Cornerstone Christian Center
Cornerstone Christian Center
Fear, Fire, & Fang | Minor Prophets
Ever faced a moment when everything was stacked against you? Daniel's life in Babylon reveals what genuine faith looks like when confronted with impossible situations.
Daniel and his friends encountered three life-threatening challenges that mirror our own spiritual battles: fear when Nebuchadnezzar demanded the impossible, fire when refusing to bow to idols, and fangs when Daniel's prayer life earned him a trip to the lions' den. In each impossible scenario, God transformed the situation into something remarkable.
The fear of death became supernatural peace as God revealed Nebuchadnezzar's dream to Daniel. The fiery furnace meant to destroy Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego became an encounter with God's presence, as a fourth figure appeared walking with them among the flames. The lions' den designed to silence Daniel's devotion became a platform for God's provision as He shut the mouths of hungry predators.
What stands out is how Daniel maintained unwavering integrity. He didn't compromise when offered the king's food, didn't hide his prayers when they became illegal, and didn't waver in his convictions when threatened with death. His testimony wasn't built on last-minute emergency prayers but on a lifestyle of consistent devotion—serving God "continually" as King Darius observed.
This message challenges us to examine our own response to cultural pressure and spiritual threats. Are we bowing to the golden statues of our day? Are we praying only in emergencies or maintaining a consistent relationship with God? Do we believe God can transform our greatest threats into our greatest testimonies?
The God who delivered Daniel is still working today, ready to transform your fear into peace, your fire into process, and your fangs into provision. Your trial has purpose beyond what you can see. Stand firm in your faith, and watch God show up powerfully in your impossible situation.
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What's up? Kingdom Crew Daniel here Probably the only guy who went on the Daniel fast and gained weight. Crazy news just dropped in Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar had a nightmare. Couldn't remember it, but it freaked him out. He threatened to unalive all the wise men if they couldn't tell him the dream and its meaning, including yours truly. So I prayed with my guys and guess what? God revealed the dream to me in a vision. The dream was about a giant statue made up of a gold head, silver chest, bronze stomach, iron legs and mixed iron slash clay feet. Then a rock, not cut by human hands, smashed the statue, becoming a huge mountain. The interpretation the statue represents successive kingdoms, starting with Nebuchadnezzar, but the rock that's God's eternal kingdom that will crush all others and last forever. I told the king he was amazed, gave God the glory and even promoted me. Talk about a glow up, remember, even kings have nightmares, but God has the ultimate plan.
Jason Brown:Amen. Today we're going to be talking about the minor prophets, focused on Daniel, and we'll be talking about this idea of fear and fire and fangs. A few weeks ago I was in Medellin, colombia, and having a chance to be there with Pastor Isai and be there in a beautiful country. I was there with Pastor Alberto, who's been here in our pulpit sharing the word of God, and we had an opportunity to go and to challenge pastors and young leaders across Colombia to respond to the gospel and to take that gospel as church planters and as missionaries to the world around them. And it was powerful. It was beautiful to see, as we were there in Medellin, going up the hillside and seeing the change that's happened in that community. You know, from an American perspective, we always connect it to the cartels and to all those things that have happened there, but it was beautiful to see the change that's been happening in the investment that the government's been making in the people and seeing some of this opportunity for them to move from place to place. And it's not perfect, but we were sharing with some people there in the gondolas. We were headed up the side of the mountain. They were saying how it took hours sometimes to navigate the different gangs and different areas that they had to miss, to come down to go shopping at the market, and now they could go right over all that mess and go right and get connected right where they're at, and I was happy to hear that for their quality of life. But what I was more encouraged to see was actually the move of God, what was happening amongst them, in their community, and to be there in Medellin and seeing this next image with the people of God. They were there and they were excited. This is an off night, it's not even a Sunday, and it was packed and people were worshiping the Lord and they're saying yes to the challenge of missions, the challenge to say yes to God whatever he has for them. They're raising their hand to say yes, lord, whatever you want to do. I want to be a part of that, for what you're doing through me. We were able to do that in Medellin. We were able to go to Barranquilla and to make that same kind of challenge and the people there were responsive. In the same kind of way, we were able to go to Bogota and to be there as well, and to be there with the youth and to excited. And I'll tell you, pastor Raul and I, man, this thing was going on. It was like an hour number three and Pastor Raul and I are like man, it's time for some dinner or something. But they were still going, man. They were still rocking and rolling. We were hanging out with the youth after the service for another 45 minutes and I mean it was really going. It was a powerful time to worship with them.
