Participants: Sherwin Jack
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR001046
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01:01 And good evening, everyone.
01:04 We've had a glorious time here 01:05 at the Witness Conference, haven't we? 01:07 How many of us can truly say this evening that 01:10 we were blessed as a result of being here? 01:13 Praise the Lord. 01:15 I know, I've been blessed in my spiritual walk 01:18 with the Lord have been enriched. 01:20 My soul have been encouraged because of your faith, 01:23 your participation, your words of encouragement, 01:27 the messages by the various speakers, 01:29 the presentations that were presented. 01:31 All of that worked together to give us a renewed sense 01:35 of who we are, whose we are and what we are about. 01:39 Amen? 01:40 And I know that we are gonna leave here 01:42 tonight taking with us all of the blessings 01:46 of this experience and we are gonna go out 01:49 and do something wonderful for the Lord. 01:51 Amen? 01:52 God has truly been good to us. 01:55 And I just want to thank God for His continued goodness 01:59 and mercy towards me 02:01 and what I see He is doing in the life 02:03 of each and every one of you. 02:04 Tonight as we begin this final message tonight, 02:08 I want to ask you to bow your heads with me 02:09 as we seek God in prayer. 02:13 Eternal God, our heavenly Father, 02:15 tonight we want to thank you 02:17 for Your goodness and Your mercy. 02:20 We thank You for the privilege 02:21 that is ours to be a part of this wonderful experience 02:25 of this Witness Conference. 02:28 Father, we have learned things new and old. 02:31 We've been encouraged, our souls have been revived. 02:34 And Father, we pray tonight that 02:35 You will bless us as we again open Your word. 02:38 Help us oh, God, to not be hearers only, 02:41 but to be doers of the Word. 02:43 This we pray in Jesus' name, amen. 02:49 This evening I've entitled the message 02:51 "Stand Up and Be Counted." 02:56 Stand Up and Be Counted. 03:00 I don't know what life is truly like here 03:03 for you on a day to day basis. 03:07 I haven't been here long enough on this trip 03:09 to really observe some of the things 03:11 that I would normally be able to observe. 03:13 But I can tell you from my experience 03:16 living in the United States, 03:18 looking at what is happening in the news, 03:20 looking at what is going on in our lives, 03:22 in the church and without the church, 03:24 here's what I've discovered that everything and everyone 03:29 that was in the closet has come out, except us. 03:37 There are still too many of us 03:39 who name the name of Jesus Christ 03:41 that are still hiding in the closet. 03:45 And Jesus is looking for us to stand up and be counted. 03:51 He is looking for people who are willing to say yes, 03:54 I'm a child of the King. 03:55 Yes, I'm a son of God. Yes, I believe in Jesus Christ. 04:00 I'll never forget many years ago 04:03 and some of you probably weren't even born yet 04:05 but there was a very well known 04:07 television program in the United States 04:10 and the moderator or the host 04:12 was a man named Phil Donahue. 04:15 And Phil Donahue interviewed one of the prominent preachers. 04:17 He is dead now. 04:19 And this particular preacher, he asked him, 04:24 "Do you believe that Jesus Christ 04:26 is the only way to heaven?" 04:30 And my brothers and sisters, I sat there with some fear 04:34 and trepidation as to what this preacher was going to say. 04:38 And he danced all around the question. 04:42 And my bothers and sisters, 04:44 I sat there with great disappointment 04:46 because this man had built a university in Virginia. 04:50 This man was a man who had led 04:54 many people to the Lord. 04:56 And yet I'm still when he was confronted with the question, 04:59 is Jesus Christ the only way? 05:02 But the way that the host phrased the question, 05:05 it put him on the spot. 05:07 He said, you mean to tell me 05:09 that unless I accept Jesus Christ, 05:11 unless I believe in Jesus Christ 05:14 that I can't make it to heaven. 05:16 The answer to the question 05:17 should have been categorically yes, 05:20 that's what the Bible says. 05:23 Jesus did not say I'm one of the ways, 05:26 Jesus said I'm the only way. 05:29 And brothers and sisters, 05:30 tonight we need not be apologetic 05:33 for standing up for what the Bible says 05:36 and what the Lord himself declares. 05:39 And so tonight I want to share with you 05:40 a message on the subject "Stand Up and Be Counted." 05:47 Turn with me if you will in your Bibles 05:48 to the 3 Chapter of the Book of Daniel. 05:52 Daniel Chapter 3. 05:55 It is a well known and very, very popular Bible story 05:58 and most of us at some part place in our journey 06:02 have read this story and studied this story. 06:06 And yet and still I believe that 06:08 there is so much here for us 06:11 that we can read it over and over and over 06:14 and each time that we read this passage, 06:16 God has fresh insights 06:19 and helps to deepen our convictions 06:22 and help to clarify what we are here for. 06:25 The Bible tells us in Daniel Chapter 3 06:28 about three men who were faced 06:31 with a challenge that most of us 06:33 in our lifetime will not have to face. 06:37 The Bible tells us that Shadrach, 06:39 Meshach and Abednego 06:40 were brought to Babylon as slaves. 