And good evening, everyone.
00:01:01.62\00:01:04.03
We've had a glorious time here
00:01:04.06\00:01:05.54
at the Witness
Conference, haven't we?
00:01:05.57\00:01:07.84
How many of us can
truly say this evening that
00:01:07.87\00:01:09.97
we were blessed as a
result of being here?
00:01:10.00\00:01:13.38
Praise the Lord.
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I know, I've been
blessed in my spiritual walk
00:01:15.33\00:01:18.11
with the Lord
have been enriched.
00:01:18.14\00:01:20.15
My soul have been encouraged
because of your faith,
00:01:20.18\00:01:23.80
your participation,
your words of encouragement,
00:01:23.83\00:01:27.01
the messages by
the various speakers,
00:01:27.04\00:01:29.15
the presentations
that were presented.
00:01:29.18\00:01:31.64
All of that worked together
to give us a renewed sense
00:01:31.67\00:01:35.81
of who we are, whose we
are and what we are about.
00:01:35.84\00:01:39.33
Amen?
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And I know that we
are gonna leave here
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tonight taking with
us all of the blessings
00:01:42.19\00:01:46.16
of this experience
and we are gonna go out
00:01:46.19\00:01:49.03
and do something
wonderful for the Lord.
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Amen?
00:01:51.25\00:01:52.38
God has truly been good to us.
00:01:52.41\00:01:55.75
And I just want to thank
God for His continued goodness
00:01:55.78\00:01:59.40
and mercy towards me
00:01:59.43\00:02:01.36
and what I see He
is doing in the life
00:02:01.39\00:02:03.00
of each and every one of you.
00:02:03.03\00:02:04.80
Tonight as we begin
this final message tonight,
00:02:04.83\00:02:08.21
I want to ask you to
bow your heads with me
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as we seek God in prayer.
00:02:09.84\00:02:13.65
Eternal God,
our heavenly Father,
00:02:13.68\00:02:15.00
tonight we want to thank you
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for Your
goodness and Your mercy.
00:02:17.66\00:02:20.40
We thank You for the privilege
00:02:20.43\00:02:21.65
that is ours to be a part
of this wonderful experience
00:02:21.68\00:02:25.89
of this Witness Conference.
00:02:25.92\00:02:28.11
Father, we have
learned things new and old.
00:02:28.14\00:02:30.97
We've been encouraged,
our souls have been revived.
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And Father, we pray tonight that
00:02:34.44\00:02:35.58
You will bless us as
we again open Your word.
00:02:35.61\00:02:38.60
Help us oh, God, to
not be hearers only,
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but to be doers of the Word.
00:02:41.56\00:02:43.43
This we pray in
Jesus' name, amen.
00:02:43.46\00:02:49.85
This evening I've
entitled the message
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"Stand Up and Be Counted."
00:02:51.72\00:02:56.49
Stand Up and Be Counted.
00:02:56.52\00:03:00.59
I don't know what
life is truly like here
00:03:00.62\00:03:03.31
for you on a day to day basis.
00:03:03.34\00:03:07.27
I haven't been here
long enough on this trip
00:03:07.30\00:03:09.29
to really observe
some of the things
00:03:09.32\00:03:11.29
that I would
normally be able to observe.
00:03:11.32\00:03:13.33
But I can tell
you from my experience
00:03:13.36\00:03:16.74
living in the United States,
00:03:16.77\00:03:18.07
looking at what is
happening in the news,
00:03:18.10\00:03:19.97
looking at what is
going on in our lives,
00:03:20.00\00:03:22.25
in the church and
without the church,
00:03:22.28\00:03:24.14
here's what I've discovered
that everything and everyone
00:03:24.17\00:03:29.10
that was in the closet
has come out, except us.
00:03:29.13\00:03:35.69
There are still too many of us
00:03:37.34\00:03:39.17
who name the
name of Jesus Christ
00:03:39.20\00:03:41.36
that are still
hiding in the closet.
00:03:41.39\00:03:45.82
And Jesus is looking for
us to stand up and be counted.
00:03:45.85\00:03:51.15
He is looking for people
who are willing to say yes,
00:03:51.18\00:03:54.09
I'm a child of the King.
00:03:54.12\00:03:55.46
Yes, I'm a son of God.
Yes, I believe in Jesus Christ.
00:03:55.49\00:04:00.64
I'll never forget many years ago
00:04:00.67\00:04:03.16
and some of you
probably weren't even born yet
00:04:03.19\00:04:05.02
but there was a very well known
00:04:05.05\00:04:07.36
television program
in the United States
00:04:07.39\00:04:10.13
and the moderator or the host
00:04:10.16\00:04:12.08
was a man named Phil Donahue.
00:04:12.11\00:04:15.09
And Phil Donahue interviewed
one of the prominent preachers.
00:04:15.12\00:04:17.96
He is dead now.
00:04:17.99\00:04:19.46
And this particular
preacher, he asked him,
00:04:19.49\00:04:24.31
"Do you believe
that Jesus Christ
00:04:24.34\00:04:26.66
is the only way to heaven?"
00:04:26.69\00:04:30.06
And my brothers and sisters,
I sat there with some fear
00:04:30.09\00:04:34.12
and trepidation as to what
this preacher was going to say.
00:04:34.15\00:04:38.54
And he danced all
around the question.
00:04:38.57\00:04:42.93
And my bothers and sisters,
00:04:42.96\00:04:44.05
I sat there with
great disappointment
00:04:44.08\00:04:45.97
because this man had
built a university in Virginia.
00:04:46.00\00:04:50.35
This man was a man who had led
00:04:50.38\00:04:54.04
many people to the Lord.
00:04:54.07\00:04:56.40
And yet I'm still when he was
confronted with the question,
00:04:56.43\00:04:59.86
is Jesus Christ the only way?
00:04:59.89\00:05:02.65
But the way that the
host phrased the question,
00:05:02.68\00:05:05.39
it put him on the spot.
00:05:05.42\00:05:07.34
He said, you mean to tell me
00:05:07.37\00:05:09.43
that unless I
accept Jesus Christ,
00:05:09.46\00:05:11.69
unless I believe in Jesus Christ
00:05:11.72\00:05:14.15
that I can't make it to heaven.
00:05:14.18\00:05:16.22
The answer to the question
00:05:16.25\00:05:17.63
should have been
categorically yes,
00:05:17.66\00:05:20.70
that's what the Bible says.
00:05:20.73\00:05:23.06
Jesus did not say
I'm one of the ways,
00:05:23.09\00:05:26.13
Jesus said I'm the only way.
00:05:26.16\00:05:29.50
And brothers and sisters,
00:05:29.53\00:05:30.62
tonight we need
not be apologetic
00:05:30.65\00:05:33.52
for standing up
for what the Bible says
00:05:33.55\00:05:36.16
and what the
Lord himself declares.
00:05:36.19\00:05:39.13
And so tonight I
want to share with you
00:05:39.16\00:05:40.72
a message on the subject
"Stand Up and Be Counted."
00:05:40.75\00:05:47.23
Turn with me if
you will in your Bibles
00:05:47.26\00:05:48.84
to the 3 Chapter
of the Book of Daniel.
00:05:48.87\00:05:52.48
Daniel Chapter 3.
00:05:52.51\00:05:55.40
It is a well known and
very, very popular Bible story
00:05:55.43\00:05:58.75
and most of us at some
part place in our journey
00:05:58.78\00:06:02.91
have read this story
and studied this story.
00:06:02.94\00:06:06.58
And yet and still I believe that
00:06:06.61\00:06:08.18
there is so much here for us
00:06:08.21\00:06:11.21
that we can read it
over and over and over
00:06:11.24\00:06:14.07
and each time that
we read this passage,
00:06:14.10\00:06:16.80
God has fresh insights
00:06:16.83\00:06:19.27
and helps to
deepen our convictions
00:06:19.30\00:06:22.21
and help to clarify
what we are here for.
00:06:22.24\00:06:25.26
The Bible tells us
in Daniel Chapter 3
00:06:25.29\00:06:28.74
about three men who were faced
00:06:28.77\00:06:31.23
with a challenge that most of us
00:06:31.26\00:06:33.30
in our lifetime
will not have to face.
00:06:33.33\00:06:37.42
The Bible tells
us that Shadrach,
00:06:37.45\00:06:39.26
Meshach and Abednego
00:06:39.29\00:06:40.83
were brought to
Babylon as slaves.
