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Good morning. If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join us
in Daniel chapter 1. We are starting a new series, our fall series, as we're going to walk through
Daniel. If you do not have a Bible, that's okay. We have some available at the back after the
service. Come back there. Would love to be able to give you one. Please stop by there. Would love
to be able to gift you that, gift you a copy of God's Word so that you have that. Also, if you're
a first-time guest, we count it as a privilege and an honor that you are here worshiping with us
today. And so as well, my wife and I will be back at that black table at the end of the service. If
you wouldn't mind stopping by, we would love to meet you, and just thank you for personally being here
and worshiping with us today. So with that said, I'm going to read Daniel chapter 1 verse 8 to you
this morning. It says,
but Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food or with the wine
that he drank. Therefore, he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
Would you pray with me? God, we come to you this morning, Lord, we thank you for a beautiful,
wonderful time of worship. God, we thank you for the truth of those songs that while sometimes,
Lord, our reality does not feel like the things that you have for us are good,
our reality may want to deceive us from what is going on, our perception of reality, Lord. We
can know and we can trust in the truth of your Word and the truth of who you are, God,
to know that you have the plans for us, to use us for your name and for your kingdom.
God, I pray that as we study your Word this morning, I pray that it would penetrate to the very
heart of who we are. God, that we would experience conviction over our sin. God, that we would be
drawn to the sweet spot of repentance. Lord, if there's anyone here that does not know Jesus Christ
as their Lord and Savior, today would be the day of their salvation. So, God, may these not be the
words that I want to speak or that I want to share, God, but may it be the truth of your Word.
Lord, and may I be faithful in communicating. We ask all these things in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Amen. Well, we are getting started in this new series. If you're new with this, it's already coming
maybe this summer or maybe this is your first week. When we do a study through the book of the Bible,
we will do that. We will study the entire book. We're going to work chapter by chapter,
verse by verse, through Daniel. A couple of things. I want to kind of take this week and give us an
introduction into the book of Daniel. A couple of things that I want you guys to know as we go
through this book. Number one is that there's five books in the Bible that are considered major
prophets. All right, we got Isaiah, Jeremiah with lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. But Daniel is a
little unique and a little different than the other major prophets that we see in Scripture. Now,
there's major prophets and minor prophets. It doesn't mean that major prophets have the major
announcements and the minor prophets have minors. It just deals with the amount of information in
which they are sharing. So these will fall into our longer books, the major prophets will be. Now,
some things about Daniel that I think are very interesting and of note, some things that I learned
this week as we were studying and preparing for this message, and that the book of Daniel contains the
most fulfilled prophecies of any book of the Bible. All right, so all of the prophetic books, the prophecies
in them have happened, or we are confident they will happen. But of all the prophecies that have
currently been fulfilled, Daniel has the most of those. And when we look at the New Testament prophecy of
that that's quoted, Daniel is quoted more than any other Old Testament book. And so this is what we
see from Daniel. So this is a very important book. But I was talking to one of our church members this week,
and he said, you know, I'm preparing to kind of walk through this with this small group. He's reading
through this, and he said, you know, I was very comfortable and very confident in Daniel's chapter
one through six. And then he said, and then I got to chapter seven, and I was like, wow. All right. And so
that would probably fall with most of us in here, right? And the reason being is Daniel is divided into
two sections. And so chapters one through six, which will take about half of the time for us to get
through, are going to deal with the man Daniel. They're going to deal, actually start off with
teenage boy Daniel, and we're going to see Daniel grow in a narrative about Daniel's obedience to God.
So it's a very common of what we've seen as we've studied through different Old Testament books of
the Bible. We'll see a narrative, a historical narrative of inspired God's word about this
boy who grew into a man, Daniel, and his faithful obedience to God. And then what we'll find in
chapters seven through 12, we'll deal with the message of Daniel, because Daniel is a prophet.
And we'll deal with the message of Daniel, an apocalyptic vision that God gives Daniel.
And I hope that you will commit with me to not do any deep dives on YouTube, right, to kind of figure
out what some of this stuff is talking about. But we'll journey through this together. I read a pastor
who was preaching this, and here's what he said, and this pastor, the message that I read, he preached
in 19, October 21st, 1979. If you were alive on October 21st, 1979, raise your hand.