06:45 Nebuchadnezzar had gone up to Jerusalem 06:48 and conquered the people 06:49 and brought them back to Babylon. 06:52 From among those who had been taken captive, 06:55 Nebuchadnezzar sort out the best 06:57 and the brightest to train them 07:00 and utilize them in his service. 07:03 Among them was Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. 07:08 When we study the prior two verses, chapters rather, 07:11 here's what we discover in Chapter 1. 07:14 From the very outset that we encounter 07:17 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego 07:19 they were faced with challenges and faced with choices. 07:24 Each and every one of us, each and every waking moment 07:26 of each faced every day we are faced with challenges 07:30 and we are also faced with choices. 07:34 In Chapter 1 we read the story about them 07:37 being asked to partake of the king's table 07:39 and the Bible tells us they refused to eat 07:42 from the king's table because what was prepared 07:46 and presented before them was not in harmony 07:49 and in keeping with what they were taught 07:52 from the Word of God 07:53 as to what should go into their bodies. 07:55 And you know the story, 07:56 they requested time to pray and to seek God 08:00 and then they asked the king for a simple diet 08:03 and God honored their faith and trust in Him. 08:07 And the Bible tells us at the end of ten days 08:10 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego 08:12 were in much better spiritual and physical condition 08:17 than those who had partaken of the king's food. 08:21 In Chapter 2 the Bible tells us another crisis. 08:24 It seems that in the lives of these men of God 08:27 one crisis followed the other. 08:30 In Chapter 2 the king had a dream 08:32 that he could not remember or recall. 08:35 It so disturbed the king that the Bible tells us 08:39 he called for all of the wise men 08:41 in the realm to come 08:43 and not only tell him the interpretation, 08:45 but to tell him the very dream. 08:48 And we know what the dream unfolded. 08:51 God in His wisdom and mercy was giving to Nebuchadnezzar 08:56 a sort of a glimpse into the future. 08:59 God was showing him his place in history. 09:03 But just as it was then so it is now, 09:06 that many of us find ourself in a state of discontent 09:11 with where God has seen fit to place us. 09:15 I see this unfolding sometimes in a church. 09:18 People want to be in certain offices that 09:20 God has not gifted them to be in. 09:23 Have you ever run into an usher who should not be at the door? 09:27 An usher who is having a bad day? 09:31 There are some people that are not cut out. 09:34 Their temperament, their personalities, 09:36 their disposition does not recommend them 09:39 to be a greeter or an usher, yet they want to be there 09:43 and sometime we have to lovingly tell them, 09:46 hello. 09:51 God in His wisdom and mercy 09:53 gave Nebuchadnezzar a glimpse into the future 09:57 and in the dream God showed him the successive nation 10:02 that would rise and fall and his place. 10:06 God said to him there is gold-- this image that was set up 10:09 in his dream made up of the various metals. 10:12 The head of it being gold 10:13 and God says that's you Nebuchadnezzar. 10:16 And one would think that 10:17 if God was in His wisdom was to designate you 10:20 as the head that would be satisfactory, 10:23 but Nebuchadnezzar was not satisfied 10:25 because he discerned 10:27 that each of the succeeding metals depicted kingdoms 10:31 that would come after his kingdom. 10:35 What it said to Nebuchadnezzar was 10:37 that as important as you are and as brilliant as you are 10:42 and significant as you are, you will not be here forever. 10:48 There is a lesson in that for some of us 10:49 church members and church leaders. 10:52 The church will go on with or without us. 10:58 All of us are here for time 11:00 to serve in a place of God's choosing 11:05 but please let us never get to the place 11:07 where we believe that somehow we are indispensable to God. 11:12 God will use us but there comes a time 11:15 when God will say, you have done your part 11:19 and it's time for others to come up on the scene 11:21 and do what God has instructed them to do. 11:27 Daniel Chapter 3, 11:30 Nebuchadnezzar discontent with God 11:32 led to disobedience to God. 11:36 Disobedience springs from a heart 11:38 that is discontent with the ways 11:41 and the will of God. 11:45 And so in defiance of God's revelation to him, 11:48 the Bible tells us that Nebuchadnezzar 11:50 then made an image of pure gold 11:54 and set it up and then commanded the people 11:57 to come to the place at a designated time 12:00 to bow down and worship the golden image. 12:05 Now I know what some of us are saying right about now. 12:07 If I was there, I would be standing right next 12:11 to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. 12:15 It's easy for us to say that now. 12:18 It's easy for us to look back 12:21 knowing the outcome of the story 12:23 and make that bold declaration. 