From Crisis to Platform (Lessons from Daniel)

In Jesus name. Amen. Thank you. Rob morning church everybody. Are you good? Are you good today? What about the person sitting next to you at like good today? So many people are going to be quiet on me.

Okay. Children staying in tonight cuz it's all summer. We're Sunday school takes a break. So, some of us learned something at Sunday school. Wait, we are studying lessons from The Book of Daniel, And I'm going to check how how, how much attention you pay to Sunday school tonight. Scott got us off to a great start Lessons Learned From The Book of Daniel, I'm going to look at chapter 2, just a bit of it anyway. But what stories, do you remember from The Book of Daniel? Anybody want to shout one out?

Okay, three-night. That's Judy. I just shouted out three names. Can anybody remember one of Daniel's friends? Daniel had some friends. I'm including the children and it's as well as including those working on the sound desk. Can anybody name a friend of Daniel? Meshach yes, judge, right. Yes. And I always used to think it was too bad, she go, but it's the Book of Daniel is a fantastic book about a man who follows God's hearts and his obedient and impacting Nation because he's obedient. And I really want to look at chapter two cuz I believe God can reveal Mysteries to us out of the Book of Daniel in the Book of Daniel.

Yep, it continues to fight even when he wasn't allowed. If I said to you, that probably what you immediately think. If I say to you don't think about pink elephants. What do you immediately think? You think about pink, elephants on am not encouraging this but sometimes we want to do the opposite that way. Sometimes you want to do the opposite but you know what? If you were going to be threatened with some kind of punishment that a few priority something or maybe you will find that, that something might you might want to back away and say oh I'm not sure. What do another story from Daniel? Come on. Daniel in the Lion's Den. Thank you, Rose, Daniel in. The Lion's Den, I'm not getting. I'm not telling you any of these stories. I'm just waking you up because you know it's a hot sticky die. And I want you to remember the Book of Daniel is rather an Old Testament book. And sometimes we got out stuff, not relevant to me today. I think Daniel is probably one of the most relevant books in the Bible to us in this season. Yes.

Daniel in the fire. Yes, he's three friends went in and they didn't even smell. Like, they got, but I'm not going to stress you too hard and too far. But Daniel chapter 2. We going to look at Daniel chapter 2 and I'm not going to read the story. I'm going to summarize it Daniel to 12 13. I'm not going to read it. Basically never good. NASA has a dream How do you say? I need someone to interpret my dream. I need a wise man. I need a wise person to come and interpret my dream. What's a show? Me? How wise you are? I'm not going to tell you what my dream is. You are going to tell me your dream, might my dream and then you are going to attempt a bicycle. You saying, how do I know that you're a wise, man? I will know that you're a wise man by interpreting my damn. Cuz you will tell me the dream that I dreamt. A specific that's an element of prophetic dream. You dream it possible. What is Daniel to give me a little time and I'll talk to God and I'll come back. And so we going to pick this up and I want to give you a theme in a picture to to understand because I think Nebuchadnezzar is making an impossible challenge and how many people in the room. If if I said right now, I've had a dream. Hyundai. Anybody who wants to come in and separate it and but also tell me what the dream was and if you get it wrong, I'm going to shoot you. I'm not saying I'm going to do. I'm just kind of level. This is the kind of level. It is impossible with a death sentence on every wise men, including Daniel. Yeah, I think this wasn't an easy time in Babylon is a lot of uncertainty counting on. That was a lot of trouble getting on anybody's. I honestly feel we read more about wars and we read about what was the statistics, but I would probably suggest that was more upset in the world than there ever has been. Maybe because we know more about it. Sometimes, it took two weeks for you to hear about something else going on somewhere on the road. Now, you instantly hear about it. Do you know what? I want to say this? I want what was Daniel's response in the midst of panic Pirus pundit with wisdom in Daniel to 4. So you need said I'm going to answer with counsel and wisdom and then what did he do? You say to the king Lord or King? I need some time. No Panic. No protest. Know I need to get control of this. She just said I need some time.

