WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.780 You know, when we prayed about starting the church, 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:06.219 we prayed that Watermark would be a church where people could be real. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.839 We realized that in Hong Kong especially, but in most places, 00:00:11.939 --> 00:00:17.400 people have a fear of being honest with what's going on inside of them. 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:19.179 We wanted a church. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:20.940 We prayed for a church. 00:00:20.940 --> 00:00:26.080 We trusted the Lord for a church where people could be known. 00:00:26.699 --> 00:00:28.480 It's one of the reasons you have a name tag on. 00:00:28.940 --> 00:00:30.500 The other reason is I have a terrible memory. 00:00:31.339 --> 00:00:33.659 So it helps me to know your name when we look at everybody. 00:00:34.480 --> 00:00:37.659 But we wanted to know and have a church where people could know your name, 00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:41.260 where everyone would know you, where everybody would know a part of your story. 00:00:41.380 --> 00:00:43.539 They would know what's going on, and they could be praying for you 00:00:43.539 --> 00:00:45.579 and be a part of those things. 00:00:45.579 --> 00:00:51.519 And we realized that so often it's easy to wear a mask and not be known 00:00:51.519 --> 00:00:53.640 and not be real and not be authentic. 00:00:53.740 --> 00:00:55.799 And it's one of the things that we prize the most in the church 00:00:55.799 --> 00:00:58.759 is this authenticity and realism. 00:00:59.659 --> 00:01:03.019 We also kind of prize rawness and things like that. 00:01:03.599 --> 00:01:06.920 But we prayed that Watermark would be a place where you would feel safe, 00:01:08.219 --> 00:01:10.599 that you would know that it's okay to be broken, 00:01:11.879 --> 00:01:13.219 that you'd be okay to share those things, 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:17.039 that you would know that even as the pastor shares stories about themselves sometimes 00:01:17.039 --> 00:01:19.539 because that's the only stories we know, 00:01:19.659 --> 00:01:21.479 and they're the ones that God used in our lives, 00:01:21.579 --> 00:01:23.700 that it doesn't mean that we're not broken. 00:01:23.700 --> 00:01:25.859 And it probably means that we're the most broken people here, 00:01:25.960 --> 00:01:28.920 and that's what you need to know, right? 00:01:29.859 --> 00:01:31.180 So it was 1982. 00:01:33.079 --> 00:01:36.900 I was in college, so I don't want to hear who was born at that time. 00:01:37.260 --> 00:01:39.980 So I'm not going to ask you to stand up if you're alive in 1982. 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:43.640 And I went to university for two main reasons. 00:01:43.740 --> 00:01:45.879 One reason is I really wanted to be a trauma doctor. 00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:47.520 I love medicine. 00:01:47.659 --> 00:01:48.620 I still love medicine. 00:01:48.620 --> 00:01:51.240 I worked in an ER for a couple years, 00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:53.840 and I wanted to be a trauma doctor and fight death. 00:01:54.760 --> 00:01:58.439 I also went to the university because I wanted to date cute girls. 00:01:59.460 --> 00:02:02.600 Now, my university, I think, has the most beautiful girls 00:02:02.600 --> 00:02:06.360 in the Southeast Conference and in probably America. 00:02:06.580 --> 00:02:10.000 They're all Southern Bells, and just they're really amazing. 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:15.199 Not as good as my wife, but they're pretty hot. 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:16.460 And my wife is hot, too. 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:19.740 So I think my wife is hot, so you can just know that. 00:02:20.620 --> 00:02:23.900 Anyway, but I mostly went to school because I wanted to be a doctor. 00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:30.099 And I'll never forget the day I was in my organic chemistry class, 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:34.860 and we were studying the atomic element table. 00:02:35.300 --> 00:02:37.199 And we got to atomic element number three. 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:40.780 Now, if you know what atomic element number three is, you are a nerd, just like I am. 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:42.379 So don't wiki it up. 00:02:42.459 --> 00:02:44.839 But it's the element lithium. 00:02:46.099 --> 00:02:49.239 And the teacher started talking about it, and he said that's from lithos, 00:02:49.299 --> 00:02:52.299 which is Greek for stone or rock. 00:02:52.819 --> 00:02:55.679 And it derives a word called lithostratos. 00:02:55.879 --> 00:02:57.359 Does anybody know what lithostratos is? 00:02:57.399 --> 00:02:59.819 And no one knew because it's a biblical term. 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:01.039 It's only used once in the Bible, 00:03:01.139 --> 00:03:06.259 and it was actually the place where Pilate stood when he pronounced judgment on Christ. 00:03:06.259 --> 00:03:07.939 In Hebrew, it's called gabatha. 00:03:08.419 --> 00:03:11.120 But in Greek, it's lithostratos. 00:03:12.280 --> 00:03:13.539 And no one knew that. 00:03:13.979 --> 00:03:14.739 And then he started talking. 00:03:14.840 --> 00:03:16.659 He says, are there any Christians in here? 00:03:17.500 --> 00:03:19.799 And I thought, well, this sounds like it's a pretty interesting thing. 00:03:19.879 --> 00:03:21.899 He brings up lithostratos and Christ. 00:03:22.120 --> 00:03:23.680 And, you know, but I raised my hand. 00:03:23.719 --> 00:03:24.859 There's about 45 of us. 00:03:24.959 --> 00:03:26.599 We were pre-med students and some nurses. 00:03:27.399 --> 00:03:29.680 And I raised my hand, and a little girl raised her hand. 00:03:29.739 --> 00:03:30.939 And so two of us raised our hands. 00:03:31.859 --> 00:03:34.359 And he didn't pick on the little girl, but he picked on me. 00:03:35.060 --> 00:03:36.319 And he asked me to stand up. 00:03:36.359 --> 00:03:39.259 And in the middle of the class of all these students who were my peers 00:03:39.259 --> 00:03:40.780 that we were going to go through the next couple of years 00:03:40.780 --> 00:03:43.139 and be doctors together and nurses that were going to work with us, 00:03:43.659 --> 00:03:46.859 he just ripped into me like out of control. 00:03:47.479 --> 00:03:48.960 I mean, how can you be so stupid? 00:03:49.139 --> 00:03:50.259 How can you be so dumb? 00:03:50.340 --> 00:03:52.199 This is a place of higher education and learning. 00:03:52.520 --> 00:03:53.639 How can you believe in God? 00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:57.179 God, you have to be one of the most foolish people I ever know. 00:03:57.239 --> 00:04:00.519 And I'm just sitting there, and it seems like it's like 30 minutes, right? 00:04:00.579 --> 00:04:01.939 It's like, I'm like, oh, my gosh. 00:04:02.299 --> 00:04:03.500 It was probably only like two minutes. 00:04:04.059 --> 00:04:06.339 But I just got ripped up and down. 00:04:06.539 --> 00:04:10.439 And I'm sure I was walking funny because my butt just got chewed off. 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:14.179 And it was just, it was, I don't know if I can say butt in church, but I just did. 00:04:14.819 --> 00:04:17.979 But I was hurting, and I almost wanted to throw up. 00:04:18.539 --> 00:04:21.120 And at the end of the time, he looked at me, and he said, 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:24.420 you know, I can guarantee you that there's no way you're going to get into medical school 00:04:24.420 --> 00:04:26.040 if you keep this worldview. 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:30.100 I will make it my mission in life to make sure you don't get to medical school. 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:34.280 And he could do that because he was actually on the board for my school 00:04:34.280 --> 00:04:36.319 who pre-interviewed the medical school students. 00:04:36.360 --> 00:04:37.800 So his recommendation meant a lot. 00:04:39.540 --> 00:04:43.160 And I walked away, and I felt like my whole world was just kind of crumbling, right? 00:04:43.180 --> 00:04:43.939 I was just falling apart. 00:04:44.340 --> 00:04:48.540 And I felt like that scene in Top Gun when Goose and Maverick make a dumb mistake 00:04:48.540 --> 00:04:50.439 in their airplane, and they're about to get fired, 00:04:50.439 --> 00:04:51.639 you know, kicked out of the Navy. 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:53.279 And Goose is sitting there going, 00:04:53.699 --> 00:04:55.100 okay, what's the name of that truck driving school? 00:04:56.060 --> 00:04:56.860 What's the address for that? 00:04:56.879 --> 00:04:58.360 I need to call them up because I need to be a truck driver. 00:04:58.459 --> 00:04:59.060 I felt like that. 00:04:59.100 --> 00:05:01.279 I felt like, okay, I need to probably look for another job 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:02.800 because there's no way I'm going to be a doctor ever. 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:06.579 And I went home, and I had two roommates who were Christians, 00:05:06.860 --> 00:05:11.439 and they were so blunt, which you kind of like. 00:05:11.459 --> 00:05:12.300 And they weren't even Australian. 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:13.699 They were Americans, and they were blunt, 00:05:14.300 --> 00:05:15.899 which are South Africans, right? 00:05:15.899 --> 00:05:18.279 So that's one of the things I love about South Africans and Australians. 00:05:18.439 --> 00:05:20.779 They're blunt, and that's why two of them are elders. 00:05:21.039 --> 00:05:24.819 And I started sharing these things, and Uncle, we call him Uncle Milton. 00:05:24.939 --> 00:05:27.199 Milton looked at me, and he goes, does that surprise you? 00:05:27.859 --> 00:05:30.099 And I said, yeah, it does. 00:05:30.659 --> 00:05:31.419 Makes me angry. 