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[0:00] The King of the King Talking about three faithful men.

[0:10] Daniel chapter 3 from verse 1. Genezra built this huge image.

[0:34] It was an image built for his own self-glory. He didn't have any self-esteem problems, did he? Here was this image, this great huge image.

[0:45] Some 90 foot high was the size of it. It was massive. A golden image. It was impressive. It could be seen for miles around, across the plain of Jura.

[0:56] As it stood there, glistening in the sunshine, you could picture it. What a huge, impressive sight it was. And he sets it up in the plain of Jura, in the province of Babylon.

[1:09] Verse 2. Then Nebuchadnezzar the King sent to gather together the princes, the governors and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the King had set up.

[1:28] Then the princes, the governors and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces were gathered together unto the dedication of this image that Nebuchadnezzar the King had set up.

[1:44] And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Anybody who was anybody was there.

[1:54] All the leaders were there for this official occasion, this great spectacle, this massive event. The governors, the officials, all of the people of repute and honour.

[2:11] Nebuchadnezzar wanted everybody there who could be there. All of his political leaders from across his empire. From all over Babylon they came.

[2:23] They came, they flocked there to worship. Thousands gathered. Thousands gathered. This was a massive event. This was the biggest day in the history of Babylon, you could put it.

[2:38] And it was party mode. You know, they had everything just so. Everything was laid out and laid on for this massive event.

[2:48] And verse 4 we read on.

[3:18] And worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning, fiery furnace. Nebuchadnezzar's religion had a jazzy tune.

[3:31] He had a full orchestra. Every kind of musical instrument was there. And now it was the time for the rock band to strike the tune for the call to worship.

[3:44] You know, they'd been practising, you can imagine. They had it down pat. It was just the perfect sound. The best that humankind could manufacture for this big worship event.

[4:01] And as they stood there before the golden image, the musicians, the priests and the people. What a stirring religious experience it was.

[4:12] The people's emotions were stirred. You can imagine the atmosphere of this special moment. And the masses were drawn to this spectacle. Drawn there as if by a powerful magnet.

[4:22] There was this enormous mob conformity. You can imagine that it would have been perhaps like a Nazi rally of that era.

[4:33] You know, where it was just multitudes there with banners. And the spectacle of it, the music of it, the moment, the emotional atmosphere of it was palpable.

[4:44] The excitement of this huge event. This once in a lifetime event of the city and kingdom of Babylon. And the people would bow down to this false god.

[4:56] And swear loyal allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar and to his kingdom. It goes on, Daniel 3 verse 7. You know, they didn't have much choice really, did they?

[5:27] It was bow or burn. And the multitude bowed. They bowed as if one man falling before this idol. Showing their allegiance to the idol, the king, Nebuchadnezzar and his golden image.

[5:43] It was as if they brodled in the dirt. As they worshipped a man. And a golden, lifeless image. What a spectacle it was. You know, it was ridiculous really.

[5:54] To bow before such a golden image. As much as it might have been, you know, beautifully crafted. And sculpted. And glistening. With such a glow of the golden covering that was upon this image.

[6:08] And so the orchestra began to play. The band struck up. This awesome sound. And this catchy tune. Meant that everyone across the plain of Jura.

[6:20] Was to bow down and to worship the image. If anyone refused, they would be thrown into the burning, fiery furnace. So right across this wide area, the people all bowed down to the image.

[6:35] There's a lot of people around us today who are just like the crowd on the plain of Jura.

[6:48] They're just like the people in that place. They just go along with the crowd. There's a lot of people like that today. A lot of professing Christians like that today.

[6:59] They just go along with the crowd. Just follow what's popular. What's the in thing to do. And they bowed down to an idol.

[7:14] And friends, today we could also say that idols are not confined to the plain of Jura. Idols are all around about us today.

[7:25] In Australia. In our nation. In our lives. Australian idols. Some people will make idols of possessions.

[7:37] Idols of popularity. Idols of other people. Idols of pleasures. There's so many kinds of idols today. Not just idols of gold or other materials.

[7:50] Many are just like the people. Upon the plain of Jura. Going along with the crowd. Bowing down to an idol.

[8:02] And yet in our time. People are desensitised. They think. Well idols are just off in some eastern religion kind of country. Or in pagan places and cultures.