Jason Brown:What we also saw was in Chile was the word of God going forward and many people responding to say yes to God and to say yes to the next thing that God would have for them. I got a chance to preach with a university church and it's all of them. The majority of the church is people in university or getting their master's or their doctorate, and these are people that are going to be leaders in the next generation in their country and we're talking with them and challenging them to say yes to whatever God would have for them, that they would use their platform to say yes to God. We got to pray over some church planters. We got to pray over some missionaries that were being sent out. It was a powerful move of God and the altars were filled with people that were pursuing after more of the spirit of God so that they could say yes to him. Aren't you excited that we get a chance to be a part of what God is doing around the world through Kingdom Builders? We say amen to that. Hey, I wanted to give a special honor today. We have some missionaries in the house. I just want them to stand so we can honor them. It's the Clantons, flynn and Renee. They actually serve in Medellin, colombia. We have a hand of appreciation for them. So very thankful you guys partnered with us today.
Jason Brown:Friends, that's what it's about is that we want to be those that are on this mission from God. We've been talking about it through the Minor Prophets, about how each one of us is called to say yes and to use our voice for God. It's why we talk about being Christ followers. It's why we all say that none of us has arrived. None of us is perfect. Amen. I'm the first to tell you that I'm not perfect, but what we're trying to do is we're trying to follow Jesus where he's leading us to go. That's why we use this imagery of Christ walking with his disciples, because that's how we see ourselves. Is that we're following Jesus. We want to be more like him, be more like Jesus. It's why we love God, it's why we make disciples, that's why we reach the world, it's why we sacrifice and we give and we pray and we go, and it's also why, beyond just the weekend gatherings of the church, like we have here, that we do life groups throughout the week, throughout the city. And I want to encourage you in this even though we just had a semester, stop and be a blessing to us here in June, another one's coming in fall and I would encourage you and challenge you to pre-decide to get involved. It's so easy in this church life to just to come to a gathering on a weekend and slip in late, slip out early and meet nobody, but whenever the hard times come, guess what? We don't have those friendships that help sustain us and walk us through Friends. The very thing that you're looking for is found in living this life together, and so we want to be intentional in that. Let me encourage you to connect, to grow in your relationship with God, grow in a relationship with others, to go deep after the things of God and to serve. Use your gifts and abilities for the Lord.
Jason Brown:Today we're talking about the minor prophets. We're picking up here with Daniel. If you have your Bible, your tablet, your phone, if you move to Daniel 6, be jumping off here and then be moving backwards. Daniel 6, verse 26 says this King Darius is saying I make a decree that in all my royal dominion, people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God enduring forever. His kingdom shall never be destroyed and his dominion shall be, shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues, he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. He who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions, would you say amen to that? That is the God we serve. Lord, we pray today over your word that you would make it alive and rhemaema. Breathe upon it by your spirit to challenge it. Use it in our lives. We pray in jesus name, amen. Now we're talking about this idea of fear and fire and fangs, and we pick up here with daniel, and daniel on the timeline of of our of these different minor prophets is one that whenever Assyria has taken some people away. Now Babylon has come and they've actually conquered the next known world around them and they've taken both Israel and Judah and they've taken the people from them to themselves. So Daniel finds himself as one being taken in captivity.
Jason Brown:Daniel was young. It says that he was handsome. It says he was smart. I mean, he was a dime piece. Look at this guy, wow. Ooh, he looks pretty European for being a Jewish guy. But hey, what are you going to do, you know? And so what we have is these four people in this story throughout Daniel. We can't go heavy into every piece today. Let me encourage you in this Take your Bible this week and add it to your daily reading, just the way that you would do in reading your gospels and reading your Psalm and your Proverbs every day. Add some of Daniel and go deep.
Jason Brown:After these pieces, this story picks up with Daniel and Hananiah, mishael and Azariah. Those are the four Hebrews that are in this story. You might better know them as Daniel and Shadrach, meshach and Abednego, but it's Daniel's name. Whenever he went to Babylon was actually Belteshazzar, which is a lot harder to say than Daniel. Right? You're like Danny or Belteshazzar? You know what I'm talking about. That's a hard one. Anybody Belteshazzar in the house? No, nobody named that. Okay, so you just understand why they went with Daniel. So that's, and he's the one writing it from his perspective.
