The Sermon Safe To Live by David McGee
Aug 02, 2015
Safe To Live (35:45)
Referenced Scriptures: 2 Peter 3:1-3,5,10,12; Daniel 6:1-9,13-17,19-22,24
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The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
2 Peter 3:1-3,5,10,12
1) This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you;
2) that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior:
3) knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts,
5) For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water, by the word of God;
10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
12) looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
Daniel 6:1-9,13-17,19-22,24
1) It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;
2) and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account to them, and that the king should have no damage.
3) Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4) Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, because he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
5) Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
6) Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus to him, King Darius, live forever.
7) All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong interdict, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8) Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn‘t alter.
9) Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the interdict.
13) Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn‘t regard you, O king, nor the interdict that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.
14) Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him.
15) Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no interdict nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.
16) Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. [Now] the king spoke and said to Daniel, Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.
17) A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
19) Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.
20) When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable voice; the king spoke and said to Daniel, Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?
21) Then said Daniel to the king, O king, live forever.
22) My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions‘ mouths, and they have not hurt me; because as before him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, have I done no hurt.
24) The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.
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Well we're grateful for all the things that has done for us. And I hear from individuals who listen to the sermons on the Internet or wherever it is on our website. So to those individuals that are not here listening I thank you for that. But I'm also grateful to all of you for all the blessings that I have got that you have brought to each other and to serving the Lord we're grateful. And it's important that we learn how to be grateful to be people of appreciation to be people of thanksgiving to be people of praise. It's important that we learn that it's a good thing to be alive. It's a good thing to have another day. It's a good thing to be able to smile at someone and receive a smile and give a hug and you know be a hug for someone. It's important that we see the value in all this because what it does it helps us realize that life is safe a safe life. You know sometimes we think wow look at all the things going on in our world. Look at the crime look at the difficulties look at these crazy people with you know just look at crazy people. And we we recognize that it creates a lot of tension. Sometimes when you're watching the news or watching some of these things do you just get all worked up. I mean just inside just like it just starts the turmoil starts to turn and it's like we're not safe anymore we're not safe where we say fat we're not safe to walk the streets were not safe to drive in our cars we're not safe in the air we're not safe in the ba t we're not safe. You know on and on and on. The challenge is to be thankful and recognize that we are safe and it we are safe. The live we are safe to live our life and whether we live or whether we die we belong to So we are the property of and that nothing nothing is ever able to separate us. Nothing is able to come into our life that didn't know about that god didn't even permit. You know when you read the book of Job I sometimes used to joke about this that if people are having hard times in their life they read the book of Job because they want to figure out why this is all happening in all this kind of stuff but I'm not having a hard time. Maybe maybe I will maybe at the end of the day you'll give me a hard time but I don't have an open having a hard time. But I was I was thinking of job and I was reading some of his writings I think it's important that we read what job is thankful for what he can't figure out. He says that is merciful and is gracious and basically is good in that his relationship with is has been everything through his life and his family. And yet he's lost everything. I mean it's all taken from him and he can't figure that out. Sometimes we need to know that is sovereign. End of story. He is sovereign but his sovereignty doesn't mean he's going to get even his sovereignty means that he is going to perform his will and His purpose for our life is in his hands and our world is not in the hands of some person in Washington or in Moscow or in Beijing or in India or Africa. The will of the world is still in the hands of and that is going to accomplish His divine purpose. is going to accomplish his purpose in this world and we might as well get in on it. And how do we get in on it is not to separate ourselves from it. So is One is not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance. is at work in our lives and through our lives to touch the lives of others in a way that brings honor and glory to him. And as we bring honor and glory to Him It seems like it is that will touch our lives in the same way. What we are speaking in seeking is really what we end up going you know. I've said this the last couple weeks that our words our life will follow our words our life will follow our words as a man thinketh in his heart so he is. So as we think and as we stated as we're about our living we are giving direction we are stating what we believe. We are stating our faith in our expectation. I don't think anything good is going to come out of this one. But let me look for that where there's nothing good out of this one. Or I believe that I can see the good but I believe is going to bring good. So what are we doing. We're looking for the good. We're looking for in this situation to bring