WEBVTT

00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:02.080
 This morning, if you have your Bible,

00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:04.780
 turn with me to the book of Daniel, chapter three,

00:00:05.700 --> 00:00:07.820
 and we're gonna look at a few verses,

00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:09.120
 beginning in verse 13,

00:00:09.259 --> 00:00:11.279
 we're gonna read verses 13 to 18,

00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:14.040
 and then we're gonna focus just on three verses,

00:00:14.280 --> 00:00:18.600
 verses 16, 17, and 18, in just a few moments.

00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:21.839
 And I wanna preach, as the theme of the morning is today,

00:00:21.940 --> 00:00:26.600
 this entire day, about committed, being committed.

00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:30.960
 I hope you recognize, I'm sure you do,

00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:33.960
 there is a big, big difference

00:00:33.960 --> 00:00:37.179
 in saying that you're committed to something,

00:00:37.560 --> 00:00:38.740
 we call that profession,

00:00:39.500 --> 00:00:42.820
 and actually being committed to something, right?

00:00:43.380 --> 00:00:46.780
 There's a huge difference in what I say sometimes

00:00:46.780 --> 00:00:51.760
 and what we sometimes see acted out in life.

00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:54.620
 I can't tell you how many times as a pastor

00:00:54.619 --> 00:00:56.939
 I've stood at a wedding altar

00:00:56.939 --> 00:00:59.140
 and gone through vows with folk

00:00:59.140 --> 00:01:01.780
 and heard them, sometimes they request

00:01:01.780 --> 00:01:02.879
 to do their own vows,

00:01:03.420 --> 00:01:05.560
 and they read these lofty statements

00:01:05.560 --> 00:01:07.000
 or have them memorized

00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:09.599
 about how they're gonna be soulmates forever,

00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:12.560
 and they're gonna always share everything,

00:01:12.900 --> 00:01:14.060
 and they're gonna be trustworthy.

00:01:14.819 --> 00:01:16.319
 And of course, the traditional vows,

00:01:16.379 --> 00:01:17.420
 you know how that goes,

00:01:17.479 --> 00:01:19.739
 about in sickness and in death,

00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:21.560
 in joy and in sorrow,

00:01:21.659 --> 00:01:23.200
 and prosperity and adversity.

00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:25.820
 And we make these promises and say,

00:01:26.019 --> 00:01:28.439
 man, you are the one for life.

00:01:29.260 --> 00:01:30.159
 And believe it or not,

00:01:30.240 --> 00:01:32.520
 I've seen some of those contracts ended

00:01:32.520 --> 00:01:35.859
 literally in seven weeks.

00:01:36.920 --> 00:01:39.579
 I've seen many of them fall by the wayside

00:01:39.579 --> 00:01:40.939
 in less than five years.

00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:44.159
 And sadly, many, many of them,

00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:47.340
 by the time they reach 10 years or 20 years,

00:01:48.180 --> 00:01:49.219
 they've just said, you know,

00:01:49.340 --> 00:01:50.500
 we're gonna have to call it quits,

00:01:50.500 --> 00:01:52.200
 and we're gonna go our way.

00:01:53.099 --> 00:01:54.819
 And I don't mean this to put guilt

00:01:54.819 --> 00:01:57.000
 on anyone here who might be in this category.

00:01:57.140 --> 00:01:58.340
 I don't say it for that reason.

00:01:58.960 --> 00:02:01.400
 But I've even seen folk at times

00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:03.040
 make that commitment not once,

00:02:03.140 --> 00:02:04.960
 but twice and three and four,

00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:07.280
 and as many as five times.

00:02:07.700 --> 00:02:10.240
 I've known folk who've just been married

00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:11.620
 innumerable times,

00:02:11.740 --> 00:02:13.199
 and they make that same promise.

00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:16.199
 And sometimes the ending of those marriages

00:02:16.199 --> 00:02:18.439
 really and truly wasn't their fault.

00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:20.579
 But it's pretty obvious

00:02:20.579 --> 00:02:24.419
 that we don't take seriously sometimes

00:02:24.419 --> 00:02:27.739
 the commitment that we make with our mouths.

00:02:27.799 --> 00:02:28.359
 Isn't that right?

00:02:29.119 --> 00:02:30.699
 Those of you who are football fans

00:02:30.699 --> 00:02:31.659
 know that every year,

00:02:31.899 --> 00:02:34.039
 guys, toward the end of the school year,

00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:36.519
 they begin to make commitments to universities,

00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:37.859
 to Clemson, to Furman,

00:02:38.299 --> 00:02:41.399
 to South Carolina or Alabama or whatever school.

00:02:41.400 --> 00:02:44.640
 And then once the season gets underway

00:02:44.640 --> 00:02:45.800
 or is about to get underway,

00:02:45.960 --> 00:02:46.960
 they're about to go to college,

00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:50.180
 they seemingly have a change of mind and heart,

00:02:50.340 --> 00:02:51.460
 and they break those commitments

00:02:51.460 --> 00:02:53.340
 and end up playing somewhere else.

00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:54.819
 Or they go that first year,

00:02:55.200 --> 00:02:56.580
 and they discover they're not gonna be

00:02:56.580 --> 00:02:57.980
 on the field that first season,

00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:00.020
 and so they back away,

00:03:00.180 --> 00:03:02.599
 and they sign with another school

00:03:02.599 --> 00:03:05.819
 after they have met the requirement,

00:03:05.939 --> 00:03:06.520
 the NCAA.

00:03:07.080 --> 00:03:10.000
 They recommit to another school.

00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:11.360
 And of course,

00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:13.860
 we've seen it in church as well, right?

00:03:14.819 --> 00:03:18.620
 When I first started pastoring back in 1977,

00:03:18.620 --> 00:03:21.979
 if you were someone who was committed to the church,

00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:23.500
 you know the word we used then?

00:03:23.580 --> 00:03:25.039
 We don't hear much about this word anymore.

00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:26.680
 We called it faithful.

00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:28.219
 We would say,

00:03:28.420 --> 00:03:30.879
 that person is a faithful church member.

00:03:31.379 --> 00:03:31.979
 And of course,

00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:35.620
 there was a slogan that went along with that,

00:03:35.620 --> 00:03:38.300
 and most of you in here who are my age

00:03:38.300 --> 00:03:39.500
 or a little bit younger even,

00:03:39.920 --> 00:03:41.580
 you know that expression.

00:03:41.879 --> 00:03:43.140
 We used to say about those people,

00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:44.480
 they're here when?

00:03:45.500 --> 00:03:47.400
 Every time the doors are open, right?

00:03:47.460 --> 00:03:49.480
 That's what it required to be faithful.

00:03:49.580 --> 00:03:50.539
 You were there Sunday morning,

00:03:50.680 --> 00:03:52.439
 and those are the days we had Sunday night

00:03:52.439 --> 00:03:53.240
 and Wednesday night

00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:55.340
 and Tuesday or Thursday night visitation,

00:03:55.420 --> 00:03:58.060
 or they engaged in other ministries of the church,

00:03:58.060 --> 00:03:58.539
 and we said,

00:03:58.900 --> 00:04:01.860
 those are the faithful few, right?

00:04:02.620 --> 00:04:05.159
 Well, about 20 years ago,

00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:07.640
 I began to recognize that the definition,

00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:09.460
 practically speaking,

00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:11.939
 for faithful had changed.

00:04:12.340 --> 00:04:15.060
 This is long before I left the pastorate

00:04:15.060 --> 00:04:16.199
 on a full-time basis.

00:04:16.779 --> 00:04:17.639
 And I began to notice,

00:04:17.740 --> 00:04:19.540
 and I heard ministers say,

00:04:20.259 --> 00:04:22.139
 and even heard it from the mouths of members,

00:04:22.860 --> 00:04:24.100
 that really and truly,

00:04:24.199 --> 00:04:25.720
 if you showed up once or twice a month,

00:04:25.720 --> 00:04:27.960
 you could be considered faithful

00:04:27.960 --> 00:04:29.560
 because you were maintaining

00:04:29.560 --> 00:04:33.160
 some type of tie with the church, right?

00:04:33.960 --> 00:04:35.520
 I want to show you a picture this morning.

00:04:35.660 --> 00:04:37.420
 When you see this picture in scripture,

00:04:37.900 --> 00:04:39.100
 you're going to go away saying,

00:04:39.220 --> 00:04:42.060
 man, that is what committed is all about.

00:04:42.180 --> 00:04:43.660
 There won't be any argument about,

00:04:44.280 --> 00:04:46.340
 well, these guys were faithful,

00:04:46.500 --> 00:04:47.560
 and they were committed

00:04:47.560 --> 00:04:50.340
 in their relationship with God.

00:04:50.580 --> 00:04:51.640
 Let me set the stage

00:04:51.640 --> 00:04:53.120
 before I read the passage.

00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:56.800
 It's the year 586 B.C.

00:04:57.319 --> 00:04:59.639
 shortly thereafter, okay?

00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:01.920
 Nebuchadnezzar has marched

00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:04.100
 into the city of Jerusalem in Judah

00:05:04.100 --> 00:05:08.300
 for the third and last final time.

00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:12.100
 Before he's left devastation in his path,

00:05:12.740 --> 00:05:13.800
 but this time,

00:05:14.139 --> 00:05:17.379
 he utterly destroys Jerusalem.

00:05:17.980 --> 00:05:20.420
 The walls that have protected the city,

00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:21.879
 they're torn down.

00:05:21.879 --> 00:05:25.439
 They'll stay that way for 70 years.

00:05:26.500 --> 00:05:27.939
 The scripture tells us

00:05:27.939 --> 00:05:31.680
 that he killed literally thousands of folk.

00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:35.019
 He ransacks the temple,

00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:37.420
 desecrates the temple.

00:05:38.120 --> 00:05:39.279
 His soldiers go in

00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:42.019
 and take out the golden and silver vessels.

00:05:42.980 --> 00:05:44.459
 They spit literally

00:05:44.459 --> 00:05:46.500
 on the religious life

00:05:46.500 --> 00:05:48.420
 of the land of Judah.

00:05:48.420 --> 00:05:50.720
 He leaves nothing behind

00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:51.540
 but the crippled,

00:05:51.660 --> 00:05:52.160
 the maimed,

00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:52.920
 and the elderly.

00:05:53.660 --> 00:05:54.939
 He takes the brightest

00:05:54.939 --> 00:05:56.199
 and the best,

00:05:56.780 --> 00:05:58.420
 and he transports them

00:05:58.420 --> 00:05:59.379
 from Jerusalem

00:05:59.379 --> 00:06:00.960
 back to Babylon.

00:06:01.660 --> 00:06:02.879
 He has plans

00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:04.060
 for these young men.

00:06:04.700 --> 00:06:06.520
 He's going to incorporate them

00:06:06.520 --> 00:06:08.680
 into an administrative program,

00:06:08.840 --> 00:06:11.200
 teach them Babylonian culture,

00:06:11.200 --> 00:06:13.280
 and make them productive citizens

00:06:13.280 --> 00:06:14.520
 of his kingdom.

00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:18.279
 Among those who were enlisted in that program

00:06:18.279 --> 00:06:20.159
 are four names you will recognize,

00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:21.219
 Daniel,

00:06:21.740 --> 00:06:22.339
 Shadrach,

00:06:22.599 --> 00:06:23.259
 Meshach,

00:06:23.859 --> 00:06:24.479
 and Abednego.

00:06:25.539 --> 00:06:25.919
 Well,

00:06:26.120 --> 00:06:27.379
 they make it in this program.

00:06:27.539 --> 00:06:28.719
 They're faring well,

00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:30.900
 and sometime afterward,

00:06:31.060 --> 00:06:31.840
 Nebuchadnezzar,

00:06:32.380 --> 00:06:33.520
 an egomaniac,

00:06:33.620 --> 00:06:34.480
 by all rights,

00:06:35.100 --> 00:06:36.900
 comes up with this idea.

00:06:37.420 --> 00:06:38.700
 He's going to establish

00:06:38.700 --> 00:06:39.840
 a god of gold,

00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:42.040
 place it in the plain of Dura,

00:06:42.260 --> 00:06:43.440
 and at a certain time,

00:06:43.780 --> 00:06:45.300
 music is going to sound,

00:06:45.700 --> 00:06:46.540
 and he demands

00:06:46.540 --> 00:06:48.060
 that all of his subjects

00:06:48.060 --> 00:06:49.720
 bow down and worship

00:06:49.720 --> 00:06:51.280
 this god of gold.

