In a world increasingly filled with moral and spiritual challenges, Adrian Rogers delivers a powerful message on remaining steadfast in one’s Christian beliefs. Learn from the unwavering faith of biblical heroes and the lessons they offer for today’s generation. This episode emphasizes the importance of teaching these values to future generations, preparing them to withstand the trials they may face, inspired by the timeless wisdom found in the Bible.
Known for his unique ability to simplify profound truth so that it can be applied to everyday life, Adrian Rogers was one of the most effective preachers, respected Bible teachers, and Christian leaders of our time. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here’s Adrian Rogers.
SPEAKER 03 :
Be finding the third chapter of that book of Daniel. While you’re finding it, let me tell you about an ancient Christian. THIS MAN’S NAME WAS ATHANASIUS. AND ATHANASIUS WAS A BOLD, STRONG CHRISTIAN. AND HE WOULD TAKE STANDS AND OTHER PEOPLE WOULD SAY HE IS ARROGANT OR HE IS STUBBORN OR HE IS NARROW-MINDED. THE EMPEROR’S NAME WAS THEODOSIUS. AND THEODOSIUS SAID TO ATHANASIUS, ATHANASIUS, THE WHOLE WORLD IS AGAINST YOU. ATHANASIUS SAID TO THEODOSIUS, THEN ATHANASIUS IS AGAINST THE WHOLE WORLD. HA HA. IT TAKES COURAGE. IT TAKES COURAGE, MY FRIEND, TO STAND ALONE. BUT MORE AND MORE AND MORE YOU’RE GOING TO FIND THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO LEARN TO STAND ALONE IN THE DAY AND THE AGE IN WHICH WE LIVE. AND IF IT IS NECESSARY NOW IN YOUR OFFICE, IN YOUR SCHOOL, ON YOUR TEAM, IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IF IT IS NECESSARY NOW, AS THE DAYS GET DARKER, HOW MUCH MORE NECESSARY WILL IT BE FOR YOUR CHILDREN? SO I WANT YOU TO LEARN TO STAND ALONE, AND I WANT YOU TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO STAND ALONE, NOT OUT OF STUBBORNNESS, NOT OUT OF ARROGANCE, NOT OUT OF NARROW-MINDEDNESS, BUT TO STAND UP FOR JESUS, AND TO STAND ON THE PRINCIPLES OF GOD’S WORD, AND TO STAND FOR THOSE THINGS THAT ARE TRUE, AND RIGHTEOUS, AND JUST, AND THE THINGS THAT WILL LAST THROUGHOUT TIME AND ETERNITY. NOW LET ME READ TO YOU SOME SCRIPTURE HERE. DANIEL CHAPTER THREE, VERSE ONE, NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE KING MADE AN IMAGE OF GOLD, WHOSE HEIGHT WAS THREESCORE CUBITS, AND THE BREADTH THEREOF SIX CUBITS. AND HE SET IT UP IN THE PLAIN OF DURAH, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent together together the princes, the governors, the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the princes, the governors, the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.” Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye shall fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up. And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same be cast into the midst of a burning, fiery furnace. Therefore, at the time when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar, the king, SET UP. NOW, LET’S JUST PAUSE THERE. WE’RE GOING TO PICK UP THE STORY IN A MOMENT, BUT ALREADY YOU’RE RECOGNIZING IT’S THE STORY OF THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN WHO WERE THROWN INTO THE FIRY FURNACE. And which of us has not known that story for a long, long time? And we learned it when we were in Sunday school about these three Jewish boys who would not worship that image were thrown into the fiery furnace because they wouldn’t budge and they wouldn’t bow. And we found out they also would not burn. And they came out of that fiery furnace. And we’ve all rejoiced in that story. But my friend, listen to me. THAT IS NOT JUST SIMPLY WHAT GOD HAS DONE, IT IS A RECORD OF WHAT GOD IS DOING. AND IT IS NOT MERELY A RECORD OF WHAT GOD HAS SAID, IT IS A RECORD OF WHAT GOD IS SAYING. AND YOU’RE GOING TO FIND YOURSELF VERY SOON IN A FIRY FURNACE, SOME INCENDIARY CIRCUMSTANCE. BEFORE LONG, IF YOU ARE A BIBLE-BELIEVING CHRISTIAN, YOU’RE GOING TO FIND OUT THAT YOUR FAITH WILL BE IN THE FIRE. AND IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR YOU LIKE THESE YOUNG MEN OF OLD TO STAND ALONE.” NOW NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS AN EGO MANIAC, A MEGLIO MANIAC. He was stuffed full