about the good. And second Peter chapter three Peter is writing here and the first couple verses are kind of an introduction here my dear friends. This is now the second time I've written to you both letters are reminders to you your mind. Scuse me both letters reminders to hold your mind in a state of unknown distracted attention. Do you notice the many things that how many things try to get our attention. Do you notice. What is out there going for attention that you're doing on your e-mail and your phone or the or the phone in your phone ringing or are the adverti ts and people and there are so many things to pay attention to that sometimes we're distracted. But keep in mind what the Holy Prophet said and the commands of our master and Saviour. That was p ed on by your apostles. So there are certain things that were not to be distracted from. OK The first one of verse verse three and four First off you need to know that in the last days. Ever since I was a child we were talking about the coming of Jesus Christ. That sixty five soon to be sixty six years ago. Jesus is coming back again area that preacher is making a lot of talk. Well you see the last days and Jesus is returning in the coming of Christ is evident and the world is in a place. But he goes on to say here markers are going to have a heyday mockers do you know any of those people who make fun of the scriptures make fun of the church make fun of beliefs and make fun of the boundaries that places on our life to keep us safe. People don't want those things so they make a mockery of them. And you know he's been here around it's been he's been around a long time and you know I I was taken aback at first when you hear the different movies. Judgement Day How many judgement days have been in the movie theater. They were going to judgment day for Forever yeah. What we were kind of like being desensitized to. Two judgment day we're being desensitized to evil we're being desensitized to the things of our world that are in stark contrast to the Scriptures and where they're being presented as the normal. You know I don't watch much T.V. in the afternoon and that was a real thing watch much. But when I'm visiting people these daytime shows are on and stuff and they're all going on and they parade across the stage. These are fractions of humanity and portray them as being the norm and they look at these things are saying this is the new normal. And there's maybe a small percentage of the population represent that faction or those individuals but they are not the new normal. They are just an adverti t for and against and for evil. Now reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings mockery of is that we reduce everything to how I feel. If it feels good it was in the sixty's. If it feels good do it. There are no repercussions. There are no absolutes. Ever feels good do it. If it's good for you. What is the matter. But you see the feelings are betrayals. They betray the reality of 's word in our hearts the feelings can betray what has placed inside of us and we don't want to be trying those things because they are the foundation upon which we will build our lives. The foundation upon which we build our lives you know. It talked about in the song that we're saying that our our life isn't built on sinking sand. I may have been to the beach stand on the beach. Water washes a wiser than washes out what happens to your feet. They did keep on thinking well our life that the Jesus Christ is the solid rock that's the foundation that gives us in the scriptures and in His Word. Our founding principle saw that when the difficulties come when the things that are paraded across the screen of life and they are complete contradictions to the Scripture we feel a firm foundation. We feel the security about who we are and about our life that is is in control and that I am surrendering myself to him. Now they conveniently forget verse five. They can seemingly forget that long ago all the galaxies in this very planet were brought into existence out of a watery chaos by 's word. If 's Word is when 's word spoken to existence the universe when 's word spoken to existence the galaxies that very same word living in me song Living in me it creates it creates it creates strength it creates power it creates love it creates the Word of coming alive inside of us. The Scriptures are very unique wrote a book. That book isn't alive. It's words on a page. And those words will draw upon hopefully draw upon situations that we understand and we're able to draw strength from. The Scriptures are not words on a page. The Scriptures are alive. They are active. They are quick they're powerful. They go to the very heart of the matter inside of us and the heart of the matter is what I understand not just what I feel but what I understand is truth and that truth is the foundation upon which I will build my life. Yes there are going to be questions. Yes there are doubts and yes there are things that we don't understand but is my place of refuge a very present help in time of trouble when I face the difficulties I am able to call upon 's Word like whenever we pray when we pray for someone who is ill. Our prayer is by your stripes we are healed. Therefore I pray for who is sick. Their name and whatever and I ask you to heal them. I need one. What is the need. What is the scripture that is ociated with that need we pray that scripture with the need I need financial help. you are the supplier of every need. Therefore I pray for your blessing to be upon my life and upon my gifts and upon my my works and upon what I'm doing I ask for you to meet the needs of finances in my life. It deadness I ask you for you to come to my life and that we would live with that we would be lenders not borrowers or that we would prosper even as our soul prospers. So we find that there is a connection between the need of our life and the Word of and the Word of becoming active in the prayer. I'm asking to come alive in my life and in the needs that I face each day in the in the things that I need to do the wisdom wisdom is the ability to apply the knowledge to the situation you can have or you can have an engine you know I know very little about engines and mechanics. I just know enough to tear him apart can figure out a pullback so the engine if you have enough wisdom and training you have the knowledge to be able to put these things back together. I remember when David he had this old Volvo that we purchased here in town and it was like ten years old when he bought it. When we bought it took it out and he was the driver and so on and he was having a problem. Took out the one took it to a dealership. It's going to be three thousand dollars to fix it. Took it to another individual. He says well maybe this problem will tear this