WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:12.480 This podcast is brought to you by Grant Parkway Baptist Church, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:18.079 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit GrandHarkway.org. 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:20.640 Let's pray together. 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:27.039 God, when we say simple statements like, God is so good, we are declaring both your name and your nature. 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:36.479 So when we speak the name of Jesus, we are saying to everybody and everything around us that not only is Jesus real, but he is Lord. 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:40.399 He rules over the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of men. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:42.640 And so, Lord, we've come to submit to you today. 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:48.399 Not a word that our culture likes to use a lot, but when you're the king and we are your subjects, that's what we do. 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:49.359 We submit to you. 00:00:49.439 --> 00:00:54.640 And that's not some beat-down existence, that is a flourishing that we were created for. 00:00:54.880 --> 00:01:01.039 So, Holy Spirit, open our eyes to the flourishing that we were created for, regardless of environment. 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:05.439 We are the people of God, and so we flourish because God is good. 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:08.799 And so, Lord, increase our capacity to do that today. 00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:11.439 We pray from your word and by your spirit. 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:12.879 And we pray it in Jesus' name. 00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:14.799 And everyone said, Amen. 00:01:14.959 --> 00:01:15.280 Amen. 00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:16.000 You can have a C. 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:19.280 If you got a Bible, I invite you to take it and open up to Daniel chapter 6. 00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:22.079 And if you're our guest today, we're preaching to the book of Daniel. 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:28.319 It's called Expository Preaching, verse by verse, which is not a license to bore people and blame it on the Bible. 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:31.040 I'm sorry, the Bible is just, you know, it is what it is. 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:32.159 I tell you what it is. 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:36.319 It is the living, active, quick, and powerful word of God. 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:38.640 It's sharper than any two-edged sword. 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:47.599 And the Bible says of itself that it pierces down to the dividing asunder of joints and marrow and becomes a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:49.280 That's not always comfortable. 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:53.120 Sometimes it's comforting, and sometimes it is very dysregulating. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:57.920 And so we're not afraid of either one of those because when the Bible convicts us, listen to me. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:05.120 When the Bible convicts you, it's really inviting you to rethink the way you are in a certain area of your life. 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:07.840 And it invites you towards the better and the good. 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:08.639 Does that make sense? 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:09.759 Say amen. 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:15.840 And so today, what the Bible's going to do is it's going to invite you and I towards the better and the good. 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:24.560 And so if it's if it's inviting us towards the better and the good, it's inviting us away from some things, towards that which is better and that which is good. 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:37.199 And so I'm going to read the entire chapter, uh, Daniel chapter six, because it's one incredible story about a man named Daniel who gets put in a cave with a bunch of lions because he will not bow down to the people around him. 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:40.319 And so I want to just talk to you today about what we can expect. 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:43.520 What can we expect in 2020 and going forward? 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:47.199 I got a lot of phone calls, a lot of emails since the election, a lot of people freaking out. 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:48.159 Hey, what are you going to do? 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:50.560 You know, I'm like, relax, take a breath. 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:52.639 Uh by the way, let me just go on record. 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:55.680 Um, somebody got a little upset in the first service and got up and walked out. 00:02:55.759 --> 00:02:59.120 I I'm not Democrat, I'm not Republican, I'm kingdom. 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:02.879 Uh, and so if I make you mad, don't leave. 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:06.319 Come up and tell me, hey, you jerk, you made me mad, and this is why. 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:09.039 I might want to buy you lunch and hear more about it. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:13.840 Y'all are like, you don't mean that. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:14.639 Yes, I do. 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:15.919 Yes, I do. 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:23.759 Uh, but I my job is not to tell you what I think, my job is to tell you what the Bible says, and that's what I'm going to do, okay? 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:26.240 Uh, and so if it rubs you a little bit, that's okay. 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:27.360 Rubbin's racing. 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:28.479 It just happens, amen. 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:30.960 No NASCAR fans in the crowd. 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:32.159 Back to the Bible. 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:34.400 Uh, Daniel chapter 6, starting verse 1. 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:47.280 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps to be throughout the whole kingdom, and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give an account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:54.240 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:55.759 Mark that phrase there. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:58.719 And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:11.199 And then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could not find any ground for complaint or any fault because he was faithful and no error or fault was found in him. 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:18.959 Then these men said, We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection to the law of his God. 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:25.680 And these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, O King Darius, live forever. 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:41.759 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction that whoever makes petition to any God or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into a den of lions. 