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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 5. That's where we will be this morning. We'll cover the entirety of that chapter.
If you're one of our first-time guests, thank you so much for being here. At the end of the service,
we would love it if you would bless us with this one act. If you wouldn't mind coming back to this
connect table back here to my left, I'll be back there along with my wife. We would love to meet you,
to thank you for being here, for worshiping with us, to learn your name. And then if you have any
questions about us, about who we are as a church, who I am as a pastor, about the ministries of our
church, we would be more than happy to help answer those questions. And if you would like to get
connected in any way, to get you connected as well. Also, as we're turning there in our Bibles, if you
do not have a Bible, we have some free ones that are back there as well. We'd love for you, whether
you're a visitor, whether you're a member, whether you've been coming for several weeks, stop by and get
one of those. We want everybody to have a copy of God's Word, and so please stop by and do that. I got a lot of
papers kind of out here. I preach off out of my Bible and off of my iPad, but I feel like I'm back
in eighth grade and I get an open notes test. So I've got a couple things I want to go over really
quickly. Next week, during our studies that we have, we take a break in between, and we don't
take a break and not gather at 9 a.m. We still gather at 9 a.m. for discipleship. But what Pastor Dave's
been working with is men and women in our congregation have been coming forward and sharing their story in
Christ and different aspects of that. Some of them, it has involved their salvation story in
that alone. For others, it's been other aspects for that. And it's been a wonderful time. I've been
blessed over and over and over again by coming in and hearing stories, honestly, that most of them
I've already heard. But to hear them in this format and in this place is a huge blessing to us as a
church. And next week, we'll have Jackie Branham. We'll be coming forward to share. Jackie's just such a
wonderful woman of God, such a beautiful Bible teacher, that you will definitely be blessed to
be here. And most of you probably know who Jackie is. Most of you have heard part, some of her story.
But I would encourage you to be here, and you will be encouraged by the Lord through Jackie as she
faithfully shares. With that being said, on October 12th, we will start our new studies. And
discipleship's important. Like gathering and worship, that's important with what we're about to do
in God's Word, but be able to sit in a room, in a community, in a dynamic with other people of faith, to be
able to talk about the things of God, to be able to study God's Word. We highly value, we continue on with
our small groups, if you want to get connected in a small group. But for Sunday morning, we do that during
the nine o'clock hour as well. For our kids, for our youth upstairs, our young adults, our adults, we've got
all types of things that you can gather and that you can connect with. And on this page, there are those
that are available, the description of those different studies, who is teaching them, if there's
a book that you want to walk through. So just glancing through this really quickly, we've got some
parenting ones. We have a conversation that's continuing on in Daniel where we talk about, continue to talk
about the Old Testament, a way to share the gospel and to reach people in your community with where
you are. And so, and then there's some on the back. And so, please, we want you to absolutely connect and
be a part of one of those studies. And you do not have to be a member of our church to get connected
in one of those. And then almost last, next to last, the Harvest Hangout, we are going to be gathering
together at the end, I'm sorry, November 2nd, the first Sunday evening in October. We'll be gathered
in our parking lot with an opportunity to fellowship and have community with one another, but also as an
opportunity to bless the community in which God has placed this church and to hopefully have
opportunities to share the gospel with people. So really impressive on you. We've got these smaller
cards that are at the exits as you leave today. Grab some of these and please give them out. You can
grab one, you can grab two, you can grab a handful. I saw somebody last week just encouraged my heart
so much. As they were walking by, they showed them to me and then turned it right here and I saw that
they had a stack and they gave me a thumbs up. And so we want you to go and invite people. You can
invite your people that you know that have a church home and that's great, but we are really looking for
for those as well that do not have a church home, do not know the Lord, and we're looking for
opportunities. The event is completely free, all right? Candy, popcorn, hot dogs, snow cones, games,
hayride, and against my better judgment, and it was my idea, a Dunkin' booth, that I'm trying to
figure out how to get Dave in it and not me. But we will have a Dunkin' booth as well. So this event is
for all ages, okay? So from the youngest of the young to the most experienced of experienced,
all right? This event is for all ages and so we would love for you to come and to be a part and
to play the games and to walk around and to talk and fellowship would be absolutely wonderful. And then
I know the announcement said you can email Dave, but we are working really hard to try to make sure that
we have enough trunks for our games and candy and all those things. And so if you would like to be a part of
that ministry and do that for that Sunday night, please stop by. Dave will be at the connection
table also at the end of the service. You can ask him questions. You can say we're in. We would love
for you to partner with us in that in that way if you possibly could. The last thing before we get
into Daniel. Last thing, y'all know Pastor Sam came and he shared a few weeks ago. If you don't know
who Pastor Sam is, he's one of our missionaries that we work with and he works in India. And over the
last couple of weeks, just ask for me to share and we'll be praying for this. India is definitely a
persecuted country where you can be arrested, you can be martyred for your faith. And within the
last couple of weeks, a couple of churches in the city, which he ministers in during their Sunday
gatherings during their worship services, radicals invaded, assaulted the women,
beat on the men and the pastors. Some of them were taken away. And so it's very a heightened
place. It's a stressful place. And Sam will be returning on Tuesday. And so we're going to pray
for him and pray for us as we go into God's word. But please keep that prayer close to your
heart and continue to lift up. Not just Sam, but all of the churches there in India, all the churches
all over the world. And so a verse for them for encouragement, a verse for us for encouragement.
