONE PLACED OVER THE TOMB OF CHRIST? 19:12 AND BY THE WAY, THAT LION'S DEN WAS THE EQUIVALENT OF A DEATH 19:17 SENTENCE, AND HE SEALED IT. 19:20 NOT ONLY WAS THERE A STONE PLACED ON THE TOMB OF CHRIST, 19:23 BUT WHAT ELSE WAS PUT ON THE TOMB? 19:26 GOVERNMENT SEAL AND THAT SEAL SAID KING DARIUS, 19:30 KING MEDO-PERSIA. 19:33 ON JESUS' TOMB IT SAID, PONTIUS PILATE, GOVERNOR, JUDEA, 19:39 SEAL PLACED ON THE STONE. 19:42 INTERESTING. 19:46 WITH THE SIGNET OF HIS LORD THAT THE PURPOSE CONCERNING DANIEL 19:51 MIGHT NOT BE CHANGED." 19:53 THIS REINFORCED THE MIRACLE. 19:55 "NOW THE KING WENT TO HIS PALACE AND HE SPENT THE NIGHT FASTING, 19:58 AND NO MUSICIANS WERE BROUGHT BEFORE HIM AND HIS SLEEP WENT 20:02 FROM HIM." 20:03 WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CONDITION WAS OF GOD IN HEAVEN DURING 20:06 THE TIME WHEN CHRIST WAS IN THE TOMB? 20:09 WERE THEY PLAYING THEIR HARPS IN HEAVEN? 20:12 OR WAS THERE A GREAT SOMBERNESS THERE? 20:16 "THEN THE KING AROSE VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING." 20:21 WHAT TIME OF DAY DID JESUS RISE? 20:23 VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING. 20:24 "AND HE WENT IN HASTE TO THE DEN OF LIONS AND WHEN HE CAME TO 20:27 THE DEN, HE CRIED OUT WITH A LAMENTING VOICE TO DANIEL 20:30 AND THE KING SPOKE." 20:32 THE KING'S HEART YEARNED AFTER DANIEL. 20:34 YOU KNOW IT SAID THE KING SET HIS HEART TO DELIVER DANIEL. 20:37 THIS WAS HIS BEST MAN. 20:39 HE DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE HIM. 20:44 "AND HE SAID, 'DANIEL, SERVANT OF THE LIVING GOD.'" 20:47 WHY DID HE SAY THAT? 20:49 'CAUSE HE KNEW THAT DANIEL SERVED THE REAL GOD UNLIKE 20:51 THE GODS OF MEDO-PERSIA. 20:54 "'HAS YOUR GOD WHO YOU SERVE CONTINUALLY BEEN ABLE TO DELIVER 20:56 YOU FROM THE LIONS?' AND DANIEL SAID TO THE KING, 21:00 'O KING, LIVE FOREVER. 21:02 MY GOD HAS SENT HIS ANGEL AND SHUT THE LION'S MOUTH THAT THEY 21:06 HAVE NOT HURT ME BECAUSE I WAS FOUND INNOCENT BEFORE HIM. 21:09 ALSO BEFORE YOU, O KING, I'VE DONE NO WRONG.'" 21:13 ISN'T THAT WHAT PILATE SAID, "I FIND NO FAULT IN JESUS"? 21:16 "THEN THE KING WAS EXCEEDINGLY GLAD FOR HIM AND COMMANDED THEY 21:19 SHOULD TAKE DANIEL UP OUT OF THE DEN. 21:21 SO DANIEL WAS TAKEN UP OUT OF THE DEN AND NO INJURY OR HURT 21:24 WAS FOUND ON HIMSELF WHATSOEVER BECAUSE HE BELIEVED IN HIS GOD." 21:29 DANIEL WAS SAVED BY FAITH. 21:33 IT STARTS OUT BY SAYING HERE IN THE BEGINNING OF 6:4, 21:38 "HE WAS FAITHFUL." 21:40 DANIEL WAS FULL OF FAITH. 21:42 DANIEL WAS NOT SAVED BY WORKS. 21:43 HE HAD GOOD WORKS, BUT HIS WORKS WERE BECAUSE OF GREAT FAITH. 21:48 HE WAS SAVED FROM THE LION'S DEN BY HIS FAITH. 21:52 WHAT DOES REAL FAITH MEAN? 21:53 BECAUSE HE BELIEVED IN HIS GOD. 21:55 HE SHOWED HIS BELIEF BY PUTTING GOD FIRST. 21:57 WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT PERISH. 