HOW SHOULD WE NOW LIVE Part 4
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INTRO:
How many of you are enjoying the journey so far?
For those of you who are new or online we are looking at people in the Bible, and answering the question, “ how shall we live? Using them as our examples
As we look at them and what they went through, it helps us navigate this life.
I am talking to people on a regular basis that are asking the same question
How do i do life in this messed up world?
We live in a time here in the USA when your history and identity are being erased.
You don't know who you are or where you come from.
This is a tactic that the enemy has used for centuries to obliterate a culture or a people.
This isn’t a question that
Last week I believe the Lord gave us the word “Engage”
If we engage with God - there is nothing we cannot accomplish
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
This means much more than merely surviving - AMEN
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
When we connect with Jesus we will have fruit.
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
We have learned in the last month that many world changers in the Bible were people of Repentance.
They were people that believed in course corrections.
Constantly before the Lord confessing and asking God for help
David is such a great example of that wasn’t he - A man after Gods own heart.
How many Davids do we have in the room?
Transition
Some of the ladies in the room are asking hey what about the women in the Bible..............
Ladies how about Esther
A little orphan girl from the tribe of Benjamin - A nobody - Do you know what the Persian meaning of the word Esther means - It means star . Esther becomes a star. WOW
This orphan girl has a heritage - Mordeci raises her because her family was probably slaughtered by the Babylonians . Little Hadessah, she is a Jew in a unfavorable culture.
Her story is one of deliverance - In the midst of bondage.
An evil edict went out to kill all the Jews - this would have been the end of a culture. Can you see the fingerprints of Satan all over this.
She has only one plan
Pray and confront the king head on.
No plan B
16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”
1 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, in front of the king’s quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace.
2 And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
Pushing the doors open ( according to the Movie) scripture said she stood up in the midst.
She petitioned the king for her people and won
She became the vessel for deliverance.
So how many Esther’s do we have in the room today?
So over and over again we see a word that is exemplified by men and women of the bible. Christian men and women of today and our youth of tomorrow.
COURAGE
Be strong and courageous - It can be defined as having bravery, or daring or having strength.
Lets look at anther individual
Daniel a young man
Daniel’s Hebrew name is a combination of two words which are restraint and kindness.
He was from the tribe of Judah
taken into exile. He had to figure out a new way of living.
Daniel had the gift or wisdom according to Jewish scholars
He interpreted dreams
He knew how to pray
17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,
18 and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
He trusted in His God to give him an answer.
Listen to how Daniel describes his God
20 Daniel said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him.
21 “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.
22 “It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him.
23 “To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For You have given me wisdom and power; Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, For You have made known to us the king’s matter.”
Character
He did not succumb to the many idols of Babylon
The Babylonians wanted to convert Daniel to there ways and there language.
and interesting to note - also the food. It is easier to control people when they are absorbed into the culture.
Daniel stood firm in the faith
Nebuchadnezzer gets a big head and makes an image of himself 90 feet tall. He wants everyone to worship him. He sets a time and day and a command that whoever doesn’t worship the image he will be thrown into a fiery furnace.
Daniel and his friends don’t worship the image and said something amazing to a crat king
Daniel was unfazed by the command . He proceeded to climb to the upper story of his home where his windows faced Jerusalem, to pray three times a day as he had always done
This puts him in hot water and he is summoned by an angry king
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
So how shall we then live
In worship of the one true God. never giving room for any other idol.
Daniel is tempted again by Belshazzar the new up and coming regent .
God writes a message on a wall in the kings palace in the presence of the king. OK how do you handle that
The Regent is freaked out lucky he has a wife who calms him down. For all you married men in here say thank you Jesus for your wife.
He gets a hold of Daniel and offers him everything he could ever want
16 “But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.”
Big gold chain , plenty of money - who does that remind you of
Daniel says keep your gifts or give them away- Paraphrase- I don’t need your money, Ive got God.
Listen Daniel could of lied about the writing on the wall.
It said Dan 5:26-28
26 This is what these words mean: Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end.
27 Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up.
28 Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
Daniel speaks the truth and lives to see another day.
Not only that but gives us visions about the end times. WOW
Conclusion
So how shall we then live?
With
Character and Courage
It is ok to be a Christian
Its OK to say I am not bowing down to any one but Jesus
Its OK to stand your ground on all issues relating to faith , morality.
Is OK to take this nation back to its roots
It OK to love God and your neighbor.
Its OK to be a man
Its OK to be a woman
Its OK to be married an believe in the traditional family
Its OK to believe in miracles.
In the word we have characters and no courage.
We have fake heroes, when God has already brought us real life ones.
Our heroes have real blood running through their veins.
You can live like one of Gods heroes.
Daniels parents must have been so proud.
There ox cart probably had a bumper sticker that said my kid is smarter than your kid.
Daniel had his own sticker that said, “my God is bigger than your god
Live like your God is bigger.