This morning as we get into Daniel 5, I want to go back to that. I feel like it's been the driving
verse so far for us through seven weeks as we've been walking through Daniel. And it's Daniel chapter
1 verse 8. But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food or with the king's
wine that he drank. Would you pray with me? God, we thank you for this time where we can gather together.
God, the truth of the song that we sang.
For your glory and our good.
God, sometimes standing in resolve, it's hard to see our good.
So, Lord, we cling to the promise of your word.
We cling to knowing that our faithfulness brings glory to you.
So, God, I pray for the faithfulness of the men and women
in India and all over this world who face persecution because of their faith.
God, I pray for every individual here
who fights against
the draw of the world to stand faithful and
where you have them placed as men and women of God.
God, that we will live boldly for your glory and know that you work and it is for our good.
God, as we study your word in Daniel this morning,
Lord, I pray that it would not be my words, but it would be your word.
Lord, I pray that it would draw us closer to you.
And Lord, if there's anyone here who does not know Christ as their Lord and Savior,
that today would be the day of their salvation.
We ask all these things in Jesus and we pray. Amen.
Well, there's been a theme so far in Daniel.
And the theme is, there's been many themes, but a theme I want to point out and point to this
morning is that God is faithful to both use you where he has you and while using you where he has you,
he's preparing you for what he has next for you.
God is faithful to use you right where he has you, and while he's using you for his glory,
God is preparing you for what he has next for you.
I don't know if you've ever walked through a season of trial, a season of difficulty,
a season of famine, a season of suffering, but when we walk through these times together,
when we walk through these times with the Lord, when we walk through this,
what we can be reminded of in stories like the story of Daniel is that there's this man who resolved
Daniel 1:8 in spite of the difficulty of what he could face, that he stood and he stood firm and
God used him. And we saw how God used him. And Daniel spoke and spoke as a man of faith,
spoke as a man of hope, spoke as a man of God. And God used him and he prepared him and he poured
into and influenced others around him. And they stood and they were faithful and God was faithful.
And then time continues on and continues on and continues on. And what we saw last week,
some of the fruitfulness of the work of God through his servant Daniel is that the madman Nebuchadnezzar
comes to faith. He comes to faith. The story of the world would thought would never be true.
But Nebuchadnezzar places his faith in God. And now we come to chapter 5 and we'll see how God's been
working, how God's been moving, how God's been building. And Daniel, not because Daniel is some
great man of character of what he's determined within himself. But Daniel, the man of God,
resolves himself to be obedient to the God who loves him and is faithful to him.
We'll stand firm in a moment when literally Daniel stands firm when everything around him
begins to collapse. I majored in history in college and
so chapters like this where we find in the text, they fascinate me. Some of you may like more of
the poetry, but when I see the history of the world as told right here in the historical
account of scripture, it fascinates me. And what we find here in Daniel chapter 5 is we see
the historical account of the end of the Babylonian empire. And the Bible is always
a historical account. So when we read through scriptures, these are real people in real places
in real time and historical events are taking place. Now we may see things that your brain is
saying, well, this is the supernatural. Well, how could this be? Because it's the work of God. It
doesn't make it not true. It doesn't make it that someone sat there and created this. This is a true
story. The Bible, while it does not tell all of the events of history, every event that we find
in the Bible is of historical record. In fact, in the history of all the archaeological digs that have
ever taken place, there's never been one moment where they've uncovered something that discredits
the Bible. In fact, the exact opposite. So what you will read in chapter 5, we'll work all the way
through it, is a real event happening in a real time to real people. And God takes it not just from
the history pages of the world, but he plants it right here in his very word for us to be able to read.
So let's read verses 1 through 4, Daniel chapter 5.
King Belshazzar made a great feast for thousands of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.
Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar,
his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, be brought that the king and his lords,
notice this, pay attention to these nouns, that his lords, his wives and his concubines
might drink from them.
Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem,
and the kings and his lords, his wives and his concubines drank from them.
They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron and stone.
We want to begin here by looking at the folly of man.
By looking at the folly of man.
