Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - Tested By Fire (Part 2)

November 4, 2025 | 29:0

Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.

#Testing #Trials-HardTimes #WalkwithGod #Journey #Challenges #Courage #God'sWill #Plan #Temptation #Faith #HandofGod #Deliverance #RobertJeffress

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Tested By Fire (Part 2) | November 4, 2025

♪ music ♪
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From the pulpit of the first baptist church
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Of dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory"
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With dr. robert jeffress.
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Hi, i'm robert jeffress and welcome again
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To "pathway to victory."
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Many people define faith in simplistic terms.
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Faith, they say, is an optimistic feeling
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That everything will work out in the end.
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If you think positive thoughts,
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Good things will come true, right?
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Well, according to scripture,
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True faith requires much more risk and uncertainty.
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Today, i'm going to tell you a true story
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About a man whose faith endured the ultimate test.
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My message is titled "tested by fire,"
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On today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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♪ music ♪
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In a culture that celebrates compromise
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And rejects absolute truth,
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How can you stand firm in your christian faith?
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The prophet daniel faced this same challenge millennia ago,
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And his unwavering courage offers a powerful example
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For believers today.
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In the book "daniel: courageous living in a pagan world,"
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Dr. robert jeffress shares how you can remain steadfast
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And immovable in a culture ruled by darkness.
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Request your copy today when you give a generous gift
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To support the ministry of "pathway to victory."
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♪ music ♪
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After three years of training,
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They had been shown to be 10 times wiser than they were.
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So they were looking for a way to get even with them.
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And they knew exactly how to do it.
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They knew how to play to nebuchadnezzar's paranoia.
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They said, "nebuchadnezzar, we know how worried you are
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About a rebellion and losing the kingdom.
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Nebuchadnezzar, this is how rebellions start,
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Three people who won't worship you.
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What if those three infect another three,
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Who infect another three, and pretty soon,
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All of the jews are rebelling against you?
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And if the jews start rebelling against you,
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Then your own people will rebel against you
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And you're going to lose the kingdom."
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They (laughing) knew exactly how to play to him,
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How to pull his strings.
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And so look at verse 13, "then nebuchadnezzar,
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In rage and anger, gave orders to bring shadrach,
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Meshach, and abednego.
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Then these three were brought before the king."
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Now here's the natural question.
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Where in the world was daniel during this time?
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Have you ever wondered that?
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Where was daniel?
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After all, he's the one who had these guys promoted.
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He's the one who led them to obey god
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And not nebuchadnezzar.
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Where was daniel?
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This week as i was preparing the message,
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I read all kind of explanations about where daniel was.
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Some people say, "well, daniel was now
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Such a high-ranking official that for political reasons,
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He went ahead and bowed down
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Before the image of nebuchadnezzar.
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To him it was no big deal,
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It was political and not spiritual."
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Now that doesn't make any sense,
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Especially given daniel 1 and how he wouldn't even eat
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The king's food.
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Another explanation is, "well, maybe daniel was ill
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On this particular day."
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If i were choosing a day to call in sick to the office,
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This certainly would've been it.
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(audience laughing)
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But i'm not sure that's a likely explanation.
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Some people say, "well, maybe the king had dispatched him
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On a foreign trip as an emissary for the king
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To a foreign land."
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That's a possibility.
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We don't know, that's the bottom line, where daniel was.
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But some have suggested that it was not fair
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For daniel to escape this test when his three friends
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Were being tested in such a severe manner.
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And that's really not logical to say this isn't fair,
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Because the fact is, daniel was about to be tested.
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He had already been tested in chapter one,
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And the lion's den was waiting around the corner for him
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In chapter six.
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But there's a very important point in principle
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For all of us here.
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All of us who are god's people are going to be tested,
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But we're not all tested in the same way.
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God's tests for us are not the same test.
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In 1 peter 1:6, peter said,
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"in this you greatly rejoice,
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Even though for a little while,
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If necessary, you have been distressed by various trials."
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That word various, (speaking in a foreign language)
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It's a word we get polka dot from.
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We are distressed by varied, various tests.
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God's plan is not the same for all of us.
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We're all going to be tested,
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But we're going to be tested in different ways.
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I had a seminary professor many years ago
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Who wrote a little book on the subject of daniel.
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And in his comments on this passage,
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He was commenting on the fact that we don't all
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Go through the same tests and he gave this illustration.
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He said, "a colleague of mine at the seminary
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Had a teenage daughter
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Who was in a terrible automobile crash.
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And she spent months trying to recover
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From that terrible crash, and i prayed with him
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As his teenage daughter tried to recover
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From this accident."