12:25 And yet and still in our world today 12:27 and even in our church, 12:29 I've been out with church members to restaurants. 12:33 And people who you would not think 12:36 would be hesitant to say a prayer over their food, 12:39 they are hesitant 12:42 because somehow in that public arena, 12:44 somehow in that public setting 12:46 they find it difficult to express their faith 12:49 and trust in God for the food that they are about to eat. 12:52 Matter of fact, when you go to some restaurant 12:54 you would better pray before you eat. 12:58 Hello, amen. 13:03 Because the chances are, there are times and places 13:06 you really don't know what's in that plate 13:10 and it just may be that that prayer 13:12 that you have prayed is what makes the difference 13:15 between you walking out and you being carried out. 13:20 And so the Bible tells us 13:21 that Nebuchadnezzar set up the time and the place, 13:24 he set up the occasion and he orchestrated 13:27 and he says that when the music sounded, 13:29 he said I want everybody to bow down 13:31 and worship the golden image. 13:36 The Bible tells us that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego 13:39 were being watched and observed. 13:42 And I want to tell you today my brothers and sisters, 13:43 that those of us who named the name of Jesus Christ 13:46 we're being watched and we are being observed. 13:49 Your co-workers and your neighbors 13:51 and your friends, they are watching you 13:53 and they are taking note and the first time you slip up 13:56 here's what they are gonna say, I thought you were Christian, 14:00 I thought you were child of God, 14:02 I know you were phony, I know you didn't mean 14:04 what you were saying all this. 14:05 We are being watched not only by our friends 14:09 but we are being watched by the universe. 14:12 Because you and I, we are on trial for God. 14:16 God as it were is on trial within us 14:20 and people are watching to see what we will do. 14:23 The Bible tells us that when the music was sounded 14:25 that everyone bow down. 14:27 Now please understand that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego 14:32 were not the only Jews present that day. 14:36 But the Bible tells us that when the crises came, 14:40 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stood tall, why? 14:44 Because they had a relationship with God. 14:49 Now my brothers and sisters, there are something here 14:51 that's also important for us to note right now. 14:54 The Bible tells us that those who are watching 14:57 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego went back to the king 14:59 and reported what they had seen. 15:02 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego standing tall, 15:05 standing up and being counted 15:07 as those who are children of God. 15:09 Cannot tell you right now 15:11 that crisis does not create character, 15:14 crisis reveals character. 15:19 It's easy for us to say oh, how I love Jesus. 15:22 It's easy for us to talk about how good God is 15:24 and how much we love God, 15:26 but when we are faced with our crisis, 15:30 the crisis does not create character, 15:34 crisis reveals character. 15:36 It shows what we are and whose we are. 15:41 But watch what happens now, this is instructed. 15:44 The Bible tells us that those men who were jealous, 15:50 those men who were envious 15:52 that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego 15:55 who were brought there as captives 15:57 and were promoted above themselves 16:00 and had enjoyed the favor of the king, 16:03 now they thought they had something on them 16:05 and they hasten back 16:07 to Nebuchadnezzar with the news. 16:09 Nebuchadnezzar, guess what, 16:11 those three Adventist young men that you promoted 16:16 they aren't grateful, unthankful and unfit. 16:22 They refused to bow down. But here is the lesson. 16:26 Here is the lesson that we as Christians 16:28 needs to learn from this incident. 16:30 The Bible tells us this heathen king, 16:33 Nebuchadnezzar, did not take the word 16:37 of these men who brought the news. 16:41 He did not go along with the gossip. 16:45 He called them in and asked them 16:47 for himself, is it so. 16:52 There's a lesson for church members here. 16:54 Quite often we hear rumors floating around the church 16:58 and we are not interested in whether or not it's true, 17:01 we are only interested in whether or not it's juicy. 17:07 Hello. 17:09 So the Bible tells us that Nebuchadnezzar, 17:12 a heathen king demonstrated more character in that moment 17:16 because he called them in for himself 17:19 to find out, is this so. 17:25 There are people who are hurting in the church 17:26 because of gossip. 17:28 There are people who have walked away from the church 17:31 because of lips that could not be controlled 17:33 and tongues that were moving 17:34 when it should not have been moving 17:37 and words that were spoken 17:38 when prayer should have been uttered. 17:44 The Bible tells that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego appeared 17:46 before the king and they said, king, listen, 17:47 we don't mean to embarrass you, we're not at all ungrateful. 17:51 We know what you've done for us 17:52 and we appreciate it but we can't go along. 