[8:16] But no. We've got idols in pagan Australia. That's right. You may not have a little Buddha sitting on your desk or in your garden. But friends.

[8:28] There's idols. There's idols. And we need to be sensitive to that. Not desensitised. But aware of that. Everyone else is doing it.

[8:41] That's the catch cry today. Isn't it? So why not just go ahead and bow down. Just cave in to peer pressure. That's what the people did on the plain of Jura.

[8:53] It was the easy thing to do. It was the accepted thing to do. It was the expected thing to do. Just cave in to peer pressure. Brothers and sisters.

[9:04] Young people. And not just young people. Some of us old people. Have got peer pressure. Haven't we? We've got peer pressure. And the people we rub shoulders with. In our day by day.

[9:14] Everyday lives. The culture that we live in. Is intrinsically full of peer pressure. Just conform. Just go with the flow.

[9:27] So we go back to our story. Following on from verse 8 now. Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near. And accused the Jews. They spake and said to the king.

[9:39] Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree. That every man. That shall hear the sound of the cornet. Flute. Hark.

[9:50] Sacrote. Psaltery. And dulcimer. And all kinds of music. Shall fall down and worship. The golden image. And whoso falleth not down. And worshippeth.

[10:00] That he. Should be cast into the midst of. A burning. Firing. Furnace. There are certain Jews. Whom thou hast set. Over the affairs of the province of Babylon.

[10:12] Shadrach. Meshach. And Abednego. These men, O king. Have not regarded thee. They serve not thy gods. Nor worship the golden image.

[10:23] Which thou hast set up. Shadrach. Meshach. And Abednego. These men. They serve not thy gods. Nor worship the golden image.

[10:34] Three faithful men. Three faithful men. Young men. Three faithful men. Committed to standing true. Their nation had been defeated.

[10:48] Their capital had been ransacked. Their temple was in ruins. The articles of religious worship had been taken and used in pagan temples.

[10:58] And their god had been mocked. Yet. Yet. In the face of this overwhelming adversity. Three faithful men. Would not bow.

[11:09] To a lifeless image. No matter how large. No matter how beautiful. No matter how popular it was. No matter how impressive. Or how expensive. Or how awesome it was.

[11:23] They were not bound. To worship a man. Not even mighty. Nebuchadnezzar. They had not forgotten. The first two commandments.

[11:34] Thou shalt have no other gods. Before me. And. Thou shalt not. Make unto thee. Any graven.

[11:46] Image. Or any likeness of anything. That is in heaven above. Or that is in the earth beneath. Thou shalt not bow down to them. Nor serve them.

[11:58] That's Exodus 20. These three faithful men. Were committed. To living. Under. Biblical. Authority. As I say.

[12:09] Their nation. Was in distress. Yet. They trusted. And obeyed God's word. Thou shalt not bow down. Thou shalt not have any other gods.

[12:20] They. Stood fast. They held fast. Living under biblical. Authority. What mattered to them.

[12:31] Was. To live. And to please God. That's what mattered. And it should matter to us. Amen. It should matter to us. How to live. And to please God.

[12:43] Nebuchadnezzar was not impressed. This put a bit of a dampener. On his big day. No. It was raining on his parade. As it were. As the saying goes. Verse 13. Then Nebuchadnezzar.

[12:55] In his rage and fury. Commanded to bring. Shadrach. Meshach. And Abednego. Then they brought these men. Before the king. And Nebuchadnezzar spake.

[13:05] And said unto them. Is it true? O Shadrach. Meshach. And Abednego. Do not ye serve my gods.

[13:16] Nor worship the golden image. Which I have set up. Can you imagine the fury. The rage. In his voice. You know.

[13:28] He was livid. How dare they. Nebuchadnezzar looked at them. In the eye. And asked. Is it true?

[13:38] That is a good question. For us today. A question we ought to ask ourselves. Is it true? The world sees so many of us.

[13:51] On church on Sundays. Then bowing down. On the plain of Jura. On Monday. As Christians. We have objective. Absolute truth.

[14:04] And the world like Nebuchadnezzar. Wants to know. Is it true? Is it true? Do you really believe? Are you really?