I told you from the beginning, what we are walking into here in Daniel chapter 5 is the fall of the great world empire of Babylon.
But we step into a party.
We step into a party where destruction is going to take place.
Now, as we've walked through the verses each week of Daniel, we have now moved from Nebuchadnezzar as ruler to a man known as Belshazzar.
Now, Belshazzar is the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.
And if you're like, we'll pause, Bo, just there for a second.
It said right here that his father had taken out of the temple.
And yes, it says father, but when we look and understand through other passages, we see that it is his grandson and that there is no word in the original language for grandfather.
So we're seeing some generations of things that have passed, and this is important, all right?
About 70 years have passed from Daniel 1 to Daniel 5.
About 70 years has passed.
And so from the ruling of Nebuchadnezzar to Belshazzar, the empire of Babylon has continued to decline as it expands.
It's declined morally.
It's experienced some decline politically.
And history tells us that there are aspects where it's declining through its military powers as well.
Between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, there are four other rulers that span between them.
That the book of Daniel does not give us, but we can see from other passages of Scripture and from history as well.
And these four other rulers have largely and did not all, but most as a result of assassinations.
And all these events from the death of Nebuchadnezzar to the events of Daniel 5 have been about 23 years.
So 70 years from Daniel 1 to Daniel 5, about 23 years, the best that I could work, my limited math capabilities from Daniel 4 to Daniel 5.
If you do a different math and it comes out different, let's just agree that we're a little close, all right?
So we step into this feast.
Step into this feast.
All around Babylon, there are attacks that are happening.
We said that the empire is going to fall.
The empire is falling.
And Belshazzar is the ruler in the capital city of Babylon.
Says, I know what?
Let's create a feast as the Medes and the Persians begin to attack.
He knows that he gets the reports from the battlefield.
They've largely eliminated the Babylonian army.
And they are now seeking to take the city of Babylon.
I don't know if he thought, well, it's all going to end.
I don't think that's what he thought.
So what he decides to do, though, is decides in the boldness of everything that is happening,
that he's going to throw a party.
A party that has been filled with the indulgences of man, both in drink and in sexuality.
I wrote in my notes this week that it was a party that would make Las Vegas blush.
It's what we find in Daniel 5.
He believes he is okay.
He believes that he is fine.
And in spite of everything that around him that says, you're going to die,
he finds this comfort in himself.
He believes that he's protected.
The walls that surrounded Babylon were 87 feet thick.
87 feet thick.
To give you some perspective.
All right.
This is going to be awkward for the camera back there.
But from right here to the camera, if you want to kind of turn and kind of see,
that's halfway.
That's halfway.
So you're talking about some good, soundproof, sound barrier walls.
Double that length, that's the thickness of the walls.
The walls are 350 feet high, have guard towers on top of the 350 feet that range from 100 to 450 feet high.
He's protected.
Belshazzar thinks he's going to be sustained.
When they built the city of Babylon, the Euphrates runs through the city.
So as they built the walls, what they did, instead of putting the city beside the river,
because they know times like this would come,
they built the city and they allowed the waters to run underneath the walls and through the city itself.
So Belshazzar looks around, he says, you know what, I'm protected.
I'm going to be sustained.
My confidence is in what I'm able to do and who I am.
And so he gets drunk.
He engages in sinful sexual activity.
But then he does something else.
If you go all the way back to Daniel chapter 1, I believe it's in verse 2.
That when the king conquered the southern empire of Judah,
he took for himself people.
That's where Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego come from, into captivity.
But then he took artifacts from the temple.
He took artifacts from the temple.
And these artifacts were brought into the pagan temples so that the Babylonians could show,
see, your God could not stop you from our gods.
Your God could not protect you from us.
It was a way to mock.
And so Belshazzar says, well, I'm going to do one better.
And he says, bring me the vessels that were taken from the temple.
And so in all the acts that are happening and taking place,
he uses these vessels for his purposes.
Now here's what's remarkable about this.
Belshazzar in his mocking of the one true holy God
does not do so out of a place of ignorance.
Does not do so out of a place where no one ever told me the story.
He does it out of knowledge.
He would have known.
He would have known the events of Daniel 1 through 4.
He would have known of the experience of his grandfather in Daniel 4.
He would have heard about the testimony.
The Babylonians marked history.
They made sure that anyone in power,
at any place in power,
even when Daniel was captured and brought in,
that he was taught the ways of the Babylonians.
He was taught their religion.
He was taught their history.
Daniel was taught all of these things.
And so this king would have known all of this.
So even though that he knew of the knowledge of God,
his heart was not surrendered to the truth of God.
And I think that's where we maybe find,
as we've compared the culture of then to the culture of today.
It's maybe where we find a lot of,
it is definitely where we find a lot of our world.
