Sound Truth Radio

We have a unique view of history when we read Daniel chapter 2 in our modern age. See, some of the things that we read about in this chapter took place years ago, while others have yet to take place. We are still smack dab in the middle of prophecy. Pastor Malcolm teaches us today that Daniel's prophecy is like a roadmap that tracks the history of the human race. Because we can look back and see how the map has been accurate so far, we can trust, that it will be true as we look ahead to the future.

Have you ever prayed for God to help you get your foot in the door somewhere, only to be surprised at how He answered your prayer? God rewarded Daniel's faithfulness by giving him favor with King Nebuchadnezzar. Pastor Malcolm teaches you today that the Lord equipped Daniel to interpret the king's dream, showing him the role Babylon would play in human history. The Lord used that dream, not just to remind Nebuchadnezzar of his place in the world, but also to shower favor onto His servant, Daniel.

The goal of following God isn't to see your name on a billboard or to receive congratulations from your fellow believers for the good job you've done in building the kingdom. Instead, the kingdom itself is the only reward you should be concerned about. Pastor Malcolm teaches you today that the best thing you can do to glorify God in your everyday life is to just get out of the way. Don't let your ego get to the point that it distracts you from accomplishing the work that God has assigned for you.

Not everyone is called to vocational ministry, even the apostle Paul, in between writing large portions of the New Testament made a living as a tent maker. But the important thing Paul did was remember that his greatest priority wasn't making and mending tents, it was building God's kingdom. In today's message, Pastor Malcolm reminds you that Daniel and his friends served King Nebuchadnezzar faithfully in Babylon. Still, their first and only allegiance was to the Lord, not to the King of Babylon.

I'm sure you can think of a time in your life when you felt aimless, like your life had no meaning. Many of us feel that emptiness, when we're trying to find something worth living for. And the things of this world just don't cut it. Pastor Malcolm teaches us today that when we commit ourselves to the Lord, he gives our lives purpose. Daniel and his friends committed to honor the Lord by refusing the rich Babylonian food, and God bless them by giving them favor with their captors.

You can't make an apple tree grow lines, and you can't grow tomatoes on a grapevine, no matter what changes in the environment around these plants, the fruit they produce will remain the same. Pastor Malcolm reminds you today that even though Daniel and his friends were immersed in Babylonian culture and customs, they did not forget their lives in Israel, and they did not forsake the Lord. When his word is written on your heart, none of the world's distractions can separate you from His presence.

We live in a world today where young people are less likely to attend church or call themselves Christian. Now, that statistic can be discouraging, but we can also look at the problem from a different angle, and be thankful for those who have resisted the ways of their peers and remained faithful to God. Pastor Malcolm reminds us today that when the Israelites were led into captivity in Babylon, there was still a remnant of people who loved the Lord. Daniel and his friends served God, even in a strange land.

When you learn to drive, one of the first things you're taught is how to identify road signs so that you can be aware of upcoming hazards. Pastor Malcolm reminds you today that the prophecies found in God's Word are meant to be a warning sign to people reading it. Because when those prophecies come true, they become proof that the rest of the Bible is the true word of God. When you see God's warning signs on the road before you, they're a reminder that now is the time for you to obey his word.

Everything that we read about the Heavenly Kingdom sounds like something we can't possibly imagine on Earth. It might as well be something straight out of a sci-fi movie. But Pastor Malcolm doesn't want us to think of heaven as some impossible notion. If we believe that the Word of God is true, then we have a great reward to look forward to when Jesus returns. As far as we're concerned, heaven can be anything He wants it to be, because all that matters to us is that we get to be in His presence forever.

The laws of physics say that without outside intervention, things go from order to chaos. When you drop a pile of blocks on the floor, they don't magically rearrange themselves into a tower. They scatter all over the place and leave a mess for you to clean up. Well, Pastor Malcolm teaches us today that the institutions of mankind have short shelved lives. Before long, any sort of manmade government or authority will devolve into injustice and abusive leaders. But the millennial kingdom will have a perfect government with God at the head.

There's places in this world we simply cannot reach. Most of us will never climb Mount Everest, nor will we visit the floor of the Marinaire's trench. We won't see the inside of Fort Knox, and we probably won't go spelunking inside any Egyptian pyramids. But Pastor Malcolm teaches us today the place that was once inaccessible to most of humanity, the holy of holies, in the temple, was opened up to all of mankind when Jesus died on the cross. God's presence is no longer hidden from us.

The kind of government we hear about in the Book of Ezekiel feels like a pipe dream. After all, we see all kinds of injustice is perpetrated by every single major government in today's world, but Pastor Malcolm wants us to realize that the government during the millennial reign will be perfect, because it has God at the head. When we can't be perfect governors or leaders, God places himself at the head of the table, so he can lead the human race with justice, love, and zero tolerance for sin or hatred.

When you read Ezekiel 40:48, you might be surprised to read that the prophet describes animal sacrifices as a practice still common in the millennial temple. After all, doesn't the blood of Jesus cover all of our sins? Well, Pastor Malcolm wants us to understand that animal sacrifice can be done as an act of remembrance, just as we remember Jesus' sacrifice for us every time we take communion. The practice of animal sacrifice gave temporary relief from sin, but Jesus gives us complete freedom.

We tend to take God's presence for granted these days. Through Jesus, we have free access to the Lord's throne room, and we can feel that presence in a special way when we gather in prayer with other believers. Pastor Malcolm reminds us today that in Ezekiel's time, the people of Israel were far from God's presence, because he had left the temple, but his presence will soon return when the new millennial temple is built in Jerusalem, and his presence will be stronger on this earth than it has ever been since the time of Christ.

