Being Victorious in a Changing World

Prefer than 12 hours that it's completely changed as a new set of guidelines and no one really knows what's going to happen and it's kind of mind-boggling and sometimes it leaves us fearful because of the unknown and and sometimes we are skeptical of things that are new and but it can leave us hopeful because of the truth that we know that we know to be true. Even so we all start thinking when we see all these things happening and we think thoughts like you knows is this the end or we coming close to the end are these the last days of Jesus is Jesus coming back and these are difficult questions and only God knows the answer to these questions in and that we want to look at this tonight. How do we live Victorious and Days Inn in the midst of so much change. Should I think a great example in the Bible is is Daniel Daniel even in the midst of change and in the midst of a pagan environment he was able to do what was right and he was able to do what was right and he was able to be Victorious and he was even able to maintain favor with a pagan leadership and that I just marvel at that and we're trying to do things as a church. We're trying to know have wisdom about what to do and what not to do in and we we we want to continue to fulfill our purpose of why God put us. But also, you know Bailey authorities that have rule over us and and I'm trying to trying to find the right balance and I've been praying and asking God for wisdom and asking God to help not this this passage has been a real help help to me and a lot of these changes its half in the past couple months up a lot of us. We don't like it. You don't like the change you don't like how your life has been really changed just flipped around and there's to your normal is as I know more and we don't like the pandemic about here we are and we're right in the middle of it and God has placed us here and he has place to see her in his Providence and this is our time and God commands us to be steadfast to be unmovable and always abounding in the work of the Lord and I ain't Galatians the Bible talks about be be not weary in well-doing in Revelation chapter 2 verse 10 and talks about being faithful unto Death you and I need to stay faithful. We stay faithful and God will take care of the circumstances and God expects us and no matter what our circumstances he expects us to live victoriously and tonight. I want to again look at Daniel and we want to look at this character who in the mist of great change is able to live Victorious through the change it so easily as we set this unless looking our Bibles and let's look at Daniel chapter 1 and less 3 vs number unless you start out in first number one. It says in the third year of the reign of the Hulk I am king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon to Jerusalem and received it and the lord gave the whole time king of Judah into his hands with part of the vessels of the house of God, which he carried in the land of shinar to the house of his God and he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his God and verse number 3 says in the king spake unto Aspen as the master of the universe. That he should bring certain of the children of Israel and of the king seed and of the princess children and whom there was no blemish but well favorite is skillful in all wisdom and cunning and knowledge and understanding in science and such as have the ability and then to stand in the king's Palace and who they might teach little earnings and a tongue of the Chaldeans and the King appointed them a daily provision of the king's mate and of the wine which he drank so nourished them three years that at the end thereof, they might stand before the king now among these were the children of Judah Daniel hananiah mishael and Azariah and the prince of the eunuchs game names for he gave unto Daniel the name. The Shadows are in the head and eye of Shadrach Meshach and a sore eye of a Bendigo but Daniel purpose in his heart that he would not defile himself for the portion of the king's meat nor with a wine which he drank therefore. He requested of the prince of the units that he might not defile. Himself look into this passage. And we see Daniel trying to navigate this great change that he's been thrown any thrown into he's he has something come up on him it that really it is against what he's been taught. It's against what he knows to be right and he's able to do what's right and he's able to do so and and maintain favor a god-given favor with the authority that he was placed under and so as we look at the passage the first thing I want to see and I want us to draw some parallels, but there's a precursor to change an inverse. Number one. We're going to see that there's a Defiance the truth in person ever won a little background the past. It says in the third year of the reign of jehozadak. I am king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon on to Jerusalem and besiege it so who is She-Hulk I am the son of Josiah now Josiah was a great king one of the great Kings of his Jalen and God use Josiah to leave the children of Israel into a great Revival. I just saw a few remember studying about Josiah man. He be cast down the idols. He turned the people turn under his leadership turn from paganism great Revival broke out and that was Josiah and this is his son's hikayem. And so we see a real a Defiance of the truth. I just Josiah he led a great Revival but by the time he departed from the way of his father he departed from the way of God he can read about this back in 2nd Chronicles chapter 36 and verse number 5. The Bible says that your hike Ian was 20 and 5 years old and he began to Reign and here and 11 years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil and the side of the Lord he is God. Okay. So now we see that he did that with which