apart and what at it in will be a least four thousand to fix it so they will find out about this guy who deals only involve those and only old ones. So I called him up and he said this is the problem I have and the guy says Well there's a wire on your steering column if you if you go down to where that car that steering column comes together at the bottom. If you take that wire and check that fuse you probably find out what's wrong. That was it. Every one of the other solutions was tearing the car apart and none of them was with that wire. So wisdom wisdom is the ability to understand what's going on and being able to fix things that put things within the perspective. What's going what's happening. So you see wisdom is about taking what is presented to us. And when we are all upset Oh my gosh it's going to be three thousand dollars or could be four thousand dollars. It's of a thirty cent fuse. Is he looking for and searching for the answer. And is a way of directing us 's way so you see whenever we are praying about things and praying about direction like David when he went to Salvador he went there to visit ended up being there nine years and now it's fifteen years or whatever somewhere in that category. And directed and in our life we're looking for the same things we're looking for. I was for my for the book. There is a lady that probably I don't think any of you have ever met. How many years ago. I don't even remember maybe twenty five thirty five. It can be thirty five around thirty years maybe twenty eight years ago an individual their child was killed in the car accident. And being able to be with that person and help them through that process has been has been one of the main situations in my life that kept me in this direction of helping people who are hurting and is one of the fundamental things behind this book. And it was the loss that was created that not only helped me in who I would become but was also in helping her. At helping her family through that turmoil through that difficulty has brought many different things together for caring for people who are grieving and those who are bereaved. You see there are. How can we give thanks when something hurts. How can we give thanks when things don't work out. How can we see somehow we've got to see that is there and you see whenever we look at our life. is here is here in our life he was here yesterday and you'll be here tomorrow that is with us and we don't have the foggiest notion why things happen the way they do but we know that is with us and His Word comes to our hearts into our lives and it goes into that situation. Helps knit together helps heal the wounds helps bring it together so that we can live the life that has for us to live and you see we can allow the mockers to and we can't allow Well if Jesus would have been here maybe he healed the blind guy why couldn't he have healed his friend Lazarus and Lazarus would have died and put the family through all this difficulty. We know now that until Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead and in our lives sometimes we're waiting for the until we don't we know all the one thing did this and that and then this happened. Now where is he still here. His word is still alive and still active. You know the other Scripture that what I want to know. But when the day of 's judgment does come it will be announced you see is coming back and all of the people all of the people you are in The Good The Bad and The Ugly. That's the movie The Good The Bad. All of us are gone. Stand before . All of us. People don't get away with anything. People will be rewarded for every good thing. Never become weary in well doing for in due season your Reaper harvest. Don't get beat don't become upset because I do all this good and somebody else gets the gift the promotion. is in charge and you cannot give a cup of cold water without there being a reward for it. You can't give it without there being a reward. knows the intentions and the gifts the deposits you make in other people's lives. No one may ever see it. does. When you do the good when you smile on the phone how many people smile when you're talking on the phone. Yeah why. Because it is transferable. That people know whenever you're home alone I hate you know and you're smiling and I know they don't they don't cause they don't go together. But we say o all are so nice to hear from you even if it's not. And so what are we doing we're giving thanks for all things that is that work even in the things that we don't understand and everything here will to everything here today is going to be gone sometime. So what are the things that are going to last the things that are going to last are the things that is involved in the things that are wrapped around integrated into the word. Daniel Daniel Daniel Chapter six now I put this together because of well you'll figure. If you can't then I didn't put it together very well then you know how do you think Daniel is and Daniel Chapter six. This is when King various and he's thrown into line. Then how do you think Daniel is any takers. Twenty thirty fifty How many think he's eighty. He's eighty he's eighty years old when he's around in the lion's den. So you know how many here are above eighty two. We got two takers maybe one. How are you Bob. Yeah eighty four and eighty six. We got two that are above eighty. Just good to think about this on your birthday you get thrown in the lion's den. OK How many of us would think that by the time I'm maybe I'm done with all the tests and I'm done with all the tests of life I've done with all the problems of life. But you see were never done. We're always in the place of living. Now here's Daniel. And he has survived the fall of the Babylonian Empire and now he is he is there's one hundred twenty I believe there's one hundred twenty governors all over the provinces of the Medes in the Persians and up those hundred twenty there are three vice presidents. Daniels a V.P.. No they don't like then. So they decide they're going to look through his life they're going to do an audit of Daniel. They're going to figure out something that he's done wrong. Guess what. They can't find it. Here's an eighty year old man who has served the Babylonian Empire since he was in his teens. He was taken captive with Chad wrecked me shack in the Bendigo and they were in their teens taken to Babylon Babylonian empires fallen and then us transition to the meat in the persons and he is still in leadership. Well these people don't like him. He prays every day three times a day. He's a fanatic. He can't be bribed. He will not condescend to bad mouth ing other people. He will only provide justice in what he does. So when you're doing good and people try to tear you down for it don't worry. Stay true to your