WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.560 --> 00:00:04.519 When you stand up for God when it's the right 2 00:00:04.519 --> 00:00:08.400 thing to do, even when it's unpopular. Standing for God 3 00:00:08.679 --> 00:00:13.919 builds my faith and character. Standing for God builds my 4 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:18.760 faith and character. Character. That's who you are. Reputations what 5 00:00:18.839 --> 00:00:21.000 you want people to think you are. Character is what 6 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:22.760 you really are. What's what you are in the dark. 7 00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:26.920 Character and faith are like muscles, and the only way 8 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:30.199 you build a muscle is by stressing it. That's why 9 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:32.799 you have to That's the power of weightlifting. When you 10 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:35.960 lift weights, you're straining your muscle. You're stretching your muscle. 11 00:00:36.119 --> 00:00:39.560 You're stressing your muscle. The only way your muscle grows 12 00:00:39.799 --> 00:00:44.159 is when it is stressed, strained, and stretched. You're not 13 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:47.200 building any muscle sitting at home, you know, eating bond 14 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:49.920 bonds and watching you know, watching how much does that 15 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:50.640 dress cost? 16 00:00:53.399 --> 00:00:55.159 It's my favorite show. I don't know about yours. 17 00:00:55.200 --> 00:01:02.079 But you're not develop any muscle, any spiritual muscle, emotional, relational, 18 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:04.000 or physical muscle sitting there. 19 00:01:04.840 --> 00:01:09.159 When you play it safe, your life gets weaker and 20 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:10.920 weaker and weaker. 21 00:01:11.239 --> 00:01:15.400 You get punier and punier in your emotions, in your relationships, 22 00:01:15.959 --> 00:01:20.920 in your faith, in your character. When you're not straining, stressing, 23 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:26.040 and stretching your faith, stretching your character. So when you 24 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:28.040 make a stand for God to go, I'm scared to 25 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:31.040 death to do this. You know what what it's called. 26 00:01:31.159 --> 00:01:32.879 When you're scared to death to do something and you 27 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:37.760 do it anyway, that's called courage. If you're not afraid, 28 00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:42.319 you're not courageous. Only people who are afraid are courageous. 29 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:45.200 If you're not afraid, you're not courage. You don't need 30 00:01:45.239 --> 00:01:49.000 any courage. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage 31 00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:51.200 is doing the right thing in spite of your fear. 32 00:01:52.439 --> 00:01:56.000 That's what makes a courageous woman. That's what makes a 33 00:01:56.040 --> 00:01:59.680 courageous man. You do the thing you fear in spite 34 00:01:59.719 --> 00:02:04.439 of the and that's called courage. And when you stand 35 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:07.120 for God, it builds your faith and your character and 36 00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:11.599 their courage. Two Timothy one six one eight. You must 37 00:02:11.639 --> 00:02:15.960 never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord with 38 00:02:16.439 --> 00:02:20.080 the strength that God gives you, that's your character. Okay, 39 00:02:20.199 --> 00:02:23.400 that's your faith. With the strength God gives you. Be 40 00:02:23.560 --> 00:02:28.360 ready to suffer if necessary, to share the good news. Question, 41 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:31.879 what are you willing to do in order to be 42 00:02:31.960 --> 00:02:37.439 true to your faith? Are you willing to be put down? 43 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:40.199 Are you willing to have somebody look at you funny? 44 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:43.639 Are you willing to be gossiped about? What are you willing? 45 00:02:44.439 --> 00:02:48.759 How much character do you really have? The fact is 46 00:02:48.759 --> 00:02:51.000 we have a lot of cowardly Christians. We have a 47 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:54.919 lot of wimpy Christians who they can't even handle anybody 48 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:59.879 possibly looking at them sideways. What are you willing to do? 49 00:03:00.520 --> 00:03:04.240 Many times throughout history Christians went before lions, or went 50 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:08.280 to the cross, or or martyred. You know this year? 51 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:11.199 Did you know this year millions of Christians were martyred 52 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:14.000 around the world. It's so common, it's not even in 53 00:03:14.039 --> 00:03:14.759 the news all the time. 54 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:18.000 But they're martyred for their faith. Still happens. 55 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:21.439 Yes, millions of people in all kinds of different countries 56 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:23.159 are martyred for their faith. 57 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:25.360 It builds your character. 