My people. All right, so here we go. Here's what he said.
The book of Daniel tells me how to live for God in this evil age. And it tells me what it will be like
when I live with God in that golden age. The beauty of the hope of the book of Daniel.
The beauty of the hope of Scripture. Of what it is like, whether it's 1979, 1939, or today.
What it is like to live for God in this age. All but the beauty of what it'll be to live with God
in the time to come. So the first two verses are very important in Daniel. And so I want us to read
this to kind of understand the setting. Sometimes in these Old Testament books, they're different than
our New Testament letters, where we jump into a New Testament letter, and it's reading the letter.
But in this, we're reading a historical aspect of this as well. So we kind of jump into the story. So
let's look at these. Daniel chapter 1, verses 1 and 2.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem
and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand
With some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house
of his God, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his God. So very important, a theme that we're going to
see throughout Daniel. A theme that we're going to see in the historical aspect of the life of Daniel,
chapters 1 through 6, and what we'll see through the vision and the prophecy of Daniel in 7 through 12,
is the sovereign purpose of God. The sovereign purpose of God. Now this is a theme throughout all
of Scripture. Absolutely. It's a theme in Genesis. When we studied it, it's a theme as we look toward
any part of Scripture of what we did. It's God's sovereign purpose that God is implementing in here.
And so what God does is he gives us kind of two pictures of what is happening here in this opening
of Daniel. Verse 1 gives us a very important historical context of what we see. In the third year
of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem
and besieged it. This is a historical statement of fact. So nearly 600 years before the coming of
Christ is what we see happening here in verse 1. Now what has been happening to lead up to this,
it would take a year's worth of Sundays to walk all the way through this. But God has been warning
his people through what God does, through the prophets, before that if they do not repent,
if they do not turn, if they not come back to him, if they do not obey, then God will judge them.
And that God's judgment is going to come in the form of captivity.
And so this will happen historically through three major attacks that we see here. The first in 605 BC,
597, and then the third in 587. And this is historical record. This is important for us. If you're here,
if you're curious about our faith, if you're here and you're skeptical about our faith, can I tell you
that our Word, the Word of God, is not written with mythologies and stories that are made up by the hand of the author
that created them. But what we see is the very true, living, powerful Word of God
and that what we find in this is the accuracy of historical record.
And so as we come through, we know that this happens and that this takes place and you can go
study the Jewish historians, you can study modern-day historians and see that these events happened.
We get the historical context. God's people have rebelled, God's people have rebelled,
God's people have rebelled. They face the judgment. This happens through a historical event
of the captivity that we find. Jehoiakim is weak. He's ungodly.
Nebuchadnezzar is the pagan king of Babylon.
So in the leadership of what we see in the very early introduction
is not great.
But then verse 2 gives us
the theological context
of Daniel.
It gives us
what we as Christians
can hold to
and can claim.
I love the
song
that our worship team
led us through.
He has good plans for me.
Whether deserts or garden.
Whether feast or famine.
And this is the truth of what we're reminded of here in verse 2.
And the Lord
gave
and the Lord
gave
Jehoiakim
king
of Judah
into
his hand.
this is important.
This is important.
As we look at the sovereign plan,
and I hope you all may join us
each and every week
as we journey through this.
God said,
look how powerful
I am
for my good
and sovereign
purposes.
God's been saying
through his prophets,
listen to me,
listen to me.
But they would not listen.
They would not.
In fact,
2 Chronicles
36-16
describes
the response
of God's people
to his prophets.
Let's look at this.
but they kept
mocking
the messengers
of God,
despising
his words
and scoffing
at his prophets
until
the wrath
of the Lord
rose
against
his people
until
there was no
remedy.
Don't mock
God.
Listen to
his word.
Do what
he's called
you to do.
It's his people.
This is who
we're to be.
And what we see
here is
God says
what he'll do.
Like this
should not come
as surprise.
This should not come
as I didn't see
this coming.