The human body has an immune system that fights back against infection and disease. Oftentimes without even knowing what's going on. But when something goes wrong with our immune system, we begin to notice the effects of the sicknesses that have always been around us. Well, Pastor Malcolm teaches us today that the body of Christ is here as a sort of immune system, pushing back against the antichrist and his lies. But when the church is raptured, that protection will leave with us.

When I read something that makes me worried for the future, the Holy Spirit encourages me to look at some of the books of prophecy in the Bible, just like the book of Ezekiel. In today's message, Pastor Malcolm reminds us that God has a plan for every evil thing in this world. And he even knows where our enemies will be buried. Nothing is hidden from the Lord, and he will deliver us from Satan's forces, not even Gog, the enemy described in Ezekiel's prophecy stands a chance against the Lord.

No one expected David to survive five seconds in a fight against the giant Goliath, but David didn't need the other soldier's faith to sustain him. Instead, he relied on the Lord, and had faith that God would bring the victory. Pastor Malcolm reminds us today that while there is a fight coming for the people of Israel, we already know who wins. We should act as if we're on the winning side, because we know that Jesus has already defeated Satan and his forces. We're just waiting to see the story end.

If we believe that God is as powerful as he says he is, we know that he can wipe out all of Israel's enemies with a single word. In fact, he could have prevented those enemies from existing in the first place. But Pastor Malcolm reminds us today that the enemies we face in our lives, the enemies that face the nation of Israel, are part of God's plan for this world. We see a formidable foe in front of us, but the Lord sees an opportunity to bring glory to his name, rescuing his children from the enemy's clutches.

I don't know about you, but the idea of being led around by a hook in my nose or in my mouth doesn't sound very pleasant. But in today's message, Pastor Malcolm teaches us that the Lord will lead Gog and his forces against the nation of Israel, so that Israel's enemies can be destroyed. God isn't going to make anyone do anything they don't already want to do. But what he does is expose the desires hidden deep in the hearts of men and allow them to experience the spiritual consequences of their choices.

Have you ever tried reading a document written in the 1700s, our language has changed so much over the centuries. We can't even understand something written a few hundred years ago. Well, in today's message, Pastor Malcolm reminds us that the names of Israel's enemies may not be the same today as they were when the Bible was written. However, it is important for us to understand who the prophet is referring to, because those enemies will rise against God's people at the Battle of Armageddon.

Living in the end times is like sitting on a roller coaster as it inches closer and closer to the top of the track before it makes its long, winding path back down to where it all started. We're beginning to see how the events prophesied in the Bible are going to shape up. But Pastor Malcolm encourages us to be brave, even though things are about to get more difficult for the nation of Israel, and for those who follow Jesus, we can see the heavenly kingdom that awaits us at the end of this apocalyptic ride.

Watching a pile of bones stand up, regain flesh and begin to walk and talk again, feels like something that you would see in a movie. But in today's message, Pastor Malcolm reminds you that this vision from the prophet Ezekiel is a prophecy of the restoration that is coming for the people of Israel. First, their bodies are made whole as they return to the land of their forefathers. And then their souls are restored as the presence of God, comes among the people of Israel once again.

The birth of new life in land can symbolize something greater growing beneath the surface. As Ezekiel prophesied about the rebirth of the nation of Israel as they were restored to their homeland, a spiritual revival was unfolding in the hearts of those returning from exile. And Pastor Malcolm is excited to remind you today that the rebirth of natural life in Israel today is a sign that a new revival will take place very soon among God's chosen people. There is new life, taking form in the Promised Land.

When children take their first steps. Loving parents don't criticize them for stumbling and falling. They celebrate any progress and encourage them to keep going, step by step, that child learns to walk because someone is patiently guiding them along the way. Pastor Malcolm reminds you today that in the same way, God delights in every step of growth in your life. You seize your efforts, your struggles, and your desire to move forward in faith. When you fall, he doesn't walk away. He helps you get back up again.

Throughout scripture, we see that true leadership is not built on power, force or control, but on humbled service to others. When leaders fail to care for the people entrusted to them, God's people can become discouraged, scattered, and vulnerable without shepherds to guide them. Pastor Malcolm shares with you today that leaders are meant to serve, protect, and nurture those under their care. God desires shepherds who seek the lost, strengthen the weak, and bring back those who have wandered away.

Success is often measured by numbers, accomplishments, and visible results. But God looks at something far deeper. As believers, we may sometimes wonder if we're doing enough or seeing enough fruit from our labors, but Pastor Malcolm shares with you today that God doesn't judge your service by its results, but by your willingness to faithfully follow him. You have unique opportunities, gifts, and circumstances that only you can use as an act of obedience for the calling he has set in your life.

Those who place their trust in worldly things will ultimately fall. The warning is clear. There is no lasting security in standing with the world or following its ways. While the world may appear strong and appealing, its promises can't compare to the faithfulness of the Lord. In today's message, Pastor Malcolm encourages you to stand with God. That is where you will find true hope and stability, because God's strength never fails, and his promises never fade.

Today's teaching can be pretty tough to hear in a world that values the pursuit of recognition and self promotion, but it's true. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Pastor Malcolm encourages you today, a humble heart is the pathway to receiving more of God's grace in your life. The Lord knows exactly when, where, and how to lift up his people. When you rest in his sovereignty, you can let go of the need to promote yourself, and fully trust in God's perfect will and timing.

Spiritual deception is often more subtle than we realize. Many people assume Satan's primary goal is to oppose God by being completely different from him. But scripture reveals that Satan's original desire was to exalt himself and become like the Lord through imitation and counterfeit. Pastor Malcolm makes it clear to you today that many of the enemy's works are designed to resemble the truth while leading you away from it. Stay grounded in Christ, so you can learn to discern what is genuine and what is not.