[0:00] I thought earlier this afternoon, if you read through your Bible, I don't know how you do your Bible reading, you come through some places and you don't get back to them for a while, likely.
[0:15] And so it's nice that we hop around here and there, and now we're in Daniel. I don't know when the last time you read through Daniel was. Maybe you're close to it or coming up on it. Maybe it's been a while. Well, but every so often you get to be reminded of different places in the Scripture and stay familiar with them.
[0:32] So this is a simple and a very familiar story, I believe, to I'm sure most of us, of these three Hebrew men that faced a very, very intimidating situation, one that nearly forced them into doing something that was wrong.
[0:49] And we know that they weren't, but you get the idea. The intimidation was high, and the people around them were all in unison, and it was not an easy thing to take a stand and do what's right.
[1:08] So just by way of reminder here and refresh, I'm going to read through the first six verses with you. So follow along, Daniel 3 and verse number 1. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was three score cubits and the breadth thereof six cubits.
[1:25] He set it up in the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
[1:44] Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all rulers of the provinces were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
[1:57] And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up.
[2:22] And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth us, shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning, fiery furnace.
[2:33] Pretty wild that he puts this display on, and the herald goes out to not just say, this is what I want you to do, but it also says, and if you don't, this is what's going to happen.
[2:45] Like a major, major threat gets attached to it. I mean business with this thing. I'm the king. Mess with me one time. See what happens to you. I'm going to throw your butt into a fiery furnace.
[2:58] That's what I'm going to do if you don't bow down and worship the way I tell you to do it. Like this is some bold stuff. This is like, just see that threat. To see it go out and be put in everybody's ears.
[3:09] Everybody understands what you're supposed to do. That's pretty wild. It's not just, you know, if you feel like it. He means business, and everybody gets it. This is kind of sobering in a way.
[3:21] It's not just, you know, I'm sure these are popular men. Princes and governors, captains. Everybody who's anybody in the provinces, they were there. They probably did do a little bit of chatting and seeing how their families were and how their provinces were going and if any issues they had.
[3:37] They're probably, you know, talking shop a little bit with each other. But when that herald came out, boy, did they all know. And boy, did their ears perk up and realize, oh, so let's either do this or die.
[3:53] That's pretty much the situation. Now, these men, these men that we know of later, they're mentioned as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
[4:04] Later in verse number 12, they're mentioned by name. Let me actually point this out. Go to the verse just before chapter 3. The close of chapter 2 says then, Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, his name, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon.
[4:24] So Daniel got these guys promoted. The king knew who they were because he requested, these are my guys, and they're good guys. They're honest, and they're just like me. And he allowed them to be promoted over the affairs of the province of Babylon.
[4:38] And now these are the guys that knew that everything about this situation for them was wrong.
[4:51] Because they were raised on the law of Moses that told them, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image in heaven above, earth beneath, unto the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.
[5:06] This is how they were raised. This is what's in their heart and mind. They know that bowing down to a graven image is forbidden by their God. For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God.
[5:17] Visiting the iniquity? Oh, God's going to visit the iniquity if I bow down and serve? And yet the king's telling me that I need to bow down and serve? And so they know what's wrong.
[5:31] And they're faced with a test. And the test is, do they give in? And do they violate their conscience? And do they go along with all of the heathen, everybody's around them?
[5:43] And do what they're doing? And transgress the commandment of God? And I'm sure, just like you and I, they could justify it. Well, I can't serve God in the grave.
[5:56] So if I just do this, I can still go back. You know, when the captivity is over, I'll be able to go back. Just do it just to get over with. But they could have found a way to justify it. Do they do that or do they stand for what they know is right?
[6:10] You know, when you know this story, and it's kind of one that you learn early on. If you attend church, you usually get this in Sunday school early. And you know Daniel. And you know these three men.
[6:22] And you know this situation in the fiery furnace. And when you know it, it gets to be simplified. It sounds simple like, yeah, guys, just don't bow down. Because God is going to do something incredible.