00:06:52.280 --> 00:06:52.700
 Now,

00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:53.660
 obviously,

00:06:53.660 --> 00:06:54.580
 he knows

00:06:54.580 --> 00:06:55.900
 if he's the one

00:06:55.900 --> 00:06:57.620
 who has had the idea

00:06:57.620 --> 00:06:58.500
 of this god,

00:06:58.840 --> 00:06:59.879
 and he's the one

00:06:59.879 --> 00:07:00.860
 who has commissioned

00:07:00.860 --> 00:07:02.100
 the building

00:07:02.100 --> 00:07:03.079
 of this god,

00:07:03.459 --> 00:07:04.600
 and he is the one

00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:05.379
 who has issued

00:07:05.379 --> 00:07:06.100
 the order

00:07:06.100 --> 00:07:07.540
 that all subjects

00:07:07.540 --> 00:07:08.519
 bow and worship

00:07:08.519 --> 00:07:09.680
 this god of gold,

00:07:10.420 --> 00:07:11.560
 the chunk of gold

00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:12.180
 in Dura

00:07:12.180 --> 00:07:13.680
 is not really the god.

00:07:13.780 --> 00:07:14.500
 Who's the god?

00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:16.300
 He's the god,

00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:16.699
 right?

00:07:17.180 --> 00:07:18.480
 It's all about people

00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:19.680
 obeying him

00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:21.579
 and worshiping him

00:07:21.579 --> 00:07:22.740
 and doing what

00:07:22.740 --> 00:07:24.040
 he tells them to do.

00:07:24.899 --> 00:07:25.100
 Well,

00:07:25.139 --> 00:07:26.259
 the Bible tells us

00:07:26.259 --> 00:07:27.920
 that there were some

00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:29.899
 who refused

00:07:29.899 --> 00:07:31.219
 to bow and worship

00:07:31.219 --> 00:07:32.079
 this god of gold,

00:07:32.279 --> 00:07:33.620
 and that's where we pick up

00:07:33.620 --> 00:07:34.459
 our Bible reading

00:07:34.459 --> 00:07:34.939
 this morning.

00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:35.779
 Look with me

00:07:35.779 --> 00:07:37.240
 to Daniel chapter 3,

00:07:37.779 --> 00:07:38.500
 and we're reading

00:07:38.500 --> 00:07:39.539
 from verse 13

00:07:39.539 --> 00:07:40.219
 and following.

00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:42.399
 Then Nebuchadnezzar

00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:44.800
 in furious rage,

00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:46.300
 you know why he's furious?

00:07:47.099 --> 00:07:48.259
 He could not believe

00:07:48.860 --> 00:07:49.539
 that anybody

00:07:49.539 --> 00:07:50.539
 would defy him.

00:07:50.759 --> 00:07:51.039
 Look,

00:07:51.539 --> 00:07:53.279
 he's the most powerful man

00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:54.519
 from the human perspective

00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:56.479
 living on the planet

00:07:56.479 --> 00:07:57.819
 at this moment in time,

00:07:57.959 --> 00:07:59.779
 and he well knows that.

00:08:00.479 --> 00:08:01.339
 He's furious,

00:08:01.779 --> 00:08:02.419
 enraged,

00:08:02.740 --> 00:08:03.439
 and commanded

00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:04.339
 that Shadrach,

00:08:04.459 --> 00:08:04.899
 Meshach,

00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:05.560
 and Abednego

00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:06.359
 be brought.

00:08:07.079 --> 00:08:07.859
 So they brought

00:08:07.859 --> 00:08:08.359
 these men

00:08:08.359 --> 00:08:09.219
 before the king.

00:08:10.579 --> 00:08:11.159
 Nebuchadnezzar

00:08:11.159 --> 00:08:12.259
 answered and said

00:08:12.259 --> 00:08:12.699
 to them,

00:08:13.139 --> 00:08:14.079
 is it true?

00:08:14.159 --> 00:08:15.139
 He can't believe it.

00:08:15.539 --> 00:08:16.319
 Is it true,

00:08:16.459 --> 00:08:17.099
 O Shadrach,

00:08:17.219 --> 00:08:17.659
 Meshach,

00:08:17.659 --> 00:08:18.259
 and Abednego,

00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:19.659
 that you do not

00:08:19.659 --> 00:08:20.639
 serve my gods

00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:21.060
 or worship

00:08:21.060 --> 00:08:21.959
 the golden image

00:08:21.959 --> 00:08:23.699
 that I have set up?

00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:25.399
 Now if you're ready

00:08:25.399 --> 00:08:26.019
 when you hear

00:08:26.019 --> 00:08:27.060
 the sound of the horn,

00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:27.539
 pipe,

00:08:27.719 --> 00:08:27.979
 lyre,

00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:28.680
 trigon,

00:08:28.799 --> 00:08:29.159
 harp,

00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:30.319
 bagpipe,

00:08:30.459 --> 00:08:31.939
 and every kind of music

00:08:31.939 --> 00:08:33.120
 to fall down

00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:33.559
 and worship

00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:34.159
 the image

00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:35.079
 that I have made

00:08:35.079 --> 00:08:37.019
 well and good.

00:08:37.860 --> 00:08:39.199
 But if you do not worship,

00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:40.879
 you shall immediately

00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:41.639
 be cast

00:08:41.639 --> 00:08:42.500
 into a burning,

00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:43.639
 fiery furnace.

00:08:44.220 --> 00:08:45.559
 Listen to this next statement.

00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:48.039
 And who is the God

00:08:48.039 --> 00:08:50.159
 who will deliver you

00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:51.600
 from my hands?

00:08:51.960 --> 00:08:53.639
 Now that's arrogance,

00:08:53.879 --> 00:08:54.259
 isn't it?

00:08:55.720 --> 00:08:57.420
 And who is the God

00:08:57.420 --> 00:08:59.360
 that can deliver you

00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:00.019
 out of my hands?

00:09:00.620 --> 00:09:01.840
 He's not asking

00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:03.820
 because he wants information.

00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:06.580
 That's a rhetorical question

00:09:06.580 --> 00:09:07.440
 of the highest order.

00:09:08.060 --> 00:09:08.940
 In his mind,

00:09:09.320 --> 00:09:11.100
 there's not a God.

00:09:11.639 --> 00:09:12.000
 You see,

00:09:12.340 --> 00:09:13.800
 he's already conquered

00:09:13.800 --> 00:09:15.960
 a lot of neighboring nations.

00:09:16.500 --> 00:09:18.379
 And those nations had God.

00:09:18.379 --> 00:09:20.659
 And those people

00:09:20.659 --> 00:09:22.059
 in those nations

00:09:22.059 --> 00:09:23.539
 appealed to their God.

00:09:24.299 --> 00:09:25.200
 But God wasn't able

00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:25.740
 to help them.

00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:27.039
 In fact,

00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:27.919
 the truth is

00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:28.899
 the people of Judah,

00:09:29.080 --> 00:09:29.639
 some of them,

00:09:30.039 --> 00:09:31.320
 no doubt men like these

00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:32.039
 in the story,

00:09:32.759 --> 00:09:34.259
 they had appealed to God.

00:09:34.460 --> 00:09:34.840
 God,

00:09:35.299 --> 00:09:35.860
 save us.

00:09:35.980 --> 00:09:37.179
 Don't let this happen.

00:09:37.620 --> 00:09:38.559
 Let us repent.

00:09:38.700 --> 00:09:39.899
 We know this is because

00:09:39.899 --> 00:09:41.019
 of our own wrongdoing.

00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:42.000
 But God,

00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:42.960
 spare us somehow.

00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:45.400
 And so Nebuchadnezzar

00:09:45.400 --> 00:09:47.139
 is just reminding them,

00:09:47.560 --> 00:09:48.560
 you prayed once

00:09:48.560 --> 00:09:50.840
 and God didn't rescue you.

00:09:51.560 --> 00:09:52.800
 And so if you

00:09:52.800 --> 00:09:54.580
 are counting on him

00:09:54.580 --> 00:09:56.560
 to come to your aid now

00:09:56.560 --> 00:09:57.940
 and rescue you

00:09:57.940 --> 00:09:58.720
 from this fire,

00:09:59.160 --> 00:10:00.300
 you had better

00:10:00.300 --> 00:10:01.900
 think again.

00:10:02.980 --> 00:10:04.200
 Look at verse 16.

00:10:04.340 --> 00:10:05.379
 We see the response.

00:10:06.420 --> 00:10:07.400
 Shadrach, Meshach,

00:10:07.480 --> 00:10:07.900
 and Abednego

00:10:07.900 --> 00:10:08.920
 answered and said

00:10:08.920 --> 00:10:09.519
 to the king,

00:10:09.700 --> 00:10:10.700
 O Nebuchadnezzar,

00:10:10.700 --> 00:10:13.080
 we have no need

00:10:13.080 --> 00:10:14.180
 to answer you

00:10:14.180 --> 00:10:16.259
 in this matter.

00:10:17.320 --> 00:10:17.920
 Now look up

00:10:17.920 --> 00:10:18.759
 and listen for a second.

00:10:18.980 --> 00:10:20.540
 If you hadn't already

00:10:20.540 --> 00:10:21.420
 read this story,

00:10:22.220 --> 00:10:22.920
 would you have ever

00:10:22.920 --> 00:10:24.480
 anticipated that response?

00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:25.740
 I mean,

00:10:25.780 --> 00:10:26.160
 to be honest,

00:10:26.220 --> 00:10:27.160
 you're looking in the face

00:10:27.160 --> 00:10:27.879
 of an angry man.

00:10:27.960 --> 00:10:28.840
 The Bible tells us

00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:29.800
 in other verses,

00:10:30.560 --> 00:10:31.540
 the veins in his neck

00:10:31.540 --> 00:10:32.180
 were protruding,

00:10:32.280 --> 00:10:33.800
 his face was as red as fire.

00:10:34.180 --> 00:10:34.900
 He'd ordered

00:10:34.900 --> 00:10:35.700
 that the furnace

00:10:35.700 --> 00:10:36.280
 be heated

00:10:36.280 --> 00:10:37.340
 seven times hotter

00:10:37.340 --> 00:10:38.060
 than normal

00:10:38.060 --> 00:10:39.280
 and they could look

00:10:39.280 --> 00:10:39.900
 in his eyes

00:10:39.899 --> 00:10:41.079
 until he meant business.

00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:42.240
 This is a rather

00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:43.699
 curt response,

00:10:43.779 --> 00:10:44.319
 wouldn't you say?

00:10:44.539 --> 00:10:45.939
 To the most powerful man

00:10:45.939 --> 00:10:47.139
 on the face of the earth,

00:10:47.319 --> 00:10:48.539
 we have no need

00:10:48.539 --> 00:10:49.319
 to answer you

00:10:49.319 --> 00:10:50.120
 in this matter.

00:10:50.279 --> 00:10:50.939
 Verse 17.

00:10:52.139 --> 00:10:53.759
 If this be so,

00:10:54.579 --> 00:10:55.480
 our God

00:10:55.480 --> 00:10:56.399
 whom we serve

00:10:56.399 --> 00:10:57.939
 is able to deliver us

00:10:57.939 --> 00:10:58.959
 from the burning

00:10:58.959 --> 00:10:59.759
 fiery furnace

00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:01.199
 and he will deliver us

00:11:01.199 --> 00:11:02.539
 out of your hand,

00:11:02.759 --> 00:11:03.360
 O king.

00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:05.579
 But if not,

00:11:06.460 --> 00:11:07.319
 be it known to you,

00:11:07.539 --> 00:11:07.939
 O king,

00:11:07.940 --> 00:11:09.780
 that we will not

00:11:09.780 --> 00:11:11.040
 serve your gods

00:11:11.040 --> 00:11:12.360
 or worship

00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:13.920
 the golden image

00:11:13.920 --> 00:11:15.480
 that you

00:11:15.480 --> 00:11:17.460
 have set up.

00:11:18.560 --> 00:11:19.200
 Would you bow

00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:19.960
 with us this morning

00:11:19.960 --> 00:11:20.280
 in prayer?

00:11:20.400 --> 00:11:20.720
 Father,

00:11:21.800 --> 00:11:22.660
 I pray today

00:11:22.660 --> 00:11:23.920
 that you would give us

00:11:23.920 --> 00:11:25.560
 an insight

00:11:25.560 --> 00:11:27.420
 into the commitment

00:11:27.420 --> 00:11:28.100
 of these three

00:11:28.100 --> 00:11:28.920
 Hebrew men.

00:11:29.920 --> 00:11:30.400
 I pray,

00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:30.800
 Father,

00:11:30.900 --> 00:11:31.780
 that their fate

00:11:31.780 --> 00:11:32.360
 this morning

00:11:32.360 --> 00:11:33.540
 would challenge us

00:11:33.540 --> 00:11:35.480
 to be more committed

00:11:35.480 --> 00:11:37.539
 for we make this prayer

00:11:37.539 --> 00:11:38.480
 in Christ's name

00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:39.320
 and for his sake

00:11:39.320 --> 00:11:39.840
 alone.

00:11:40.860 --> 00:11:41.220
 Amen.