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:32.859 And he goes, why? 00:05:32.860 --> 00:05:36.460 And I thought about it for a second, and I said, well, you know, 00:05:36.540 --> 00:05:38.699 because I've been walking with the Lord all this time. 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:42.020 I've been walking with God all this time, 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:44.900 and I cannot believe God would do something like that to me. 00:05:44.980 --> 00:05:46.420 Surely God would look after me. 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:51.780 And the moment I said that, it's like a ton of bricks hit me. 00:05:53.500 --> 00:05:57.040 And I realized that at that moment in my life, 00:05:58.300 --> 00:05:59.400 I was a Christian. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:02.420 I was living for God, not because God was beautiful, 00:06:02.860 --> 00:06:07.139 not because he was amazing, not because of the cross, 00:06:08.060 --> 00:06:09.400 not because of all the things he's done for me, 00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:13.939 but I was living for God because of the things he would do for me 00:06:13.939 --> 00:06:15.139 or that I wanted him to do. 00:06:16.280 --> 00:06:19.860 I was actually using God like Santa Claus. 00:06:21.540 --> 00:06:24.180 And that was one of these aha moments for me, 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:26.400 and I realized, what am I going to do with my faith? 00:06:26.400 --> 00:06:30.740 And is my faith a real faith, or is my faith a convenient faith? 00:06:30.740 --> 00:06:34.240 Now, I've had a lot of experiences like that since then, 00:06:34.280 --> 00:06:35.540 because I am a slow learner. 00:06:35.660 --> 00:06:37.220 You can ask my wife and my kids. 00:06:38.420 --> 00:06:41.720 But God continually brings me back to that idea of, 00:06:42.060 --> 00:06:45.000 why am I walking with the Lord, and why am I serving him? 00:06:45.139 --> 00:06:47.660 Is it because I can get things out of him and from him, 00:06:47.699 --> 00:06:49.780 or is it because he's amazing and awesome, 00:06:49.879 --> 00:06:50.860 and he's done everything for us, 00:06:50.860 --> 00:06:52.519 and he deserves our praise? 00:06:52.980 --> 00:06:55.180 Even if he gives us nothing, he deserves everything, 00:06:55.180 --> 00:06:57.860 because he's already given us eternity. 00:06:59.500 --> 00:07:02.480 I've gone back to this book of Daniel several times. 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:04.480 It's really helped me in that process. 00:07:04.620 --> 00:07:08.000 It's given me comfort over the years as I've thought about that 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:10.040 and prayed about that and looked about, 00:07:10.139 --> 00:07:12.920 what does it mean for me to walk with the Lord 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:17.460 in this world that is full of lion's den and pits and fires? 00:07:17.860 --> 00:07:20.660 The passage that we read today, Daniel 6, 00:07:20.759 --> 00:07:23.240 takes place 70 years after Daniel 1. 00:07:23.240 --> 00:07:27.180 So Daniel 1, what happens is that the people of God 00:07:27.180 --> 00:07:29.319 have just disobeyed God, and they've turned their back on God, 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:31.360 and God has basically said, okay. 00:07:32.019 --> 00:07:35.579 And so he allows this amazing, huge, ruthless kingdom 00:07:35.579 --> 00:07:36.860 called Babylon to come in. 00:07:38.280 --> 00:07:39.720 This king called Nebuchadnezzar, 00:07:39.740 --> 00:07:42.280 and he comes in, and he basically wipes out Israel, 00:07:42.400 --> 00:07:44.319 and he destroys the temple partially, 00:07:44.939 --> 00:07:46.100 and he loots the temple, 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:48.139 and he takes all the contents of the temple of God out, 00:07:48.180 --> 00:07:50.680 and then he takes some of the most important people 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:53.000 within society, the educated, 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:53.959 the movers and the shakers, 00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:56.459 and he transports them, especially the young ones, 00:07:56.519 --> 00:07:59.860 back to Babylon for re-education. 00:08:00.680 --> 00:08:01.980 And if you were a Jew at that time, 00:08:02.019 --> 00:08:04.139 you would almost think that your life was over 00:08:04.139 --> 00:08:06.120 because the temple was your symbol of God 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:08.060 and that God was working and that God was powerful 00:08:08.060 --> 00:08:09.100 and that he was in control, 00:08:09.579 --> 00:08:11.259 and all of a sudden that symbol was destroyed, 00:08:11.420 --> 00:08:14.360 and people who were in Babylon would mock you 00:08:14.360 --> 00:08:15.240 because they would say, well, 00:08:15.379 --> 00:08:16.980 surely your God must not be that powerful 00:08:16.980 --> 00:08:19.019 because our God crushed your God, 00:08:19.019 --> 00:08:21.219 and now you're here as our captives. 00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:23.459 And these four boys come back, 00:08:23.579 --> 00:08:24.719 and one of them's name is Daniel, 00:08:24.859 --> 00:08:26.759 and the other one's name is Hananiah, 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:28.199 and Mishael, and Azariah. 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:29.139 They're given different names, 00:08:29.259 --> 00:08:31.680 Meshach, Abednego, and Shadrach, 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:33.779 and they're brought to this foreign kingdom, 00:08:33.779 --> 00:08:36.000 and they're raised in the foreign ways. 00:08:36.100 --> 00:08:37.960 And what you see in Daniel 1 is immediately, 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:40.039 these guys, they're probably about 13 years old, 00:08:40.639 --> 00:08:41.740 they're given a choice, 00:08:41.820 --> 00:08:42.419 and their choice is, 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:45.000 are they going to assimilate to the culture around them? 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:46.560 Are they going to be like the culture around them? 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:48.560 Or are they going to choose to honor the Lord? 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:49.879 Are they going to walk with God? 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:50.899 Are they going to make choices 00:08:50.899 --> 00:08:53.340 that bring glory to the Lord? 00:08:53.379 --> 00:08:54.820 And they do it incredibly wisely. 00:08:55.740 --> 00:08:56.899 When we get to Daniel 6, 00:08:57.299 --> 00:08:58.980 Daniel is probably 85 years old now. 00:08:58.980 --> 00:09:00.279 So it's amazing, 00:09:00.340 --> 00:09:01.279 because you think Daniel is just, 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:02.519 he's really going fast, 00:09:02.620 --> 00:09:02.960 and it's all, 00:09:03.259 --> 00:09:03.539 but you know, 00:09:03.580 --> 00:09:06.860 the time between Daniel 1 and Daniel 6 is 70 years. 00:09:07.639 --> 00:09:09.060 And we know very little about his life. 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:09.779 He just woke up, 00:09:09.800 --> 00:09:10.399 and he went to work, 00:09:10.440 --> 00:09:11.039 and he was faithful, 00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:12.120 and he prayed, 00:09:12.240 --> 00:09:12.779 and he went up, 00:09:12.800 --> 00:09:13.220 and he slept, 00:09:13.300 --> 00:09:13.800 and he woke up, 00:09:13.820 --> 00:09:14.360 and he went to work, 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:14.879 and he was faithful, 00:09:14.940 --> 00:09:15.320 and he prayed. 00:09:15.680 --> 00:09:17.820 And so his life is a lot like most of our lives. 00:09:17.860 --> 00:09:19.019 It's pretty simple, 00:09:19.019 --> 00:09:19.639 and mundane, 00:09:19.920 --> 00:09:20.740 and routine, 00:09:20.920 --> 00:09:22.340 and he just followed that same routine. 00:09:22.899 --> 00:09:23.800 But in Daniel 6, 00:09:24.279 --> 00:09:25.779 a new king comes in, 00:09:25.899 --> 00:09:28.360 the king of the Persians and the Medes. 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:29.860 You read about it in chapter 5, 00:09:29.940 --> 00:09:30.480 and this Darius, 00:09:30.919 --> 00:09:31.960 at the age of 65, 00:09:32.539 --> 00:09:35.379 kills the son of Nebuchadnezzar, 00:09:35.820 --> 00:09:36.879 and he takes over the kingdom, 00:09:37.379 --> 00:09:39.440 and he's trying to control this massive kingdom. 00:09:39.620 --> 00:09:41.279 It's the largest in the world at that time. 00:09:41.379 --> 00:09:42.419 It encompasses everything. 00:09:43.139 --> 00:09:43.800 And this new king, 00:09:43.879 --> 00:09:44.139 Darius, 00:09:44.220 --> 00:09:44.899 looks at Daniel, 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:46.419 and he sees something different in Daniel. 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:50.139 He sees this love for the city, 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:50.860 because most people, 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:51.600 when they're taken captive, 00:09:51.700 --> 00:09:52.399 don't love the city. 00:09:52.539 --> 00:09:54.159 They despise their captors. 00:09:54.220 --> 00:09:55.060 They despise the city. 00:09:55.379 --> 00:09:56.720 But Daniel actually loves the city, 00:09:56.720 --> 00:09:58.580 and he's trying to fix the city, 00:09:58.680 --> 00:09:59.320 and help the city, 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:00.000 and be useful. 00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:01.720 He sees his character. 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:03.639 He sees that he's blameless, 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:05.500 and then he has integrity. 00:10:05.779 --> 00:10:07.820 They see that he loves the Lord, 00:10:08.740 --> 00:10:10.240 a God that he thought he had conquered. 00:10:11.160 --> 00:10:13.879 And so Daniel is just doing some amazing things. 