WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:03.960 Welcome to church. I'm just thoroughly enjoying standing here watching all of you, 2 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:09.800 looking at you, taking in just who's here. And I'm loving you from 3 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:13.160 the stage here. I don't know if you knew that you're all paying attention 4 00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:16.199 up there, but I'm so blessed that you came to church. It would 5 00:00:16.199 --> 00:00:19.039 be really rough. It would be a bummer to get up here to preach 6 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:22.359 a sermon and you not come. I have nobody here that's not good, 7 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:26.960 never good, never good for a preacher. Welcome though, to church, 8 00:00:27.000 --> 00:00:29.399 Father and Jesus name God. I think you right now that you're going to 9 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:33.960 give me your word for today. Father God, I thank you right now 10 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:38.560 that I am found in you. I am in Christ. And Father God, 11 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:41.920 I praise you that Christ is in me. Father, I thank you 12 00:00:42.039 --> 00:00:57.840 right now that everything of my flesh is done away. But there's clarity in 13 00:00:57.880 --> 00:01:02.719 your Bibles to the Book of Daniel, and I must confess. As I 14 00:01:02.840 --> 00:01:07.000 was studying the Book of Daniel, I was noticing that the pages were a 15 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:10.640 little too clean, they were a little too crisp. Apparently I haven't spent 16 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:14.840 enough time in Daniel. So we're going to change that up. And we're 17 00:01:14.840 --> 00:01:18.920 going to get Daniel. Very familiar with us. Amen, Well, I 18 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:22.359 wanted to let you know that my very earliest years. If you don't know 19 00:01:22.480 --> 00:01:30.120 me, my name is Joel, and I grew up in a wonderful home 20 00:01:30.120 --> 00:01:34.319 with a wonderful mom. I grew up in Phillis's house. Now, I 21 00:01:34.359 --> 00:01:38.040 don't think that many of you have ever visited Phyllis's house. She's gone now, 22 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:42.400 so no more phyllis House. But Phyllis's House was an incredible place to 23 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:46.760 grow up. It was filled with love, it was filled with security, 24 00:01:47.319 --> 00:01:49.599 it was filled with goodness. There was another place that I grew up. 25 00:01:49.640 --> 00:01:53.599 Probably spent half of my time at Phyllis's house. She's my mom. And 26 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:57.280 church. So I was a fifty to fifty girl. I was home. 27 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:01.959 I took half of my naps at home at church under the pew. Anybody 28 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:06.480 know that. You know what I'm talking about. Just I was a little 29 00:02:06.519 --> 00:02:09.080 church mouse and that's how I lived. So I grew up. So my 30 00:02:09.159 --> 00:02:15.520 first years were very, very formative of me, very comfortable, very secure. 31 00:02:15.560 --> 00:02:20.759 Everybody says secure. So then that day rolled around and mother announced that 32 00:02:20.759 --> 00:02:24.240 I was going to kindergarten. So I didn't know what kindergarten is. I 33 00:02:24.280 --> 00:02:29.400 pulled on my little red boots and my little outfit, and I marched off 34 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:36.400 to kindergartens. As the elementary years began to progress, I started noticing this 35 00:02:36.759 --> 00:02:39.280 strange feeling in my soul. It was a feeling of awkwardness that I'd never 36 00:02:39.319 --> 00:02:43.479 felt awkwardness before. I didn't know what to do with it. What had 37 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:46.039 happened was as I started looking around, and I grew up without a dad. 38 00:02:46.120 --> 00:02:50.280 My dad passed away before I was born, and I thought everybody didn't 39 00:02:50.319 --> 00:02:53.479 have dads. But as I went to school, I looked around and at 40 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:55.080 school functions, kids came and they had dads. I'm like, what in 41 00:02:55.080 --> 00:03:00.199 the world, I don't have a dad, you all have dad. And 42 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:02.879 my mom, at that point, she was in well into her fifties, 43 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:08.520 she had me late, surprise, she had me late, and I looked 44 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:13.159 around and all the moms that came to school functions were all this was, 45 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:17.759 you know, early seventies, boufont hair, makeup, all of that crazy 46 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:22.280 stuff. And my mom came walking and she's gray, no makeup, and 47 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:27.400 she's old, and I'm like, so I started having this awkward feeling about 48 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:30.759 me, and I had to wear hand me down clothes. Anybody relate, 49 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:36.479 I don't know the generations of today, not so much hand me down clothes 50 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:42.080 and homemade clothes. Homemade clothes. So I felt even more awkward. So 51 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:45.680 things were, you know, shifting in my soul, and I was living 52 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:47.120 in these two worlds. I felt like I felt like when I was home, 53 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:52.120 I was comfortable, but when I went out into school, I felt 54 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:54.159 awkward. I didn't know who I was. I didn't know what to do 55 00:03:54.199 --> 00:03:57.960 with my little self, you know, And here I am, what eight 56 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:02.159 and ten years old, having these eggs stenil crisis identity moments, you know. 57 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:05.479 So at one point, like fifth grade, my mom gave me. 58 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:08.960 She came home. I don't know how in the world she did it, 59 