prayers. How did Daniel prepare for the Lions then he prepared for the lion's den by praying every day before the trouble came. Well he's a godly man. He is serving shouldn't kept him from the people who were against him. Shouldn't have silenced them. How does silence people. He lets them stick their foot in their mouth. OK they get the stick their foot in their mouth. The old cliche given enough rope you give them enough rope they will hang themselves. Perfect example. Here's Daniel. So there are one hundred twenty governors three vice presidents and the two vice presidents and a bunch of the governors come up with a scheme they can't find anything wrong with Daniel. So let's go to the king and appeal to his ego. He is a full for being you know we can full him. So they called the king King various needs in the Persians. They go to King various and. There is a great King Live Forever all of us all of your servants have got together and they want we have come up with an idea we want you to sign a decree that no one can pray to any or anybody else but you for thirty days. King is pretty good Everybody wants this from me. Yes So he signs a decree the Medes in the Persians if you wrote something in the law it was not you were not able to amend it you were not able to change it. So what happens. Daniel's praying they found the very thing that Daniel was doing that was right and turned it around to be wrong. Have you ever done the right thing for the right reasons and people turned it around to be wrong in the last days people will look at that which is right and say that it is wrong. And you see what happens in our society of twisting the moral fiber of our society. Happens these thousands of years ago were Daniel and they twisted his good into that which is evil and so they made him pay for his goodness by throwing him in the lion's den. How do you prepare to get thrown in the Lion's Den An eighty years of age. I'm sure Daniel was at peace. Why. Because he knew that was under control. He knew the of Shadrack me shakin the Bendigo they threw him in the fiery furnace and they didn't get burnt. Daniel knew that he was at peace with and that the peace with would be the peace of In the Lion's Den. So they pulled the stone off dropped him down into the lion's den and. They put the seal on it. What is Daniel do. He's there all night. I don't know you know I remember pictures when I was a kid. Daniel sleep in and he's got his head on the line you know and they're laying there you know I don't know if that was how it was or but Daniel couldn't have been afraid because the animals were picked up on it. The animals themselves weren't focus we'll find out a few minutes with the guys to try to betray him you know. But the animals were their mouth was closed. So the very thing that is meant to destroy you can close its mouth and the very things that people have brought up in twisting things around about you. is the one who's going to handle it because we're Daniel and what happens in leadership in leadership. There's always a faction against you doesn't matter if you are in leadership one of the things I have that I you know one things I'm fraid of the most and I don't want to confess this fear that one of the things I know is going to help me overcome. About that one of the things I know that is going to help me overcome is that someone won't like what I've written someone won't like me when I preach. Do you know how hard that is. I mean for me it's very hard. I am a pleaser. It's not working will make it work for you but you need that. OK But Daniel how does how does prepare Daniel to be eighty years of old eighty years of age and to set up his leadership for the rest of his life and never have to face difficulties. He's going to gather them all together in one great test. One great test it's going to be the test and was Daniel's going to live. Over die and they are planned on him dying. They all plan on him crumbling. There's no way out of this predicament and we are going to seal Daniel's fate you see has written to us that everything one day is going to be brought before him. He knows the thoughts of the intense of our heart he's going to he's going to work in our life in a way that we never thought or dreamed that is capable of doing anything and everything and that hasn't even entered into your minds what can do so is in charge. Daniel's In the Lion's Den The king comes to Daniel and says and he says to Daniel OK England forever said oh here he goes then your servant of the Living has your god whom you serve so loyally saved you from the lions. Can you imagine in the darkness of the pit you hear this voice. OK England forever said Daniel. Oh wow. The sky is alive. I mean one person who's been in the lion's den and survived. Now I mean one person who's been swallowed by a whale a great fish a prepared fish travel to the place where it was supposed to go and put it on dry land it's a good go in Daniel I mean Noah No John the thing is if you're paying attention. So then you know my sent his angel to close the mouth of the line so that they could not hurt me. It is though they couldn't eat me they can't even hurt me. I've been found innocent before and also before your King I've done nothing to harm you. You see we've done nothing to harm the people around us. We haven't talked about them. We have of the little than we have and can didn't condemn them. We've not fine. Did fall with him when other people did. Because we recognize being in leadership or being whatever we don't go there we don't gossip. We don't talk about people. We don't tear people down or tear them up. What happens all of the individuals who were against Daniel signing this group came before the king. And those are the individuals that the king says put them in the lion's den and their families their children their wives and everything ociated with them throw them into the lion's den. And it says that they were torn apart before they ever got to the bottom of the the bay the base of the den. prepared Daniel to be at ease for the rest of his life in his leadership. Everybody who was against him was removed by their own hand in our lives be faithful to what has called us to do and in the trial will give you the strength to go through it. And that like Daniel he will deliver us through the trial. And no matter what the Lions may be no matter who the accusers may be or will see us through by his word being alive in our heart to prepare our hearts with wisdom and guidance to accomplish the task that is in our hands. And then I'll say OK so we're all going to stand before and that's not a bad thing. That's a good thing because our hearts are pure. will provide us. He will provide us being faultless if we if you and I think we're going to be faultless to stand before