[6:35] Because God's going to save you from the king. And it's all going to be good. And the king's going to see the son of God standing in the fiery. Like, yeah, just don't bow down. Watch God work this out.
[6:46] It sounds that simple. But is it really that simple? Because I want to bring this to your front door. And remind you that you've never been threatened in your life with a burning, fiery furnace.
[7:00] Ever in your life has a king threatened that if you don't do what I say. And go against what's in the word of God.
[7:11] I'm going to kill you. That has never happened to you. Any one of you in here. And yet, you still flake on the times when you know what to do.
[7:26] The right thing to do. And you still find a way to justify yourself to not do it. Or to ignore it. Or to pretend it's not a big deal.
[7:39] You've never been threatened with death if you obey God's word. And yet, you still give in on the smaller situations all the time.
[7:51] All the time, Christians lay down instead of stand up and fight and make a choice to do right. And I want to challenge you tonight and use the testimony of these three guys in this chapter to just challenge you to do right.
[8:06] To do right. No matter what. No matter when. Just decide in your heart. It's time for me. I'm going to do this. I'm going to live this life for God.
[8:17] When situations rise, I'm going to do right. When temptations come, I want to do right. It's such a simple thought, right? Just do right. It's a simple thought for you tonight.
[8:27] But how profound is it really? And how much impact does it have on you every day? To do right. James said to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not.
[8:39] To him, it is sin. And I don't know where I heard this. It's not a complicated phrase. But I've picked this up somewhere or whatever.
[8:49] And it's just always been with me that it's always right to do right. Always. It's always right to do right. Sometimes I find people want to talk about something.
[9:01] Something they're unsure of. And sometimes it really is they know what's right. They're just seeking justification so that they don't have to do it. And that's inside of us.
[9:13] Sometimes we just want an excuse for why we don't have to do it. Not necessarily looking to do wrong. We're not looking to worship an image that we, you know, we're not looking to do that.
[9:24] Sometimes we just don't want to do what's right. When it's time to go to church or a church event, Christians love to have an excuse that keeps them from being faithful.
[9:38] They usually go. They go most of the time. So if this comes up this time, what's the big deal? And in the decision they have to do right or to do something else, they find an excuse.
[9:54] Sometimes it's when it's time to witness or to hand out a track. Christians love to excuse themselves and ignore the person or pass up an opportunity. And they find a good excuse to do that.
[10:07] And when it's time to do right, we're tempted to flake on our duties as Christians and give in to temptation to just sometimes do nothing at all.
[10:18] And it's wrong. I want to show you three things in this chapter that I think can help you and by way of challenge you to do right and using these three men as a testimony to doing right.
[10:31] First thing, come in verse number five. Notice this at the very beginning of verse five. It says that at what time, at what time ye hear the sound.
[10:42] Notice that there was a time. Verse seven says, therefore, at that time when all the people heard the sound. And then again, it keeps going in verse eight.
[10:54] Wherefore, at that time, you know what I want you to see is there's a time to do right. There's a time. There's a when the music plays, it comes down to a moment.
[11:07] It comes down to a moment to where you're going to choose whether you're going to choose. I'm going to do right because it's right. Or I'm not. Or I'm not.
[11:19] And there's a time to do right. These guys were put on the spot publicly and they saw it coming. They were over the affairs of the province of Babylon. That's where this image was set up.
[11:31] They probably saw it being constructed. They probably heard the rumors. They probably were aware of the day. And then it came and all the men showed up and everybody from every other place showed up. And here they are.
[11:42] They were present. It built up to it. It came to it. Maybe they didn't know fully what the king was going to cry out with his herald.
[11:53] Maybe they didn't know the details of the image and of the plan and the purpose. I don't know. But they knew something was up. And they knew that they weren't raised with images like that in their country.
[12:04] There's something going on here. The music's forming. There's something going on and it doesn't feel right. There's no question they had a bad feeling about this. There was a time.