17:54 The Bible says we ought to obey the laws of man as long as 17:58 and until they conflict with the laws of God. 18:03 I want you to understand today my, brothers and sisters, 18:05 that this story that we often read 18:07 and so glibly rush through is a window 18:12 through which we can see what's coming. 18:17 If we understand what this church teaches 18:19 and believes that there is coming a day 18:22 and what the Bible tells us in the Book of Revelation 18:24 that is going to come a time 18:25 when all of us will have to make a choice 18:28 to receive the mark of the beast or the seal of God 18:31 and it will surround the same issues 18:33 that is being challenged here 18:35 in Daniel Chapter 3, the law of God. 18:38 Just as we know that a day will be set, 18:42 when a death decree is to be issued 18:44 we see it right here in this third chapter of Daniel. 18:48 The last day events 18:52 that will culminate in the very near future, 18:54 that will involve many of us here tonight, 18:57 those events have already been played out here 19:00 in Daniel Chapter 3. 19:01 The law of God again 19:03 is at the center of the controversy. 19:07 So the king says, I'll give you a second chance. 19:11 Can we give Nebuchadnezzar a little hand clap right now? 19:13 Come on help me, all right, now give him a little hand. 19:16 Give Nebuchadnezzar a hand. Why? 19:18 Because at least Nebuchadnezzar 19:20 was willing to give them a second chance. 19:23 How often in the church 19:24 we fail to give each other a second chance? 19:27 How often in the church we slip one time, 19:30 we make one mistake, one fault and we are through. 19:36 You might as well head to Hallelujah hill 19:39 and sing Oh, How I Love Jesus all by yourself 19:41 because you'll finish down here. 19:43 You are done, one mistake. 19:46 But here is a heathen king 19:49 that was willing to give them a second chance. 19:54 Aren't you glad tonight that we serve a God 19:55 who gives a second chance over and over and over again? 20:00 How is that we can't give each other a second chance? 20:04 How is that we are so willing to say Lord, 20:07 I hope they get what they deserve? 20:09 What if God gives us what we deserve? 20:16 The Bible tells us 20:18 and here's where the story gets real good. 20:21 Look what it says in verse 17, 20:24 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, verse 16 it says, 20:26 we are not careful to answer you in this manner. 20:30 Look at verse 17, Daniel Chapter 3, 20:34 this is where it really gets good. 20:38 "If it be so..." 20:41 and what's the next word, everybody? 20:43 No, no, what's the next word, not the next two words. 20:45 What's the next word? 20:46 Our. Our God, our God. 20:54 It speaks of a personal relationship 20:57 that these three young men had with God. 21:02 Not instant religion because of our crisis. 21:07 Not declaring who we are in the moment 21:11 but they are speaking of a relationship 21:13 that had been long established, our God. 21:18 Is God your God or is God your mother's God 21:22 or your daddy's God or your wife's God 21:24 or your husband's God? 21:25 Is God your God? 21:28 The only way that we are gonna be able 21:30 and unable to stand up and be counted 21:34 is when we have a personal connection, 21:37 a personal relationship with God for ourselves. 21:42 Our God whom we serve. Not a God that we sing about. 21:48 Not a God that we read about. 21:50 Not a God that we see in church once a week. 21:53 Not a do that we see three times throughout our lives. 21:55 You know, there are some people 21:57 who only go to church three times in their lives, 21:59 when they hatch, match and dispatched. 22:03 Three times. 22:09 Yeah, but listen to what the Bible says, 22:13 "Our God whom we serve." 22:15 Hallelujah, do you serve Him or do you just know about Him? 22:20 You see, there is a qualitative difference between 22:23 knowing God and knowing about God. 22:30 Knowing about God will get you to praise 22:33 and accolades of men 22:36 but that won't get you through the crisis. 22:40 That will not enable you 22:41 and empower you to get through those moment 22:43 when all hell breaks loose 22:46 and you are confronted with the enemy. 22:49 You got to know Him and the only way to know Him 22:53 is day by day spend sometime with God. 22:58 There's a song that says, speak of with your God. 23:05 And friends of mine, 23:06 I can tell you tonight it doesn't just happen. 23:10 This kind of relationship 23:12 that is necessary to face this kind of crisis 23:15 and come through it is a relationship 23:19 that is forged in personal, intentional devotion. 23:25 Knowing God for yourself, 23:27 spending time with God in your own prayer closet, 23:31 crying loud to God, it's me, it's me, it's me oh, Lord 23:34 standing in the need of prayer. 23:35 Not my brother, not my sister, 23:37 not my pastor, not my elder, not my deacon 23:39 but it's me, it's me, it's me, oh, Lord. 23:43 When we part our soul with that kind of intensity, 23:47 the Spirit of God comes upon us 23:49 and enables us and equips us 23:51 to face the challenges 23:53 that we are all going to face sooner or later. 