00:11:42.620 --> 00:11:43.460
 This morning,

00:11:43.580 --> 00:11:44.519
 I want you to

00:11:44.519 --> 00:11:46.139
 examine with me

00:11:46.139 --> 00:11:47.560
 for just a few moments

00:11:47.560 --> 00:11:49.240
 their response

00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:50.539
 because there are

00:11:50.539 --> 00:11:51.100
 three things

00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:52.180
 about their response

00:11:52.180 --> 00:11:52.940
 that I think

00:11:52.940 --> 00:11:54.440
 absolutely indicate

00:11:54.440 --> 00:11:56.100
 the reality

00:11:56.100 --> 00:11:57.180
 of their faith

00:11:57.180 --> 00:11:58.620
 and their commitment

00:11:58.620 --> 00:11:59.279
 to God.

00:11:59.680 --> 00:12:00.259
 The first thing

00:12:00.259 --> 00:12:01.240
 I'd have you to notice

00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:02.039
 is this.

00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:03.559
 they acted

00:12:03.559 --> 00:12:04.879
 instinctively

00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:06.899
 on their convictions.

00:12:07.839 --> 00:12:08.279
 Now,

00:12:08.379 --> 00:12:08.719
 I don't know

00:12:08.719 --> 00:12:09.179
 if you're somebody

00:12:09.179 --> 00:12:10.120
 who takes notes

00:12:10.120 --> 00:12:10.639
 or not,

00:12:10.779 --> 00:12:11.799
 but if you do,

00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:13.039
 I want to encourage

00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:13.919
 you to write that down.

00:12:14.039 --> 00:12:14.719
 These three points

00:12:14.719 --> 00:12:15.139
 this morning

00:12:15.139 --> 00:12:16.319
 are all rather short

00:12:16.319 --> 00:12:17.939
 and I'd encourage

00:12:17.939 --> 00:12:18.799
 you to write that down.

00:12:19.559 --> 00:12:20.399
 Here's how you know

00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:20.959
 the reality

00:12:20.959 --> 00:12:21.620
 of their faith

00:12:21.620 --> 00:12:22.199
 and their level

00:12:22.199 --> 00:12:22.719
 of commitment.

00:12:22.939 --> 00:12:23.659
 They acted

00:12:23.659 --> 00:12:24.659
 instinctively

00:12:24.659 --> 00:12:26.899
 on their convictions.

00:12:28.179 --> 00:12:28.559
 You say,

00:12:28.620 --> 00:12:28.879
 Pastor,

00:12:28.959 --> 00:12:29.500
 what do you mean?

00:12:29.500 --> 00:12:31.320
 Their response

00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:32.179
 in verse 16

00:12:32.179 --> 00:12:33.299
 is a clear indication.

00:12:34.100 --> 00:12:34.659
 They were saying

00:12:34.659 --> 00:12:35.720
 Nebuchadnezzar

00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:36.700
 to Nebuchadnezzar

00:12:36.700 --> 00:12:37.159
 the following.

00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:37.860
 Nebuchadnezzar,

00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:39.000
 we don't need

00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:39.980
 to think about this.

00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:41.539
 We don't need

00:12:41.539 --> 00:12:42.679
 to pray about this.

00:12:43.340 --> 00:12:44.120
 We don't need

00:12:44.120 --> 00:12:45.000
 to go and consult

00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:46.240
 a rabbi about this.

00:12:46.919 --> 00:12:47.820
 We don't need

00:12:47.820 --> 00:12:48.620
 to convene

00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:49.820
 a Jewish caucus.

00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:51.539
 We don't need

00:12:51.539 --> 00:12:52.200
 to consult

00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:52.740
 with anybody.

00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:53.960
 We don't need

00:12:53.960 --> 00:12:54.799
 any time

00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:55.500
 to rationalize

00:12:56.299 --> 00:12:57.179
 about our answer.

00:12:57.700 --> 00:12:57.960
 In fact,

00:12:58.019 --> 00:12:58.679
 we don't even need

00:12:58.679 --> 00:12:59.279
 to talk to you

00:12:59.279 --> 00:12:59.720
 about this

00:12:59.720 --> 00:13:00.240
 any longer

00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:00.899
 because it's

00:13:00.899 --> 00:13:01.480
 a foregoing

00:13:01.480 --> 00:13:02.399
 conclusion.

00:13:03.079 --> 00:13:03.879
 One translation

00:13:03.879 --> 00:13:04.899
 has it this way,

00:13:05.299 --> 00:13:06.079
 we're not careful

00:13:06.079 --> 00:13:06.620
 to answer

00:13:06.620 --> 00:13:07.419
 thee in this matter,

00:13:07.620 --> 00:13:08.179
 O king.

00:13:09.139 --> 00:13:10.019
 In other words,

00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:11.299
 our minds

00:13:11.299 --> 00:13:11.939
 are made up

00:13:11.939 --> 00:13:12.639
 and the only way

00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:13.120
 their minds

00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:13.959
 can be made up

00:13:13.959 --> 00:13:14.699
 at this point,

00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:16.179
 having just been challenged

00:13:16.179 --> 00:13:17.399
 and recognizing

00:13:17.399 --> 00:13:18.480
 he means business,

00:13:19.059 --> 00:13:20.399
 is that they're acting

00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:21.360
 on instinct

00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:22.899
 and that instinct

00:13:22.899 --> 00:13:24.159
 is based

00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:26.279
 on previous convictions

00:13:26.279 --> 00:13:27.679
 that they have come

00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:28.899
 to hold.

00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:30.620
 I want to tell you

00:13:30.620 --> 00:13:30.860
 something.

00:13:31.500 --> 00:13:32.779
 I hope every person

00:13:32.779 --> 00:13:33.759
 in this room

00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:35.079
 is living

00:13:35.079 --> 00:13:36.039
 on the basis

00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:37.139
 of convictions

00:13:37.139 --> 00:13:39.139
 that you have

00:13:39.139 --> 00:13:39.699
 processed

00:13:39.699 --> 00:13:40.819
 and accepted

00:13:40.819 --> 00:13:42.179
 into your life

00:13:42.179 --> 00:13:42.939
 because I want to tell you

00:13:42.939 --> 00:13:43.059
 something.

00:13:43.319 --> 00:13:44.079
 If you wait

00:13:44.079 --> 00:13:45.339
 until you're there

00:13:45.339 --> 00:13:46.059
 in the face

00:13:46.059 --> 00:13:46.699
 of trial,

00:13:47.379 --> 00:13:48.100
 you're likely

00:13:48.100 --> 00:13:49.019
 to make the wrong

00:13:49.019 --> 00:13:49.519
 decision.

00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:50.879
 They said,

00:13:51.220 --> 00:13:51.639
 we don't need

00:13:51.639 --> 00:13:52.319
 to think about it,

00:13:52.360 --> 00:13:52.779
 we don't need

00:13:52.779 --> 00:13:53.539
 to pray about it.

00:13:53.659 --> 00:13:54.199
 How many times

00:13:54.199 --> 00:13:54.779
 have you ever said

00:13:54.779 --> 00:13:55.399
 when you knew

00:13:55.399 --> 00:13:56.039
 something was wrong

00:13:56.039 --> 00:13:56.379
 already?

00:13:56.379 --> 00:13:57.019
 Well,

00:13:57.299 --> 00:13:58.579
 let me pray

00:13:58.579 --> 00:13:59.019
 about that.

00:13:59.099 --> 00:13:59.459
 It's a way

00:13:59.459 --> 00:14:00.480
 of buying time,

00:14:00.579 --> 00:14:00.839
 right?

00:14:01.620 --> 00:14:02.319
 But they don't need

00:14:02.319 --> 00:14:02.779
 to pray about it.

00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:03.259
 You know why?

00:14:03.779 --> 00:14:04.839
 Because from the time

00:14:04.839 --> 00:14:05.699
 they were little bitty

00:14:05.699 --> 00:14:06.879
 boys growing up

00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:07.599
 in Jerusalem,

00:14:08.319 --> 00:14:09.059
 their parents

00:14:09.059 --> 00:14:10.059
 had raised them

00:14:10.059 --> 00:14:11.279
 on what were known

00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:13.139
 as the ten words.

00:14:13.799 --> 00:14:15.099
 I hope you were raised

00:14:15.099 --> 00:14:16.019
 on the ten words.

00:14:16.379 --> 00:14:16.919
 For the Jew,

00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:17.740
 you know what that was?

00:14:18.339 --> 00:14:19.679
 It was the ten commandments.

00:14:20.419 --> 00:14:21.219
 From the time

00:14:21.219 --> 00:14:22.379
 they could walk

00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:23.360
 and they could talk,

00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:24.320
 they had been taught

00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:24.659
 this,

00:14:25.139 --> 00:14:26.180
 thou shalt worship

00:14:26.180 --> 00:14:27.379
 the Lord thy God

00:14:27.379 --> 00:14:28.899
 and him only

00:14:28.899 --> 00:14:30.279
 shalt thou serve.

00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:32.019
 Thou shalt worship

00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:33.919
 no graven images.

00:14:35.500 --> 00:14:36.480
 They already

00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:37.259
 had accepted

00:14:37.259 --> 00:14:38.279
 that as fact

00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:38.860
 and believed

00:14:38.860 --> 00:14:39.480
 in their heart

00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:40.000
 that if they were

00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:40.600
 to be obedient

00:14:40.600 --> 00:14:41.120
 to God

00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:42.120
 that God existed

00:14:42.120 --> 00:14:42.960
 and if they were

00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:43.519
 to be obedient

00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:43.879
 to him

00:14:43.879 --> 00:14:44.840
 there could be

00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:46.120
 room for no other

00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:47.340
 God in their life.

00:14:47.659 --> 00:14:48.300
 So it was a

00:14:48.300 --> 00:14:49.379
 foregone conclusion.

00:14:49.620 --> 00:14:50.399
 You can ask

00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:51.039
 all you want,

00:14:51.159 --> 00:14:51.779
 you can threaten

00:14:51.779 --> 00:14:52.360
 all you want,

00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:53.480
 but our minds

00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:54.519
 are made up.

00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:56.519
 We know how we feel.

00:14:56.940 --> 00:14:58.180
 We know what we believe.

00:14:58.560 --> 00:14:59.300
 We believe

00:14:59.300 --> 00:15:01.840
 in the single God

00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:03.100
 Jehovah Yahweh

00:15:03.100 --> 00:15:03.919
 and we're going

00:15:03.919 --> 00:15:04.340
 to worship

00:15:04.340 --> 00:15:06.740
 he and he alone.

00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:08.759
 Isn't it amazing

00:15:08.759 --> 00:15:09.419
 at times

00:15:09.419 --> 00:15:11.279
 how we know

00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:12.000
 the right thing

00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:12.320
 to do

00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:12.840
 but we have

00:15:12.840 --> 00:15:13.580
 trouble doing it?

00:15:14.220 --> 00:15:14.860
 I was asked

00:15:14.860 --> 00:15:15.560
 to be on a panel

00:15:15.560 --> 00:15:16.379
 years and years ago

00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:17.279
 at Anderson University

00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:18.539
 and it was a panel

00:15:18.539 --> 00:15:19.120
 of preachers

00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:19.820
 and professors

00:15:19.820 --> 00:15:20.620
 and students

00:15:20.620 --> 00:15:22.120
 and the question

00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:23.259
 was how do we

00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:23.919
 determine the will

00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:24.220
 of God

00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:24.879
 and when my time

00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:25.440
 came to speak

00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:26.340
 I remember clearly

00:15:26.340 --> 00:15:26.940
 as though it were

00:15:26.940 --> 00:15:27.820
 yesterday what I said.

00:15:28.179 --> 00:15:28.620
 I said you know

00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:29.519
 what I found in my life

00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:30.740
 it's not too hard

00:15:30.740 --> 00:15:31.560
 to know what God

00:15:31.560 --> 00:15:32.220
 wants me to do

00:15:32.220 --> 00:15:33.159
 the problem is

00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:33.980
 in doing it.

00:15:34.580 --> 00:15:35.139
 Isn't that true?

00:15:35.860 --> 00:15:37.179
 About 99%

00:15:37.179 --> 00:15:38.639
 of everything

00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:39.460
 I'll ever encounter

00:15:39.460 --> 00:15:39.820
 in life

00:15:39.820 --> 00:15:40.460
 God has already

00:15:40.460 --> 00:15:41.740
 told me in his word

00:15:41.740 --> 00:15:42.799
 he's given me

00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:43.679
 precepts

00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:44.500
 and laws

00:15:44.500 --> 00:15:45.180
 and commandments

00:15:45.180 --> 00:15:45.940
 that hey

00:15:45.940 --> 00:15:47.560
 here's how you act

00:15:47.560 --> 00:15:48.880
 here's what you do

00:15:48.880 --> 00:15:50.020
 I don't have to think

00:15:50.020 --> 00:15:50.960
 about murdering somebody

00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:51.940
 because I already know

00:15:51.940 --> 00:15:53.040
 it's wrong

00:15:53.040 --> 00:15:54.240
 I don't have to think

00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:54.940
 about stealing

00:15:54.940 --> 00:15:55.760
 I don't have to think

00:15:55.760 --> 00:15:56.880
 about committing adultery

00:15:56.880 --> 00:15:57.580
 I don't have to think

00:15:57.580 --> 00:15:58.680
 about slandering

00:15:58.680 --> 00:15:59.940
 or coveting my neighbor

00:15:59.940 --> 00:16:01.400
 because already

00:16:01.400 --> 00:16:02.040
 the scripture

00:16:02.040 --> 00:16:03.180
 has given me

00:16:03.180 --> 00:16:04.260
 conviction on which

00:16:04.260 --> 00:16:05.800
 I'm able to build

00:16:05.800 --> 00:16:06.900
 my life.