[14:15] True? Fair dinkum. Are you really? Genuine here? Is this true? Or is it true? Or is it just something you say you believe?

[14:26] And when you get out there on the plain of Jura, when you're amongst everybody else, when you just fit in with the crowd and just follow along, no different from all the rest around about.

[14:40] Is it true? Verse 15. Now if you'd be ready that at what time you hear the sound of the corner, flute, harp, sacrament, psaltery and dulcimer and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the image which I have made well.

[14:58] But if you worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning, fiery furnace. And who is that God who shall deliver you through out of my hands?

[15:13] The king gave them a lifeline here. Another chance. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, they could have rationalised their decision. You know, maybe they could have compromised, found a bit of workaround.

[15:25] They could have weakened here. They could have given ground, found a way around. They could have argued that they could have just gone along, gone along and gone along with the crowd. Just make the king happy.

[15:37] You know, just give him his token obedience. Just keep him happy and not make waves. You know, just do what's pragmatic.

[15:54] They could have said, when in Babylon, just do what the Babylonians do. That's what they could have said. Their faith faced a big test.

[16:06] And the king was giving them another chance. It was a lifeline he was throwing them. Look, you've got another chance, boys. Just bow down. Come on. Just go with the flow.

[16:17] Just fit in. With the world and its ways, with what I want. It would have been the easy way out, just to obey the king. It must have been a tempting offer.

[16:30] Yet, they stood firm. They were not banned. They responded with courage because their lives were governed by the word of God. And they drew the line there.

[16:42] When the Bible says, worship no other god, they knew there was no choice. They couldn't bow down. So they respectfully answered the king.

[16:52] Verse 16. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we're 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.

[17:08] 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.

[17:24] Now, sometimes it's okay to disobey. We ought to obey God rather than men. There's no beating around the bush on that one, is there?

[17:36] Obey God rather than men. That was the choice they had. And they had the courage to stand for what was right. And they let Nebuchadnezzar know what was right and what was wrong.

[17:48] And some things are non-negotiable. There's no in-between here. It's a tragic thing yet today that many who won't bow down to peer pressure will bend to fear pressure.

[18:12] Someone put it this way. Some of this is copy thoughts. Some won't bow down to the peer pressure of the plain of Jura but they will bend to the fear pressure.

[18:27] When they're faced with a challenge that is in your face. Standing up before this serious challenge as they get before the king. Yet they stood. They stood. They stood in faith.

[18:38] Their confession of faith was this. God is able. Their faith was a powerful testimony to the ability of God. Now, friends, consider this. Our God is able.

[18:49] That was the confession of their faith. And whatever our need today, whatever your need today, He is able. He is able. In Ephesians 3 we read Unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

[19:10] They had that same confidence in His power working in them. He is able to do more than we ask and more than we think. Our God is able.

[19:21] Do we need grace? God is able to make all grace abound towards you. 2 Corinthians 9 Able to make all grace abound towards you. Do we need to overcome temptation?

[19:35] In that He Himself hath suffered being tempted. He is able to succor or help them that are tempted. Hebrews 2 Do we need salvation?

[19:46] Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him seeing He liveth to make intercession for them. He ever liveth to make intercession for them.

[19:57] Hebrews 7 We need salvation. He is able to save. And furthermore as Paul said there's security. He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.

[20:13] 2 Timothy 1 Do we need strength? Now unto Him that He's able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.

[20:24] So He's able to give us grace. He's able to help us. He's able to save. He's able to keep and He's able to keep us from falling. 3 faithful men they said our God is able.

[20:38] We can have that same confession of faith today. And they submitted to God's sovereignty in the situation. They said if He choose not in His own good will we're going to bow to His will anyway.

[20:52] But if not again we read if it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us. But if not be it known we will not serve thy gods.

[21:04] So the band began to play. This was the tune that everybody knew what the step was for this tune. It wasn't a dance move. It was falling on your face before the idol.

[21:15] And everybody bowed down. That was the done thing to do. That was what was expected. Everybody out there on the plain of Dura bowed down except three faithful men.

[21:27] Three young men stood up and they said our God whom we serve we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

[21:38] Notice this it says they said our God our God whom we serve and we will not bow down. They stood together and friends that's the beauty of fellowship.