And maybe if some of us are being truthful,
it's maybe even where some of us find ourselves today.
That we accept the truth of God's word as intellectual fact,
but continue on in the folly of man
and refuse to surrender to Jesus Christ
is the way, the truth, and the life.
And what we're battling with
is a true condition of the heart
that's lost and far and apart from God.
What we see in Belshazzar who knew,
who placed his hope in his circumstances,
his hope and his confidence in himself,
and delighted in the flesh.
And we don't see ourselves as nasty as he is,
but is that really who we are?
And just like Belshazzar,
apart from the true living God,
we stand,
we stand in the oncoming path
of the wrath of God.
So let's continue on.
This party's happening.
This party's taking place.
Verse 5.
Immediately the fingers of a human hand
appeared
and wrote on the plaster of the wall
of the king's palace
opposite the lampstand.
And the king saw the hand as it wrote.
Then the king's color changed
and his thoughts alarmed him.
His limbs gave way
and his knees knocked together.
The king called loudly
to bring in the enchanters,
the Chaldeans,
and the astrologers.
The king declared
to the wise men of Babylon,
whoever reads this writing
and shows me its interpretation
shall be clothed with purple,
have a chain of gold around his neck,
and shall be the third ruler
in the kingdom.
Then all the king's wise men came in,
but they could not read the writing
or make known to the king
the interpretation.
King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed
and his color changed
and his lords were perplexed.
So we move from the folly of man
to the foolishness of the world.
I think if you were there,
what begins to happen
is a moment
that you will absolutely never forget.
The Bible tells us,
and so we believe,
that fingers appear.
And the fingers begin to write on the wall.
And in that moment,
everything stops
and Belshazzar is shook to his core.
The Bible tells us
that the color of his face changes.
He begins to have a panic attack.
Fear strikes him
and he is about to pass out.
Now I want you to think about this.
Wait.
As the hand of God
is working and moving,
this is a man
who's not troubled
by the army
outside his walls,
but God says,
I'm about to rock you
to your core.
And he wants some help.
You remember the patterns
that we see in Scripture?
And so he calls out
for the same group of men
who what we've seen in Scripture
have never been able to help.
They may be guys
with good intentions,
but they never really have
the good answer.
And he says,
look, if you can help me,
I'll promote you.
I'll clothe you as royalty.
I'll give you wealth.
And they could not
read
what was written
on the wall.
And as God
is getting
His attention,
here is where
Belshazzar
has failed.
World religion
has failed him.
The thought of man
has failed him.
The gods
and goddesses
that they've created,
the faith
of this world
has come up short
once again.
Politics
has failed him.
There's no treaty
to be written,
no battle
to be fought,
no law
that can pass,
no wall
to be built
that can stop
the real
evident
hand of God
in that moment.
And I think
beyond that,
what has
shook him
to his core
is that
his faith
in himself,
it's the
realization
that he can
do nothing
and he knows
it.
Look back
at verse 9.
After he's
called everybody,
the religious
leaders,
the political
readers,
again,
he hoped
for comfort.
But then
King Belshazzar
was greatly
alarmed
and again
his color
changed
and his
Lord
were
perplexed.
Oftentimes,
it's the
folly of man
that we blame
and we
should.
When we
look around
and we see
the depravity,
when we see
the decline,
when we see
the issues
of our world,
it is
sin.
But when we
see the
folly of man,
folks,
who do we
turn to
for the
answer?
Who do we
turn to
for the
solution?
Who do we
turn to
to make
everything
right
when
everything's
spinning out
of control?
Are we
like Belshazzar
and we
turn to
the foolishness
of the
world?
That we
return to
the religion
of the
world?
That we
turn to
the politics
of the
world?
That we
turn to
ourself?
And in
doing so,
even in
our
greatest
achievements,
when dealing
with the
depravity of
the world,
we put a
band-aid on
an open
heart wound.
Only Jesus
can fix
what is
broken
because it's
been broken
since the
garden.
When we
think about
laws,
laws don't
heal the
heart of
man,
only God
does.
Only
Christ does.
When we
look and
see the
evidence of
the depravity
that is in
our town,
in our
county,
in our
state,
in our
country,
in all
over the
world,
we can
draw the
greatest
minds of
this world
together,
put them
in a
room and
allow them
to band-aid
the open
wounds of
society.
And I'm
not saying,
folks,
that we
shouldn't be
active and
try to be
good influence
and try to do
the things that
are right and
push for
things that are
going to bring
peace and
unity.
I'm all for
that.
I'm pro
that.
Let's have the
conversations.
Let's do
those things.
But can we
get to the
point where
we come to
and acknowledge
that the
only thing
that's going
to stop
kids from
dying,
the only
thing that's
going to
stop men
from assaulting
little boys
and little
girls,
the only
thing that's
going to
stop theft,
the only
thing that's
going to
bring countries
who have
been at
war for
thousands of
years to
peace is
Jesus Christ.