00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:08.300
 You know what

00:16:08.300 --> 00:16:09.240
 I'm surprised

00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:11.520
 I'm a little surprised

00:16:11.520 --> 00:16:12.860
 that if these men

00:16:12.860 --> 00:16:13.860
 had been Baptists

00:16:13.860 --> 00:16:15.080
 like so many of us

00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:16.620
 they might have said

00:16:16.620 --> 00:16:17.500
 well you know what

00:16:17.500 --> 00:16:19.200
 give us two days

00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:20.020
 to get back with you

00:16:20.020 --> 00:16:20.520
 on this.

00:16:22.520 --> 00:16:23.160
 I mean

00:16:23.160 --> 00:16:23.780
 they'd have felt

00:16:23.780 --> 00:16:25.139
 the heat of that furnace

00:16:25.139 --> 00:16:25.680
 and they'd said

00:16:25.680 --> 00:16:26.580
 well you know what

00:16:26.580 --> 00:16:27.980
 maybe we should

00:16:27.980 --> 00:16:28.740
 rethink this

00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:29.360
 a little bit.

00:16:30.460 --> 00:16:30.900
 I mean

00:16:30.900 --> 00:16:31.660
 you're gracious

00:16:31.660 --> 00:16:32.540
 you've given us

00:16:32.540 --> 00:16:33.340
 a chance to

00:16:33.340 --> 00:16:35.060
 comply with your orders

00:16:35.060 --> 00:16:36.500
 maybe that's God

00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:37.740
 opening a door.

00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:39.020
 Have you ever

00:16:39.020 --> 00:16:40.340
 seen us do that

00:16:40.340 --> 00:16:40.840
 kind of thing?

00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:41.980
 Where we know

00:16:41.980 --> 00:16:43.340
 clearly what we ought to do

00:16:43.340 --> 00:16:44.440
 and clearly what is

00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:44.960
 out of bounds

00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:45.820
 and what is in bounds

00:16:45.820 --> 00:16:46.560
 but we want to

00:16:46.560 --> 00:16:47.420
 think about it

00:16:47.420 --> 00:16:47.820
 and we want to

00:16:47.820 --> 00:16:48.400
 pray about it

00:16:48.400 --> 00:16:49.120
 and we want to

00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:50.259
 find a rationale

00:16:50.259 --> 00:16:51.900
 that we can somehow

00:16:51.900 --> 00:16:53.160
 dress up spiritually

00:16:53.160 --> 00:16:54.480
 and come away saying

00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:56.040
 well maybe this is

00:16:56.040 --> 00:16:56.660
 the will of God

00:16:56.660 --> 00:16:57.200
 for my life.

00:16:57.540 --> 00:16:58.180
 In fact

00:16:58.180 --> 00:16:59.379
 I know some folk

00:16:59.379 --> 00:17:00.080
 who probably would

00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:00.900
 have reasoned like this

00:17:00.900 --> 00:17:01.580
 well you know what

00:17:01.580 --> 00:17:05.059
 that idol of gold

00:17:05.059 --> 00:17:06.700
 is just gold

00:17:06.700 --> 00:17:08.539
 and it's not really

00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:09.180
 God

00:17:09.180 --> 00:17:10.600
 none of us really

00:17:10.600 --> 00:17:11.420
 believe it's God

00:17:11.420 --> 00:17:13.440
 and I can bow

00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:13.460
 and I can bow

00:17:13.460 --> 00:17:14.240
 I can ask

00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:15.200
 we ask to the

00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:16.080
 most powerful

00:17:16.080 --> 00:17:16.720
 men in the world

00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:17.320
 in terms of what

00:17:17.320 --> 00:17:18.060
 he asked me to do

00:17:18.060 --> 00:17:18.900
 but I don't have

00:17:18.900 --> 00:17:19.600
 to really worship

00:17:19.600 --> 00:17:20.800
 I mean I can just

00:17:20.800 --> 00:17:21.400
 look at the God

00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:22.000
 and I can bow

00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:22.779
 and I can pretend

00:17:22.779 --> 00:17:23.080
 to worship

00:17:23.080 --> 00:17:24.340
 but I don't have

00:17:24.340 --> 00:17:25.440
 to worship in my heart

00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:26.240
 and so I really

00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:27.100
 won't be worshiping

00:17:27.100 --> 00:17:27.680
 God

00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:29.740
 if I do what

00:17:29.740 --> 00:17:30.580
 he asked me to do

00:17:30.580 --> 00:17:33.039
 or they might have

00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:33.580
 said well

00:17:33.580 --> 00:17:34.279
 you know what

00:17:34.279 --> 00:17:36.340
 God wants me

00:17:36.340 --> 00:17:37.480
 to bring him glory

00:17:37.480 --> 00:17:38.839
 in fact

00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:39.819
 Isaiah had

00:17:39.819 --> 00:17:40.819
 already said that

00:17:40.819 --> 00:17:41.579
 that our purpose

00:17:41.579 --> 00:17:42.200
 in life is to

00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:43.059
 bring God glory

00:17:43.059 --> 00:17:44.360
 and so he might

00:17:44.360 --> 00:17:44.759
 have said well

00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:45.200
 you know what

00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:47.380
 God wants us

00:17:47.380 --> 00:17:48.299
 to bring him glory

00:17:48.299 --> 00:17:49.640
 and all my life

00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:50.519
 I've lived to bring

00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:51.120
 him glory

00:17:51.120 --> 00:17:52.660
 but if I die

00:17:52.660 --> 00:17:53.839
 I can't bring him

00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:54.240
 glory

00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:55.480
 so maybe

00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:56.360
 God doesn't want

00:17:56.360 --> 00:17:56.779
 me to die

00:17:56.779 --> 00:17:57.860
 he wants me to live

00:17:57.860 --> 00:17:58.720
 and go on

00:17:58.720 --> 00:18:00.420
 bringing him glory

00:18:00.420 --> 00:18:01.059
 right

00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:02.400
 they'd have found

00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:03.559
 perhaps a convenient

00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:04.519
 way to do

00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:05.920
 absolutely the right

00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:06.380
 thing

00:18:06.380 --> 00:18:08.480
 so it all

00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:09.060
 boils down to

00:18:09.060 --> 00:18:09.460
 this

00:18:09.460 --> 00:18:10.860
 if we're to

00:18:10.860 --> 00:18:11.480
 make right

00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:12.360
 decisions in life

00:18:12.360 --> 00:18:12.880
 we've got to

00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:13.380
 have right

00:18:13.380 --> 00:18:14.040
 convictions

00:18:14.040 --> 00:18:15.620
 let me hastily

00:18:15.620 --> 00:18:16.300
 ask you this

00:18:16.300 --> 00:18:16.940
 what are your

00:18:16.940 --> 00:18:17.760
 convictions about

00:18:17.760 --> 00:18:18.280
 God

00:18:18.280 --> 00:18:20.200
 you have any

00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:21.040
 convictions about

00:18:21.040 --> 00:18:21.480
 God

00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:22.840
 are there things

00:18:22.840 --> 00:18:23.480
 in your life

00:18:23.480 --> 00:18:23.960
 that you believe

00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:24.480
 about God

00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:25.280
 and it doesn't

00:18:25.280 --> 00:18:25.680
 matter what

00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:26.280
 comes your way

00:18:26.280 --> 00:18:27.000
 I'm not going

00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:28.060
 to change those

00:18:28.060 --> 00:18:29.060
 ideas because

00:18:29.060 --> 00:18:30.120
 these are

00:18:30.120 --> 00:18:30.960
 convictions that

00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:31.720
 are founded upon

00:18:31.720 --> 00:18:33.040
 truth that I've

00:18:33.040 --> 00:18:34.080
 read and studied

00:18:34.080 --> 00:18:35.020
 and been taught

00:18:35.020 --> 00:18:35.720
 in the word of God

00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:36.740
 and nothing is

00:18:36.740 --> 00:18:37.279
 ever going to

00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:38.039
 change that

00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:38.920
 what are your

00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:39.640
 convictions about

00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:39.980
 God

00:18:39.980 --> 00:18:40.779
 what are your

00:18:40.779 --> 00:18:42.240
 convictions about

00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:43.240
 marriage

00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:45.299
 I mean

00:18:45.299 --> 00:18:46.519
 every person here

00:18:46.519 --> 00:18:47.400
 I'm telling you

00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:48.839
 you better have

00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:49.620
 some convictions

00:18:49.620 --> 00:18:51.640
 about marriage

00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:52.460
 that you can act

00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:53.400
 on instinctively

00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:53.960
 because I'm going

00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:54.360
 to tell you something

00:18:54.360 --> 00:18:56.259
 temptation in that

00:18:56.259 --> 00:18:57.000
 realm of life

00:18:57.000 --> 00:18:58.299
 will sneak up on

00:18:58.299 --> 00:18:58.579
 you

00:18:58.579 --> 00:19:00.559
 it'll come out

00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:01.140
 of nowhere

00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:02.940
 and if you

00:19:02.940 --> 00:19:03.660
 don't already

00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:04.340
 know what

00:19:04.340 --> 00:19:05.000
 you believe

00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:05.460
 and what

00:19:05.460 --> 00:19:06.120
 you're committed

00:19:06.120 --> 00:19:06.580
 to

00:19:06.580 --> 00:19:08.040
 and have

00:19:08.040 --> 00:19:08.920
 conviction about

00:19:08.920 --> 00:19:09.160
 that

00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:09.980
 you're going

00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:10.680
 to fall prey

00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:11.720
 to an adulterous

00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:12.380
 relationship

00:19:12.380 --> 00:19:13.120
 somewhere out

00:19:13.120 --> 00:19:13.480
 there in the

00:19:13.480 --> 00:19:13.800
 future

00:19:13.800 --> 00:19:15.840
 what are your

00:19:15.840 --> 00:19:17.120
 convictions about

00:19:17.120 --> 00:19:18.100
 church

00:19:18.100 --> 00:19:19.600
 do you have

00:19:19.600 --> 00:19:20.280
 any convictions

00:19:20.280 --> 00:19:21.360
 about church

00:19:21.360 --> 00:19:22.720
 when you came

00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:23.580
 here and you

00:19:23.580 --> 00:19:24.140
 said I want to

00:19:24.140 --> 00:19:24.660
 be a member

00:19:24.660 --> 00:19:25.400
 at First Baptist

00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:25.860
 Church

00:19:25.860 --> 00:19:26.880
 if you've come

00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:27.340
 in the last

00:19:27.340 --> 00:19:28.060
 25 years

00:19:28.060 --> 00:19:28.759
 I know that

00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:29.320
 Fred Stone

00:19:29.320 --> 00:19:29.820
 would have looked

00:19:29.819 --> 00:19:30.399
 at you and said

00:19:30.399 --> 00:19:31.539
 have you got a

00:19:31.539 --> 00:19:32.399
 relationship with

00:19:32.399 --> 00:19:33.000
 the Lord Jesus

00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:33.399
 Christ

00:19:33.399 --> 00:19:33.799
 have you

00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:34.659
 repented of

00:19:34.659 --> 00:19:35.039
 your sin

00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:35.500
 and trusted

00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:36.039
 him as your

00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:36.339
 savior

00:19:36.339 --> 00:19:37.119
 and are you

00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:37.740
 going to live

00:19:37.740 --> 00:19:38.240
 for him

00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:39.079
 and they may

00:19:39.079 --> 00:19:39.659
 have asked

00:19:39.659 --> 00:19:40.639
 you to sign

00:19:40.639 --> 00:19:41.079
 the church

00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:41.500
 covenant

00:19:41.500 --> 00:19:43.079
 there's an

00:19:43.079 --> 00:19:43.859
 understanding

00:19:43.859 --> 00:19:44.519
 with most

00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:44.919
 churches

00:19:44.919 --> 00:19:45.439
 and I would

00:19:45.439 --> 00:19:45.960
 take it here

00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:46.259
 at First

00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:46.599
 Baptist

00:19:46.599 --> 00:19:47.359
 that if you

00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:47.799
 come here

00:19:47.799 --> 00:19:48.159
 you're not

00:19:48.159 --> 00:19:48.599
 going to just

00:19:48.599 --> 00:19:49.319
 have your name

00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:49.960
 on the roll

00:19:49.960 --> 00:19:50.720
 of the church

00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:51.679
 that you're

00:19:51.679 --> 00:19:51.939
 going to be

00:19:51.939 --> 00:19:53.460
 actively involved

00:19:53.460 --> 00:19:54.419
 that you're

00:19:54.419 --> 00:19:55.379
 going to gather

00:19:55.379 --> 00:19:56.700
 regularly for

00:19:56.700 --> 00:19:57.179
 worship

00:19:57.179 --> 00:19:58.119
 that you're

00:19:58.119 --> 00:19:58.439
 going to be

00:19:58.439 --> 00:19:59.119
 faithful in your

00:19:59.119 --> 00:19:59.559
 tithes and

00:19:59.559 --> 00:19:59.859
 offerings

00:19:59.859 --> 00:20:00.480
 that you're

00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:00.960
 going to use

00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:01.619
 your gifts

00:20:01.619 --> 00:20:02.619
 to the glory

00:20:02.619 --> 00:20:03.119
 of God

00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:03.980
 that this church

00:20:03.980 --> 00:20:04.779
 might accomplish

00:20:04.779 --> 00:20:05.839
 its mission

00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:06.720
 what are your

00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:07.899
 convictions about