the throne. Because of. While our. Here I am. You know I was with the individual this week last week and I talked about forgiveness and the person said well I don't know if I've done anything bad enough to be forgiven to ask for forgiveness and. And I said we've all sinned and she is well I guess so. We've all said is the one who's going to provide us faultless he will forgive us he will give us strength and wisdom and guidance no matter who turns the goodness around to try and beat make it evil be strong in the living word and your faith is secure for an eternity. Trust with your trial he will close the mouth of the lions and those who are against you will find themselves at the hands of their own schemes. Father thank you for hearing our prayer. Thank you for knowing our life. Thank you for the forgiveness of sins. Thank you for the problems that we face. Thank you for the grace and the mercy to touch our lives. Thank you for the outcomes that are still to be determined. Thank you for how you will give us wisdom and guidance and understanding in the midst of the turmoil. you will keep us safe. We are grateful to you and thank you oh you are divine provision not only in this life but in the life to come. We thank you Jesus for saving our soul. Amen amen amen. bless you. Safe To Live Well we're grateful for all the things that has done for us. And I hear from individuals who listen to the sermons on the Internet or wherever it is on our website. So to those individuals that are not here listening I thank you for that. But I'm also grateful to all of you for all the blessings that I have got that you have brought to each other and to serving the Lord we're grateful. And it's important that we learn how to be grateful to be people of appreciation to be people of thanksgiving to be people of praise. It's important that we learn that it's a good thing to be alive. It's a good thing to have another day. It's a good thing to be able to smile at someone and receive a smile and give a hug and you know be a hug for someone. It's important that we see the value in all this because what it does it helps us realize that life is safe a safe life. You know sometimes we think wow look at all the things going on in our world. Look at the crime look at the difficulties look at these crazy people with you know just look at crazy people. And we we recognize that it creates a lot of tension. Sometimes when you're watching the news or watching some of these things do you just get all worked up. I mean just inside just like it just starts the turmoil starts to turn and it's like we're not safe anymore we're not safe where we say fat we're not safe to walk the streets were not safe to drive in our cars we're not safe in the air we're not safe in the ba t we're not safe. You know on and on and on. The challenge is to be thankful and recognize that we are safe and it we are safe. The live we are safe to live our life and whether we live or whether we die we belong to So we are the property of and that nothing nothing is ever able to separate us. Nothing is able to come into our life that didn't know about that god didn't even permit. You know when you read the book of Job I sometimes used to joke about this that if people are having hard times in their life they read the book of Job because they want to figure out why this is all happening in all this kind of stuff but I'm not having a hard time. Maybe maybe I will maybe at the end of the day you'll give me a hard time but I don't have an open having a hard time. But I was I was thinking of job and I was reading some of his writings I think it's important that we read what job is thankful for what he can't figure out. He says that is merciful and is gracious and basically is good in that his relationship with is has been everything through his life and his family. And yet he's lost everything. I mean it's all taken from him and he can't figure that out. Sometimes we need to know that is sovereign. End of story. He is sovereign but his sovereignty doesn't mean he's going to get even his sovereignty means that he is going to perform his will and His purpose for our life is in his hands and our world is not in the hands of some person in Washington or in Moscow or in Beijing or in India or Africa. The will of the world is still in the hands of and that is going to accomplish His divine purpose. is going to accomplish his purpose in this world and we might as well get in on it. And how do we get in on it is not to separate ourselves from it. So is One is not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance. is at work in our lives and through our lives to touch the lives of others in a way that brings honor and glory to him. And as we bring honor and glory to Him It seems like it is that will touch our lives in the same way. What we are speaking in seeking is really what we end up going you know. I've said this the last couple weeks that our words our life will follow our words our life will follow our words as a man thinketh in his heart so he is. So as we think and as we stated as we're about our living we are giving direction we are stating what we believe. We are stating our faith in our expectation. I don't think anything good is going to come out of this one. But let me look for that where there's nothing good out of this one. Or I believe that I can see the good but I believe is going to bring good. So what are we doing. We're looking for the good. We're looking for in this situation to bring about the good. And second Peter chapter three Peter is writing here and the first couple verses are kind of an introduction here my dear friends. This is now the second time I've written to you both letters are reminders to you your mind. Scuse me both letters reminders to hold your mind in a state of unknown distracted attention. Do you notice the many things that how many things try to get our attention. Do you notice. What is out there going for attention that you're doing on your e-mail and your phone or the or the phone in your phone ringing or are the adverti ts and people and there are so many things to pay attention to that sometimes we're distracted. But keep in mind what the Holy Prophet said and the commands of our master and Saviour. That was p ed on by your apostles. So there are certain things that were not to be distracted from. OK The first one of verse verse three and four First off you need to know that in the last days. Ever since I was a child we were talking about the coming of Jesus Christ. That sixty five soon to be sixty six years ago. Jesus is coming back again area that preacher is making a lot of talk. Well you see the last days and Jesus is returning in the coming of Christ is evident and the world is in a place. But he goes on to say here markers are going