Like when we look
at God's word
and the expectations
and the hope
that we find
from him
and his grace
and his mercy
of what he desires
and longs
to do for you
and to do for I.
And this is what
he's called us to.
But here's what
God says he'll do.
Jeremiah 25-9
Therefore,
thus says the Lord
of hosts,
because you have
not obeyed my words,
behold,
I will send
for all the tribes
of the north
declares the Lord
and for Nebuchadnezzar
the king of Babylon
my servant
and I will bring them
against this land
and its inhabitants
and against all these
surrounding nations.
I will devote them
to destruction
and make them a horror,
a hissing
and an everlasting
desolation.
God says,
look,
I've been telling you,
I've been telling you
and here's
what I'm going
to do.
Mark Hood
and I
were talking this morning.
Mark
is teaching
a Christian ethics class.
If you weren't here
for nine o'clock,
you missed out
in discipleship time.
I'm in Tim Stewart's
scribbling
in the sand study.
There's several studies
that we've got going on.
You want to get connected
in one of these.
Mark's teaching
the Christian ethics
and I was talking through
just this morning
when I took my
Christian ethics class
in seminary
and all we kind of
navigated through
within here
and I remember
in a theology class
that I took,
we would have this
conversation of,
you know,
what can't God do?
And sometimes
we would get into
these silly
like narratives
with people,
right?
Like,
can God create
a boulder
so big
that even God
can't move it,
right?
And you become
this dog
chasing your tail
in this scenario
trying to rationalize
through these things.
But there is
one thing
that Scripture
shares with us
that God cannot do.
That God cannot act
contrary
to his own character
and nature.
Right?
And here's how
that plays out
for us.
And these are good things.
This isn't showing
the weakness of God.
This is showing
the holy power
of God.
That God cannot sin
because God is holy.
So take that off.
Like,
what you and I
are really good
and capable at
of sinning,
God cannot sin
because God is holy.
Specifically within that,
what we'll see this morning,
is God cannot lie
because God is truth.
So if God says something,
then what God is communicating
is truth.
And then within there,
God cannot overlook sin.
And there must be penalty.
There must be payment for that.
And praise God for us.
What we know
is that's the whole point
of the cross.
That God couldn't overlook
your sin and my sin.
So what he did
is he sent his son
to die on the cross
for our sin.
Because he is holy
and he is just.
And so what we see
within this,
what this means
is that what God
has done in this,
if you're like,
this seems harsh,
this seems a little bit
strong-armed right here
that the Lord God
gave over his people
to a savage,
ruthless nation.
But what it means
is that what God
has done is right.
God cannot bypass
their sin.
God says what he's
going to do
and then God does it.
So historically speaking,
verse one happens
and then theologically speaking,
verse two happens
which means when we look
at the sovereign purpose
of God
is that this did not happen
through military cunning
or schemes of man
or earthly power
of the sword.
By the very hand
of God,
the Babylonians
besiege
God's people.
there's a big purpose.
There's a great narrative
that's playing out
both in these evil times
and the times to come.
And it's the power
of the hand of God
and the sovereign plans
of his purpose.
there's another aspect
of what God
cannot do
that I want to reference
in God not acting,
that God can't act
contrary to his character
and his nature
is we've said sometimes
and I've said this
and this has really challenged
the things that we say
and what we mean
when we say them
but I know
that I've said before
that God thinks
differently
than we do.
God thinks differently
than we do
but here's
it's a half truth
it's a partial truth
it's maybe not
communicating effectively
what we need it
to communicate
but here's the truth
about God's ability
to think
is that God
doesn't just
simply think
differently
than we do
but God
can't think
the way
that we do.
and that's not
because God
is limited
it's because
you and I
are limited.
See the Bible
tells us
that God
is omniscient
that God
knows everything.
There isn't
a detail
past
present
or future
that isn't
known
by God
which means
it's not just
that God
doesn't think
the way
that we do
but God
can't think
the way
that we do.
You see
you and I
what we do
is we operate
in a millifraction
of knowledge
and that's
a gross
estimation
of the knowledge
that you
and I
have.
We have a millifraction
of the knowledge
of the past
we have a millifraction
of the knowledge
of the present
but the reality
is we know
none of the future
but that's not
how God works
and that's not
how God
operates
and that's not
who God
is.