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:15.320 And so what I want to look at in this passage, 00:10:15.580 --> 00:10:15.920 really, 00:10:16.460 --> 00:10:17.259 just in a short time, 00:10:17.320 --> 00:10:20.080 are three things that continue to stick out to me, 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:24.540 as I struggle with my selfishness, 00:10:26.580 --> 00:10:29.620 as I struggle with my wanting to use God, 00:10:29.680 --> 00:10:31.020 instead of worship him. 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:33.340 The things that stick out to me, 00:10:33.420 --> 00:10:35.200 are just basically the world's view of us, 00:10:35.220 --> 00:10:36.300 as God's people. 00:10:37.780 --> 00:10:39.480 And then Daniel's response, 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:41.580 to the plot against him. 00:10:42.440 --> 00:10:43.560 And then God. 00:10:44.100 --> 00:10:45.440 Where's God in all of this? 00:10:45.500 --> 00:10:47.880 So the world's view of us, 00:10:48.640 --> 00:10:50.160 Daniel's response to this decree, 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:51.320 which is horrific, 00:10:51.920 --> 00:10:53.880 and just where's God in the process of this? 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:55.920 And the first thing that's been sticking out to me 00:10:55.920 --> 00:10:56.520 over these years, 00:10:56.600 --> 00:10:57.840 is that when you read Daniel 6, 00:10:57.900 --> 00:10:59.080 and almost all of the scripture, 00:10:59.240 --> 00:11:00.960 you realize that the world around us, 00:11:01.780 --> 00:11:03.080 doesn't understand us at all. 00:11:04.540 --> 00:11:04.840 I mean, 00:11:04.860 --> 00:11:05.800 if you're a Christian in here, 00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:07.920 and you're trying to talk to your people, 00:11:07.920 --> 00:11:08.620 in your workplace, 00:11:08.940 --> 00:11:10.160 as you would to other Christians, 00:11:10.360 --> 00:11:11.380 and show them the values, 00:11:11.540 --> 00:11:12.040 and the ideas, 00:11:12.260 --> 00:11:12.720 and the heart, 00:11:13.140 --> 00:11:13.840 and the morals, 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:16.180 and all the things that are important to us, 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:16.660 as Christians, 00:11:17.100 --> 00:11:18.460 they're going to look at you, 00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:19.860 like you're an idiot. 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:22.560 They're not going to understand, 00:11:22.759 --> 00:11:24.320 those things at all. 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:24.960 They're going to be, 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:26.920 looking at you like you're a crazy person. 00:11:28.019 --> 00:11:28.840 And if you're a Christian, 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:30.139 if you're not a Christian in here, 00:11:30.180 --> 00:11:30.720 you're here, 00:11:31.019 --> 00:11:32.160 and we're really glad you're here, 00:11:32.220 --> 00:11:33.860 and you're just kind of watching Christians, 00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:34.940 and see what we're all about, 00:11:35.340 --> 00:11:36.960 you probably think that we're idiots. 00:11:38.420 --> 00:11:39.879 And you probably think that we're foolish. 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:41.180 I mean, 00:11:41.220 --> 00:11:42.180 we're here on Sunday, 00:11:42.360 --> 00:11:43.139 this great day, 00:11:43.139 --> 00:11:44.779 and we could be out playing rugby, 00:11:45.299 --> 00:11:47.179 or doing something else on our one day off, 00:11:47.199 --> 00:11:48.360 but we're here in this community, 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:50.379 and so you're probably trying to figure out, 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:51.419 what's going on. 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:52.319 And the Bible, 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:53.000 and the passage says, 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:53.799 that when people look at us, 00:11:53.879 --> 00:11:55.000 it drives them crazy. 00:11:56.159 --> 00:11:57.240 It drives them crazy, 00:11:57.319 --> 00:11:58.059 they don't understand it, 00:11:58.059 --> 00:11:59.399 or it makes them pity us. 00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:02.220 It makes them feel sorry for Christians. 00:12:02.419 --> 00:12:03.100 Or sometimes, 00:12:03.179 --> 00:12:03.699 in this passage, 00:12:03.779 --> 00:12:04.179 what it does is, 00:12:04.220 --> 00:12:06.860 it makes them want to destroy us. 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:09.379 And the passage says, 00:12:09.439 --> 00:12:10.779 that these 120 other men, 00:12:10.779 --> 00:12:12.319 look at what's going on, 00:12:12.339 --> 00:12:13.899 and they know that this promotion is coming, 00:12:14.500 --> 00:12:16.000 and they don't like Daniel. 00:12:17.059 --> 00:12:18.639 And they know that if Daniel is promoted, 00:12:18.839 --> 00:12:19.879 the end of their life, 00:12:19.939 --> 00:12:20.699 the end of their livelihood, 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:22.120 the end of the money they make, 00:12:22.339 --> 00:12:24.120 all the things they do is going to stop, 00:12:24.179 --> 00:12:25.819 because this guy is different, 00:12:25.899 --> 00:12:26.659 and he's so different, 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:27.500 they don't understand him. 00:12:27.539 --> 00:12:28.699 So they went on a search, 00:12:28.779 --> 00:12:30.720 to see if they could find anything against him. 00:12:32.019 --> 00:12:32.899 Have you ever thought about that? 00:12:32.899 --> 00:12:35.059 There's 120 men, 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:37.240 overturning every stone, 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:38.340 in his life. 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:40.439 And what would that look like, 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:41.059 in your life? 00:12:42.340 --> 00:12:44.679 If 120 people went after you, 00:12:45.379 --> 00:12:47.079 and they turned over every stone, 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:48.439 because they want to destroy you. 00:12:49.639 --> 00:12:49.819 I mean, 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:51.579 I always think of the presidential elections, 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:51.779 you know, 00:12:51.799 --> 00:12:53.120 when someone wants to become a candidate. 00:12:53.740 --> 00:12:53.919 I mean, 00:12:54.059 --> 00:12:55.079 the first thing that happens, 00:12:55.199 --> 00:12:56.860 is their family just gets brutalized, 00:12:56.919 --> 00:12:57.120 right? 00:12:57.139 --> 00:12:58.419 And their life gets brutalized, 00:12:58.439 --> 00:12:59.019 and everything they've done, 00:12:59.100 --> 00:12:59.919 for the last 50 years, 00:12:59.980 --> 00:13:00.879 gets brutalized. 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:02.419 And there's nothing, 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:03.439 nowhere you can hide, 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:04.980 and so that's kind of where Daniel is at. 00:13:05.059 --> 00:13:05.279 He's, 00:13:05.340 --> 00:13:06.620 he's being brutalized, 00:13:06.679 --> 00:13:07.659 but they come back, 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:08.139 and they realize, 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:09.939 that they can't find anything on him. 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:11.580 That he, 00:13:11.580 --> 00:13:12.679 he has integrity. 00:13:13.080 --> 00:13:14.179 Not that he's perfect, 00:13:15.100 --> 00:13:16.120 and he's not sinless, 00:13:16.580 --> 00:13:17.679 but he has integrity, 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:19.539 and he remains consistent. 00:13:20.779 --> 00:13:21.460 And they, 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:22.899 they worry about what they're going to do. 00:13:23.820 --> 00:13:24.879 When I was in China, 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:25.759 I got a chance, 00:13:25.879 --> 00:13:26.779 for 10 years, 00:13:26.820 --> 00:13:28.000 I was studying up there, 00:13:28.019 --> 00:13:28.639 for a part of that, 00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:29.360 and one of the things, 00:13:29.460 --> 00:13:30.320 I was able to do, 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:31.640 is study Chinese philosophy, 00:13:31.780 --> 00:13:32.400 and philosophers. 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:34.379 And we'd read them in class, 00:13:34.420 --> 00:13:35.140 and talk about them. 00:13:35.460 --> 00:13:36.180 And one of the guys, 00:13:36.220 --> 00:13:37.180 that stuck out to me the most, 00:13:37.260 --> 00:13:38.280 because I think he is so different, 00:13:38.340 --> 00:13:38.879 than everybody else, 00:13:38.940 --> 00:13:40.220 is a guy named Han Fei. 00:13:41.060 --> 00:13:41.780 And Han Fei, 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:42.600 which makes him different, 00:13:42.660 --> 00:13:43.680 as a philosopher, 00:13:43.800 --> 00:13:44.140 is this, 00:13:44.400 --> 00:13:45.300 that almost all the other, 00:13:45.300 --> 00:13:46.000 Chinese philosophers, 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:47.660 would say that man is basically good. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:49.320 And what we need, 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:50.280 is re-education, 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:51.280 and we need more teaching, 00:13:51.379 --> 00:13:51.760 and we need, 00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:53.100 other things in our life, 00:13:53.140 --> 00:13:54.060 but we're actually good, 00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:54.720 we're not bad. 00:13:56.340 --> 00:13:56.800 But what, 00:13:56.800 --> 00:13:58.200 what Han Fei said, 00:13:58.200 --> 00:13:59.520 was that we're actually wicked. 