to have a heyday mockers do you know any of those people who make fun of the scriptures make fun of the church make fun of beliefs and make fun of the boundaries that places on our life to keep us safe. People don't want those things so they make a mockery of them. And you know he's been here around it's been he's been around a long time and you know I I was taken aback at first when you hear the different movies. Judgement Day How many judgement days have been in the movie theater. They were going to judgment day for Forever yeah. What we were kind of like being desensitized to. Two judgment day we're being desensitized to evil we're being desensitized to the things of our world that are in stark contrast to the Scriptures and where they're being presented as the normal. You know I don't watch much T.V. in the afternoon and that was a real thing watch much. But when I'm visiting people these daytime shows are on and stuff and they're all going on and they parade across the stage. These are fractions of humanity and portray them as being the norm and they look at these things are saying this is the new normal. And there's maybe a small percentage of the population represent that faction or those individuals but they are not the new normal. They are just an adverti t for and against and for evil. Now reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings mockery of is that we reduce everything to how I feel. If it feels good it was in the sixty's. If it feels good do it. There are no repercussions. There are no absolutes. Ever feels good do it. If it's good for you. What is the matter. But you see the feelings are betrayals. They betray the reality of 's word in our hearts the feelings can betray what has placed inside of us and we don't want to be trying those things because they are the foundation upon which we will build our lives. The foundation upon which we build our lives you know. It talked about in the song that we're saying that our our life isn't built on sinking sand. I may have been to the beach stand on the beach. Water washes a wiser than washes out what happens to your feet. They did keep on thinking well our life that the Jesus Christ is the solid rock that's the foundation that gives us in the scriptures and in His Word. Our founding principle saw that when the difficulties come when the things that are paraded across the screen of life and they are complete contradictions to the Scripture we feel a firm foundation. We feel the security about who we are and about our life that is is in control and that I am surrendering myself to him. Now they conveniently forget verse five. They can seemingly forget that long ago all the galaxies in this very planet were brought into existence out of a watery chaos by 's word. If 's Word is when 's word spoken to existence the universe when 's word spoken to existence the galaxies that very same word living in me song Living in me it creates it creates it creates strength it creates power it creates love it creates the Word of coming alive inside of us. The Scriptures are very unique wrote a book. That book isn't alive. It's words on a page. And those words will draw upon hopefully draw upon situations that we understand and we're able to draw strength from. The Scriptures are not words on a page. The Scriptures are alive. They are active. They are quick they're powerful. They go to the very heart of the matter inside of us and the heart of the matter is what I understand not just what I feel but what I understand is truth and that truth is the foundation upon which I will build my life. Yes there are going to be questions. Yes there are doubts and yes there are things that we don't understand but is my place of refuge a very present help in time of trouble when I face the difficulties I am able to call upon 's Word like whenever we pray when we pray for someone who is ill. Our prayer is by your stripes we are healed. Therefore I pray for who is sick. Their name and whatever and I ask you to heal them. I need one. What is the need. What is the scripture that is ociated with that need we pray that scripture with the need I need financial help. you are the supplier of every need. Therefore I pray for your blessing to be upon my life and upon my gifts and upon my my works and upon what I'm doing I ask for you to meet the needs of finances in my life. It deadness I ask you for you to come to my life and that we would live with that we would be lenders not borrowers or that we would prosper even as our soul prospers. So we find that there is a connection between the need of our life and the Word of and the Word of becoming active in the prayer. I'm asking to come alive in my life and in the needs that I face each day in the in the things that I need to do the wisdom wisdom is the ability to apply the knowledge to the situation you can have or you can have an engine you know I know very little about engines and mechanics. I just know enough to tear him apart can figure out a pullback so the engine if you have enough wisdom and training you have the knowledge to be able to put these things back together. I remember when David he had this old Volvo that we purchased here in town and it was like ten years old when he bought it. When we bought it took it out and he was the driver and so on and he was having a problem. Took out the one took it to a dealership. It's going to be three thousand dollars to fix it. Took it to another individual. He says well maybe this problem will tear this apart and what at it in will be a least four thousand to fix it so they will find out about this guy who deals only involve those and only old ones. So I called him up and he said this is the problem I have and the guy says Well there's a wire on your steering column if you if you go down to where that car that steering column comes together at the bottom. If you take that wire and check that fuse you probably find out what's wrong. That was it. Every one of the other solutions was tearing the car apart and none of them was with that wire. So wisdom wisdom is the ability to understand what's going on and being able to fix things that put things within the perspective. What's going what's happening. So you see wisdom is about taking what is presented to us. And when we are all upset Oh my gosh it's going to be three thousand dollars or could be four thousand dollars. It's of a thirty cent fuse. Is he looking for and searching for the answer. And is a way of directing us 's way so you see whenever we are praying about things and praying about direction like David when he went to Salvador he went there to visit ended up being there nine years and now it's fifteen years or whatever somewhere in that category. And directed and in our life we're looking for the same things we're looking