How do I
know that?
Because it's
what he did
in me and
it's what
he's done
in you.
It's
Jesus.
That's why
revelation is
not the hope
of a new
political
government.
It's the
hope of
Christ.
So be
involved.
Be a
person of
influence.
Be a
person who
shares.
But it's
got to
come back
to Jesus.
so yet
again another
king calls
forth this
group of
losers who
can't answer
his questions.
I just
picture like
all right
guys here's
what I did
this week.
Number one
when I read
through verses
five through
nine and the
writing on the
wall the
1993 song
John Deere
Green by
Joe Diffie
just kind of
popped in
my head
and I've
been battling
that all
week and
there you
go there's
my confession
but then I
also kind of
picture like the
three stooges in
the moment right
like these are
the people who
are coming in
why do you
think they're
going to get
this right
they can't
get this
right and
they don't
so as God
places us in
moments so
that we can
glorify him
as we walk
through them
because he's
preparing
remember from
that very
beginning
Daniel was
the man for
the time
Daniel was
the man with
the plan
Daniel was
the man of
resolve
so look at
me at verse
10
the queen
probably
Belshazzar's
mom okay
with words
the queen
because of the
words of the
king and his
lords came into
the banquet
hall and the
queen declared
oh king
live forever
let not your
thoughts alarm
you or your
color change
there is a
man in your
kingdom in
whom is the
spirit of the
holy gods
in the days of
your father
light and
understanding
and wisdom
like the
wisdoms of the
gods were found
in him
and king
Nebuchadnezzar
your father
the king
made him
chief of the
magicians
the enchanters
the chaldeans
and astrologers
because of an
excellent spirit
knowledge and
understanding to
interpret dreams
explain riddles
and solve
problems were
found in
Daniel
whom the
king named
Belteshazzar
now Daniel
now let
Daniel be
called
and he
will show
the
interpretation
then Daniel
was brought
in before the
king and the
king answered
and said to
Daniel
you are that
Daniel
one of the
exiles of
Judah
we'll just pause
really quick
this is how
disconnected
this guy is
Daniel's
basically the
prime minister
and he has
no clue
whom the
king my
father brought
from Judah
I've heard of
you that the
spirit of the
gods is in
you and that
light and
understanding and
excellent wisdom
are found in
you
now the
wise men
and
chanters
have been
brought in
before me
to read
this
writing
to make
known to
me
its
interpretation
but they
could not
show the
interpretation
of the
matter
but I
have
heard
that you
can give
interpretations
and solve
problems
now if you
can read
the writing
to make
it known
to me
its
interpretation
you shall
be clothed
in purple
and have a
chain of
gold
around your
neck
and shall
be the
third
ruler
in the
kingdom
then
Daniel
answered
and said
before the
king
by the way
do you know
a really
godly
person
that does
not have
tact
that's
Daniel
let your
gifts be
for yourself
and give
your rewards
to another
nevertheless
I will read
the writing
to the king
and make
known to him
the interpretation
oh king
the most high
god gave
Nebuchadnezzar
your father
kingship
and greatness
and glory
and majesty
and because
of the greatness
that he gave
him all
people's
nations
and languages
trembled
in fear
before him
whom
he would
he killed
and whom
he would
he kept
alive
whom
he would
he raised
up
and whom
he would
he humbled
but when
his heart
was lifted
up
and his spirit
was hardened
so that
he dealt
proudly
he was brought
down from
his kingly
throne
and his glory
was taken
from him
he was driven
from among
the children
of mankind
and his mind
was made
that like
like that
of a beast
and his dwelling
was with the
wild donkeys
he was fed
grass
like an ox
and his body
was wet
with the dew
of heaven
until he knew
that the most
high God
rules the kingdoms
of mankind
and sets over it
whom he will
and you his son
Belshazzar
have not humbled
your heart
though you knew
all of this
but you have lifted
up yourself
against the Lord
of heaven
and the vessels
of this house
have been brought
in before you
and you
and your lords
your wives
and your concubines
have drunk wine
from them
and you have praised
gods of silver
and gold
of bronze
iron
wood
and stone
which do not see
or hear
or know
but the God
in whose hand
is your breath
and whose are all
your ways
you have not honored
verse 24
then from his presence
the hand was sent
and this writing
was inscribed
and this is the writing
that was inscribed