00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:12.120 but she bought me a new jacket, a new winter jacket. And it 60 00:04:12.199 --> 00:04:15.319 was the cool jacket that everybody was wearing. It was navy blue, it 61 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:21.360 had pockets, I had little snaps. I finally was cool, I was 62 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:26.240 finally fashionable. I put that jacket on and I did not take it off 63 00:04:26.279 --> 00:04:30.519 for two years. Two years. I finally had outgrown the thing. I 64 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:33.399 couldn't wear it anymore, but I had that jacket on everywhere I went all 65 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:35.879 the time. I don't think I slept in it. I don't remember that, 66 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:42.360 but yes, I did wear it a lot. And so also during 67 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:44.800 that time, I don't know where I ended up with this, but I 68 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:49.360 somehow came into the possession of a cross. It was a wooden cross. 69 00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:54.079 It was about four inches high about three inches wide, and it said said 70 00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:57.800 Jesus all over it, and I knew I was a Christian. So I 71 00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:00.360 took that cross and I put it on a little neck. Listen, I 72 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:02.639 put it on around my neck and I did not take that thing off for 73 00:05:02.680 --> 00:05:09.800 two years either. I was that was me. But I did find that 74 00:05:09.800 --> 00:05:15.879 that jacket did come in handy, because there were times where I knew it 75 00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:19.079 wasn't cool to wear a cross. There were times when I was at school 76 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:21.399 and I was like, I just want to blend in here. I don't 77 00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:25.319 want to be something, and so I take my jacket and I would zip 78 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:29.680 it up. That jacket came in very handy, and so then I would 79 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:33.240 spend the day walking around in my cool jacket, being accepted by everyone with 80 00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:38.920 my cross underneath there. Nobody saw it or knew it. All right, 81 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:43.959 So now let's turn to Daniel Daniel Chapter one, verse one. We're going 82 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:46.319 to start the beginning. People, everybody say, beginning, got a long 83 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:53.639 way to go in about twenty minutes, okay. Chapter one, verse one. 84 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:56.600 In the third year of the reign of jehoia Kim, King of Judah, 85 00:05:56.680 --> 00:06:00.079 Nebu Canezar, King of Babylon, came to Jerusalem and besee and the 86 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:04.199 Lord delivered Jehoiakim, King of Judah, into his hand, along with some 87 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:08.560 of the articles of the Temple of God. These he carried off to the 88 00:06:08.600 --> 00:06:12.639 temple of his God in Babylonia and put the treasure in the treasure house of 89 00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:16.600 his God. Then the king ordered Ashpnez, chief of his court officials, 90 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:20.959 to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility, 91 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:27.360 young men without any physical defects, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of 92 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:31.720 learning, well informed, quick to understanding, and qualified to serve in the 93 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:38.480 king's palace. This is our first introduction to Daniel. Daniel was one of 94 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:47.279 those that is who Daniel is. So Daniel lived during the reign of Jehoiakim. 95 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:53.319 Daniel was a very very he You know, history is long, and 96 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:56.000 we only get to experience a little tiny sliver of it, and we think 97 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:58.279 that's all there is, right, It's what it's always been, it's what 98 00:06:58.279 --> 00:07:01.720 it will always be. That's not true. We all are assigned a sliver 99 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:06.399 of history to live it the way God has intended for us to live it 100 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:11.920 when we're inserted into history at that moment. Amen. So Daniel was inserted 101 00:07:11.959 --> 00:07:14.560 into this history. Let me give you a little background to his sliver. 102 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:18.360 Okay. So there was David, everybody knows David, King David of Israel, 103 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:23.439 and then he had a son named Solomon. His son split the kingdom 104 00:07:23.480 --> 00:07:28.040 into two kingdoms. Israel went into two kingdoms. There's Judah and Israel. 105 00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:31.360 Okay, Judah is the one that Daniel was in. This is about. 