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:50.160 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it cannot be changed according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:53.680 Therefore, King Darius signed the document and injunction. 00:04:53.920 --> 00:05:01.439 Verse 10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:06.800 He got down on his knees three times a day, and he prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:09.680 Then these men came to agreement and found Daniel. 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:14.800 Uh uh, they came by agreement, and they found Daniel, making petition and plea before his God. 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:27.360 Then they came near and said before the king, Concerning the injunction, O king, did you not sign an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any God or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into a den of lions? 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:33.680 The king answered and said, The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked. 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:44.160 Then they answered and said before the king, Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day. 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:52.240 Then the king, when he had heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel, and he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:06:02.399 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and the Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed. 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:06.560 And then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:10.959 The king declared to Daniel, May your God, whom you serve, continually deliver you. 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:19.360 And a stone was brought and laid at the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet, with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 00:06:19.519 --> 00:06:22.319 Then the king went to his palace and he spent the night fasting. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:25.920 No diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him. 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:29.759 Then at break of day the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:33.839 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:42.399 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? 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:45.519 And Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever. 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:57.040 My God has 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. 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:01.839 Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:16.399 So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he was trusted in his God, and the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions, they, their children, and their wives. 00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:22.000 And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces. 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:28.800 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied to you. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:37.120 I made I make a decree that in all my role dominion, people are to tremble and fear the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever. 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:41.120 His kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:45.519 He delivers and rescues, he works signs and wonders in heaven and on the earth. 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:48.879 He who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:55.439 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. 00:07:55.680 --> 00:07:57.759 What can we expect in 2020? 00:07:58.639 --> 00:07:59.680 What do we see in the text? 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:02.000 First of all, it's an indication of what we can expect. 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:07.360 And the first thing is simply this we we can expect people to see that the Holy Spirit is excellent. 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:08.800 That the Holy Spirit is excellent. 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:09.279 What do you mean? 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:10.079 Look at verse 3. 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:17.040 It says, then this Daniel, by the way, did you notice that all through the chapter they referred to him as this Daniel, this Daniel, this Daniel? 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:18.240 Because he's distinguished. 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:21.839 They're like, hey, we don't want to confuse him with any other people that have the name Daniel. 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:22.800 This Daniel. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:28.399 But it says in verse 3, this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps. 00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:28.959 Why? 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:31.759 Because an excellent spirit was in him. 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:33.679 Now, now why why do I say that? 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:44.159 Because it's not like Daniel was a good public speaker and he was good looking and he did keto and he was six foot three with a chiseled chin and weighed 200 pounds and he only ate healthy, blah, blah, blah. 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:44.720 No, no. 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:50.080 What the Bible says when it says the an excellent spirit was found in him, that's a reference to the Holy Spirit, okay? 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:57.519 Because they earlier chapters, these unbelievers would say the spirit, uh, uh, uh a spirit like the gods is inside of him. 00:08:57.679 --> 00:08:59.519 They did not have language for it, okay? 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:08.480 Now, when we say the Holy Spirit, let me tell you what I mean because you've ever heard anybody talk about God, they say refer to the Trinity, or they say God the Father, God the Son, the Holy Spirit. 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:10.559 God is three in one, okay? 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:25.600 And and so when the Holy Spirit is God, it's not like the Holy Spirit is like the substitute teacher for Jesus who's gonna watch the class because Jesus is gone, and then when Jesus gets back, let me just ask you, did you ever have a substitute teacher in high school? 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:27.120 Pity those people. 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:29.919 They're in therapy right now, just twitching, like, what's the matter with you? 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:30.879 I was a sub. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:35.200 Uh, someone stopped me in the hall the other day and said, Hey, our school is looking for subs. 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:36.159 Would you be interested? 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:38.799 I'm like, Oh man, would I be interested? 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:39.759 What grade is it? 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:40.960 And she said, seventh. 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:46.240 Whoa! I would I would take my belt off and whip everyone on day one. 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:52.240 This is just for all the things you've gotten away with, and I want you to know there's a new sheriff in town, and I got a gun. 