Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW025292S
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00:16 ♪[music ends]♪♪
00:19 >>John Bradshaw: Daniel, chapter 4 stands out as being unique, 00:23 and it has a strong and important message, 00:25 as strong as anything else you'll find 00:27 in the entire book of Daniel. 00:29 [whoosh] 00:31 ♪[orchestral music swells]♪ 00:32 [tinkling sound of wind-blown sand] 00:34 [whoosh, distant bell rings] 00:39 [wind blowing, sand swishing] 00:43 ♪[reflective harp music]♪ 00:44 The book of Daniel is unique in the Bible. 00:47 The second half of the book is prophecy: 00:50 Daniel 7, beasts, the little horn, 00:52 and a prophetic time period; 00:54 Daniel 8, the 2,300 days or years; 00:57 Daniel 9, the 70-weeks prophecy; 00:59 Daniel 10, a behind-the-scenes look at the great 01:03 universal spiritual war; 01:06 Daniel 11 adds a lot of detail to the earlier prophecies 01:09 in Daniel; and then Daniel 12 with the time of trouble, 01:14 two additional time prophecies, and more. 01:17 The first half of Daniel contains stories 01:20 which are prophetic in nature. 01:22 Daniel 1, Daniel boldly chooses to honor God, 01:25 and God protects and preserves him. 01:27 Daniel 2 is story and prophecy. 01:30 Daniel interprets the king's dream, 01:32 outlining more than 2,500 years of human history. 01:36 Daniel 3, the fiery furnace, a law compels idol worship. 01:41 Faithfulness to God endangers the lives of Daniel's 01:44 three friends, but Jesus stands with them in their trial, 01:48 a foreshadowing of what will take place in the world 01:51 in earth's last days. 01:52 Daniel 5, the writing is on the wall for Babylon, 01:55 and Babylon falls. 01:56 Daniel 6, Daniel refuses to obey a law mandating false worship 02:01 and is cast into a den of lions. [lion growls] 02:04 Those early chapters of Daniel are rich with insights, 02:08 parallels, and lessons that speak to the future. 02:12 The book of Revelation stands upon the book of Daniel. 02:16 John borrows important imagery from Daniel. 02:20 Daniel traces the rise of nations and speaks to the rise 02:24 of the antichrist power of the last days. 02:27 And Revelation is built on that. 02:30 In Daniel 4 we encounter the king of Babylon, 02:33 Nebuchadnezzar II, for the last time. 02:37 He ruled longer than any other Babylonian king. 02:40 He completed massive construction projects 02:42 and conquered territory in the Levant-- 02:44 that's the eastern Mediterranean region. 02:47 The Babylonian Empire extended from the Persian Gulf 02:50 up through what today we'd call Iraq, 02:52 through Syria and parts of Turkey, 02:55 and down the Mediterranean to include parts of Egypt 02:57 and Saudi Arabia. 02:59 King Nebuchadnezzar had transformed Babylon 03:02 into a magnificent city. 03:04 One hundred twenty years after it had been destroyed 03:06 by the Assyrians in 689 BC, 03:09 there were three beautiful palaces; 03:12 the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, 03:13 one of the seven wonders of the ancient world; 03:16 more than 50 temples; 03:17 double walls surrounding the city, 03:20 in some places triple walls. 03:24 Nebuchadnezzar built the magnificent Ishtar Gate, 03:27 the remnants of which can be seen today 03:30 in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. 03:32 He even constructed a bridge across the Euphrates River. 03:36 Outside of the Bible there's not a lot known about him, 03:40 which shouldn't surprise anyone, considering he died in 562 BC, 03:45 almost 2,600 years ago. 03:48 It's not easy to find specific artifacts from ancient times. 03:52 Although, a stone tablet recovered 03:55 from the city of Babylon before 1803, 03:57 and now displayed at the British Museum in London, 04:01 contains an inscription that says, 04:03 "By thy command, merciful Marduk, 04:06 "may the temple I have built endure for all time 04:10 and may I be satisfied with its splendor." 04:13 And thousands of the 15 million bricks used by his builder 04:16 were stamped with his name and titles: 04:19 "Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, 04:21 who [cares] for Esagila and Ezida"--which were temples-- 04:24 "eldest son of Nabopolassar, king of Babylon." 04:29 Daniel 4 begins, "Nebuchadnezzar the king, 04:32 "to all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell 04:35 "in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. 04:38 "I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders 04:41 "that the Most High God has worked for me. 04:43 "How great are His signs, and how mighty His wonders! 