00:20:07.899 --> 00:20:09.019
 the church

00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:10.859
 are you committed

00:20:10.859 --> 00:20:12.480
 to the church

00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:14.159
 so the first

00:20:14.159 --> 00:20:14.579
 thing I'd have

00:20:14.579 --> 00:20:15.139
 you notice is

00:20:15.139 --> 00:20:15.799
 they acted

00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:16.599
 instinctively

00:20:16.599 --> 00:20:17.319
 on their

00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:17.759
 convictions

00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:18.399
 but there's a

00:20:18.399 --> 00:20:18.879
 second thing

00:20:18.879 --> 00:20:19.259
 I want you to

00:20:19.259 --> 00:20:19.500
 notice

00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:20.419
 they had a

00:20:20.419 --> 00:20:20.940
 high view

00:20:20.940 --> 00:20:21.599
 of God

00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:23.299
 as being both

00:20:23.299 --> 00:20:24.460
 able and

00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:25.200
 active

00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:25.599
 and both

00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:26.059
 those words

00:20:26.059 --> 00:20:26.639
 are important

00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:28.240
 they had a

00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:29.040
 very high

00:20:29.040 --> 00:20:29.640
 view of

00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:30.020
 God

00:20:30.020 --> 00:20:30.920
 our God

00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:31.540
 is able

00:20:31.540 --> 00:20:32.140
 and our

00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:32.560
 God

00:20:32.560 --> 00:20:33.400
 is active

00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:33.780
 listen to

00:20:33.780 --> 00:20:34.040
 what they

00:20:34.040 --> 00:20:34.340
 said in

00:20:34.340 --> 00:20:35.020
 verse 17

00:20:35.020 --> 00:20:36.340
 our God

00:20:36.340 --> 00:20:36.960
 whom we

00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:37.700
 serve

00:20:37.700 --> 00:20:40.060
 is able

00:20:40.060 --> 00:20:40.900
 to

00:20:40.900 --> 00:20:42.780
 deliver us

00:20:42.780 --> 00:20:44.759
 he is

00:20:44.759 --> 00:20:45.460
 able

00:20:45.460 --> 00:20:47.560
 to

00:20:47.560 --> 00:20:48.580
 deliver us

00:20:48.580 --> 00:20:49.940
 able

00:20:49.940 --> 00:20:51.240
 indicates

00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:51.660
 he is

00:20:51.660 --> 00:20:52.220
 able

00:20:52.220 --> 00:20:53.140
 to

00:20:53.140 --> 00:20:53.839
 deliver us

00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:54.460
 indicates

00:20:54.460 --> 00:20:55.460
 he is

00:20:55.460 --> 00:20:56.039
 active

00:20:56.039 --> 00:20:57.620
 he is

00:20:57.620 --> 00:20:57.900
 both

00:20:57.900 --> 00:20:58.299
 able

00:20:58.299 --> 00:20:58.579
 and

00:20:58.579 --> 00:20:58.920
 he is

00:20:58.920 --> 00:20:59.279
 active

00:20:59.279 --> 00:20:59.860
 he is

00:20:59.860 --> 00:21:00.180
 willing

00:21:00.180 --> 00:21:00.440
 to

00:21:00.440 --> 00:21:01.120
 intercede

00:21:01.120 --> 00:21:01.900
 in our

00:21:01.900 --> 00:21:02.819
 behalf

00:21:02.819 --> 00:21:04.259
 I'm going

00:21:04.259 --> 00:21:04.539
 to tell you

00:21:04.539 --> 00:21:05.000
 something you

00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:05.460
 may not

00:21:05.460 --> 00:21:06.319
 agree with

00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:07.079
 this morning

00:21:07.079 --> 00:21:07.700
 but I

00:21:07.700 --> 00:21:08.279
 believe with

00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:08.559
 all my

00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:08.900
 heart I'm

00:21:08.900 --> 00:21:09.259
 right

00:21:09.259 --> 00:21:11.279
 in the

00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:11.720
 church

00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:13.079
 in this

00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:13.380
 day in

00:21:13.380 --> 00:21:13.740
 which we're

00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:14.279
 living in

00:21:14.279 --> 00:21:14.700
 the United

00:21:14.700 --> 00:21:15.160
 States

00:21:15.160 --> 00:21:15.660
 at any

00:21:15.660 --> 00:21:16.019
 rate

00:21:16.019 --> 00:21:17.460
 we are

00:21:17.460 --> 00:21:17.980
 suffering

00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:18.500
 from a

00:21:18.500 --> 00:21:18.940
 crisis

00:21:18.940 --> 00:21:19.880
 of faith

00:21:19.880 --> 00:21:22.000
 now I

00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:22.240
 don't want

00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:22.580
 to insult

00:21:22.580 --> 00:21:23.100
 anyone here

00:21:23.100 --> 00:21:23.340
 but I

00:21:23.340 --> 00:21:23.600
 want to be

00:21:23.600 --> 00:21:24.200
 straight with

00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:24.660
 you today

00:21:24.660 --> 00:21:26.240
 we're not

00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:27.320
 certain anymore

00:21:27.320 --> 00:21:27.940
 not in what

00:21:27.940 --> 00:21:28.520
 we say

00:21:28.520 --> 00:21:29.040
 but in how

00:21:29.040 --> 00:21:29.620
 we practice

00:21:29.620 --> 00:21:30.240
 our faith

00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:31.780
 what we

00:21:31.780 --> 00:21:32.260
 really do

00:21:32.260 --> 00:21:32.880
 believe about

00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:33.380
 God

00:21:33.380 --> 00:21:35.660
 there was a

00:21:35.660 --> 00:21:36.260
 time when I

00:21:36.260 --> 00:21:36.700
 was a boy

00:21:36.700 --> 00:21:37.020
 I want to

00:21:37.020 --> 00:21:37.400
 tell you I

00:21:37.400 --> 00:21:37.780
 would go to

00:21:37.780 --> 00:21:38.400
 prayer meetings

00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:39.060
 cottage prayer

00:21:39.060 --> 00:21:39.640
 meetings the

00:21:39.640 --> 00:21:40.100
 church prayer

00:21:40.100 --> 00:21:40.420
 meeting at

00:21:40.420 --> 00:21:40.960
 my church

00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:42.100
 and I

00:21:42.100 --> 00:21:42.600
 would hear

00:21:42.600 --> 00:21:43.300
 the leaders

00:21:43.300 --> 00:21:43.740
 of our

00:21:43.740 --> 00:21:44.440
 church and

00:21:44.440 --> 00:21:45.080
 the men and

00:21:45.080 --> 00:21:45.660
 women of our

00:21:45.660 --> 00:21:46.300
 church pray

00:21:46.300 --> 00:21:46.720
 and I want to

00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:46.900
 tell you

00:21:46.900 --> 00:21:48.120
 something I

00:21:48.120 --> 00:21:48.860
 had a clear

00:21:48.860 --> 00:21:49.740
 understanding when

00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:50.299
 I listened to

00:21:50.299 --> 00:21:51.039
 them pray as

00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:51.339
 a little

00:21:51.339 --> 00:21:52.960
 boy those

00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:53.960
 people believe

00:21:53.960 --> 00:21:55.120
 that God

00:21:55.120 --> 00:21:56.759
 can and will

00:21:56.759 --> 00:21:58.720
 answer they

00:21:58.720 --> 00:21:59.519
 had a belief

00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:00.559
 that God was

00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:01.359
 able to do

00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:02.240
 anything and so

00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:03.120
 they asked him

00:22:03.120 --> 00:22:05.000
 to do anything

00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:06.859
 nothing was

00:22:06.859 --> 00:22:07.940
 off limits

00:22:07.940 --> 00:22:10.140
 and when I

00:22:10.140 --> 00:22:10.599
 look at the

00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:11.640
 heroes of faith

00:22:11.640 --> 00:22:12.480
 in the scripture

00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:14.400
 those men of

00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:15.140
 God in the

00:22:15.140 --> 00:22:16.039
 scripture in the

00:22:16.039 --> 00:22:16.680
 biblical era

00:22:16.680 --> 00:22:18.220
 that's what they

00:22:18.220 --> 00:22:18.799
 believed about

00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:19.259
 God they

00:22:19.259 --> 00:22:19.720
 believed the

00:22:19.720 --> 00:22:20.400
 exact same

00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:20.819
 thing about

00:22:20.819 --> 00:22:21.319
 God that

00:22:21.319 --> 00:22:21.740
 Shadrach

00:22:21.740 --> 00:22:22.160
 Meshach

00:22:22.160 --> 00:22:22.640
 and Abednego

00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:23.240
 believed about

00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:24.059
 God our

00:22:24.059 --> 00:22:24.860
 God is

00:22:24.860 --> 00:22:26.380
 able David

00:22:26.380 --> 00:22:27.220
 a teenage boy

00:22:27.220 --> 00:22:27.759
 didn't go out

00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:28.319
 to face a

00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:28.799
 nine foot

00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:29.519
 giant not

00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:31.279
 believing God

00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:33.059
 is able

00:22:33.059 --> 00:22:35.000
 Daniel one

00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:35.319
 of these

00:22:35.319 --> 00:22:36.259
 men's friends

00:22:36.259 --> 00:22:37.059
 and cohorts

00:22:37.059 --> 00:22:37.799
 did not allow

00:22:37.799 --> 00:22:38.779
 himself to be

00:22:38.779 --> 00:22:39.579
 thrown into a

00:22:39.579 --> 00:22:41.000
 den of lions not

00:22:41.000 --> 00:22:42.480
 believing God

00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:44.180
 is able

00:22:44.180 --> 00:22:45.720
 Moses didn't

00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:46.799
 lead hundreds

00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:47.880
 of thousands

00:22:47.880 --> 00:22:48.540
 thousands of

00:22:48.540 --> 00:22:49.220
 men and

00:22:49.220 --> 00:22:50.000
 their families

00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:50.860
 out of

00:22:50.860 --> 00:22:51.660
 captivity in

00:22:51.660 --> 00:22:52.520
 Egypt without

00:22:52.520 --> 00:22:53.860
 believing our

00:22:53.860 --> 00:22:55.660
 God is able to

00:22:55.660 --> 00:22:56.880
 do anything

00:22:56.880 --> 00:22:57.620
 but I've got to

00:22:57.620 --> 00:22:58.300
 tell you today

00:22:58.300 --> 00:22:59.340
 in the church

00:22:59.340 --> 00:23:00.600
 whether we want to

00:23:00.600 --> 00:23:01.340
 admit it or not

00:23:01.340 --> 00:23:02.600
 we have a crisis

00:23:02.600 --> 00:23:03.440
 of faith

00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:04.980
 we're not exactly

00:23:04.980 --> 00:23:05.780
 sure any longer

00:23:05.780 --> 00:23:07.220
 that God is

00:23:07.220 --> 00:23:08.000
 really able

00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:08.560
 if you don't

00:23:08.560 --> 00:23:08.940
 believe it

00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:09.800
 listen to us

00:23:09.800 --> 00:23:10.200
 pray

00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:12.120
 what are you

00:23:12.120 --> 00:23:13.040
 asking for

00:23:13.039 --> 00:23:15.220
 we hardly ask

00:23:15.220 --> 00:23:16.039
 him with faith

00:23:16.039 --> 00:23:16.879
 and persistence

00:23:16.879 --> 00:23:19.279
 to do the

00:23:19.279 --> 00:23:19.960
 impossible

00:23:19.960 --> 00:23:20.440
 right

00:23:20.440 --> 00:23:21.740
 we want to

00:23:21.740 --> 00:23:22.299
 make sure that

00:23:22.299 --> 00:23:23.159
 we frame our

00:23:23.159 --> 00:23:23.980
 prayers somewhere

00:23:23.980 --> 00:23:24.740
 there in the

00:23:24.740 --> 00:23:25.220
 realm where

00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:26.359
 well that's

00:23:26.359 --> 00:23:27.720
 probably doable

00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:28.700
 for God

00:23:28.700 --> 00:23:30.700
 we pray

00:23:30.700 --> 00:23:31.940
 anemic prayers

00:23:31.940 --> 00:23:33.399
 we pray

00:23:33.399 --> 00:23:34.319
 what the

00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:35.460
 biblical writers

00:23:35.460 --> 00:23:36.139
 would consider

00:23:36.139 --> 00:23:37.319
 namby pamby

00:23:37.319 --> 00:23:38.019
 prayers

00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:39.319
 ask God

00:23:39.319 --> 00:23:40.139
 nothing

00:23:40.139 --> 00:23:41.399
 kind of prayers

00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:43.140
 you see it in

00:23:43.140 --> 00:23:43.620
 how we deal

00:23:43.620 --> 00:23:44.420
 with problems

00:23:44.420 --> 00:23:45.860
 when someone

00:23:45.860 --> 00:23:46.640
 in the church

00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:47.900
 today is going

00:23:47.900 --> 00:23:48.480
 through a struggle

00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:49.019
 in their marriage