22:01 DO WE HAVE THE KIND OF BELIEF WHERE WE TAKE OUR TIME WITH GOD? 22:04 THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO BELIEVE IN HIM. 22:06 IF WE SAY WE BELIEVE IN GOD, WE DON'T EVER GIVE HIM OUR TIME, 22:08 THEN WE'RE LYING. 22:09 IT'S NOT JUST SAYING, "OH, I BELIEVE HE'S OUT THERE 22:11 AND HE EXISTS." 22:12 THE DEVIL SAYS THAT. 22:14 IT MEANS I BELIEVE IN HIM AND I'M GONNA SPEND TIME 22:15 WITH HIM EVERY DAY. 22:17 THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO BE-LIVE IN GOD. 22:20 "THE KING WAS EXCEEDINGLY GLAD FOR HIM--" JESUS CAME OUT ALIVE, 22:24 DIDN'T HE? 22:26 "DANIEL CAME OUT ALIVE. 22:27 HE WAS TAKEN UP OUT OF THE DEN AND NO INJURY 22:30 WHATEVER WAS FOUND ON HIM." 22:31 THEY NEEDED BAND-AIDS. 22:34 NOT EVEN THE SMELL OF SMOKE WAS ON SHADRACH, MESHACH 22:37 AND ABEDNEGO. 22:38 WHEN GOD SAVES YOU, HE SAVES YOU COMPLETELY, AMEN? 22:42 AND SOME PEOPLE SAY, "WELL, THE LIONS WEREN'T HUNGRY." 22:45 NO, IF YOU DON'T THINK THE LIONS WERE HUNGRY, KEEP READING. 22:48 "THE KING GAVE COMMAND AND THEY BROUGHT THOSE MEN WHO HAD 22:51 ACCUSED DANIEL AND THEY CAST THEM INTO THE DEN OF LIONS, 22:55 THEM, THEIR CHILDREN, THEIR WIVES AND THE LIONS OVERPOWERED 22:59 THEM AND BROKE ALL THEIR BONES IN PIECES OR EVER THEY CAME TO 23:04 THE BOTTOM OF THE DEN." 23:06 THOSE LIONS WERE VERY FEROCIOUS LIONS. 23:10 NOW DANIEL STANDING UP NOT ONLY WAS IT A WITNESS. 23:13 LISTEN, THE KING HE SENT OUT A DECREE THAT EVERYONE WAS 23:16 SUPPOSED TO PRAY TO THE KING. 23:17 THAT DECREE IS COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN AND SWALLOWED UP 23:20 BY THE NEXT DECREE. 23:22 THIS DECREE IS WHAT THE KING SENDS OUT THAT THE PEOPLE 23:24 REMEMBER. 23:26 "TO ALL PEOPLES NATIONS AND LANGUAGE THAT DWELL ON THE 23:29 EARTH, PEACE BE MULTIPLIED TO YOU. 23:32 I MAKE A DECREE IN EVERY DOMINION OF MY KINGDOM THAT MEN 23:35 MUST TREMBLE IN FEAR BEFORE--" KING DARIUS? 23:39 NO. 23:40 "THE GOD OF DANIEL. 23:43 FOR HE IS THE LIVING GOD AND STEADFAST FOREVER IN HIS KINGDOM 23:47 IS THE ONE THAT SHALL NOT BE DESTROYED." 23:49 NOT MEDO-PERSIA. 23:50 "AND HIS DOMINION SHALL ENDURE TO THE END, AND HE DELIVERS AND 23:54 RESCUES AND HE WORKS SIGNS AND WONDERS IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH 23:57 WHO HAS DELIVERED DANIEL FROM THE POWER OF THE LIONS." 24:01 THIS IS REALLY WHAT GOD THE FATHER DID WITH JESUS 24:04 WHEN HE WAS RESURRECTED. 24:07 "SO THIS DANIEL PROSPERED IN THE REIGN OF DARIUS AND IN 24:10 THE REIGN OF CYRUS THE PERSIAN. 24:12 IN THE FIRST YEAR OF CYRUS' REIGN, HE ISSUED THE DECREE THAT 24:16 JERUSALEM SHOULD BE REBUILT." 24:19 AND I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT DANIEL WAS, AS AN OLD MAN, 24:24 RETIRED FROM HIS RESPONSIBILITIES IN MEDO-PERSIA 24:27 WHERE HE COULD GO BACK AND DIE IN HIS HOME COUNTRY WITH 24:30 THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE TEMPLE WAS GONNA BE REBUILT; THAT WAS 24:33 THE REAL PRAYER OF HIS HEART. 24:36 >> STAY TUNED, PASTOR DOUG WILL BE RIGHT BACK WITH THIS WEEK'S 24:38 SPECIAL FREE OFFER. 