04:46 "His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, 04:49 and His dominion is from generation to generation." 04:52 That could take you by surprise when you remember 04:55 that this is the same man who was feared in chapter 1, 04:59 the man who sentenced Daniel and the rest of the counselors 05:02 to death in chapter 2 05:04 and cast Daniel's three friends into a furnace in Daniel 3. 05:08 Nebuchadnezzar is described in the Bible as God's servant, 05:14 which seems an unlikely thing for God 05:16 to call an idol-worshiper. 05:18 During Israel's turbulent history they were enslaved 05:21 by the Egyptians, dominated by Moab, Canaan, the Midianites, 05:24 the Philistines, and the Ammonites 05:26 because of their sin and idolatry. 05:30 God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to conquer Judah 05:33 because He wanted to heal them of all that, 05:36 and He knew that in being in a strange land 05:38 cut off from what they were familiar with, 05:41 dependent on God for their deliverance, 05:44 that would give them time to think 05:45 about the error of their ways. 05:47 God's hope was that they would realize He truly loved them. 05:52 The whole experience of Judah in the book of Daniel 05:55 speaks to God's desire to see them saved and not lost. 06:01 It's easy to miss the point of the book of Daniel, 06:04 with beasts rising up out of the sea, 06:07 with dreams and visions, the abomination of desolation, 06:11 statues and animals and kingdoms rising and falling. 06:15 As important as all of that is, 06:17 it can obscure a very important truth. 06:21 When you boil it down, the book of Daniel 06:23 is a book of salvation. 06:26 And we see that God is able to reach even the hardest heart. 06:31 Daniel 4 is actually written by Nebuchadnezzar. 06:34 It's a royal proclamation, a testimony. 06:38 The king describes a dream he had, another dream. 06:41 In Daniel 2 he dreamed of the rise and fall 06:44 of great world powers, but this dream is different. 06:47 Like Daniel 2, he called his wise men to interpret the dream. 06:51 He said, "I told them the dream; 06:54 but they did not make known to me its interpretation." 06:57 But unlike chapter 2, there's no death sentence 07:02 because of their inability to interpret his dream. 07:05 Nebuchadnezzar has changed. 07:09 Listen to what Nebuchadnezzar said: 07:11 "At last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, 07:14 "according to the name of my god; 07:16 "in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), 07:18 "and I told the dream before him. 07:21 "These were the visions of my head while on my bed," he said. 07:25 He saw a tree which grew and became tall and strong. 07:28 "Its height reached to the heavens, 07:31 "and it could be seen to the ends of all the earth. 07:34 "Its leaves were lovely, its fruit abundant, 07:38 "and in it was food for all. 07:40 "The beasts of the field found shade under it, 07:43 the birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches." 07:47 A messenger from heaven gave the order to cut the tree down. 07:51 The animals would no longer take shelter beneath it, 07:54 and the birds would fly away. 07:56 Although instructions were given to "leave the stump 07:59 "and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, 08:03 "in the tender grass of the field. 08:05 "Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, 08:07 "and let him graze with the beasts 08:09 on the grass of the earth." 08:11 The tree would be cut down but not destroyed entirely. 08:17 And notice, the tree was referred to as "it"-- 08:20 "Let it be wet with the dew of heaven"-- 08:22 and then as "him"-- 08:25 "Let him graze with the beasts." 08:28 The dream continues: 08:29 "Let his heart be changed from that of a man, 08:33 "[and] let him be given the heart of a beast, 08:36 and let seven times pass over him." 08:39 If you had that dream, you'd be perplexed, too. 08:43 So, what would Daniel say to the king? 08:45 Daniel would tell the king the truth, whatever it was. 08:50 Daniel was a man who acted with integrity. 08:53 In Daniel 1, he could please the king and dishonor God, 08:56 or honor God and run the risk of displeasing the king 08:59 and jeopardize his life. 09:01 Daniel chose to honor God and leave the consequences with God. 09:06 Like my friend, a truck driver, 09:07 asked by his employer to falsify records, 09:09 my friend said, "I can't do that because that would be to lie." 09:12 His employer fired him. 09:14 To my friend it was a non-negotiable. 09:17 You just do the right thing when you're a follower of Jesus. 09:20 In Daniel 2, Daniel was facing execution 09:22 when the wise men couldn't interpret the king's dream. 