[12:17] A time for them to choose to do right. All of the inner debating. All of the purposing in my heart. It all comes to an end when the music plays.
[12:29] And when the music plays, then you make the choice. Are you going to choose to do right? Or are you going to give in? Don't tell me that you don't know what it's like to be aware that in your day there's this situation coming.
[12:44] Or by the end of the week I'm going to be with them. Or I'm going to see this. Don't tell me you don't know what that's like to anticipate being put into a situation that you might not be comfortable in.
[12:57] Or may not be a good thing for you to be involved in. Or just maybe you shouldn't be. Or whatever. You know what it's like to get into a spot that you maybe wish you weren't put in. Or want to get out of.
[13:08] And the music plays. And you can think about it. And you can pray about it. And you can prepare for it. But the music plays. And when the music plays, it's time to make a choice.
[13:22] Will you choose to do right? Or will you give in? That's the time to do right. And God is observing it.
[13:34] He sees it. He knows the lust of your flesh. He knows the people in your life. He knows the situations, the places you've fallen. And the things that get you. And the sin which doth so easily beset you.
[13:45] And he's observing. And when your music plays, that's the time to do right. Sometimes the time comes when you're alone. And that's the time to do right.
[13:59] Sometimes the time comes when you're in a crowd. And there's people and acquaintances and family and friends around. And that's the time to do right. You feel the pressure. But either way, whether you're alone or whether you're with a crowd, the moment comes.
[14:15] The decision has to be made. Are you going to do what God's told you to do? Or are you going to give in to your flesh? Or are you going to give in to the world of what they're telling you to do?
[14:26] Or what your family or friends or coworkers are expecting you to do? Or are you going to do right? So the time came. And these men chose to do right.
[14:39] At that time, the music played. And they didn't bow. They weren't giving in. And so there's some aftermath here.
[14:50] They get called before the king. And we'll read these verses. He questions them. And he's even lenient to them. Maybe for Daniel's sake. Maybe because he likes these guys.
[15:00] And they've been flawless and innocent before him. Always done them right. Never had any trouble with them. Maybe he tries to work with them. He tries to give them another chance. He's extending some grace.
[15:13] And let's take a look at this. In verse 13. Let's read down to verse 18. Then Nebuchadnezzar, in his rage and fury, commanded to bring shade. Man, I can't say his name right.
[15:24] It's Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that ye do not serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
[15:39] Now, if ye be ready, that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbutt, psaltery, and dals, smear, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made. Well, but if ye will not, but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of the burning, fiery furnace.
[15:58] And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace.
[16:14] And he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
[16:28] Now, these guys made it clear that they're not going to bow. And I don't think they're being cocky in their defiance. I don't think they're being smart, Alex, to this powerful man.
[16:40] But they not only disobeyed him, but now they are to his face defying him. And he reacts in a fury in verse 19.
[16:51] And that grace completely leaves the room. And now he just wants to execute judgment on these punks.
[17:03] Who do they think they are? Step into me. But I love their response. I don't see cockiness. I see boldness to do right.
[17:16] No matter what. If this is the end for us, king, so be it. But we are not bowing. What determination exists inside of these men?
[17:27] What resolution? And what strength? And what faith? To stand and not budge when their very lives are in the balance this very day.
[17:40] And so secondly, at first I'm saying that there was a time for them to do right. But the second thought I wanted you to consider from this is that these men, they put no limitations on doing right.
[17:51] No restrictions. There's no boundaries of how far we'll go before when we, how long we'll do right. They said, we're not careful to answer thee in this matter. There is no discussion necessary.
[18:03] We don't have to go pray about this one. We already have the word of God on it. So, we're not bowing. Be it known unto thee.
[18:14] We are not going to bow to your gods. There's no universe where we would allow ourselves to bow down and commit this great sin against our God.
[18:27] There is no king that we fear above our God. We fear him higher than you. And doing right for these men had no boundaries, no limitations.