23:57 But listen what the Bible says, we are still in verse 17, 24:00 "Our God whom we serve is able." 24:05 Do you know that God is able? 24:07 Do you really believe that God is able? 24:10 You see, if we really believe that God is able, 24:13 there is no place for worry in our lives. 24:18 I shared with a group that I did the first seminar 24:20 with something I read about worry. 24:23 It says that worry is like a rocking chair, 24:25 it will give you something to do 24:26 but it won't get you anywhere. 24:29 Yeah, and yet we spend so much time worrying. 24:37 Our God is able. 24:39 How did they know that God was able? 24:43 How did they know? 24:45 Do you think they remembered a story 24:46 about what God did in Egypt? 24:50 Do you think for a moment that 24:52 may be it's what they heard about 24:54 what God did at the Red Sea? 24:57 God is able. Where did they get that from? 25:00 They were taught about how God had led in the past. 25:06 Doesn't Ellen White say the only fear 25:08 that we have for the future is as we forget 25:15 the way God has what, led us in the past. 25:20 If we remember what God has done before 25:23 and we know that He is the same yesterday, 25:25 He is the same today, He will be the same tomorrow, 25:27 why do we worry about what the future brings. 25:31 The same God who brought us through all the crises before, 25:34 that same God is able and available. 25:37 They say that God is able. 25:40 We knew what He did for Moses 25:41 and we know what He did for Abraham 25:43 and we knew what He did at Jericho. 25:45 We know all of that, so we know God is able. 25:49 But here's where their faith really shines through. 25:53 Here's what they said, 25:54 but if not, but if not. 26:01 What happens to us? 26:04 What happens in us when God often 26:10 will move in ways contrary to our expectations? 26:16 What do we do when we pray 26:18 and we fast and we pray and we fast? 26:21 And somehow it seems that 26:23 God is in some distant remote part of the universe 26:27 and He is unconcerned and unconnected 26:29 with what we are dealing with right now. 26:31 What do we do then? 26:34 Do we still say that God is able 26:36 or do we throw our Bibles on the shelf 26:38 and say I'm not going back to church anymore, 26:40 all that religion stuff doesn't make or mean a thing? 26:42 Oh, my brothers and sisters, 26:44 let me tell you something about faith 26:46 that I've discovered that has been helpful to me. 26:51 Faith is believing and behaving consistent 26:57 with the Word of God. 27:01 Real faith, godly faith, spirit inspired faith, 27:07 believes and trust God 27:09 in the face of contrary evidence. 27:18 Real faith enables us 27:21 to overcome facts. 27:28 That's gonna kind of make sense you're around Tuesday. 27:34 You may not get it right now but stick around. 27:36 Round two, they say, oh, that's what he meant 27:44 and it's right there in the Bible. 27:50 Elijah the preacher showed up 27:51 and the woman is about to have her last meal 27:54 and just like a pastor he says, 27:56 go in there and make a bread for me first. 28:08 And God says, that little bit of oil 28:12 and little meal will not diminish 28:15 until the famine is over. 28:18 Her faith overcame the facts. 28:23 You see, when you are a child of God, 28:24 the fact may be contrary 28:29 but because you serve a God who transcends facts 28:36 when we put our faith into operation. 28:40 So the Bible tells us, 28:42 they cried out, our God is able. 28:46 But even if He chooses to move 28:48 in a way that we think, He should. 28:50 We're gonna remain confident 28:52 in knowing He is working all together for our good. 28:57 Faith, trust in God in the face of contrary evidence, 29:02 faith is trusting God in spite of the circumstance 29:06 and faith is trust in God in spite of the consequence. 29:14 Our God is able. 29:17 What I try to tell people is, listen, 29:19 there are things that are gonna happen in your life 29:21 if you love the Lord and if you are serving God. 29:23 There are circumstances that are gonna take place 29:25 in your life that logic and reason 29:29 will not give you a rational explanation. 29:34 So what do you do? What you do when God is silent? 29:36 What do you do when doesn't move? 29:38 Here's what I do, I go right back to the cross. 29:42 I go back to what I already know. 29:45 I go back to what is firmly established. 29:48 I go back to that which is incontrovertible. 29:54 I go back to what I was taught as a little boy, 29:58 Jesus loves me. 30:00 This I know, for the Bible tells me so. 30:05 So I can look at the facts 30:08 and my faith in God helps me to overcome 30:11 and get over and get past the facts. 30:14 Why? Because Jesus loves me. 30:17 But I don't know what He is doing now, 30:18 I go back to what I know He's already done 30:23 and I wait right there 30:25 until the way clears up before me. 30:27 This what the Bible says. 30:31 Our God is able but if He doesn't deliver us, 30:35 that's all right, that's okay. 30:39 Paul says it's a little different. 30:41 He said, whether I live or die God be praised. 