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And he said, "you know, i don't know why it is
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I'd never gone through a test like that,
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But god has spared me from that kind of test."
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That's what he put in his book.
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Years later, after the book was published,
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This seminary professor who had written those words
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Had a wife who became gravely ill.
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She became an invalid and he cared for her
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For many, many years after that, and eventually,
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He lost her to death.
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The fact is, god had a test for him as well.
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He just didn't know it at the time.
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It was a different test.
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Remember this.
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God tests us and satan tests us as well.
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You know, we make a differentiation
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Between the word test and tempt.
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We do that because of james 1
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That talks about satan tempting and god testing.
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But in the greek language, test and temp are the same word.
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Did you know that?
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It means difficult time.
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It's the same word, test and tempt.
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God and satan both test us,
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But they have a different motivation in doing so.
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Satan tests us in order to destroy our faith.
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God tests us to strengthen our faith.
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You're not going to escape testing in your life.
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If you're not in the middle of a test right now,
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Either you've already come through one,
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You're in the middle of the one,
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Or you're getting ready to enter a test.
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But god's plan for all of his children is to be tested,
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Not to destroy our faith, but to strengthen our faith.
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Now, notice verse 14:
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"nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them,
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To shadrach, meshach, and abednego,
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'is it true that you do not serve my gods
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Or worship the golden image that i have set up?'"
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He said, "maybe you all misunderstood,
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So let's try this again. (laughing)
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I know you're new to our country.
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Maybe you didn't understand exactly what was being said
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In aramaic, so let's try this again."
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Now here's the command.
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"when you hear the music play,
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You just fall down and everything will be okay."
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However, he says in verse 15,
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"but if you do not worship,
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You will be immediately cast in the midst
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Of a furnace of blazing fire.
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And what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?"
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You see, nebuchadnezzar had already discovered
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There's a god who could reveal secrets.
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But he had not yet discovered that the same god is one
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Who is able to deliver the israelites
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Out of nebuchadnezzar's hands.
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Now, think about these hebrew youth.
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And remember, teenagers, they were about your age.
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They were probably about 17 or 18 at this time
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That they were going through this test.
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Think about how they could've rationalized
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Not obeying god's commands.
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They could've come up with all kind of excuses
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Not to bow down before the golden image,
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But they knew what god had said.
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In exodus 20, god was very clear,
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"though shall have no other gods before me.
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Though shall not make into thee any graven image.
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Though shalt not bow down to them nor serve them."
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Now, they could've come up with all kind of rationalizations
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About why to bow down.
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They could've said to themselves,
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"well, you know what, i'm going to bow in my knees,
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But i'm not going to bow in my heart.
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In my heart, i'll still worship the only true god."
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Or they could've said, "well, you know what,
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It doesn't make any sense for us to die
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In the fiery furnace.
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Why if we die, we'll not be able to witness
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To nebuchadnezzar and the babylonians any longer.
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And surely god wouldn't want that to happen."
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They could've come up with all kind of excuses
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For reasons not to obey god's command and bow down
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Before the golden image.
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But notice what they said instead.
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Verses 16-18, these are some of my favorite verses
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In all of the bible.
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Look at what they said to nebuchadnezzar.
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They said in verse 16, "oh nebuchadnezzar,
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We don't even need to give you an answer
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Concerning this matter.
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If it be so, our god whom we serve is able
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To deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire,
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And he will deliver us out of your hand, o king."
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But underline this verse 18,
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"but even if he does not,
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Let it be known to you, o king,
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That we are not going to serve your gods
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Or worship the golden image that you have set up."
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Now, that's what you call faith.
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They said, "king, we believe our god is able
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To deliver us, and if he wants to,
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He'll deliver us out of your hands.
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But even if he chooses not to deliver us,
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We are still going to obey him."
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Ladies and gentlemen, that is faith.
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I'm so tired of these prosperity preachers on tv,
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One of 'em, i'll get in trouble for mentioning his name,
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But he's got this book out right now called "i declare."
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His idea, if you just speak something
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And believe it enough, it will come into being.
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"i declare, i declare, name it, claim it.
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I declare."
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That's what they think faith is.
00:10:10.332 --> 00:10:12.234
They think faith is believing god's going to do
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What i want him to do, and if i just believe it hard enough
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And say it loud enough, i can force god's hand
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To do what i want to do.
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That's not faith, that's presumption.
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Ladies and gentlemen, faith is not believing god
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Is going to do what i want him to do.
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Faith is the resolve to obey what god wants me to do
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Regardless of what he does in my life.
