Crazy Enough to Believe It (Part 3): But If Not . . .

What does courage look like when the stakes are life and death—and there’s no promise of a happy ending? We walk through Daniel 3 and the story of three exiles who refused to bow, even with a furnace roaring in front of them. Their reply to the king—“Our God is able to deliver us… but if not”—becomes a blueprint for a resilient faith that doesn’t rise and fall with outcomes.

We start with identity. Babylon tried to rename Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, not just to assimilate them but to detach them from the God their Hebrew names proclaimed. That same pressure hums through modern life, coaxing us to trade the name Christian for labels that feel safer. From there, we trace the real battle line Jesus drew for Peter: the enemy’s aim is to fracture faith. Trials are not just bad breaks; they are battlegrounds where trust is tested, refined, and, by grace, strengthened.

Then we face the hinge of the whole narrative: belief in God’s power paired with surrender to God’s will. We talk about praying boldly for rescue while preparing the heart to endure, about the freedom that comes when obedience—not a specific outcome—becomes the win. When the three are thrown into the furnace bound, we watch them walk out free without even the smell of smoke, and we reflect on what that means for our own fires: God often meets us in the heat, and His presence brings a peace that confounds those watching.

You’ll hear practical prompts to examine where compromise creeps in, how to hold convictions with humility, and how to cultivate a daily prayer—“Lord, increase my faith”—that builds steady courage over time. If you’re standing at a door you want God to open, or staring down a path you never asked for, this conversation will help you hold fast to who God is, release what you can’t control, and keep walking with hope.

If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs courage today, and leave a review to help others find the show. What’s your “but if not” moment right now?

Transcript

Hymns And Opening Worship

Anderson George 0:17

You may need your song book. We'll sing Alas and Did My Saviour Bleed song number I don't know, but I'm sure you could find it if you need your songbook. First, second, fourth verse. We'll sing all three verses and then the chorus. And if Judy beats me to it, we'll sing all the verses. And then the chorus.

SPEAKER_02 1:14

Was it for crimes? Was it for crimes that I have done upon the tree? Sing pity sunk and love be odd. Dame was it for Christ was my the sun in darkness and shot his glory when Christ might team for mandates but drops of grief, but drops of grief can reap the death of love I Lord I give myself away. I It was at the cross, at the cross, at the cross, where I fiss over the light and the burden of my heart. It rolled away, it was was in my faith I received my side and now I am happy. It was at the cross, at the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light and the prison of my heart. It rolled away it was there by faith I received by side and now I'm happy all today.