09:25 Daniel trusted God to get him and his friends 09:28 through that trial. 09:29 In Daniel 3, three young men refused to worship an idol, 09:34 even when their lives were on the line. 09:36 Now, Daniel 4: 09:37 Daniel is asked to interpret the king's dream. 09:41 The king wasn't going to like what Daniel told him, 09:44 but Daniel told him anyway, kindly and graciously. 09:47 He began by saying, "My lord, 09:50 "may the dream concern those who hate you, 09:53 and its interpretation concern your enemies!" 09:56 Daniel genuinely cared for the king. 09:59 It seems that by now the two men were close. 10:01 Now, think about that. 10:03 Daniel was a believer in the one true God. 10:06 Nebuchadnezzar was a heathen. He was a tyrant, a killer. 10:11 Nebuchadnezzar's armies had conquered and destroyed 10:13 Daniel's home and maybe Daniel's family. 10:17 And yet Daniel treated him with respect and with concern, 10:21 and it was sincere. 10:23 Is that how it works today for you? 10:26 Rather than despising people, 10:28 Christians are called to show love for people, 10:31 no matter who they are or what they believe 10:34 and no matter how they treat you. 10:36 Jesus said, "Blessed are you when they revile 10:39 "and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil 10:42 against you falsely for my sake." 10:44 He said, "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, 10:47 "for great is your reward in heaven, 10:50 for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." 10:54 Daniel was a captive, living as a slave in a foreign land. 10:58 This king had come close to executing him 11:01 and had attempted to execute his friends, 11:04 and yet Daniel was concerned for the king. 11:06 And that's because he wanted 11:07 the king to know the God of heaven and be saved. 11:11 Daniel's role wasn't to take offense 11:13 or get angry or get even. 11:16 His role was to demonstrate the character of God 11:19 and make faith in God attractive, 11:23 even to a murderous heathen king. 11:28 As Daniel began to interpret the dream, 11:30 he told the king that the great tree 11:32 in Nebuchadnezzar's stunning dream 11:34 was "you, O king, who have grown and become strong; 11:38 "for your greatness has grown and [reached] to the heavens, 11:41 and your dominion to the end of the earth." 11:44 Daniel explained, "They shall drive you from men, 11:48 "your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, 11:51 "and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. 11:54 "They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, 11:56 "and seven times shall pass over you, 11:59 "till you know that the Most High rules 12:02 in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses." 12:07 Mighty Nebuchadnezzar would be humbled. 12:10 He'd be separated from society and live like an animal 12:15 for seven years. 12:17 But Daniel offered the king hope. 12:20 Remember, the book of Daniel is a book of salvation. 12:23 You're seeing that right here. 12:25 Nebuchadnezzar was the least likely person on the planet 12:30 to be born again and become a follower of God. 12:33 But God was reaching out to this man, 12:36 calling him to recognize the goodness of God. 12:39 You're ready to give up on your wayward son 12:41 or, or your sister-in-law, that person you work with? 12:44 You can't give up. 12:45 God didn't give up on a Babylonian king. 12:48 "And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump 12:52 "and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, 12:56 "after you come to know that Heaven rules. 12:59 "Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; 13:03 "break off your sins by being righteous, 13:07 "and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. 13:11 Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity." 13:15 And how did Nebuchadnezzar respond? 13:18 He did...nothing at all-- no heart change. 13:22 If anything, he dug in deeper. [whoosh] 13:26 "At the end of the twelve months 13:27 "he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. 13:30 "The king spoke, saying, 'Is not this great Babylon, 13:35 "'that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power 13:39 and for the honor of my majesty?'" 13:41 Which sounds a lot like that inscription we read earlier. 13:45 In an effort to save him, God intervened. 13:50 "While the word was still in the king's mouth, 13:52 "a voice fell from heaven: 'King Nebuchadnezzar, 13:55 "'to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 13:59 "'And they shall drive you from men, 14:02 "'and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. 