[21:52] That's the beauty where men and women of faith get together in fellowship in godly fellowship. They can stand alongside brother can link on with brother and sister with sister and we can say our God.

[22:06] God and that was their confession of godly fellowship. And here's also our God. They were going through this together. They were standing together in the plain of Dura before the king and eventually in the fiery furnace.

[22:22] They went in together. And what a joy it is to know brothers and sisters who love our same Lord and serve him. And some of us may be able to say our God but can we complete the phrase whom we serve?

[22:38] Our God whom we serve. Let's be certain to give ourselves in his service to serve him who alone is worthy of our service.

[22:55] So we sometimes wonder how easy it can be to give in to fear pressure or peer pressure. But it is our God whom we serve that is able to deliver us.

[23:07] And brothers and sisters today we consider these things that if we were in that time, in that space, if we were on that plain of Dura, would we have just followed along with the crowd?

[23:20] Or would our lives have been governed by the word of God, by the inner principle? Or would it be the ounce of pressure that made us conform? three faithful men.

[23:33] They learned to do what was right and true. And they stood with conviction. It's been said there's a lot of opinions in the church today, but not as many convictions.

[23:45] Opinion is based on what we think. Conviction is based upon what God says. There's that conviction that faith provokes.

[23:55] verse 19, then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury. He was even more enraged and the form of his visage was changed.

[24:06] Ever seen people get so annoyed? They look like they got a steam coming out of their ears or they look like they got a burst of blood vessel. This verse is the form of his visage.

[24:17] His face was so changed here. Against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Therefore he spake and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was once to be heated.

[24:31] Seven times hotter. And they turned up the heat. And the king was beside himself in anger. He was boiling mad. Furious.

[24:42] And you could put yourself in his shoes. These were these three young men. Men with promise. Men with potential. Men that he brought from the nation of Israel.

[24:52] as captives possibly some twenty years before that. And he'd given them Babylonian names. He'd educated them. They'd been through the schools of learning of the land.

[25:04] He'd appointed them to high positions in his government. They had it all. Power, prestige, and wealth. Had they, after all this time, refused to abandon their god for his gods, would they not worship the king and the golden image.

[25:25] There's times when there's decisions that confronts us, there's challenges that face us. And here was a challenge for these men. This was not one to dilly-dally over, and hum and ha over, and chop and change and think some way to get around it, to pray over the issue even, or to seek godly counsel, or to meditate before making a decision.

[25:49] This was clear-cut. There was no other choice for these men. And sometimes there's so things that are so crystal clear, biblical principles, that it's a clear-cut decision.

[26:02] And this was one of those moments. There was no need for delay. Action was called for. They had to stand. The glory of God was at stake here.

[26:15] And so there was no need for time to reflect over the decision. They just continued to stand. And so they showed utter dedication despite the fear pressure, despite the peer pressure.

[26:29] Why? Because they were controlled by the word of God. They were controlled by faith and responding with courage. Now we can be controlled by the word or controlled by the world.

[26:42] It's a choice, isn't it? Encouraged, we trust God. And they were in for the test of their faith. When the great multitude bowed down, who would have noticed whether they just joined along?

[27:00] But they didn't choose that easy road. And so we see these faithful men. It's interesting that they did not even ask God to deliver them.

[27:12] They simply threw themselves upon him and his will for their lives no matter what. They didn't have some big prayer meeting about them. They knew that they had to stand.

[27:24] They couldn't budge. And verse 20, And he commanded, Nebuchadnezzar commanded, the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

[27:37] His best man, his most mighty man. Verse 21, these men, this is Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they were bound in their coats, their hosen, their hats, and their other garments, so they were all wrapped up and they were cast into this burning fiery furnace.

[27:54] All they had in the fiery furnace was the promise of God. They could have been standing on a verse like Isaiah 43, verse 2, when they walk us through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

[28:12] There's a promise there, they could have perhaps thought of a scripture such as that. Verse 22, it goes on, therefore, because the king's commandment was urgent and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

[28:30] So the men who brought these three faithful men to the entrance to the burning fiery furnace, they were just killed over by the fire, were so hot, and killed them.

[28:44] Three faithful men were facing the fire. You know, brothers, sisters, tonight, sometimes through your Christian life you're going to face the fire.