Setting The Text In Daniel 3

The Real Battle: Satan Targets Faith

Names, Identity, And Spiritual Pressure

Refusing To Bow Under Threat

The “But If Not” Faith

Into The Fire And God’s Presence

Deliverance Without The Smell Of Smoke

Growing A Costly, Mature Faith

Anderson George 3:34

Amen. Um I got super excited in Bible class this morning, and I know when that happens because I inevitably speak too quickly, and I'm asked a few times to repeat myself when you're brave enough, and that hasn't happened in a while, but this morning, you know, right after Bible class, Mahillia was like, You were full on Trini. Those guys were not ready for you. You forgot you need to speak slower. So I've reminded myself, and hopefully I'll contain my excitement for the sermon, and you'll understand all the words that proceed out of my mouth. Daniel chapter number three. Daniel chapter number three We will read verse four to verse seven. Daniel three, begin beginning at verse number four, ending at verse number seven. Scripture says Then the herald loudly proclaimed to you the command is given, all peoples, nations and men of every language, that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar, the king, had set up. But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. Therefore, at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, salcery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and men of every language fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar, the king, had set up. Let's take this eight. For this reason. At that time, certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews. If you read that, say, man. Crazy enough to believe it part three, but if not. Crazy enough to believe it part three, but if not. It is easy for us to talk about faith. Everyone could say they have faith, but the truth is many of us have faith because we hope things are going to be favorable. I have enough faith because I'm hoping things continue to be favorable, and as long as they are favorable, I'll maintain my faith. As long as things go good, my faith will continue to thrive. However, the truth is the way that life is set up, you cannot guarantee that everything will go the way you plan it, the way you want it to. You are inevitably going to reach a speed bump. You are inevitably going to reach a speed change. You are inevitably going to come across some obstacles, some hindrance, something in your way that affects your faith. And I want you to know from jump the most important thing you could have in this life is your faith. In fact, it's the only thing the devil is after. I know we say the devil is after your soul, and that sounds good. He isn't. What the devil is after is your faith. We are at war, and the war that you're fighting is a spiritual battle for your faith. It's one of the reasons Jesus says over and over, have faith. It's one of the reasons why he criticizes his disciples to tell them, Oh, yeah of little faith. It's why they would pray, Lord, increase my faith. It's why Hebrews would tell us, without faith, it is impossible to please God. It's why the same Hebrews writer, a chapter before, would say, We are those that have faith not to go back, but to continue going forward, preserving our souls. You are at war. The devil is not after you, he's after your faith. If he could grab your faith from you, he wins. That's what he's after. When he attacks you, his purpose is not necessarily your health, your money, your family, your relationships. His goal is to attack your faith. You're looking at me funny. There's a conversation Jesus has with Peter that helps me make this true. Jesus tells us Peter, Simon Simon, the devil has requested to sift you. Like we at all. But I have prayed for you. And his prayer is that your faith fail not. And then he says, and when you are strengthened, when you are converted, strengthen your brothers. Jesus' prayer, when the devil attacked Simon Peter, was that Simon Peter's faith not fail him in the moment of temptation. One of your prayers every day, one of your prayers during your lifetime should be, whenever trials come, Lord, do not allow my faith to fail me. That's the story, the message of what we call the three Hebrew boys: Hananiah, Mishaniah, and Azarel. And if that name sounds weird to you, I'll show you why. But this is their story. What we're told in the book of Daniel is that Jews, the nation of Israel, have become captives, they've become slaves to the land of Babylon where King Nebuchadnezzar is in charge. They're no longer in the promised land, they are no longer near the presence of God that was in the temple. They are now in a foreign land, and they are now at the behest, they are now serving King Nebuchadnezzar. The one thing we know about this king is he likes himself a lot and he wanted a lot of praise, a lot of worship. And so in chapter number three of this text, he builds these rules so that when persons were to hear music from these musicians, they were all to fall down. It didn't matter where you were, you could be in the marketplace, you could be in the library, you could be at the job, you could be in the bathroom. He expected when you heard the music that you would immediately stop what you were doing and you would fall down prostrate and say, There is no one greater than Nebuchadnezzar. However, scripture tells us that there are three boys, you know them, as Shadrach, Mishail, Meshach, and Abednego. That's how you know them. But meet me in chapter number one. Chapter number one of Daniel, chapter number one, verse 6. While you turn, they'll tell you, I normally struggle to call them by the names we are more familiar with, because those are their Babylonian names. Daniel 1, verse number 6 says, Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Well, who were these guys? I know Daniel, but who's Hananiah? Mishael and Azariah. Keep reading. Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them. And to Daniel, he assigned the name Belteshazar. To Hananiah, he assigned Shadrach. And to Mel he assigned Meshach. And to Azariah, he assigned Abednego. It's amazing to me that the names you know, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, are not the God-given names, they're not the Hebrew names. You are more familiar with the name that the enemy calls them. We are more familiar with their Babylonian names. And I don't want to spend too much time here, but when your faith is attacked, one of the first things that the devil tries to do, one of the first things that your situation tries to do is change your identity. Have you seen yourself differently? And so, in this large narrative of these three three Hebrew boys, Hananiah, Mishel, and Azariah, the first thing that the enemy, Babylon, wanted them to do was forget who their God was. So I need to change your name because in your name is a reminder of your faith. In your name is a reminder of who you're called to be. In your name is a reminder of what God expects of you. You should be proud to wear the name Christian because that's the name God gave to you. And in that name