Proverbs 3 verse 5. Say this trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

If we don't know what's going on as of trying to understand it, for ourselves. What are you trying to show to what? What is it? You want me to understand what is it? You want to teach me? We are all students. We are all learning. I'd encourage anybody. Doesn't matter how old you are, you can still learn. We can still learn just cuz you've left school. Just as you finish school just because you finished University does not mean we finished learning. Actually, I consciously try and make time every week to study. I don't mean study the Bible. I mean study something that he's sending somebody trying to make a little bit of time and put it aside a record it and I think it's a good thing to do. It's a good habit to be in just as the way. It's a good habit to exercise. Its good habit to exercise our brains. So no Panic, no processed. He just trusted in the Lord and in Philippians 4:16, it says be careful for nothing. But in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God by an even. If it's a pretty crummy time give, thanks, I like giving thanks for things I can give. Thanks. He gives me a present. Thank you, thank you. Somebody punches me in the face. Ouch. China Wok. Give thanks in all seasons. Say thank you for punching the face, but you got the other situation.

All workplaces do not need so much of our opinions. They need all peace. We are peacemakers. We are peace carriers. We all peace people. And you know what, if we would just go and be peaceful. That it will change the place that we working. Some of you heard me, tell the story before now, but a friend of mine many, many years ago was the lights back on to terminate, and I don't nobody being sweet and it's a very nice little straight and that's what that used to be, a Lloyds Bank that it isn't there anymore. And he was a Christian, how do you say to his stuff? And he didn't have a lot of stuff cuz he was just moved back. You said, happy morning. I got to come in 15 minutes before we meant to be in the bank and I'm going to pry in the bank. If anybody else would like to join me, please feel free to do so I had him and two other stuff. You Christians who pride and the time, every morning to pray for the for the bank, on a couple of that stall stuff to join them. Cedric. Don't know why but if we feel it's a good thing. So is it okay? If we come anyways, he was observed many years ago. I know she's the lady walking to the bank. She came in, she looked around a bit and she sat down in the chair. But she got off of work out. Stripes and a few weeks later, he know she's the same lady walking look around. Sit down. And then walk out again. He thought maybe she needs something and so he went he went out to try and help her before we go out that she'd already gone. So you've decided he said, I'm glad I'm going to be ready for the next couple of weeks about 10 days later she walked in the bank. Again sat down sitting there smiling and he ate and he said, I've noticed that you've come in a few times. Can I help you? Is there something you need when she said? It's fine. She said I just come in here because he's so peaceful. It's so peaceful. I hope you don't mind. I just come in here to sit and absorb the atmosphere and then I leave

How do you say? Thank you. You're welcome, indeed. I eventually show the bank account to have that other thing that was the plan. But, but, but, but hates the thing, she came in for peace. I am sure that place was peaceful because of the prayer that was going on. That hopefully your home is a place of Peace. Hopefully, your workplace can be a place of Peace. Do you pray for your workplace? When we Foster price of church, when you were sitting at your desk at work, do you pry? It's a good thing to do or what place does not need off. So much of our opinions, but needs God's peace at work in US. I'm So Daniel Prayed by new got three, friends to seek the mercies of God's heaven in Daniel to 17 and 18. Then what happens, the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision in Daniel 219. Revelation coming to the house.

Notes on the platform, Note 3 Club in this. But the secret of the Lord that was with them, that fear Him in Psalm 25 verse 14. How do you say sit in Matthew 18:20? When two or three are gathered together in my name that I am in the midst of them? We live in a world that he's drowning and information, anybody. That's too little information. These days. Anybody wants a filter down the finest I stop. Could you just send me last? Can you send me a list? I think we all sense with drowning and yet, we're starving for revelation.

The answer to our Bible own, he's not in Babylon. It's in God. So, what the time you do, what time you did was he worshipped before His life is not a safe thing as Fest actress. Rush it and Daniel, 22 verse 20 and 21 blessed. Be the name of God forever and ever, he removes Kings and sets up Kings. Daniel worshipped. He gave thanks boss. The king slapped.