of a sense of his own importance. So great was his ego, so great was his self-worship that he had an image made of himself and demanded that everyone would bow down and worship that image. I want you to see that gigantic image as it stood out there on the plains of Duras like some missile on a pad waiting to be launched. I WANT YOU TO HEAR THE COMMAND GIVEN THAT EVERYBODY IS TO BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP THAT IMAGE OR ELSE YOU’LL BE THROWN IN A FIRY FURNACE. THAT’S ALL THEY NEEDED. WHEN THE BAND STRUCK UP, THERE WERE THOUSANDS WHO HIT THE DUST AND FELL DOWN IN OBEISANCE BEFORE THAT, UH, GOLDEN IMAGE. DID I SAY ALL? HA HA HA, THERE, THERE WERE THREE THERE THAT DAY WHO WOULD NOT BOW AND THEY WERE INDEED BECAUSE THEY STOOD ALONE THROWN INTO A FIRY FURNACE. NOW THIS HAS GREAT, GREAT, GREAT RELEVANCE FOR YOU, FOR ME TODAY IN THIS AGE IN WHICH WE LIVE AND MORE AND MORE AND MORE, UH, RELEVANCE WILL IT HAVE BECAUSE YOU SEE, DANIEL IS A BOOK OF PROPHECY. AND NEBUCHADNEZZAR IS A TYPE, A PICTURE, AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE ANTICHRIST. DID YOU HEAR THAT? THERE IS COMING A MAN WHO WILL ONE DAY RULE THE WORLD AS BABYLON WAS RULED BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR. HE WILL BE THE DEVIL’S MESSIAH. HE’S CALLED IN THE BIBLE THE BEAST. HE’S CALLED IN THE BIBLE THE MAN OF SIN. HE’S CALLED IN THE BIBLE THE LAWLESS ONE. HE IS CALLED IN THE BIBLE THE WICKED ONE. HE IS CALLED IN THE BIBLE THE ANTI-CHRIST. ALL OF THESE ARE DIFFERENT APPELLATIVES, NAMES, DESCRIPTIONS OF ONE INCREDIBLY WICKED HUMAN BEING WHO MAY NOW BE LIVING, WHO WILL ONE DAY RULE THE WORLD DURING A PERIOD THE BIBLE TELLS OF AS THE GREAT TRIBULATION. NOW THE EVOLUTIONISTS BELIEVE THAT MEN, SPRUNG FROM THE BEAST. MAN, WE ARE HEADED TO THE BEAST. THAT BEAST IS THE ANTICHRIST. NOW, YOU SAY, WELL, WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ME? I DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE ANTICHRIST. DON’T I UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURE TO, TO SAY THAT, UH, WHEN, UH, WHEN THE CHRISTIANS ARE, ARE TAKEN OUT OF THE WORLD, THEN THE ANTICHRIST WILL COME? WELL, THAT IS TRUE. I BELIEVE THAT. BUT I WANT YOU TO PUT IN YOUR MARGIN 1 JOHN CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE 28. DON’T TURN TO IT, JUST JOT IT DOWN AND LET ME SHARE IT WITH YOU. The Apostle John said even in his day, little children, it is the last time. And as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now there are many Antichrists. DID YOU GET IT? MANY ANTICHRISTS, WHEREBY WE KNOW IT IS THE LAST TIME. THAT IS, THE MORE YOU SEE ANTICHRISTS, THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST THAT’S IN THE WORLD, THE MORE YOU REALIZE THAT YOU’RE LIVING IN THE LAST TIME. NOW, THIS MAN IS A PICTURE OF ANTICHRIST HIMSELF. THE THREE THINGS I WANT YOU TO SEE PRIMARILY AS WE LOOK AT THIS STORY. WE SEE THE STORY OF THESE THREE MEN, SHADRACH, MESHAK, AND ABED-NEGO, WHO REFUSED TO BOW DOWN TO THE KING’S, UH, IMAGE. AND, UH, FIRST OF ALL, AS WE LEARN TO STAND ALONE, I WANT YOU TO SEE THE VERY FURY THAT THESE BOYS FACED. I MEAN THE, THE, THE PRESSURES THAT WERE UPON THEM. NOW AGAIN, LET ME SHOW YOU THAT NEBUCHADNEZZAR DOES PICTURE AND, UH, AND STANDS FOR THE ANTICHRIST. LET ME GIVE YOU SOME, UH, INTERESTING THINGS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEBUCHADNEZZAR MADE AN IMAGE OF HIMSELF AND TOLD EVERYBODY TO WORSHIP THAT. PUT IN YOUR MARGIN REVELATION CHAPTER 13 AND BEGINNING IN VERSE 13. JUST LISTEN TO IT NOW BECAUSE TIME IS SHORT AND I’M GOING TO GO FAST. YOU JOT THESE SCRIPTURES DOWN AND I’LL SHARE THEM WITH YOU. REVELATION CHAPTER 13 VERSE 13. AND HE, IT’S SPEAKING OF THE ANTICHRIST NOW, NOT NEBUCHADNEZZAR, THIS IS WAY BACK IN THE LAST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, NOT THE BOOK OF DANIEL, BUT THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION, LISTEN TO IT, AND HE DOETH GREAT WONDERS, SO THAT HE MAKETH FIRE TO COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN ON EARTH IN THE SIGHT OF MEN, AND DECEIVETH THEM THAT DWELL ON THE EARTH BY THE MEANS OF THOSE MIRACLES WHICH HE HAD POWER TO DO IN THE SIGHT OF THE BEAST, SAYING TO THEM