is a reminder of who you are. In that name is a reminder of who you're called to be. In that name is strength. There is more strength in the name Christian than in the name Anderson. You need to wear that name proudly, but every now and then life gets at you to cause you to want to change your name. And so every now and then, life may come at you and say, You should not call yourself Christian. You should call yourself liar. You should call yourself unworthy. You should call yourself wretch. You should call yourself anything else but what God calls you. That's one of the first attacks that he does. These guys, however, if we read this story, while Babylon referred to them as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they never forgot who they were: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. And so what happens is we go forward two chapters, and Nebuchadnezzar sets up this new rule, this new policy. When you hear this music, you need to bow down and worship. And because these Hebrew boys did not want to forget who they were and who they were loyal to, they did not bow. Now I need you before we work through this text to understand that they chose not to bow, already understanding the gravity of the situation and the implications of what they chose to do. Let me say that again. Already knowing the punishment for not bowing is death. It's in the text. We read that chapter 3, verse number 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. What that means then is these boys had enough faith to say we will not bow, even if it means we will die. The thing that comes out of this choice is the fact that we don't always have the same commitment. I will not bow as long as you don't push me too hard. Is normally what we say. We don't say that out loud, but it's how we act. So these boys already decided we will not bow, even if it means we will die when our faith oftentimes says, I will not bow as long as you don't push me too hard. And the more you push, is the more I'm willing to bend and compromise. I'm not gonna ask you to show your hands, I'm just asking you to be honest. And if you're honest, there are times you compromise because someone pushed against your faith. There are times you you bend, bend a little, and then you try to justify bending because someone pushed against your faith, and you were not yet ready or willing to make a tough stand because of who you are, who God called you to be, and what you believe in. I don't have time, I don't have the time to say it, but there there have been moments where because uh I was not yet convicted in my faith, I didn't walk with a physical Bible. Because the physical Bible was a sign that Anderson went to church. But persons who went to church were looked at differently, and I didn't want them to look at me differently, so I bend. And I didn't carry a physical Bible, I I carried an electronic copy. Now, mind you, my justification was I still brought a Bible to church, but the truth was I was still ashamed of the God I was singing to in church, and the only reason I did not brought the Bible I really wanted to at the time, I no longer like real Bibles. But at the time I no longer walked with a physical Bible, not because it was more convenient or I liked this more, but because I didn't want persons to know. That's my example, one of them, and I'm using that just to help you be honest. You you don't have to tell me, but I I really want you to be honest with yourself and say there are times that whether at school, at work, with my family, even at church, I've compromised my faith for one reason or the other, because I felt if I were to take a stand, that stand would have come with consequences I was not yet ready to deal with. True faith is not faith unless it's tested, and true faith does not stand if you're willing to bend. So these guys made a stand we will not bow, even if it meant death. Their friends did not like it, so they go to Nebuchadnezzar to report them. Oh Nebuchadnezzar, did you not say that when the flute and the lyre and the harp they're played that everyone should bow? And Nebuchadnezzar said yes. And in verse number 12, they say, There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They didn't call them by their real names. These men, O king, have disregarded you. They do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar, in his rage, gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Bednego than these men were brought before the king. You're familiar with the story. The king then says, Is what I heard true? The guy said yes. And somehow Nebuchadnezzar felt gracious. He isn't always, but he felt gracious enough to say, I will give you one more chance. I'll give you one more opportunity for you to hear the music and to bow and worship. And this is where they openly declared their faith, and it's where I want to challenge your faith. The king said to them in verse 15, Now, if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the psaltery, and the bagpipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image that I have made of very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. And what God is there who can deliver you out of my hands. That was his mistake. The moment he said, What God, the answer is always Yahweh, and he's ready to show which God you're challenging. But I want you before we get happy and talk about what God can do, I want us to appreciate where Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are. Says, I'm giving you this chance now to forsake your God and save me and mine. And if you don't, that fire right there is where you'll go. I want you as best as possible to imagine that you could see the pit, the furnace, that you could feel the heat that you are now faced with your imminent death, if you choose not to bow. This is the moment you may compromise and say, Well, it may be okay to bow just this once. This may be the moment where you say it's okay to compromise. This may be the moment uh I've heard persons say, if someone were to walk into the sanctuary with unkind motives, saying that if you don't confess Jesus, you'll meet him. If you don't deny Jesus, you'll you'll meet him immediately. And I've heard persons say in such a situation, it's okay to compromise. But at some point, you need to be able to say, just like these boys, I have enough faith that I will never go against my Lord. I'm not saying you have that faith now, but it's a faith you must grow into. It's a faith that must mature, where, regardless of what you face, regardless of who is facing you, regardless of how difficult it is, you are saying I will never give up. I will never deny, I will never betray a God who's been so good to me, a God who's done more for me than I could do for myself. I don't necessarily care how you think or feel about me, because at the end of the day, only God is the one that says, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. And so if it means that I need to make you my enemy, to make God my friend, so be it. It's not what I necessarily want, but it will, it is what I will choose