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:54.799 And she said, Oh, you can't whip kids nowadays. 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:56.000 I'm not interested then. 00:09:57.360 --> 00:10:03.120 I want them to know from day one, listen, you better take small breaths because Mr. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:04.480 Neal is your sub. 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:06.879 I want them in the cafeteria trembling. 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:07.440 What happened? 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:08.480 We got a sub. 00:10:09.679 --> 00:10:10.639 We would get a sub. 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:14.320 We'd go to the ag building and dip snuff for the whole hour and come back right before the bell rang. 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:14.879 Where you been? 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:15.440 Bathroom. 00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:16.080 Okay, have a seat. 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:17.360 Bell's fixed to ring. 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:21.679 But most people think about the Holy Spirit that way, like he's kind of like some substitute teacher. 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:29.679 We really don't talk about him a whole lot, especially in the Baptist church, because the Trinity in the Baptist church is God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Bible. 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:33.200 We're more comfortable with information than we are with intimacy. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:35.039 And the Holy Spirit's about intimacy. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:37.200 And I want to say this: the Holy Spirit's always existed. 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:40.559 And I say that people to see that the Holy Spirit is excellent. 00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:46.000 I remember years ago, somebody gave me a certificate to get a massage, a 90-minute deep tissue massage. 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:48.240 And my first thought was, that is creepy. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:51.200 I'm not letting anybody put stuff like their hands on me. 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:53.360 And a friend of mine said, Dude, I have a massage. 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:54.000 I was like, no. 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:54.879 And there's a reason. 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:57.200 He goes, Oh, it is incredible. 00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:01.919 You go in there, you lay on this specialized table with a hole where your face goes. 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:08.240 And I was like, and I he said, they put the stuff on their hands, and when they rub you mass you, you it turns hot. 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:10.559 I was like, that's called gasoline, okay? 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:13.919 Uh and I'm like, and finally he said, I'm just telling you, just go. 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:14.720 It will be. 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:16.639 I went, oh my gosh. 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:18.399 It was phenomenal. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:18.879 All right. 00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:22.159 They put hot stones on your back and they put a towel on your face. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:23.679 I was like, oh yes. 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:25.519 Can you shave me while I'm here? 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:26.480 And we got done. 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:28.960 And I come out, and the lady goes, here's a glass of water. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:32.000 Drink a lot of water because it flushes the toxins out of your system. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:34.320 And she said, You said you're a pastor, right? 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:34.799 I said, Yeah. 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:37.120 And she goes, Huh, I never would have guessed that. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:38.240 I said, Why is that? 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:40.240 She's holding the bottle of water in her hand. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:41.120 And I said, Why is that? 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:45.840 She goes, Because you carry no stress in your shoulders and in the place people carry stress. 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:50.000 And I've never like given a massage to a pastor that they just weren't just a ball of stress. 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:51.600 She goes, Can I ask you why that is? 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:54.480 And I said, Because I have a person living inside of me. 00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:56.080 And she dropped the bottle of water. 00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:57.759 She went, Oh my gosh. 00:11:58.559 --> 00:11:59.919 And I said, That's okay. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:00.559 He's really good. 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:02.720 I said, The Spirit of God lives inside of me. 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:05.279 And she goes, Are you serious? 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:07.200 And I said, Yes, I'm serious. 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:12.320 I said, You good, because see, if the Spirit of God did not live inside of me, I could never do what the Bible says. 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:15.360 I said, You ever read the Bible and just think, there's no way I can do that? 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:17.200 She goes, Yes, that's why I don't read it. 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:18.399 It makes me feel guilty. 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:19.440 I said, Exactly. 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:22.320 Apart from the Spirit of God living inside of me, I couldn't do it either. 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:28.000 But when I became a Christian, I didn't just get forgiveness in heaven, I got the presence of God inside of me. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:34.799 And she's like, No, wait, and by this time, people are cutting hair and they're like, Whoa, whoa, what God, Jesus, what's going on over here? 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:37.360 And I said, uh, I just to summarize it real simple. 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:43.279 I said, long time ago, God dwelt in what's called a tabernacle, like a portable tent, and then they built a temple for him. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:47.360 But but but the progression went from the tabernacle to the temple to the body. 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:49.919 The Bible says your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:55.440 So when you give somebody a massage, you are putting your hands on the house that God dwells in. 00:12:55.519 --> 00:12:57.840 So conduct yourself appropriately. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:00.080 And she said, I didn't do anything. 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:01.600 I no, no, you're very professional. 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:02.480 This was incredible. 