58 00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:29.120 Number three, The third benefit of when you stand strong 59 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:32.039 for God is it gives God a chance to do 60 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:37.159 a miracle. It gives God a chance to do a miracle. 61 00:03:39.159 --> 00:03:41.560 I know a lot of Christians who've never seen ever 62 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:45.960 in their life, a legitimate miracle, and the reason why 63 00:03:46.199 --> 00:03:48.479 is because they have played it safe their entire life. 64 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:52.719 They've never taken any risks. They've never done anything that 65 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:58.120 had slightly any bit of unsafety to it. And don't 66 00:03:58.120 --> 00:04:00.719 be afraid to go out on a limb. That's where 67 00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:04.280 the fruit is. Don't be afraid to rock the boat. 68 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:08.599 If Jesus Christ is your captain. If you play this safe, 69 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:11.360 you don't dive in the deep in. You spend your 70 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:14.840 entire life at Baby Beach, playing around in the shallows, 71 00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:17.759 kicking around the sand and the shallows, and you never 72 00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:20.240 dive into the deep end. You're not going to need 73 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:24.199 any miracles. If you don't tackle any big problem in 74 00:04:24.199 --> 00:04:27.079 your life, you don't know that God can solve them. 75 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:31.720 If you've never even admitted you had a problem, God 76 00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:34.639 shows up when you reached. 77 00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:36.279 The end of your rope. 78 00:04:36.519 --> 00:04:39.120 If you never do anything that can't be explained away 79 00:04:39.160 --> 00:04:41.879 by your own power, then you've never really trusted God. 80 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:46.360 Most people go through life defining their life by what 81 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:47.839 they think they can do. 82 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:53.240 You are capable of so much more. Really, if there's. 83 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:54.959 Anything I can do as your friend, your pastor who 84 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:57.519 loves you, your coach, is to help you see that 85 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:01.879 you are capable of so much more than you realize. 86 00:05:02.199 --> 00:05:04.360 It's just your fears are holding you back. 87 00:05:05.519 --> 00:05:08.399 When you step out in faith, you know you got 88 00:05:08.439 --> 00:05:10.199 to get out of the boat to walk on water. 89 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:14.199 When you step out on faith, it gives God a chance. 90 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:18.639 To do a miracle. I have had so many miracles in. 91 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:22.519 My life because I'm constantly painting myself into a corner 92 00:05:22.519 --> 00:05:24.040 and saying, God, how are we going to get out 93 00:05:24.040 --> 00:05:30.319 of this one. I often put myself in a situation 94 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:34.160 literally where I'm forced to trust God where I go. 95 00:05:34.360 --> 00:05:36.439 There's no way this is going to happen. I'm so 96 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:38.560 far out here on a limb. I'm so far out 97 00:05:38.600 --> 00:05:43.079 here in a limb, in physically, emotionally, financially, that this 98 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:48.160 is bound to fail unless God bails us out. And 99 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:51.920 when you trust God like that, the miracles start happening 100 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:55.199 in your life. Daniel had miracles because he wasn't afraid 101 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:58.519 to take risks like let's throw open the windows, and 102 00:05:58.560 --> 00:05:59.920 I'm just go ahead and pray in public, in front 103 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:01.639 of everybody, in spite of the fact that this is 104 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:05.839 now a capital offense. It's worthy of death, and the 105 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:08.959 law cannot be rescinded, So we'll just throw open Who 106 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:10.000 threw open the windows? 107 00:06:10.199 --> 00:06:10.720 He did? 108 00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:17.680 He did now because Daniel took this risk in faith, 109 00:06:17.879 --> 00:06:20.040 and he said, you know what, if I go down, 110 00:06:20.120 --> 00:06:24.279 I'm going to go down talking about God. He said, 111 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:25.920 I'm not going to back off. I'm not going to 112 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:27.480 back down. I'm not going to back away. I'm not 113 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:29.560 going to back slide. I'm going to go for it. 114 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:31.839 I'm going to stand up for Christ at my work. 115 00:06:32.839 --> 00:06:33.360 Do you do that? 116 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:38.160 You stand up for Christ in the workplace, in the 117 00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:40.879 on the work site, you stand up for Christ on 118 00:06:40.920 --> 00:06:44.800 the website, you ever talk about God on the website. 