00:06:40.86\00:06:45.56
Nebuchadnezzar had
gone up to Jerusalem
00:06:45.59\00:06:48.08
and conquered the people
00:06:48.11\00:06:49.91
and brought
them back to Babylon.
00:06:49.94\00:06:52.80
From among those who
had been taken captive,
00:06:52.83\00:06:55.65
Nebuchadnezzar sort out the best
00:06:55.68\00:06:57.91
and the brightest to train them
00:06:57.94\00:07:00.44
and utilize them in his service.
00:07:00.47\00:07:03.63
Among them was
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
00:07:03.66\00:07:08.39
When we study the prior
two verses, chapters rather,
00:07:08.42\00:07:11.90
here's what we
discover in Chapter 1.
00:07:11.93\00:07:14.75
From the very
outset that we encounter
00:07:14.78\00:07:17.25
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
00:07:17.28\00:07:19.47
they were faced with challenges
and faced with choices.
00:07:19.50\00:07:24.21
Each and every one of us,
each and every waking moment
00:07:24.24\00:07:26.71
of each faced every day
we are faced with challenges
00:07:26.74\00:07:30.57
and we are also
faced with choices.
00:07:30.60\00:07:34.23
In Chapter 1 we
read the story about them
00:07:34.26\00:07:36.98
being asked to
partake of the king's table
00:07:37.01\00:07:39.90
and the Bible tells
us they refused to eat
00:07:39.93\00:07:42.63
from the king's table
because what was prepared
00:07:42.66\00:07:46.10
and presented before
them was not in harmony
00:07:46.13\00:07:49.87
and in keeping with
what they were taught
00:07:49.90\00:07:52.11
from the Word of God
00:07:52.14\00:07:53.19
as to what should
go into their bodies.
00:07:53.22\00:07:55.81
And you know the story,
00:07:55.84\00:07:56.89
they requested time
to pray and to seek God
00:07:56.92\00:08:00.17
and then they asked
the king for a simple diet
00:08:00.20\00:08:03.15
and God honored their
faith and trust in Him.
00:08:03.18\00:08:07.83
And the Bible tells
us at the end of ten days
00:08:07.86\00:08:10.30
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
00:08:10.33\00:08:12.84
were in much better
spiritual and physical condition
00:08:12.87\00:08:17.20
than those who had
partaken of the king's food.
00:08:17.23\00:08:20.99
In Chapter 2 the Bible
tells us another crisis.
00:08:21.02\00:08:24.03
It seems that in the
lives of these men of God
00:08:24.06\00:08:27.39
one crisis followed the other.
00:08:27.42\00:08:30.57
In Chapter 2
the king had a dream
00:08:30.60\00:08:32.74
that he could not
remember or recall.
00:08:32.77\00:08:35.78
It so disturbed the
king that the Bible tells us
00:08:35.81\00:08:39.30
he called for
all of the wise men
00:08:39.33\00:08:41.48
in the realm to come
00:08:41.51\00:08:42.99
and not only tell
him the interpretation,
00:08:43.02\00:08:45.75
but to tell him the very dream.
00:08:45.78\00:08:48.94
And we know what
the dream unfolded.
00:08:48.97\00:08:51.42
God in His wisdom and mercy
was giving to Nebuchadnezzar
00:08:51.45\00:08:56.87
a sort of a
glimpse into the future.
00:08:56.90\00:08:59.64
God was showing him
his place in history.
00:08:59.67\00:09:03.26
But just as it
was then so it is now,
00:09:03.29\00:09:06.62
that many of us find
ourself in a state of discontent
00:09:06.65\00:09:11.26
with where God has
seen fit to place us.
00:09:11.29\00:09:15.26
I see this unfolding
sometimes in a church.
00:09:15.29\00:09:18.17
People want to be
in certain offices that
00:09:18.20\00:09:20.16
God has not
gifted them to be in.
00:09:20.19\00:09:23.54
Have you ever run into an usher
who should not be at the door?
00:09:23.57\00:09:27.33
An usher who is
having a bad day?
00:09:27.36\00:09:31.94
There are some
people that are not cut out.
00:09:31.97\00:09:34.08
Their temperament,
their personalities,
00:09:34.11\00:09:36.82
their disposition
does not recommend them
00:09:36.85\00:09:39.75
to be a greeter or an
usher, yet they want to be there
00:09:39.78\00:09:43.18
and sometime we have
to lovingly tell them,
00:09:43.21\00:09:46.75
hello.
00:09:46.78\00:09:51.55
God in His wisdom and mercy
00:09:51.58\00:09:53.10
gave Nebuchadnezzar a
glimpse into the future
00:09:53.13\00:09:57.64
and in the dream God
showed him the successive nation
00:09:57.67\00:10:02.67
that would rise
and fall and his place.
00:10:02.70\00:10:06.00
God said to him there is gold--
this image that was set up
00:10:06.03\00:10:09.26
in his dream made up
of the various metals.
00:10:09.29\00:10:12.29
The head of it being gold
00:10:12.32\00:10:13.75
and God says
that's you Nebuchadnezzar.
00:10:13.78\00:10:16.48
And one would think that
00:10:16.51\00:10:17.63
if God was in His
wisdom was to designate you
00:10:17.66\00:10:20.59
as the head that
would be satisfactory,
00:10:20.62\00:10:23.14
but
Nebuchadnezzar was not satisfied
00:10:23.17\00:10:25.88
because he discerned
00:10:25.91\00:10:27.71
that each of the succeeding
metals depicted kingdoms
00:10:27.74\00:10:31.37
that would come
after his kingdom.
00:10:31.40\00:10:35.25
What it said to
Nebuchadnezzar was
00:10:35.28\00:10:37.46
that as important as you
are and as brilliant as you are
00:10:37.49\00:10:42.13
and significant as you are,
you will not be here forever.
00:10:42.16\00:10:48.01
There is a lesson
in that for some of us
00:10:48.04\00:10:49.80
church members
and church leaders.
00:10:49.83\00:10:52.83
The church will go
on with or without us.
00:10:52.86\00:10:58.20
All of us are here for time
00:10:58.23\00:11:00.95
to serve in a
place of God's choosing
00:11:00.98\00:11:05.18
but please let us
never get to the place
00:11:05.21\00:11:07.75
where we believe that somehow
we are indispensable to God.
00:11:07.78\00:11:12.47
God will use us
but there comes a time
00:11:12.50\00:11:15.67
when God will say,
you have done your part
00:11:15.70\00:11:19.10
and it's time for
others to come up on the scene
00:11:19.13\00:11:21.93
and do what God has
instructed them to do.
00:11:21.96\00:11:27.38
Daniel Chapter 3,
00:11:27.41\00:11:30.06
Nebuchadnezzar
discontent with God
00:11:30.09\00:11:32.82
led to disobedience to God.
00:11:32.85\00:11:36.03
Disobedience
springs from a heart
00:11:36.06\00:11:38.66
that is discontent with the ways
00:11:38.69\00:11:41.82
and the will of God.
00:11:41.85\00:11:45.16
And so in defiance of
God's revelation to him,
00:11:45.19\00:11:48.96
the Bible tells us
that Nebuchadnezzar
00:11:48.99\00:11:50.88
then made an image of pure gold
00:11:50.91\00:11:54.37
and set it up and
then commanded the people
00:11:54.40\00:11:57.46
to come to the
place at a designated time
00:11:57.49\00:12:00.65
to bow down and
worship the golden image.
00:12:00.68\00:12:05.20
Now I know what some of us
are saying right about now.
00:12:05.23\00:12:07.28
If I was there, I
would be standing right next
00:12:07.31\00:12:11.54
to Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego.
00:12:11.57\00:12:15.46
It's easy for
us to say that now.
00:12:15.49\00:12:18.95
It's easy for us to look back
00:12:18.98\00:12:21.10
knowing the outcome of the story
00:12:21.13\00:12:23.28
and make that bold declaration.
00:12:23.31\00:12:25.59
And yet and still
in our world today
00:12:25.62\00:12:27.86
and even in our church,
00:12:27.89\00:12:28.99
I've been out with
church members to restaurants.
00:12:29.02\00:12:33.30
And people who
you would not think
00:12:33.33\00:12:36.75
would be hesitant to say
a prayer over their food,
00:12:36.78\00:12:39.87
they are hesitant
00:12:39.90\00:12:42.19
because somehow
in that public arena,
00:12:42.22\00:12:44.36
somehow in that public setting
00:12:44.39\00:12:46.74
they find it
difficult to express their faith
00:12:46.77\00:12:49.57
and trust in God for the
food that they are about to eat.