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:06.480 I'm gonna I'm gonna try to figure this out away to get my wife to give me this for Christmas every year. 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:07.360 This is awesome. 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:10.559 And she said, We we have a program where you can get one a month. 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:12.000 I went, Don't say that. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:14.399 Do not, I will not be worth shooting. 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:15.519 Now, why do I tell you that? 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:20.799 Because I walked out of there and this lady was by the door, and she went, That was the funniest thing I think I've heard in a long time. 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:22.240 And I said, What was funny about that? 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:24.559 And she goes, You said you have a person living inside of you. 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:25.919 I have the spirit of God. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:28.000 It's really not a person, it's a spirit. 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:29.440 And she went, Oh. 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:32.000 And I just thought, What? 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:32.399 What? 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:36.879 You see, because we think Old Testament, no, no, no, Jesus, the Holy Spirit started at Pentecost. 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:38.000 I mean, Acts chapter two. 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:43.600 No, because God's always existed and the Holy Spirit is God, the Holy Spirit has always existed. 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:45.200 You say, uh, what do you mean? 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:48.399 You you just go back to Genesis 1, verse 1. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:51.919 Here's what the Bible says in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 00:13:52.080 --> 00:14:01.600 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:10.240 Before anything had been created, the Holy Spirit was just kind of brooding over, like, God, you just speak it into existence because we're gonna make it happen. 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:12.720 David was brokenhearted over his sin. 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:16.399 And his great Psalm of Confession in Psalm 51, 11, he said this to God. 00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:20.399 He said, Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:23.120 That's not possible, by the way, just in case you're wondering. 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:30.320 But David is so broken that he's just like, Ah, when you're really convicted over sin, sometimes your mind goes to places that aren't even possible. 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:32.799 It's not like God's gonna take his spirit out of David. 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:35.840 It's that David's like, I am such a sinful person. 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:37.759 God, how could you want to hang out with me? 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:40.240 And God says, Hey, I'm not taking my spirit away from you. 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:43.440 I'm gonna renew in you a steadfast spirit, okay? 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:44.879 But I'm not taking it away. 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:49.039 But David is saying, Hey, I got the Holy Spirit living inside of me. 00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:52.240 Uh here's another thing the Holy Spirit does in the Old Testament. 00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:54.559 He empowers people to speak the truth. 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:59.679 Have you ever been in situations where you have lunch with somebody and you think, I'm gonna bring this up and I'm gonna talk to them? 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:07.279 Or if they bring this up, I'm gonna talk to them, and they don't bring it up, and the whole lunch plays out, and you walk to your car going, Oh, I wish I would have said something. 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:14.559 Before you get to that lunch, you should just pray and just say, Holy Spirit, would you empower me to say everything I need to say in this lunch meeting? 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:28.080 Because in the Old Testament, little book of Micah, uh, chapter three, verse eight, Micah says this, but as for me, I'm filled with power, with the spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:31.120 He's not talking about a person, he's talking about a nation. 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:40.240 He says, Hey, listen, the spirit of the Lord he says, I'm filled with power, with the spirit of the Lord and with justice and might. 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:46.320 And so when you pray to the Holy Spirit, this is a great prayer, Lord, just fill me with power and with justice and might. 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:52.960 And by the way, being filled with power and justice and might, it doesn't make you mean, it makes you merciful. 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:55.919 It's not about I'm gonna get filled, I'm gonna go in there and tear it. 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:56.799 No, no, no. 00:15:56.960 --> 00:16:01.440 You you begin to see people the way God sees people, and your heart is tender towards them. 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:03.519 Now, why do I go into all this detail? 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:04.720 Here's why, okay? 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:10.879 Because if you're a Christian, the same Holy Spirit is living inside of you that lived inside of Daniel. 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:15.279 And the people said of Daniel, hey, he has an excellent spirit inside of him. 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:23.519 We don't agree with him what he believes or how he votes or whatever, but I'm telling you, there's something about this guy that is excellent. 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:28.080 And all through the book of Daniel, what Daniel demonstrates is it's not me, it's God. 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:34.720 Because the theme of Daniel is, regardless of circumstances, God is still sovereign, God is still in control. 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:35.200 Okay? 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:37.840 And so that's the first thing we see in Daniel chapter six. 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:38.879 What can we expect? 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:42.559 We live in a day and age where the culture is getting more hostile to believers. 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:44.960 And it's okay if you're like, hey, what's gonna happen? 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:47.840 Are they gonna come, come, just relax? 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:55.600 They're gonna discover that inside of you is this excellent spirit called the Holy Spirit, and it's gonna make them want what you have, okay? 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:59.360 Uh, here's the second thing we see: if not you, then it's your Bible. 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:01.120 If not you, then it's your Bible. 