1 Thessalonians. 5:18 says, in everything, give thanks for. This is, the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Gratitude is the thing that fills the Gap to show that? We truly believe what God he sang to us. Thank you, Lord, thank you for your provision. Thank you for your leading me today. Thank you for your journeying with me.

Once we have wish it on. Oh, mighty God. once we get a glimpse,

What was what's wisdom? Defined as wisdom is divided. In scripture, is the fear of the Lord. Fear of the Lord. Once you once you send even a smidgen is a smidgen. Okay, worth Is this? You want to send some, a change of something little eye? I like my cat was. So sometimes I have to be careful. I have to look at my wife and you're right. I like it. I like that. Maybe I'm going to use it wisely.

What why do why can't we make up words?

Did everybody understand what Juliette meant when she said Heisley that we will understood. It was so pretty clear. Anyway, I'm not going to use it. Daniel refused to take any glory in the midst of this. And Daniel two, Twenty Eight but there is a garden have not reveal Secrets. He wasn't. I've got Little Dream nectar and I'm going to interpret for you didn't say that. You said there's a God in heaven, who showed me this thing? Now step aside whenever. There's something glorious just step aside by the door man or woman. Welcome one of the most gracious things you and I can ever do is just be the conduit. Why? What you got, God, provide something And sometimes I don't know whether you've been required to do something, you've gone, the extra mile and you give them something. You said something,

But sometimes people are overwhelmed with the goodness of God, step aside and say, it's not me, it's God, give thanks to him.

A-1 Pizza 56, humble yourselves, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Step aside as God, who loves God loved somebody so much that he sent you to be in that moment, in that time, with that person, doing that thing. I'm what was the king's response to Daniel when he said God show me the dream and the interpretation to keep the king confessed in Daniel 247, your God is a god of gods and a revealer of Secrets. Almost is a wow in there, somewhere in there is a while in the summer to call the god that you worship revealed to me, not only my dream, but what it means that was a Divine exchange and in the midst of the crisis than you gave God the glory. This was a crisis, all the wise men in the old white men, in the country of being asked by the king come and tell me my dream and interpret it otherwise you die. Time you stepped up and said, give me some time and I'll talk to God, that he's crazy. So the crisis became his platform for Authority prime minister, he comes on to step up and share wisdom and authority to share God's wisdom and Authority.

I had the privilege many years ago of working for an American software company and I work in supply chain. That's what I've done for the last 25 years and I saw his job description and said they were looking for someone who's going to be Evangelistic. Yeah, it wasn't about sharing the gospel. That's not what I did. Check off to its supposed to correct. The job and job description was not a Christian but they wanted to say somebody would go out and tell people about the sporting. I thought they were looking for someone. Who's you? Find your lipstick and they won't. You tell me who is forward-thinking and the anywhere? They could think about forward-thinking was someone who will be perfect to the marketplace. I looked at a job description said that's mine. Unimportant being stupidly bald. You said, strengths that. Mine might be other people out there, but I just sent, go, chosen great. But that for a couple of years and I was sitting in the number of me, some, I realized I was the only supply chain Post in the room. I also realized in many rooms. I was also the only Christian could I have the phone? It's a bit like Daniel. Just a little bit by switching like Daniel. And I said, trust me, I'm the expert in the room. And I was, I was for that. I was talking about supply chain, I had a whole different agenda going to be in my head. Now, she's not about supply chain, she's about what God is doing. I said he's not as an expert. I think I'm the only expert interview to self buy. You do Hardware, you do Styles, you do not sing. I'm the only supply chain person in the room, trust me. Let's give it a go and see what happens. I know for a. Of 1617 months, while she's committee ring run, we we put a number of strategies in place. I believe one of those stretches. You still running 20 years later. And I don't want any of the glory, but he's the point. I was just spiteful, a bit like danial just said, I said it as a sword with a boldness in the confidence, and when you just haven't felt like I had a finger in my back, you know, when my mom used to do this, when I slouch the table, she stick a finger in my back and you do that to. Anybody else do that, maybe you'll, maybe you'll see if you got straight right now, just cuz I'm saying this but I just felt God come along a few times and just put his finger in my back and I broke up a little more about this. I spoke with a little more confidence.