106 00:07:31.839 --> 00:07:35.800 So then they had a succession of kings for about three hundred years. It's 107 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:40.800 called the Era of the Kings, all right. So during that era of 108 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:43.920 the Kings, if you read through First and Second Kings versus and Second Chronicles, 109 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:46.720 it's that time frame in the Bible. Okay. So every king that 110 00:07:46.759 --> 00:07:51.160 came along, the very first sentence says and king, whatever his name is, 111 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:55.720 did right in the eyes of the Lord. Then we knew that for 112 00:07:55.759 --> 00:08:00.680 the next However, many years life went well in Judah. But sometimes some 113 00:08:00.720 --> 00:08:03.639 of those kings, it would say, and this guy did what was evil 114 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:07.639 in the eyes of the Lord. And so now Israel has set up for 115 00:08:07.720 --> 00:08:13.600 twenty thirty years of evil and horrible idolatry and awful things. So the life 116 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:16.759 of Judah, the spiritual atmosphere was up and down, up and down, 117 00:08:16.839 --> 00:08:22.720 up and down. Well during those three hundred years. That's when fellas like 118 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:28.360 Jeremiah came along, and Isaiah and Habakuk and Zephaniah and HAGGII and all those 119 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:33.320 prophets, and they would come to Judah and to Israel. But we're talking 120 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:35.879 about Judah today. They would come and they would run around and they would 121 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:39.639 preach and they would teach, and the words that they would say would be 122 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:48.919 things like repent, turn, Judgment is coming, watch out, God is 123 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:52.600 God, There's please. Sometimes they would say God is just yearning for you 124 00:08:52.679 --> 00:08:56.960 to come back. So there's all these books. So these are the things 125 00:08:56.960 --> 00:09:01.200 that Daniel is being saturated. And Daniel is in at the end of this 126 00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:03.559 era of the king. So there's been good bad, good, bad, 127 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:09.159 good bad, and he is he is inserted during the king the reign of 128 00:09:09.240 --> 00:09:16.519 Jehoiakim. Everybody say Jehoiakim. So Jehoikim is the second of the last king 129 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:22.600 before Judah is taken away into exile. So the early so they think that 130 00:09:22.759 --> 00:09:28.039 about this time Daniel is about twenty. He spent so this is in the 131 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:31.240 third year of Jehoiakim. So he spent quite a few of his early years 132 00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:35.840 under the king Josiah. Josiah was a good king. Josiah did what's right 133 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:39.440 in the eyes of the Lord. Jehoiakim did what was evil in the side 134 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:43.039 of the world of the Lord. How many of you know what it's like 135 00:09:43.080 --> 00:09:50.440 to be under good presidents and then bad presidents and good there's breaching right there. 136 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:56.080 Pray for our presidents, hallelujah. And this is an election year. 137 00:09:58.440 --> 00:10:01.240 God is good. Back to the notes. I'm running low on time. 138 00:10:03.799 --> 00:10:11.320 So during this time Daniel's young, he has been schooled in the things of 139 00:10:11.320 --> 00:10:15.039 God. He has read the Psalms, He's read the Torah. He knows 140 00:10:15.080 --> 00:10:16.720 the goodness of God, he knows the loving kindness of God, he knows 141 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:20.759 the faithfulness of God. He's read David. He's read all sorts of incredible 142 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:24.120 things, and he knows how wonderful God is and how much he loves us. 143 00:10:24.360 --> 00:10:28.720 But he also knows in the back of his mind he's got Isaiah, 144 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:35.320 he's got Jeremiah, and he knows that sometimes sometimes things don't go right because 145 00:10:35.320 --> 00:10:39.279 the people of God have sin and they've gotten themselves out from underneath the protection 146 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:43.960 of God, and there's enemies out here. Amen. So he knows all 147 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:48.159 of this. This is something the church needs to know about right now, 148 00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:50.360 because at the bottom, at the end of the day, God is not 149 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:54.480 only the God of the good times. God is also the God of the 150 00:10:54.600 --> 00:11:00.080 hard times, because what he's doing during the hard times is bringing our he 151 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:05.279 arts back to him. So I know this. Why are you going on 152 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:07.840 about this? I know this because in this these first couple verses, it 153 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:16.240 says, and the Lord delivered Jehoia Kim into the hands of Nebukanzer. How 154 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:20.000 many of you when things get hard, you start going, huh? Is 155 00:11:20.039 --> 00:11:22.879 there really a God? Where is he? I thought he loved me. 156 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:28.320 I thought he loved me. God, where are you? How can there 157 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:33.120 be something hard? How could it be? Now? I could take the 158 00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:35.399 rest of this sermon and go towards Why is there suffering in this world. 159 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:41.759 I'm not going to because I have to do Daniel, but I will tell 160 00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:46.159 you. Please keep in mind what Daniel knew was that God is with us, 161 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:50.519 not only in the good, but he's with us in the heart and 162 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:54.000 in the chaos. He's right in the middle of it, and he is 163 00:11:54.200 --> 00:11:58.240 never out of control. Even go it might not be going like we wanted 164 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:01.960 it to go. We know that very first little sentence there that he says 165 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:07.480 is that the Lord put Jehoya Kim, gave him into the hands of destruction. 