[18:39] It's always right to do right. Let's keep your place here. And let's just flip over to a few places, a few other scriptures that might accompany this. Go to Acts chapter 4.
[18:51] And then, and we'll look at Acts chapter 5 too, right beside each other. There's a place where the apostles caught some flack for what they were, for their obedience to God and the powers that be didn't like it.
[19:10] And they threatened them, even beat them. We'll start in Acts chapter 4 and look at verse 18 and 19. We'll read to verse 20.
[19:22] They called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
[19:36] It's the same attitude these Hebrews are taking back in front of the king in Babylon. If it's more, if it's correct to listen to you more than listen to God, sorry, we're going to listen to God.
[19:49] And then in Acts 4, we cannot but speak the things. They were commanded to speak those things. So they're going to do it. Look at Acts chapter 5 and very similar situation.
[20:01] In verse 20, 28, this is the high priest asking them, saying, did not we straightly command you that you should not teach in this name?
[20:13] And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men. And he goes on with a message from there.
[20:26] That's just a case in point. Look back at Matthew chapter 10. One more verse here to add to this thought. Obeying God rather than a king.
[20:37] That's threatening death. Christ told his disciples, don't be afraid of a king that can threaten to kill you.
[20:49] Look at Matthew 10 and verse 28. Instead, fear God. Verse 28, Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
[21:08] Amen. Fear God rather than man. Now, back in Daniel, you know what? You're in, look at Hebrews.
[21:19] Let's go to one more verse in a minute here. Hebrews 12. Maybe we'll get a few more verses before we go back to Daniel.
[21:31] Let's get Peter 2. Let me find that. 1 Peter. Often, in the case of doing right, it comes at a cost.
[21:46] And here's something I want each one of you to take home tonight and to consider to mold this over is that you individually, not this church corporately, not your family, but you individually determine your limitation for doing right.
[22:05] These men back here, they said there's no boundaries. All the way to death. What's the worst you can do? You can throw us in a fire. That's fine with us because we are not giving in.
[22:16] We're going to do right all the way to that. But you personally decide what your limitations are, how long you'll do right. You'll do right until it reaches a point, until you get put on the spot maybe, or until you get reproached, or until you get mocked.
[22:36] And Christians today are just, that's, they're so thin like that. They're so weak spiritually that they'll just give in. They'll just bail on what they know is right because there's some, just a hint of resistance.
[22:50] Nobody's been threatened with fire. Now, I wanted to show you this verse in Hebrews 12. I don't know if I told you chapter 12. Look at verse number 4. 12, 4.
[23:04] Doing right has never costed you any physical harm yet.
[23:17] So, why is it that it's so hard to take a stand and do what's right? No one's ever thrown you into a fire.
[23:29] No one's ever imprisoned you because you did what God told you to do. You've never been physically harmed. You've never bled. You know, if you're in Hebrews, look back at chapter 11.
[23:42] Some people have. Look at verse number 35, 36. Others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings.
[23:54] Yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned. They were sawn asunder. Were tempted. Were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins being destitute, afflicted, tormented.
[24:09] You've not yet resisted unto blood. You haven't been kicked out of your homes. You haven't had to run and try to survive up in the mountains way back in there because you're trying to do right.
[24:22] because the king's coming after you to throw you in jail. That's never happened to you. Peter wrote in, it's in 1 Peter 4, verse number 1, for as much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.
[24:48] For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin. But he that won't suffer in the flesh gives in to sin. He gives in.
[25:00] All of us have our limitations. We've all in some way drawn a line and said, I'll do what God says up to this point until somebody else in my family knows about it, then I'll start hiding.
[25:16] Then I'll stop letting it be known. These men back in Daniel chapter 3, they are our examples of having no limitations, willing to give their lives, but not willing, never willing to give in and sin against God.
[25:34] So what's your limit? You walk with God as long as nobody in your family knows or as long as nobody makes a big stink about it? Will you read your Bible at work as long as nobody sees you or as long as nobody makes fun of you or talks to you about it or picks on you or puts notes at your workstation or will you tell somebody about Christ?