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That's what faith is,
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Obedience to god in spite of the circumstances.
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It's not always god's will to deliver us out of trials.
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It wasn't god's will to deliver jesus out of suffering
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Or peter or paul or most of the apostles.
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God's will for them was death, but they still obeyed god.
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This is the perfect demonstration of what true faith is,
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Obeying god regardless of what he does.
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Now, look at verse 19, the execution of the sentence,
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(laughing) "then nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath
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And his facial expression was altered
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Toward shadrach, meshach, and abednego."
00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:13.596
His face was just contorted, he was so angry.
00:11:13.596 --> 00:11:16.432
And he answered by giving orders to heat the furnace
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Seven times more than it was usually heated.
00:11:19.401 --> 00:11:23.105
The aramaic here means nebuchadnezzar was as angry
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As he could've been under the circumstances,
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And his anger, like anger always does,
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Caused him to do something very irrational.
00:11:31.080 --> 00:11:34.049
You know, when you're angry,
00:11:34.049 --> 00:11:35.251
You are literally out of your mind.
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And that's what nebuchadnezzar was,
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Because he does a very irrational thing.
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He says, "i want that furnace heated up seven times
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The normal heat."
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Now think about it.
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If he was really angry, as he was, with these three men,
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He wouldn't want the temperature raised.
00:11:50.366 --> 00:11:52.735
He'd let it stay at the normal temperature
00:11:52.735 --> 00:11:54.603
So that they would suffer as long as possible
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In that furnace instead of being consumed immediately by it
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Being seven times hotter than it usually was.
00:12:00.843 --> 00:12:03.879
But nebuchadnezzar wasn't rational.
00:12:03.879 --> 00:12:05.815
One commentator said nebuchadnezzar's furnace was hot,
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But he, himself, got hotter.
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(audience laughing)
00:12:12.054 --> 00:12:13.589
And when a man gets full of fury, he gets full of folly.
00:12:13.589 --> 00:12:18.194
Great words.
00:12:18.527 --> 00:12:19.995
Look at verse 21, "then these three men were tied up
00:12:19.995 --> 00:12:23.732
In their trousers, their coats, their caps,
00:12:23.732 --> 00:12:25.868
And their other clothes,
00:12:25.868 --> 00:12:27.169
And they were cast in the midst of the furnace
00:12:27.169 --> 00:12:28.904
Of blazing fire.
00:12:28.904 --> 00:12:30.472
For this reason, because of the king's command was urgent
00:12:30.472 --> 00:12:32.975
And the furnace had been made extremely hot,
00:12:32.975 --> 00:12:35.177
The flame of the fire slew those men
00:12:35.177 --> 00:12:37.646
Who carried up shadrach, meshach, and abednego.
00:12:37.646 --> 00:12:40.583
But these three men, shadrach, meshach, and abednego,
00:12:40.583 --> 00:12:44.854
Fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire
00:12:44.854 --> 00:12:47.957
Still tied up."
00:12:47.957 --> 00:12:49.758
Now look at god's miraculous delivery in verse 24,
00:12:49.758 --> 00:12:52.828
"then nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded,
00:12:52.828 --> 00:12:55.898
And he stood up."
00:12:55.898 --> 00:12:57.499
Now apparently, they had placed a chair
00:12:57.499 --> 00:12:59.835
For nebuchadnezzar to sit in once the furnace door
00:12:59.835 --> 00:13:02.304
Had been shut, and he was able to look in
00:13:02.304 --> 00:13:04.874
To see these three men.
00:13:04.874 --> 00:13:06.709
And when he looked into that blazing fire,
00:13:06.709 --> 00:13:09.245
He was so astounded by what he saw,
00:13:09.245 --> 00:13:11.413
He immediately stood up and he said to his high officials,
00:13:11.413 --> 00:13:14.884
"was it not three men we bound into the midst of the fire?"
00:13:14.884 --> 00:13:17.920
They replied to him, "certainly, o king."
00:13:17.920 --> 00:13:19.955
Verse 25, he said, "look, i see men loosed, four of them,
00:13:19.955 --> 00:13:24.460
Walking about in the midst of the fire
00:13:24.460 --> 00:13:26.195
Without harm and the appearance of the fourth
00:13:26.195 --> 00:13:29.231
Is like a son of the gods."
00:13:29.231 --> 00:13:31.867
Three things amazed nebuchadnezzar.
00:13:31.867 --> 00:13:33.535
First of all, these men who had been tied up
00:13:33.535 --> 00:13:35.571
Were suddenly now free.