119 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:48.399 When you do that, it opens the. 120 00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:50.399 Door to miracles. Now here's what happened. 121 00:06:51.480 --> 00:06:56.000 When Daniel was picked up and thrown into the pit 122 00:06:56.040 --> 00:06:58.480 of the lions because he had broken this law. The 123 00:06:58.519 --> 00:07:01.120 news guild comes back to the king and the king 124 00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:02.000 is distraught. 125 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:03.040 You can read this later. 126 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:06.560 Because the king loved Daniel, like I said, He'd made 127 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:09.160 him the third most powerful ruler in his kingdom, and 128 00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:10.959 he said, I'm going to put him over the whole kingdom. 129 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:14.360 And now he says, because of my stupid ego, I 130 00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:17.680 signed a dumb law, and the guy I loved more 131 00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:20.680 than anybody else in this kingdom is going to die 132 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:24.199 because of my ego. I let them convince me, those 133 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:28.199 lackeys to make a law that says everybody should pray. 134 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:30.240 To me for thirty days. How ludicrous is that? 135 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:34.079 And the Bible tells us that King Darius, after when 136 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:35.920 he heard that Daniel had been thrown into the lions, 137 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:39.319 didn't he couldn't eat, or sleep or do anything else. 138 00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:41.879 Said he stayed up all night. He was worried. His 139 00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:44.639 stomach was in a knot. He said he wouldn't eat. 140 00:07:44.680 --> 00:07:47.759 They brought him food. He was fasting. He couldn't sleep 141 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:51.439 because he was so worried for Daniel. And it said 142 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:53.279 he had no entertainment, so he didn't watch a TV 143 00:07:53.399 --> 00:07:58.800 that night, and he's so nervous. And the next morning 144 00:07:58.839 --> 00:08:01.519 he wakes up and going, you know, I know Daniel 145 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:04.000 trust is God. He's not my God. He's Daniel's God. 146 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:07.000 And I've seen that God do miracles for this guy. 147 00:08:07.839 --> 00:08:10.079 I wonder if he helped him out. And here where 148 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:13.160 we pick up the story Daniel six verse nineteen. It 149 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:16.800 says here at the first light of dawn, the king 150 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:20.879 got up and hurried to the pit filled with lions, 151 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:25.120 and when he got there, he called to Daniel in 152 00:08:25.160 --> 00:08:31.000 an anguished voice. This is his friend, Daniel, servant of 153 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:33.399 the Living God. It's not my God, but he's your God, 154 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:37.240 servant of the Living God. Has your God, whom you 155 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:42.080 serve continually been able to rescue you from the lions? 156 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:47.600 It's a pretty good question, particularly for an unbeliever. Okay, 157 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:50.679 the God you claim to worship, did he did he 158 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:51.320 bail you out? 159 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:52.759 Did he save you? Did he rescue you? 160 00:08:53.639 --> 00:08:59.159 And Daniel answered, oh, King, oh King, My God sent 161 00:08:59.399 --> 00:09:04.320 his angel and he shut the mouths of the lions. 162 00:09:04.360 --> 00:09:08.440 And they have not hurt me at all because God 163 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:13.480 knew I've done nothing against him or you, o King, 164 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:14.720 i'n't been disloyal to you. 165 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:16.039 I've been loyal to you. 166 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:20.440 And the King was overjoyed, and he gave orders to 167 00:09:20.519 --> 00:09:24.559 lift Daniel out of the pit. Have you ever been 168 00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:27.879 lifted out of a pit? God wants to do that 169 00:09:27.960 --> 00:09:31.799 for you this weekend. And when Daniel was lifted out, 170 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:36.759 there was not a single scratch on his body because 171 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:42.879 he had trusted God. Has God ever rescued you out 172 00:09:42.919 --> 00:09:45.720 of a pit? Maybe you've played it so safe you've 173 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:48.440 never actually been put in a pit because of your faith. 