God's not
operating
in the what-ifs
that God's
knowledge
is full
God knows
all past
God knows
all future
God knows
all present
and so all
that God
knows
and operates
is based
off of the
fullness
of that
and the
Lord gave
Jehoiakim
king of Judah
into his
hand
and then
when we add
into that
the fact
that God
is also
omnipotent
that he
is the
ultimate
power
that what
we see
in the
context
of this
verse
the Lord
gave
Jehoiakim
king of
Judah
into his
hand
through the
holy
all-knowing
all-powerful
hand
of God
this is
what happens
and then
here's a
little bit
of the
comedic
irony
of what
we see
happen
and take
place
in this
that when
Nebuchadnezzar
back to this
passage
in chapter
two
in verse
two
that when
Nebuchadnezzar
besieged
Jerusalem
it says
that he
took
vessels
from the
house of
God
and placed
them
in the
treasury
of his
God
now
why
would
a pagan
king
go into
the house
of God
take
a
sacred
item
or sacred
items
out
and then
place
those items
into his
place
of worship
is he trying
to add
to the
collection
is he trying
to add
to the
gods
that he
serves
like
what is
happening
here
of what
he's
trying
to do
in his
lostness
and his
arrogance
here's
exactly
what he's
doing
it was
the
practice
of a
lot
of
ancient
kings
and
rulers
but
specifically
with
the
Babylonians
that
when
they
conquered
and
overtook
a
nation
especially
people
of
another
pagan
religion
or
true
religion
that
they
would
take
items
that
were
sacred
that
they
held
special
meaning
for
them
and
they
would
place
them
in
their
temple
of
their
god
as
a
symbol
a
symbol
to
show
how
much
more
powerful
their
made
up
false
god
was
than
the
other
god
and
so
can
you
imagine
the
irony
of
what
we
see
and
the
lord
gave
him
over
the
power
of
god
and
nebuchadnezzar
is
blinded
to
it
but
what
we're
going
to
continue
to
see
throughout
this
is
the
blindness
of
those
far
from
god
to
the
truth
of
who
god
is
and
what
it
will
mean
when
the
men
and
women
of
god
stand
firm
in
who
their
god
is
can
you
imagine
being
the
people
of
god
what
you
see
playing
out
before
you
your
reality
god
said
he
would
do
this
and
we
didn't
listen
and
he
did
and
he
did
but
it
continues
verses
three
through
seven
it's
got
some
names
pray
for
me
we
will
read
these
in
the
original
language
with
a
thick
southern
accent
all
right
then
the
king
commanded
Ashpenaz
his
chief
eunuch
to
bring
some
of
the
people
of
Israel
both
of
the
royal
family
and
of
the
nobility
youths
without
blemish
of
good
appearance
and
skillful
in
all
wisdom
endowed
with
knowledge
understanding
learning
and
competent
to
stand
in
the
king's
palace
and
to
teach
them
the
literature
and
language
of
the
Chaldeans
the
king
assigned
them
a
daily
portion
of
the
food
that
the
king
ate
in
the
wine
that
he
drank
they
were
to
be
educated
for
three
years
and
at
the
end
of
that
time
they
were
to
stand
before
the
king
among
these
were
Daniel
Hananiah
Mishael
and
Azariah
of the
tribe
of
Judah
and
the
chief
of
the
eunuchs
gave
them
names
Daniel
he
called
Belteshazzar
Hananiah
he
called
Shadrach
Mishael
he
called
Meshach
Azariah
he
called
Abednego
so the
Babylonians
it's another
practice
not only
would they
take
artifacts
but they
would take
people
they would
take people
and they
take
specific
people
scripture
tells us
that they
took some
members of
the royal
family
and nobility
so the
people that
they are
taking
from the
very
get-go
or the
who's
who
of
Judah
they
take
people
though
the
who's
who
with
certain
characteristics
they
take
teenagers
who
are
fit
who
are
intelligent
who
are
skilled
they
take
individuals
who
they
see
could
at
one
day
and
one
point
in
time
stand
in
the
king's
court
you see
here's
what
Nebuchadnezzar
does
he
takes
the