for. I was for my for the book. There is a lady that probably I don't think any of you have ever met. How many years ago. I don't even remember maybe twenty five thirty five. It can be thirty five around thirty years maybe twenty eight years ago an individual their child was killed in the car accident. And being able to be with that person and help them through that process has been has been one of the main situations in my life that kept me in this direction of helping people who are hurting and is one of the fundamental things behind this book. And it was the loss that was created that not only helped me in who I would become but was also in helping her. At helping her family through that turmoil through that difficulty has brought many different things together for caring for people who are grieving and those who are bereaved. You see there are. How can we give thanks when something hurts. How can we give thanks when things don't work out. How can we see somehow we've got to see that is there and you see whenever we look at our life. is here is here in our life he was here yesterday and you'll be here tomorrow that is with us and we don't have the foggiest notion why things happen the way they do but we know that is with us and His Word comes to our hearts into our lives and it goes into that situation. Helps knit together helps heal the wounds helps bring it together so that we can live the life that has for us to live and you see we can allow the mockers to and we can't allow Well if Jesus would have been here maybe he healed the blind guy why couldn't he have healed his friend Lazarus and Lazarus would have died and put the family through all this difficulty. We know now that until Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead and in our lives sometimes we're waiting for the until we don't we know all the one thing did this and that and then this happened. Now where is he still here. His word is still alive and still active. You know the other Scripture that what I want to know. But when the day of 's judgment does come it will be announced you see is coming back and all of the people all of the people you are in The Good The Bad and The Ugly. That's the movie The Good The Bad. All of us are gone. Stand before . All of us. People don't get away with anything. People will be rewarded for every good thing. Never become weary in well doing for in due season your Reaper harvest. Don't get beat don't become upset because I do all this good and somebody else gets the gift the promotion. is in charge and you cannot give a cup of cold water without there being a reward for it. You can't give it without there being a reward. knows the intentions and the gifts the deposits you make in other people's lives. No one may ever see it. does. When you do the good when you smile on the phone how many people smile when you're talking on the phone. Yeah why. Because it is transferable. That people know whenever you're home alone I hate you know and you're smiling and I know they don't they don't cause they don't go together. But we say o all are so nice to hear from you even if it's not. And so what are we doing we're giving thanks for all things that is that work even in the things that we don't understand and everything here will to everything here today is going to be gone sometime. So what are the things that are going to last the things that are going to last are the things that is involved in the things that are wrapped around integrated into the word. Daniel Daniel Daniel Chapter six now I put this together because of well you'll figure. If you can't then I didn't put it together very well then you know how do you think Daniel is and Daniel Chapter six. This is when King various and he's thrown into line. Then how do you think Daniel is any takers. Twenty thirty fifty How many think he's eighty. He's eighty he's eighty years old when he's around in the lion's den. So you know how many here are above eighty two. We got two takers maybe one. How are you Bob. Yeah eighty four and eighty six. We got two that are above eighty. Just good to think about this on your birthday you get thrown in the lion's den. OK How many of us would think that by the time I'm maybe I'm done with all the tests and I'm done with all the tests of life I've done with all the problems of life. But you see were never done. We're always in the place of living. Now here's Daniel. And he has survived the fall of the Babylonian Empire and now he is he is there's one hundred twenty I believe there's one hundred twenty governors all over the provinces of the Medes in the Persians and up those hundred twenty there are three vice presidents. Daniels a V.P.. No they don't like then. So they decide they're going to look through his life they're going to do an audit of Daniel. They're going to figure out something that he's done wrong. Guess what. They can't find it. Here's an eighty year old man who has served the Babylonian Empire since he was in his teens. He was taken captive with Chad wrecked me shack in the Bendigo and they were in their teens taken to Babylon Babylonian empires fallen and then us transition to the meat in the persons and he is still in leadership. Well these people don't like him. He prays every day three times a day. He's a fanatic. He can't be bribed. He will not condescend to bad mouth ing other people. He will only provide justice in what he does. So when you're doing good and people try to tear you down for it don't worry. Stay true to your prayers. How did Daniel prepare for the Lions then he prepared for the lion's den by praying every day before the trouble came. Well he's a godly man. He is serving shouldn't kept him from the people who were against him. Shouldn't have silenced them. How does silence people. He lets them stick their foot in their mouth. OK they get the stick their foot in their mouth. The old cliche given enough rope you give them enough rope they will hang themselves. Perfect example. Here's Daniel. So there are one hundred twenty governors three vice presidents and the two vice presidents and a bunch of the governors come up with a scheme they can't find anything wrong with Daniel. So let's go to the king and appeal to his ego. He is a full for being you know we can full him. So they called the king King various needs in the Persians. They go to King various and. There is a great King Live Forever all of us all of your servants have got together and they want we have come up with an idea we want you to sign a decree that no one can pray to any or anybody else but you for thirty days. King is pretty good Everybody wants this from me. Yes So he signs a decree the Medes in the Persians if you wrote something in the law it was not you were not able to amend it you were not able to change it. So what