if it means God saying yes. Don't get it twisted. I'm not saying that's an easy stand to take, but I'm saying as Christians, we need to grow towards that stand. Now, here is faith in action. This is where you pray for the preacher because I'm about to get excited. Verse 16, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king. Oh Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. Let me give it to you in simpler terms. Save your breath. You're talking too much. We don't have anything to tell you more than what we've already said and done. This is a waste of time. Save your breath. Then they went on and said, If it be so, if what be so, if we must go to this furnace, then our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire. This is the part we like, this is the part we shout on, this is the part we get excited for. We know who our God is, and there's nothing my God can do. There's no mountain tall enough, no river deep enough, no ocean wide enough. My God could do everything. That's true. But most of the times when we say that, we are counting on hoping and wishing that God does just that. We are the ones who say God could deliver us while hoping that He chooses to deliver us. So I have faith only because most of my faith is currently packed, is banked, is invested in God delivering me out of this situation. We don't always have faith for the but if not. All right, all right, come here, chere's what the boy said. I know who my God is. I know what he could do. We only ate bread and water last year, and we put on more weight and look healthier than the guys who were eating ribs, pork, beef, and burgers. Bread and water. We were living in Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey. We were prospering in that land, and God brought us into a foreign land. We are not Babylonians, but somehow God elevated us in the midst of all these Babylonians. We are now seated in high places because God has been with us, even though we're in a strange land, even though y'all don't like us, God still elevated us, even though you've set trap time and time again, God has brought us through every one of them. We know who our God is, so we don't care what you want to do, when you want to do it, how you want to do it, my God is able. But they also had enough faith to say, even if God does not show up this time, I'm not bowing. Even if it's God's will not to intervene, we're okay with it. You all realize I didn't read a quote last day, right? It's because I know how how happy I was going to get for this sermon. What's your you don't know what God is necessarily going to do in your life. Like this situation, God has multiple things he could do in your life. And most of us were hoping that he chooses this door and not that door. Most of us are hoping that his will is my will. You're not hoping your will is his, you're hoping his will is yours. Because you're the one saying, choose door number one. I know what God could do, and God could carry me through door number one. Door number one is the one I want to go through. You're not necessarily telling yourself, I know who my God is, and even if it's door number three, even if it's difficulty, even if it means some grief for longer, even if it means a bad medical report, even if it means something that's not favorable, because I know who my God is, while I may not want door number three, if he opens that door, I'm okay with it too. Come here, church, just be honest. How many times have you gone to the doctor for a medical report and you prayed, but your prayer is for a good report, not necessarily for God's report. You have a door you want to go through, and your faith is strong enough for that door. But as soon as God has another plan or another will for you, your faith fails. These boys had enough faith to say we know what God could do, He could deliver us, and we hope He does. But if not, that's that's the part that messes me up. That's the part I'm still praying about. I'm praying about my butt if not. If we say teen, but if not, let it be known to you, O King, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. Now, I don't want you to miss this. They said all of this not knowing what God will do. They were ready to die if God said so. But if not, if not, that's it. It was nice knowing you. If you are the king hearing this, you're mad. Because you're accustomed to people willing to compromise because the one thing you like above everything else is yourself and your life. You're chasing your life and keeping it as long as possible. That has always been true, and it still is true. So the devil will often come at you to challenge what seems like your very life to see where your faith is. And these guys said, Well, if it means my life, then so be it. Nebuchadnezzar was such a petty man that after he heard this, he told his guys that fire is not hot enough. Make it seven times hotter. And then I don't know which thermometer they used to check seven times hotter than hot, but they did, and it became so hot that the guys who were increasing the fire and the heat died. And then Nebuchadnezzar said, Yeah, now it's good, now I'm ready to satisfy my flesh. Throw them in. I need you to remember, these guys do not know what's about to happen, and so all the way up until being thrown in, they did not bow, they did not bend, they did not surrender. They went in. See, we know the end of the story, so sometimes we read the end at the beginning. These guys were thrown in, not knowing if they were going to come out, and then they went in, and of course, this is where everybody gets happy because this is where God shows up, and God knows how to show up at the last minute, and so if you're at the 99th hour, just hold on because sometimes God waits until the 99th hour to show up. But be sure if you are a child of God, God will show up in your life because you are his, and there is no devil, no hell, no man, no woman, no thing greater than God and the situation you're facing. God is bigger, God is stronger, he is able to deliver you. If he brought you to it, he could bring you through it. God is awesome. God shows up. Now, that's the preaching point. Didn't feel like preaching that because here's what gets me excited. I'm thinking about what would normally happen. What is Nebuchadnezzar accustomed to experiencing? Nebuchadnezzar is accustomed to hearing people cry, people exclaim, people groan, people rescind their their previous commitment and confession, and he's hearing none of that. He hears no cries, he hears no screams, he's not hearing anyone say sorry, he is wondering how is it I threw three boys inside this fire, they're facing the heat and they're not making a noise. Only God could do that. Only God knows how to have you in the midst of difficulty, but at the same time allow you to have peace in the midst of your difficulty. So these guys aren't making a sound, and he's curious, and so he looks in. And as he looks in, he has to ask himself, Am I going crazy? I know he's asking himself that because he then asked everyone else. So guys, um, we threw in three, right?