14:05 "'They shall make you eat grass like oxen; 14:07 "'and seven times shall pass over you, 14:10 "'until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom 14:13 "of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.' 14:17 "That very hour the word was fulfilled 14:20 "concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men 14:23 "and ate grass like oxen; 14:25 "his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had 14:28 grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws." 14:35 God afflicted Nebuchadnezzar's mind to help him recognize 14:39 his weakness, so that he might surrender himself to God. 14:43 The king needed to realize he really was not in control. 14:46 Trials are intended by God to turn people towards Him. 14:50 What do you do when trials come? 14:52 You can get angry, or you can respond to God's goodness. 14:55 You can let some hardship embitter you, 14:57 or you can stop to ask yourself what God is trying to teach you 15:00 or how God is trying to get through to you. 15:03 A young woman who went to rehab multiple times 15:05 continued to struggle with addiction. 15:07 But then one day she prayed, and when she prayed, 15:11 God moved in a powerful way. Now she's clean and sober. 15:15 God permits trials so that you might turn to God, 15:19 not away from God. 15:21 Now, notice that a certain phrase is stated 15:23 three times in this chapter: 15:24 "until you know that the Most High 15:26 rules in the kingdom of men." 15:29 This is what God wanted to impress on the king. 15:32 The mighty king had conquered nations. 15:34 He'd risen to greatness, strengthened his kingdom. 15:38 But he hadn't surrendered his life to God, 15:41 in large part because he was self-sufficient. 15:46 If anyone felt that they had a reason to be proud 15:48 of their accomplishments, I suppose it was this man. 15:51 Now, there's nothing wrong with feeling good 15:54 about what you've done, but when your achievements make you feel 15:57 like you're the reason for your success, you're on thin ice. 16:01 In actual fact, it's God who gives you 16:03 the advantages that you have. 16:05 Nebuchadnezzar had seen clear evidence of the power of God, 16:08 and he'd acknowledged that. Daniel, chapter 1: 16:11 "He found them ten times better than all the magicians 16:14 and astrologers who were in all his realm." 16:16 Daniel 2: 16:17 "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, 16:20 "and a revealer of secrets, 16:21 since you could reveal this secret." 16:24 Daniel 3: "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, 16:27 servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here." 16:31 He saw the Son of God standing with three young men 16:35 in a furnace and witnessed an extraordinary miracle. 16:40 And what did he say? 16:41 "Is this not great Babylon that I have built?" 16:47 So, in inflicting Nebuchadnezzar with lycanthropy, 16:51 a condition in which a person believes they're an animal, 16:54 was God punishing the man? 16:55 No! God was trying to reach the king, 16:58 doing all He could to give Nebuchadnezzar 17:00 unmistakable evidence that God was God 17:03 and that he would be better off surrendering his life to God. 17:07 Daniel had appealed to the king: 17:09 "Break off your sins by being righteous, 17:12 "and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. 17:15 Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity." 17:18 But the sovereign wouldn't listen. 17:20 So, for seven years the king would be in this condition. 17:24 Was that harsh? 17:26 Absolutely not, 17:27 especially when you consider how all of this turned out. 17:31 God wanted Nebuchadnezzar to be saved. 17:36 Think of what God did to reach this man. 17:39 He allowed him to become the ruler of the kingdom. 17:41 He permitted him to conquer Judah and other nations. 17:45 He sent Daniel to him and impressed him 17:47 with the faithfulness of Daniel and his friends. 17:49 He gave the king an impressive dream. 17:51 He had Daniel interpret the king's dream. 17:54 While he watched, Jesus stood with Shadrach, Meshach, 17:57 and Abed-Nego in the fiery furnace. 17:59 In all of this, God was impressing the heart 18:03 of a pagan king. 18:04 Then he gave the monarch another dramatic dream. 18:08 He had Daniel interpret that dream and appeal to the king 18:11 to turn from his sins. 18:13 And it's almost certain Nebuchadnezzar was familiar 18:16 with Ezekiel's prophecy in which Nebuchadnezzar is named. 18:20 Now, Ezekiel and Daniel were contemporaries in Babylon. 18:23 Daniel was taken from Jerusalem 18:24 in the first wave of the Babylonian assault on the city, 18:28 while Ezekiel was taken a few months later. 