174 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:51.639 But if you ever get put in a pit and 175 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:53.440 you get put in advice, you get put in a 176 00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:56.240 difficult situation. What do you do? You praise God? You 177 00:09:56.360 --> 00:09:59.759 thank God in advance. You just trust God. He gives 178 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:05.039 God a chance to do a miracle. There's a fourth benefit, 179 00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:09.320 number four. When you stand firm, when you stand strong 180 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:14.519 for God publicly at work, it encourages other believers to 181 00:10:14.600 --> 00:10:19.759 stand up. Did you know the courage is contagious. When 182 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:23.440 you are contagious, it causes other people to get contagious. 183 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:26.600 And when you stand strong for God, it causes other 184 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:28.720 people to stand strong for Did you ever see Brave Heart. 185 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:32.639 They're all willy nilly, wimpy, you know, scared of the 186 00:10:32.679 --> 00:10:37.399 English guys. And then one guy goes freedom and then 187 00:10:37.399 --> 00:10:42.559 he goes, yeah, freedom and they go running into battle 188 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:45.399 with picks and axes and stuff like that. What Because 189 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:51.000 courage is contagious, and when you show courage, you may 190 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:53.960 just be surprised. How many people come out of the 191 00:10:54.039 --> 00:10:57.720 woodwork and out of the shadows at your work, at 192 00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:02.000 your job site, waiting for somebody to be a leader. 193 00:11:02.519 --> 00:11:06.759 Does somebody have enough courage and character and confidence in God? 194 00:11:06.840 --> 00:11:09.039 Go whatever? 195 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:11.480 I'm just gonna say, you know what I think this 196 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:13.799 is right, and I think this is what godlets do, 197 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:17.279 and here's what we should do, and other people will 198 00:11:17.320 --> 00:11:22.639 follow that, Paul says in Philippians, Chapter one, verse fourteen. 199 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:25.879 Because of what I've been through, and he'd been through 200 00:11:25.879 --> 00:11:30.360 a lot, many of the Christians here have gained confidence 201 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:34.799 and they have become more bold in telling others about Christ. 202 00:11:35.159 --> 00:11:38.399 If you'll just be bold a little bit, it'll bring 203 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:43.960 boldness out of other people around you, because courage is contagious. 204 00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:57.879 I know many of you use the Daily Hope Devotionals 205 00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:00.919 as part of your regular Bible study, and so I 206 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:04.639 want to share some exciting news. We've put three hundred 207 00:12:04.679 --> 00:12:08.600 and sixty five of the best devotionals into a brand 208 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:13.519 new book that we're calling the Daily Hope Devotional, Purpose, Peace, 209 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:17.480 and Promise for every Day. This devotional book is designed 210 00:12:17.480 --> 00:12:21.039 with clear, practical biblical teaching to help you make knowing 211 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:24.320 God your number one priority. I believe it will help 212 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:26.960 you stay focused on God throughout the day as he 213 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:31.759 provides you with real purpose, lasting peace, and his unfailing promises. 214 00:12:33.320 --> 00:12:37.120 Imagine starting every day like that. This book is a 215 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:39.200 great way to share the hope you have in Jesus 216 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:42.440 with your friends. Co workers and relatives. I hope you'll 217 00:12:42.440 --> 00:12:44.080 get a copy for everyone you know. 218 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:47.960 Be sure and request your copy. When you partner with 219 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:50.480 daily hope to take the word of God to a 220 00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:51.440 hurting world. 221 00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:59.000 A fifth benefit of when you stand for God even 222 00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:02.480 when you're scared to death at work, or in your neighborhood, 223 00:13:02.759 --> 00:13:05.080 or on the golf course or wherever. It is a 224 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:12.960 powerful example to unbelievers. It is a powerful example to unbelievers. 225 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:16.159 Now let me give you three examples of this, a 226 00:13:16.200 --> 00:13:19.039 New Testament one, and then a couple of Old Testament ones. 227 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:21.840 But first we see it in the life of Peter 228 00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:25.639 and John, followers of Jesus, and they're hauled in before 229 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:28.480 the council, and the council in Jerusalem had said, we 230 00:13:28.600 --> 00:13:30.480 strictly warned you that you were. 231 00:13:30.360 --> 00:13:32.039 To never mention the name of Jesus. 