Jason Brown:So we pick up here with King Nebuchadnezzar. Now, king Nebuchadnezzar had conquered the known world around him and so in doing so, he was someone that God had lifted up to take the authority away from these other nations as a consequence. And so he starts saying to his eunuchs, the people in his court listen, we want to take the cream of the crop, the best and brightest. We want to bring them together and we want to train them in our ways. He says this in Daniel 1, 4, youths without blemish of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding, learning and competent to stand in the king's palace and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. And so the chief of the eunuchs, he gives them these other Babylonian names. But they also start to say, hey, you need to come and be trained up in the way of the king.
Jason Brown:That includes eating from the king's table. Now, this is problematic for Daniel and for the three Hebrew children, because they are people who believe and follow the living God. Someone say amen to that, but that also means that they're going to eat according to the Old Testament ways, they're going to eat in a kosher way. So they're not going to eat the pig that he serves and the other things that he serves at his table as a Babylonian king. So they asked to be reserved away from that and they're saying to him actually we would actually like to have favor to not eat that way. We're gonna eat these other things as a way to stay in worship our God. And the guy who's ahead of him is like listen, man, you're gonna get me in trouble, you're gonna become skinny scrawny, I'm gonna get my head chopped off because you're going to look terrible. And Daniel's like look, trust me.
Jason Brown:And the Lord gave Daniel favor, says. Did Daniel resolve that he would not defile himself with the king's food or with the wine that he drank. Therefore, he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs and at the end of the time, whenever everybody was brought forward, it was these four guys who were seen to shine and be ahead of everybody else, it says. As for these four youths, god gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams and in every matter of wisdom and understanding about. The king inquired of them. He found them 10 times better than all the magicians and cantors that were in his kingdom. Somebody say 10 times. What's amazing about this is that it was their heart, to be in alignment with God which elevated them 10 times higher than everybody else. See, it would have been much easier for them to be like well, we're not in Jerusalem anymore, the rules don't apply. You know when in Babylon, do as the Babylonians do. But they didn't do that. What they said is no, I'm going to have a heart after God. I'm going to still live for God though I be in Babylon. Do as the Babylonians do. But they didn't do that. What they said is no, I'm going to have a heart after God. I'm going to still live for God. Though I be in Babylon, I still worship the one true God.
Jason Brown:You ever lived in a place where you had a different value set than the culture around you? You ever lived in America or anywhere else on the planet that I've lived. I've lived in Mexico. I've lived in France and in Europe. I've lived in the Middle East. Guess what? All of them the exact same. We live as unto God, not as the culture around us.
Jason Brown:And, as a result, what happens? The Lord elevates them and they are 10 times better than the other people around them. Why? Because their source is not found in the king's hand, it's found in the heart of the everlasting king. That's why, and so what happens is there's a situation where they're elevated to this place, but then they're struck with this fearful situation. How many people deal with fear? How many people are afraid to raise your hand? Yeah, exactly so. That's everybody. Everybody's dealing with fear.
Jason Brown:And what happens is the king has a dream. I tricked you guys all into it. You guys like that one. It's good. The king has a dream, and the king's dream is a little daunting. Now, the king, he's very savvy. Obviously, he had taken over everybody, he had got all these pile of people together and now he wanted to know if his magicians, if his wise people, really knew what they were talking about. So he has a dream and he brings in this dream, now his dream. You know, you kind of be off in la la land Sometimes. Maybe your dream is just bad pizza, or maybe you ate, you know, some sushi from three days ago, and it was a bad choice Anybody. So maybe that's the dream you're dealing with, but that wasn't the dream in his case.
Jason Brown:He had a dream that had meaning. It was coming back to him. And so he goes to his magicians. He's like listen, I had a dream. And they're like great, tell us the dream. We'll tell you the meaning. Right, because they were going to do like this there's somebody here. They have an A in their name, anyone, an A in your name Over here, hey, from over here, right? He's like uh-uh, you tell me my dream. They were like dun, dun, dun, how does this work? He's like no, you tell me the dream I had. If you don't, I'm going to kill everybody. So you know, he was in a good mood, you could tell. And so there's this quandary where they're like okay, we better come up with the dream he had and the meaning of the dream, or everybody dies.
Jason Brown:And so Daniel hears about this news and he goes in and asks the Lord, lord, that you would reveal this dream to me, because the captain of the guard comes to kill everybody. Daniel's like wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, don't kill everybody yet. Let me go talk to the king, but let me first talk to God, who is the originator. He's the one that gives the answers. Amen, let me go find out the answer first. And so that's what Daniel does. He goes in and tells his brothers he's like listen, the four of us we need to pray and ask the Lord to reveal it. And so the Lord does. He gives him the insight on the dream Daniel 2, 19 says.