00:13:35.571 --> 00:13:37.139
Secondly, they were walking around without being consumed
00:13:37.139 --> 00:13:39.742
By the fire.
00:13:39.742 --> 00:13:40.809
But most importantly,
00:13:40.809 --> 00:13:42.411
There were no longer three men in there.
00:13:42.411 --> 00:13:44.380
There was a fourth man in there.
00:13:44.380 --> 00:13:46.582
And that fourth person they saw looked like a son of god.
00:13:46.582 --> 00:13:51.854
Who was that fourth person in there?
00:13:52.655 --> 00:13:55.057
I believe it was the angel of the lord.
00:13:55.057 --> 00:13:58.360
Anytime in the old testament you read
00:13:58.360 --> 00:13:59.995
About the angel of the lord,
00:13:59.995 --> 00:14:02.498
That is a reference to the lord jesus christ,
00:14:02.498 --> 00:14:05.501
The incarnate, pre-incarnate appearance of jesus christ.
00:14:05.501 --> 00:14:10.272
That fourth person looked like a god to them.
00:14:10.272 --> 00:14:13.442
Verse 26, "then nebuchadnezzar came near to the door
00:14:13.442 --> 00:14:16.712
Of the furnace and he responded and said,
00:14:16.712 --> 00:14:18.981
'shadrach, meshach, abednego, come out,
00:14:18.981 --> 00:14:21.717
You servants of the most high god and come here.'
00:14:21.717 --> 00:14:24.586
And then shadrach, meshach, and abednego came out
00:14:24.586 --> 00:14:27.122
In the midst of the fire."
00:14:27.122 --> 00:14:28.958
He wanted them out of the furnace.
00:14:28.958 --> 00:14:30.726
He called them servants of the most high god.
00:14:30.726 --> 00:14:33.696
And look at verse 27, "all of the officials gathered around
00:14:33.696 --> 00:14:36.999
And saw and regarded these men
00:14:36.999 --> 00:14:38.767
That the fire had no effect on their bodies.
00:14:38.767 --> 00:14:41.270
Not even a hair of their head had been singed,
00:14:41.270 --> 00:14:44.573
Nor were their trousers damaged,
00:14:44.573 --> 00:14:46.642
Nor had the smell of fire even come upon them."
00:14:46.642 --> 00:14:49.878
They didn't even reek of smoke after being in that furnace.
00:14:49.878 --> 00:14:53.649
And verse 28, look at nebuchadnezzar's response.
00:14:53.649 --> 00:14:56.118
He said, "blessed be the god of shadrach,
00:14:56.118 --> 00:14:59.021
Meshach and abednego, who has sent his angel
00:14:59.021 --> 00:15:01.991
And delivered his servants who put their trust in him,
00:15:01.991 --> 00:15:05.094
Violating the king's command.
00:15:05.094 --> 00:15:06.862
And he yielded up their bodies
00:15:06.862 --> 00:15:08.263
So that not to serve or worship any god
00:15:08.263 --> 00:15:11.200
Accept their own god."
00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:12.868
And as we'll see in a moment,
00:15:12.868 --> 00:15:14.436
This was not, and we'll see this more next time,
00:15:14.436 --> 00:15:16.805
This was not a conversion experience for nebuchadnezzar.
00:15:16.805 --> 00:15:20.109
That would come in chapter four.
00:15:20.109 --> 00:15:22.745
Nevertheless, there was still a command here
00:15:22.745 --> 00:15:26.915
That was given in verse 29.
00:15:26.915 --> 00:15:28.751
Nebuchadnezzar says, "therefore i make a decree
00:15:28.751 --> 00:15:31.787
That any people, nation, or tongue
00:15:31.787 --> 00:15:34.023
That speaks anything offensive about the god
00:15:34.023 --> 00:15:36.792
Of shadrach, meshach, and abednego
00:15:36.792 --> 00:15:38.861
Shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced
00:15:38.861 --> 00:15:42.197
To rubbish heap in as much as there is no other god
00:15:42.197 --> 00:15:45.367
Who is able to deliver in this way."
00:15:45.367 --> 00:15:47.803
And notice, nebuchadnezzar did not denounce all other gods.
00:15:47.803 --> 00:15:51.306
He simply recognized that the god
00:15:51.306 --> 00:15:53.842
Of these three hebrew youth was a legitimate god,
00:15:53.842 --> 00:15:58.080
And in fact, he was a superior god to any other god
00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:02.484
He knew of.
00:16:02.484 --> 00:16:03.685
Because this was a god that was able
00:16:03.685 --> 00:16:05.487
To deliver these hebrews out of nebuchadnezzar's hands.