166 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:13.120 That is telling me that Daniel had a mindset of trust in God. 167 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:18.480 That is telling me that Daniel was not sitting there worrying and wondering and looking 168 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:24.519 around. No, he was firmly entrenched in the God that he knew and 169 00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:28.159 heard of from his mother and is from his father and from his past and 170 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:33.759 from his place. Daniel has has and his friends at this point, they 171 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:41.799 have gone from being royalty now to chains, from living a life in a 172 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:48.799 holy nation to now in the most occultic city that's ever been known. And 173 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:54.639 he is willing to say, yes, God is still in control, no 174 00:12:54.799 --> 00:13:01.679 wavering God is in control. I'm not gonna hate you because I just lost 175 00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:05.480 my house and my home and my land. I'm not gonna I'm going to 176 00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:11.000 gently submit myself to you. And because you are sovereign and I give you 177 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:18.120 me, I will not fight that. How many of you have ever thought 178 00:13:18.279 --> 00:13:26.320 I wish I would have lived in another time they had it easy. Well, 179 00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:30.600 God has you right here for a reason. And same with Daniel. 180 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:39.720 I'm totally off my notes. Pray for me right now. Daniel was firmly 181 00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:43.679 entranched. Daniel was. He was in the category of handsome. He was 182 00:13:43.720 --> 00:13:48.840 in the category of smart, of perfect, of well learned. All of 183 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:52.240 that. He was. He was in a royal family, he was of 184 00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:58.840 noble birth. He was in a position to become very great. And now 185 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:05.840 he and chains. How many of you've ever found yourself knowing what's inside of 186 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:09.960 you is there's so much more inside of you, but outward circumstances it pushed 187 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:13.080 you down. I am here to tell you that God is in the middle 188 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:16.159 of your circumstances, and that is not the end of it. He has 189 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:18.919 placed you right in the middle of your circumstances, with all your giftings, 190 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:22.559 with all your talents, with all of your noble birth, to say it 191 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:28.200 is time to rise up in those circumstances. I'm getting ahead of myself. 192 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:33.039 Now say go back to the word. So Daniel one, let's go back 193 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:37.600 to I'm going to start at verse three. Put my little eyeballs on. 194 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:41.879 Then the Lord of the King ordered Ashpenez, chief of his court officials, 195 00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:46.720 to bring in some of the Israelites of the royal family of nobility, young 196 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:50.480 men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, 197 00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:56.000 well informed, quick to understand, and qualified for service in the King's 198 00:14:56.000 --> 00:15:00.000 palace. He was to teach them the language and the literature of the Babylonians. 199 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:03.559 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the King's 200 00:15:03.559 --> 00:15:07.279 table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they 201 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:11.440 would enter into the king's service. Among these were some from Judah, Daniel, 202 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:18.120 Hannanaiah, Michel, and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names, 203 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:22.919 to Daniel the name Belta Shazar, to Hananaiah Shadrack, and to Michael 204 00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:28.279 Mishak, and to Azariah a Bendigo. So what Nebrakenezer would do is when 205 00:15:28.279 --> 00:15:33.279 he would overtake a city or a people, he would bring the best of 206 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:37.159 the best, because the best of the best had the most to lose. 207 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:43.960 Lose. They were fast tracking to leadership in there in their country. They 208 00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:46.080 had the most to lose, and they're the most traumatized because now they stand 209 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:50.279 in chains. So then he would spend the next three years. He would 210 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:54.440 bring in the best and he would begin to brainwash them. He would begin 211 00:15:54.879 --> 00:16:03.200 to bring to them a new identity. He would be begin to uh uh 212 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:08.360 indoctrinate, indoctrinate them. So he would teach them the language. He would 213 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:12.039 teach them the literature. He would teach give them the king's food and the 214 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:15.440 king's wine. He would say, Okay, now listen, you do really 215 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:18.559 good. You're gonna be in my service from here on out. You can 216 00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:22.399 you can serve in my court. You can serve in my court. And 217 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:26.519 then they would change their names. So here's what their name changes really meant. 