00:14:00.320 --> 00:14:01.240 And he's actually the only, 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:02.220 Chinese philosopher, 00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:02.640 I think, 00:14:03.040 --> 00:14:03.560 who said that man, 00:14:03.680 --> 00:14:04.200 at his core, 00:14:04.260 --> 00:14:04.920 is basically evil. 00:14:05.700 --> 00:14:06.420 He said that man, 00:14:06.460 --> 00:14:07.280 is basically selfish, 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:09.580 that man is basically corrupt. 00:14:10.340 --> 00:14:11.180 And then what he said next, 00:14:11.400 --> 00:14:12.580 I've always remembered, 00:14:12.660 --> 00:14:13.440 and I probably studied it, 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:14.060 20 years ago. 00:14:14.900 --> 00:14:15.300 He said, 00:14:15.299 --> 00:14:16.139 if you find a person, 00:14:16.139 --> 00:14:16.939 who's not corrupt, 00:14:17.740 --> 00:14:19.819 and if you find a person, 00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:20.719 you cannot corrupt, 00:14:21.500 --> 00:14:23.599 you must kill them. 00:14:25.459 --> 00:14:26.699 Because you cannot control, 00:14:26.699 --> 00:14:27.559 control a person, 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:28.539 who is uncorruptible. 00:14:29.559 --> 00:14:30.699 And they're going to always, 00:14:30.699 --> 00:14:32.059 cause you trouble. 00:14:33.419 --> 00:14:34.319 And so if you're the leader, 00:14:34.459 --> 00:14:35.079 Han Fei says, 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:35.979 the only way you can deal, 00:14:36.059 --> 00:14:36.459 with these people, 00:14:36.599 --> 00:14:37.879 is to kill them. 00:14:39.959 --> 00:14:40.899 And that's what happens, 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:41.579 here in this story. 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:43.779 The people going after Daniel, 00:14:43.859 --> 00:14:44.679 looking over every lock, 00:14:44.679 --> 00:14:46.000 the world that's watching his life, 00:14:46.059 --> 00:14:46.739 look at him and say, 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:48.239 well he makes no sense to us at all. 00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:49.299 So what is the problem? 00:14:49.379 --> 00:14:50.120 Well the root of the problem, 00:14:50.199 --> 00:14:50.739 is his faith, 00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:51.339 his integrity, 00:14:51.839 --> 00:14:52.879 how he's walking with the Lord. 00:14:53.139 --> 00:14:54.559 These things made no sense to him. 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:57.199 And they make no sense, 00:14:57.199 --> 00:14:58.859 to the people around you. 00:15:00.779 --> 00:15:01.559 I mean my accountant, 00:15:01.699 --> 00:15:02.659 still does not understand, 00:15:02.819 --> 00:15:04.359 why I tithe to a church. 00:15:05.659 --> 00:15:06.000 He just, 00:15:06.099 --> 00:15:07.519 every time I put that in there, 00:15:07.559 --> 00:15:07.739 he goes, 00:15:07.879 --> 00:15:08.959 there has to be better ways, 00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:09.620 to use your money. 00:15:10.479 --> 00:15:11.519 Because it makes no sense, 00:15:11.539 --> 00:15:13.379 to give money to a church. 00:15:13.379 --> 00:15:15.639 And some of you have friends, 00:15:15.700 --> 00:15:16.299 and they look at you, 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:16.600 and they go, 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:18.879 I don't understand why you're wasting Sunday, 00:15:19.019 --> 00:15:20.080 in community. 00:15:21.240 --> 00:15:22.059 And I have friends, 00:15:22.100 --> 00:15:22.600 who look at me, 00:15:22.659 --> 00:15:22.980 and they say, 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:23.679 I'm foolish, 00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:25.320 for still being in Asia. 00:15:26.320 --> 00:15:27.399 And why didn't I go back, 00:15:27.439 --> 00:15:28.100 to be a doctor? 00:15:29.080 --> 00:15:30.659 And why did I give all that up? 00:15:31.299 --> 00:15:32.220 And this lifestyle, 00:15:32.220 --> 00:15:33.379 that God has called us to, 00:15:33.439 --> 00:15:35.019 this lifestyle to be different, 00:15:35.379 --> 00:15:37.279 looks incredibly strange. 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:40.259 And the passage reminds us, 00:15:40.299 --> 00:15:41.740 it reminds me, 00:15:42.199 --> 00:15:43.319 as a Christ follower, 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:45.159 that if I am a Christ follower, 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:46.419 I should be thinking differently. 00:15:48.459 --> 00:15:50.259 That my values should be different, 00:15:50.379 --> 00:15:51.579 that my focus should be different, 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:53.139 that my priorities should be different, 00:15:53.459 --> 00:15:54.939 that my passions should be different, 00:15:55.159 --> 00:15:57.500 that my goals should be different, 00:15:58.159 --> 00:15:59.919 from the people around me, 00:16:00.279 --> 00:16:01.819 who don't know Christ. 00:16:02.500 --> 00:16:02.759 I mean, 00:16:02.959 --> 00:16:03.720 my goals, 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:04.860 my focus now, 00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:05.580 is eternal. 00:16:06.740 --> 00:16:07.980 And I'm not so worried, 00:16:07.980 --> 00:16:09.779 about what's happening here and now, 00:16:09.800 --> 00:16:11.279 but my worry is, 00:16:11.800 --> 00:16:13.159 that I honor the Lord, 00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:15.560 and that when I stand before him, 00:16:15.580 --> 00:16:16.360 in eternity, 00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:17.399 he looks at me and says, 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:20.440 well done my good and faithful servant. 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:23.080 And when you live this way, 00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:24.440 in your workplace, 00:16:25.820 --> 00:16:27.120 or in your home, 00:16:28.460 --> 00:16:29.480 or in your schools, 00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:31.800 people are going to look at you, 00:16:31.879 --> 00:16:32.039 and say, 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:33.420 that is the dumbest thing. 00:16:34.860 --> 00:16:35.539 I've ever heard. 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:37.720 They're going to have, 00:16:37.800 --> 00:16:38.700 a really hard time with that. 00:16:39.680 --> 00:16:40.720 Sometimes I forget that. 00:16:41.820 --> 00:16:42.800 Don't you forget that. 00:16:43.940 --> 00:16:45.419 I put the other bulletin passages, 00:16:45.620 --> 00:16:46.100 in the bulletin, 00:16:46.360 --> 00:16:46.860 about Jesus, 00:16:46.980 --> 00:16:48.159 and Jesus said specifically, 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:49.700 if you come into the faith, 00:16:49.980 --> 00:16:51.379 he's taking you out of the world. 00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:53.340 And because you're out of the world now, 00:16:53.399 --> 00:16:54.360 the world is going to look at you, 00:16:54.419 --> 00:16:55.539 and they're going to look at all your priorities, 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:56.259 your values, 00:16:56.779 --> 00:16:57.580 everything that you do, 00:16:57.720 --> 00:16:58.419 and they're going to say, 00:16:58.500 --> 00:16:59.340 that's stupid. 00:17:00.420 --> 00:17:01.700 And that's strange. 00:17:01.700 --> 00:17:04.779 And you're going to be living for eternity, 00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:05.860 and there's always going to be 00:17:05.860 --> 00:17:07.059 a misunderstanding with that. 00:17:08.360 --> 00:17:10.580 And Daniel passage in the rest of the Bible 00:17:10.580 --> 00:17:11.819 says that you and I are going to live 00:17:11.819 --> 00:17:12.980 with these tensions always. 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:15.240 We're going to live with eternal tensions, 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:16.400 with temporal tensions. 00:17:16.840 --> 00:17:18.340 And as we try to live out our life, 00:17:18.460 --> 00:17:19.580 people around us are going to think 00:17:19.580 --> 00:17:20.380 we are stupid. 00:17:21.600 --> 00:17:23.200 And I just want to tell you one thing, guys. 00:17:24.059 --> 00:17:25.480 It's okay to be stupid for God. 00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:29.019 If you're obeying the Lord, 00:17:30.299 --> 00:17:31.200 it's okay to be stupid. 00:17:32.299 --> 00:17:33.660 Because you have a different focus, 00:17:33.860 --> 00:17:34.779 you have different priorities. 00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:36.860 And if you don't look stupid, 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:40.539 it might mean that we're not living 00:17:40.539 --> 00:17:41.860 the way that God wants us to live. 00:17:43.059 --> 00:17:44.680 The next thing that sticks out in this passage, 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:45.900 and I continue to be drawn towards, 00:17:45.940 --> 00:17:47.279 is just Daniel's response. 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:48.720 You look at it in verse 10. 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.720 Daniel knew what was going to happen. 00:17:51.740 --> 00:17:53.799 He knew that people were going against him. 00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:55.680 He knew the decree had been signed. 00:17:56.059 --> 00:17:59.200 He knew the consequences of breaking the law. 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:01.579 He probably was smart enough to know 00:18:01.579 --> 00:18:04.319 what had happened after hearing all these things. 00:18:05.059 --> 00:18:06.099 And he had a choice. 00:18:06.919 --> 00:18:09.099 And his choice is a choice that I continually have 00:18:09.099 --> 00:18:10.259 and that we continually have. 00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:11.720 And his choice is this. 00:18:12.579 --> 00:18:13.500 Does he change? 00:18:14.680 --> 00:18:16.419 Does he change his character 00:18:16.419 --> 00:18:20.220 in the workplace when people are getting bashed 00:18:20.220 --> 00:18:21.680 and he doesn't want to get bashed? 