Jason Brown:Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. And so he goes into the king and he starts to tell the king what his dream means. Daniel answered the king and said no wise men, enchanters, magicians or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked. But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar that he will be in the latter days. For what will be in the latter days? Your dream and your visions as you lay in your bed was this. And he starts to unpack his dream, scene after scene, and the king is impressed because he has found the real deal. He's not someone faking it but, just like Daniel had said.
Jason Brown:No one else, under any other power, could give the insight, but the living God could, because he's the one that gave the dream to start, with Friends, a situation that was fearful. They were afraid that they were going to die, that they had fear that was crippling. This fear that was overwhelming was taken and turned to a situation of peace where the living God, the Prince of Peace, the originator of all things, the peace that passes all understanding, was now resting upon them. And not just that, but God took a situation of fearfulness and he brought peace. And then he brought promotion. He actually elevated them so that they were the ones now ruling over everything. He put Daniel in his court and he put the three Hebrew guys out taking over Babylon and looking over situations that were there.
Jason Brown:Can you say praise? Be to God. See, some of us are facing fearful situations. Some of us are in the midst of something that is actually it's stopped you from wanting to move forward. You're so locked in fear. So often the fear that we're dealing with is because we can't be in control.
Jason Brown:Somebody say amen, somebody say ouch. I'll say ouch with you. We can't be in control. So because we're not in control, we're afraid of what can happen, lord. What if I can't provide Lord? What if I can't do this? Or what if I can't keep my promise? Or what if I? All those fears, but instead we go to the very one who created us, who knit us together in our mother's womb. He knows the number of hairs on our head. He knows our future. He knows our past. He doesn't hold us against us. He's made us a new creation. He's called us his own child. He gave us Jesus and he's the very one that can be the peace that we're looking for in our circumstance. Somebody say amen to that. The second is fire. We see the situation where they're met, the very fire that can cut them off at their knees.
Jason Brown:Now, king Nebuchadnezzar he was a big fan of King Nebuchadnezzar. Somebody say, yeah. Now, he was such a big fan of him. He had this big dream and he hears oh man, there's going to such a big fan of him. He had this big dream and he hears oh man, there's gonna be a big statue. So why don't I build a big statue? Who should I make the statue of? Let me think. Let me think King Nebuchadnezzar. So he makes a big statue of himself, makes it out of gold. It's a huge statue and it says here, in Daniel three, king Nebuchadnezzar made an image of was 60 cubits and breath was six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura and the providence of Babylon. That's where those boys were being. And so he starts to do this and he says listen, I'm going to play my theme music. And when my theme music plays, everybody bows down and worships the big gold, me. Do you guys get it? And they're like, yes, so the music plays, or whatever the music was. You guys know what I'm talking about. And when it played, everybody was supposed to bow down.
Jason Brown:I can tell you, a few weeks ago I was at the soccer match in Medellin and it's for National. And at the soccer match there's 40,000 people cheering for National Guess who? I was cheering for National because I'm not crazy. So we were in the middle of them and we're like, yeah, let's go national because I'm not crazy. So we were in the middle of them. We're like, yeah, let's go. And I was learning all sorts of new Spanish vocabulary that I can't repeat here. And they were saying it about the other team and I was like that's interesting. And they're cheering, they're chanting, they're popping smoke, there's fireworks going off, they're hitting drums. The whole match just cheering, the team not playing very well. Still cheering the whole time. Just going forward, going forward. Guess what?
Jason Brown:Half an hour into it starts pouring. Rain starts pouring on the people. Did they leave? Nobody left. People get up three times during one sermon of half an hour to go to the bathroom. Nobody left. I'm like need these people at the soccer match in the church? They stayed right there cheering for their team and I was like this is awesome, but it makes you want to go along with the crowd. I started hating the other team. I didn't know the other team existed before that day. Now I hate that team Boo on the other team Because it's so easy to go along with the crowd.
Jason Brown:Now the music plays, the big gold statue gets set up, everybody bows down. Guess who doesn't? The three guys put in that area to run that area, who were followers of the most high God, shadrach, meshach and Abednego, were like of the most high God. Shadrach, meshach and Abednego were like nope, not bowing down. And so they.
Jason Brown:Everybody notices they're the ones supposed to set the example that we're supposed to bow down to the big shiny statue of the king and worship it when the music plays. And they didn't do it because they don't bow down to anything except for the living God. And so whenever that comes to it, they got brought to the king. The king, he is super mad and he starts telling them listen, when the music plays, you're going to hear it. It's going to be all these instruments. Now, when you're ready, you're going to hear the sound of all these things the horn, the pipe, the lyre, the tag on the harp, the bagpipe, every kind of music.