was evil. His dad was a great king. He grew up in a wonderful environment a wonderful home, but he he Departed 825 hate the fact that the truth and you know one thing we can learn from history as we never learn from history a lot lot of times if something bad was going to do it but it is something's good. We we tend to avoid it. I mean, I don't know why why we tend to do that, but that's what we see here and you can see that pattern happen and the second thing we see here is not only to find for the truth, but we see a delivery of judgment. So what we're going to see the principle of sowing and reaping and inverse number to what happens when he departed from the truth. It says in the lord gave to Hulk I am king of Judah into his hands with part of the vessels of the house of God. All right, so if we can if we read over inverse number six of chapter second chronicles 36 6s against him came Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and bound him and Fetters to carry him in to Babylon. Alright, Nebuchadnezzar. Was probably one of the greatest Kings described in the Bible on this Earth. And in in Daniel chapter 5 Daniel, he's talking about Nebuchadnezzar II never can have his grandson belshazzar and when he talks up never can answer he talks about him and Daniel chapter 5 verse number 19 and says and for the Majesty that he gave him all people all nations in languages trembled and feared before him they trembled in fear before neberkenezer. It says whom he would he slew whom he what he kept alive whom he what he set up whom he would he put down if neberkenezer said you're getting promotion. You got a promotion. Nebuchadnezzar says you're fired. You're fired. Neberkenezer said that you're going to live you will live after Nebuchadnezzar said that you were going to die. You were dad and that was the power Nebuchadnezzar had he was just a very very powerful powerful King. His word was it was Final and Nebuchadnezzar comes into Judah. He seizes the land he care. He carry some of the other people's we read about in our passage back with him hundreds of miles away to Babylon. And and we say that's what that's what happened. That's a delivery judgment, you know, we as a people in America as a nation, we have the choice to a bag of God or we have the choice to disobey God, but with that choice, there is a great consequence. If we disobey God there is going to be a price to pay. It's a hard time. He did evil in the sight of the Lord. He chose not to fall in the ways of his father. He chose not to follow in the ways of God. He turn his back upon God and that was his choice and that came with an awful price of Bible says who so ever despises the word shall be destroyed and we see this happening in our society. We see this happening. We see many men all around the world making a conscious effort to just Justified truth and just to turn away from God. I want to read you a In the Book of Romans and I'm off several verses in the Book of Romans in Romans chapter 1 verse number 18 in the Bible says for the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteous a man who hold the truth in unrighteousness because that with that which may be of God is Manifest in them for God has showed it unto them for the invisible things of the creation of the world are clearly saying being understood by things that are made even his eternal power. God has said that they are without excuse everybody knows that God exists. He has revealed it unto them. He has revealed it to create these are built through the contents of the Bible says in verse number 21 says because that when they knew God they glorified him not as got neither were they thankful that became vein in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened professing themselves to be wise. They became as fool's and change the glory of the young corruptible God. Do an image made like unto corruptible man and the birds and four-footed Beast and creeping think we're for God also gave them unclean list for the lust of their own Hearts to just honor their own bodies between themselves to change the truth of God into a lie and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator who is blessed forever. Amen for this cause God gave them over to Viola fection for even their women did change that natural used that which is against nature and likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves recompense of their error which was made and even after they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to this those things which are not convenient being filled with unrighteousness fornication wickedness cabbages maliciousness full of Envy murder debate. The seat dignity Whispers backbiters haters of God despiteful proud Buster's in Abbeville things this obedient to Parents Without understanding Covenant Breakers without natural affection and play Cabool and unmerciful who knowing the Judgment of God that they would commit such things are worthy of death. Not only do the same but have pleasure and them that do them and that is a state which we live in my friend. That is our generation. We have as a society have just turned against God turned against God and the Judgment of God is coming or sing a little glimpse of what is cuz I know you see it you talk about a pandemic and people are worried about loss of life menu. You read the first two chapters of Revelation and you start talking about the judgments and you start talking about some adjustment. We have 1/4 the earth population, you know one third of the world's population is going to be out over half. The world's population wiped out. I mean, this is nothing compared to the judge of this. A little a little taste of God's anger a little taste of God's Wrath that we see the Deliverance of judgment that comes to this end and God has given many over to a reprobate mind and and so not