30:46 That kind of faith, that kind of confidence 30:51 doesn't happen just showing up at church one day a week. 30:56 That kind of faith and that kind of confidence, 30:58 that kind of connectedness with God 31:01 grows out of a daily communing with God. 31:07 Amen. 31:10 So Nebuchadnezzar said, I know what's wrong here, 31:13 you fellows need a little help, so I'm gonna help you up. 31:15 Heat up the furnace seven more times hotter. 31:19 You need little incentive, I'm gonna help you up. 31:27 Yeah, here's my answer, 31:32 I'm listening to the Hebrew boys, 31:33 I'm listening on their conversation 31:35 so here's what I think they say. 31:37 Well, okay, you got it all wrong king, 31:41 you are saying 31:44 if we don't bow we're gonna burn. 31:46 King, you got it all wrong, you got dyslexia 31:49 because if we bow we're gonna burn. 31:57 Oh, king, you got it all wrong. 31:58 You see, God has another furnace 32:01 that's coming at the end of the world 32:03 that's hotter than anything you can come up with 32:05 so if we've got to chose furnaces, 32:07 we're gonna choose yours. 32:12 Hallelujah. 32:17 The Bible tells us that king is now upset. 32:24 He is upset, why? 32:26 He is upset because he knows what they are saying is true 32:31 but his pride has been hurt. 32:37 The Bible tells us they heated up 32:38 the furnace seven times hotter. 32:42 I've heard some preachers in flights of fantasy says, 32:45 well, God came down with a hallelujah fan 32:48 and took the heat out of the furnace. 32:51 So when the three young men were thrown in there, 32:53 the heat was gone. 32:55 It sounds good but it's not true 32:59 because the men who threw them into the furnace 33:02 were consumed by the heat. 33:06 So what happened? 33:07 God didn't take the heat out of the furnace, 33:09 what God did was to fireproof those boys. 33:16 Oh, God could have kept them out of the furnace. 33:21 We sometimes wonder 33:23 why it is that we fall into trials. 33:26 Why sickness comes? Why unemployment comes. 33:29 Why our children walk away? Why our spouses act crazy? 33:34 Oh, don't be doing that now, I'm watching you. 33:38 Don't be doing that, I got my eye on you. 33:44 God allows trials to come into our lives 33:49 so that He can test us. 33:52 We have to be tested in order to be trusted. 33:58 Yeah. 34:00 Abraham, take that boy and go three days. 34:06 Why three days? 34:08 Because God wanted him to have every opportunity to turn back 34:13 and you noticed something about this story, right. 34:15 You know, what's good part of this story? 34:18 Abraham didn't ask Sarah's permission. 34:27 Had Sarah gotten wind of what Abraham was up to, 34:33 she would have been the one wheeling that knife on him. 34:37 You are not taking my boy. 34:50 They bound them hand and foot, throw them in the fire. 34:57 I heard a preacher friend of mine explain it this way. 35:02 He said, whatever is happening down here to God's people, 35:07 God is taking note in heaven. 35:11 He is using his sanctified imagination 35:13 and he said, God, the Father called 35:14 a meeting in heaven and he says listen. 35:17 You know, the Bible talks about angels, 35:18 some have two wings, some have four wings, 35:20 some have six wings 35:23 and he said to the angel of the two wings. 35:24 He said, my boys down there in trouble 35:25 I need somebody to go down. 35:26 How long will it take you? 35:28 The angels with two wings says three minutes. 35:30 Father said, too long. 35:33 He called the angels with four wings, 35:34 he said, how long will it take you to get down there? 35:36 And they said, well, Father, two minutes. 35:39 Father said too long. 35:41 Called the angels with six wings, 35:42 He said how long will it take you to get down there. 35:45 My servants are in trouble. 35:47 He says, Father, one minute. Father said too long. 35:50 So he looked over there and saw the son 35:52 and He says son, boys are in trouble down there, 35:55 how long will it take you to get down there. 35:57 He said, Father, I'm already down there. 36:03 When we need Him the Bible says, 36:07 while we are calling on Him, 36:11 the prayer has already been answered. 36:15 You know, what I like about 36:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? 36:18 They threw them in and yet they got up 36:21 and walking around in the fire and they are singing. 36:26 You don't know what they sang? 36:28 They are singing. What are they singing? 36:30 Oh, how I love Jesus, 36:33 in the fire and the singing must have been so sweet 36:38 that Jesus shows to take the trio 36:41 and make it a quartet. 36:44 He joined in with them in the fire, 36:47 hallelujah what a mighty God we serve. 36:52 My brothers and sisters, 36:54 if we are gonna stand up and be counted, 36:57 let's be real clear tonight. 37:00 God is not gonna prevent us 37:02 from being thrown into some fiery furnaces. 37:07 You know, I often hear people, 37:10 just then I often hear people say, "why me?" 37:12 You know, my response to them is, 37:14 why not you? 37:18 I have not read an exemption clause in the contract. 37:24 The last time I read the contract, 37:26 it says all that live godly in Christ-- 37:31 help me with it, what does it say? 37:33 Will suffer persecution and sometime the persecution 37:39 doesn't come from Nebuchadnezzar. 37:41 Sometime it's a lot close to home. 37:44 Sometime the persecution comes 37:46 from the church that you are part of. 37:48 Sometimes the persecution comes from friends that you fought. 