Jason Brown:You fall down and worship the image that I have made. Well and good, but if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into the burning, fiery furnace. And who is the God who will deliver you out of my hands? He is mad. You can see this picture of it from Sunday school, where he's super mad. Look at him. Mad Shadrach, meshach and Abednego.
Jason Brown:They respond to the king. They say oh, nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this manner in this matter. If it be so, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace. He will deliver us out of your hand, o king. Someone say amen to that? I love this even more. The next statement says this but if not, he doesn't rescue us. He let it known to you, o king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. Friends, that's real guts. Whenever you're living for Jesus and it doesn't matter what the threat is, you're like I'm sorry. I live for Jesus. I'm living for the one true God, and only him, and I bow to nothing else. Somebody say amen. Now Nebuchadnezzar.
Jason Brown:He was super excited about this and he was totally cool with it. No, no, he was. He was furious. It says that he was filled with fury and expression on his face changed. And he ordered this. The furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. That is someone who's angry.
Jason Brown:Anybody agree. You're super mad. You're making it seven times hotter. You're really mad. That's like going home the kids have messed up the house. It's like you're cutting off the air conditioning, then coming back to punish them. You know it's terrible, it's bad news, and so it didn't change what they did. So it was a big deal to run your mouth. I'll never give up on you, jesus. I'll never turn my back on you.
Jason Brown:And then someone starts to say something and you? Maybe you're like Peter and you want to fit in with the crowd, or maybe you're like these guys and you're like nope. I say what I said and I'm going to stand for him, even if it costs me the flames. And so they go, and it says he ordered some of the mighty men to bind them up. In the scripture, a little deeper, it says that they wrapped them up, even whatever clothes they were wearing. They didn't even take off the fancy clothes, they just wrapped them up in them and they put them in the flame.
Jason Brown:As you think about the flame and as you face the flame, it's a different threat, because now they're looking in the face the very thing that's going to take their life, in the face, the very thing that's going to take their life, and they have to know that. They know that they believe in the one true God who will rescue them out of this fire. Or it doesn't matter, because they're going to go in this fire and then they're going to go see him face to face. So it don't matter. Either way, somebody say amen to that. It means that they are not afraid of the person that can kill the body. They're afraid of the one that can kill the soul. They're afraid of the one who is the one that originated us, the one who makes us a new creation. That's the one they bow their knee to, and so they're thrown into the fire. It's just because the king's order was urgent and the fire was overheated. The flame of the fire killed the men who threw them into the fire, even though they fell bound into the fire.
Jason Brown:Now, king Nebuchadnezzar, he was astonished once they get thrown in and he rose up from his seat in haste. He declared to his counselors hey, how many guys did we throw in there? Was it three guys? Was it three guys? They're like yes, sir, it was three guys. He's like all right, we have a problem, because I see four men. They're unbound and they're walking around in the middle of the fire like they are not hurt.
Jason Brown:And the appearance of the fourth one is like the son of the gods. People, how do you even know that we have a living God who will not forsake you and will be with you right in the middle of the fire? Somebody say amen to that. I love it, man. You can imagine I don't even know. Someday we'll find out, hopefully, where Jesus just walks up. He's like what's up, guys? What are you doing? They're like nothing. They get up off the ground. You know, the ropes fall off. He's like man, I like your fit. You guys look great. Hey, good job, good job, keep it up. All right, I'll see you out there. All right, good job. And what did he say? What was the talk? You're in the middle of the fire, says. They're walking around. He's just talking to them. He's like don't worry about it, I told you, I got you. Keep going.
Jason Brown:Nebuchadnezzar came near the door of the most high God. It's a little different than who's going to save you, what God is going to save you. I guess he changed his mind because his mighty men, the one that he would send into the battle, they're all dead. They got burnt up by the fire. But the guys he threw into the fire are not hurt by the fire. So he suddenly has changed his tune. Servants of the most high God, come out and come here. And so they come out of the fire, says all the people around him, all his different counselors, they gathered together. They saw that the fire had not any power over the bodies of these men. The hair on their heads was not singed, they didn't smell like smoke, their clothes weren't messed up. God had completely had his hand on them in the fire. Somebody say amen to that.
Jason Brown:See, what happens sometime is that the fire is something that God allows us to go through because it's a process of what he wants to do in and through your life. How many people have been in a fire before You've been in a fire? You're seasoning your life and here's the thing sometimes God will allow that not cause it, but allow it to happen so that he can use it as a refining process in us, so that we can be taken through that place to get stronger for the next thing he needs us for. That's that process. It goes from a fire to a process, and I love what comes out of this.