[28:56] You're going to go through the fire. It's not always going to be easy living the Christian life. Malachi 3 verse 3 tells us of God being a refiners fire.

[29:09] He purifies us in the fire. The fire of trials can set us free and purify us. And it's been said the size of the furnace you are in is in relation to the quality of your faith.

[29:26] You know, we think of these brothers and sisters in these persecuted lands. They've got big faith. Big faith. The hotter the furnace, the more the silver and gold will shine that God is producing in your life.

[29:44] Sister, brother, you might be going through some affliction of your body. Maybe it's that fire and God is doing a work in you. It's not always pleasant.

[29:55] It's not always comfortable but God is producing something in your life, out of your life. And the hotter the fire, the greater the work that God is doing in you and through you.

[30:09] It's been said that a silversmith heats the fire and such that the silver will reflect his own image. At that point, the silver is pure and ready for the best use.

[30:24] You know, Julie and I were just watching a video through the week of a man crafting a beautiful item crafted out of glass that was shaped.

[30:35] In that glowing heat as the glass was pulled and tested and pushed and pulled a beautiful shape emerged. And sometimes it's in that heat that God is shaping us.

[30:49] Sometimes it's our own faith faces that fiery furnace. God is working in that difficult situation. through that affliction, through that discomfort, through that bereavement, through that job loss, through those drug challenges, through those challenges with our children, that somehow God is working through those difficult times so he has his way and he brings something beautiful out of the fire.

[31:19] And so our faith will be tested. Don't let it put you off. Let it make you stronger still, ever stronger, ever more stronger and more faithful as these faithful three.

[31:32] Verse 24, then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished. He was astonished. This was shocking. As he rose up in haste he could see something and he spake and he said unto his counsellors, did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?

[31:48] I thought he lost count. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, it's three isn't it? Why is there four there? There's something going wrong in my head here. And they answered and said unto the king, True, O king, and he answered and said, Lo, I see four men, loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the form of the four is like the son of God.

[32:14] The son of God had joined them in the flames. He has promised to you, brother, sister, that I will never leave you nor forsake you.

[32:27] Never leave them nor forsake them. It's personal. We are not alone. He's with us in the furnace. He never breaks his promises, and we know that when we face those fiery furnaces of life, he will always show up.

[32:46] And all the saints of all the ages past can testify the same to those fiery trials of their faith, that the Lord is always present. He was in the fire with them.

[32:59] Verse 26, Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, come forth and come hither.

[33:13] Come out, come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came forth of the midst of the fire. Verse 27, And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was the hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed upon them.

[33:39] They wouldn't bend, they wouldn't bow, and God saw to it they wouldn't burn. Consider the fiery furnaces, of your life. Those experiences of your life, God never promises to keep us out of the burning fiery furnace.

[33:55] He did not keep Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego out. Instead, he got in there with them. And he will get in with you, sister, he will get in with you, into your fiery furnace.

[34:10] Brother, he'll get in to your fiery furnace, and he'll stand there with you. And you can be stronger in the fire. You can come out stronger out of the furnace.

[34:21] Because God is working something for your good. It's interesting, verse 25, we see that their bonds were loosed. The only thing that the fire burns away was that which bound them.

[34:35] That which bound them up was burnt up. it can be that the flames of our own trials and testing can set us free. More free than we've ever been before.

[34:49] Why didn't the Lord spare them from the fire? Why? Because he got more glory in sparing them through the fire. And while we were there, while they were there, they were met by the Lord, and he protected them, and he taught King Nebuchadnezzar a valuable lesson.

[35:11] So the point is that God may let you go through the fire. But, know this, he will go with you.

[35:22] He will be with you. He will be with you. And he will bring you out again. Yes, amen. And the fire works, the fire works for our good and for his glory, for our good and for his glory.

[35:39] Our God is the same God that they called our God. He is our God. And he is the same God who loosed their bonds and walked with them, with them, with them, in the midst of the fire.

[35:54] Verse 28, Nebuchadnezzar spoke 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 hath changed the king's word, and hath their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any God except their own God.

[36:16] 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 the houses shall be made a dunk hill because there is no other God that can deliver after this sword.