only in in the precursor to this change we can look here and we can also see the destruction of Godly institutions. I want you to look hear what happened to the Book of Daniel if we look over here and verse number to not only did they come in and and take these people captive from Judah the look what they did and verse number two and I says the Lord gave to her, him into his hand with part of the vessels of the house of God, they took the vessels of the house of God, which he carried into the land of shinar the House of his God and he brought the best Souls into the treasure-house of his God. And so he took these vessels vessels were concentrated. They were consecrated unto the They were to be used for the worship of the Lord in this Pagan King. He came in and took these vessels and it was just a a it was it was just a destruction of a of a Godly vessel to be used to worship God he put it in a pagan Temple and indusind just put it in the midst of of wickedness. And and so we see here wickedness will try to take God's vessels and will try to just a fraud them and there's there's certain things that God has he has created he has he has ordained these things and he has be a blessed and PC for and there's we look at institutions that God has started and we look how Wiccan this is trying to take over these three institutions and you look at these institutions. The first institution is is is is the home God created the home and the devil is trying to take the homies trying to desecrate the home. He's trying to redefine Find what what the home is going to God is very clear about what the home is God is very clear about what marriage is he's very clear. He's very clear that marriage is between a man and a woman and it is wickedness is trying to desecrate the the family unit. That is an institution that God has ordained in wickedness has received the land and then the other thing we see is is is government government. Got ordained civil government and there's wickedness and in many many branches of the government and I'm I'm thankful and I and I pray for my leaders the Bible tells us to in the Bible tells us to being rights objection to it. But I'm I'm I'm very concerned about things that I hear in this day and time Thomas Jefferson. He wants made this statement. He said this he says when people control a government it is called Liberty, but when government controls a people it is called. Tyranny. I want you. Let that sink in though. I didn't say that, Jefferson said that many many years ago one of our founding fathers. And so you think about that was some of the things that are going on when people get scared when people are fearful, they're easily just hand over their their Liberties that your forefathers fought and died. So you could have we just were talking one of our better just got back from the Middle East and we're just talkin preciate him for his service and all these men that are there station in these places. So you can have the freedom that you do in and that freedom is precious and many have given their life for it. And then we see the church the institution of the church. He started the church and the devil is trying to ruin the church and he's trying to get in the church and infiltrate the church and ruin what the church is supposed to be and you know, it's all a sudden I hate crime to preach against sin. You know, how is it that if you lovingly show someone from the Bible that they are a sinner in and really agree that we are all sinners and and you show them that there is a remedy for this and his name is Jesus and he came and he gave himself for you and with accepting Jesus as a free gift as a remedy for your sin. You can have forgiveness of sin and you can have eternal life. That's the greatest message of love that is ever told. How can that be a hate crime if that's a hate crime, then we're going to have to find a jail. That's big enough to put God in. I mean that's not something I came up with. That's that's the very words of God. That's good. That is his message that he wants me to preach to the entire world and universe the entire world and it is his very words that we see we see this we see the destruction of Godly institutions and then but I want to see that's that is that is the precursor to change but then wait we see what comes up. The Remnant a Remnant through this change there's a Remnant and I love this here in verse number three the Bible says and the King bacon ice penize the master of the universe that he should bring certain of the children of Israel and of the king stayed in the princess, you know, God is getting ready to do something great here. Alright God is at work and you can always see what God is doing but he's always at work and he's getting ready to do something great. Nebuchadnezzar's going to bring in these young men from from June Judah and these young men are going to they're going to exert influence and let me tell you something God is in complete control in this situation. God is in complete control today. The old preacher Lester Roloff used to say has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God God is still in control with the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord I asked for God his way is perfect. We might think that these are very difficult times. But God his way is perfect. He says I know the thoughts I think towards you thoughts of