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:24.100 Does he change his habits 00:18:24.100 --> 00:18:27.700 when everybody else thinks taking a break is foolish 00:18:27.700 --> 00:18:29.840 or doing something different 00:18:29.840 --> 00:18:32.519 without being on your BlackBerry makes no sense? 00:18:33.180 --> 00:18:35.180 Does he change his lifestyle? 00:18:36.620 --> 00:18:38.259 Does he change his relationship with God? 00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:39.200 When you think about it, 00:18:39.360 --> 00:18:41.440 so he's been there for 70 years. 00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:44.720 So what we're told is 70 years times 365 days, 00:18:44.840 --> 00:18:46.180 times three times a day, 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:50.500 that's 76,650 times that he has met with the Lord 00:18:50.500 --> 00:18:52.240 in his captivity that we know of. 00:18:53.319 --> 00:18:55.880 Now he's only asked to stop praying for 30 days. 00:18:56.579 --> 00:18:58.099 So that's only 90 times. 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:02.799 So 90 times against 76,650 times isn't a lot. 00:19:04.039 --> 00:19:05.779 And he knows that people are watching him 00:19:05.779 --> 00:19:07.720 and he could stop. 00:19:09.940 --> 00:19:13.019 He could change how he prays, you know? 00:19:13.019 --> 00:19:14.779 Sometimes I'm so self-conscious, 00:19:14.859 --> 00:19:15.799 I don't do this by saying, 00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:17.400 dear Lord, thank you for this day. 00:19:17.539 --> 00:19:18.299 Everything is great. 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:19.359 People are watching me. 00:19:19.460 --> 00:19:20.519 I don't want to look like an idiot. 00:19:20.900 --> 00:19:21.480 We love you. 00:19:21.539 --> 00:19:21.940 We need you. 00:19:21.980 --> 00:19:22.139 Amen. 00:19:22.879 --> 00:19:24.980 I mean, he could do that, right? 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:27.639 He could find a different place to pray. 00:19:27.940 --> 00:19:29.720 He could find a more private place to pray. 00:19:30.839 --> 00:19:31.799 I mean, if I were Daniel 00:19:31.799 --> 00:19:33.539 and I've been thinking about this all my life, 00:19:33.819 --> 00:19:34.700 I would think, you know, 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:37.200 I would have either gone to the king to complain 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:39.000 or I would have rationalized to myself. 00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:40.160 I would have said something like this. 00:19:41.779 --> 00:19:44.380 God, I know there's no way 00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:46.079 you would have put me in this position of power 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:48.319 and influence and authority 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:49.940 to throw it all away. 00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:52.359 There's no way you would do that. 00:19:52.980 --> 00:19:53.880 There's no way you would ask me 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:54.839 to throw all these things away. 00:19:54.980 --> 00:19:57.880 So there has to be something else that I could do. 00:19:59.740 --> 00:20:00.640 Have you ever said that? 00:20:03.019 --> 00:20:04.640 God, I know you've given me all these things 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:05.579 and these things are happening 00:20:05.579 --> 00:20:07.180 and for me to make this change, 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:08.819 I know I might lose everything. 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:12.640 No way you want me to lose everything. 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:14.200 For the gospel? 00:20:14.420 --> 00:20:14.920 No way. 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:16.700 That's stupid. 00:20:16.819 --> 00:20:17.259 That's foolish. 00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:18.059 It's illogical. 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:19.019 It's because people will look at me 00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:20.000 and say, that's so dumb. 00:20:21.880 --> 00:20:23.579 But that might happen. 00:20:25.380 --> 00:20:26.460 And when you look at Daniel's life, 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:28.700 he doesn't do any of those things. 00:20:29.880 --> 00:20:30.799 He just, in verse 10, 00:20:30.839 --> 00:20:31.740 he just obeys. 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:34.140 He just goes and he prays. 00:20:34.140 --> 00:20:35.759 He just goes and trusts the Lord. 00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:37.579 The Hebrew and the Aramaic that he's writing, 00:20:37.579 --> 00:20:40.099 and it just says that he just did what he always did. 00:20:42.439 --> 00:20:43.500 So for 70 years, 00:20:43.559 --> 00:20:44.460 he was walking with the Lord 00:20:44.460 --> 00:20:46.220 and he just did what he had always done. 00:20:48.299 --> 00:20:49.539 So my question to us is, 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:50.359 what would we have done? 00:20:50.359 --> 00:20:57.240 If you were in Daniel and you had a chance to lose it all, 00:20:57.299 --> 00:20:57.919 what would you have done? 00:21:00.339 --> 00:21:02.839 We're told that he did it because he trusts in the Lord. 00:21:04.479 --> 00:21:06.019 Maybe a better question to ask is, 00:21:07.019 --> 00:21:08.419 who do we trust in? 00:21:08.420 --> 00:21:13.519 Or what do we trust in? 00:21:16.759 --> 00:21:18.880 I think, for me, the way I answer this, 00:21:18.940 --> 00:21:19.900 and maybe you can answer it differently, 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:21.100 but the way you should probably answer it 00:21:21.100 --> 00:21:21.920 is look at your habits. 00:21:23.400 --> 00:21:24.720 Look at the things you do all the time. 00:21:25.800 --> 00:21:26.860 Look at the things you don't neglect. 00:21:26.980 --> 00:21:28.259 Look at the things that you're faithful to. 00:21:28.519 --> 00:21:30.240 Those are probably things that you trust in. 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:35.980 And if those things don't include 00:21:35.980 --> 00:21:37.759 time with the Lord, 00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:38.799 or praying, 00:21:39.019 --> 00:21:40.059 or reading His Word, 00:21:40.779 --> 00:21:41.880 and if you're a Christian, 00:21:44.440 --> 00:21:46.279 Daniel probably wouldn't understand that at all. 00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:49.160 Because for him, 00:21:49.220 --> 00:21:51.240 he knew that his need for God was so massive 00:21:51.859 --> 00:21:55.920 that he went before the Lord three times. 00:21:55.920 --> 00:21:57.960 I need to digress, 00:21:58.160 --> 00:22:00.120 but he's the CEO of the large, 00:22:00.220 --> 00:22:01.380 well, he's probably the second in charge 00:22:01.380 --> 00:22:02.779 of the largest country in the world. 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:06.940 I mean, he was probably really, really busy, 00:22:07.019 --> 00:22:07.500 don't you think? 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:11.019 I mean, he was probably really busy. 00:22:12.620 --> 00:22:15.240 But he spent three times a day praying. 00:22:18.560 --> 00:22:20.160 I mean, sometimes I'm so busy, 00:22:20.279 --> 00:22:22.259 I don't even spend three minutes praying. 00:22:24.180 --> 00:22:25.779 And if I don't do it at the beginning of the day, 00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:27.619 I just, I get caught up in everything else. 00:22:27.700 --> 00:22:29.259 And I just, and I do all these important things. 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:30.819 And I do them, and I just forget. 00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:36.259 But Daniel's response is his passion 00:22:36.259 --> 00:22:37.779 and the thing that's most important to him, 00:22:37.799 --> 00:22:39.359 and it's his relationship with God. 00:22:40.660 --> 00:22:41.460 And he doesn't compromise. 00:22:41.619 --> 00:22:42.319 He just goes ahead, 00:22:42.379 --> 00:22:44.119 and he does what God has called him to do. 00:22:44.139 --> 00:22:44.899 And he just does it. 00:22:45.059 --> 00:22:46.079 And he knows what's gonna happen, 00:22:46.139 --> 00:22:46.899 and he just does it. 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:50.859 And the last thing this passage reminds me of, 00:22:50.899 --> 00:22:52.599 and it's throughout all of Scripture, 00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:53.599 and we've been talking about it 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:54.639 since we started as a church, 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:55.600 and we've been talking about it 00:22:55.600 --> 00:22:56.520 in the last series we did, 00:22:56.900 --> 00:22:57.740 God's Story, Our Story, 00:22:57.820 --> 00:22:59.600 is that this passage in all of Scripture 00:22:59.600 --> 00:23:00.500 talks about this idea 00:23:00.500 --> 00:23:02.140 that God is in control of all things. 00:23:03.660 --> 00:23:04.480 Did you know that? 00:23:06.560 --> 00:23:08.220 Did you know that if you're a child of God, 00:23:08.300 --> 00:23:09.240 and even if you are not, 00:23:09.320 --> 00:23:12.600 that God is sovereignly in control of everything? 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:15.540 I mean, he's the creator. 00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:17.560 He controls all things. 00:23:17.559 --> 00:23:20.259 You look at verse 16. 00:23:21.899 --> 00:23:23.000 King Darius knew that. 00:23:24.200 --> 00:23:26.319 King Darius was the most powerful man in the kingdom. 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:28.579 And he tried everything. 00:23:28.740 --> 00:23:29.679 He exerted himself. 