[36:37] Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. Friends, the fire did not burn them, but it blessed them. The fire did not restrict them, but it released them.

[36:51] And your faith will be tested. Brother, sister, your faith will be tested. It could be Monday morning. It could be when you get home tonight. Your faith will be tested.

[37:01] What will you do? Will you stand with the faithful man, with his faithful three? Will you stand together? Will you bow or bank with the man who have no character and no integrity?

[37:17] It's about what you're controlled by. What are you controlled by? Are you controlled by the crowd? By the world?

[37:27] Or are you controlled by the word? God's word? God's truth? Is it true? Yes, it is. We can respond with conviction, with courage, as the faithful three.

[37:43] We must maintain our courage, brothers, sisters, no matter what faces us ahead, at the moment it's relatively straightforward, isn't it?

[37:55] But what lies ahead? The world's different now than ten years ago. What's it going to be like ten years down the trail? I read about a young Korean Christian.

[38:08] It was taken by the communists and they were determined to make of this man a public example. And the soldiers commanded that he brought in front of the entire village brought before them into the town square.

[38:22] And a communist soldier led the young Christian to the center of town put a pistol to his head and shouted denounce Jesus Christ and embrace communism or die.

[38:37] The young man looked around at the crowd then he raised his head towards heaven and shouted I believe in Jesus Christ I believe crap he was dead he wouldn't bow Shadrach Meshach and Abednego wouldn't bow what about you what about you brother sister what about you tonight today this week ahead will you bow will you bend or will you stand will you stand with grit with determination with character with courage with conviction when trouble comes when the fiery furnace comes what will you do who will you pledge your allegiance to your loyalty to friends tonight remain faithful remain faithful don't back down don't back off don't bow down instead stand fast when you find yourself in the fiery trials they will surely come

[39:49] God's working God's working in your life he's producing gold quality standard faith and the fiery furnace was there for two good reasons our good and his glory our good and his glory when you face the test will you fit in will you blend in or will you take a stand for God will you notice the idols maybe you've not been so conscious of them before the idols that our nation bows down to will you fall in line with the crowd what are the idols in your life in mine your faith will be tested I urge you tonight to handle the test of your faith and come forth with true character not yielding to outward pressure but standing with an inner principle standing with the word not the world the choice is clear there's really no humming and hawing and sitting on the fence about this one it stand or bow one day every knee shall bow to the

[41:04] Lord Jesus Christ one day every knee shall bow every tongue shall confess him now is the day that you can bow to him not to the idols of this world not to Nebuchadnezzar's image and his self glory but bow stand with him live with conviction and determination as faithful men faithful men faithful women who will not bow down to the idols of this world but will willingly bow down to the only one our Lord and God our Lord and Saviour our precious Lord bow down to him friends tonight to close the choice is clear it still clear and I urge you to join the faithful ones who will not bow down encourage in character stand fast stand firm and stand for what is right is it true yes it is true that's why we love his truth that's why we love him because it is true and

[42:20] I urge you tonight to trust him I have been preaching somewhat largely to Christians here tonight I am not taking it for granted that everyone is a Christian here present right now I urge you one and all trust him trust him come to him!

[42:38] acknowledging his bleeding and dying and rising again from the dead for your sin in your place bearing the penalty for your guilt that you can know everlasting life as you trust him as you make a substitute of your sin for his righteousness as you transfer your guilt and receive his gift there's a wonderful transformation a conversion that can happen by faith and I trust you'll trust him now trust him now seek prayer from someone here gathered if you can make it settle it with God tonight don't leave it unsettled tonight let us pray heavenly father we pray help us lord in these days where compromise prevails where crowd pressure peer pressure and fear pressure will urge us to conform and to cave in help us lord not to do that but to stand firm help these young men and women in their school places and work places these older men and women in their home places and their lives the people they come into contact with that they will not bow down to the worldly pressure but they will stand fast they'll stand for what is right and what is true and they'll stand with that assurance that you stand with them and that you are able to save to the uttermost those who come unto

[44:10] God by you Lord Jesus and you are the one who is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before the presence of your glory with exceeding joy we give you praise Lord God and acknowledge you tonight go with us Lord as we tread this earthly journey as you give us time and breath and space to help us to tread wisely for your praise and glory we pray!

[44:41]  God