00:17:01.200 --> 00:17:02.159 Look at verse 4. 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:15.839 It says, Then the high officials and the traps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault because he was faithful and no error or fault was found in him. 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:26.079 Now just stop right there because he is faithful to his God, he's faultless in the workplace, and therefore they have to turn and attack the law of his God, which we'll get to that part in a minute. 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:32.880 But I want you to hear this part that Daniel, they did a social media search and they didn't find one tweet that he regretted. 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:36.400 He could never be their president. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:40.559 Oh, too too soon. 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:46.559 No, no, no social media, no Facebook posts, no anything, no video. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:48.880 They find nothing, okay? 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:53.279 And so so the people are gonna come after you because that they don't want to get you. 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:56.319 They just want to see, are you people really, you really believe all this? 00:17:56.400 --> 00:17:58.400 And and let me just say this, let me make this statement. 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:05.119 There's a lot of fear going around about what's gonna happen if we have a Democratic president and the Democrats control the House and the Senate. 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:06.319 Let me just say this. 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:15.279 I'm not sure that there's a whole lot of this kind of Christian like Daniel in America today, those that kind of rise to the level that they're gonna come after us. 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:16.559 Uh, I mean, think about it. 00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:24.720 Why should they come after us when at our core we love what they love, we fear what they fear, and we pursue what they pursue. 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:28.160 Why in the world will they waste any time coming after us? 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:34.880 Because our fears are based on this unrealistic estimation of ourself and the integration of our faith. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:36.000 Now stay with me. 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:37.599 I'm not mad at anybody, okay? 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:38.559 But just stay with me. 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:42.960 Our fears, because I've heard this grandiose over the past week, oh, oh my gosh. 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:44.480 I'm like doomsday preppers. 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:47.519 Let's get the chip, chip beef and the AR-15, they're coming. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:53.599 And I'm like, dude, just take off the denim prairie skirt and keep living your life, okay? 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:57.759 Uh I just said to somebody, they're like, well, that just sounds kind of harsh. 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:00.400 I'm like, I don't think there's many believers in America. 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:04.240 We may say it, but when push comes to shove, and you may think, oh, that's kind of harsh. 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:10.079 Let me just take you back uh this to this past summer when a global pandemic was rocking the world. 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:12.720 People took vacations all over our country. 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:16.400 We went to kids' baseball tournaments, swim lessons, horseback riding. 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:17.119 We ate out. 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:22.160 And then here's my favorite part: you turned around and said, Oh, I'm not comfortable coming to church yet. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:28.000 You don't think the world looks at that and says, Oh, really? 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:29.200 You're just like us. 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:32.880 We're not gonna come after you, we're not gonna pass laws to persecute you. 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:35.200 We don't take you that seriously. 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:39.680 I mean, the world looks around and kind of says, Oh, you guys will go. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:43.279 I mean, you'll go to Disney World, you'll go to Colorado, you'll go to California. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:45.359 And by the way, I'm not saying don't go. 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:47.119 Go, go see the world. 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:49.920 At some point, half our church was in Colorado this summer. 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:51.200 My wife said, What's going on? 00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:52.559 I said, Weed. 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:56.720 She's like, Neil McClendon. 00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:59.359 I said, These people are stressed, they need comfort. 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:00.400 That's not even funny. 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:01.519 You shouldn't joke about that. 00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:04.400 I'm just saying Bob Razicka's up there, you never know. 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:08.559 There's probably a Grateful Dead tour going on up there. 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:09.519 Stop joking. 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:10.640 I said, She goes, What do you? 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:12.240 I said, I love when people go and travel. 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:20.799 And I'm not so I'm not against travel, travel everything, but just know that the world looks at us and they see, oh, and then, oh well, but I'm I'm really not comfortable coming to church yet. 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:23.200 And it's not a backhand statement coming to church. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:25.599 It's just, hey, stop worrying. 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:34.720 And then, and then after we, you know, we get the global pandemic kind of figured out, we're losing an election and it you act like God died because now who are we gonna trust? 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:38.240 And now it's like, oh my gosh, can you believe this? 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:39.359 What are we gonna do? 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:45.759 What does it say to the world about the sufficiency of God and the resilient nature of his people? 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:49.039 If all of a sudden we are dysregulated. 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:51.519 So they come after Daniel. 00:20:51.599 --> 00:21:11.039 I don't think we have to fear that, and they don't find anything, and so they turn and then they said, right here, he says, he said, we shall, verse five, then these men said, We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God, which is what they do, they'll come after you, and then they'll try to attack the Bible. 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:12.960 You say, I don't know what you mean. 