THAT DWELL ON THE EARTH THAT THEY SHOULD MAKE AN IMAGE TO THE BEAST, WHICH HAD THE WOUND BY A SWORD AND DID LIVE. AND HE HAD POWER TO GIVE LIFE UNTO THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST, THAT THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST SHOULD BOTH SPEAK AND CAUSE AS MANY AS WOULD NOT WORSHIP THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST TO BE KILLED.” NEBUCHADNEZZAR SAYS, I’VE GOT AN IMAGE HERE. IF YOU DON’T WORSHIP IT, YOU’RE GOING TO BE KILLED. THE ANTICHRIST IS COMING. HE’S GOING TO MAKE AN IMAGE MORE INCREDIBLE THAN THE ONE NEBUCHADNEZZAR MADE. AND IF THOSE PEOPLE AT THAT TIME WILL NOT WORSHIP THAT IMAGE, THEY WILL BE KILLED. AN INTERESTING USE OF THE NUMBER SIX IS HERE. LOOK IN CHAPTER THREE VERSE ONE, UH, THE KING MADE AN IMAGE OF GOLD WHOSE HEIGHT WAS THREE SCORE CUBITS. HOW MANY IS THREE SCORE? WELL, THAT’S SIXTY. AND THE BREADTH OF IT WAS WHAT? SIX. AND HOW MANY, AH, PIECES OF, AH, ORCHESTRATION WERE IN THE ORCHESTRA? LOOK IN VERSE FIVE. AT WHAT TIME YOU HEAR THE SOUND OF THE CORNET, THAT’S ONE. THE FLUTE, THAT’S TWO. THE HARP, THAT’S THREE. THE SACBUT, THAT’S FOUR. THE SALTRY, THAT’S FIVE. AND THE DULCIMER, THAT’S SIX. ALL THROUGH THIS THING YOU FIND SIX, SIX, SIX. WELL, WHAT IS THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST, THE ANTICHRIST, THAT’S GOING TO COME? REVELATION CHAPTER 13 AND VERSE 18, HERE IS WISDOM, LET HIM THAT HATH UNDERSTANDING COUNT THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST, FOR IT IS THE NUMBER OF A MAN, AND THE NUMBER IS SIX HUNDRED THREESCORE AND SIX, SIX, SIX, SIX. AND SO WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY IS THIS, THAT THERE WAS A MAN NAMED NEBUCHADNEZZAR. HE IS A TYPE, A PICTURE, A PROPHECY, AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE ANTICHRIST THAT WILL COME. ANTICHRIST WILL COME. ONE DAY HE WILL SET UP AN IMAGE. ONE DAY HE WILL USE THE NUMBER 666 TO CAUSE UNIVERSAL WORSHIP. BUT IN THIS DAY AND IN THIS AGE IN WHICH WE NOW LIVE, The spirit of antichrist is already in the world. There are many antichrists. And if people in that day must stand alone, so must we in this day stand alone. And there will be incredible pressure. Now I want you to see what old Nebuchadnezzar did so long ago to try to get people to conform. First of all, there will be emotional enticement. Look in verse 5. At what time you hear the sound of the cornet, the flute, the harp, the sackbuck, the psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music. Ye shall fall down and worship the golden image.” The Babylonian orchestra began to play. There was incredible music. You see, what does music do? MUSIC TOUCHES THE EMOTIONS. MUSIC IS A GIFT OF GOD. BUT THE DEVIL ALSO KNOWS THE POWER OF MUSIC. AND SATAN IS USING MUSIC TODAY LIKE NEVER BEFORE TO ENFORCE, AH, HIS, AH, DIABOLICAL PLANS UPON THE WORLD. SATAN IS A MASTER MUSICIAN. THE BIBLE EVEN SPEAKS OF SATAN AS HAVING TABERTS OR PIPES IN HIM. WHEN HE SPEAKS, IT’S LIKE MAJESTIC MUSIC. NOW, HIS MUSIC CAN BE HIDEOUSLY BEAUTIFUL, OR IT CAN HAVE A DEMONIC BEAT. BUT IT IS SATAN’S TOOL AS NEVER BEFORE. SATAN WANTS TO CAPTURE A GENERATION BY MUSIC. AND WHO WILL DENY? WHO WILL DENY THAT THERE IS EMOTIONAL ENTICEMENT? BUT WAIT A MINUTE, NOT ONLY EMOTIONAL ENTICEMENT, SECONDLY, THERE IS SOCIAL INDUCEMENT. THE BIBLE MENTIONS IN VERSES TWO AND THREE THAT EVERYBODY WAS DOING THIS. AND IN VERSE 4, THE HERALD CRIED ALOUD, TO YOU IT IS COMMANDED, O PEOPLE, NATIONS, AND LANGUAGES. EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE DOING IT. AND IF YOU DO NOT FALL IN LINE IF YOU DO NOT STEP IN TIME, IF YOU DO NOT DO WHAT YOU’RE TOLD TO DO IN THIS DAY AND IN THIS AGE, YOU’RE GOING TO BE LOOKED UPON AS AN ODD BALL. WE’RE MOVING QUICKLY TO A ONE-WORLDISM, A ONE-WORLD GOVERNMENT. THE AMERICA THAT WE HAVE KNOWN IS BEING DILUTED AND BEING ABSORBED INTO A, GENERATION AND INTO A GLOBALISM SPURRED ON BY GLOBAL GULLIBILITY OF THOSE WHO WILL NOT STAND ALONE AND STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. NOW WATCH IT. THERE, FIRST OF ALL, THERE’S EMOTIONAL ENTICEMENT. THERE’S THE MUSIC. THEN THERE’S SOCIAL INDICTMENT. EVERYBODY IS DOING IT. AND THEN THERE IS GOVERNMENT ENFORCEMENT. GOVERNMENT