Jason Brown:It says the king says blessed be the God of Shadrach, meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him and set aside the king's command and yielded up their bodies rather than serve or worship any God. See, their obedience to God became a testimony to the world around them and to the very king about who the real God is. Friends, that's whenever the fear that you have and this other fire that you're going through, it becomes a process that proclaims the glory of God to everyone around you. So take heart, have courage that he won't leave you in the middle of the fire. The third story starts with a video.
Old Daniel:What's up, kingdom crew? It's your boy, daniel, coming at you with some wild news. So King Darius just issued this new decree For the next 30 days, no praying to any god or man except the king, and if you do, the lion's den. But you know I'm not backing down my prayer. Life is non-negotiable. Wish me luck, kingdom crew.
Old Daniel:Update number two yeah, they caught me, just like I knew they would. I was praying, windows open, facing Jerusalem, just like I knew they would. I was praying, windows open, facing Jerusalem, just like always. No regrets, pray for me. Hey, kingdom Crew still here. It's been a night and you won't believe this. God is amazing, these lions. They haven't touched me. Not one growl in anger, not one pounce. God has literally shut their mouths. When you put your trust in the Almighty, anything is possible. Feeling strangely peaceful in here. Actually, kingdom crew, I'm out. I'm actually out. King Darius came rushing at dawn, probably expecting the worst, and when he called out, I answered. He pulled me right up. Not a single scratch, not a mark on me. God is so faithful. But let's be super clear I'm not the hero of this story. I wasn't the one in the fire. I didn't have the interpretation for the dreams. I wasn't the one that shut the mouth of lions, this was all him. God delivered Kingdom. Crew, stand firm in your faith.
Jason Brown:Kingdom crew. Stand firm in your faith. Kingdom crew, stand firm in your faith, amen. Hey, I want to say thanks to jeremy. He's the one that's been making all these ai videos for us. All of these are original to us, for you. Every week we have a good thanks for him. Thanks for your work, man, great job.
Jason Brown:We pick up here in the third of those three things fear and fire. The third is fangs, king Darius. He's the one that takes over for the son of Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar comes in of his reign and then his son comes to a short end of his reign and we pick up here with King Darius. And so King Darius actually has an affinity for Daniel. He understands his value and he actually takes him and elevates him to a place where he's there amongst the three leading the court. And the other people around him don't like this because they're obviously people the Chaldeans, they're people there from Babylon and other areas and they don't like the idea of this guy coming and doing this as a foreigner. So they plot a plan against him to say, listen, the only thing we're going to catch him on is that he's someone devoted to his God. So we got to make a rule that catches him doing what he's devoted to. And so they set up this idea to make a prayer for 30 days that only people would pray to the king. Now, the king being the king, despite loving Daniel loves the idea of people praying for him right, and so he signs the decree and it says whoever makes a petition to any God or man for 30 days except you, o king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
Jason Brown:Picks up in Daniel 6, verse 10,. When Daniel knew the document had been signed, he didn't do anything different. He did what he always did. He went up to his house, where he had windows in his upper chamber. He opened them towards Jerusalem and he prayed three times a day, as he always had, giving thanks to God, just as he does every day. And then, of course, they catch him doing this and they take him. And they take him to come and be prosecuted for this crime against the decree from the king. And the king's trying to figure a way out of it because he's distressed. He likes Daniel, but after all, he is the king and this is his law. There's no way out.
Jason Brown:It says that he was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. He worked on it even till the end of the day. But finally the end of the day comes and he makes the command. It says the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel may your God, whom you serve, continually, deliver you.
Jason Brown:Now, friends, I don't know about you, but I've been around lions, both at the zoo here at our wonderful wildlife park, but also in the wild in parts of Africa, and I could tell you there's a big difference when you don't have the gate in between you and the big kitty cat and there's a different reverence that you have for those big animals. And in the very threat of his life, he knew that unless God intervenes like I'm a snack for the kitty cat here in just a minute. And so they throw him into the lion's den and the king says listen, you continually serve your God. I pray that your God will save you from this situation. And, friends, we hear throughout scripture how the enemy of our soul, satan, and all those who are following, all those that are a part of his kingdom, they all want to pull us away from the Lord. It says that they're moving around like a roaring lion trying to devour, and so they want nothing good for your life. They want to tear you down, they want to tear your family apart, they want to tear you away from the purpose of God, and so you can see very much how that threat of a lion, spiritually speaking, is very much like the enemy of our soul, satan. And so there's something that's very much in our own power where you'd be, like this depiction of Daniel in the lion's den, where you can see this next image. He's very, very scared Anybody. Could you relate to that idea?