218 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:30.639 Can I tell you what their original names meant compared to what their new 219 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:34.440 names were. Okay, you ready, here you go. Daniel means God 220 00:16:34.519 --> 00:16:42.879 is my judge. Belta Shazar means I will protect the king. Nebukanezar Hannah, 221 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:48.799 and Ayah means Yahweh shows grace Shadraq means Aku, the moon god of 222 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:57.039 Babylon, shows grace. Michiel says, means who is like God. Me 223 00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:03.799 Shaq means who is like Akh? Who as Aryah means Yahweh has helped me. 224 00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:07.920 A Bendigo means I am the helper of Nebo, another one of their 225 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:15.880 gods. There was a complete reversal, and this is what the enemy likes 226 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:22.279 to do. There is a fight right now for your identity. We might 227 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:26.319 not have been carted off to Babylon right now, but we have been sitting 228 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:30.720 in our own personal culture and it has changed around us, and it wants 229 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:36.559 to indoctrinate us. It wants to change our identity. It wants to get 230 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:40.799 us speaking its language. It wants us to read its literature and wash our 231 00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:48.720 brains. It wants to feed us its food, its nourishment. And it 232 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:55.480 wants to change your name. It wants to change your name. So and 233 00:17:55.960 --> 00:18:02.480 with the lure of serving in the king's courts. So I'm thinking, we 234 00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:04.960 don't know how many young men there were, these noble birth, wonderful, 235 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:10.440 handsome, smart ones, cream of the crop there were. But I do 236 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:15.759 know afore it was almost as if Nebeknezzar was saying, I see you, 237 00:18:15.880 --> 00:18:21.079 I see the holy upbringing that you have had. I see you, I 238 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:22.880 see how you have, what the things that you know. Now put this 239 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:29.599 jacket on, zip it up, and become what I want you to be. 240 00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:33.839 Don't be that anymore. Don't be that anymore, don't talk that way, 241 00:18:34.680 --> 00:18:42.759 don't think that way, and the lure of it. For Heaven's sake, 242 00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:48.599 why not? What do we have to lose? And I can almost 243 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:52.480 see that whole group. I don't know how many they're kind of like, 244 00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:55.240 well, you know, I mean, I'm gonna do it. I just 245 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:56.880 I'm gonna do it. Man. I've been through so much. I have 246 00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:00.440 so much to lose. I have so much that I have already lost. 247 00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:04.440 I have a wife and a family. Maybe I don't know what they're saying, 248 00:19:04.599 --> 00:19:08.200 but they're saying, I've got too much to lose to sacrifice here. 249 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:11.319 And they begin to put the jacket on. But let me tell you what 250 00:19:11.400 --> 00:19:19.559 Daniel does. Let's keep reading verse eight. But Daniel resolved not to defile 251 00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:23.559 himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief officials for 252 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:29.559 permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to 253 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:33.799 show favor and sympathy to Daniel. But the official told Daniel, I am 254 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:37.839 afraid of my lord, the king, who has assigned your food and drink. 255 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:40.920 Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age. 256 00:19:41.319 --> 00:19:45.079 The King would have then had my head because of you. Daniel then 257 00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:48.799 said to the guard, whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hannanayah, 258 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:52.960 Michel and Azariah, please test your servants for ten days. Give us 259 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:56.839 nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with 260 00:19:56.880 --> 00:20:00.839 those of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants 261 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:04.480 in accordance with what you see. So we agreed to this and tested them 262 00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:07.799 for ten days. At the end of the ten days, they looked healthier 263 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:11.759 and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 264 00:20:12.039 --> 00:20:15.799 So the guard took away their choice food and wine and they were to drink, 265 00:20:15.880 --> 00:20:22.319 and gave them vegetables instead. So Daniel decided to not defile himself. 266 00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:27.920 Now it doesn't talk about language or names or any of the other stuff, 267 00:20:29.880 --> 00:20:34.279 but Daniel drew a line in the sand on the food you would think that 268 00:20:34.279 --> 00:20:38.200 would be the easiest thing to get around, right, Come on, Daniel, 269 00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:41.440 just eat the food. Just eat the food. Stop making waves. 