SPEAKER_01 38:18

And everybody is, yeah, just three Shadrach, Mishak, and Abednego.

Invitation, Prayer, And Commitment

Anderson George 38:25

I see four. I see four. And and and the fourth one is messing my mind up because the fourth one looks more than a man. Oh, y'all miss your shout. I see four. And the fourth one does not look normal, the fourth one looks more than human, the fourth one looks like the son. I i know most of your Bibles. I I have to be true with the text. I know most of your Bible says he looks like the son of God. Nebuchadnezzar does not know Yahweh. Nebuchadnezzar did not say he looks like the son of God, as in he's Jesus Christ, the son of Yahweh. Nebuchadnezzar said he looks like the son of a God. What he's admitting is I think something supernatural is happening, something divine is happening, something spiritual is happening. I threw three men in and I'm seeing a God at work. I threw three men in, hoping to hear them scream, but somehow God has messed up my plan. The fourth one looks to be divine, and then he says, Shadrach, this is verse 26. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego come out. Oh, they miss the other shout. They were bound, hand and feet going in. They needed help to go in, but they need no help to come out. He threw them in, but they walked. He threw them in, but they walked right out. He just said, he just said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, come out, but then he also says, remember, he asks a silly question: which God is there that could deliver you from this? Hear his tone now. Verse 26 Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, come out. You servants of the most high God. Now, if you're in Bible class, you should be able to say amen right here because you now know most high God is where the Bible acknowledges of all the other gods, Yahweh alone is most high. There is no other God that sits on his level that has that is as strong as him, as powerful as him, that could do what he could do. Nebuchadnezzar is now acknowledging a God greater than his God. Says, you servants of the most high God. Come here. These guys come out, and the only thing missing are the ropes that tied them down going in. Only thing missing, not a hair on the head is burnt. The last time I checked, you don't want to put fire next to your hair. But not a hair singed. Scripture says no harm has come to them. They're skin. No first degree, second degree, third degree, fourth degree bins. The men that came close to it died, but they walked out unscathed. Only God could do that. And my faith needs to be one where I believe that God is and he could do that, but also believe that he may choose not to. And whether he does it or chooses not to, I will not bow, I will not retreat, I will not surrender. God is still worthy of my praise, my faith, and my worship. So these guys came out and verse 27 said, The satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's high officials gathered around them. They're now science lab experiments. I'm almost done. And saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men, nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damage. They didn't even smell like fire. God alone knows how to bring you through something and not make you look like what you've been through. God, God alone knows how to walk you through the fire and not. Make you look like you've been through hell. Alright, alright, all right, all right. Then Nebuchadnezzar said verse 28 blast praise, honor belongs to the god Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who put their thrust their trust in him, violating the king's commands, and watch this, and yielded up and gave up and sacrifice their bodies so as not to have to serve or worship any God except their own God. Do you have faith enough to make a sacrifice that hits? That's the question that comes from these boys. It's not my God is able and he could save me from the pit. God is always able. The question is: whether God chooses to or not, are you willing to have faith that costs you something? Hand on. Every time I think about this story, every time I reflect on it, I always end by having to pray, Lord, increase my faith. I do not think I have this faith yet. I'm working towards it. But the truth is, I don't want God to test me right now to see if I have it. Because I'm not sure yet that if it came to this for me, that I would say, save your breath, just throw me in. That's me. I don't know where you are. But if you're like me and you're saying after reading this that you're not sure you have this type of faith yet, I want you also to be saying, Lord, increase my faith. Let that be your prayer today and this week. But also let it be our prayer as we sing our invitation. Let's hold stand. We're going to sing. And if you're in a space, if you're in a season where you think your prayer should be, Lord, increase your faith. Meet me in the front row, and together we'll pray that he does just that and increase our faith as we sing.