00:16:05.487 --> 00:16:09.958
Now, as impressive as a comment that is,
00:16:09.958 --> 00:16:13.595
God is not impressed by it.
00:16:13.595 --> 00:16:15.998
See, god is not content to be named among other gods.
00:16:15.998 --> 00:16:21.336
God is not impressed when we say,
00:16:22.071 --> 00:16:23.272
"oh, i believe in the god of heaven,
00:16:23.272 --> 00:16:25.307
The god of the bible, but i believe in other gods as well."
00:16:25.307 --> 00:16:29.545
I'm saying this often right now as i go around our country.
00:16:29.545 --> 00:16:33.148
What we call plurality in our country,
00:16:33.949 --> 00:16:36.785
The worship of many gods, what we celebrate as tolerance
00:16:36.785 --> 00:16:39.755
And plurality, god has another name for.
00:16:39.755 --> 00:16:42.958
It's idolatry.
00:16:42.958 --> 00:16:44.560
The first amendment of our constitution
00:16:45.427 --> 00:16:47.362
Has not replaced the first commandment of god.
00:16:47.362 --> 00:16:50.833
God said, "you shall have no other gods before me."
00:16:50.833 --> 00:16:55.804
God commands our exclusive worship.
00:16:55.804 --> 00:16:58.340
He has no tolerance for any false gods or any false idols.
00:16:58.340 --> 00:17:03.579
And by the way, a false idol, a false god
00:17:04.446 --> 00:17:06.582
Doesn't have to be a wooden statue.
00:17:06.582 --> 00:17:08.851
As i heard my friend david jeremiah say today,
00:17:09.818 --> 00:17:11.520
"we have american idols as well."
00:17:11.520 --> 00:17:13.989
(audience laughing)
00:17:13.989 --> 00:17:15.991
Those american idols sometime are money.
00:17:15.991 --> 00:17:19.228
We bow down before money, we worship money.
00:17:19.228 --> 00:17:22.431
Sometimes it's pleasure, entertainment.
00:17:22.431 --> 00:17:24.700
Sometimes it's sports.
00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:26.201
Sometimes it's scholastic achievements.
00:17:26.201 --> 00:17:28.303
But god is a jealous god.
00:17:28.303 --> 00:17:30.839
He said, "you worship me exclusively."
00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:34.009
That's the kind of worship our god demands.
00:17:34.009 --> 00:17:37.412
Now, why is this story important?
00:17:37.412 --> 00:17:39.248
It's important for three significant reasons.
00:17:39.248 --> 00:17:42.384
First of all, this story sets the stage
00:17:42.384 --> 00:17:44.453
For nebuchadnezzar's conversion
00:17:44.453 --> 00:17:46.355
In the most dramatic way we're going to see next time.
00:17:46.355 --> 00:17:49.591
But secondly, this story foreshadows
00:17:49.591 --> 00:17:52.361
God's protection of israel.
00:17:52.361 --> 00:17:55.330
Just as god protected shadrach, meshach, and abednego
00:17:55.330 --> 00:17:58.934
From the fiery furnace,
00:17:58.934 --> 00:18:00.235
So god would supernaturally protect israel
00:18:00.235 --> 00:18:03.705
During the 70 years of captivity in babylon.
00:18:03.705 --> 00:18:07.476
And god will continue to protect his people
00:18:07.476 --> 00:18:10.579
Until the end of time.
00:18:10.579 --> 00:18:12.214
I was in new york this past week.
00:18:12.948 --> 00:18:15.684
I was there wednesday for the most holy day
00:18:15.684 --> 00:18:18.620
Of the jewish calendar, yom kippur.
00:18:18.620 --> 00:18:22.090
And i was with some jews.
00:18:22.090 --> 00:18:24.226
It was interesting to see how they worshiped on yom kippur.
00:18:24.226 --> 00:18:28.063
But that very same day of yom kippur,
00:18:28.063 --> 00:18:30.599
The holiest day on the jewish calendar, on that very day,
00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:35.971
There in new york was iranian president ahmadinejad.
00:18:37.005 --> 00:18:39.675
And there he was in the un breathing threats against israel.
00:18:39.675 --> 00:18:43.545
Monday of that week in new york, he said,
00:18:43.545 --> 00:18:46.081
"israel will be eliminated from the face of the earth."
00:18:46.081 --> 00:18:50.085
Now, i'm going to make to you a prophecy
00:18:50.953 --> 00:18:52.688
That i promise will come true.