[25:58] Will you tell them more than once? Where does it stop for you doing right? Is it when you get kicked back? Look at 1 Peter 4.
[26:14] I wonder if anybody in this room has ever caught any flack for doing right. And if so, does it make you want to back off? Or does it make you rejoice that you're doing what God wants you to do and the world is not receiving you?
[26:31] Go figure. Shocker. 1 Peter 4, look at verse 12. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
[26:54] If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, quit. No, rejoice, happy are ye for the spirit of, this is what Jesus Christ did for you.
[27:09] The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. On their part he's evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. This is why you need a Bible because you feel the pressure and they're speaking evil against him and you think, what's to use?
[27:27] This is terrible. I'm just such a pathetic, there's nobody cares about me. I'm trying to do right. And God said, no, while they're mocking you and mocking him, he's being glorified that you're taking a stand for him.
[27:41] Their Bible tells you that it lifts you up and says, I'll keep standing for you, Lord. I'll not give in when the music plays. Verse 16, if any man suffer as a, I'm sorry, verse 15, but let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evildoer or as a busy bother in other men's matters.
[27:59] Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed. Let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf.
[28:11] That's an opportunity for you to glorify God when you get some pushback, when the world doesn't agree or go along, when they take a hold of you and drag you to the burning, fiery furnace and say, you're going in or I'll give you one more chance.
[28:29] It's an opportunity to glorify God. So their choice to do right had no limitations. What's your limitations?
[28:40] Where do you draw the line? Do you draw the line? I know, you know, we're the same, we're all in the same land. We haven't been, we haven't resisted unto blood. But I wonder, what is my limitations?
[28:54] That's a true thing in my heart and mind. What are my limitations for my obedience to Christ? Because I've never been tested with the big ones. But I've failed on the small ones.
[29:08] And that makes me nervous. I want to show you something else in Daniel 3. And let's go back there to the end of the chapter now. And they, I'm banking on you knowing the story, how they get tossed in and the Lord shows up and they're not harmed at all.
[29:28] And they come out and the king has something to say about it. In verse 28, Nebuchadnezzar spake and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel and delivered his servants that trusted in him and have changed the king's word and yielded their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any God except their own God.
[29:57] Therefore, I make a decree that every people, nation, and language would speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a dunghill because there's no other God that can deliver after this sort.
[30:14] And the king promoted all three of them. Now the king's just making threats left and right. Worship my image or you're dead. Say anything against their God and now you're dead if we do that.
[30:27] He just is fickle like that. It's interesting. You see this, this sovereign, the ability of a sovereign. But two things I want to point out is that their choice to do right was recorded and it was rewarded.
[30:44] It was recorded that the king speak. It's recorded in Daniel 3 so there's that. But the king makes a decree and looking elsewhere in this book where a king makes a decree he signs it.
[30:56] And so I'm banking that this thing was written down. What these men did and their God it got recorded and even if he didn't it was recorded in Daniel chapter 3 that they did right.
[31:10] And don't you know that God doesn't miss anything when you do right. When you make a decision when the music plays and I want to I'm not going to give in because I don't want to let God down and I know what's right to do so that's where I want to be.
[31:25] When you do right it gets recorded and one day it will be rewarded what you do for God. When Jesus Christ sent his disciples out he promised them that those things that they forsook for him in the future they'd receive a hundredfold.
[31:44] So don't you think for a minute that God isn't going to take care of you when you take a stand for him and do what's right. Don't you think for a minute he won't reward you.
[31:54] Don't doubt it for a second. He'll reward every choice you make to do right because he's watching and he's recording and he's intent upon rewarding faithful children.
[32:06] I don't think I really need to say much more about that. That's pretty obvious stuff but let's do I want to close with one more thought. Come back to Daniel chapter 1 and just conclude this here because what we're reading here is one of the the big ones.