SPEAKER_00 46:40

Have you been to Jesus for the same same time?

SPEAKER_02 46:46

Are you washing the blood of the land? Are you fully trusting in his graces? Are you washing the blood of the land? Are you wash in the blood in the soul cleansing blood of the lamb are your garments? Spotless are the white as are you wash in the blood of the land. Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin and be washed in the blood of God bless you. There's room for more. There's a fountain flowing for the soul unclean or be washed in the blood of the lamb. Are you wash? Are you wash in the blood, in the soul cleansing blood of the land? Are your comments? Spotless are there. They want a snow wash in the blood of the land.

Anderson George 48:19

We're gonna sing this four again, but I believe there's at least one more person that needs to be up in front. You don't have to worry about what anybody else is going to say or think. You need faith, you need faith. This is a moment between you and God. Forget everybody else, everything else. Let's just pray together and say, Lord, increase my faith. If that is where you are and what indeed you have need of. If you need strength to walk up, you raise your hand, I'll come get you. I'll I'll bring tissues if I need to, but don't miss your moment. Don't don't say, I'll wait until I leave to talk to God. Sometimes that moment never comes. If this is God knocking at your heart, then open the door. Walk right now. We're all your cheerleaders. So we're going to sing verse 4 again. Lay aside those garments, lay aside that weight, walk forward and say, God, increase my faith.

SPEAKER_02 49:18

Lay aside the garments that stand with sin and be wash in the blood of the land. There's a fountain flowing for the soul. Uncle wash in the blood of the land. Are you wash in the blood, so cleansing blood of the lamb of the lambs, but as are they white as long are you washing the blood of the lamb. Let's say standing for two seconds, just as we pray.

Anderson George 50:11

I appreciate, I can't say this enough. I know how much strength it takes just to make those few steps. And so I appreciate any time and every time I do not take this moment for granted. And so I appreciate every one of you. And I I count it a privilege to pray for you. I don't know where you are, what you're going through, but I so believe that my God is able. That even as we talk to him now, he will give you the strength and the faith to attend your.

SPEAKER_00 50:45

So everyone agree with me as we pray. Father, you alone are God. There is none like you. You are most high.

Anderson George 51:02

But every now and then we face life, and it does not cause us to question who you are, but it does challenge us. It does allow us sometimes to go through emotions and heartaches and grief and pain. And Father, as we go through these moments, as we go through these situations, we're not questioning what you can do, but sometimes we just need you to show up and increase our faith. Sometimes, God, we just need that you give us a little more strength to endure, a little more hope to believe, a little more life just to make it through the day. And so, Father, you know better than any one of us, any anyone else, where we are and what we're going through and what we're facing. And so we bring all our cares, all our supplications, all our anxieties. We bring our very selves before you, we bring our situations, and we ask that you be gracious to us. Look down upon every individual before you now, and you know what we stand in need of even better than we do. And so, God, we pray that you give us more of your grace, we pray that you give us increased faith, we pray that you help us to see why we're going through what we're going through, and Father, even when you don't show us why, give us clarity and peace of mind to believe that you are still working all things out for good, so that even when it doesn't feel good, even when we are unsure of what is happening or why, that we could still trust you in the midst of it all, Lord, increase our faith. And Father help us as we ask for this increase, that we would walk believing that you hear and you answer prayer. Thank you for this moment that we have, even to call on your name, even to be reminded that you are God alone, you are most high. Forgive us of our sins, bless us, Father. We need you, we can do nothing without you, and so be with us, never leave us, nor forsake us. This is our prayer. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen, amen, and amen. God bless all of you. You may be seated.