mene mene
tekel
and parson
this is the interpretation
of the matter
mene
God has numbered
the days of your kingdom
and brought it to an end
tekel you have been
weighed in the balances
and found wanting
peres your kingdom
is divided
and given
to the Medes
and the Persians
then Belshazzar
gave the command
and Daniel was clothed
with purple
a chain of gold
was put around his neck
and proclamation
was made about him
that he should be
the third ruler
of the kingdom
well that's not
going to matter
because verse 30
that very night
Belshazzar
the Chaldean
was killed
and Darius
the Mede
received the kingdom
being about
sixty
two
years
old
the folly
of man
the foolishness
of the world
and the faithfulness
to God
the faithfulness
to God
do you feel
sometimes like
it's hard
to live for God
in the world
that we live in
I think sometimes
we as Christians
we want to play
this poor pitiful
us
that it's so difficult
and it's so hard
harder than it's ever been
and here's what I would say
to you
I think it's just as hard
as it's ever been
I think every culture
of the world
is filled with the
depravity of man
every culture
of the world
is filled with the
foolishness of the world
and God's called us
to be the people
of faith
regardless if it's
Judah
Babylon
Rome
or America
to stand
and resolve
for him
in spite of the ways
that the culture
wants to pull us
Daniel walks in
God lays the hammer
and Daniel says
let me explain
to you
how this hammer
just hit you
upside the head
what does faithfulness
look like
number one
what does faithfulness
to God look like
number one
people look to
your character
people look to
your character
I think this is
interesting
I read a guy
that pointed this out
about Daniel
the queen
says to her son
listen
there's someone
who can help you
there's someone
who can help you
he helped your
grandfather
he will help
you
she identifies him
in the same way
that Nebuchadnezzar
did before faith
there's very evident
of what's going on
in Daniel
that people
have noticed
and here's what
she says
she says that
in him
is something
in him
is something
and then
from what's in him
something comes
from that
she says like
there's this character
that's evidently
of a God
that she doesn't
understand
that she can't
comprehend
but that there's
something in him
and then from
what's in him
something comes
from him
and what comes
from him
is light
and light
enlightenment
able to understand
the situation
these fools
don't get it
he will
what will come
from that
is understanding
and insight
from that
will be truth
to be revealed
but from that truth
she says
there's wisdom
so he'll tell you
how it's applied
this is what he did
for Nebuchadnezzar
this is
what he
can do
for you
number one
faithfulness
to God
should result
in the character
of who you are
the people
that we're
around
should know
not just
that we're
different
I think
it's kind of
cool now
to be weird
not just
that you're
weird
that you're
different
that you're
weird
that you're
different
because of
who he is
there's a
divine working
that's working
on your heart
that even
lost people
can see it
number two
what does
faithfulness
to God
look like
to be a
person who
influences
without
being
influenced
the party's
happening
there's
thousand
lords
who
are there
there's
wine
it's the
king's
wine
it's the
best
wine
it's
free
flowing
wine
there's
prostitutes
there's
immorality
and
whatever
goes
where's
Daniel
we don't
know
but we
know
he's
not
there
we
know
he's
not
there
tell me
about
the
remarkable
aspect
of
that
testimony
that
the
people
who
are
there
they're
like
let's
call
the
one
guy
who's
not
here
and
let's
get
him
here
so
that
he
can
speak
truth
so
that
he
can
speak
influence
into
this
situation
you see
Daniel
was a
person
of
influence
right hand
of
Nebuchadnezzar
the prime
minister
of
Babylon
people
say
you can't
engage
in
politics
you can't
engage
in
government
you can't
engage
in the
secular
world
and not
hold
and not
be
compromised
in some
way shape
or form
in your
faith
in your
relationship
with
God
and I
say
bull
you can
and this
is what
we see
the
debauchery
takes place
and Daniel
stands firm
Daniel
stands firm
number
three
what does
faithfulness
to God
look like
a person
who isn't
motivated
by the
rewards
of man
Daniel
says
I'll
tell
you
what's
written
on
that
wall
but
don't
worry
about
the
reward
because
I think
he's
like
well what
I'm
about
to say
to you
I don't
think
you're
really
gonna
like
it
convictions
go all
the way
back
to Daniel