happens. Daniel's praying they found the very thing that Daniel was doing that was right and turned it around to be wrong. Have you ever done the right thing for the right reasons and people turned it around to be wrong in the last days people will look at that which is right and say that it is wrong. And you see what happens in our society of twisting the moral fiber of our society. Happens these thousands of years ago were Daniel and they twisted his good into that which is evil and so they made him pay for his goodness by throwing him in the lion's den. How do you prepare to get thrown in the Lion's Den An eighty years of age. I'm sure Daniel was at peace. Why. Because he knew that was under control. He knew the of Shadrack me shakin the Bendigo they threw him in the fiery furnace and they didn't get burnt. Daniel knew that he was at peace with and that the peace with would be the peace of In the Lion's Den. So they pulled the stone off dropped him down into the lion's den and. They put the seal on it. What is Daniel do. He's there all night. I don't know you know I remember pictures when I was a kid. Daniel sleep in and he's got his head on the line you know and they're laying there you know I don't know if that was how it was or but Daniel couldn't have been afraid because the animals were picked up on it. The animals themselves weren't focus we'll find out a few minutes with the guys to try to betray him you know. But the animals were their mouth was closed. So the very thing that is meant to destroy you can close its mouth and the very things that people have brought up in twisting things around about you. is the one who's going to handle it because we're Daniel and what happens in leadership in leadership. There's always a faction against you doesn't matter if you are in leadership one of the things I have that I you know one things I'm fraid of the most and I don't want to confess this fear that one of the things I know is going to help me overcome. About that one of the things I know that is going to help me overcome is that someone won't like what I've written someone won't like me when I preach. Do you know how hard that is. I mean for me it's very hard. I am a pleaser. It's not working will make it work for you but you need that. OK But Daniel how does how does prepare Daniel to be eighty years of old eighty years of age and to set up his leadership for the rest of his life and never have to face difficulties. He's going to gather them all together in one great test. One great test it's going to be the test and was Daniel's going to live. Over die and they are planned on him dying. They all plan on him crumbling. There's no way out of this predicament and we are going to seal Daniel's fate you see has written to us that everything one day is going to be brought before him. He knows the thoughts of the intense of our heart he's going to he's going to work in our life in a way that we never thought or dreamed that is capable of doing anything and everything and that hasn't even entered into your minds what can do so is in charge. Daniel's In the Lion's Den The king comes to Daniel and says and he says to Daniel OK England forever said oh here he goes then your servant of the Living has your god whom you serve so loyally saved you from the lions. Can you imagine in the darkness of the pit you hear this voice. OK England forever said Daniel. Oh wow. The sky is alive. I mean one person who's been in the lion's den and survived. Now I mean one person who's been swallowed by a whale a great fish a prepared fish travel to the place where it was supposed to go and put it on dry land it's a good go in Daniel I mean Noah No John the thing is if you're paying attention. So then you know my sent his angel to close the mouth of the line so that they could not hurt me. It is though they couldn't eat me they can't even hurt me. I've been found innocent before and also before your King I've done nothing to harm you. You see we've done nothing to harm the people around us. We haven't talked about them. We have of the little than we have and can didn't condemn them. We've not fine. Did fall with him when other people did. Because we recognize being in leadership or being whatever we don't go there we don't gossip. We don't talk about people. We don't tear people down or tear them up. What happens all of the individuals who were against Daniel signing this group came before the king. And those are the individuals that the king says put them in the lion's den and their families their children their wives and everything ociated with them throw them into the lion's den. And it says that they were torn apart before they ever got to the bottom of the the bay the base of the den. prepared Daniel to be at ease for the rest of his life in his leadership. Everybody who was against him was removed by their own hand in our lives be faithful to what has called us to do and in the trial will give you the strength to go through it. And that like Daniel he will deliver us through the trial. And no matter what the Lions may be no matter who the accusers may be or will see us through by his word being alive in our heart to prepare our hearts with wisdom and guidance to accomplish the task that is in our hands. And then I'll say OK so we're all going to stand before and that's not a bad thing. That's a good thing because our hearts are pure. will provide us. He will provide us being faultless if we if you and I think we're going to be faultless to stand before the throne. Because of. While our. Here I am. You know I was with the individual this week last week and I talked about forgiveness and the person said well I don't know if I've done anything bad enough to be forgiven to ask for forgiveness and. And I said we've all sinned and she is well I guess so. We've all said is the one who's going to provide us faultless he will forgive us he will give us strength and wisdom and guidance no matter who turns the goodness around to try and beat make it evil be strong in the living word and your faith is secure for an eternity. Trust with your trial he will close the mouth of the lions and those who are against you will find themselves at the hands of their own schemes. Father thank you for hearing our prayer. Thank you for knowing our life. Thank you for the forgiveness of sins. Thank you for the problems that we face. Thank you for the grace and the mercy to touch our lives. Thank you for the outcomes that are still to be determined. Thank you for how you will give us wisdom and guidance and understanding in the midst of the turmoil. you will keep us safe. We are grateful to you and thank you oh you are divine provision not only in this life but in the life to come. We thank you Jesus for saving our soul. Amen amen amen. bless you. Safe To Live