270 00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:48.079 It ain't worth it. Just eat the food. Problem is that food was 271 00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:53.079 meat sacrificed to idols, and that was an abomination. The problem with the 272 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:57.079 wine is that in those days in the courts, they would lift the wine 273 00:20:57.119 --> 00:21:03.000 before anybody drank and gave of libations to the gods of that nation of Babylon, 274 00:21:03.079 --> 00:21:07.880 and they would go through a huge worship service. Daniel was drawing a 275 00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:11.519 line and saying, I push back right here. I push back right here. 276 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:22.559 I will not take into my inner man the nutrition of meat sacrifice to 277 00:21:22.599 --> 00:21:30.079 idols. I draw the line. He pushed back. He would not defile 278 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:47.480 himself. Let's keep moving verse seventeen. To these four young men, God 279 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:56.319 gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. Take note of 280 00:21:56.319 --> 00:22:03.559 that. He put himself through the learning and the literature and the understanding of 281 00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:06.680 the new culture that he was in. He did not go throw his head 282 00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:12.079 in the sand. He spent time preparing himself to become one of the most 283 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:18.559 influential members of the court. Hear me, now, people, because some 284 00:22:18.599 --> 00:22:23.000 people in the church want to separate out and run away from culture. Daniel 285 00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:26.440 was smart. He knew what to draw the line on, but he knew 286 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:33.640 where he needed to prepare within. Just think about that for a minute. 287 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:41.519 So God gave him. This was God's plan. God gave him knowledge and 288 00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:45.880 understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could and everybody say, 289 00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:49.680 and see, here's the difference between Daniel and every other student in that 290 00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:57.880 classroom. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. In other 291 00:22:57.920 --> 00:23:06.000 words, since Daniel put God first and within his spirit inside of here, 292 00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:11.400 he refused to be defiled. Within. God gave him not only wisdom and 293 00:23:11.480 --> 00:23:17.720 knowledge within the worldly realm of this new kingdom. He gave him the ability 294 00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:25.839 to know spirituals, to know mysteries. People of God, I am here 295 00:23:25.880 --> 00:23:30.319 to tell you that you are dual citizens. God made you out of the 296 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:34.279 dust of the earth. He gathered that clay together. You are of this 297 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:41.519 natural realm. But when He breathed his r breath inside of you, and 298 00:23:41.559 --> 00:23:45.480 you took your first breath, you are now a dual citizen. You are 299 00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:49.920 a citonizen of this world. Yet you have a spirit. You are a 300 00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:55.640 spirit. And when you accept Christ into your life, if you give your 301 00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:59.880 life to God like Daniel did, Jesus hadn't come yet, so Jesus wasn't 302 00:23:59.880 --> 00:24:03.039 a part of that. He wasn't wearing no crosses at this point, but 303 00:24:03.119 --> 00:24:11.759 he was wearing God. And Daniel was fluent. He became very fluent in 304 00:24:11.960 --> 00:24:17.279 the world as far as wisdom and knowledge. He was smart. He did 305 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:27.680 not put brain Binkie's in People of God, we cannot succumb to the pressure 306 00:24:27.880 --> 00:24:36.559 to just sit and scroll mind numbing things, watching movies over and over and 307 00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:41.359 over and watch, just filling our minds with nothing. When the world needs 308 00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:47.000 leaders. He prepared himself and I would say, people of God, I 309 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:52.559 don't care where you are at. Become smart, don't waste your time. 310 00:24:53.920 --> 00:24:59.599 But yet he was fluent in the spirituals. It was incredible what he was 311 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:04.160 setting ou himself up to. Daniel. Two, We're not going to read 312 00:25:04.200 --> 00:25:07.960 the whole thing. Praise God. I'm one minute late, but I'm a 313 00:25:07.960 --> 00:25:11.799 God. I'm gonna land this plane. You're ready, Daniel too. Here 314 00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:15.279 he is, He's just living his life, pushing back where he knows to 315 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:22.519 push back, learning, growing, becoming getting ready. All the whole time, 316 00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:23.599 he didn't even know he was getting ready. He was just doing his 317 00:25:23.720 --> 00:25:26.559 days in and out, in and out. How many of you know that 318 00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:30.440 you're doing your days in and out, in and out. And as you 319 00:25:30.599 --> 00:25:34.319 leave your days and you lead your days under his auspices, how many of 320 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:44.440 you know you're getting prepared, You are being prepared for your moment. So 321 00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:48.240 Daniel one night has or not, Daniel Nebekin has or has a dream. 322 00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:52.200 Everybody's sleeping nicely, pleasantly. He has a dream, wakes up in the 323 00:25:52.200 --> 00:25:56.359 middle of the night, so shaken by the streams, he starts screaming and 324 00:25:56.440 --> 00:26:00.640 yelling, calls the astrologers and all of his magicians, and they come and 325 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:03.119 they come running in. What King, Oh what you know this? Because 326 00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:06.920 this king go have your head if you don't do things just right right. 