00:12:49.60\00:12:52.48
Matter of fact, when
you go to some restaurant
00:12:52.51\00:12:54.60
you would better
pray before you eat.
00:12:54.63\00:12:58.64
Hello, amen.
00:12:58.67\00:13:03.20
Because the chances are,
there are times and places
00:13:03.23\00:13:06.48
you really don't
know what's in that plate
00:13:06.51\00:13:10.67
and it just may
be that that prayer
00:13:10.70\00:13:12.55
that you have prayed is
what makes the difference
00:13:12.58\00:13:15.13
between you walking out
and you being carried out.
00:13:15.16\00:13:20.89
And so the Bible tells us
00:13:20.92\00:13:21.96
that Nebuchadnezzar set
up the time and the place,
00:13:21.99\00:13:24.72
he set up the
occasion and he orchestrated
00:13:24.75\00:13:27.16
and he says that
when the music sounded,
00:13:27.19\00:13:29.48
he said I want
everybody to bow down
00:13:29.51\00:13:31.71
and worship the golden image.
00:13:31.74\00:13:36.76
The Bible tells us that
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
00:13:36.79\00:13:39.39
were being watched and observed.
00:13:39.42\00:13:42.03
And I want to tell you
today my brothers and sisters,
00:13:42.06\00:13:43.85
that those of us who
named the name of Jesus Christ
00:13:43.88\00:13:46.12
we're being watched
and we are being observed.
00:13:46.15\00:13:49.67
Your co-workers
and your neighbors
00:13:49.70\00:13:51.31
and your friends,
they are watching you
00:13:51.34\00:13:53.04
and they are taking note
and the first time you slip up
00:13:53.07\00:13:56.60
here's what they are gonna say,
I thought you were Christian,
00:13:56.63\00:14:00.01
I thought you were child of God,
00:14:00.04\00:14:02.36
I know you were
phony, I know you didn't mean
00:14:02.39\00:14:04.33
what you were saying all this.
00:14:04.36\00:14:05.79
We are being watched
not only by our friends
00:14:05.82\00:14:09.17
but we are being
watched by the universe.
00:14:09.20\00:14:12.76
Because you and I,
we are on trial for God.
00:14:12.79\00:14:16.23
God as it were is
on trial within us
00:14:16.26\00:14:20.10
and people are
watching to see what we will do.
00:14:20.13\00:14:23.80
The Bible tells us that
when the music was sounded
00:14:23.83\00:14:25.95
that everyone bow down.
00:14:25.98\00:14:27.57
Now please understand that
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
00:14:27.60\00:14:32.00
were not the only
Jews present that day.
00:14:32.03\00:14:36.46
But the Bible tells us
that when the crises came,
00:14:36.49\00:14:40.49
Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego stood tall, why?
00:14:40.52\00:14:44.09
Because they had a
relationship with God.
00:14:44.12\00:14:49.03
Now my brothers and sisters,
there are something here
00:14:49.06\00:14:51.13
that's also important
for us to note right now.
00:14:51.16\00:14:54.09
The Bible tells us
that those who are watching
00:14:54.12\00:14:57.50
Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego went back to the king
00:14:57.53\00:14:59.83
and reported what they had seen.
00:14:59.86\00:15:02.80
Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego standing tall,
00:15:02.83\00:15:05.38
standing up and being counted
00:15:05.41\00:15:07.44
as those who
are children of God.
00:15:07.47\00:15:09.74
Cannot tell you right now
00:15:09.77\00:15:10.99
that crisis does
not create character,
00:15:11.02\00:15:14.52
crisis reveals character.
00:15:14.55\00:15:19.33
It's easy for us to
say oh, how I love Jesus.
00:15:19.36\00:15:22.00
It's easy for us to
talk about how good God is
00:15:22.03\00:15:24.83
and how much we love God,
00:15:24.86\00:15:26.31
but when we are
faced with our crisis,
00:15:26.34\00:15:30.62
the crisis does
not create character,
00:15:30.65\00:15:34.47
crisis reveals character.
00:15:34.50\00:15:36.80
It shows what we
are and whose we are.
00:15:36.83\00:15:41.10
But watch what happens
now, this is instructed.
00:15:41.13\00:15:44.81
The Bible tells us that
those men who were jealous,
00:15:44.84\00:15:50.45
those men who were envious
00:15:50.48\00:15:52.54
that Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego
00:15:52.57\00:15:55.00
who were brought
there as captives
00:15:55.03\00:15:57.02
and were
promoted above themselves
00:15:57.05\00:16:00.16
and had enjoyed
the favor of the king,
00:16:00.19\00:16:03.42
now they thought
they had something on them
00:16:03.45\00:16:05.87
and they hasten back
00:16:05.90\00:16:07.27
to Nebuchadnezzar with the news.
00:16:07.30\00:16:08.97
Nebuchadnezzar, guess what,
00:16:09.00\00:16:11.67
those three Adventist
young men that you promoted
00:16:11.70\00:16:16.20
they aren't
grateful, unthankful and unfit.
00:16:16.23\00:16:22.05
They refused to bow
down. But here is the lesson.
00:16:22.08\00:16:26.43
Here is the lesson
that we as Christians
00:16:26.46\00:16:28.36
needs to learn
from this incident.
00:16:28.39\00:16:30.67
The Bible tells
us this heathen king,
00:16:30.70\00:16:33.75
Nebuchadnezzar,
did not take the word
00:16:33.78\00:16:37.61
of these men who
brought the news.
00:16:37.64\00:16:41.51
He did not go
along with the gossip.
00:16:41.54\00:16:45.18
He called them in and asked them
00:16:45.21\00:16:47.39
for himself, is it so.
00:16:47.42\00:16:51.98
There's a lesson
for church members here.
00:16:52.01\00:16:54.84
Quite often we hear rumors
floating around the church
00:16:54.87\00:16:58.79
and we are not interested
in whether or not it's true,
00:16:58.82\00:17:01.35
we are only interested in
whether or not it's juicy.
00:17:01.38\00:17:07.67
Hello.
00:17:07.70\00:17:09.69
So the Bible tells
us that Nebuchadnezzar,
00:17:09.72\00:17:12.30
a heathen king demonstrated
more character in that moment
00:17:12.33\00:17:16.43
because he called
them in for himself
00:17:16.46\00:17:19.49
to find out, is this so.
00:17:19.52\00:17:25.25
There are people who
are hurting in the church
00:17:25.28\00:17:26.85
because of gossip.
00:17:26.88\00:17:28.91
There are people who have
walked away from the church
00:17:28.94\00:17:31.22
because of lips that
could not be controlled
00:17:31.25\00:17:33.58
and tongues that were moving
00:17:33.61\00:17:34.90
when it should
not have been moving
00:17:34.93\00:17:37.14
and words that were spoken
00:17:37.17\00:17:38.42
when prayer
should have been uttered.
00:17:38.45\00:17:44.25
The Bible tells that Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego appeared
00:17:44.28\00:17:46.18
before the king and
they said, king, listen,
00:17:46.21\00:17:47.72
we don't mean to embarrass you,
we're not at all ungrateful.
00:17:47.75\00:17:51.55
We know what you've done for us
00:17:51.58\00:17:52.79
and we appreciate it
but we can't go along.
00:17:52.82\00:17:54.67
The Bible says we ought to
obey the laws of man as long as
00:17:54.70\00:17:58.66
and until they
conflict with the laws of God.
00:17:58.69\00:18:03.03
I want you to understand
today my, brothers and sisters,
00:18:03.06\00:18:05.30
that this story
that we often read
00:18:05.33\00:18:07.14
and so glibly rush
through is a window
00:18:07.17\00:18:12.53
through which we
can see what's coming.
00:18:12.56\00:18:17.09
If we understand
what this church teaches
00:18:17.12\00:18:19.58
and believes that
there is coming a day
00:18:19.61\00:18:22.26
and what the Bible tells
us in the Book of Revelation
00:18:22.29\00:18:24.58
that is going to come a time
00:18:24.61\00:18:25.85
when all of us will
have to make a choice
00:18:25.88\00:18:28.53
to receive the mark of
the beast or the seal of God
00:18:28.56\00:18:31.64
and it will
surround the same issues
00:18:31.67\00:18:33.79
that is being challenged here
00:18:33.82\00:18:34.97
in Daniel Chapter
3, the law of God.