00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:49.700
 what do we do

00:23:49.700 --> 00:23:51.259
 we want to rush

00:23:51.259 --> 00:23:51.759
 to get them to a

00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:52.440
 marriage counselor

00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:54.519
 we want to rush

00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:55.140
 to get a book

00:23:55.140 --> 00:23:55.759
 in their hand

00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:57.600
 we want to attend

00:23:57.600 --> 00:23:58.259
 a seminar

00:23:58.259 --> 00:23:59.140
 if you hear me

00:23:59.140 --> 00:23:59.560
 saying those

00:23:59.560 --> 00:24:00.040
 things are bad

00:24:00.040 --> 00:24:00.960
 you're hearing me

00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:01.420
 wrong

00:24:01.420 --> 00:24:02.680
 what I'm telling

00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:03.120
 you is this

00:24:03.120 --> 00:24:03.980
 there was a time

00:24:03.980 --> 00:24:04.680
 when we knew

00:24:04.680 --> 00:24:05.519
 our kids

00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:06.500
 or our grandkids

00:24:06.500 --> 00:24:07.120
 or people

00:24:07.120 --> 00:24:08.060
 in our circle

00:24:08.060 --> 00:24:08.400
 of friends

00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:08.920
 was in trouble

00:24:08.920 --> 00:24:09.240
 you know what

00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:09.480
 we'd do

00:24:09.480 --> 00:24:10.300
 we'd fall on our

00:24:10.300 --> 00:24:10.880
 face and we'd say

00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:11.680
 God save them

00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:13.760
 God save their

00:24:13.760 --> 00:24:14.380
 marriage

00:24:14.380 --> 00:24:15.980
 God save our

00:24:15.980 --> 00:24:16.540
 country

00:24:16.540 --> 00:24:18.220
 God save our

00:24:18.220 --> 00:24:19.000
 boys on the

00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:19.400
 battlefield

00:24:19.400 --> 00:24:21.060
 God do this

00:24:21.060 --> 00:24:21.620
 God do that

00:24:21.620 --> 00:24:22.680
 we weren't afraid

00:24:22.680 --> 00:24:23.320
 to ask him

00:24:23.320 --> 00:24:24.020
 because we had

00:24:24.020 --> 00:24:24.480
 confidence

00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:25.900
 our God

00:24:25.900 --> 00:24:26.700
 is able

00:24:26.700 --> 00:24:27.060
 I'm going to

00:24:27.060 --> 00:24:27.480
 tell you something

00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:27.860
 today

00:24:27.860 --> 00:24:29.560
 if you could

00:24:29.560 --> 00:24:30.160
 come to

00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:31.080
 recapture that

00:24:31.080 --> 00:24:31.860
 spirit and

00:24:31.860 --> 00:24:32.780
 mentality in your

00:24:32.780 --> 00:24:33.600
 mind and heart

00:24:33.600 --> 00:24:34.540
 and come to a

00:24:34.540 --> 00:24:35.140
 place that you

00:24:35.140 --> 00:24:36.480
 believe that God

00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:37.040
 is able

00:24:37.040 --> 00:24:37.780
 it would

00:24:37.780 --> 00:24:38.460
 absolutely

00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:39.700
 revolutionize

00:24:39.700 --> 00:24:40.400
 your spiritual

00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:40.780
 life

00:24:40.779 --> 00:24:41.420
 and your

00:24:41.420 --> 00:24:42.039
 church's

00:24:42.039 --> 00:24:42.599
 life

00:24:42.599 --> 00:24:43.279
 amen

00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:46.819
 if we could

00:24:46.819 --> 00:24:47.539
 just come to

00:24:47.539 --> 00:24:48.200
 see our

00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:49.279
 God is

00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:50.000
 able

00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:52.240
 not only that

00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:52.940
 our God is

00:24:52.940 --> 00:24:53.639
 able but our

00:24:53.639 --> 00:24:54.460
 God is

00:24:54.460 --> 00:24:55.539
 active

00:24:55.539 --> 00:24:57.259
 he not only

00:24:57.259 --> 00:24:57.980
 can do it

00:24:57.980 --> 00:24:58.519
 many of us

00:24:58.519 --> 00:24:59.079
 today still

00:24:59.079 --> 00:24:59.639
 think he

00:24:59.639 --> 00:25:00.559
 can do it

00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:01.059
 maybe

00:25:01.059 --> 00:25:02.619
 intellectually

00:25:02.619 --> 00:25:04.899
 but you know

00:25:04.899 --> 00:25:05.460
 what we also

00:25:05.460 --> 00:25:06.200
 think if we're

00:25:06.200 --> 00:25:06.619
 honest

00:25:06.619 --> 00:25:08.240
 that he's

00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:08.779
 probably off

00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:09.379
 hiding in the

00:25:09.379 --> 00:25:09.839
 shadows and

00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:10.319
 the wings

00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:12.180
 there are

00:25:12.180 --> 00:25:12.740
 a ton of

00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:13.099
 Christians

00:25:13.099 --> 00:25:13.500
 today who

00:25:13.500 --> 00:25:13.839
 have this

00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:14.099
 kind of

00:25:14.099 --> 00:25:14.500
 mentality

00:25:14.500 --> 00:25:15.440
 God did

00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:15.940
 some mighty

00:25:15.940 --> 00:25:16.359
 things to

00:25:16.359 --> 00:25:16.740
 begin with

00:25:16.740 --> 00:25:17.240
 he created

00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:17.660
 and framed

00:25:17.660 --> 00:25:18.180
 the universe

00:25:18.180 --> 00:25:18.639
 he put it

00:25:18.639 --> 00:25:19.139
 all in

00:25:19.139 --> 00:25:19.559
 motion

00:25:19.559 --> 00:25:21.099
 and then

00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:21.539
 guess what

00:25:21.539 --> 00:25:22.059
 he did

00:25:22.059 --> 00:25:23.299
 after the

00:25:23.299 --> 00:25:23.859
 Bible had

00:25:23.859 --> 00:25:24.319
 been written

00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:25.119
 he just

00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:25.799
 kind of

00:25:25.799 --> 00:25:26.339
 meandered

00:25:26.339 --> 00:25:27.079
 off to the

00:25:27.079 --> 00:25:27.740
 sidelines

00:25:27.740 --> 00:25:28.619
 and he's

00:25:28.619 --> 00:25:29.059
 over here

00:25:29.059 --> 00:25:29.519
 and he's

00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:30.119
 hiding in the

00:25:30.119 --> 00:25:30.559
 shadows and

00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:30.879
 the wings

00:25:30.879 --> 00:25:31.859
 and he's

00:25:31.859 --> 00:25:32.639
 started the

00:25:32.639 --> 00:25:33.299
 ball rolling

00:25:33.299 --> 00:25:34.019
 but now it's

00:25:34.019 --> 00:25:34.639
 just kind of

00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:35.759
 left up to

00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:36.220
 us

00:25:36.220 --> 00:25:37.900
 and we're

00:25:37.900 --> 00:25:38.259
 kind of

00:25:38.259 --> 00:25:38.860
 on our

00:25:38.860 --> 00:25:39.259
 own

00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:40.560
 and we're

00:25:40.560 --> 00:25:41.180
 doing our

00:25:41.180 --> 00:25:41.580
 thing

00:25:41.580 --> 00:25:42.580
 and maybe

00:25:42.580 --> 00:25:43.620
 every blue

00:25:43.620 --> 00:25:44.180
 moon

00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:45.080
 he will

00:25:45.080 --> 00:25:45.540
 intervene

00:25:45.540 --> 00:25:46.100
 into our

00:25:46.100 --> 00:25:46.800
 lives

00:25:46.800 --> 00:25:48.420
 can I tell

00:25:48.420 --> 00:25:48.540
 you

00:25:48.540 --> 00:25:49.280
 that's not

00:25:49.280 --> 00:25:49.640
 how the

00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:50.240
 men of

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:50.600
 scripture

00:25:50.600 --> 00:25:51.920
 thought and

00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:52.480
 believed

00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:53.940
 that's not

00:25:53.940 --> 00:25:54.420
 the God

00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:54.900
 they were

00:25:54.900 --> 00:25:55.440
 committed to

00:25:55.440 --> 00:25:56.160
 and that's

00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:56.560
 the reason

00:25:56.560 --> 00:25:57.540
 Elijah in

00:25:57.540 --> 00:25:58.080
 first Kings

00:25:58.080 --> 00:25:59.000
 18 is not

00:25:59.000 --> 00:26:00.040
 afraid to

00:26:00.040 --> 00:26:00.700
 look up into

00:26:00.700 --> 00:26:01.240
 the heavens

00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:01.980
 and call

00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:02.660
 down fire

00:26:02.660 --> 00:26:03.300
 from God

00:26:03.300 --> 00:26:03.960
 that's the

00:26:03.960 --> 00:26:04.340
 reason he's

00:26:04.339 --> 00:26:04.879
 not afraid

00:26:04.879 --> 00:26:05.259
 to say

00:26:05.259 --> 00:26:05.679
 God

00:26:05.679 --> 00:26:06.659
 I'm begging

00:26:06.659 --> 00:26:07.119
 you to

00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:07.519
 show these

00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:08.119
 people once

00:26:08.119 --> 00:26:08.519
 and for all

00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:08.819
 who you

00:26:08.819 --> 00:26:09.439
 are and

00:26:09.439 --> 00:26:10.079
 do it by

00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:11.220
 sending down

00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:12.099
 fire

00:26:12.099 --> 00:26:14.059
 he believed

00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:14.579
 that God

00:26:14.579 --> 00:26:15.899
 who we should

00:26:15.899 --> 00:26:16.740
 serve is one

00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:17.579
 who is able

00:26:17.579 --> 00:26:18.980
 and active

00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:20.859
 in intervening

00:26:20.859 --> 00:26:21.519
 in our

00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:22.659
 lives on a

00:26:22.659 --> 00:26:23.279
 daily basis

00:26:23.279 --> 00:26:23.879
 do you believe

00:26:23.879 --> 00:26:24.259
 that

00:26:24.259 --> 00:26:26.199
 thirdly

00:26:26.199 --> 00:26:27.519
 they were

00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:28.500
 fully committed

00:26:28.500 --> 00:26:29.779
 to God

00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:31.299
 as Dabo

00:26:31.299 --> 00:26:32.220
 Sweeney likes

00:26:32.220 --> 00:26:32.699
 to say

00:26:32.699 --> 00:26:33.859
 they're all

00:26:33.859 --> 00:26:34.220
 in

00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:34.799
 look at

00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:35.019
 verse

00:26:35.019 --> 00:26:35.700
 18

00:26:35.700 --> 00:26:37.620
 but if

00:26:37.620 --> 00:26:38.160
 not

00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:39.759
 be it

00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:40.220
 known to

00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:40.460
 you

00:26:40.460 --> 00:26:40.980
 O king

00:26:40.980 --> 00:26:41.400
 that we

00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:41.799
 will not

00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:42.079
 serve

00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:42.860
 your gods

00:26:42.860 --> 00:26:44.240
 or worship

00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:44.819
 the golden

00:26:44.819 --> 00:26:45.620
 image that

00:26:45.620 --> 00:26:46.420
 you have

00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:47.960
 set up

00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:50.059
 but if

00:26:50.059 --> 00:26:50.460
 not

00:26:50.460 --> 00:26:50.799
 now

00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:51.660
 look up

00:26:51.660 --> 00:26:52.079
 and listen

00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:52.380
 you know

00:26:52.380 --> 00:26:52.720
 what some

00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:53.019
 of you are

00:26:53.019 --> 00:26:53.440
 probably

00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:53.839
 thinking

00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:54.319
 right now

00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:55.940
 if you're

00:26:55.940 --> 00:26:56.440
 skeptical

00:26:56.440 --> 00:26:56.980
 and you're

00:26:56.980 --> 00:26:57.380
 reading the