future
leaders
of
tomorrow
from
Jerusalem
and he
brings
them
remember
there's
going to
be
three
attacks
and
at
the
very
beginning
he
takes
the
cream
of
the
crop
the
best
of
the
best
and
his
goal
his
goal
is to
compromise
or to
change
them
not
to
kill
them
and
here
and here
is
what
we
know
is that
Nebuchadnezzar
what he
is working
in
is if
I can
separate
these
people
from
one
another
from
their
God
from
their
purpose
from
their
identity
then
I
will
have
destroyed
who
they
were
but
built
into
them
who
we
are
so
feel
very
similar
to how
the
enemy
attacks
us
as
well
Satan
desires
to
attack
you
to
destroy
you
to
change
you
so
that
you
no
longer
resemble
who
you
are
but
you
resemble
not
even
him
but
our
perception
of the
world
and it's
what we
see
in the
strategy
of
Nebuchadnezzar
so
Satan
and
Nebuchadnezzar's
goal
is to
change
who they
were
to
change
who we
are
and he
does
so
in
four
ways
four
ways
that
we
see
that
took
place
and
that
happened
all
the way
back
to
the
time
of
Daniel
and
that
happened
and
take
place
all
the way
in the
time
of
today
the
first
is
through
isolation
through
isolation
it
would
probably
would
have
been
easier
to
set
up
a
place
there
to
expand
the
kingdom
and
to
build
future
rulers
there
but
that's
not
what
he
does
what
he
takes
them
he
removes
them
from
his
people
and
he
brings
them
back
to
him
he
wants
to
isolate
them
from
one
another
okay
the
same
practice
of
what
we
see
today
the
less
and
less
we
gather
the
less
and
less
we
come
together
the
less
and
less
we
sit
across
the
table
the
less
and
less
we
break
bread
with
one
another
the
less
and
less
we
begin
to
miss
out
on
what
acts
shows
us
in
the
discipleship
of
the
community
of
the
people
of
God
the
more
and
more
that
we
allow
the
world
to
isolate
from
us
the
deeper
in
the
enemy
begins
to
sink
his
hand
into
us
Nebuchadnezzar
took
him
out
and
drew
him
in
the
next
thing
that
we
see
here
is
indoctrination
very
subtle
he
wanted
them
to
learn
their
language
and
their
literature
their
language
and
their
literature
right
so
he's
going
to
teach
them
the
Babylonian
way
he's
going
to
teach
them
the
pagan
way
and
wired
into
this
would
have
included
their
religion
for
most
part
of
the
existence
of
the
world
this
is
the
education
process
that
we've
seen
play
out
amongst
the
world's
religions
we want
to
teach
you
want
to
speak
we're
going
to
do
so
through
our
religion
and this
is what
happens
and takes
place
he wants
to
indoctrinate
them
he wants
the things
that are being
said
and the
thinking
of what
is
around
them
to become
more and
more
comfortable
with who
they are
instead of
being
the
missionaries
in the
culture
he wants
them
to be
indoctrinated
into
the
culture
the
third
thing
that he
does
is
assimilation
verse
five
look back
at that
with me
it
sounds
kind
of like
he's
being a
good
host
and the
king
assigned
them
a daily
portion
of the
food
that
the
king
ate
and the
wine
that
he
drank
okay
all right
well
does this
what's he
doing
is he
being the
good
host
is he
saying
what's
good
enough
for me
is good
enough
for my
guests
and this
is what
I want
you to
do
I want
you to
eat
and drink
like a
Babylonian
you see
God
had given
his people
dietary
laws
and God
said this is the
way that you
will eat
this is the
way that you
will drink
this is what
is good
and right
and holy
and acceptable
to me
and that
would not
have been
the way
of the
Babylonians
so let's
change
where you're
at
let's
change
the way
that you
think
let's
change
the
moral
compass
that is
in you
so that
what they
would begin
to see
is
conversion
from these
boys
to change
at the
core
who
they
are
one of the
things I think
is pretty neat
about our
youth group
and I
saw this
happen but I