232 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:37.320 And Peter and John go, huh, wait a minute, this 233 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:39.559 is the guy who was raised from the dead. We're 234 00:13:39.559 --> 00:13:42.919 not afraid of you. You can't tell us not to 235 00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:45.240 do that. We're going to talk about Jesus. We know 236 00:13:45.399 --> 00:13:47.039 he's the son of God, we know he's in savior 237 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:49.360 of the world. We've seen him do miracles. We're not 238 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:53.840 afraid of you. And verse thirteen it says when the 239 00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:59.320 council saw the boldness of Peter and John their courage, 240 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:04.320 they were amazed since they knew that these were just 241 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:10.639 ordinary men. But they'd been with Jesus. That's why they 242 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:17.240 were courageous. When you get with Jesus, you're going to 243 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:22.159 be bold the more time you spend with him. Remember, 244 00:14:22.360 --> 00:14:26.000 this is why Daniel was not afraid. Three times a day, 245 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:28.240 He's having a conversation with God every day of his 246 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:31.679 life for eighty two years. Well, no, wonder, he's not afraid. 247 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:37.039 He'd been with Jesus. Here's another example. We actually see 248 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:39.519 this in King Darius's life. You know that the result 249 00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:46.360 of this story, another king becomes a believer. King Darius, 250 00:14:46.440 --> 00:14:50.600 a pagan king, comes to faith in God. This is 251 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:54.320 the second guy that where Daniel has led his boss 252 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:56.679 to faith. Wouldn't it be great if you could lead 253 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:00.480 your boss to faith? Wouldn't that be great? Could leave 254 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:03.519 your employer, the owner of your company, the owner of 255 00:15:03.559 --> 00:15:05.120 your corporation to faith in Christ? 256 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:10.679 What's it going to say? Boldness? This is all it takes. Boldness. 257 00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:15.399 And because Daniel was bold, another king first nabucon Ezer 258 00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:19.679 the Babylonian king, now Darius, the mead Meto Persian king. 259 00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:23.240 He comes to Christ, he comes to God. Here, here's 260 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:24.799 what it says. Look up here on the screen, verse 261 00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:28.480 twenty five Daniel six. So then after he saw the 262 00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:33.600 miracle in Daniel's life, then King Darius sent this proclamation 263 00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:37.840 to every nation and race and language on earth. This is, 264 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:39.360 by the way, it's about five point thirty eight BC. 265 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:42.240 That's when this is happening. We know this because we 266 00:15:42.279 --> 00:15:46.200 know when the Means and Persians took over the Babylonian empire. 267 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:50.240 He sent this decree to everybody. I decree that the 268 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:56.000 God of Daniel is to be honored and worshiped in 269 00:15:56.240 --> 00:16:01.639 every part of my kingdom, for he is the living God. 270 00:16:01.720 --> 00:16:05.759 Oh he just stepped across the line there, Okay, he 271 00:16:05.879 --> 00:16:09.120 no longer a pagan. He is the living God, not 272 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:13.919 some dead idol, the one who endures forever, and his 273 00:16:14.120 --> 00:16:19.120 kingdom will outlast all human kingdoms. And then notice what 274 00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:22.919 he says. He is a god who rescues and saves. 275 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:27.759 That guy's just been saved. Have you been rescued and 276 00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:32.679 saved by God? And he says he does miracles just 277 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:36.679 as he rescued Daniel from the power of the lions. 278 00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:41.639 So Daniel continue to be successful during the reign of 279 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:45.840 King Darius and then in the following the reign of 280 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:48.600 Cyrus the Persian. The guy just can do nothing wrong. 281 00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:51.879 He just keeps getting promoted and promoted and promoted. His 282 00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:55.960 whole life is just an incredible success story. Why because 283 00:16:56.000 --> 00:17:00.919 he passes every test with courage, and when the chips 284 00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:03.720 are down, he goes let them fall. I'm going to 285 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:06.240 open the windows. I'm going to stand for God. And 286 00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:08.920 if I go down for God, so be it. But 287 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:11.680 I'm going to stand for God. And that kind of 288 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:16.519 there is almost nothing that God won't do for a 289 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:21.200 person who has that kind of faith in him, almost nothing. 