00:18:52.688 --> 00:18:55.557
This is an absolute, 100% prophecy that will come true.
00:18:55.557 --> 00:19:01.597
President ahmadinejad will be eliminated
00:19:02.464 --> 00:19:05.767
Before israel is eliminated.
00:19:05.767 --> 00:19:08.203
-you can rest assured. -(audience applauding)
00:19:08.203 --> 00:19:09.972
Because israel is god's nation,
00:19:09.972 --> 00:19:12.507
And israel has the promise of god's protection.
00:19:12.507 --> 00:19:16.878
God protected them for 70 years
00:19:16.878 --> 00:19:19.348
During that babylonian captivity,
00:19:19.348 --> 00:19:21.583
And he will protect them until the end of time.
00:19:21.583 --> 00:19:25.621
But the third truth that you see in the passage is this.
00:19:25.621 --> 00:19:28.790
This passage reminds us of the importance
00:19:28.790 --> 00:19:31.693
Of unconditional faith and obedience.
00:19:31.693 --> 00:19:35.664
Remember, true faith is not believing god is going to do
00:19:35.664 --> 00:19:42.571
What we want him to do.
00:19:43.071 --> 00:19:45.007
True faith is the resolve to obey god
00:19:45.007 --> 00:19:48.744
In spite of the circumstances.
00:19:48.744 --> 00:19:50.946
It's the faith that job expressed when he said,
00:19:50.946 --> 00:19:53.315
"though he slay me, yet will i trust in him."
00:19:53.315 --> 00:19:58.620
♪ music ♪
00:19:58.954 --> 00:20:00.088
Only he who is obedient believes,
00:20:00.088 --> 00:20:03.859
And only he who believes is truly obedient.
00:20:03.859 --> 00:20:08.030
♪ music ♪
00:20:08.363 --> 00:20:12.200
Daniel was a courageous man who lived in a pagan world.
00:20:13.335 --> 00:20:17.306
And there's so much more to learn from his bold choices.
00:20:17.306 --> 00:20:20.809
We've only scratched the surface.
00:20:20.809 --> 00:20:23.245
But this one thing is very clear today.
00:20:23.245 --> 00:20:26.048
God has a master plan for your future
00:20:26.048 --> 00:20:28.917
That will be fulfilled in his perfect timing.
00:20:28.917 --> 00:20:32.387
His plan is not a secret.
00:20:32.387 --> 00:20:34.456
Only the timing is a secret.
00:20:34.456 --> 00:20:36.892
Our job is to obey him no matter what.
00:20:36.892 --> 00:20:41.330
Well, as a living illustration,
00:20:41.330 --> 00:20:43.165
Let me share an encouraging word
00:20:43.165 --> 00:20:45.300
From one of your fellow viewers.
00:20:45.300 --> 00:20:47.436
Recently i heard from gregory, who watches in arizona.
00:20:47.436 --> 00:20:51.406
He wrote, "pastor jeffress, in recent years,
00:20:51.406 --> 00:20:54.343
I chose to run away from god.
00:20:54.343 --> 00:20:56.678
My niece pointed me to your bible teaching,
00:20:56.678 --> 00:20:59.581
And i was completely convicted
00:20:59.581 --> 00:21:01.483
About the state of my relationship with god.
00:21:01.483 --> 00:21:04.419
Once again, he has reached out and touched me
00:21:04.419 --> 00:21:07.823
And set my feet on a path back home to him."
00:21:07.823 --> 00:21:12.060
Well, we rejoice with you, gregory.
00:21:12.060 --> 00:21:14.830
And to those of you who believe in the mission
00:21:14.830 --> 00:21:17.132
Of "pathway to victory,"
00:21:17.132 --> 00:21:18.767
Thank you for your faithful and prayerful support.
00:21:18.767 --> 00:21:22.337
Together, we are piercing the darkness
00:21:22.337 --> 00:21:25.107
With the light of god's word.
00:21:25.107 --> 00:21:27.476
Now, stay right there, i'll be back
00:21:27.476 --> 00:21:29.344
To wrap up today's program in just a moment.
00:21:29.344 --> 00:21:32.714
Our world is spinning out of control.
00:21:33.515 --> 00:21:35.951
Speaking up for biblical truth often leads
00:21:35.951 --> 00:21:38.387
To tremendous backlash.
00:21:38.387 --> 00:21:39.788
Nebuchadnezzar first of all changed daniel
00:21:39.788 --> 00:21:42.424
And his three friends' names.
00:21:42.424 --> 00:21:44.226
Secondly, he changed their culture, their education.