00:18:35.00\00:18:38.66
Just as we know
that a day will be set,
00:18:38.69\00:18:42.21
when a death
decree is to be issued
00:18:42.24\00:18:44.76
we see it right here in
this third chapter of Daniel.
00:18:44.79\00:18:48.96
The last day events
00:18:48.99\00:18:51.98
that will culminate
in the very near future,
00:18:52.01\00:18:54.79
that will involve
many of us here tonight,
00:18:54.82\00:18:57.40
those events have
already been played out here
00:18:57.43\00:19:00.14
in Daniel Chapter 3.
00:19:00.17\00:19:01.78
The law of God again
00:19:01.81\00:19:03.44
is at the center
of the controversy.
00:19:03.47\00:19:07.80
So the king says, I'll
give you a second chance.
00:19:07.83\00:19:11.28
Can we give Nebuchadnezzar
a little hand clap right now?
00:19:11.31\00:19:13.28
Come on help me, all right,
now give him a little hand.
00:19:13.31\00:19:16.08
Give Nebuchadnezzar a hand. Why?
00:19:16.11\00:19:18.19
Because at least Nebuchadnezzar
00:19:18.22\00:19:20.84
was willing to give
them a second chance.
00:19:20.87\00:19:23.14
How often in the church
00:19:23.17\00:19:24.41
we fail to give each
other a second chance?
00:19:24.44\00:19:27.96
How often in the
church we slip one time,
00:19:27.99\00:19:30.85
we make one mistake, one
fault and we are through.
00:19:30.88\00:19:36.38
You might as well
head to Hallelujah hill
00:19:36.41\00:19:39.27
and sing Oh, How I
Love Jesus all by yourself
00:19:39.30\00:19:41.54
because you'll finish down here.
00:19:41.57\00:19:43.67
You are done, one mistake.
00:19:43.70\00:19:46.90
But here is a heathen king
00:19:46.93\00:19:49.28
that was willing to
give them a second chance.
00:19:49.31\00:19:54.04
Aren't you glad
tonight that we serve a God
00:19:54.07\00:19:55.94
who gives a second chance
over and over and over again?
00:19:55.97\00:20:00.48
How is that we can't give
each other a second chance?
00:20:00.51\00:20:04.43
How is that we are
so willing to say Lord,
00:20:04.46\00:20:07.27
I hope they get
what they deserve?
00:20:07.30\00:20:09.28
What if God gives
us what we deserve?
00:20:09.31\00:20:16.81
The Bible tells us
00:20:16.84\00:20:18.48
and here's where the
story gets real good.
00:20:18.51\00:20:21.46
Look what it says in verse 17,
00:20:21.49\00:20:24.11
Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego, verse 16 it says,
00:20:24.14\00:20:26.95
we are not careful to
answer you in this manner.
00:20:26.98\00:20:30.23
Look at verse
17, Daniel Chapter 3,
00:20:30.26\00:20:34.03
this is where it
really gets good.
00:20:34.06\00:20:37.97
"If it be so..."
00:20:38.00\00:20:41.12
and what's the
next word, everybody?
00:20:41.15\00:20:43.50
No, no, what's the next
word, not the next two words.
00:20:43.53\00:20:45.41
What's the next word?
00:20:45.44\00:20:46.73
Our. Our God, our God.
00:20:46.76\00:20:54.27
It speaks of a
personal relationship
00:20:54.30\00:20:57.70
that these three
young men had with God.
00:20:57.73\00:21:02.37
Not instant religion
because of our crisis.
00:21:02.40\00:21:07.17
Not declaring who
we are in the moment
00:21:07.20\00:21:11.07
but they are
speaking of a relationship
00:21:11.10\00:21:13.24
that had been long
established, our God.
00:21:13.27\00:21:18.95
Is God your God or
is God your mother's God
00:21:18.98\00:21:22.64
or your daddy's
God or your wife's God
00:21:22.67\00:21:24.17
or your husband's God?
00:21:24.20\00:21:25.74
Is God your God?
00:21:25.77\00:21:28.66
The only way that
we are gonna be able
00:21:28.69\00:21:30.87
and unable to
stand up and be counted
00:21:30.90\00:21:34.02
is when we have a
personal connection,
00:21:34.05\00:21:37.02
a personal relationship
with God for ourselves.
00:21:37.05\00:21:42.62
Our God whom we serve.
Not a God that we sing about.
00:21:42.65\00:21:48.93
Not a God that we read about.
00:21:48.96\00:21:50.12
Not a God that we see
in church once a week.
00:21:50.15\00:21:53.89
Not a do that we see three
times throughout our lives.
00:21:53.92\00:21:55.96
You know, there are some people
00:21:55.99\00:21:57.04
who only go to church
three times in their lives,
00:21:57.07\00:21:59.42
when they hatch,
match and dispatched.
00:21:59.45\00:22:03.64
Three times.
00:22:03.67\00:22:09.09
Yeah, but listen to
what the Bible says,
00:22:09.12\00:22:13.02
"Our God whom we serve."
00:22:13.05\00:22:15.87
Hallelujah, do you serve Him
or do you just know about Him?
00:22:15.90\00:22:20.85
You see, there is a
qualitative difference between
00:22:20.88\00:22:23.91
knowing God and
knowing about God.
00:22:23.94\00:22:30.94
Knowing about God
will get you to praise
00:22:30.97\00:22:32.98
and accolades of men
00:22:33.01\00:22:36.84
but that won't get
you through the crisis.
00:22:36.87\00:22:40.42
That will not enable you
00:22:40.45\00:22:41.60
and empower you to
get through those moment
00:22:41.63\00:22:43.82
when all hell breaks loose
00:22:43.85\00:22:46.58
and you are
confronted with the enemy.
00:22:46.61\00:22:49.90
You got to know Him and
the only way to know Him
00:22:49.93\00:22:53.06
is day by day
spend sometime with God.
00:22:53.09\00:22:58.18
There's a song that
says, speak of with your God.
00:22:58.21\00:23:05.42
And friends of mine,
00:23:05.45\00:23:06.48
I can tell you tonight
it doesn't just happen.
00:23:06.51\00:23:10.36
This kind of relationship
00:23:10.39\00:23:12.02
that is necessary to
face this kind of crisis
00:23:12.05\00:23:15.87
and come through
it is a relationship
00:23:15.90\00:23:19.62
that is forged in
personal, intentional devotion.
00:23:19.65\00:23:25.43
Knowing God for yourself,
00:23:25.46\00:23:27.75
spending time with God
in your own prayer closet,
00:23:27.78\00:23:30.99
crying loud to God, it's
me, it's me, it's me oh, Lord
00:23:31.02\00:23:34.56
standing in the need of prayer.
00:23:34.59\00:23:35.84
Not my brother, not my sister,
00:23:35.87\00:23:37.56
not my pastor, not
my elder, not my deacon
00:23:37.59\00:23:39.88
but it's me, it's
me, it's me, oh, Lord.
00:23:39.91\00:23:43.39
When we part our soul
with that kind of intensity,
00:23:43.42\00:23:47.01
the Spirit of God comes upon us
00:23:47.04\00:23:49.09
and enables us and equips us
00:23:49.12\00:23:51.67
to face the challenges
00:23:51.70\00:23:53.47
that we are all going
to face sooner or later.
00:23:53.50\00:23:57.51
But listen what the Bible
says, we are still in verse 17,
00:23:57.54\00:24:00.33
"Our God whom we serve is able."
00:24:00.36\00:24:05.13
Do you know that God is able?
00:24:05.16\00:24:07.71
Do you really
believe that God is able?
00:24:07.74\00:24:10.90
You see, if we really
believe that God is able,
00:24:10.93\00:24:13.85
there is no place
for worry in our lives.
00:24:13.88\00:24:18.15
I shared with a group
that I did the first seminar
00:24:18.18\00:24:20.57
with something I
read about worry.
00:24:20.60\00:24:23.50
It says that worry
is like a rocking chair,
00:24:23.53\00:24:25.29
it will give you something to do
00:24:25.32\00:24:26.36
but it won't get you anywhere.
00:24:26.39\00:24:29.87
Yeah, and yet we
spend so much time worrying.
00:24:29.90\00:24:37.39
Our God is able.
00:24:37.42\00:24:39.43
How did they know
that God was able?
00:24:39.46\00:24:43.73
How did they know?