ENFORCEMENT. LOOK, IF YOU WILL, IN VERSE SIX, AND WHO SO FALLS NOT DOWN AND WORSHIP IT, THE SAME SHALL BE CAST INTO THE MIDST OF A BURNING, FIRY FURNACE. NOW, THE GOVERNMENT IN THAT DAY, AND THE GOVERNMENT MORE AND MORE IN OUR DAY, IS TRYING TO SQUEEZE EVERYBODY INTO A MOLD AND SAY THAT YOU CANNOT, UH, STAND FOR THIS THING, OR YOU CANNOT STAND FOR THAT THING. WE WILL WE WILL ARREST YOU FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT, OR WE WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR, AH, TAX-EXEMPT STATUS. WE WILL DO THIS, WE WILL DO THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE IN THE WAY OF THE PROGRESS OF PEACE. AND FRIEND, JESUS SAID, IN THE LAST DAYS THERE’S COMING A TIME WHEN THOSE WHO KILL YOU WILL THINK THEY DO GOD A SERVICE. THERE’S A MAN NAMED JIM LOOSE WHO HAS AN ORGANIZATION CALLED FUNDAMENTALIST ANONYMOUS. THAT IS, I WAS ONCE A MEMBER OF A BIBLE-BELIEVING CHURCH. NOW, THEY USE THE TERM FUNDAMENTALIST IN A, WITH A SNEAR AS A PEJORATIVE TERM. AND I FINALLY CAME OUT, I EXTRADITED MYSELF FROM THAT FORM OF MIND CONTROL, THAT’S WHAT THEY CALL IT. AND NOW FOR OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE ONCE CAUGHT UP IN THIS KIND OF AN ORGANIZATION, UH, HERE IS A WAY TO LIBERATE YOURSELF AND TO FREE YOURSELF. NOW THAT’S NOT SO BAD, YOU JUST HAVE TO PITY THOSE PEOPLE AND FEEL SORRY FOR THEM. BUT I WANT YOU TO GET THE MIND SET. I WANT TO QUOTE WHAT HE SAID. NOW LISTEN TO IT. HE’S SPEAKING OF YOU, IF YOU’RE A BIBLE BELIEVER. AND HERE’S WHAT HE SAYS, THEY HAVE A MIND SET OF SEEING THE WORLD IN BLACK AND WHITE, GOOD AND EVIL. THAT IS VERY TOTALITARIAN AND AUTHORITARIAN. WE THINK IT IS A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM. AND WHEN TRANSLATED INTO THE POLITICAL ARENA, IT IS A DEMOCRATIC PROBLEM. HE’S JUST SIMPLY SAYING, FRIEND, WHEN YOU STAND UP AND SAY, THE BIBLE SAYS, AND THIS IS WRONG AND THIS IS RIGHT, YOU’RE MENTALLY SICK. THERE IS A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM AND WHEN IT BECOMES A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM, THEN IT BECOMES A DEMOCRATIC PROBLEM. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE STANDING IN THE WAY OF WORLD PEACE. NOW IF YOU THINK THAT’S A JOKE, FRIEND, YOU GO TO THE FORMER SOVIET UNION AND FIND ALL OF THOSE WHO WERE CAST NOT INTO PRISON BUT INTO MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITALS BECAUSE THEY DARE STAND UP AND SAY, THIS IS WRONG AND THIS IS RIGHT AND WE WILL NOT GO ALONG. AND SO NOT ONLY WAS THERE THIS, UH, GOVERNMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, THERE’S GOING TO BE SPIRITUAL, UH, DEFILEMENT, SPIRITUAL DEFILEMENT. YOU SEE, THE DEVIL WAS BEHIND ALL OF THIS. LOOK IN VERSE SIX, AND WHOSO FALLETH NOT DOWN AND WORSHIPETH. NOW LEARN THIS ABOUT THE DEVIL. THE DEVIL DOES NOT WANT CASUALTIES, HE WANTS CONVERTS. THE DEVIL WANTS TO BE WORSHIPED. AND THE ANTICHRIST THAT COMES, HE WANTS TO BE WORSHIPPED. AGAIN, REVELATION CHAPTER 13, VERSES 7 AND 8, AND IT WAS GIVEN TO HIM, THAT IS ANTICHRIST, TO MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS AND OVERCOME THEM. THAT’S GOVERNMENTAL ENFORCEMENT. AND POWER WAS GIVEN HIM OVER ALL KINDREDS AND TONGUES AND NATIONS, AND ALL THAT DWELL UPON THE EARTH SHALL WORSHIP HIM, WHOSE NAMES ARE NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE, OF THE LAMB SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. AND THAT’S THE POWER. THAT’S WHAT WE’RE UP AGAINST, MY DEAR FRIEND. WE’RE UP AGAINST EMOTIONAL ENTICEMENT. WE’RE UP AGAINST SOCIAL INDUCEMENT, GOVERNMENTAL ENFORCEMENT. WE’RE UP AGAINST SPIRITUAL DEFILEMENT. AND IT IS IN THE WORLD EVERYWHERE, EVERYWHERE, EVERYWHERE. IT’S IN THIS CITY, IT’S IN YOUR CITY, WHEREVER YOU ARE LISTENING TO THIS PROGRAM TODAY. AND YOU’RE GONNA HAVE TO LEARN TO STAND AGAINST IT. SECOND THING I WANT YOU TO SEE NOW, THE VERY FIRST THING IS WHAT I CALL THE FURY THEY FACED. THE SECOND THING I WANT YOU TO SEE IS THE FAITH THAT THEY FOLLOWED. I WANT YOU TO SEE WHAT IT WAS THAT HELPED THESE THREE YOUNG MEN TO STAND ALONE, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE, AND YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE IN THE HEARTS AND LIVES OF YOUR CHILDREN. NOW