00:26:57.380 --> 00:26:57.660
 way I

00:26:57.660 --> 00:26:58.319
 often am

00:26:58.319 --> 00:26:59.360
 you're probably

00:26:59.360 --> 00:26:59.759
 thinking

00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:01.319
 their faith

00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:01.940
 wavered a little

00:27:01.940 --> 00:27:02.299
 bit there

00:27:02.299 --> 00:27:02.779
 didn't it

00:27:02.779 --> 00:27:04.019
 but if

00:27:04.019 --> 00:27:04.320
 not

00:27:04.320 --> 00:27:04.620
 in other

00:27:04.620 --> 00:27:04.759
 words

00:27:04.759 --> 00:27:05.320
 maybe he's

00:27:05.320 --> 00:27:05.720
 not able

00:27:05.720 --> 00:27:06.140
 to deliver

00:27:06.140 --> 00:27:06.460
 no

00:27:06.460 --> 00:27:07.039
 their faith

00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:07.240
 didn't

00:27:07.240 --> 00:27:07.539
 waver

00:27:07.539 --> 00:27:09.680
 what they're

00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:10.279
 expressing

00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:10.840
 here

00:27:10.840 --> 00:27:12.180
 is an

00:27:12.180 --> 00:27:12.940
 understanding

00:27:12.940 --> 00:27:13.640
 of how

00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:14.600
 God moves

00:27:14.600 --> 00:27:15.240
 and works

00:27:15.240 --> 00:27:15.779
 and has

00:27:15.779 --> 00:27:16.259
 worked

00:27:16.259 --> 00:27:17.160
 and will

00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:17.740
 continue to

00:27:17.740 --> 00:27:18.160
 work in

00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:18.740
 our world

00:27:18.740 --> 00:27:20.000
 it is an

00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:20.640
 expression of

00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:21.259
 their confidence

00:27:21.259 --> 00:27:21.680
 in the

00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:22.140
 sovereignty

00:27:22.140 --> 00:27:23.019
 of God

00:27:23.019 --> 00:27:24.700
 their faith

00:27:24.700 --> 00:27:25.120
 is not

00:27:25.120 --> 00:27:25.600
 wavering

00:27:25.600 --> 00:27:25.960
 when they

00:27:25.960 --> 00:27:26.519
 say but

00:27:26.519 --> 00:27:26.900
 if not

00:27:26.900 --> 00:27:27.140
 in other

00:27:27.140 --> 00:27:27.420
 words if

00:27:27.420 --> 00:27:27.820
 he doesn't

00:27:27.820 --> 00:27:28.620
 deliver us

00:27:28.619 --> 00:27:30.079
 what they're

00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:30.599
 saying is

00:27:30.599 --> 00:27:31.000
 this

00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:33.019
 that we

00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:33.779
 have looked

00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:34.459
 at human

00:27:34.459 --> 00:27:35.199
 history and

00:27:35.199 --> 00:27:36.519
 understand that

00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:37.119
 God is

00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:37.699
 sovereign we

00:27:37.699 --> 00:27:38.299
 don't call the

00:27:38.299 --> 00:27:38.859
 shots he

00:27:38.859 --> 00:27:40.159
 does and

00:27:40.159 --> 00:27:40.839
 God is free

00:27:40.839 --> 00:27:41.519
 to do whatever

00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:42.359
 God desires

00:27:42.359 --> 00:27:43.759
 to do and

00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:44.899
 it may be that

00:27:44.899 --> 00:27:45.879
 he desires to

00:27:45.879 --> 00:27:46.619
 save us to

00:27:46.619 --> 00:27:47.139
 prove to you

00:27:47.139 --> 00:27:47.939
 he is God

00:27:47.939 --> 00:27:49.279
 and if so

00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:50.500
 to God be

00:27:50.500 --> 00:27:51.419
 glory and we

00:27:51.419 --> 00:27:52.019
 praise him

00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:53.379
 but it may

00:27:53.379 --> 00:27:54.979
 just be that

00:27:54.979 --> 00:27:55.879
 God in his

00:27:55.879 --> 00:27:56.599
 sovereign wisdom

00:27:56.599 --> 00:27:57.399
 will recognize

00:27:57.400 --> 00:27:58.420
 it would be

00:27:58.420 --> 00:27:59.320
 better for us

00:27:59.320 --> 00:28:00.019
 to perish in

00:28:00.019 --> 00:28:00.780
 the fire as

00:28:00.780 --> 00:28:01.400
 a proof of

00:28:01.400 --> 00:28:02.180
 the reality of

00:28:02.180 --> 00:28:03.240
 our faith and

00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:03.880
 he will not

00:28:03.880 --> 00:28:04.700
 rescue us but

00:28:04.700 --> 00:28:05.800
 know this whether

00:28:05.800 --> 00:28:07.160
 he rescues us or

00:28:07.160 --> 00:28:08.040
 he doesn't rescue

00:28:08.040 --> 00:28:09.780
 us we are

00:28:09.780 --> 00:28:10.600
 committed to

00:28:10.600 --> 00:28:12.220
 serving him

00:28:12.220 --> 00:28:13.500
 and him

00:28:13.500 --> 00:28:15.240
 alone I

00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:15.640
 want you to

00:28:15.640 --> 00:28:16.380
 understand something

00:28:16.380 --> 00:28:17.340
 friend every time

00:28:17.340 --> 00:28:18.100
 we pray God

00:28:18.100 --> 00:28:18.780
 does not answer

00:28:18.780 --> 00:28:19.500
 the way we

00:28:19.500 --> 00:28:20.580
 desire that he

00:28:20.580 --> 00:28:21.280
 would answer or

00:28:21.280 --> 00:28:22.580
 hope perhaps that

00:28:22.580 --> 00:28:23.920
 he would answer

00:28:23.920 --> 00:28:25.160
 I want to show

00:28:25.160 --> 00:28:26.600
 you a passage and

00:28:26.600 --> 00:28:27.380
 I'm going to ask

00:28:27.380 --> 00:28:27.920
 you to turn to

00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:28.820
 this passage if

00:28:28.820 --> 00:28:29.560
 you have a

00:28:29.560 --> 00:28:30.440
 Bible you have

00:28:30.440 --> 00:28:31.320
 a device that

00:28:31.320 --> 00:28:31.980
 you can look a

00:28:31.980 --> 00:28:33.540
 passage up I

00:28:33.540 --> 00:28:34.060
 want you to read

00:28:34.060 --> 00:28:34.700
 this because I'm

00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.360
 almost through the

00:28:35.360 --> 00:28:36.460
 message look with

00:28:36.460 --> 00:28:37.100
 me to Hebrews

00:28:37.100 --> 00:28:39.700
 chapter 11 it's

00:28:39.700 --> 00:28:40.560
 one of my favorite

00:28:40.560 --> 00:28:41.860
 passages in all the

00:28:41.860 --> 00:28:42.700
 word of God and I

00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:43.300
 don't care who you

00:28:43.300 --> 00:28:44.220
 are here today if

00:28:44.220 --> 00:28:45.060
 you're a member a

00:28:45.060 --> 00:28:46.660
 visitor you want to

00:28:46.660 --> 00:28:47.860
 read this passage on

00:28:47.860 --> 00:28:48.800
 your own look with

00:28:48.800 --> 00:28:50.000
 me to Hebrews 11

00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:52.040
 35 to 38 would

00:28:52.040 --> 00:28:52.760
 you find that if you

00:28:52.760 --> 00:28:53.660
 have a Bible or a

00:28:53.660 --> 00:28:55.640
 device Hebrews 11

00:28:55.640 --> 00:28:57.800
 35 to 38 now

00:28:57.800 --> 00:28:58.259
 while you're

00:28:58.259 --> 00:28:59.020
 turning it up let

00:28:59.020 --> 00:29:00.060
 me set the stage

00:29:00.060 --> 00:29:01.880
 how many of you

00:29:01.880 --> 00:29:02.800
 know Hebrews 11

00:29:02.800 --> 00:29:04.060
 well you've read a

00:29:04.060 --> 00:29:04.720
 lot of times raise

00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:05.420
 your hand real high

00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:06.320
 if you're familiar

00:29:06.320 --> 00:29:07.800
 with this a lot of

00:29:07.800 --> 00:29:08.060
 you in the

00:29:08.060 --> 00:29:08.700
 sermon that's what I

00:29:08.700 --> 00:29:10.280
 suspected some

00:29:10.280 --> 00:29:11.259
 people call it God's

00:29:11.259 --> 00:29:13.040
 hall of fame some

00:29:13.040 --> 00:29:14.100
 people call it God's

00:29:14.100 --> 00:29:16.060
 who's who some

00:29:16.060 --> 00:29:16.820
 have called it the

00:29:16.820 --> 00:29:18.240
 roll call of faith

00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:20.100
 because what he does

00:29:20.100 --> 00:29:21.640
 here is my favorite

00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:22.900
 verse is verse 6

00:29:22.900 --> 00:29:24.160
 where he says

00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:25.019
 without faith it is

00:29:25.019 --> 00:29:25.900
 impossible to please

00:29:25.900 --> 00:29:26.860
 him because those

00:29:26.860 --> 00:29:27.519
 who come to him

00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:28.300
 must believe that he

00:29:28.300 --> 00:29:29.620
 exists and he is the

00:29:29.620 --> 00:29:30.500
 reward of those who

00:29:30.500 --> 00:29:31.540
 diligently seek him

00:29:31.540 --> 00:29:32.820
 it's a list of all the

00:29:32.820 --> 00:29:33.740
 great people in the

00:29:33.740 --> 00:29:36.840
 scripture of faith and

00:29:36.840 --> 00:29:37.720
 people that God has

00:29:37.720 --> 00:29:39.660
 rescued but wait a

00:29:39.660 --> 00:29:40.519
 second we overlook

00:29:40.519 --> 00:29:41.720
 these closing verses

00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:42.759
 I want you to look

00:29:42.759 --> 00:29:43.900
 with me to verse 35

00:29:43.900 --> 00:29:44.600
 the middle of the

00:29:44.600 --> 00:29:46.080
 verse and I want to

00:29:46.080 --> 00:29:46.740
 read it for you

00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:49.060
 some were tortured

00:29:49.060 --> 00:29:50.940
 refusing to accept

00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:52.700
 release so that they

00:29:52.700 --> 00:29:53.860
 might rise again to a

00:29:53.860 --> 00:29:56.100
 better life others

00:29:56.100 --> 00:29:57.660
 suffered mocking and

00:29:57.660 --> 00:29:58.620
 flogging and even

00:29:58.620 --> 00:30:00.100
 chains and imprisonment

00:30:00.100 --> 00:30:03.680
 they were stoned let

00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:05.740
 that sink in they

00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:08.960
 were sawn in two they

00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:10.360
 were killed with the

00:30:10.360 --> 00:30:12.799
 sword they went about

00:30:12.799 --> 00:30:15.299
 in skins of sheep and

00:30:15.299 --> 00:30:18.519
 goats destitute afflicted

00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:21.200
 and mistreated of whom

00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:25.180
 the world was not worthy

00:30:25.180 --> 00:30:27.480
 wandering about in

00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:28.600
 deserts and mountains

00:30:28.600 --> 00:30:30.640
 and in dens and caves

00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:33.819
 of the earth you know

00:30:33.819 --> 00:30:35.740
 what it says look up and

00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:38.660
 get this not everybody

00:30:38.660 --> 00:30:39.920
 who walked with God was

00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:42.500
 faithful to God God chose

00:30:42.500 --> 00:30:45.259
 to rescue well some of

00:30:45.259 --> 00:30:46.220
 them were sawn in two

00:30:46.220 --> 00:30:47.580
 they were boiled in oil

00:30:47.579 --> 00:30:48.460
 they were crucified

00:30:48.460 --> 00:30:51.240
 upside down they were

00:30:51.240 --> 00:30:52.259
 stoned to death they

00:30:52.259 --> 00:30:53.159
 were run through with a

00:30:53.159 --> 00:30:54.220
 sword they were beheaded

00:30:54.220 --> 00:30:57.819
 many of them escaped to

00:30:57.819 --> 00:30:59.960
 live lives that we would

00:30:59.960 --> 00:31:02.399
 deem miserable living in

00:31:02.399 --> 00:31:04.139
 caves among dead people

00:31:04.139 --> 00:31:07.399
 they wandered and then the

00:31:07.399 --> 00:31:08.579
 writer of Hebrews says

00:31:08.579 --> 00:31:13.119
 the world was not worthy of

00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:16.240
 faithful soldiers of the

00:31:16.240 --> 00:31:17.500
 cross who gave their life

00:31:17.500 --> 00:31:20.240
 to the Lord Jesus men and

00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:22.679
 women of deep deep deep

00:31:22.679 --> 00:31:26.279
 conviction and that's what

00:31:26.279 --> 00:31:27.619
 Shadrach Meshach and

00:31:27.619 --> 00:31:29.899
 Abednego were saying we

00:31:29.899 --> 00:31:30.659
 don't know if he's going to

00:31:30.659 --> 00:31:31.619
 rescue us or not we don't

00:31:31.619 --> 00:31:33.139
 have question number one about

00:31:33.139 --> 00:31:36.000
 his ability or that he could

00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:38.440
 we just don't know his