37:53 So they are in the fire and the Bible tells us 37:57 there is a fourth person that comes 37:59 and joins them in the fire. 38:02 I would have loved to been there to see 38:04 Nebuchadnezzar's face. 38:07 Can't you not see now, did not we cast in three, 38:11 one, two, three, three, two, one, 38:15 but I see four. 38:21 Stand, stand up and be counted. 38:27 The Bible tells us and Jesus promises 38:29 they that honor Me, I will honor. 38:36 When we stand up for Him, He stands up with us. 38:42 This is something I learned in seminary, 38:44 just that you may have learned it already 38:46 but if not it's coming. 38:48 Dr. Davidson, one of my favorite teachers 38:51 Richard Davidson, great godly man, 38:54 helping us young fledgling theologians 38:57 to understand the difference between the western mindset 39:03 and the Hebrew mind. 39:05 Here's what the western mind says 39:07 which all of us had been sort of it, 39:09 you know, partakers of. 39:12 I must understand then I'll do. 39:16 The Hebrew mind says I'll do and then I'll understand. 39:22 It's quite a different way of looking at the world. 39:28 But if we are people of faith, 39:32 we will be willing to trust God and believe in God. 39:34 So here's what God says, stand and when we stand, 39:40 He empowers us and enables us to withstand, 39:46 and by and by we will understand. 39:52 There's a whole lot that God is not gonna explain to us now. 39:56 God didn't call us to understand, 39:58 He called us to obey, 40:01 to trust, to believe, to rest in Him. 40:09 I'm not gonna do that until I understand, 40:11 doesn't make any sense to me. 40:13 Well, you know what? 40:14 There's a whole lot of things that don't make sense to me 40:16 but it's still real, because I don't understand 40:18 how a black cow eats green grass 40:20 and produces white milk. 40:24 I don't understand but it's real. 40:32 There's a whole lot of things that we don't understand. 40:34 You get sick, you go to a man that you don't know. 40:38 He sends you down the road to a store to the chemist 40:40 with some things scribbled 40:42 on a piece of paper that you can't read. 40:44 He goes in the back put some stuff in a bottle, 40:46 tells you go home 40:48 and take it three times a day and you do it. 40:54 Well, yet when it comes to God I don't understand that, 41:00 don't make any sense to me. 41:03 Hello? 41:06 Amen. 41:11 How did they do it? 41:13 How did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 41:15 do what today seems to be 41:19 impossible and incredible? 41:22 Let me suggest three things. 41:24 Number one, 41:26 first of all Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 41:30 were committed to God's purpose. 41:37 When we live our lives committed to God's purpose, 41:45 we don't have to understand everything that happens to us 41:49 because everything that happens to us 41:51 is not about us. 41:57 Yeah. 42:00 Joseph spent many years in jail 42:05 only to find out and discover, discern, 42:07 it really wasn't about him. 42:11 God sent him there to prepare a way for God's people. 42:17 Paul and Silas thrown in jail, it wasn't about them. 42:22 There was a jailor 42:24 who wouldn't come to witness, 42:31 so God sent Paul and Silas in there. 42:35 Hello, are you with me? 42:37 Yeah. Yeah. 42:41 Committed to God's purpose, that's the first thing. 42:46 Live our lives committed to God's purpose. 42:49 Secondly, live our lives 42:52 conscious of God's presence. 42:57 When we are conscious of God's presence, 42:59 fear is gone. 43:02 Man, when I was a little fellow I would fight anybody. 43:06 I don't care how big you were, 43:08 I'm willing to fight anybody 43:10 as long as my older brother was close by. 43:16 My awareness of his presence gave me a confidence 43:21 and a boldness that I would not otherwise have. 43:27 When we live our lives committed to God's purpose 43:30 and conscious of God's presence-- 43:36 doesn't the Bible day if God be for us, 43:40 who bring it on devil. 43:43 Who can be against us? 43:46 Conscious of God's presence. 43:49 And the third thing is connected to God's power. 43:56 You know, most people in life live 44:00 their lives trying to make connections. 44:04 You know, connection 44:06 because connection gets you a job, 44:07 connection gets you promotion, 44:09 connection gets you into places that otherwise. 44:12 But you know what I discovered? 44:14 That not everybody with connections is connected. 44:21 I'm talking about being connected to God's power. 44:27 Few years ago before the smartphones 44:31 and all these things, you know, 44:34 we had those cordless phones, you know, 44:37 and so I went and bought one. 44:41 And like most men, you know, 44:45 I started to try to get this thing 44:47 to operate by myself. 44:50 So two hours into the project and I'm not getting anywhere, 44:53 I had a brilliant thought, read the instructions. 44:59 Yeah. 45:03 So I got the box and I-- 45:05 you know, I had crumbled up the instructions 45:06 and throw it away, so I got it and I open it up 45:08 and you know, smoothed it out 45:10 and here's what the instruction says. 45:12 Before this phone can be used, it must be charged. 