00:21:44.226 --> 00:21:47.396
And finally, he asked them to change their diet.
00:21:47.396 --> 00:21:50.198
And this is where daniel drew the line.
00:21:50.198 --> 00:21:52.167
He was not going to disobey god's law.
00:21:52.167 --> 00:21:54.870
In these dark and confusing days,
00:21:54.870 --> 00:21:57.172
Christians need the courage
00:21:57.172 --> 00:21:58.540
To stand in the gap, like daniel.
00:21:58.540 --> 00:22:01.410
In my book "daniel: courageous living in a pagan world,"
00:22:01.410 --> 00:22:05.614
I'll help you live out your faith
00:22:05.614 --> 00:22:07.716
In an increasingly hostile culture.
00:22:07.716 --> 00:22:10.385
Daniel was a young prophet who spoke boldly for god,
00:22:10.385 --> 00:22:14.055
And i believe his story will fill you with courage,
00:22:14.055 --> 00:22:17.159
Inspire you to be steadfast,
00:22:17.159 --> 00:22:19.327
And empower you to live as a light in this present darkness.
00:22:19.327 --> 00:22:24.599
Request your copy
00:22:25.033 --> 00:22:26.334
Of "daniel: courageous living in a pagan world"
00:22:26.334 --> 00:22:28.437
When you give a generous gift to support the ministry
00:22:28.437 --> 00:22:30.972
Of "pathway to victory."
00:22:30.972 --> 00:22:32.707
And when your donation is $125 or more,
00:22:32.707 --> 00:22:36.011
We'll also send you
00:22:36.011 --> 00:22:37.379
"daniel: the john walvoord prophecy commentaries,"
00:22:37.379 --> 00:22:40.048
The complete collection of audio and video discs
00:22:40.048 --> 00:22:42.584
For the daniel teaching series,
00:22:42.584 --> 00:22:44.519
Plus the companion application guide.
00:22:44.519 --> 00:22:47.589
Thank you for being especially generous
00:22:47.589 --> 00:22:49.758
As the lord continues to grow our broadcast ministry.
00:22:49.758 --> 00:22:52.928
Your continued partnership and support give us the resources
00:22:52.928 --> 00:22:56.264
We need to proclaim the gospel in these challenging days
00:22:56.264 --> 00:22:59.734
And to pierce the darkness with the light of god's word.
00:22:59.734 --> 00:23:03.738
♪ music ♪
00:23:04.072 --> 00:23:05.907
Karen, your question is a great one,
00:23:05.907 --> 00:23:08.076
And it's the most frequently asked question
00:23:08.076 --> 00:23:10.378
At "pathway to victory."
00:23:10.378 --> 00:23:12.047
Cremation is certainly becoming more popular
00:23:12.047 --> 00:23:15.016
With the increasing cost of funerals,
00:23:15.016 --> 00:23:18.320
With covid, that changed the way people treated
00:23:18.320 --> 00:23:21.623
Their loved ones who had died.
00:23:21.623 --> 00:23:23.725
But let me cut to the chase on this.
00:23:23.725 --> 00:23:26.228
The fact is, our bodies are temporary.
00:23:26.228 --> 00:23:30.065
God made them as temporary dwelling places.
00:23:30.065 --> 00:23:33.134
They were never meant to be our eternal home.
00:23:33.134 --> 00:23:36.538
And the bible tells us that one day,
00:23:36.538 --> 00:23:38.373
We're going to leave our bodies at home.
00:23:38.373 --> 00:23:40.575
2 corinthians 5:8 says, "for a christian
00:23:40.575 --> 00:23:43.144
To be absent from the body is to be at home with the lord."
00:23:43.144 --> 00:23:46.648
And it really doesn't matter how you die,
00:23:46.648 --> 00:23:49.618
Whether you're blown up in an airplane
00:23:49.618 --> 00:23:51.753
Over the pacific ocean, you're in a car crash,
00:23:51.753 --> 00:23:54.956
Or your organs deteriorate.
00:23:54.956 --> 00:23:57.259
One day, this temporary dwelling place
00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:59.961
Is going to be reduced to dust.
00:23:59.961 --> 00:24:02.264
Our bodies were formed out of the dust.
00:24:02.264 --> 00:24:04.799
They're going to return to dust.
00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:06.868
Cremation only accelerates the process.
00:24:06.868 --> 00:24:10.372
Now, it used to be, in the first century,
00:24:10.372 --> 00:24:12.774
When the bible, new testament was written,
00:24:12.774 --> 00:24:15.710
That the romans and other pagans would stack bodies
00:24:15.710 --> 00:24:19.748
On top of one another and burn them.