Jason Brown:Now, here's the thing. I think that this is a depiction. Obviously, it's a beautiful painting, but I think this one is not as accurate as the second depiction. And this is the second depiction, see, I think what happened is that an older Daniel is the one that gets thrown down there. He's been there through all these kings. He's been down through the thing. He's seen God give the description of the dreams multiple times. He saw God rescue three Hebrew children from the fire. He's seen the miracle. So as he comes down into there, he's like, okay, here we go. I'm either seeing Jesus face to face or he's going to have to do something for me in this moment and I think he was standing right there looking at these big, pretty kitty cats and they did nothing.
Jason Brown:As God shut the mouth of the lions, and it says the king. He was beside himself, he was wrought with stress, he didn't have any kind of distractions, he didn't eat. And he goes in there and he presses in and he fasts and he waits till the first of morning to see, to see if Daniel will make it. It says in Daniel 6.20,. As he came near the den where Daniel was, he cried out ina tone of anguish, because the king knew he was the one that would have cost Daniel his life.
Jason Brown:The king declared to Daniel O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions? Can we take a pause for just a second? I love that one Because he keeps on saying whom you serve continually. What that means is that Daniel wasn't just throwing up the oh God, please save me, you know, in the last moment of his life, kind of prayers. No, daniel was someone who was living his life in step with God. Daniel was someone who was continually worshiping the Lord. He was wanting to risk it, even to continue to say I only bow my knee to the living God.
Jason Brown:Daniel responds. He says, o king, live forever. My God sent his angel and shut the lion's mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him and also before you, o king. I have done no harm. See, I feel like someone here today needs to hear that the living God is the one that will shut the mouth of the enemy. He will shut the lion's mouth in your life, that he will shut the one that's attacking you. He will shut the one that's trying to bring you back into your old self, to your old paths, to the old ruts in your life. He's trying to drag you back into addiction, but the living God can cut that off and shut the mouth of the enemy in your life. You don't have to live those old paths. You are not the old person. You are a new creation in God. Your future is in Christ and not in your past. Someone say amen to that. See, the very fangs of the things that were going to eat you now have been shut and the provision of God has been made in your behalf. It says in the rest of the story not to ruin it, but all those people who wanted him thrown in. They got thrown in and the kitties were hungry they hadn. They got thrown in and the kiddies were hungry they hadn't eaten all night, so those things were gone.
Jason Brown:Suddenly he has a promotion, not just provision, but a promotion to a new level, because he kept the path. He put God first and God gave him all the other things that everybody else was living for. See, friends, this is the thing that he declared. We started it with this decree. This is what Darius says. He says I make a decree that in all my royal dominion, people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God enduring forever. Friends, that's the word over you today, that the living God who endures forever, he's the one that takes things like fear and fire and things and he's the one that changes those things in your life. He'll take the fear and he'll turn it into peace. He'll take fire and he'll make a process out of it and make a proclamation out of your life. He'll take things like fangs and he'll turn it into provision. Very much fear and fire and fangs. They become peace and process and provision.
Jason Brown:Somebody say amen to that Today as we come to this altar. We have this opportunity to do so. My encouragement to you is is that as we come seeking God, we seek more of him. First him, seek him, and all these things will be added. So if you're someone who needs more of God, you want more of his presence, you're someone who needs direction from God, that you would come and seek it. If you're someone who is in the middle of that process of the fire, that you know that he has not left you, that he's right there with you as you're being refined, if that maybe you're someone you feel like there's really been an attack against you spiritually speaking, know that he's the one that shuts the mouth of the enemy. Friends, he is more than capable to be the prince of peace that brings the peace that passes all understanding. He's the one to guide us through the process so that we can be more like Jesus. He's the one to bring provision that we need.
Jason Brown:Someone say amen, friends, today, it is that ambition that each one of us have, and we have to ask you that question too have you embraced Jesus? See for us as Christ followers, the symbol of the cross is one of freedom, it's one of transformation, it's one of forgiveness. It's one where Jesus took all of my sins, all of my mistakes, all of yours. He took them upon himself, though he committed none of it. He took them upon himself. He became the ultimate sacrifice, the holy sacrifice for all people, for all time. Upon the cross, he took everything and he died there so that those things can be dead as well. But what we love is that he didn't stay dead, but he is alive, and so we serve a living God who we can have an active relationship with.