00:31:38.440 --> 00:31:41.599
 sovereign will so if we die

00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:46.460
 we die if we live to God be

00:31:46.460 --> 00:31:50.140
 the glory that's a picture of

00:31:50.140 --> 00:31:52.680
 what commitment looks like

00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:56.940
 right I pastored full time for

00:31:56.940 --> 00:32:02.539
 40 years 40 years I was on

00:32:02.539 --> 00:32:05.259
 staff about four years prior to

00:32:05.259 --> 00:32:08.319
 that I've been doing interims

00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:11.759
 now four years so you do the

00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:15.160
 quick math about 48 to 50 years

00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:18.819
 I've been involved in ministry I

00:32:18.819 --> 00:32:20.680
 can tell you without hesitation

00:32:20.680 --> 00:32:25.379
 today what has discouraged me

00:32:25.379 --> 00:32:27.319
 more than anything else in

00:32:27.319 --> 00:32:30.480
 ministry it is not adversity

00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:34.180
 from the enemy and it is not

00:32:34.180 --> 00:32:36.940
 adversity from within I was

00:32:36.940 --> 00:32:38.460
 fortunate I was always in

00:32:38.460 --> 00:32:40.880
 situations where people loved

00:32:40.880 --> 00:32:41.940
 me and cared for me and

00:32:41.940 --> 00:32:43.920
 supported me so it wasn't that

00:32:43.920 --> 00:32:46.140
 that's what you're thinking you

00:32:46.140 --> 00:32:49.940
 know what it was you was seeing

00:32:49.940 --> 00:32:52.500
 people who one day were on fire

00:32:52.500 --> 00:32:56.500
 for God and six months later you

00:32:56.500 --> 00:32:57.440
 couldn't have found them with a

00:32:57.440 --> 00:33:01.900
 seeing eye dog I mean people who

00:33:01.900 --> 00:33:05.380
 would just be so on fire and then so

00:33:05.380 --> 00:33:09.240
 cold so apathetic people who drifted

00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:11.080
 in church and out of church and to

00:33:11.080 --> 00:33:13.400
 another church and another church and

00:33:13.400 --> 00:33:15.280
 another church and another church

00:33:15.280 --> 00:33:19.700
 people who were giving great

00:33:19.700 --> 00:33:21.920
 testimonies of praises one day until

00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:25.900
 tragedy struck or they lost their job or

00:33:25.900 --> 00:33:28.740
 child went wayward or something

00:33:28.740 --> 00:33:31.600
 happened or somebody disappointed

00:33:31.600 --> 00:33:35.080
 them and then they just drifted away

00:33:35.080 --> 00:33:39.580
 drifted away that was the most

00:33:39.580 --> 00:33:42.580
 heartbreaking thing I dealt with the

00:33:42.580 --> 00:33:45.519
 last 50 years of my life just trying to

00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:49.420
 get my head around it when I was in

00:33:49.420 --> 00:33:53.720
 Statesville the year was 1978 or 9 I'd

00:33:53.720 --> 00:33:56.339
 been at Western Avenue about two years

00:33:56.339 --> 00:33:58.819
 there was a man and his wife in our

00:33:58.819 --> 00:34:01.740
 congregation by the name of Bob Byrd

00:34:01.740 --> 00:34:04.960
 his wife Shirley they had a 19 year old

00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:06.740
 boy who was in the service he came home

00:34:06.740 --> 00:34:10.780
 on leave they lived on Lake Norman he's

00:34:10.780 --> 00:34:14.320
 in a boat by himself and they're going

00:34:14.320 --> 00:34:16.340
 across Lake Norman and he's turned to

00:34:16.340 --> 00:34:18.980
 the left watching skiers in an adjacent

00:34:18.980 --> 00:34:22.599
 boat sadly he didn't notice a concrete

00:34:22.599 --> 00:34:26.219
 embankment came out into the water and

00:34:26.219 --> 00:34:28.119
 he hit it going really fast and the boat

00:34:28.119 --> 00:34:32.360
 just disintegrated they fished his body

00:34:32.360 --> 00:34:35.599
 out of the water called EMS rushed him to

00:34:36.360 --> 00:34:38.860
 Charlotte Memorial Hospital I got a call

00:34:38.860 --> 00:34:41.599
 early that evening went to their side we

00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:43.940
 just prayed till about 2 in the morning

00:34:43.940 --> 00:34:49.039
 God please save Mark about 2 in the morning

00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:51.279
 Bob turns to me in faithful Christian says

00:34:51.280 --> 00:34:53.480
 Ralph you just need to go home you got to

00:34:53.480 --> 00:34:55.240
 preach in the morning your hour from home

00:34:55.240 --> 00:34:58.140
 go home I got my car went back home

00:34:58.140 --> 00:35:01.160
 broken-hearted for my friend next day

00:35:01.160 --> 00:35:02.660
 after I preached I went back to Charlotte

00:35:02.660 --> 00:35:05.019
 by then he had begun to stabilize a little

00:35:05.019 --> 00:35:07.180
 bit they thought well we think he's going

00:35:07.180 --> 00:35:10.100
 to pull through we're not certain next 48

00:35:10.100 --> 00:35:12.200
 hours will be crucial 48 hours later they

00:35:12.200 --> 00:35:14.800
 said well he has stabilized but he's in a

00:35:14.800 --> 00:35:17.160
 deep deep coma and frankly we don't know

00:35:17.159 --> 00:35:20.199
 if he'll ever come out of it we can't keep

00:35:20.199 --> 00:35:22.659
 him here at Memorial though because his

00:35:22.659 --> 00:35:25.599
 life his bodily injuries are not threatening

00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:27.639
 at this point so they moved him to a

00:35:27.639 --> 00:35:30.079
 convalescent home in Huntersville North

00:35:30.079 --> 00:35:34.719
 Carolina Bob worked in Charlotte at a

00:35:34.719 --> 00:35:37.399
 architectural firm and every day he would

00:35:37.399 --> 00:35:40.219
 pass close by Huntersville get off the

00:35:40.219 --> 00:35:41.980
 interstate go to Huntersville see his son

00:35:41.980 --> 00:35:45.539
 going to work his wife Shirley would go

00:35:45.539 --> 00:35:48.679
 around noontime she would stay with him

00:35:48.679 --> 00:35:50.840
 several hours she would read to him hold

00:35:50.840 --> 00:35:53.860
 his hand and just talk to her son try to

00:35:53.860 --> 00:35:57.820
 get him to wake up it's now been 18 months

00:35:57.820 --> 00:35:59.820
 one Wednesday night at the prayer meeting I

00:35:59.820 --> 00:36:01.460
 see them and I say could you come by the

00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:03.740
 office for a minute we go by my office I

00:36:03.740 --> 00:36:05.800
 sit down in a couch and they sit down and

00:36:05.800 --> 00:36:08.800
 couch and chair beside me and I just said

00:36:08.800 --> 00:36:10.740
 how's it going I hadn't had a chance to

00:36:10.739 --> 00:36:13.379
 just talk with you privately for a while

00:36:13.379 --> 00:36:16.959
 how's it going how you dealing with Mark's

00:36:16.959 --> 00:36:19.500
 injury and I'll never forget that

00:36:19.500 --> 00:36:24.079
 conversation over 40 years ago he just

00:36:24.079 --> 00:36:29.359
 began to just cry uncontrollably he looks

00:36:29.359 --> 00:36:30.779
 up and he says pastor it's the hardest

00:36:30.779 --> 00:36:33.339
 thing we've ever gone through said mostly

00:36:33.339 --> 00:36:36.979
 it's killing me how it's killing his mama he

00:36:36.979 --> 00:36:39.239
 said and this is what we're praying we've

00:36:39.239 --> 00:36:41.299
 begged God we've told God God if you would

00:36:41.299 --> 00:36:44.239
 let Mark wake up if you'd let me just even

00:36:44.239 --> 00:36:46.579
 if he doesn't stay alert if he could just

00:36:46.579 --> 00:36:48.359
 wake up one more time he could look at his

00:36:48.359 --> 00:36:50.319
 mother and tell her he loved her that he

00:36:50.319 --> 00:36:53.759
 hurt her and and just give her some reason

00:36:53.759 --> 00:36:57.279
 to hope we've told God God we will love you

00:36:57.279 --> 00:36:59.679
 and praise you and serve you until the day

00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:05.059
 we die and then he just dropped his face in his

00:37:05.059 --> 00:37:08.739
 hands and he wept after about 45 seconds he

00:37:08.739 --> 00:37:11.019
 looked back up wiped the tears away and this is

00:37:11.019 --> 00:37:14.980
 what he said I'll never forget it and we've also

00:37:14.980 --> 00:37:20.199
 told God God if he never wakes up if he never says

00:37:20.199 --> 00:37:25.379
 another word if he dies tomorrow if he lives 10 years we

00:37:25.380 --> 00:37:29.440
 promise we're gonna love you and serve you forever

00:37:29.440 --> 00:37:34.000
 another 18 months passed and three years after that

00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:38.660
 accident Mark Byrd went to be with the Lord Jesus Christ he

00:37:38.660 --> 00:37:44.519
 never woke up he never spoke a word but his two parents honored

00:37:44.519 --> 00:37:49.160
 that commitment and they've been faithful to their Lord ever

00:37:49.160 --> 00:37:53.300
 since that day they never wavered in their faith they were just

00:37:53.300 --> 00:37:57.580
 like Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Lord if you'll do this but

00:37:57.580 --> 00:38:08.880
 if not if not now that's commitment are you committed to God like that are

00:38:08.880 --> 00:38:14.720
 you committed to your spouse and your family like that are you

00:38:14.720 --> 00:38:20.580
 committed to the body of believers here at First Baptist Pickens like

00:38:20.579 --> 00:38:27.599
 that I'm gonna tell you this is a moment of truth for this church

00:38:27.599 --> 00:38:34.159
 because for 25 years you've had unity and solidarity and you've been united by a

00:38:34.159 --> 00:38:41.360
 great preacher and a great man but he's left us he's retired and this is a

00:38:41.360 --> 00:38:46.119
 time where we'll see what you're made of this is a time for you to pull

00:38:46.119 --> 00:38:52.079
 together more than you've ever needed to pull together in the last 25 years it's

00:38:52.079 --> 00:38:59.960
 a time for staff people to step it up it's a time for deacons and leadership to

00:38:59.960 --> 00:39:08.099
 step it up it's a time for Sunday school teachers to step it up it's a time for

00:39:08.099 --> 00:39:11.980
 everyone who names Christ as their Savior and is a member of this church to say you

00:39:11.980 --> 00:39:16.179
 know what it's not time for me to loaf it's not time for me to take a walk in

00:39:16.179 --> 00:39:22.659
 the park it's not time for me to be missing in action it's a time for me to

00:39:22.659 --> 00:39:29.699
 to be on deck all hands on deck it's a time for me to do my part it's not a time to

00:39:29.699 --> 00:39:35.460
 observe it's a time to participate it's not a time to watch it's not a time to sit

00:39:35.460 --> 00:39:40.420
 it's a time to be active I'm gonna tell you something God has gifted you and

00:39:40.420 --> 00:39:46.079
 blessed you and you owe it to him and to this church to do your very best for

00:39:46.079 --> 00:39:55.519
 him this morning we're gonna have a song play to him play and during that time I

00:39:55.519 --> 00:39:59.960
 hope you'll prayerfully consider the commitment that God would have you make

00:39:59.960 --> 00:40:05.840
 today mostly to him if you'll make the right commitment to him these other

00:40:05.840 --> 00:40:13.420
 commitments will fall in place amen what would God have you do it may be that you

00:40:13.420 --> 00:40:19.579
 look at your life and you say well I've gotten slack in my faith man COVID COVID has

00:40:19.579 --> 00:40:25.139
 given us a mentality that it's okay for us to walk away from church to be away from

00:40:25.139 --> 00:40:29.659
 church and I understand that there was a need for us at one time there may come a

00:40:29.659 --> 00:40:32.519
 need in the future for us to say you know what we're gonna worship in a

00:40:32.519 --> 00:40:37.699
 different fashion but if there was ever a time right now today that we need to be

00:40:37.699 --> 00:40:43.779
 found faithful in God's house it's this day let's bow together in prayer father

00:40:43.779 --> 00:40:51.279
 lead us and guide us today to not just put checks on a card but to really think

00:40:51.279 --> 00:40:55.759
 about what role we can play and how you've gifted us and what we can do for your

00:40:55.760 --> 00:41:01.560
 kingdom whether it's with a one or with Sunday school or music whether it's to

00:41:01.560 --> 00:41:08.860
 serve behind the scenes in a helping role God let us be our best for you let us have a

00:41:08.860 --> 00:41:14.740
 great faith Lord and believe that you're actively involved in our lives Lord I pray

00:41:14.740 --> 00:41:20.440
 today that we would be as committed to you as Shadrach Meshach and Abednego for we make

00:41:20.440 --> 00:41:24.019
 this prayer in Jesus name and for his sake amen

00:41:24.019 --> 00:41:25.940
 you