290 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:23.279 You would be amazed at what God would do in 291 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:26.039 your life if you would just walk out in faith, 292 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:29.519 if you would begin to be bold like Daniel and go, 293 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:32.240 I'm going to stand for God. I'm going to stand 294 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:34.240 up for God. I'm going to speak up for God. 295 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:37.440 I'm going to stick up for God. I'm not gonna 296 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:39.119 worry about what other people think. 297 00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:40.480 I'm going to be. 298 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:45.079 Polite, but I'm going to be courageous. And so it's 299 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:49.839 a powerful example to unbelievers not only in your generation, 300 00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:52.200 but did you know that the decisions you make if 301 00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:55.240 you stand for God now, it could influence your kids, 302 00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:58.319 and your grandkids and their kids and on and on 303 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:02.799 into future generations. In fact, it can even influence unbelievers 304 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:07.039 in future generations the story of your faith. Wouldn't that 305 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:10.440 be cool? You say, We'll give me an example. How 306 00:18:10.440 --> 00:18:15.720 about Christmas. In about a month and a half, we're 307 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:19.200 gonna celebrate the Christmas season, and everybody puts up these 308 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:22.160 major scenes, and every major scene there's marrying Joseph and 309 00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:23.920 the baby, and the cows and the sheep and the 310 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:24.599 shepherds and. 311 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:28.880 The who who the wise men? 312 00:18:29.400 --> 00:18:31.640 Okay, let's look at that verse here on the screen, 313 00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:37.640 Matthew Chapter two, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem, wise 314 00:18:37.720 --> 00:18:42.119 men from the east, you mean, you know where they're 315 00:18:42.119 --> 00:18:45.000 coming from, the Babylonian Persian Empire. They're coming from Iran, 316 00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:48.079 in Iraq, That's where the wise men came from. Jesus 317 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:50.799 was born in bethlaem Wise men from the east came 318 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:54.799 to Jerusalem, asking where is the one who's been born 319 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:59.799 King of the Jews. We saw his star from the east, 320 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:02.200 and we have come to worship him. 321 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:03.799 What gives here? 322 00:19:05.319 --> 00:19:10.599 Babylonians and Persians are not known for being Jews, and 323 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:13.480 yet they know the prophecies about the Messiah. How in 324 00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:17.920 the world did the wise men show up at Christmas? 325 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:19.960 Because of Daniel. 326 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:24.279 Daniel is the reason the wise men showed up a 327 00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:30.240 christ Eighteen generations later. His impact is still playing out 328 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:34.039 in those kingdoms. This is the guy who, for eighty 329 00:19:34.359 --> 00:19:38.640 five years lives his faith in a pagan world, and 330 00:19:38.680 --> 00:19:41.359 you're gonna have to live your faith in a pagan world. 331 00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:47.119 He lives his faith in a pagan world fearlessly, uncompromisingly, lovingly, 332 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:50.480 and he just succeeds and succeeds, and he prays in public, 333 00:19:50.519 --> 00:19:52.759 and he talks about God in public, and he writes 334 00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:56.119 down things, and he does prophecies, and he leads two 335 00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:59.119 of the emperors, one Babylonian and one Persian, to Christ. 336 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:03.160 And so these wise men eighteen generations later, are very 337 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:08.680 familiar with Hebrew prophecies because Daniel had so impacted that kingdom. 338 00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:15.440 That is the power of courage, that is the power 339 00:20:16.839 --> 00:20:20.799 standing strong for God when everybody else in the kingdom 340 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:23.359 around you is going that's not right. This is right, 341 00:20:24.119 --> 00:20:27.640 and they say what you believe is politically incorrect, and 342 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:30.160 what you believe is wrong, and what you believe. 