[32:23] It's the biggest thing ever recorded about these three men in their life. Their entire lives pass and we know we know two things about him. One is in Daniel 1 one is in Daniel 3.
[32:35] We're reading about a monumental moment and the monumental moments those decisions to stand for God at the risk of peril of my life I'm going to do what's right.
[32:47] That one man we applaud that one and that stands above anything else and rarely do we recognize the small decisions. What I mean by that is the reoccurring daily decisions to do right in the sight of God to put down the flesh to resist the devil because those ones count too.
[33:09] The little ones the everyday ones the next day the next day the next day not every time is it a big fanfare in public and the music plays in a grand way sometimes it's just one day after another of putting yourself down to do right.
[33:28] In Daniel chapter 1 these guys have conditioned themselves to obey the word of God because they've already been doing it.
[33:39] In this passage in verse 5 the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat and of the wine which he drank. But that's not something that these Hebrew men can partake of.
[33:51] The portion of the king's meat and wine that's something they had to lay off of. Verse 8 says Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the what do you mean defile yourself?
[34:03] Well the meat and the wine was something whatever it was exactly was something that was against the law of Moses. It was unclean to these Hebrews. They decided I'm not in Jerusalem I'm not in Judea I'm not anywhere around the temple of God no matter where I am I'm going to obey the word of God and what I know to do is right I'm going to do and this is wrong so it says at the end of the verse he requested to the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
[34:35] And so Daniel and those three they're mentioned in verse 11 proved themselves ten days with pulse to eat and water to drink and the Lord blessed it and then it went on for days and they stood before the king and they were ten times better than everybody else and the thing says three years back in back in verse 5 nourishing them three years three years they decided we will not defile ourselves one day next day next day pulse and water brother next day next day every day every day of their life they determined they're not going to do what's wrong every single day the point I'm getting to is that doing right can be patterned and it can be predicted because those small choices those daily everyday patterns of doing right will build up and condition your heart and spirit when the big ones come it's a whole lot easier because you've conditioned yourself to do what the word of God says the odds may be stacked against you even bigger the wages may be higher it may be a burning fiery furnace but they're not going to give in to that one either because they've conditioned themselves on their daily walk that they're going to do what's right
[36:05] I hope that you'll make that your goal for the rest of today it's 730 at night I hope you'll make it your goal that I'm going to do right and you wake up tomorrow morning God I just want to do right today whatever situation I face I want to do what's right how simple is that Christian it's easy or is it it's profound it's deep it's just but it's just do right do right in the sight of God do right in my relationship with God what I know to do do it in my relationship with others in my relationship toward the lost in my temptations to sin do right so tonight let's allow the testimony and the example of these three men motivate you to have your own story of resisting and standing and doing right let's pray
[37:18] Lord this is a such a an old story to us and yet it's it applies in the very moment that we stand and live Lord I pray that tonight you would have challenged our hearts and that you'll that we'll take this with us as we go and that going forward that we'll we'll have more resolve in us and understand the gravity of each decision Lord whether the music plays in public or in private help each one here to do right give us the courage and the strength and the inner man to do what's right and to be pleasing to you and strengthen us in our relationship with you individually privately help us to be strong Christians may this church be made up of strong Christians strengthen our families because we're strong
[38:22] Christians strengthen us in our workplace strengthen us and our relationships with family and others because we're strong God help us to do right we need your help we need your spirit we need you to remind us we need you to to stand by us we need you to give us boldness and I pray that you'll do that for each one Lord give us victories today and tomorrow that we can rejoice in give us little victories that we can get confidence in may each one grow closer to you and look back and smile on their Christian life because they made choices to do right throughout their day I want to thank you for the time tonight thank you for getting us here safely please be with the events later on this week with the funeral and pray that your hand would be there to comfort these believers and give hope to their family and to those that are lost that they might understand their need and understand they need
[39:29] Christ and eternity is waiting for them to help us to be faithful in lifting up our brother and sister as they're in pain and hurting we pray for this in Jesus name amen amen amen you are dismissed