Jason Brown:The Apostle Paul. He writes to the church at Rome saying this because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved, for with the heart one believes and is justified. With the mouth, one confesses and is saved. Friends, today is your day. It's your opportunity to say yes to Jesus. I'm going to ask everyone that's here in the room if you just stand to your feet, bow your head right where you're at, as Christians are praying, people are making decisions to follow Jesus.
Jason Brown:If you're online, wherever you are under the sound of my voice, take a moment. Let God speak to your heart and your life. Maybe you're here and that's you. You've never made a decision to follow Jesus. People are praying for you. We've been praying for you that today would be your day. You make a decision to follow Jesus. You place your faith and your trust in him. You say Jesus, I believe you are who you say you are and invite you into my heart and life. Lord, forgive me and my sins. Or maybe you're here and you have made that decision in the past, but you've walked away from living for God. Today's an opportunity to recommit your life back to him. Friend, don't make a mistake. Don't try to wait another day. Today is your day. We're not guaranteed tomorrow, with heads are bowed as Christians are praying. If that's you, you say pastor, I just want to be included in that prayer today. If you just raise your hand right where you're at, just make a decision to follow Jesus, invite him into your life. We see hands that are here, hands that are there, people making decisions, people reinforcing their life after God. Hands that are here. See hands there. Thank you Lord. Thank you Jesus. Thank you, jesus. We see your hands friends online as well. Thank you, lord.
Jason Brown:I'm going to ask everyone if they would pray this prayer out loud after me. Lord, thank you for loving me. Thank you for sending Jesus. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe he rose again. Forgive me of my sins. I surrender my life to you. In Christ's name, I pray Amen. Amen. Friends, we rejoice with you making a decision to follow Jesus today. Several people raising their hand in this room Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Amazing. Hey, that was you in the room. We want to put things in your hands so you'd be successful in living for Jesus. Connect with our team in the back. Connect with our team outside so we can be able to do that. If you're online, message us. We don't want you to live this life alone.
Jason Brown:Friends, as we come to this altar, we do so because we want more of His presence, and maybe you're someone who's been dealing with a fear in your life that you would come to God, who is the originator, the prince of peace today, for the peace that passes all understanding. Maybe you're someone who's going through that fiery situation that you would come to the altar. Ask for more of his presence because he doesn't forsake us. He's right there with you in the midst of it. He's going to do something out of this circumstance, refining you, that it's going to be a proclamation of your life, a testimony on the other side. And the third is that those fangs that are biting at us so many times, that old life, that old thing, is trying to come back and put teeth in us, but he's the very one that shuts the mouth of the enemy. And now we would not just be attacked, but that we would find the provision of God and the promotion to what he wants us to do on the next side.
Jason Brown:As we open up this altar, we do with hearts towards you, lord Jesus, we thank you for this word. We thank you, lord, for the example of Daniel. Lord, we thank you, lord, for all that you've done in calling and speaking to us. Lord, we come to this altar, lord, because we want more of your presence and more of your power. Lord, we need you, the living God, to live for you today, lord, against this culture, against all these things that would try to tear us down. Lord, we come for the peace of God that passes all understanding. Lord, we come because you are our strength in the middle of the fire. You are the one that is refining us and, lord, that we come to you that you would close the mouths of the enemy against us, against our family, against our community. Lord, against this church, lord, and now we ask for the provision of God and the promotion of God, lord, to the next thing that you would have for us. Lord, we come to you for more of you. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Celeste Brown:We are having party with the pastor immediately following this service. It is an opportunity for any of you that are new or have been coming in the last maybe three months and we haven't had the chance to meet you. We would love to meet you. Our team will be in there. We want to put a name to the face, so come and join us. If you have children, grab them first and then you'll head to the east side of the building. There's a hallway and we will meet you in there. It is quick, it is informal, but we just want to get to know who you are amen.
Jason Brown:We have a lot of great things coming up, including helping at mercy house, the back to school this week, baptism coming up, a lot of things get involved in. So make sure you're checking those events to find out what's going on. And also let's honor our missionaries one more time for them being in the house with the clans today. Thank you, guys, appreciate you. Make sure you say hi before we go more praise, blessing over us. The Lord bless you and keep you. Lord, make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. Lord, lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Lord, I pray a blessing upon your church, your people. Lord, you empower us by your spirit to live your love out to those around us. Pray all this in the powerful name that is Jesus Christ. Amen, amen. Know this we love you very much here at Cornerstone. God bless you and have a great week.