1
8
I can't
be a
man
who's
bought
Daniel
was smart
enough
he could
have
lied
if he
wanted
to
they
didn't
started
with
this
was
15
years
old
and
where
we
find
him
is
at
85
years
old
and
Daniel
does
have
a
motivation
of the
heart
not
for
the
money
of
man
but
for
the
glory
of
God
and
so
lastly
what
does
faithfulness
to
God
look
like
what
does
faithfulness
to
God
look
like
a
person
who
speaks
the
truth
of
God
he
says
all right
king
I'm
going to
tell you
what
it
says
but
before I
tell you
what
it
says
let
me
tell
you
who
wrote
it
let
me
tell
you
who
wrote
it
let
me
tell
you
who
he
is
let
me
tell
you
what
he's
done
oh
king
it
is
not
the
holiness
of
the
gods
but
is
the
God
most
high
and
he
gave
your
grandfather
everything
that he
had
and
then
he
turned
him
into
a
fool
he
turned
him
into
a
fool
and
he
brought
him
down
he
brought
him
to
the
lowest
of
the
lows
I
mean
this
man
literally
thought
that
he
was
an
animal
he
ate
grass
he
fed
on
the
grass
and
when
he
came
to
his
senses
he
turned
to
God
you know
who
you know
the
story
but let
me
tell
you
who
God
is
then
Daniel
85
years
old
and
you
say
well
he
was
old
and
he
didn't
care
nope
because
when
he
was
young
he
said
the
same
thing
to
Nebuchadnezzar
could
have
taken
his
head
off
like
that
he
says
before
I
tell
you
I
gonna
bring
three
charges
against
you
look at
verse
22
and
you
his
son
Belshazzar
have
not
humbled
your
heart
though
you
knew
all
of
this
he
you
sinned
against
knowledge
you
knew
you
knew
let me
tell you
if
you're
in
that
world
right
now
where
you're
like
I
know
the
message
of
the
gospel
of
Jesus
Christ
but
that's
a
later
let me
tell you
the sin
you
stand
in
is
you
knew
you
knew
and
I
know
what
it's
like
to
stand
in
the
sin
of
knowledge
born
and
raised
man
I
had
every
VBS
I
had
every
youth
camp
I
had
every
mission
trip
I
had
a
couple
years
in
the
youth
choir
till
I
got
kicked
out
separate
story
for
a
different
message
and
at
22
years
old
I
knew
all
the
things
about
God
but
the
issue
was
not
what
I
knew
but
the
issue
was
my
submission
to
the
God
who
was
telling
me
he
says
to
Belshazzar
you
knew
you
know
you
know
the
story
nothing
that
Daniel
said
to
him
was
a
surprise
but
you
refused
to
humble
your
heart
you
sinned
against
knowledge
the
second
thing
you
did
is
you
mocked
God
you
mocked
God
look at
verse
23
but
you
have
lifted
up
yourself
against
the
Lord
of
heaven
and
the
vessels
of
this
house
have
been
brought
in
before
you
and
you
and
your
lords
your
wives
and
your
concubines
have
drunk
wine
from
them
he
mocked
God
church
God
desires
intimate
relationship
with
you
and
what
is
mind
blowing
about
that
is
we're
invited
into
a
relationship
that
we
never
deserve
because
of
the
holiness
of
who
he
is
that
in
order
to
be
brought
into
relationship
with
him
we
can't
come
with
any
of
our
deeds
not
one
there's
not
one
good
thing
that
you
think
you've
done
to
allow
you
to step
foot
into
the
presence
of
God
so
he
sent
Christ
to
die
and
in
the
great
exchange
here's
what
Christ
did
he
took
our
sin
and
praise
God
gave
us
his
holiness
and
the
third
thing
he
said
you
commit
idolatry
last part
of verse
23
and you
have
praised
the gods
of silver
and gold
and bronze
iron
wood
and stone
which
like
so
he could
have
ended
there
he
could
have
ended
there
here's
the truth
telling
humor
of the
scriptures
which
do not
see
or hear
or know
that gold
it doesn't
see it
doesn't
hear
it doesn't
know
that silver
it doesn't
see it
doesn't
hear
it doesn't
know
that iron
that wood
that stone
it doesn't
see it
doesn't
hear
it doesn't
know
but the
God
in whose
hand
is
your
breath
what he
is saying
is
these
things
are
foolishness
the very
fact
that you
are alive
is because
right now
you're held
in the
very hand
of God
and God
allows
it
and in
whose
are all
your ways
you
have not
honored
you
send
so he
comes
he says
alright
here it
is buddy
here we
go
mene
tekel
parson
he says
this
God
has numbered
your days
number
two
you
come up
light
you
come up
light
you
come
up
short
before
God
and
number
three
in a
great
collapse
and fall
your
kingdom
will be
divided
Belshazzar
gives him
the things
when the
Bible tells
us that
very
night
he
dies
here's
what history
tells happened
on that
night
the
Medes
and the
Persians
they gathered
outside the
walls of
Babylon
87 feet
thick
450 foot
high towers
they gathered
outside
they gathered
at the
Euphrates
they
dammed
the
Euphrates
and diverted
the water
of the
Euphrates
to the
swamps
that
surrounded
and then
the Medes
and the
Persians
they sent