343 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:30.319 Is out of date. 344 00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:32.680 Daniel didn't care. It's not important to be on the 345 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:37.640 right side of history. It's important to be right. And 346 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:42.119 Daniel was right. And eighteen generations later, wise men from 347 00:20:42.200 --> 00:20:45.599 the East, from these two empires come to worship Jesus. 348 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:48.359 That is the power of. 349 00:20:48.519 --> 00:20:54.160 One man totally committed to God, not a whimp, not 350 00:20:54.240 --> 00:21:00.400 a coward, a real man, a real woman. They'll see 351 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:03.839 the impact of his life today. Now there's one other benefit, Okay, 352 00:21:03.880 --> 00:21:07.200 all of these things happen. That standing for God's a 353 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:10.039 victory over fear. It builds your faith in character, It's 354 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:13.000 an opportunity for God to do a miracle. It encourages 355 00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:15.279 other believers to stand up. It's a witness. It's a 356 00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:19.640 testimony to unbelievers. I believe your best example to non 357 00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:23.359 Christians around you, your two best witnesses are probably A 358 00:21:23.720 --> 00:21:29.240 how you handle pain and b how you handle something 359 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:33.880 that's unpopular. Do you have courage to stand up for 360 00:21:33.960 --> 00:21:39.720 what you say? You claim to believe your courage in 361 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:44.799 opposition and your steadfastness in pain are your two best 362 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:51.960 witness testimony example to the world, and Daniel did this. Now, 363 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:55.279 the sixth thing that happens, the sixth benefit of every 364 00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:58.920 time you stand strong for God is I will be 365 00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:04.519 rewarded in eternity. Now, the fear you feel it's temporary. 366 00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:06.599 It's going to last a few seconds or maybe a 367 00:22:06.599 --> 00:22:10.519 few minutes. But the benefit is going to last for 368 00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:13.400 trillions and trillions and trillions and trillions of years. Because 369 00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:16.480 God is watching to see who trusts him. God is 370 00:22:16.519 --> 00:22:18.839 watching who's willing to lay it on the line. God 371 00:22:18.920 --> 00:22:21.839 is watching to see who is willing to stand up 372 00:22:21.880 --> 00:22:23.920 for him. And Jesus said, if you stand up for me, 373 00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:25.720 I'll stand up for you for my father in Heaven. 374 00:22:27.880 --> 00:22:30.519 Here's what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount Matthew, 375 00:22:30.839 --> 00:22:37.799 chapter five. Jesus says this, consider yourselves blessed. If people 376 00:22:37.880 --> 00:22:41.920 put you down, or throw you out, or speak lies 377 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:44.799 about you because of me, Oh, let me start her 378 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:49.759 there circle. Because of me, he says, if you get 379 00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:53.440 put down because you humbly spoke up for the truth, 380 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:59.920 you humbly shared my love you in total compassion, share 381 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:02.839 my plan and good news for the world. He said, 382 00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:07.279 if you are put down, you're thrown out, you lose 383 00:23:07.319 --> 00:23:11.440 your job, people lie about you. They you know, they 384 00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:14.519 the trolls attack you on the internet because of me. 385 00:23:14.920 --> 00:23:19.519 He says, If that happens, be happy, why knowing that 386 00:23:19.640 --> 00:23:24.519 you will be rewarded greatly in heaven. Circle the word greatly. 387 00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:27.359 You will be rewarded greatly in heaven. When you get 388 00:23:27.400 --> 00:23:30.440 to heaven. I want you to have a lot of rewards. 389 00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:34.119 I want you to be rewarded greatly because you had 390 00:23:34.119 --> 00:23:36.519 the courage to stand up at work and say, you know, 391 00:23:36.599 --> 00:23:39.519 I am a believer in Christ. I know not everybody 392 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:42.440 agrees with this, but die He's changed my life. And 393 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:44.519 I'm so grateful. And I don't serve him out of duty. 394 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:47.119 I serve him out of love. I'm just so grateful 395 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:50.759 my past has been forgiven. I got a purpose for living. 396 00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:52.759 I got a home in heaven. What's the big deal 397 00:23:52.759 --> 00:23:55.240 about that? Where else are you going to get that? 398 00:23:56.279 --> 00:23:59.519 When you stand up? He says, you will be rewarded 399 00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:02.400 greatly in heaven. And he says, by the way, when 400 00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:05.519 all this putdowns come along, remember you're in good company. 401 00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:09.559