BEGIN IN VERSE 13, IF YOU WILL, DANIEL CHAPTER 3 AND VERSE 13, THEN NEBUCHADNEZZAR IN HIS RAGE AND FURY COMMANDED TO BRING SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO. THEN THEY BROUGHT THESE MEN BEFORE THE KING, AND NEBUCHADNEZZAR SPAKE AND SAID UNTO THEM, IS IT TRUE? O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? NOW IF YE BE READY, AT WHAT TIME YE HEAR THE SOUND OF THE CORNET FLUTE, HARP, SACBUT, SALTRY, AND DULCIMER, AND ALL KINDS OF MUSIC, YE FALL DOWN AND WORSHIP THE IMAGE WHICH I HAVE MADE WELL. BUT IF YE WORSHIP NOT, YE SHALL BE CAST THE SAME HOUR INTO THE MIDST OF THE BURNING, FIERY FURNACE.” NOW NOTICE THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST HERE. NOTICE THE, UH, THE CONTEMPT HE HAS FOR GOD. AND WHO IS THAT GOD? That shall deliver you out of my hands. Now, oh, folks, here’s where it gets good. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, Oh, Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. NOW WHEN HE SAYS, WE’RE NOT CAREFUL, THAT IS, WE DON’T HAVE TO HESITATE. WE DON’T HAVE TO STUDY ABOUT IT. WE’RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT. WE DON’T HAVE TO PONDER ABOUT IT. WE’RE NOT CAREFUL TO ANSWER THEE IN THIS MATTER. IF IT BE SO, OUR GOD WHOM WE SERVE IS ABLE TO DELIVER US FROM THE BURNING, FIERY FURNACE, AND HE WILL DELIVER US OUT OF THINE HAND, O KING. BUT NOW NOTICE THIS, HALLELUJAH, BUT IF NOT, BE IT KNOWN UNTO THEE, O KING, THAT WE WILL NOT SERVE THY GODS, NOR WORSHIP THE GOLDEN IMAGE WHICH THOU HAST SET UP. NOW, SUPPOSE WE’RE THERE, AND WE, WE SAY, NOW, BOYS, LET’S GIVE YOU SOME ADVICE. YOU’RE, HA, HA, YOU’RE IN A TOUGH SPOT. I MEAN, YOUR FAITH IS ABOUT TO BE IN THE FIRE. NOW, FELLOWS, LET ME JUST TELL YOU WHAT TO DO. NOW, HERE’S THE AVERAGE CARNAL CHRISTIAN SPEAKING, WHEN IN BABYLON, DO WHAT? Do as the Babylonians did. Go along to get along. I mean, after all, it’d be a whole lot better for you to compromise a little bit here and live a little longer so you can do some more good than just simply to be stubborn and to stand up. And after all, Christians are supposed to get along with everybody and everything, including the devil himself. So just don’t, don’t, don’t stand alone. But these men did. And how did they do it? BY THE FAITH THAT THEY HAD. NOW I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE FAITH THEY FOLLOWED. NOW I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THREE THINGS ABOUT THAT FAITH. NUMBER ONE, IT WAS A SETTLED FAITH. LOOK IF YOU WILL IN VERSE 16. IN VERSE 16 THEY SAID, WE’RE NOT CAREFUL TO ANSWER YOU, O KING. We don’t have to get in a huddle. We, we don’t, we don’t have to ponder it. We don’t, we don’t have to say, now, King, give us a night to sleep on it. We don’t have to have a committee meeting. You know what I believe these boys had done? I believe these boys had already been in a revival meeting. I believe they had been in a revival meeting before they were carried away captive under good King Josiah. There had been a revival in the preaching of Jeremiah. They had God’s Word hidden down in their heart. They already knew what was right. They already knew what was wrong. Let me tell you something, dear friend. There are too many of you spending too much time trying to make up your mind what you’re going to do about this thing and this thing and this thing and this thing. One of the greatest things I’ve learned in life is one big decision will keep you from a lot of little ones. Let’s make one big one. Have you ever, you and your wife going out to supper one night and you pull out of the driveway and she says, well, where do you want to go? Well, what do you want? WELL, WELL, WELL, I DON’T KNOW. WHAT ABOUT SO-AND-SO? I DON’T KNOW. WHAT ABOUT SO-AND-SO? AND YOU’RE STEERING THE CAR ALL OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE THIS. YOU GO HERE AND THEN YOU CONTINUE. LOOK, FOLKS, IF YOU KNOW YOU’RE GOING TO THUS AND SUCH A PLACE, WHEN YOU COME OUT, YOU JUST TURN AND GO, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU MADE ONE BIG DECISION, THEN, THEN THE REST OF IT’S JUST AUTOMATIC. AND, AND SO IT IS IN LIFE. WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU MAKE A CERTAIN DECISION, WHEN