18:30 Daniel lived in Babylon, 18:31 while Ezekiel lived a little outside the city of Babylon. 18:35 Ezekiel addressed a message to the pharaoh of Egypt 18:38 in which God likened the pharaoh to a tall tree, 18:42 telling pharaoh he would be brought down, 18:44 and that God would use Nebuchadnezzar to punish Egypt. 18:49 "Surely I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar 18:52 "king of Babylon; he shall take away her wealth, 18:54 "carry off her spoil, and remove her pillage; 18:57 and that will be the wages for his army." 18:59 [whoosh] "I will also make a multitude of Egypt 19:01 to cease by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon." 19:05 It's almost certain Daniel would have shown 19:08 these prophecies to Nebuchadnezzar. 19:10 So, that's more light that God gave the Babylonian king. 19:14 Then God waited another year before Nebuchadnezzar 19:18 was plunged into temporary madness. 19:20 But then in Daniel 4, verse 34, Nebuchadnezzar continues, 19:25 "And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, 19:28 "lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; 19:34 "and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him 19:38 who lives forever." 19:39 [whoosh] "At the same time my reason returned to me, 19:43 "and for the glory of my kingdom, 19:45 "my honor and splendor returned to me. 19:48 "My counselors and nobles resorted to me, 19:51 "I was restored to my kingdom, 19:53 and excellent majesty was added to me." 19:58 There's the true heart of the book of Daniel, 20:01 and it reveals the heart of God. 20:05 Several things I want you to consider-- 20:08 Daniel as a book is about salvation. 20:11 Yes, it's a book heavy on prophecy, time prophecies, 20:13 beasts that are kingdoms, days that are years, 20:16 but this book is a book of salvation. 20:18 In Daniel 4, God saves the least likely person 20:23 on the planet, the ruler of a mighty empire, 20:26 a battle-hardened idol-worshiper, 20:28 a wealthy, self-satisfied man 20:30 used to getting everything he wanted when he wanted it. 20:34 And yet God went after that man persistently 20:38 and got through-- 20:40 which means God is working today to reach people. 20:45 He's trying to reach your family members. 20:48 He's at work, even when you can't see it-- 20:51 which means He cares for you. 20:54 The circumstances affecting your life? 20:57 God is in the midst of all of that, calling you to Himself. 21:01 The blessings are from God. 21:03 The challenges? 21:05 God permits them because He wants you to turn towards Him, 21:09 and how you respond to those challenges 21:10 will influence others. 21:13 If you were to look at your life, 21:14 you'd see God's fingerprints all over it. 21:17 You'd see God intervening to influence you 21:19 in His direction every day. 21:21 He's not an absentee God, but He is near, and He cares for you. 21:26 Daniel 4 tells us about the pointlessness of pride, 21:30 of thinking your own power and money and education 21:33 and accomplishments and strength are somehow substitutes 21:36 for the presence of God in your life. 21:40 Talking yourself up is just setting yourself up 21:43 to be brought down. 21:46 And anyone who hears God's voice, 21:48 senses God calling to their heart, if they respond, 21:51 if they surrender, that person will receive a new heart. 21:56 That person will be transformed and will be saved. 22:01 If Nebuchadnezzar can be saved, there's no one who cannot. 22:05 And I believe we'll see more Nebuchadnezzars saved 22:08 before Jesus returns. 22:11 Remember, the stories in Daniel are prophetic in nature. 22:14 There are, no doubt, rulers right now 22:17 who know God is calling to them, and if they surrender, 22:22 they'll be saved through what Jesus did for them on the cross. 22:27 And there's something else this story teaches us. 22:30 It's never too late. No matter where you are in life, 22:34 no matter how far or how often you've pushed God aside, 22:38 right now, it's not too late. 22:40 If Nebuchadnezzar could be saved, 22:43 if God loved that idol-worshiping heathen, 22:46 if God could see a man cast three young men 22:49 into a blazing furnace because they were serving God 22:54 and decided that that man could be saved, 22:58 then there is definitely hope for you. 23:01 ♪[soft reflective music]♪ 23:02 So, how is it with you, friend? 23:04 The God of heaven loves you and wants you 23:06 to spend eternity with Him. 23:08 Jesus died for you, to give you life more abundantly. 