00:24:19.748 --> 00:24:22.150
They weren't expecting any resurrection.
00:24:22.150 --> 00:24:24.719
But christians carefully buried their dead
00:24:24.719 --> 00:24:28.290
As the sign that they were looking to a future resurrection.
00:24:28.290 --> 00:24:32.127
Now in truth, remember this.
00:24:32.127 --> 00:24:34.095
Our bodies are going to be made new.
00:24:34.095 --> 00:24:36.932
What we haul into heaven with us isn't going to be this body,
00:24:36.932 --> 00:24:40.635
Thankfully, it's going to be a brand new body.
00:24:40.635 --> 00:24:44.172
1 corinthians 15 describes that new body
00:24:44.172 --> 00:24:47.576
And what it's going to be like.
00:24:47.576 --> 00:24:49.077
It's going to be free from sin, from sickness,
00:24:49.077 --> 00:24:51.813
From broken relationships,
00:24:51.813 --> 00:24:53.648
And we all look forward to that.
00:24:53.648 --> 00:24:55.517
So my short answer now to your question is,
00:24:55.517 --> 00:24:58.653
There's nothing in the bible that prohibits cremation.
00:24:58.653 --> 00:25:02.324
It doesn't matter how your natural body dies.
00:25:02.324 --> 00:25:05.327
One day, god's going to give you a brand new body.
00:25:05.327 --> 00:25:09.331
♪ music ♪
00:25:09.331 --> 00:25:10.765
All of us who are god's people are going to be tested.
00:25:10.765 --> 00:25:14.302
And no matter how god chooses to test us,
00:25:14.302 --> 00:25:17.072
We're called to trust and obey.
00:25:17.072 --> 00:25:20.408
Well, somebody has said, "when you recognize god as creator,
00:25:20.408 --> 00:25:24.045
You will admire him.
00:25:24.045 --> 00:25:25.714
When you recognize his wisdom, you'll learn from him.
00:25:25.714 --> 00:25:29.084
When you understand his strength, you'll rely upon him.
00:25:29.084 --> 00:25:33.154
But only when he saves you will you worship him."
00:25:33.154 --> 00:25:37.058
And next time, we're going to look at those events
00:25:37.058 --> 00:25:39.427
That caused nebuchadnezzar to worship god.
00:25:39.427 --> 00:25:42.664
It all begins with an alarming dream.
00:25:42.664 --> 00:25:45.433
Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
00:25:45.433 --> 00:25:47.802
In our series "courageous living in a pagan world."
00:25:47.802 --> 00:25:52.173
You know, it's not enough just to believe in god
00:25:53.141 --> 00:25:55.410
To be saved.
00:25:55.410 --> 00:25:56.911
Somebody has said, "when you recognize god is creator,
00:25:56.911 --> 00:25:59.714
You will admire him.
00:25:59.714 --> 00:26:01.316
When you recognize his wisdom, you'll learn from him.
00:26:01.316 --> 00:26:04.152
When you understand his strength, you'll rely upon him.
00:26:04.152 --> 00:26:07.322
But only when he saves you will you worship him."
00:26:07.322 --> 00:26:11.026
And tonight, we're going to look at those events
00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:13.595
That caused nebuchadnezzar to worship god.
00:26:13.595 --> 00:26:17.499
Set your dvr and join us next time
00:26:17.499 --> 00:26:19.868
For the message "testimony of a king,"
00:26:19.868 --> 00:26:22.871
Here on "pathway to victory."
00:26:22.871 --> 00:26:24.906
♪ music ♪
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♪ music ♪
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Experience the beauty of alaska
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With the "pathway to victory" family,
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June 13 through 20, 2026.
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Sail through the calm waters
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Of the legendary inside passage with dr. robert jeffress
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Aboard holland america's magnificent koningsdam.
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Be inspired by award-winning musician
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Michael o'brien's powerful worship.
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Share laughter with dennis swanberg,
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America's minister of encouragement.
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All while exploring frontier towns like juneau,
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Skagway, and ketchikan.
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There's something powerful about connecting
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With god and fellow believers
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In the majesty of his untamed wilderness.
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From the majestic glaciers, to soaring eagles,
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These moments in god's creation will deepen your faith
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In powerful ways.
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Join us for a spiritual journey
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Through some of creation's most spectacular displays.
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Don't wait, our best cabins are going fast.
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Call 888-280-6747
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Or visit ptv.org.
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Robert Jeffress - Tested By Fire (Part 2)

November 4, 2025 | 29:0

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