00:23:29.960 --> 00:23:30.940 It says in the Hebrew, 00:23:31.099 --> 00:23:32.419 when he found out what had happened, 00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:33.220 in verse 14, 00:23:33.659 --> 00:23:34.240 the distress, 00:23:34.339 --> 00:23:35.279 it means that he threw up. 00:23:36.299 --> 00:23:37.700 He was so deeply distressed 00:23:37.700 --> 00:23:39.139 that his stomach got sick 00:23:39.139 --> 00:23:40.579 because he knew what had happened. 00:23:40.679 --> 00:23:41.559 He knew he had been tricked, 00:23:41.859 --> 00:23:43.379 and he knew that he was about to lose 00:23:43.379 --> 00:23:44.279 his greatest asset. 00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:46.160 And so in verse 14, 00:23:46.259 --> 00:23:48.000 it says that he spent all day 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:49.460 trying to exert himself, 00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:50.639 everything possible, 00:23:50.940 --> 00:23:51.740 to rescue Daniel. 00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:53.339 And at the end of that, 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:54.200 he looks at it, 00:23:54.220 --> 00:23:54.460 and he says, 00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:55.399 I just can't do anything. 00:23:57.240 --> 00:23:58.519 But he knew somebody who could. 00:24:00.180 --> 00:24:00.980 And so in verse 16, 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:01.240 he says, 00:24:01.299 --> 00:24:01.700 your God, 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:03.019 whom you constantly serve, 00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:04.180 he'll deliver you. 00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:06.680 Now think about it. 00:24:06.680 --> 00:24:07.799 He's the most powerful person, 00:24:07.960 --> 00:24:09.220 but he can do nothing. 00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:12.279 I mean, Daniel, 00:24:12.359 --> 00:24:13.440 Daniel knew that God was sovereign, 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:13.839 didn't he? 00:24:14.899 --> 00:24:15.180 I mean, 00:24:15.220 --> 00:24:16.200 he knew it in his lifestyle. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:18.379 He knew it even with the present circumstances. 00:24:18.519 --> 00:24:19.500 He knew it even with the enemies 00:24:19.500 --> 00:24:20.039 coming after him. 00:24:20.059 --> 00:24:21.119 He knew it despite the laws 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:22.000 of the Medes and Persians. 00:24:22.379 --> 00:24:24.259 He knew it despite the half king, 00:24:24.359 --> 00:24:25.500 the king who's half in control. 00:24:25.920 --> 00:24:27.879 He knew it in spite of the hungry lions 00:24:27.879 --> 00:24:29.399 growling and jumping, 00:24:29.539 --> 00:24:30.660 and he had probably seen it before, 00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:31.079 you know. 00:24:31.720 --> 00:24:32.579 The Babylonians, 00:24:32.619 --> 00:24:33.839 they burned people alive. 00:24:34.519 --> 00:24:35.940 So you read about that in chapter 3, 00:24:36.119 --> 00:24:37.660 Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. 00:24:37.960 --> 00:24:39.460 But the Medes and Persians, 00:24:39.539 --> 00:24:40.500 they worshiped fire, 00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:41.819 so they didn't burn people alive. 00:24:41.819 --> 00:24:42.779 They just threw them to the lions. 00:24:42.779 --> 00:24:46.460 And so I'm sure that Daniel has known this, 00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:47.559 and he's seen these things, 00:24:47.879 --> 00:24:50.200 and he knows that God is in control. 00:24:52.299 --> 00:24:53.960 One thing I want to point out to you, 00:24:54.019 --> 00:24:54.700 and please, I think, 00:24:54.779 --> 00:24:56.539 just think about this and underline it, 00:24:56.539 --> 00:25:01.579 because I struggle with this. 00:25:02.740 --> 00:25:03.599 I struggle with this, 00:25:03.659 --> 00:25:05.319 especially when the lion's dens are huge, 00:25:05.339 --> 00:25:06.599 and when they're right in front of my face. 00:25:06.659 --> 00:25:07.859 I struggle with this idea of God 00:25:07.859 --> 00:25:08.920 being in total control, 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:09.559 if I'm honest. 00:25:10.639 --> 00:25:11.920 I don't know if you struggle with that, 00:25:11.980 --> 00:25:13.539 but I do. 00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:15.599 But you notice in this passage 00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:19.039 that God did not keep Daniel 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:21.359 from going through the difficult times? 00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:25.039 Did you notice that? 00:25:26.699 --> 00:25:28.079 I mean, we think if God is good, 00:25:28.139 --> 00:25:29.439 he's not going to give us any difficult times, 00:25:29.599 --> 00:25:31.299 but the passage in almost all the Bible 00:25:31.299 --> 00:25:32.699 says that he doesn't work that way. 00:25:33.679 --> 00:25:35.619 That God allows us to go through the difficult times, 00:25:35.779 --> 00:25:38.759 but he preserves his people in them. 00:25:40.539 --> 00:25:41.539 Did you hear what I said? 00:25:42.639 --> 00:25:46.240 I said that God allows you to go into the dens, 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:50.099 and God allows you to go into the fires, 00:25:50.440 --> 00:25:53.160 because he knows that in those dens 00:25:53.160 --> 00:25:53.940 and in those fires, 00:25:54.099 --> 00:25:55.640 that's the only place you're going to trust him. 00:25:56.920 --> 00:25:58.880 He knows in those places where you're out of control 00:25:58.880 --> 00:25:59.819 and everything's out of control 00:25:59.819 --> 00:26:00.680 and everybody's against you 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:01.400 and you're losing your job 00:26:01.400 --> 00:26:02.299 and everything's going wrong. 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:04.079 He knows that only in those places 00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:04.960 can you really say, 00:26:05.859 --> 00:26:08.039 I've been using you 00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:11.380 instead of trusting you. 00:26:13.400 --> 00:26:15.519 And so God takes us into those places 00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:17.400 because he wants to show us 00:26:17.400 --> 00:26:19.799 that he's in total control. 00:26:22.660 --> 00:26:23.579 And he wants to teach you 00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:24.660 about something about yourself. 00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:27.900 And can I share one other thing 00:26:27.900 --> 00:26:29.200 that's very personal to me 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:30.259 and it's close to my heart, 00:26:30.339 --> 00:26:30.819 and it's this. 00:26:33.660 --> 00:26:35.539 Just because you're in a lion's den right now, 00:26:37.019 --> 00:26:38.920 just because you feel like you're getting burned up 00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:39.940 or your butt's getting chewed off 00:26:39.940 --> 00:26:40.960 or something bad's happening in your life, 00:26:41.099 --> 00:26:42.440 just because those things are happening in your life, 00:26:42.460 --> 00:26:43.839 it doesn't mean that God is angry with you. 00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:47.879 I mean, I grew up in a church 00:26:47.879 --> 00:26:48.980 and I loved my church. 00:26:49.619 --> 00:26:50.799 But one of the things I had a hard time with 00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:51.500 was they told me that 00:26:51.500 --> 00:26:53.160 whenever something bad happened, 00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:54.460 it meant that I wasn't good enough. 00:26:55.859 --> 00:26:57.519 Whenever something bad was going on to me, 00:26:57.559 --> 00:26:58.379 I needed to pray more, 00:26:58.460 --> 00:26:59.339 I needed to tithe more, 00:26:59.400 --> 00:27:00.299 I needed to serve more 00:27:00.299 --> 00:27:02.200 because God wasn't pleased with me. 00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:06.059 But that's not the message of the Bible. 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:09.519 And that's not the message of grace. 00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:12.720 And that's not the message of the gospel. 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:18.500 God takes us through these places 00:27:18.500 --> 00:27:19.879 because he wants to show us something. 00:27:21.539 --> 00:27:24.400 One of the things that I've been keen to focus on 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:27.480 is that the focus of Daniel 00:27:27.480 --> 00:27:28.660 isn't just about Daniel, 00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:33.180 but it's all about God's sovereignty in our life. 00:27:33.700 --> 00:27:34.940 And that's what scripture's all about. 00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:35.779 God is sovereign, 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:37.339 and are we gonna trust him, 00:27:37.339 --> 00:27:38.379 are we gonna allow him to be that? 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:41.079 But another thing that Daniel reminds me of, 00:27:41.099 --> 00:27:41.859 and it points me to, 00:27:41.939 --> 00:27:43.519 is someone who's gonna come after Daniel. 00:27:44.659 --> 00:27:45.279 It's Jesus. 00:27:46.819 --> 00:27:47.899 And when you look at their lives, 00:27:47.980 --> 00:27:48.799 they're very similar. 00:27:49.779 --> 00:27:50.899 They both came from a land 00:27:50.899 --> 00:27:52.679 that was far away to a foreign land. 00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:55.619 They both were treated and mistreated. 00:27:55.799 --> 00:27:56.699 They both had people 00:27:56.699 --> 00:27:58.299 that were envious and jealous of them. 00:27:58.299 --> 00:28:01.899 They both were falsely accused. 00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:04.919 And unlike Daniel, who was found blameless, 00:28:05.019 --> 00:28:06.319 Jesus was not just found blameless, 00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:08.119 but Jesus was found sinless. 00:28:08.299 --> 00:28:09.720 He was found perfect. 