23:12 The Spirit of God is calling to you now, 23:15 inviting you to make the decision Nebuchadnezzar made. 23:18 Can you make that decision right now? 23:21 Eternity awaits. 23:23 Nebuchadnezzar had everything--but had nothing. 23:28 He had limitless wealth and unbridled power, 23:31 but without God he had nothing. 23:34 God wants you to have everything. 23:37 He'll bless you in this world, 23:38 and no matter what you're going through, 23:41 you can have the assurance right now 23:43 of the love of God in your life. 23:46 Through faith in the One who made you, died for you, 23:51 and loves you, your future is secure. 23:55 It's secure when you choose to accept and trust Jesus. 23:59 Make that decision right now, 24:02 and your life will never be the same. 24:06 Now, there's something I've written with you in mind 24:08 that will help you in your walk with Jesus. 24:11 It's a resource that covers the first six chapters 24:14 of the book of Daniel and accompanies this series 24:17 of programs on those same chapters. 24:19 I hope you'll get it right now. 24:21 It's completely free, 24:23 and I've written it for you. 24:25 >>announcer: To get today's free offer, 24:26 "The Stories of Daniel," 24:28 call 800-253-3000. 24:30 That's 800-253-3000. 24:33 You can request "The Stories of Daniel" 24:35 online at iiwoffer.com. 24:39 You can write to the address on your screen 24:41 or text "freedaniel" to 71392. 24:45 "The Stories of Daniel," faith-building stories 24:47 given by God to prepare you for the major events 24:50 of earth's last days. 24:52 Call 800-253-3000. 24:55 Go to iiwoffer.com 24:57 or text "freedaniel" to 71392. 25:01 Grow your faith as you prepare for the return of Jesus. 25:05 >>John Bradshaw: Thank you for remembering that It Is Written 25:07 exists because of the kindness of people just like you. 25:11 To support this international life-changing ministry, 25:13 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 25:18 You can send your tax-deductible gift 25:19 to the address on your screen, 25:21 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 25:25 Thank you for your prayers and your financial support. 25:27 Our number again is 800-253-3000, 25:31 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 25:36 >>announcer: Loving well is a way of life. 25:38 ♪[soft reflective music]♪ 25:40 And loving well means wanting the very best for others. 25:44 "Go ye therefore" becomes "I'll go, send me. 25:49 "Send me across the world or across town. 25:53 "Work in me to impact lives for such a time as this. 25:57 "And if I can't go myself, I want to send others 26:00 who can take the everlasting gospel to the world." 26:04 It Is Written's Office of Planned Giving 26:07 gives you the opportunity to leave a legacy, 26:10 to make a major impact for Christ, 26:14 to lead others to faith in Jesus in preparation for eternity. 26:19 Let God use you to enable others to go. 26:23 To learn more, visit hislegacy.com. 26:26 That's hislegacy.com. 26:31 ♪[music ends]♪♪ 26:35 >>John: Let me pray with you now. 26:36 Our Father in heaven, we thank You that there 26:39 in the heart of the book of Daniel is evidence 26:42 of Your great love for all of the human family. 26:46 I'm thankful today that there is no one too far away, 26:49 no one too hard, 26:50 no one with too dark a past, 26:53 with too lengthy a criminal record. 26:54 There's no one who's too careless or too indifferent 26:57 that You cannot save that man, that woman, that young person 27:01 and keep them hidden in Your heart 27:03 throughout the ages of eternity. 27:06 Friend of God, if right now God is speaking to you, 27:09 would you say to the Lord of heaven, 27:10 "Take my heart and make it Yours." 27:12 You haven't gone too far. You're not too evil. 27:15 You're not without hope. God saved Nebuchadnezzar, 27:18 and He will save you if only you will allow Him. 27:21 Will you pray that prayer? Lord, take my heart. 27:24 Jesus, be my Savior. 27:26 Heavenly Father, right now people are praying that prayer. 27:28 They're asking You to move into their heart 27:30 and make it Your very own. 27:32 Thank You for doing that. 27:33 And thank You that we can end this prayer 27:35 knowing that through faith in Jesus, 27:39 we have truly the gift of everlasting life. 27:42 We thank You for that, and we pray in Jesus' name, 27:46 amen. 27:48 Thank you so much for joining me. 27:49 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:52 Until then, remember: 27:53 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 27:57 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 28:01 ♪[dramatic, triumphant theme music]♪ 28:26 ♪[music ends]♪♪ |
Revised 2025-03-04