327 00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:07.720 So they come run in and he goes, I had a dream, and 328 00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:11.400 they go, oh you did. Okay, this is our We can tell 329 00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:14.720 you about what this is for what it's all about. Yeah, I had 330 00:26:14.759 --> 00:26:15.720 a dream, but I'm not even gonna tell you what the dream is. 331 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:18.720 You have to tell me what my dream was, and you have to tell 332 00:26:18.759 --> 00:26:22.279 me what it means, and you better do it now. And they're like, 333 00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:30.839 ah, so let's read chapter two, verse ten. The astrologers answered 334 00:26:30.880 --> 00:26:33.599 with the king, there is not a man on earth who can do what 335 00:26:33.640 --> 00:26:37.680 the king asks. No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked 336 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:41.480 such a thing of any magician, or enchanter or astrologer. What the king 337 00:26:41.599 --> 00:26:45.839 asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the 338 00:26:45.880 --> 00:26:51.160 gods. They do not, and they do not live among men. See, 339 00:26:51.160 --> 00:26:52.559 this is how the world is. They know all sorts of things, 340 00:26:53.319 --> 00:27:02.559 but when it comes to spiritual things, they don't get it. They don't 341 00:27:02.599 --> 00:27:06.039 get it. So Nebi Keneher says, hey, excuse me, Well, 342 00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:10.039 if you can't figure this out, then you guys are fakes. You guys 343 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:12.720 aren't really real. I'm paying your good money and you can't do this. 344 00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:17.160 What are you telling me? You are not for real? Okay, I'm 345 00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:21.839 gonna have your heads. So the next day they start gathering them all up 346 00:27:22.519 --> 00:27:23.920 to chop their heads off. Dan He's like, hey, what's going on. 347 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:30.440 Daniel's like, hey, nebekanizzer, people give me one night. Give 348 00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:41.079 me one night. He went to his friends said, pray, pray, 349 00:27:41.680 --> 00:27:45.240 we need God. How many of you are in a situation where you can't 350 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:51.119 fix it, You don't know what to do. I would say, pray 351 00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:56.200 because you are dual citizens. You are not limited just with the natural mind 352 00:27:56.240 --> 00:28:00.519 and the natural self. You have the spirit of God, the rook inside 353 00:28:00.559 --> 00:28:07.359 of you, and you are born of that spirit. They prayed, and 354 00:28:07.480 --> 00:28:11.240 Daniel doesn't say if he went to sleep or not. How many vote he 355 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:14.160 went to sleep. I don't know. Maybe no, yes, no, 356 00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:18.400 I don't know. But it said in the night God gave him the dream 357 00:28:18.519 --> 00:28:22.640 and the vision. So he woke up in the morning. And you know 358 00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:26.319 how sometimes God gives you things and you're like, uh, was that you 359 00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:32.759 or was that not you? It could go either way. But he trusted 360 00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:37.519 in God. And he came out and he said to his official that was 361 00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:41.480 over him. Take me to the king. And he went into the king's 362 00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:48.000 chamber and the king says, what do you got? And Daniel started talking. 363 00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:53.160 He started prophesying it with stuff he didn't know. He started speaking words 364 00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:56.759 that he did not learn. It was a dream he had never had, 365 00:28:57.160 --> 00:29:03.599 and he began to tell well the king his dream and that he began to 366 00:29:03.640 --> 00:29:07.440 tell the king what it meant. And I will tell you even now, 367 00:29:07.799 --> 00:29:12.359 this book, this dream is so right on to history. It is so 368 00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:18.240 prophetic that many, even liberal theologians, say, no, Daniel could not 369 00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:22.640 have written this in five hundred BC. This was written well after Daniel. 370 00:29:22.680 --> 00:29:33.799 This is such a farce because it was so perfect. Let's read one last 371 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:41.319 passage, verse forty six of chapter two. Then King Nebukanizer fell prostate before 372 00:29:41.400 --> 00:29:45.119 Daniel paid him honor and ordered that an offering an incense be presented to him. 373 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:52.400 The king said to Daniel, surely, surely, surely now I know 374 00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:56.759 for a fact now that you have heard from your God and brought the spiritual 375 00:29:56.960 --> 00:30:04.640 into my physical. I have seen this. Surely your God is the God 376 00:30:04.920 --> 00:30:10.799 of gods and the Lord of kings, and as a revealer of mysteries, 377 00:30:11.160 --> 00:30:15.160 for you were able to reveal this mystery people of God. I don't know 378 00:30:15.480 --> 00:30:19.079 what twenty twenty four is going to bring, but I will tell you he 379 00:30:19.160 --> 00:30:25.240 needs heroes, He needs his people of God in position. He needs his 380 00:30:25.359 --> 00:30:32.039 people of God. So imbedded, imbedded both feet on the traumises of God 381 00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:40.559 and who he is, and will not waver whatever happens. Listen, COVID 382 00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:41.920 happened, and so many Christians. Did you know where God was in it? 383 00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:45.880 I don't know either, but I'm not gonna doubt him. No, 384 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:48.119 I shouldn't say I don't know. That's a whole other sermon. Okay, 385 00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:51.400 I could say something. I don't want to say the wrong words here, 386 00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:52.720 but I'm in a hurry. Can you tell my mouth? He's going on 387 00:30:52.759 --> 00:31:02.680 thousand miles an hour right now? We need to be so firmly God, 388 00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:07.640 You are my God. I know who you are. You are the God 389 00:31:07.720 --> 00:31:11.960 of the good, and you are in and you never leave me. And 390 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:15.160 when it's not so good, you're right there in the middle of it. 391 00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:18.880 Did you know? Did you know that there is no other major religion where 392 00:31:18.920 --> 00:31:26.000 the central event is, in fact, the very deepest humiliation of its God. 393 00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:33.599 He knows suffering, He lived through it. He doesn't leave you. 394 00:31:34.599 --> 00:31:41.039 He doesn't leave you. He needs you and I to be fluent in the 395 00:31:41.079 --> 00:31:49.359 things of the world and in the spirit, because we're gonna be asked things. 