Gossip Eason and not of evil to give you an expected in and you know and in Romans 8:28 says all things work together for good to them that love God and man called according to his purpose and we look down here in verse number for and Atlas says that children in whom there was no blemish that well favoured and skillful in all wisdom in cunning and knowledge and understanding science and that ability in them to stand and Fowler teach the learning and tongue of the cow being so they were looking for some people to have some some intelligence about them some brain some some some that that were Beauty well-favored. I had good behavior good character and they found some they found some God had been preparing these young people for such a time as this and you know, this is why God raised these people up. This is why God raised up Mountain City Baptist. God raised us up for such a time as this I got you know, why is it that God has Put you where he has put you for such a time as this you don't understand like why am I having to work here go through this God puts you in a place for such a time as this God is working in God is getting ready to do something great. And just what I always know that wherever God is working. The devil is always fighting and you can see it right here and the next verse you see God got to set these these young people into a place where they can be used greatly and and then here comes a Temptation right here and verse number of Temptation Of The Remnant and it says in the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat and the wine which he drank so nervous than three years at the end of their might stand before the king. Let me tell you something. They're always there's always going to be a Remnant. The Bible says in Matthew 16:18. The Jesus said to Peter sit Upon This Rock, I build my church and the Gates of Hell shall not Prevail against it. And at the church is going to stand the church is going to weather through this. I want to be a part of something that is going to last that is going to stand. I'm glad to be a part of the church. It's going to stand there was going to be a Remnant that will stand but with that Rimadyl always be a Temptation the devil is always after you to try to get you to lose your testimony. He's trying that he's always asked you try to pull something on you that you'll you'll fall for that will make you be not near as effective as God wants you to be and that's what's happening right here in this verse there's a Temptation and verse number 5 and so they try to get them to depend upon worldly methods of provision. They try to give them things from this world and you know, and they even try to change their name The King The King he tried to change Daniel's name, but he could not change Daniels character and Daniels character was true and you be careful right now. This world is trying to change what we are is a home is trying to change what we are as a church. You be very very careful about this. I'll be just wake up. Shut up, you know, the Godless will try to take the place of An Almighty God for God's people of the Bible says it is better to put trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. Don't put your confidence in man. Don't put your confidence in stimulus check. Hey, that's nice, but do not put your confidence in the Hat put your trust in the Lord trust in the Lord be very careful the Godless will try to make you think hey, I'll take care of you and everything is going to be just fine. But you keep looking to God the psalmist says I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help my Help Cometh From Above and I want you to see here that they didn't fall for this and I want you to see the resistance of The resistance of the remnant and burst number 8 the Bible says it says but Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself for the portion of the Kings made nor With the Wind would she drank therefore he requested of the prince of the units that he might not defile himself. Here's a purpose cart. Do you have a purpose to Art we dig down deep and you had you have a life it's this is driven by purpose. It's that comes from your heart and say what we we we got to have a heart check right now church. We got to dig down deep in in in in in Purpose Center hard the hey where we're going to go with God where his people we're going to put our trust in him, you know, Daniel he had a purpose card. He had rounded hat hearts come from from good habits. I believe he he, you know, the test is going to come in your life and and your testimony in that test will be determined really buy house. How you view right and wrong established in your heart? That's why it's so important for you to be grounded in the world right now need to be grounded in the word of God. The Bible says wherewithal shall young man cleanse his way by taking he there to according to the I wear with my whole heart have I stopped be I let me not Wonder from my precepts Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee get in the book get in the book get in the world right now purpose in your heart and he had a Daniel had that he had he had a purpose to are in the also had a he had a Pure Life. He had a Pure Life, you know, nobody's going to respect the purpose of your heart. If they can't see a Pure Life no one respects a purpose and tell you back up how you live. You can talk about it all day long, but until you back it up with how you live. You will not have the respect of this world. The world does not respect your talk, unless they see your walking I want to encourage is let's let's Actis bus practice the the truth in Matthew 5:16. The Bible says let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. You say you people out there delivering delivering the things for operation love thy neighbor and and helping out with that and and the meal delivery man your light shining your light shining bright. I tell your glorify your father which is having you keep that up. We need we need to keep doing that and using a platform of Good Works to deliver the gospel of Christ who lost the nine worlds and then we see here there's there's a resistance of the remnant then why say that they have a character to resist the change and if we look on down here in versus number 9 through 13, the Bible says now God