00:24:43.76\00:24:45.00
Do you think they
remembered a story
00:24:45.03\00:24:46.93
about what God did in Egypt?
00:24:46.96\00:24:50.73
Do you think for a moment that
00:24:50.76\00:24:52.31
may be it's
what they heard about
00:24:52.34\00:24:54.27
what God did at the Red Sea?
00:24:54.30\00:24:57.29
God is able. Where
did they get that from?
00:24:57.32\00:25:00.17
They were taught about
how God had led in the past.
00:25:00.20\00:25:06.30
Doesn't Ellen
White say the only fear
00:25:06.33\00:25:08.88
that we have for the
future is as we forget
00:25:08.91\00:25:15.45
the way God has
what, led us in the past.
00:25:15.48\00:25:20.17
If we remember
what God has done before
00:25:20.20\00:25:23.02
and we know that He
is the same yesterday,
00:25:23.05\00:25:25.27
He is the same today, He
will be the same tomorrow,
00:25:25.30\00:25:27.96
why do we worry about
what the future brings.
00:25:27.99\00:25:31.19
The same God who brought us
through all the crises before,
00:25:31.22\00:25:34.82
that same God is
able and available.
00:25:34.85\00:25:37.14
They say that God is able.
00:25:37.17\00:25:40.01
We knew what He did for Moses
00:25:40.04\00:25:41.55
and we know what
He did for Abraham
00:25:41.58\00:25:43.55
and we knew what
He did at Jericho.
00:25:43.58\00:25:45.58
We know all of that,
so we know God is able.
00:25:45.61\00:25:49.50
But here's where their
faith really shines through.
00:25:49.53\00:25:53.61
Here's what they said,
00:25:53.64\00:25:54.73
but if not, but if not.
00:25:54.76\00:26:01.67
What happens to us?
00:26:01.70\00:26:04.56
What happens in
us when God often
00:26:04.59\00:26:10.40
will move in ways
contrary to our expectations?
00:26:10.43\00:26:16.92
What do we do when we pray
00:26:16.95\00:26:18.69
and we fast and
we pray and we fast?
00:26:18.72\00:26:21.27
And somehow it seems that
00:26:21.30\00:26:23.35
God is in some distant
remote part of the universe
00:26:23.38\00:26:27.19
and He is
unconcerned and unconnected
00:26:27.22\00:26:29.66
with what we are
dealing with right now.
00:26:29.69\00:26:31.25
What do we do then?
00:26:31.28\00:26:34.37
Do we still say that God is able
00:26:34.40\00:26:36.75
or do we throw our
Bibles on the shelf
00:26:36.78\00:26:38.40
and say I'm not going
back to church anymore,
00:26:38.43\00:26:40.02
all that religion stuff
doesn't make or mean a thing?
00:26:40.05\00:26:42.81
Oh, my brothers and sisters,
00:26:42.84\00:26:44.77
let me tell you
something about faith
00:26:44.80\00:26:46.50
that I've discovered
that has been helpful to me.
00:26:46.53\00:26:51.81
Faith is believing
and behaving consistent
00:26:51.84\00:26:57.36
with the Word of God.
00:26:57.39\00:27:01.87
Real faith, godly
faith, spirit inspired faith,
00:27:01.90\00:27:07.90
believes and trust God
00:27:07.93\00:27:09.95
in the face of
contrary evidence.
00:27:09.98\00:27:17.29
Real faith enables us
00:27:18.57\00:27:21.15
to overcome facts.
00:27:21.18\00:27:28.05
That's gonna kind of make
sense you're around Tuesday.
00:27:28.08\00:27:34.17
You may not get it
right now but stick around.
00:27:34.20\00:27:36.88
Round two, they say,
oh, that's what he meant
00:27:36.91\00:27:44.24
and it's right
there in the Bible.
00:27:44.27\00:27:50.00
Elijah the preacher showed up
00:27:50.03\00:27:51.40
and the woman is
about to have her last meal
00:27:51.43\00:27:54.11
and just like a pastor he says,
00:27:54.14\00:27:56.37
go in there and make
a bread for me first.
00:27:56.40\00:28:04.07
And God says,
that little bit of oil
00:28:08.53\00:28:12.72
and little meal
will not diminish
00:28:12.75\00:28:15.33
until the famine is over.
00:28:15.36\00:28:18.31
Her faith overcame the facts.
00:28:18.34\00:28:23.01
You see, when you
are a child of God,
00:28:23.04\00:28:24.90
the fact may be contrary
00:28:24.93\00:28:29.41
but because you serve a
God who transcends facts
00:28:29.44\00:28:36.16
when we put our
faith into operation.
00:28:36.19\00:28:40.79
So the Bible tells us,
00:28:40.82\00:28:42.73
they cried out, our God is able.
00:28:42.76\00:28:46.92
But even if He chooses to move
00:28:46.95\00:28:48.69
in a way that we
think, He should.
00:28:48.72\00:28:50.85
We're gonna remain confident
00:28:50.88\00:28:52.41
in knowing He is working
all together for our good.
00:28:52.44\00:28:57.80
Faith, trust in God in
the face of contrary evidence,
00:28:57.83\00:29:02.31
faith is trusting God in
spite of the circumstance
00:29:02.34\00:29:06.26
and faith is trust in God
in spite of the consequence.
00:29:06.29\00:29:14.21
Our God is able.
00:29:14.24\00:29:17.49
What I try to
tell people is, listen,
00:29:17.52\00:29:19.55
there are things that
are gonna happen in your life
00:29:19.58\00:29:21.11
if you love the Lord
and if you are serving God.
00:29:21.14\00:29:23.51
There are circumstances
that are gonna take place
00:29:23.54\00:29:25.31
in your life
that logic and reason
00:29:25.34\00:29:29.11
will not give you a
rational explanation.
00:29:29.14\00:29:34.01
So what do you do? What
you do when God is silent?
00:29:34.04\00:29:36.88
What do you do
when doesn't move?
00:29:36.91\00:29:38.09
Here's what I do, I go
right back to the cross.
00:29:38.12\00:29:42.56
I go back to
what I already know.
00:29:42.59\00:29:45.67
I go back to what
is firmly established.
00:29:45.70\00:29:48.52
I go back to that
which is incontrovertible.
00:29:48.55\00:29:54.42
I go back to what I
was taught as a little boy,
00:29:54.45\00:29:58.14
Jesus loves me.
00:29:58.17\00:30:00.08
This I know, for
the Bible tells me so.
00:30:00.11\00:30:05.55
So I can look at the facts
00:30:05.58\00:30:08.32
and my faith in God
helps me to overcome
00:30:08.35\00:30:11.73
and get over and
get past the facts.
00:30:11.76\00:30:14.53
Why? Because Jesus loves me.
00:30:14.56\00:30:17.06
But I don't know
what He is doing now,
00:30:17.09\00:30:18.73
I go back to what I
know He's already done
00:30:18.76\00:30:23.27
and I wait right there
00:30:23.30\00:30:25.14
until the way
clears up before me.
00:30:25.17\00:30:27.81
This what the Bible says.
00:30:27.84\00:30:31.33
Our God is able but
if He doesn't deliver us,
00:30:31.36\00:30:35.93
that's all right, that's okay.
00:30:35.96\00:30:39.42
Paul says it's a
little different.
00:30:39.45\00:30:41.06
He said, whether I
live or die God be praised.
00:30:41.09\00:30:46.95
That kind of faith,
that kind of confidence
00:30:46.98\00:30:51.86
doesn't happen just showing
up at church one day a week.
00:30:51.89\00:30:56.37
That kind of faith and
that kind of confidence,
00:30:56.40\00:30:58.83
that kind of
connectedness with God
00:30:58.86\00:31:01.07
grows out of a
daily communing with God.
00:31:01.10\00:31:07.04
Amen.
00:31:07.07\00:31:10.43
So Nebuchadnezzar said,
I know what's wrong here,
00:31:10.46\00:31:13.03
you fellows need a little
help, so I'm gonna help you up.
00:31:13.06\00:31:15.84
Heat up the furnace
seven more times hotter.
00:31:15.87\00:31:19.72
You need little incentive,
I'm gonna help you up.
00:31:19.75\00:31:27.72
Yeah, here's my answer,
00:31:27.75\00:31:32.31
I'm listening
to the Hebrew boys,
00:31:32.34\00:31:33.80
I'm listening on
their conversation
00:31:33.83\00:31:35.03
so here's what I think they say.