396 00:31:52.200 --> 00:31:56.119 We might not go in and talk to Biden, though I wish I 397 00:31:56.160 --> 00:32:00.599 could have a few words, But you're gonna be talking with your bosses. 398 00:32:00.720 --> 00:32:04.440 You're gonna be talking with the people that you're you're gonna be there. You're 399 00:32:04.480 --> 00:32:07.839 gonna be right there, and they're gonna be stumped on something and you're gonna 400 00:32:07.839 --> 00:32:09.359 say, hey, let me pray about this, and you're gonna come back 401 00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:15.359 with the answer. Because that's what God does. He solves the mysteries of 402 00:32:15.400 --> 00:32:19.519 this world. When the world is confounded and dumbfounded and does not know what 403 00:32:19.599 --> 00:32:25.880 to do with its problems, that's when God has you show up. I 404 00:32:25.920 --> 00:32:30.839 was talking to Angela before first service. Angela Morales. Come on, people, 405 00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:37.000 sweet dear, sweet Angela Morales. She works for the DSHS and she 406 00:32:37.079 --> 00:32:42.160 goes into all these cases. They have learned to call her the exorcist in 407 00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:47.680 the Washington State DSHS Department. They love her and whenever there's a hard thing, 408 00:32:47.720 --> 00:32:51.720 they go to her. Come on, people, you will have the 409 00:32:51.799 --> 00:32:55.960 answers because you have the God of mysteries inside of your soul and he's breathing 410 00:32:57.039 --> 00:33:02.759 in and out and he wants to come out of you. Be his hero 411 00:33:02.880 --> 00:33:07.599 and Jesus name, stand up. Let's do this. Let's do this. 412 00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:22.759 Nebukanezar changed in a moment when the man of God sought God and it all 413 00:33:22.799 --> 00:33:30.960 started by drawing the line, the simple line, why why, what's the 414 00:33:30.960 --> 00:33:36.599 big deal. They were all being handed jackets, blue jackets that were really 415 00:33:36.640 --> 00:33:38.519 in fashion and cool, and they were zipping them up, and Daniel's like, 416 00:33:38.559 --> 00:33:45.000 mm m, I'm zipping this baby down. I'm gonna show the God 417 00:33:45.039 --> 00:33:51.640 I serve. I'm gonna show the God I served. This is our time, 418 00:33:51.720 --> 00:33:59.480 this is our sliver, this is our moment. Rise up. God 419 00:33:59.599 --> 00:34:04.880 is in the goodness and in the chaos. Draw the line, and don't 420 00:34:04.920 --> 00:34:09.840 defy yourself. Push back where you know you should push back. Become fluent 421 00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:15.840 in the natural and in the spiritual realm. Take out your brain binkies. 422 00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:22.079 Grow in knowledge, become skilled, Become amazing in what God's called you to 423 00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:30.559 do. Engage, Engage in society. Don't run and hide. You know, 424 00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:35.880 mister Rogers used to come home into his little house there and he would 425 00:34:36.360 --> 00:34:40.920 take off his shoes and he'd put on loafers. I'm telling you what, 426 00:34:42.199 --> 00:34:46.119 children of God Mighty Armor are army here. You don't have no time to 427 00:34:46.119 --> 00:34:51.519 take off your battle shoes. No loafers for you. When you come home. 428 00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:53.800 You keep your battle shoes on, You keep your combat boots on, 429 00:34:54.159 --> 00:34:58.119 and you war for your family, and you war for your people, and 430 00:34:58.159 --> 00:35:06.920 you war for your life, and you are for your nation. People of 431 00:35:06.960 --> 00:35:15.320 God. Refuse the jacket. It might be cool, it might look good. 432 00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:23.800 Refuse the jacket. Know who you are, Know what he has called 433 00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:28.960 you to be, Know what he has named you. Do not let the 434 00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:32.480 world can now listen. In the middle part of the Book of Daniel, 435 00:35:32.639 --> 00:35:37.760 they are called builta Shazar and all their other new names. But at the 436 00:35:37.960 --> 00:35:47.760 end of the book, when there's another dream and another king in desperation, 437 00:35:49.760 --> 00:35:59.280 he says, called Daniel, call Daniel, because he never left his true 438 00:35:59.280 --> 00:36:06.039 identity. Oh Jesus, Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord. How many 439 00:36:06.079 --> 00:36:08.440 of you want this, How many of you want this? Oh Jesus, 440 00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:14.039 Jesus, Jesus. Right now, hallelujah, hallelujah. Give yourself to the 441 00:36:14.039 --> 00:36:16.360 Lord. Right now, give yourself to the Lord. Give yourself to the 442 00:36:16.440 --> 00:36:22.159 Lord. Be moved by his word. Hallelujah. Give yourself to the Lord. 443 00:36:22.760 --> 00:36:30.199 Give yourself to the Lord. Hallelujah. Holy Spirit, Take my flesh 444 00:36:30.239 --> 00:36:34.679 and fill it with you. Lord. Everywhere I walk, I will shine 445 00:36:34.760 --> 00:36:37.679 for you. I will not compromise. Holy Spirit, And use me, 446 00:36:37.880 --> 00:36:42.199 use me, use me. Use me. Hallelujah. God. I pray 447 00:36:42.280 --> 00:36:45.639 over this nation right now. I pray over my neighbors. I pray over 448 00:36:45.679 --> 00:36:49.039 our family. I pray over me and Jesus' name. God. I thank 449 00:36:49.079 --> 00:36:55.559 you right now that you are gonna change us. That kingdom was changed in 450 00:36:55.679 --> 00:37:06.239 a night, and he God needed a man of God ready to step in. 451 00:37:06.679 --> 00:37:07.800 I'm here, I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready. 452 00:37:07.800 --> 00:37:14.559 I'm ready. Fear, get off of my people, distraction, get 453 00:37:14.559 --> 00:37:19.960 off of these people. Set us up for a year. Ready, ready 454 00:37:20.039 --> 00:37:24.400 to overcome the darkness that seems so prevalent. God, I say, right 455 00:37:24.440 --> 00:37:30.119 now, this is not going to be in Jesus name. Hallelujah. Let's 456 00:37:30.119 --> 00:37:32.639 sing, Ondie