45:17 Okay, brilliant thought. 45:23 I kept on reading and here's what the instruction said. 45:28 In order for this phone to operate 45:30 at its maximum capacity, 45:33 the handset can only go so far away from the base. 45:40 Yeah. 45:42 I kept reading and here's what it says. 45:45 In order for this phone to continue 45:47 to operate at maximum capacity 45:50 the handset must make frequent contact with the base. 45:58 But here's what I discovered. 46:02 The time when you put the phone on the base 46:04 and you think it's making contact, it's not. 46:10 But here's how you know that it's making contact. 46:14 When the handset makes proper contact with the base, 46:17 a little light goes on. 46:22 When you and I have made proper contact with God, 46:26 the light of the glory of Jesus Christ shines forth 46:31 from our countenance. 46:33 People will know that we have been with Jesus. 46:41 The Bible tells us that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 46:44 came out of the fiery furnace 46:45 and you know, I like the way God-- 46:48 you know, my God is a God of sense of humor 46:51 and He likes to brag on us every so often. 46:53 He gives us little details that, 46:55 you know, we sometimes miss. 46:57 But one of them says 46:58 when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 47:00 came out of the fire, God even took away 47:03 the smell of smoke from their garments. 47:09 You see, when we encounter Christ and surrender to Him, 47:16 He removes all of the stench 47:20 and the smell of where we have been, 47:25 so that we are now new creatures in Christ. 47:30 Stand up and be counted, how do we do that? 47:34 Committed to God's power. 47:38 Committed to God's purpose. 47:41 Live conscious of His presence. 47:46 Live connected to His power. 47:50 Many years ago I came across a story. 47:54 I like stories. 47:56 I came across a story about little fellow. 48:00 Little fellow loved to read western novels. 48:06 He had a particular author that he had grown to love. 48:13 And so one day he was upstairs in his room 48:15 and his dad was downstairs in the other room 48:18 and he kept hearing his little boy saying, 48:20 if you only knew what I know. 48:23 Over and over and over again so he became concerned. 48:27 He thought maybe the little fellow 48:28 had read too many novels and was losing it. 48:32 So he went upstairs, he knocked on the door 48:34 and he says, son, what's going on in here? 48:36 He said, dad, I was reading about my favorite author 48:42 and in my favorite author there was a favorite hero 48:44 of mine called the sheriff 48:46 and every time the bad guys would come into town, 48:49 the sheriff would put on his guns 48:50 and get on his horse 48:51 and he would chase the outlaws out of town. 48:54 He said, but dad, I was reading this one story 48:57 and it seems that one day this outlaw came into town 49:01 and my hero the sheriff tried as he would, 49:04 he couldn't chase the outlaw out of town. 49:06 He said, dad, I became so discouraged, 49:07 I was about to throw the book away 49:09 and give up on my hero. 49:11 He said then I had a thought 49:13 and the thought says go to the back of the book 49:16 and see how the story ends. 49:19 He said, dad, I went to the back of the book 49:22 and lo and behold I discovered that one day my hero, 49:25 the sheriff got the courage 49:29 and he chased the outlaw out of town. 49:31 So he said, dad, I went back to the place in the story 49:33 where the outlaw was walking around 49:35 the town like he owns it 49:36 and I kept saying to the outlaw, 49:37 if you only knew what I know. 49:43 My brothers and sisters, 49:44 tonight I want to tell you something. 49:47 There is an outlaw running loose in this world, 49:52 and he acts like he owns the world. 49:55 He causes strife and chaos and confusion in our homes, 49:59 in our families, in our personal lives. 50:01 Oh, but before you get this courage 50:04 and throw away your hero, go to the back of the book. 50:07 And John says that I saw them standing on the sea of glass, 50:10 a number that could not be numbered 50:13 from every nation, kindred, tongue, 50:14 and people singing the song of Moses. 50:17 Go to the back of the book 50:19 and you will discover a city coming down from God 50:23 with all of the saints of God within the city. 50:28 Tonight the good news for us is that 50:31 we know how this story is going to end. 50:35 We know that no matter how difficult 50:37 and daunting the journey is 50:39 but God has already decreed in the end. 50:44 The story ends with two words, He won. 50:49 That's it, Jesus won. 50:52 And when we put our faith and trust 50:55 and confidence in Him, we too shall win. 51:00 Stand up, stand up and be counted 51:05 as one who loves God, as one who fears God, 51:09 as one who is waiting to see Him when He comes. 51:13 As our musician comes and play softly for us tonight, 51:18 there are some of you here tonight 51:19 who have been attending these conferences. 51:23 You may have come here with questions 51:24 and concerns, anxieties and fears 51:29 but tonight Jesus is speaking to your heart 51:31 and He is saying to you, 51:32 it's time for you to stand up and be counted. |
Revised 2015-04-02