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:16.400 Uh, just the past month, three these three things have been said to me. 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:19.119 Number one, you believe all that stuff in the Bible? 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:20.559 And I'm like, Yeah. 00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:22.559 I mean, it's kind of outdated, don't you think? 00:21:22.640 --> 00:21:24.240 I said, No, it's so irrelevant. 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:27.279 I right now I said, I'm preaching through the book of Daniel, and the guy, what's that about? 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:41.599 It's about how a culture gets hostile to Christians, and Christians stand up, and God rescues and reveals and redeems and gets all the glory because all the kingdoms of this world are gonna fade, and only the kingdom of God is gonna remain. 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:43.680 That's in the Bible. 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:46.160 I said, Yeah, and why do you talk like that? 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:49.359 Like your Yosemite Sam, back off. 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:50.880 I'm like, relax, dude. 00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:52.240 Smile a little bit. 00:21:52.400 --> 00:21:54.079 Here's another thing, and this is my favorite one. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:57.920 Somebody said to me, Doesn't the Bible teach you to hate the LGBTQ community? 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.759 Learn to ask this question. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.039 When people say dumb stuff, I said, What's your source for that? 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:04.640 And the lady said, What do you mean? 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:05.279 What's my source? 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:06.400 I said, What is your source? 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:09.119 You just said to me, it wasn't a question, it was an assumption. 00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:10.640 Doesn't the Bible? 00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:13.039 So you have to have some familiarity with the Bible. 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:16.480 And she said, Well, to be honest, I've never really read the Bible. 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:19.359 I said, Would you ever say that about the Quran? 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:22.559 Nobody makes assumptive statements about the Quran. 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:23.440 It's always about the Bible. 00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:24.559 Doesn't the Bible teach you? 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:32.319 No, actually, the Bible doesn't teach me to hate the LGBTQ community because the God of the Bible does not hate the LGBTQ community. 00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:36.319 And then she's like, What'd you just say? 00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:38.400 I mean, could you lose your job for that? 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:40.160 It's like, clearly, you've never. 00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:44.079 I said, here's the thing: the Bible is against sin and all its manifestations. 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:52.799 So the heterosexual man and woman that have sex outside the context of marriage, that is just as sinful as the homosexual couple that gets together. 00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:54.799 Are you serious? 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:56.480 I said, Oh, it's worse than that, okay? 00:22:56.640 --> 00:23:05.200 Any kind of sexual behavior that takes place outside the confines of a monogamous marriage or relationship is sin, was sin, and will always be sin. 00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:07.359 Well, you know, our culture is changing. 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:09.200 Culture doesn't define sin. 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:10.480 God does. 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:14.559 And this person looked at me and she said, You know, I think you're right. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:16.000 No, no, no, it's not me. 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:16.960 The Bible's right. 00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:22.160 Something is wrong because God is a moral being and it offends his moral nature. 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:28.559 So when you say God is good, that's that's a great course that we sing, but it is name and nature. 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.599 Things are wrong. 00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:34.400 Sin is sin because it falls short, it misses the mark of what God intended. 00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:41.039 So the Bible's not against the LGBTQ community, the Bible is against sin because the wages of sin is death. 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:46.079 And how much do you have to hate somebody to watch them die and not speak out? 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:49.359 This is all in the Bible. 00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:50.720 This is all in the Bible. 00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:52.319 Well, what page? 00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:56.720 Every one of them. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:23:58.640 Every one of them. 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:00.079 But I mean, like what page? 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:02.160 All that stuff you just said, is that on a certain page? 00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:03.759 It's on every one of them. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:05.519 It's all in there. 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:06.240 Huh. 00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:07.920 I may have to read it sometime. 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:08.960 Here's another one. 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:12.640 Isn't the Bible divisive at a time when our whole nation needs unity? 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:16.000 And again, I just asked the question what do you what is your source for that? 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:24.400 Because the Bible says in Philippians 2, it says that, excuse me, Ephesians 2, of Jesus that he is our peace that it's broken down every wall. 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:31.440 So instead of dividing, religion divides, God comes along and abolishes all these walls between races and religions and whatever. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:34.319 It says he is our peace that is broken down every wall. 00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:36.559 And he's made of the two, Jew and Gentile. 00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:38.000 You're talking about race relations. 00:24:38.160 --> 00:24:41.359 He's made of these two people that hate each other, one new man. 00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:42.720 It's called a Christian. 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:45.920 So the Bible's not actually divisive, it's very unifying. 00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:48.079 And I thought this was funny, but it wasn't. 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:53.440