YOU SAY, UH, THIS IS RIGHT AND THIS IS WRONG, AND THEN WHEN NEBUCHADNEZZAR SAYS, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? YOU SAY, HEY, I DON’T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT. I don’t have to think about it. Their faith was a settled faith. I’ll tell you something else about it. It was a strong faith. Look in verse 17. They said, Our God is able. You better believe that. Man, I’m telling you, you better believe it. You better believe when he says, who is that God that shall deliver thee? You better believe there is a God who said, call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee. I will. My dear friend, that’s the word of a holy God. He will deliver us. If He doesn’t deliver us through the fire, friend, He’ll deliver us in the fire, but He will deliver us. Have faith in God. He cannot fail. Have faith in God. He must prevail. He watches over His own. Have faith in God. HAVE FAITH IN GOD. BUT HERE’S THE POINT I WANT YOU TO LEARN, AND THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT. THAT FAITH THAT WAS A SETTLED FAITH, WE DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT. WE DON’T HAVE TO CONSULT ABOUT IT. THAT FAITH WHICH WAS A STRONG FAITH, OUR GOD IS ABLE. NOW YOU LISTEN TO ME, DEAR FRIEND, IT WAS A STEADFAST FAITH. NOW HERE’S SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING IN VERSE 18, He says, but if not, look at it, but if not be it known unto thee, O king, we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Now, God is able to deliver us. We don’t have any doubt about that, and He will deliver. No doubt about that. But if not, we’re not going to serve your gods. We’re not going to worship your image. Now, what does if not mean? Does that mean if God is not able? Not at all. Does that mean if God… DOES NOT DELIVER US. NO, THAT’S NOT WHAT IT MEANS. IT MEANS IF IN THIS SITUATION WE BE TURNED TO BACON, IF WHEN YOU THROW US LIKE CHIPS OF WOOD INTO A FIERY VESUVIUS, WE’RE CONSUMED, IF THAT’S THE WAY IT WORKS OUT, FINE, FINE, WE’RE STILL NOT GOING TO WORSHIP YOUR GOD, NEBUCHADNEZZAR. NOW, THEY DON’T HAVE ANY DOUBT AS TO GOD’S POWER. THAT’S NOT THE POINT AT ALL. THEY JUST SIMPLY MIGHT, IT MAY HAPPEN THAT GOD IN HIS SOVEREIGNTY MAY WANT THESE BOYS TO DIE IN THE FLAMES. YOU CAN DIE IN THE FLAMES. NOW, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. DOES YOUR FAITH HAVE AN IF-NOT CLAUSE IN IT? OUR GOD IS ABLE TO DELIVER US. WE ALL LIKE THAT. WE ALL BELIEVE THAT. BUT IF HE DOESN’T, ARE YOU STILL GOING TO SERVE HIM? NOW, FOLKS, RIGHT NOW WE’RE GETTING DOWN TO THE, UH, GRITTY PART OF THE NITTY RIGHT HERE. I WANT YOU TO TURN WITH ME TO HEBREWS. JUST STAY THERE IN THE THIRD CHAPTER OF, UH, DANIEL, AND TURN WITH ME THIS TIME. WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT HERE AND TURN WITH HEBREWS. THAT’S BACK TOWARD THE BACK OF THE BIBLE. IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11, NOW THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, VERY IMPORTANT IN STANDING ALONE. YOU KNOW, ALL OF US LIKE THE STORY OF THESE THREE MEN IN THE FIRY FURNACE. WHY? BECAUSE THEY CAME OUT. HOW WE LIKE IT. BUT NOW I WANT YOU TO LISTEN. VERSE 32, THE PREACHER’S RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE, AND SO HE SAYS, AND WHAT SHALL I MORE SAY? FOR TIME WOULD FAIL ME TO TELL OF GIDEON AND OF BARAK AND OF SAMSON OF JEPTHANA, OF DAVID, AND OF SAMUEL, AND OF THE PROPHETS, WHO THROUGH FAITH SUBDUED KINGDOMS, HA, WROUGHT RIGHTEOUSNESS, OBTAINED PROMISES, STOPPED THE MOUTHS OF LIONS, QUENCHED THE VIOLENCE OF FIRE, ESCAPED THE EDGE OF THE SWORD, OUT OF WEAKNESS WERE MADE STRONG, WAXED VALIANT IN FIGHT, TURNED TO FLIGHT THE ARMIES OF THE ALIENS. WOMEN RECEIVED THEIR DEAD RAISED TO LIFE AGAIN. BOY, NOW IF WE JUST STOPPED THERE, WE’D SAY, BOY, SIGN ME UP. WHERE DO I SIGN? HA HA, MAN, I LIKE THAT. YOU MEAN, WHY, WHY? UH, GOD JUST GIVES VICTORY AFTER VICTORY. THAT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL THING. AND WE LOVE THE STORIES OF DANIEL IN THE LION’S DINN. OH, HOW WE LOVE THAT. WE LOVE THE STORY OF DAVID AND GOLIATH. HOW WE LOVE THAT. WE LOVE THE STORY OF THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN IN THE FIERY