00:28:11.799 --> 00:28:12.980 They both were accused, 00:28:13.099 --> 00:28:14.220 and the men who were over them 00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:15.139 tried to free them. 00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:16.460 Pilate tried to free Christ, 00:28:16.519 --> 00:28:17.119 and he couldn't do it. 00:28:17.359 --> 00:28:18.519 Darius tried to free Daniel, 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:19.339 and he couldn't do it. 00:28:20.039 --> 00:28:21.579 They both were thrown into a tomb, 00:28:21.639 --> 00:28:23.859 and they both had a seal placed over this tomb. 00:28:24.819 --> 00:28:25.740 But the difference is, 00:28:25.799 --> 00:28:26.539 in verse 23, 00:28:26.679 --> 00:28:27.919 is that Daniel's taken out. 00:28:28.879 --> 00:28:30.240 And we're told that when Daniel comes out, 00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:31.980 he doesn't have any marks or scratches on him. 00:28:32.259 --> 00:28:32.919 He's perfect, 00:28:32.980 --> 00:28:34.339 just like the boys who went through the fire. 00:28:34.339 --> 00:28:35.679 You couldn't even smell the fire on their clothes. 00:28:36.039 --> 00:28:36.559 And people go, 00:28:36.740 --> 00:28:37.199 it's a miracle. 00:28:37.339 --> 00:28:38.179 God's in control. 00:28:39.980 --> 00:28:41.659 But Jesus wasn't taken out. 00:28:43.959 --> 00:28:45.199 When he came out of it, 00:28:45.220 --> 00:28:48.500 he was filled with scars and bruises and holes. 00:28:49.740 --> 00:28:50.619 He died. 00:28:52.639 --> 00:28:54.039 And what this passage shows me 00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:54.879 and points me to, 00:28:54.939 --> 00:28:56.199 and what the rest of the scripture says, 00:28:56.259 --> 00:28:57.339 is that Christ died. 00:28:58.720 --> 00:29:01.419 He entered into the biggest lion's den, 00:29:01.420 --> 00:29:02.740 which is death and sin, 00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:03.920 and he died, 00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:04.900 and he defeated it. 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:07.820 And if we forget that on our journey, 00:29:07.900 --> 00:29:09.680 when we're going into our small lion's dens, 00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:10.680 we're going to be in trouble. 00:29:11.800 --> 00:29:12.980 But the message of the scripture 00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:14.660 is that Christ came, 00:29:15.400 --> 00:29:16.940 he faced all the things 00:29:16.940 --> 00:29:18.180 that you and I are going to face, 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:20.700 and he went through it successfully. 00:29:21.620 --> 00:29:23.300 And because he went through it successfully, 00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:24.220 you and I now, 00:29:24.300 --> 00:29:24.840 as his children, 00:29:25.200 --> 00:29:26.120 have this hope 00:29:26.119 --> 00:29:27.859 and this assurance 00:29:27.859 --> 00:29:29.079 that no matter what we go through, 00:29:29.139 --> 00:29:30.059 no matter how hard it is 00:29:30.059 --> 00:29:30.859 in your work right now, 00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:32.339 I don't know what lion's den you're in. 00:29:33.459 --> 00:29:34.339 Maybe it is your work. 00:29:34.399 --> 00:29:35.399 Maybe your boss is a jerk. 00:29:35.500 --> 00:29:36.559 Your employees are jerks. 00:29:36.619 --> 00:29:37.659 Your colleagues are jerks. 00:29:37.959 --> 00:29:39.019 Maybe they're out to kill you. 00:29:39.099 --> 00:29:39.859 They're out to get you out. 00:29:39.919 --> 00:29:40.759 They're out to get your job. 00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:42.459 Maybe the goals are wrong. 00:29:42.539 --> 00:29:43.399 The quotas are wrong. 00:29:43.459 --> 00:29:44.299 The finances are wrong. 00:29:44.619 --> 00:29:45.759 Maybe that's your lion's den. 00:29:47.159 --> 00:29:48.599 Maybe your lion's den is your family. 00:29:50.059 --> 00:29:50.979 There's other believers 00:29:50.979 --> 00:29:52.059 and non-believers in there, 00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:52.799 and there's tension, 00:29:52.979 --> 00:29:54.239 and you feel this loyalty. 00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:57.279 Do I go and bow down to the shrine in the house, 00:29:57.319 --> 00:29:59.019 and do I go sweep the tombs, 00:29:59.079 --> 00:30:01.000 and how do I show honor to my parents 00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:03.620 who want nothing to do with God, 00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:05.940 and every time I get together on Sunday after lunch 00:30:05.940 --> 00:30:08.259 for family times or the gatherings, 00:30:08.339 --> 00:30:09.339 it's not a fun time 00:30:09.339 --> 00:30:11.180 because all I do is I feel bad 00:30:11.180 --> 00:30:12.359 about the choices I've made, 00:30:12.400 --> 00:30:13.839 and they look at my siblings and say, 00:30:14.200 --> 00:30:15.299 why can't you be more like them 00:30:15.299 --> 00:30:16.259 and honor your parents more? 00:30:16.420 --> 00:30:17.720 Maybe that is your lion's den, 00:30:18.380 --> 00:30:20.240 or maybe your lion's den is school, 00:30:21.279 --> 00:30:23.319 and you have professors like I had 00:30:23.319 --> 00:30:26.220 who hated Christ. 00:30:28.539 --> 00:30:29.639 You know that guy? 00:30:30.119 --> 00:30:31.399 My first semester at Auburn. 00:30:32.579 --> 00:30:34.919 Five A's and an F. 00:30:36.679 --> 00:30:37.480 Organic chemistry. 00:30:38.139 --> 00:30:38.639 Failed me. 00:30:40.220 --> 00:30:41.139 I never saw my grades. 00:30:41.220 --> 00:30:41.980 I never saw my papers, 00:30:42.659 --> 00:30:44.939 and he made it his job to destroy me 00:30:44.939 --> 00:30:46.139 for the next four years. 00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:48.299 The amazing thing is that 00:30:48.299 --> 00:30:49.740 almost that exact same week, 00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:52.039 another teacher did almost the exact same thing, 00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:55.240 and I dumbly did the exact same thing, 00:30:55.559 --> 00:30:56.599 and he went after me, 00:30:56.659 --> 00:30:57.740 but then afterwards he came up 00:30:57.740 --> 00:30:58.379 and he said to me, 00:30:58.740 --> 00:31:00.200 I'm a Christian too, 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:04.299 and I wanted to see how you would react, 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:07.859 and I wanted to see if you were truly 00:31:07.859 --> 00:31:09.159 a follower of Christ 00:31:09.159 --> 00:31:11.700 or if you just followed Christ 00:31:11.700 --> 00:31:13.099 because of the things he would give you. 00:31:13.099 --> 00:31:16.439 I don't know what's happening in your school. 00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:17.959 Maybe it's people who are trying to get ahead 00:31:17.959 --> 00:31:18.439 and they're cheating. 00:31:18.740 --> 00:31:19.659 Maybe that's the lion's den. 00:31:19.859 --> 00:31:20.500 I don't know, 00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:21.419 but the passage says, 00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:22.119 and the scripture says, 00:31:22.199 --> 00:31:23.259 that no matter what you're facing today, 00:31:23.299 --> 00:31:24.500 no matter how hard it is, 00:31:26.159 --> 00:31:27.679 that Christ has already faced it for you. 00:31:28.899 --> 00:31:31.119 Because he's faced that ultimate lion's den, 00:31:31.259 --> 00:31:33.879 you can trust him for tomorrow. 00:31:35.879 --> 00:31:36.659 Did you know that? 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:39.099 You can trust God. 00:31:39.099 --> 00:31:41.859 No matter what you're going through, 00:31:41.879 --> 00:31:42.779 he's going to take care of you. 00:31:44.419 --> 00:31:46.039 If you walk with him and follow him, 00:31:46.099 --> 00:31:47.299 he's going to take care of you. 00:31:48.899 --> 00:31:50.579 That's the message of Daniel, 00:31:51.799 --> 00:31:52.919 that God is in control, 00:31:54.339 --> 00:31:55.419 and he's good, 00:31:56.779 --> 00:31:58.559 and he knows everything that you're facing, 00:31:59.639 --> 00:32:01.240 and he's there with you, 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:03.879 and that you're not facing it alone. 00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:07.079 And the question we have to ask as a church 00:32:07.079 --> 00:32:07.980 is will we trust him? 00:32:09.099 --> 00:32:11.519 Will you trust him? 00:32:13.179 --> 00:32:14.480 I hate saying things, 00:32:14.599 --> 00:32:15.599 this is what I want you to do, 00:32:15.659 --> 00:32:17.859 because it seems like a legalistic sermon, 00:32:18.039 --> 00:32:19.939 but I do want to share three things 00:32:19.939 --> 00:32:21.819 that have helped me in this journey. 00:32:22.679 --> 00:32:23.719 The first thing is this, 00:32:23.779 --> 00:32:25.019 before you go to bed this week, 00:32:25.240 --> 00:32:26.359 before you finish off this week, 00:32:26.719 --> 00:32:28.939 find somebody else in your office place. 00:32:30.279 --> 00:32:33.019 Find somebody else who knows the Lord, 00:32:33.159 --> 00:32:34.179 they're in the lion's den, 00:32:34.639 --> 00:32:36.480 and share with them what's going on in your life. 00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:40.400 Commit to this week to pray with that person 00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:41.680 for what's going on. 00:32:42.180 --> 00:32:43.660 Now, they might not be in your office. 00:32:43.980 --> 00:32:45.079 You know, one of my closest friends, 00:32:45.579 --> 00:32:46.960 one of my first Japanese friends, 00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:48.180 we were talking one day, 00:32:48.200 --> 00:32:49.700 he was an exchange student with me at college. 00:32:50.039 --> 00:32:52.240 He was in a university of 40,000 students. 00:32:53.180 --> 00:32:54.180 As far as he could tell, 00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:55.400 he was the only Christian. 