their army
one
after another
they walked
under
the wall
they came
in
they killed
the guards
on the
watchtower
they lowered
the gates
they took
the city
and on
that night
he died
on that
night
Belshazzar
died
God said
it's done
and the
empire fell
don't be
like
Belshazzar
don't be
and the
hard part
of that
is
the
overwhelmingly
majority
of this
world
of this
nation
of this
state
and of
this
community
finds their
comfort
and the
hope
in the
exact
same
things
that
he
does
on what
they've
built
on what
they've
provided
on what
they can
accomplish
and they
mock
God
with their
actions
be like
Daniel
be like
Daniel
be like
Daniel
stand
firm
have the
character
that says
you're
different
than those
in this
world
influence
others
without
being
influenced
by the
ways
of the
world
look
for the
reward
of Christ
not
for the
reward
of man
and speak
the truth
of God
to those
who need
to hear
it
in spite
of what
they will
think
or in
spite
of what
they'll
do
in
closing
three
really
quick
things
I
promise
they're
quick
speak
the
truth
of
God
last
week
we
said
go
tell
go
tell
just
like
Nebuchadnezzar
told
go
tell
and
that
could
be
I
understand
one
of
the
most
terrifying
things
for
you
to
do
and
if
you're
here
today
I
want
to
tell
you
three
different
ways
that
you
can
speak
the
truth
of
God
for
those
that
need
to
if
you're
like
I
don't
know
how
to
tell
my
story
answer
this
one
question
tell
me
how
you
got
saved
that's
your
story
that's
your
story
tell
your
story
tell
the
truth
of
God
by
telling
your
story
number
two
number
two
the
beauty
of
what
God
gives
invite
let me
tell you
like
this
is
not
so
I
can
get
pneumonia
and
be
the
last
person
to
be
submerged
in
a
dunk
tank
this
is
not
so
people
can
walk
away
and
say
Willow Ridge
Church
has
the
best
candy
Willow Ridge
Church
shows
the
best
parties
Willow Ridge
Church
has
the
best
activities
Willow Ridge
Church
has
the
best
games
we
invite
so
that
people
can
come
to
know
and
be
in
relationship
with
Jesus
Christ
that's
it
it's
the
heartbeat
of
everything
that
we
do
and
what
we're
asking
you
to
do
to
partner
with
us
in
this
is
simply
to
invite
and
then
the
last
thing
last
thing
tell
your
story
invite
people
and
if
you
look
for
not
just
what
to
say
but
look
for
the
opportunity
that
God's
providing
you
to
share
it
last
week
I
shared
the
gospel
walk
through
the
bad
news
the
worst
news
the
good
news
the
best
news
back
at
the
table
back
here
to
my
left
after
the
service
is
over
with
we
got
some
cards
right
here
it
says
the
best
news
let
me
tell
you
something
I
didn't
create
that
I
wish
I
could
say
that
I
wish
that
this
was
my
creation
somebody
else
did
and
they
made
these
cards
and
they've
got
four
little
verses
on
here
four
little
verses
that
speak
of the
great
power
and
truth
of
God's
word
and
who
Jesus
Christ
is
and
what
it
means
for
someone
to
come
to
faith
in
Jesus
Christ
and
I'm
just
going
to
tell
you
what
you
can
do
what
you
can
do
is
you
can
take
this
card
and
you
can
put
it
at
your
desk
what
you
can
do
is
you
can
take
this
card
and
put
it
in
your
wallet
you
can
take
this
card
and
put
it
in
your
purse
and
those
two
three
four
people
one
person
you
can
sit
down
with
them
after
they
ask
a
question
what
did
you
do
today
I
went
to
church
we
talked
about
Jesus
tell
me
what
you
believe
about
Jesus
here's
what
I
believe
and
you
can
read
it
you
can
read
it
because
let me
tell you
something
I've
never
saved
anyone
and
neither
of
you
it's
the
power
of
the
Holy
Spirit
to
work
and
move
in
life
of
someone
to
call
them
to
repentance
and
save
them
of
their
sins
all
we're
called
to
do
is
be
faithful
would you
pray
with me
God
we
thank
you
for
the
truth
of
your
word
and
the
truth
of
who
you
are
God
as
we
gather
together
to
respond
and
worship
Lord
I
pray
that
we
be
faithful
to
who
you
are
faithful
to
what
you
called
us
to
do
faithful
to
be
men
and
women
of
truth
in
the
midst
of
a
culture
that
is
counter
in
the
midst
of
a
culture
that
is
consumed
by
self
in
the
midst
of
a
culture
that
is
consumed
with
depravity
in
the
midst
of
a
culture
that's
broken
and
may
we
not
put
our
faith
and
our
hope
into
the
walls
that
we
have
built
to
the
empires
that
we've
established
and
to
the
self
we give
all the
credit
and glory
to
but may
we put
our
faith
in the
very
God
who holds
us in the
palm of
his hand
we ask
all these
things
in Jesus
and we
pray
Amen
that's
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 for
Willow Ridge Church
on Facebook
Instagram
and YouTube
thanks again
for listening