never kind of put
the two and two
together
until like this
summer when it
was kind of
fully explained
to me
so it gets
complicated
in there
when you've
got like 60
kids
and two of
them have
the same
name
right
you're like
Emma
which one
you know
like it just
begins to
happen
so what
happens is
in a fun
way that
the kids
love is
that like
the first
one kind
of keeps
their name
and then
the second
one gets
a nickname
right
and then
you kind
of move
forward
and it's
been funny
for me
it's like
okay
I know
what they
call this
person
but you're
gonna have
to help
me remember
their name
because I
gotta talk
to their
mom and
dad about
something
and I
can't
walk up
and say
whatever
the nickname
is
right
but they
change
and there's
almost like
a badge
of pride
within that
of this
is who
I am
I'm here
and now
this is
what I've
become
but in
here in
this name
it's not
just changing
the way
that people
will see
them
but they're
trying to
change
at their
very identity
of who
they are
of how
they see
themselves
and in
that culture
more so
than our
culture
especially
names
meant
something
names
meant
everything
and so
the very
last thing
that we
read
in verse
7
the chief
eunuch
gave them
names
he took
Daniel
whose
name
means
Elohim
is
judge
imagine
that
imagine
every time
you hear
your name
what you're
reminded
of
is my
judge
is God
and they
change
his name
to
Belteshazzar
a Babylonian
name
they take
Hananiah
whose name
means
Yahweh
is gracious
Yahweh
I'm sorry
Hananiah
and you're
in that
Yahweh
is gracious
he becomes
Shadrach
they take
Mishael
the name
who means
who is
like
God
and they
changed
his name
to
Meshach
they take
Azariah
God
helps
Elohim
helps
and they
change
his name
to Abednego
now
the names
that they're
given
we don't
know
our language
our translators
have a hard
time explaining
fully
what these
Babylonian
names mean
there's different
theories of
exactly what
they mean
but here's
what we
do know
all of
their pagan
names
give honor
to the
pagan gods
of the
Babylonians
they say
we want to
take
at your
core
who you
are
is wired
to live
for your
God
and we
want to
change you
to the
very
fiber
of your
being
of who
you are
so that
when you
hear your
name
you do
not
think
my
God
is my
judge
but when
you hear
your name
you think
of the
praise
of the
pagan
worship
of this
world
the plan
of the
Babylonians
is the
plan
of Satan
today
if I
can get
my
hand
on you
all
I
need
you
to
do
is
compromise
is
compromise
all I
need you
to do
is
waiver
and I'll
begin
to
discredit
so the
attack
can I
isolate
you
from the
people
of God
the
indoctrination
can I
bring
into you
not the
wisdom
of the
word
but the
false
intellect
of the
world
can I
assimilate
you
from the
holiness
and the
disciplines
that God
has called
you to
into the
practices
of the
world
here is
the question
that I
have
for you
this
morning
is that
as you
and I
live
in a
world
very
similar
very
similar
to the
time of
Daniel
very
similar
to
1979
that
when
the
midst
of
the
evil
of
this
world
how
do
we
stand
firm
in
our
conviction
how do
we
stand
firm
in
the
holiness
of
God
and
who
he
is
it's
will
you
and
I
trust
in
the
sovereign
plan
of
a
holy
all
knowing
all
powerful
God
in
where
he
has
placed
us
Jesus
and
his
prayer
tells
the
father
asked
for
the
father
to
strengthen
us
with
his
spirit
so
that
we
will
not
be
compromised
in
the
world
that
we
live
in
but
that
we
will
see
ourselves
as
sent
ones
by
God
to
this
evil
place
in
this
evil
time
to
live
for
his
name
and
his
glory
so
that
others
might
come
to
know
him
and
we
learn
a lesson
that will
continue
on
a lesson
that I
hope
penetrates
deep
into
your
being
from
Daniel
look at
verse
eight
all
of
the
pressure
14
years