had brought Daniel in the favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs in the price of a unit set on the Daniel. I fear my Lord the king who at the point of your meeting you're a drink and why should he see your face is worse liking than the children. Which are of your sword then see how you make me endanger my head to the king. I didn't said Daniel to two males are whom the prince of the units of set ever Daniel hananiah mishael and Azariah prove my servants. I beseech thee 10 days and let us give us pulse to eat and water to drink and then let our countless be looked upon before the and I countenance of the children was eating the portions of the king's mate. And as Elsie is deal with my servants. I want you to notice here. I want you noticed Daniels gracious gracious request. He graciously as he says hey, will you please just just just let us try this there was no anger hear there was no no hatred here, you know in this world. It's important to take the not only the right position but also to have the right disposition. It's very important. You know, I love him to the in John chapter 1 verse 14 the by Says that Jesus was full of grace and truth grace and truth. There's a good balance there, you know, sometimes I could be a person can be full of full truth, but not have any Grace for somebody sometimes somebody could be full of a lot of Grace but not have any truth. But we want to be full of grace and truth then have ate a right this disposition. And so Christian means means christ-like. So when we respond we must respond the right way and I love how Daniel handle this and he he was able to do what was right and he he did not defile his conscience, but he did this in the right way and he made this request. It was a gracious request and then also he has a goodly report and goodly report. He had a good testimony. He had a good testimony. You won't find any anything back. The scriptures about Daniel he had a good testimony in in chapter 6 verses 3 and 4 it talks about how they were trying to dig up some dirt on Daniel and that's what they want. They want to try to play want to get in front of the client's then and they couldn't they couldn't find anything on Daniel. The only way they could get in front of the lines then was to get to go its own word for something and I knew that was going to do is only the right thing is going to pray but it couldn't find it so that you know, the Bible says let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ have a behavior had a lifestyle without accusation and testimony Our Testimony should give people out there to see our life the right opinion about our God about who God is it when people say you're alive they should say hey, I'd like to know who his God is. I like to know more about his God. I don't know.

410 when when Daniel makes this request, there's a great concern from the unit and you know, don't be surprised. Don't be surprised when you when you when you live in a right way that that sometimes there's there's concern from the world. They don't they just don't understand that they don't get that like what are you doing and that's going to happen cuz that did not going to understand that but the important thing is is that you point you point them to Christ and you glorify God with your life and Daniel he was able to act according to his faith and he acted according to Faith by what's his face and stuff is things hoped for the evidence of things not saying let me tell you something your faith will get you through difficult times your faith will help you navigate this change you keep faith in God. You keep looking to God you keep looking to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith. And then we see now that character is this change the last scene I see a Victoria sending a Victoria sending here and verse number 15 in the Bible says at the end of ten days. They're counting. This is a peer Ferrer and fatter and Flash than all the children with Sid eat the portion of the king's meat. And God was pleased by their faith. The Bible says seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you the Bible says it like that self in the Lord and He will give you the desires of thine heart. They had a god-given favor. They had a god-given favor, you know, these these men and Daniel and his friends were faced with unbelievable circumstances. There was changed that was occurring all around them, but they stayed faithful to God. They stayed faithful to God God gave them favor. God utilize them in such a time as this and if you look on down here in verse number 21 The Bible says in Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus. He could have been killed in the Captivity. He could have been executed through this process. I've been making his request but you know, he triumphs he he was Victorious through this time greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. He was Victorious and the midst of change. I love this last statement. I'm going to close with this but a preacher wants said when God calls for chains, he is not looking for chameleons. He is looking for Champion and Mound City Baptist Church. Hey, Let's let's let's let's be aware. Let's be aware of what the precursors are. Okay, and unless let's let's stand up and be the rim that God has called us to be unless have a purpose in a heart and a character and unless let's let's have a character to resist change in which we can we can be victorious where more we are more than conquerors and be a champion be victorious through Christ and live by faith and live according to purpose and in these times that we live. I want to encourage you with that truth, and this sum midweek service. I love you all. I miss you, and I can't wait until we're all back together again, but I hope you have a great week. And will you guys have a good night? God bless you.