FURNACE, HOW WE LOVE THAT. WE LOVE THE STORY OF OUR LORD RAISING THE DEAD AND HEALING THE SICK. WE LOVE THOSE STORIES. WE LOVE THE STORY OF HOW PETER CAME OUT OF PRISON. WE ALL LOVE THOSE STORIES. BUT FRIEND, IT DOESN’T END THERE. I WANT YOU TO CONTINUE TO READ NOW. AND IN VERSE 35, AND OTHERS, OH BOY, IT’S THE AND OTHERS THAT’S GOING TO GET YOU RIGHT NOW. AND OTHERS WERE TORTURED. not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Friend, if God doesn’t give you what you want, He’ll give you something better than you want. Now, you listen to me. And others had a trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment. WELL, YOU SAY, WELL, THEY WERE PUT IN PRISON, BUT THEY GOT OUT AFTER A WHILE. OH, HA, LOOK AT VERSE 37, THEY WERE STONED, THEY WERE SAWN ASUNDER, WERE TEMPTED, WERE SLAIN WITH THE SWORD. THEY WANDERED ABOUT IN SHEEP SKINS AND GOAT SKINS, BEING DESTITUTE, AFFLICTED, TORMENTED, OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY. THEY WANDERED IN DESERTS AND IN MOUNTAINS AND IN DENS AND CAVES OF THE EARTH. THESE ALL HAVING OBTAINED A GOOD REPORT THROUGH FAITH.” YOU SAY, WELL, IF THEY’VE JUST HAD ENOUGH FAITH, THEY’D HAVE BEEN DELIVERED. OH, NO! THEY GOT A ON THE REPORT CARD THROUGH FAITH, AND THEY WERE NOT DELIVERED IN THE WAY THAT YOU AND I WOULD CALL DELIVERANCE. THESE THREE HEBREW BOYS, THEY KNEW. THEY SAID, OUR GOD IS ABLE. AND HE’S GOING TO DELIVER US. BUT HE MAY NOT KEEP US OUT OF YOUR FIRY FURNACE, AND HE MAY NOT KEEP US ALIVE IN THE FURNACE. THAT’S OKAY. WE’RE STILL NOT GOING TO BOW. WE’RE NOT GOING TO BUDGE. NOW, MY DEAR FRIEND, YOU LISTEN TO ME AND LISTEN BIG, STRAIGHT, AND TALL, AND PLAIN. IT IS ONE THING TO HAVE FAITH TO ESCAPE. IT’S ANOTHER THING TO HAVE FAITH TO ENDURE. IT’S ONE THING TO BE SICK AND HAVE FAITH TO BE HEALED. It’s another thing to be sick and not be healed and still praise God. And that takes greater faith. That takes greater faith. All these by faith received A plus on their report card. They received a good report. My dear friend, it is one thing to be delivered. It’s another thing to die and all by faith. And there better be an if not clause in your deal with God, in your contract with God. Our God is able to deliver us. And if He doesn’t deliver us, it’s not because He can’t. You read there in the New Testament where James was put in prison by Herod, and Herod cut off his head. Then Peter’s put in prison, and God delivers Peter out of prison. Therefore, God could have delivered James, but He did not deliver James, but He did deliver Peter. And why? Well, you can ask Him when you get to heaven. Friend, I just want to tell you that God is sovereign. GOD IS A SOVEREIGN GOD AND GOD KNOWS WHAT IS BEST AND GOD MAY NOT ALWAYS DELIVER YOU FROM YOUR TRIALS AND YOUR TRIBULATIONS AND YOUR TEMPTATIONS AND IF HE DOESN’T, WHAT ARE YOU TO DO? JUST STAND. JUST STAND BY FAITH. NOW LET ME TELL YOU WHAT FAITH IS. FAITH IS NOT PRIMARILY RECEIVING FROM GOD WHAT YOU WANT, IT IS ACCEPTING FROM GOD WHAT HE GIVES. Did you hear me? Not primarily receiving from God what you want is accepting from God what He gives. And these boys, they had what kind of a faith? It was a settled faith. We don’t have to worry about it. Friend, it was a strong faith. Our God is able. And it was a steadfast faith. Even if He doesn’t deliver us, we’re not going to bow. We’re not going to budge. We’re not going to bend. We may burn, but our God will deliver us out of your hand, Nebuchadnezzar. Now, folks, I want to tell you, We just have some sort of little fairy tale faith where we think that somehow at the last moment the Lone Ranger is going to come riding over the hill and deliver us. That’s not necessarily true. But I want to tell you, my dear friend, there is a God in heaven who’s going to take care of you in the fire, through the fire, or whatever. I love Romans 8, verse 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long. We’re counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things, in all these things, in all these things, we’re more than conquerors through Him that loved us. Friend, we didn’t win with a field goal in the last two seconds. We are more than conquerors. THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US. NOW, FINALLY AND VERY QUICKLY, AND I’VE SPENT TOO MUCH TIME ON THE FIRST TWO POINTS, SO I’M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU THE SYNOPSIS OF THE LAST POINT. I’VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE FURY THEY FACED. I’VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE FAITH THEY FOLLOWED. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU FOR JUST A FEW MOMENTS ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP THEY FOUND. AND YOU CAN GO READ THE STORY WHEN YOU GO HOME. BUT WHAT HAPPENED? THEY’RE BOUND THEY’RE THROWN INTO THIS FIRY FURNACE. THIS FURNACE IS HEATED SEVEN TIMES HOTTER THAN IT’S EVER BEEN HEATED. WHY, THE MEN THAT THREW THEM IN ARE BURNED WITH SUCH BURNS THAT THEY CANNOT SURVIVE. THERE ARE THESE THREE BOYS DOWN THERE IN THE FIRY FURNACE. AFTER A WHILE, NEBUCHADNEZZAR DECIDES HE’LL GO DOWN AND HAVE A LOOK. HE’LL SEE HOW THESE THREE REBELLIOUS YOUNG MEN WHO WOULD NOT BOW AND WOULD NOT BUDGE ARE DOING. WHEN HE LOOKS DOWN THERE, HE SAID, HEY, WAIT A MINUTE, DIDN’T WE PUT THREE MEN IN THE FIRE? WELL, HE SAID, I SEE FOUR WALKING AROUND DOWN THERE. AND THE FOURTH IS LIKE THE SON OF GOD. FRIEND, WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THEY GOT DOWN THERE? THREE THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THE BONDS, THE ROPES THAT WERE PUT ON THEM WERE ALL BURNED OFF. NOT EVEN THE SMELL OF SMOKE IN THEIR CLOTHES. LISTEN TO ME, THE ONLY THING THE FIRE BURNED OFF OF THEM WAS WHAT THE WORLD HAD PUT ON THEM. IF YOU GO THROUGH THE FIRE, GOD’S JUST CLEANSING YOU. HE KNOWS HOW TO CLEANSE YOU. AT TIMES YOU’LL GROW THE MOST, OR WHEN YOUR FAITH’S IN THE FIRE. I CAN TELL YOU THAT’S TRUE. NOW LOOK, THERE WAS THE CLEANSING OF THE SAINT. I’LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE, THERE WAS THE COMPANIONSHIP OF THE SAVIOR. JESUS, JESUS WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER BE CLOSER TO YOU THAN WHEN YOU TAKE A STAND FOR HIM. AND SAY, UH, NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY ELSE IS GOING TO DO, DEAR JESUS, I’M GOING TO PLEASE YOU. AND LORD, IF IT COSTS, LORD, IF I’M CAST IN THE FIRE, LORD, IF I’M HATED, CASTIGATED, REFUSED, BURNED, IGNORED, KILLED, JESUS, I’M GOING TO STAND FOR YOU. I’LL TELL YOU JESUS WILL MOVE IN AND LOCK ARMS WITH YOU AND WALK THROUGH THAT FIRE WITH YOU, MY DEAR FRIEND. IF YOU WANT JESUS CHRIST TO BE REAL, YOU STOP BEING A CANDY-LEGGED CHRISTIAN, SUNDAY MORNING BENCH WARMER AND START TO STAND UP FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. AND THERE’LL BE THE COMPANIONSHIP OF THE SAVIOR. AND LAST OF ALL, AND I, I WISH I HAD TIME JUST TO SPEAK ABOUT AN HOUR ON ALL THREE OF THESE. THERE’LL BE THE CONVICTION OF THE SINNER. THERE WILL BE.
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OH, NEBUCHADNEZZAR LOOKED DOWN THERE. HE SAID, WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE? WHY AREN’T THEY BURNED UP?
SPEAKER 03 :
BECAUSE THEIR GOD DELIVERED THEM. THOSE BABYLONIANS WORSHIPED THE FIRE GOD. THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. HIS NAME WAS ISBAR. NO, ISBAR WASN’T LIKE JEHOVAH. AND NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD TO ADMIT IT. THERE’S NO GOD LIKE OUR GOD. YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS WORLD IS GOING TO START HAVING RESPECT FOR THE CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE GOD OF THE BIBLE, WHEN YOU AND I, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, STAND ALONE, YOU BETTER TEACH YOUR CHILDREN, FRIEND, BECAUSE THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST IS ALREADY IN THE WORLD. LET’S BOW IN PRAYER. HEADS ARE BOWED. YOU WON’T EVEN BEGIN TO STAND AGAINST ANTICHRIST. YOU WON’T EVEN BEGIN TO STAND IF YOU DON’T HAVE CHRIST IN YOUR HEART. ARE YOU SAVED? YOU CAN’T TEACH YOUR CHILDREN IF YOU DON’T KNOW. ARE YOU PREPARED TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WHAT’S RIGHT AND WHAT’S WRONG? ARE YOU? FATHER, I PRAY THAT MANY TODAY WILL GIVE THEIR HEARTS TO CHRIST, WILL BE SAVED, BORN AGAIN, SUPERNATURALLY, AND EVEN TODAY, WILL OPEN THEIR HEARTS AND SAY YES TO CHRIST. IN HIS DEAR NAME, AMEN.
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