The Open Word (Audio)

Have you ever been in a pit surrounded by lions or perhaps in a fiery furnace?? Most likely the answer to those questions is “no”. This life may be throwing its worst at you – but chances are it doesn’t compare to the extreme and immediate physical danger that faced Daniel as well as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in their particular situations. But, as Pastor David encourages us in today’s message, no matter how great the hardship – Jesus is with you and he will bring you through for His glory.

Sadly, prayer is often seen as a last resort or even an inconvenience in many Christian’s lives. You might utter a quick prayer when you’re running late for work, asking that God would bless you with green lights, or you’ll spend some time on your knees when you’re confronted with a hard circumstance; but what would you do if prayer itself could bring persecution and hardship? As Pastor David asks us in today’s message, if you were in Daniel’s shoes, would you risk your life for the sake of your faith?

Nothing is impossible for God. This truth is made abundantly clear in today’s message. As Pastor David continues to examine the book of Daniel, we see the way that God transcends the abilities and tricks of man. Nebuchadnezzar’s request for a someone to guess and then interpret his dream was impossible for man, but God knew his heart and mind and because Daniel placed his faith in Him and gave Him the glory, He enabled Daniel to do what no other man was capable of.

While you should be a good citizen of whatever earthly country you reside in, ultimately, as a believer, you are a foreigner in the land. Whether your country embraces Christianity or rejects and persecutes it, you are called to live first and foremost as a citizen of the Kingdom of God. As Pastor David begins our exploration of the book of Daniel in today’s message, you can take inspiration from his life. Even as the culture around him rebelled, he stood fast in his faith and unashamedly spoke the truth.

If you look at the world around you, there are many things that point towards God’s goodness and authority. From His provision of your daily bread, to the blessings that surround you in the form of friends, family, and earthly possessions, His presence in your life is obvious if you’re eyes are open. Yet, as Pastor David points out in today’s message, too often you are like the Israelites, and the only time you really see God is when you face the consequences of your rebellion and experience His wrath.

Ezekiel can be a challenging and overwhelming study. As Pastor David takes on this book detailing Ezekiel’s prophetic vision, we are reminded of the inadequacy of language. If you imagine the most magnificent thing you’ve seen and try to put it into words, you might get a sense of the challenge Ezekiel faced. Even with divine guidance, it’s clear that the words he wrote can’t come close to capturing the scope of glory and wonder he encountered in the vision God gave him.

To be a true child of God requires more than just uttering a salvation prayer in an emotional moment, driven by fear of hell. It requires repentance. Repentance is a change of heart; turning yourself over to Christ – dying to your own desires and committing to follow Him. As Pastor David explains in today’s message, there are many who believe they have secured their ticket into Heaven, all the while living a life that is devoid of God. If you have truly been redeemed, your life cannot stay the same.

The words of warning that Zephaniah hit pretty close to home for us today. Our nation has rejected God and chosen wickedness over righteousness. This grieves God’s heart. He doesn’t look forward to bringing destruction, but because men harbor evil in their hearts and reject Him outright, they ultimately will face the consequences. As Pastor David warns in today’s message, those consequences will be dire, but until the gates of hell are sealed, God will welcome anyone that repents and turns to Him.

God doesn’t desire worship that is only halfhearted. When you come to Him on Sunday with songs of praise, just to go back out into the world and serve your sinful desires and dishonor God, your worship is empty. As Pastor David points out in today’s message, this is what was happening with God’s people in the book of Zephaniah. God doesn’t expect perfection – He knows it’s impossible for you – but He desires honest worship, not only in the temple, but in your everyday life.

It can be hard to trust God when life seems out of control. It can be even harder to explain your faith to other people too! Your lack of worry when trials come can seem strange to the world, and you likely won’t be able to fully explain it! After all, God’s plans can be mysterious! Today Pastor David will encourage you to keep your life firmly planted in your Creator. He knows how things will turn out even if you can't. When life falls apart, you can remain hopeful that one day, evil will be vanquished!