00:31:35.06\00:31:37.31
Well, okay, you
got it all wrong king,
00:31:37.34\00:31:41.88
you are saying
00:31:41.91\00:31:44.08
if we don't bow
we're gonna burn.
00:31:44.11\00:31:46.40
King, you got it all
wrong, you got dyslexia
00:31:46.43\00:31:49.89
because if we
bow we're gonna burn.
00:31:49.92\00:31:57.21
Oh, king, you got it all wrong.
00:31:57.24\00:31:58.83
You see, God has another furnace
00:31:58.86\00:32:01.83
that's coming at
the end of the world
00:32:01.86\00:32:03.32
that's hotter than
anything you can come up with
00:32:03.35\00:32:05.75
so if we've got
to chose furnaces,
00:32:05.78\00:32:07.36
we're gonna choose yours.
00:32:07.39\00:32:12.72
Hallelujah.
00:32:12.75\00:32:17.50
The Bible tells us
that king is now upset.
00:32:17.53\00:32:24.94
He is upset, why?
00:32:24.97\00:32:26.60
He is upset because he knows
what they are saying is true
00:32:26.63\00:32:31.86
but his pride has been hurt.
00:32:31.89\00:32:37.50
The Bible tells
us they heated up
00:32:37.53\00:32:38.87
the furnace seven times hotter.
00:32:38.90\00:32:42.24
I've heard some preachers
in flights of fantasy says,
00:32:42.27\00:32:45.14
well, God came down
with a hallelujah fan
00:32:45.17\00:32:48.01
and took the heat
out of the furnace.
00:32:48.04\00:32:51.52
So when the three young
men were thrown in there,
00:32:51.55\00:32:53.77
the heat was gone.
00:32:53.80\00:32:55.60
It sounds good but it's not true
00:32:55.63\00:32:59.75
because the men who
threw them into the furnace
00:32:59.78\00:33:02.83
were consumed by the heat.
00:33:02.86\00:33:05.99
So what happened?
00:33:06.02\00:33:07.56
God didn't take the
heat out of the furnace,
00:33:07.59\00:33:09.50
what God did was to
fireproof those boys.
00:33:09.53\00:33:16.80
Oh, God could have kept
them out of the furnace.
00:33:16.83\00:33:21.68
We sometimes wonder
00:33:21.71\00:33:23.22
why it is that
we fall into trials.
00:33:23.25\00:33:26.04
Why sickness comes?
Why unemployment comes.
00:33:26.07\00:33:29.71
Why our children walk
away? Why our spouses act crazy?
00:33:29.74\00:33:34.61
Oh, don't be doing
that now, I'm watching you.
00:33:34.64\00:33:38.36
Don't be doing
that, I got my eye on you.
00:33:38.39\00:33:44.96
God allows trials
to come into our lives
00:33:44.99\00:33:49.62
so that He can test us.
00:33:49.65\00:33:51.97
We have to be tested
in order to be trusted.
00:33:52.00\00:33:58.07
Yeah.
00:33:58.10\00:34:00.58
Abraham, take that
boy and go three days.
00:34:00.61\00:34:06.30
Why three days?
00:34:06.33\00:34:08.23
Because God wanted him to have
every opportunity to turn back
00:34:08.26\00:34:13.41
and you noticed something
about this story, right.
00:34:13.44\00:34:15.72
You know, what's
good part of this story?
00:34:15.75\00:34:18.79
Abraham didn't ask
Sarah's permission.
00:34:18.82\00:34:25.08
Had Sarah gotten wind
of what Abraham was up to,
00:34:27.40\00:34:33.80
she would have been the
one wheeling that knife on him.
00:34:33.83\00:34:37.72
You are not taking my boy.
00:34:37.75\00:34:45.00
They bound them hand and
foot, throw them in the fire.
00:34:50.38\00:34:57.35
I heard a preacher friend
of mine explain it this way.
00:34:57.38\00:35:02.29
He said, whatever is happening
down here to God's people,
00:35:02.32\00:35:07.12
God is taking note in heaven.
00:35:07.15\00:35:11.07
He is using his
sanctified imagination
00:35:11.10\00:35:13.72
and he said,
God, the Father called
00:35:13.75\00:35:14.92
a meeting in
heaven and he says listen.
00:35:14.95\00:35:17.18
You know, the
Bible talks about angels,
00:35:17.21\00:35:18.64
some have two wings,
some have four wings,
00:35:18.67\00:35:20.03
some have six wings
00:35:20.06\00:35:22.97
and he said to the
angel of the two wings.
00:35:23.00\00:35:24.27
He said, my boys
down there in trouble
00:35:24.30\00:35:25.52
I need somebody to go down.
00:35:25.55\00:35:26.64
How long will it take you?
00:35:26.67\00:35:28.34
The angels with two
wings says three minutes.
00:35:28.37\00:35:30.04
Father said, too long.
00:35:30.07\00:35:33.34
He called the
angels with four wings,
00:35:33.37\00:35:34.57
he said, how long will it
take you to get down there?
00:35:34.60\00:35:36.69
And they said,
well, Father, two minutes.
00:35:36.72\00:35:39.13
Father said too long.
00:35:39.16\00:35:41.58
Called the
angels with six wings,
00:35:41.61\00:35:42.89
He said how long will it
take you to get down there.
00:35:42.92\00:35:45.36
My servants are in trouble.
00:35:45.39\00:35:47.10
He says, Father, one
minute. Father said too long.
00:35:47.13\00:35:50.67
So he looked over
there and saw the son
00:35:50.70\00:35:52.86
and He says son, boys
are in trouble down there,
00:35:52.89\00:35:55.76
how long will it take
you to get down there.
00:35:55.79\00:35:57.58
He said, Father,
I'm already down there.
00:35:57.61\00:36:03.56
When we need Him the Bible says,
00:36:03.59\00:36:07.68
while we are calling on Him,
00:36:07.71\00:36:11.50
the prayer has
already been answered.
00:36:11.53\00:36:15.80
You know, what I like about
00:36:15.83\00:36:16.86
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?
00:36:16.89\00:36:18.24
They threw them in
and yet they got up
00:36:18.27\00:36:20.98
and walking around in the
fire and they are singing.
00:36:21.01\00:36:26.80
You don't know what they sang?
00:36:26.83\00:36:28.67
They are singing.
What are they singing?
00:36:28.70\00:36:30.12
Oh, how I love Jesus,
00:36:30.15\00:36:33.56
in the fire and the
singing must have been so sweet
00:36:33.59\00:36:38.68
that Jesus
shows to take the trio
00:36:38.71\00:36:41.74
and make it a quartet.
00:36:41.77\00:36:44.43
He joined in
with them in the fire,
00:36:44.46\00:36:47.81
hallelujah what a
mighty God we serve.
00:36:47.84\00:36:52.86
My brothers and sisters,
00:36:52.89\00:36:54.94
if we are gonna
stand up and be counted,
00:36:54.97\00:36:57.40
let's be real clear tonight.
00:36:57.43\00:37:00.34
God is not gonna prevent us
00:37:00.37\00:37:02.69
from being thrown
into some fiery furnaces.
00:37:02.72\00:37:07.69
You know, I often hear people,
00:37:07.72\00:37:10.25
just then I often
hear people say, "why me?"
00:37:10.28\00:37:12.81
You know, my
response to them is,
00:37:12.84\00:37:14.29
why not you?
00:37:14.32\00:37:18.58
I have not read an exemption
clause in the contract.
00:37:18.61\00:37:24.73
The last time I
read the contract,
00:37:24.76\00:37:26.51
it says all that
live godly in Christ--
00:37:26.54\00:37:31.28
help me with it,
what does it say?
00:37:31.31\00:37:33.32
Will suffer persecution
and sometime the persecution
00:37:33.35\00:37:39.58
doesn't come
from Nebuchadnezzar.
00:37:39.61\00:37:41.82
Sometime it's a
lot close to home.
00:37:41.85\00:37:44.74
Sometime the persecution comes
00:37:44.77\00:37:46.21
from the church
that you are part of.
00:37:46.24\00:37:48.15
Sometimes the persecution comes
from friends that you fought.
00:37:48.18\00:37:53.76
So they are in the
fire and the Bible tells us
00:37:53.79\00:37:57.21
there is a
fourth person that comes
00:37:57.24\00:37:59.03
and joins them in the fire.