Because fruit will come of these kinds of things. So over these 14 months, or so about 7, or 8 months, in one of the guys that sweet a few come out with some crazy ideas. Thank you. I'm going to be bugging. You get them from What did I say?

I didn't say God, I didn't say the Bible, I didn't say dreams. I said, I'll tell you what, I'll meet you next week. I'll buy you a coffee and I'll tell you. I'll try a little bit of expectation. And then the day before I said, we still like to meet for coffee. We're going to talk about the source to buy innovation.

I need such, I'm going to be there. I'm a ticket cost for took a couple from church. One of the gothic was Luke's gospel song. You probably won't believe me when I tell you my source to ask you to do is to remember the fruit of the things that we did. So now ask him to look at me, I'm not asking to remember me. I'm saying we made a decision and something happened. Would you just look at the fruits of what we did? I said, yeah, yeah, I remember some of those things for me... Crazy project while we wait, we send Post-it notes to people. As we said supposed to know stupid, we saw what looked like a torn-out page. What Magazine with a Post-It note on it. It wasn't a place that night it was old printed. Then the magazine torn-out page Post-it notes. When it was imprinted in just a crazy idea. I'm so,

Even said, are you going to tell me? I said yeah I got you a copy of a book that helps me with us and he said, I'm just asking you to take it away and read it if you like it and you want to create that you could buy me a coffee and tell me what you found in the book and then I said okay and I told him the Christian God speaks to me, he's word speaks to me. I'm some of these ideas come straight out the bike when he was immediately.

I took the Bible for the Bible's in Old historical book tonight.

and I said,

These aren't talking to some of the ideas and showed him one in the Old Testament to in the New Testament. One in one, apple slices. I'm not trying to unpack will have to lie, but the point

read his word. You still on a journey? I'm still Loosely in touch with him. Many years later, but he has been to church in a x.

I don't want, I don't want any Glory, her own stuff is so I can say, don't bite the way God made it possible. I want to encourage you to learn from the story of Daniel here. And instead of thinking about the platform, getting the think about stepping on the crisis to step up to something. Put stuffing on somebody else to climb the ladder.... Somewhere else. That sounds like a great idea into something else. Then I ready. I'm doing something as goblins, me. And Romans 8:28, as I bring this to a close says this time, we know that all things, good things. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.

1 Samuel 2:30. It says, then the honor me. I will honor.

Sullivan County chief stand in the throne room with God, hold on and see what he will do with you and for you. So I'm going to wrap up by close by praying. I'm going to pry.

A simple prayer.

I'd like you to close your eyes with your home right now. If you go to crisis going on right now, just need to be a big one. Just need to be a lifelong crisis. Might just be a amazing, you're not comfortable about what's going to happen this week. It might be something that was said last week, but you got a mini crisis going on. I would encourage you make this a step into a platform where you allowed to go to reveal himself to you, and through you, and through, to your workplace, to your colleagues, to your friend, still family, whoever the meeting is full or with what you stand.

Looks like a big crisis or something. The right now, looms, front and center in your minds.

I want you to pray that God keeps us the wisdom, and the Revelation to see it as he sees it, and Tudor, not crisis into a platform to step up and see God's glory fight, giving things the old times in all seasons.

The father lifetime to the Lowe's was standing right now. And I'm standing to you. And so I thought I thank you, cuz I was standing right now. Father, I pray for Ashley. You give us a place to see. What you want to show us? You gave his ears to hear what you want to say to us. And father, you give us a faith to operate in those two things. While we storm would come and Revelation would be released and you would be glorified.

father, would you take hold of the things that we are presenting before you right now, the little things, the big things, the in between things this mentions V.

Could you open our eyes to see what is we need to say? Would you help us to interpret and understand the season that we're in and what you want to search? I to us and we should be clarified and all that happens in Jesus mighty name, man.

Thank you, Dave, for your word and the Revelation from Daniel.

I want us to.

just spend a bit of time, just