00:32:56.539 --> 00:32:57.880 He had sent out advertisements, 00:32:58.180 --> 00:32:58.900 and in the bulletins, 00:32:59.039 --> 00:33:00.360 and stops, 00:33:00.440 --> 00:33:00.980 hey, let's get together, 00:33:01.079 --> 00:33:01.819 Christian wants to pray, 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:02.700 just pray for our campus. 00:33:02.700 --> 00:33:03.920 For four years, 00:33:04.059 --> 00:33:05.319 no other Christians came forward. 00:33:06.340 --> 00:33:08.019 And so he had to go outside of his university 00:33:08.019 --> 00:33:10.039 and find people who were like-minded, 00:33:10.180 --> 00:33:11.660 and they prayed together for the university. 00:33:12.220 --> 00:33:14.000 Maybe you have to do that at your work. 00:33:14.740 --> 00:33:15.779 But I would just challenge you, 00:33:15.860 --> 00:33:16.740 before this week is over, 00:33:16.819 --> 00:33:18.120 find somebody and share with them 00:33:18.120 --> 00:33:18.920 and pray for them, 00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:20.580 and have them pray for you. 00:33:21.840 --> 00:33:22.980 The second thing that's helped me, 00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:25.440 before you start your day, 00:33:26.620 --> 00:33:27.460 just sit at your desk, 00:33:27.480 --> 00:33:28.319 or wherever you're at, 00:33:28.680 --> 00:33:29.380 for three minutes. 00:33:29.800 --> 00:33:30.820 Now, if I don't do it at the beginning, 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:33.520 I get so crazy busy with kids 00:33:33.520 --> 00:33:34.080 and everything else, 00:33:34.140 --> 00:33:35.100 I forget sometimes. 00:33:35.300 --> 00:33:35.960 But do it at the beginning, 00:33:36.060 --> 00:33:36.500 and just say, 00:33:37.260 --> 00:33:37.560 God, 00:33:38.200 --> 00:33:40.780 why do you have me here? 00:33:43.680 --> 00:33:45.600 How can I glorify you today? 00:33:49.080 --> 00:33:50.440 God, will you show me 00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:52.000 someone 00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:54.760 who needs to hear this message? 00:33:54.759 --> 00:33:58.640 The third thing. 00:33:59.339 --> 00:33:59.980 When you came in, 00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:01.960 there's a little orange booklet, 00:34:02.259 --> 00:34:03.259 Four Spiritual Laws, 00:34:03.319 --> 00:34:03.940 on your chair. 00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:05.819 I put it there 00:34:05.819 --> 00:34:06.660 because it's the tool 00:34:06.660 --> 00:34:07.519 that somebody used 00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:09.099 to help me see Christ. 00:34:10.059 --> 00:34:11.000 It's just a tool. 00:34:11.360 --> 00:34:11.840 It's not, 00:34:11.840 --> 00:34:13.519 it's not, you know, 00:34:13.639 --> 00:34:14.760 anointed by God. 00:34:14.860 --> 00:34:15.599 It's just a tool. 00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:16.199 It's an outline 00:34:16.199 --> 00:34:17.199 of Four Spiritual Laws. 00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:18.320 I want to challenge you 00:34:18.320 --> 00:34:19.260 just to take that with you 00:34:19.260 --> 00:34:21.619 and put it in your desk at work. 00:34:21.619 --> 00:34:23.799 Because I believe 00:34:23.799 --> 00:34:25.119 that if you live differently, 00:34:25.400 --> 00:34:26.639 like what Daniel's talking about, 00:34:27.619 --> 00:34:29.139 people are going to come to you. 00:34:30.299 --> 00:34:31.359 And they're going to ask you 00:34:31.359 --> 00:34:32.319 why you're so different. 00:34:33.420 --> 00:34:34.500 And this little booklet 00:34:34.500 --> 00:34:35.839 is just a great little tool 00:34:35.839 --> 00:34:37.500 that you could share with them. 00:34:38.119 --> 00:34:38.679 Don't go, 00:34:39.079 --> 00:34:39.480 read this, 00:34:39.500 --> 00:34:40.119 and you'll find out. 00:34:40.739 --> 00:34:40.980 They'll go, 00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:41.799 hey, can I share with you 00:34:41.799 --> 00:34:42.440 something that someone 00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:43.039 shared with me? 00:34:44.859 --> 00:34:45.219 Pray, 00:34:46.339 --> 00:34:47.639 find other community, 00:34:48.920 --> 00:34:49.659 trust the Lord, 00:34:49.659 --> 00:34:51.960 and know that he's in control. 00:34:53.819 --> 00:34:54.779 And you can go on. 00:34:56.139 --> 00:34:57.319 Father, we thank you for this day. 00:34:57.399 --> 00:34:58.299 We thank you for your goodness 00:34:58.299 --> 00:34:59.559 and your faithfulness 00:34:59.559 --> 00:35:00.980 and your mercy in our life. 00:35:02.139 --> 00:35:03.699 Father, I just pray for us right now. 00:35:03.799 --> 00:35:04.559 I know that there are probably 00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:05.239 people here, 00:35:05.319 --> 00:35:06.079 I have no doubt, 00:35:06.159 --> 00:35:06.940 there are people here 00:35:06.940 --> 00:35:09.219 who are trusting in other things. 00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:11.539 They're serving other things. 00:35:12.279 --> 00:35:14.019 And they're expecting these things 00:35:14.019 --> 00:35:15.819 to sustain their souls. 00:35:17.159 --> 00:35:17.440 And Lord, 00:35:17.460 --> 00:35:18.639 I pray for my brothers and sisters 00:35:18.639 --> 00:35:19.480 who are at that place 00:35:19.480 --> 00:35:20.019 in their journey. 00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:22.820 I pray that you would give them 00:35:22.820 --> 00:35:24.300 the courage to talk to somebody 00:35:24.300 --> 00:35:26.199 today in this church. 00:35:27.440 --> 00:35:28.159 I pray that you give them 00:35:28.159 --> 00:35:29.059 the courage to ask 00:35:29.059 --> 00:35:30.059 the people who brought them 00:35:30.059 --> 00:35:32.500 or the friends that they know 00:35:32.500 --> 00:35:33.119 are believers. 00:35:34.039 --> 00:35:36.159 I pray that they would ask, 00:35:36.500 --> 00:35:37.360 what is this hope? 00:35:37.460 --> 00:35:38.280 What is this thing 00:35:38.280 --> 00:35:39.159 that you're trusting in? 00:35:39.219 --> 00:35:39.920 What is this thing 00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:42.039 that helps you go through the fire? 00:35:42.219 --> 00:35:42.820 What is this thing 00:35:42.820 --> 00:35:43.539 that helps you go 00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:44.840 through the lion's den? 00:35:46.139 --> 00:35:46.480 And Lord, 00:35:46.500 --> 00:35:47.619 I pray that you would open their eyes 00:35:47.619 --> 00:35:48.659 so they would see your son. 00:35:49.480 --> 00:35:50.860 Because we know that 00:35:50.860 --> 00:35:52.539 we are, 00:35:52.760 --> 00:35:53.719 just like everyone else, 00:35:53.820 --> 00:35:54.219 hostile 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:55.559 to those, 00:35:55.679 --> 00:35:56.539 with those values 00:35:56.539 --> 00:35:59.059 until you open our eyes. 00:36:00.519 --> 00:36:00.740 And Lord, 00:36:00.780 --> 00:36:02.000 I pray for the rest of us here 00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:02.880 who have been on this journey 00:36:02.880 --> 00:36:03.440 for a while. 00:36:03.440 --> 00:36:07.340 I just confess 00:36:07.340 --> 00:36:09.800 so sorry 00:36:09.800 --> 00:36:12.500 that sometimes we use you 00:36:12.500 --> 00:36:14.980 instead of worshiping you. 00:36:16.860 --> 00:36:17.780 I'm so humble 00:36:17.780 --> 00:36:20.119 that you are the God 00:36:20.119 --> 00:36:20.880 of second chances, 00:36:21.880 --> 00:36:23.220 that you know that 00:36:23.220 --> 00:36:24.380 you pour grace out 00:36:24.380 --> 00:36:25.179 into our life, 00:36:25.500 --> 00:36:27.280 that you don't give up on us, 00:36:27.320 --> 00:36:28.519 you continue to pursue us, 00:36:28.539 --> 00:36:29.360 and you pursue us, 00:36:29.559 --> 00:36:30.659 and you pursue us, 00:36:30.659 --> 00:36:31.460 and sometimes you take us 00:36:31.460 --> 00:36:32.099 into these dens 00:36:32.099 --> 00:36:32.899 and these fires 00:36:32.899 --> 00:36:34.859 because you want us 00:36:34.859 --> 00:36:35.839 to open our eyes 00:36:35.839 --> 00:36:37.899 to who your son is. 00:36:38.480 --> 00:36:39.500 But sometimes you just do it 00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:40.399 because you want us 00:36:40.399 --> 00:36:42.219 to show and see your glory. 00:36:43.779 --> 00:36:44.139 So Lord, 00:36:44.179 --> 00:36:44.920 I pray for us 00:36:44.920 --> 00:36:45.579 as a church 00:36:45.579 --> 00:36:46.559 that we would be people 00:36:46.559 --> 00:36:47.500 who love you, 00:36:48.500 --> 00:36:51.279 that we would trust you, 00:36:52.639 --> 00:36:54.679 that we wouldn't change 00:36:54.679 --> 00:36:55.419 and act differently 00:36:55.419 --> 00:36:56.239 around people 00:36:56.239 --> 00:36:57.599 who don't understand 00:36:57.599 --> 00:36:58.239 the gospel, 00:36:59.460 --> 00:37:00.299 that our words 00:37:00.299 --> 00:37:00.960 and our actions 00:37:00.960 --> 00:37:01.899 would be sweet 00:37:01.899 --> 00:37:03.599 and salty, 00:37:04.759 --> 00:37:05.659 that they would be attractive 00:37:05.659 --> 00:37:07.199 but also challenging 00:37:07.199 --> 00:37:09.739 because people in this world 00:37:09.739 --> 00:37:11.059 need to be challenged, 00:37:12.379 --> 00:37:13.960 and that's why you've left us here 00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:14.719 as your people. 00:37:16.079 --> 00:37:16.419 So Lord, 00:37:16.480 --> 00:37:17.839 I pray for this church, 00:37:17.919 --> 00:37:19.279 I pray for this love offering, 00:37:19.359 --> 00:37:20.500 I pray for all the tithe 00:37:20.500 --> 00:37:21.699 that continually comes in. 00:37:22.099 --> 00:37:22.879 It's all yours. 00:37:22.880 --> 00:37:25.440 May we be good stewards 00:37:25.440 --> 00:37:26.160 of everything 00:37:26.160 --> 00:37:27.140 that you've given us 00:37:27.140 --> 00:37:29.119 and help we continue 00:37:29.119 --> 00:37:30.340 to point everyone 00:37:30.340 --> 00:37:31.579 to your son. 00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:32.800 Father, 00:37:32.840 --> 00:37:33.380 we love you 00:37:33.380 --> 00:37:34.800 and we need you 00:37:34.800 --> 00:37:36.140 and we pray these things 00:37:36.140 --> 00:37:37.320 in your son Jesus' holy name. 00:37:38.320 --> 00:37:38.539 Amen.