00:37:59.06\00:38:02.75
I would have loved
to been there to see
00:38:02.78\00:38:04.29
Nebuchadnezzar's face.
00:38:04.32\00:38:07.86
Can't you not see now,
did not we cast in three,
00:38:07.89\00:38:11.02
one, two,
three, three, two, one,
00:38:11.05\00:38:15.30
but I see four.
00:38:15.33\00:38:21.12
Stand, stand up and be counted.
00:38:21.15\00:38:27.43
The Bible tells
us and Jesus promises
00:38:27.46\00:38:29.93
they that honor
Me, I will honor.
00:38:29.96\00:38:36.19
When we stand up for
Him, He stands up with us.
00:38:36.22\00:38:42.72
This is something I
learned in seminary,
00:38:42.75\00:38:44.00
just that you may
have learned it already
00:38:44.03\00:38:46.35
but if not it's coming.
00:38:46.38\00:38:48.22
Dr. Davidson, one
of my favorite teachers
00:38:48.25\00:38:51.09
Richard
Davidson, great godly man,
00:38:51.12\00:38:54.40
helping us young
fledgling theologians
00:38:54.43\00:38:57.59
to understand the difference
between the western mindset
00:38:57.62\00:39:03.06
and the Hebrew mind.
00:39:03.09\00:39:05.48
Here's what the
western mind says
00:39:05.51\00:39:07.30
which all of us
had been sort of it,
00:39:07.33\00:39:09.18
you know, partakers of.
00:39:09.21\00:39:12.49
I must understand then I'll do.
00:39:12.52\00:39:16.51
The Hebrew mind says I'll
do and then I'll understand.
00:39:16.54\00:39:22.88
It's quite a different
way of looking at the world.
00:39:22.91\00:39:28.32
But if we are people of faith,
00:39:28.35\00:39:32.07
we will be willing to
trust God and believe in God.
00:39:32.10\00:39:34.57
So here's what God
says, stand and when we stand,
00:39:34.60\00:39:40.80
He empowers us and
enables us to withstand,
00:39:40.83\00:39:46.54
and by and by
we will understand.
00:39:46.57\00:39:52.12
There's a whole lot that God
is not gonna explain to us now.
00:39:52.15\00:39:56.12
God didn't call
us to understand,
00:39:56.15\00:39:58.67
He called us to obey,
00:39:58.70\00:40:01.56
to trust, to
believe, to rest in Him.
00:40:01.59\00:40:09.07
I'm not gonna do
that until I understand,
00:40:09.10\00:40:11.66
doesn't make any sense to me.
00:40:11.69\00:40:13.06
Well, you know what?
00:40:13.09\00:40:14.36
There's a whole lot of things
that don't make sense to me
00:40:14.39\00:40:16.18
but it's still real,
because I don't understand
00:40:16.21\00:40:18.88
how a black cow eats green grass
00:40:18.91\00:40:20.91
and produces white milk.
00:40:20.94\00:40:24.43
I don't
understand but it's real.
00:40:24.46\00:40:32.08
There's a whole lot of
things that we don't understand.
00:40:32.11\00:40:34.82
You get sick, you go to
a man that you don't know.
00:40:34.85\00:40:38.01
He sends you down the
road to a store to the chemist
00:40:38.04\00:40:40.96
with some things scribbled
00:40:40.99\00:40:42.05
on a piece of paper
that you can't read.
00:40:42.08\00:40:44.35
He goes in the back
put some stuff in a bottle,
00:40:44.38\00:40:46.93
tells you go home
00:40:46.96\00:40:48.14
and take it three
times a day and you do it.
00:40:48.17\00:40:54.42
Well, yet when it comes to
God I don't understand that,
00:40:54.45\00:41:00.83
don't make any sense to me.
00:41:00.86\00:41:03.75
Hello?
00:41:03.78\00:41:06.34
Amen.
00:41:06.37\00:41:11.23
How did they do it?
00:41:11.26\00:41:13.54
How did Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego
00:41:13.57\00:41:15.82
do what today seems to be
00:41:15.85\00:41:19.23
impossible and incredible?
00:41:19.26\00:41:22.59
Let me suggest three things.
00:41:22.62\00:41:24.34
Number one,
00:41:24.37\00:41:26.49
first of all
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
00:41:26.52\00:41:30.17
were committed to God's purpose.
00:41:30.20\00:41:37.70
When we live our lives
committed to God's purpose,
00:41:37.73\00:41:45.18
we don't have to understand
everything that happens to us
00:41:45.21\00:41:49.01
because
everything that happens to us
00:41:49.04\00:41:51.20
is not about us.
00:41:51.23\00:41:57.17
Yeah.
00:41:57.20\00:42:00.86
Joseph spent many years in jail
00:42:00.89\00:42:05.15
only to find out
and discover, discern,
00:42:05.18\00:42:07.75
it really wasn't about him.
00:42:07.78\00:42:11.55
God sent him there to
prepare a way for God's people.
00:42:11.58\00:42:17.78
Paul and Silas thrown in
jail, it wasn't about them.
00:42:17.81\00:42:22.40
There was a jailor
00:42:22.43\00:42:24.87
who wouldn't come to witness,
00:42:24.90\00:42:31.95
so God sent Paul
and Silas in there.
00:42:31.98\00:42:35.25
Hello, are you with me?
00:42:35.28\00:42:37.88
Yeah. Yeah.
00:42:37.91\00:42:41.75
Committed to God's
purpose, that's the first thing.
00:42:41.78\00:42:46.77
Live our lives
committed to God's purpose.
00:42:46.80\00:42:49.15
Secondly, live our lives
00:42:49.18\00:42:52.65
conscious of God's presence.
00:42:52.68\00:42:57.35
When we are
conscious of God's presence,
00:42:57.38\00:42:59.62
fear is gone.
00:42:59.65\00:43:02.63
Man, when I was a little
fellow I would fight anybody.
00:43:02.66\00:43:06.71
I don't care how big you were,
00:43:06.74\00:43:08.27
I'm willing to fight anybody
00:43:08.30\00:43:10.17
as long as my older
brother was close by.
00:43:10.20\00:43:16.54
My awareness of his
presence gave me a confidence
00:43:16.57\00:43:21.10
and a boldness that I
would not otherwise have.
00:43:21.13\00:43:27.96
When we live our lives
committed to God's purpose
00:43:27.99\00:43:30.50
and conscious
of God's presence--
00:43:30.53\00:43:36.04
doesn't the Bible
day if God be for us,
00:43:36.07\00:43:40.32
who bring it on devil.
00:43:40.35\00:43:43.77
Who can be against us?
00:43:43.80\00:43:46.28
Conscious of God's presence.
00:43:46.31\00:43:49.50
And the third thing is
connected to God's power.
00:43:49.53\00:43:56.41
You know, most
people in life live
00:43:56.44\00:44:00.24
their lives trying
to make connections.
00:44:00.27\00:44:04.47
You know, connection
00:44:04.50\00:44:06.06
because
connection gets you a job,
00:44:06.09\00:44:07.91
connection gets you promotion,
00:44:07.94\00:44:09.70
connection gets you
into places that otherwise.
00:44:09.73\00:44:12.11
But you know what I discovered?
00:44:12.14\00:44:14.78
That not everybody with
connections is connected.
00:44:14.81\00:44:21.13
I'm talking about being
connected to God's power.
00:44:21.16\00:44:27.78
Few years ago
before the smartphones
00:44:27.81\00:44:31.51
and all these things, you know,
00:44:31.54\00:44:34.18
we had those
cordless phones, you know,
00:44:34.21\00:44:37.76
and so I went and bought one.
00:44:37.79\00:44:41.44
And like most men, you know,
00:44:41.47\00:44:45.03
I started to try
to get this thing
00:44:45.06\00:44:47.12
to operate by myself.
00:44:47.15\00:44:50.69
So two hours into the project
and I'm not getting anywhere,
00:44:50.72\00:44:53.33
I had a brilliant
thought, read the instructions.
00:44:53.36\00:44:59.96
Yeah.
00:44:59.99\00:45:03.67
So I got the box and I--
00:45:03.70\00:45:05.32
you know, I had
crumbled up the instructions
00:45:05.35\00:45:06.79
and throw it away, so
I got it and I open it up
00:45:06.82\00:45:08.65
and you know, smoothed it out
00:45:08.68\00:45:10.29
and here's what
the instruction says.
00:45:10.32\00:45:12.45
Before this phone can be
used, it must be charged.