old
taken
away
from
home
taken
away
from
his
place
in
society
taken
away
from
all
that
he
knows
of
all
that's
influenced
him
but
Daniel
resolved
that
he
would
not
defile
himself
with
the
king's
food
or
with
the
wine
that
he
drank
therefore
he
asked
the
chief
of
the
eunuchs
to
allow
him
not
to
defile
himself
God
is
holy
all
knowing
all
powerful
in
the
life
and
plan
of
Daniel
then
God
has
placed
Daniel
here
for
a
purpose
and
for
a
reason
and
Daniel
has
to
make
a
choice
the
world
or
God
and
he
resolves
no
matter
what
it
may
cost
no
matter
what
it
may
require
God
I
stand
firm
and
God
you
are
faithful
that's
14
years
old
if
God
is
holy
all
knowing
and
all
powerful
in
the
life
and
plan
of
you
and
me
then
God
has
placed
us
here
for
the
divine
purpose
have
you
made
the
same
choice
God
I
plant
my
feet
on the
foundation
of your
word
God
I
plant
my
life
in
the
call
of
Christ
God
I
give
myself
to
you
what
this
world
has
may
be
enticing
but
God
I
stake
my
claim
on
you
whether
you're
14
44
or
94
what
resolve
do
we
claim
in
Christ
we're
going to
see
over the
next
few
weeks
months
some
insanely
crazy
events
happen
and take
place
we're
going to
be
looking
back
at
an
event
that
took
place
in
the
past
and
drawing
it
to
the
present
for
us
we're
going
to
be
looking
at
promises
of
the
future
and
bringing
them
to
the
present
of
the
hope
that
we
have
in
Christ
of
what
we
of
what
he
will
do
but
not
just
in
Daniel
but
in
every
study
and
every
moment
that
we
do
will
you
and
I
trust
not
in
the
circumstances
not
in
the
details
but
in
the
sovereign
plan
of
holy
all
knowing
all
powerful
God
or
will
we
compromise
may
we
be
a
people
of
faith
in
Christ
in
Christ
alone
who
stand
firm
in
him
would
you
pray
with
me
God
we
thank you
for the
beauty
of what
I was
reminded
this
morning
of
not
just
your
word
but
the
beauty
of
who
you
are
the
beauty
of
your
kindness
and
your
compassion
the
beauty
of how
you
work
and
move
that
God
we
are
not
on
a
planet
that
is
spiraling
and
turning
out
of
control
but
we're
in
a
place
in
a
purpose
living
a
life
that
is
held
very
securely
and
very
wonderfully
in
the
hand
of
God
I
pray
that
as
we
go
through
this
God
through
the
power
of
your
Holy
Spirit
you'll
convict
our
hearts
you'll
open
our
eyes
to
see
have
we
become
people
of
compromise
instead
of
being
the
light
into
the
world
have
we
gone
into
and
taken
on
the
darkness
of
this
world
do
we
have
the
faith
of
this
young
boy
who
says
when the
world
is
drawing
me
and the
world
is
enticing
me
and the
world
is
luring
me
with all
that it
has to
offer
God
I
choose
you
I
stand
firm
in you
I
stand
confident
in
you
and
God
that we
can
trust
we
can
trust
that
you
have
good
plans
and
we
get to
see
what
they
are
God
if
there's
anyone
here
who
does
not
know
Christ
as
their
Lord
and
Savior
God
I
pray
that
today
would
be
the
day
that
as
Daniel's
identity
was
found
in
God
today
will
be
the
day
that
their
identity
is
found
in
you
that
is
found
in
Christ
it's
found
in
Christ
alone
that
as
we
looked
at
sin
that
in
your
justice
in
your
righteousness
where
we
all
stand
in
path
of
your
judgment
but
through
the
work
of
Christ
on
the
cross
of
Calvary
Christ
took
our
penalty
he
took
our
punishment
that
we
deserved
so that
we might
have
forgiveness
we
might
have
life
in
you
and in
you
alone
God
will
respond
this
morning
in
how
your
spirit
leads
us
in
Jesus
name
we
pray
amen
that's
it
for
this
week's
message
be
sure
to
check
back
next
week
for
a
new
episode
and
in
the
meantime
you
can
visit
us
online
at
willowridgechurch.org
or by
searching
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Church
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thanks
again
for
listening
Thank you.