24:42 >> CAN YOU HAVE DISAGREEMENTS IN A HOME BETWEEN 24:45 THE MOTHER AND THE FATHER, AND STILL HAVE LOVE? 24:52 >> IF OUR LOVE AND UNITY ADVERTISES FOR CHRIST, OUR 24:54 DIVISION ADVERTISES FOR THE DEVIL. 25:01 >> CAN YOU THINK OF HIGHER EXAMPLE OF ONENESS THAN THE 25:04 ONENESS OF JESUS AND THE FATHER? 25:07 HOW DO WE GET THAT KIND OF UNITY? 25:11 >> VIRTUALLY EVERYONE ON THE 25:17 EARTH, REGARDLESS OF RELIGION OR NATIONALITY, RECOGNIZE THAT 25:22 THERE IS SOME FORM OF BATTLE RAGING IN THE WORLD AROUND US, 25:25 BETWEEN THE FORCES OF GOOD AND EVIL. 25:28 A COLOSSAL STRUGGLE BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARKNESS, 25:32 TRUTH AND ERROR, OPPRESSION AND FREEDOM, 25:35 RIGHT AND WRONG, AND ULTIMATELY LIFE AND DEATH. 25:52 >> IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS PEACE. 25:59 WHY DID IT CHANGE? 26:01 >> WHEN THE REIGN OF LUCIFER COMES, WE WILL LIVE 26:03 THE EXISTENCE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO LIVE. 26:05 IN FREEDOM! 26:09 >> GOD HAS MADE A BIG MISTAKE. 26:12 GOD WILL NOT BE IN CHARGE OF OUR LIVES ANY LONGER. 26:16 >> THIS IS A STORY THAT INVOLVES EVERY SINGLE PERSON. 26:21 THE COSMIC CONFLICT. 26:44 >> HELLO FRIENDS, THE STORY OF DANIEL AND THE LION'S DEN 26:47 HAS BEEN TOLD FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. 26:50 HIS FAITH AND CONVICTION, WHEN TESTED, WAS A CONSTANT 26:52 THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. 26:54 A LOT OF THIS IS BECAUSE OF HIS STRONG RELATIONSHIP TO PRAYER. 26:58 IT'S NOTED THAT DANIEL PRAYED THREE TIMES A DAY. 27:01 WHAT A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE FOR US TO COPY. 27:04 PRAYER IS SAID TO BE THE KEY IN THE HAND OF FAITH THAT UNLOCKS 27:07 THE TREASURES OF HEAVEN. 27:09 THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO OFFER YOU A WONDERFUL LITTLE BOOK 27:12 ENTITLED, "TEACH US TO PRAY." 27:14 THIS BOOK WILL ENCOURAGE YOU WITH SOME PRACTICAL GUIDELINES 27:17 ON HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR PRAYER LIFE. 27:20 PLEASE CALL OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER AND ASK FOR OFFER NUMBER 717. 27:24 OR IF YOU PREFER, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT 27:27 AMAZINGFACTS.ORG. 27:29 YOU CAN ALSO WRITE US AT: AMAZING FACTS, OFFER NUMBER 717, 27:34 P.O. BOX 1058, ROSEVILLE, CALIFORNIA 95678. 27:41 WELL, OUR TIME IS UP FOR THIS EDITION OF 27:42 "AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS." 27:45 UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, REMEMBER THE WORDS OF JESUS, "WHATEVER 27:48 THINGS YOU ASK IN PRAYER BELIEVING, YOU SHALL RECEIVE." 27:54 >> THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS WEEK'S 27:56 SPECIAL FREE OFFER. 27:57 THERE IS NO COST OR OBLIGATION. 27:59 JUST CALL THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN AND BE SURE 28:03 TO NOTE THE OFFER NUMBER WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR REQUEST. |
Revised 2015-02-06