00:45:12.48\00:45:17.27
Okay, brilliant thought.
00:45:17.30\00:45:23.35
I kept on reading and here's
what the instruction said.
00:45:23.38\00:45:28.18
In order for
this phone to operate
00:45:28.21\00:45:30.27
at its maximum capacity,
00:45:30.30\00:45:33.24
the handset can only go
so far away from the base.
00:45:33.27\00:45:39.98
Yeah.
00:45:40.01\00:45:42.50
I kept reading and
here's what it says.
00:45:42.53\00:45:45.19
In order for
this phone to continue
00:45:45.22\00:45:47.29
to operate at maximum capacity
00:45:47.32\00:45:50.67
the handset must make
frequent contact with the base.
00:45:50.70\00:45:58.21
But here's what I discovered.
00:45:58.24\00:46:02.85
The time when you
put the phone on the base
00:46:02.88\00:46:04.66
and you think it's
making contact, it's not.
00:46:04.69\00:46:10.33
But here's how you know
that it's making contact.
00:46:10.36\00:46:14.01
When the handset makes
proper contact with the base,
00:46:14.04\00:46:17.28
a little light goes on.
00:46:17.31\00:46:22.13
When you and I have
made proper contact with God,
00:46:22.16\00:46:26.71
the light of the glory
of Jesus Christ shines forth
00:46:26.74\00:46:31.68
from our countenance.
00:46:31.71\00:46:33.77
People will know that
we have been with Jesus.
00:46:33.80\00:46:41.21
The Bible tells us that
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
00:46:41.24\00:46:44.02
came out of the fiery furnace
00:46:44.05\00:46:45.86
and you know, I
like the way God--
00:46:45.89\00:46:48.03
you know, my God is
a God of sense of humor
00:46:48.06\00:46:51.28
and He likes to brag
on us every so often.
00:46:51.31\00:46:53.84
He gives us little details that,
00:46:53.87\00:46:55.94
you know, we sometimes miss.
00:46:55.97\00:46:57.71
But one of them says
00:46:57.74\00:46:58.89
when Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego
00:46:58.92\00:47:00.47
came out of the
fire, God even took away
00:47:00.50\00:47:03.10
the smell of smoke
from their garments.
00:47:03.13\00:47:09.86
You see, when we encounter
Christ and surrender to Him,
00:47:09.89\00:47:16.38
He removes all of the stench
00:47:16.41\00:47:20.41
and the smell of
where we have been,
00:47:20.44\00:47:25.22
so that we are now
new creatures in Christ.
00:47:25.25\00:47:30.12
Stand up and be
counted, how do we do that?
00:47:30.15\00:47:34.82
Committed to God's power.
00:47:34.85\00:47:38.32
Committed to God's purpose.
00:47:38.35\00:47:41.71
Live conscious of His presence.
00:47:41.74\00:47:46.10
Live connected to His power.
00:47:46.13\00:47:50.96
Many years ago I
came across a story.
00:47:50.99\00:47:54.32
I like stories.
00:47:54.35\00:47:56.65
I came across a
story about little fellow.
00:47:56.68\00:48:00.89
Little fellow loved
to read western novels.
00:48:00.92\00:48:06.43
He had a particular author
that he had grown to love.
00:48:06.46\00:48:13.10
And so one day he
was upstairs in his room
00:48:13.13\00:48:15.35
and his dad was
downstairs in the other room
00:48:15.38\00:48:18.34
and he kept hearing
his little boy saying,
00:48:18.37\00:48:20.85
if you only knew what I know.
00:48:20.88\00:48:23.69
Over and over and over
again so he became concerned.
00:48:23.72\00:48:27.64
He thought maybe
the little fellow
00:48:27.67\00:48:28.91
had read too many
novels and was losing it.
00:48:28.94\00:48:32.66
So he went upstairs,
he knocked on the door
00:48:32.69\00:48:34.25
and he says, son,
what's going on in here?
00:48:34.28\00:48:36.51
He said, dad, I was
reading about my favorite author
00:48:36.54\00:48:42.32
and in my favorite
author there was a favorite hero
00:48:42.35\00:48:44.80
of mine called the sheriff
00:48:44.83\00:48:46.35
and every time the bad
guys would come into town,
00:48:46.38\00:48:48.98
the sheriff
would put on his guns
00:48:49.01\00:48:50.59
and get on his horse
00:48:50.62\00:48:51.81
and he would chase
the outlaws out of town.
00:48:51.84\00:48:54.12
He said, but dad, I
was reading this one story
00:48:54.15\00:48:57.62
and it seems that one day
this outlaw came into town
00:48:57.65\00:49:01.20
and my hero the
sheriff tried as he would,
00:49:01.23\00:49:04.07
he couldn't chase
the outlaw out of town.
00:49:04.10\00:49:06.20
He said, dad, I
became so discouraged,
00:49:06.23\00:49:07.88
I was about to
throw the book away
00:49:07.91\00:49:09.86
and give up on my hero.
00:49:09.89\00:49:11.29
He said then I had a thought
00:49:11.32\00:49:13.39
and the thought says
go to the back of the book
00:49:13.42\00:49:16.51
and see how the story ends.
00:49:16.54\00:49:19.89
He said, dad, I went
to the back of the book
00:49:19.92\00:49:22.54
and lo and behold I
discovered that one day my hero,
00:49:22.57\00:49:25.95
the sheriff got the courage
00:49:25.98\00:49:28.97
and he chased the
outlaw out of town.
00:49:29.00\00:49:30.98
So he said, dad, I went
back to the place in the story
00:49:31.01\00:49:33.66
where the outlaw
was walking around
00:49:33.69\00:49:35.03
the town like he owns it
00:49:35.06\00:49:36.32
and I kept saying to the outlaw,
00:49:36.35\00:49:37.74
if you only knew what I know.
00:49:37.77\00:49:43.26
My brothers and sisters,
00:49:43.29\00:49:44.44
tonight I want to
tell you something.
00:49:44.47\00:49:47.69
There is an outlaw
running loose in this world,
00:49:47.72\00:49:52.29
and he acts like
he owns the world.
00:49:52.32\00:49:55.58
He causes strife and chaos
and confusion in our homes,
00:49:55.61\00:49:59.28
in our families,
in our personal lives.
00:49:59.31\00:50:01.63
Oh, but before
you get this courage
00:50:01.66\00:50:04.03
and throw away your hero,
go to the back of the book.
00:50:04.06\00:50:07.06
And John says that I saw them
standing on the sea of glass,
00:50:07.09\00:50:10.88
a number that
could not be numbered
00:50:10.91\00:50:13.00
from every
nation, kindred, tongue,
00:50:13.03\00:50:14.85
and people
singing the song of Moses.
00:50:14.88\00:50:17.01
Go to the back of the book
00:50:17.04\00:50:19.09
and you will discover a
city coming down from God
00:50:19.12\00:50:23.40
with all of the saints
of God within the city.
00:50:23.43\00:50:28.33
Tonight the good
news for us is that
00:50:28.36\00:50:31.44
we know how this
story is going to end.
00:50:31.47\00:50:35.39
We know that no
matter how difficult
00:50:35.42\00:50:37.62
and daunting the journey is
00:50:37.65\00:50:39.82
but God has
already decreed in the end.
00:50:39.85\00:50:44.38
The story ends
with two words, He won.
00:50:44.41\00:50:49.58
That's it, Jesus won.
00:50:49.61\00:50:52.67
And when we put
our faith and trust
00:50:52.70\00:50:55.44
and confidence in
Him, we too shall win.
00:50:55.47\00:51:00.53
Stand up, stand
up and be counted
00:51:00.56\00:51:05.44
as one who loves
God, as one who fears God,
00:51:05.47\00:51:09.17
as one who is waiting
to see Him when He comes.
00:51:09.20\00:51:13.26
As our musician comes and
play softly for us tonight,
00:51:13.29\00:51:18.18
there are some
of you here tonight
00:51:18.21\00:51:19.89
who have been
attending these conferences.
00:51:19.92\00:51:23.20
You may have come
here with questions
00:51:23.23\00:51:24.90
and concerns,
anxieties and fears
00:51:24.93\00:51:29.26
but tonight Jesus is
speaking to your heart
00:51:29.29\00:51:31.34
and He is saying to you,
00:51:31.37\00:51:32.45
it's time for you to
stand up and be counted.
00:51:32.48\00:51:37.33