Podcasts about Shadrach

Todd Ahrend dives into the three major lies that keep college students from engaging with faith.

The Tongue Conquers Enemies  (Audio) David Eells 9/22/24   A shaking is on the way. War appears to be breaking out on the surface.  The Covert war between the Alliance and the DS is likely to break out in larger overt operations. The DS has invaded the cities with terrorists and military-aged men and CCP Chinese along with others that are expanding the voter rolls within, in order to overthrow President Trump and the Alliance. They are preparing for terrorist acts because of the Brunson case has gone to the Supreme Court which will overthrow the DS government.  This from Operation Disclosure: The Brunson Brothers Voter Fraud Case before the Supreme Court asked a simple question: Did Congress investigate 50 formally filed allegations of voter fraud before certifying the 2020 Election? Obviously not, and rumor was that the Supreme Court had already ruled such on the case. We awaited an announcement likely in favor of Brunson that would dissolve the Biden Administration and all of Congress, plus bring in Martial Law until a new election was held.  Five separate assassination teams actively targeting President Trump. Three are foreign, two domestic. Three Assassination Attempts have come in the last few weeks. Your prayers and faith have cast down all five of these teams. President Trump is insulated.  Congressman Tim Burchett exposed the CIA's Sinister MK ULTRA plot to assassinate Trump! amg-news.com.  As we will see below your prayers and confession will cast most of the lawlessness down.  The DS anarchists plan on mass anarchy and destruction of cities and the Alliance military is being spread coast to coast before the announcement of the Supreme Court ruling in order to defend the cities and liberty from the lawless left who will not accept democracy. We cast down their weapons of warfare.     A New War Is Coming   Michael Boldea Jr. - 04/06/2007   Jeremiah 50:22 A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction. James 5:8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.   I dreamt I was hearing what were at first faint hoof beats, but the closer they got, the louder they grew, until it was a thundering roar of not one or two horses but what seemed like hundreds. I felt as though the ground beneath me was shaking from the onrushing horses, and the sound of them became so loud, that I suddenly awoke in my bed. As I blinked a few times, adjusting to the darkness in my room, I noticed a shadow at the foot of my bed. I blinked again, and there stood the same man I have seen on previous occasions, dressed in battle armor, his hands resting atop each other before him, on the hilt of his sword.   “What is the meaning of what I just dreamt?” I asked, somehow knowing he had come to give me the interpretation.   “What you heard”, he began, “were the chariots of war, and they are swiftly approaching. A new war is coming, but it will be unlike this present one. Speak as you have spoken, pray as you have prayed, and walk as you have walked for dark days will soon come upon the land to which you are returning. Even now their enemies plot, even now their enemies unite under one banner, and soon they will make their intentions known to the world. There is no refuge but in the Father, and He will guide and protect those who know His voice”. (And confess His promises.)  I blinked again, and the man was gone, and I was left to ponder the words I had heard. I struggled with whether I should make this dream public, for I know the reaction that some will have to it, and the last thing I desire is to stir fear in the heart of any man. After much prayer I felt I was supposed to publish the dream, and though some may receive it as a reason to fear, the true children of God will receive it for what it was, the forewarning of a loving Father, preparing His children for what is to come. God's desire for us is not ignorance, but rather knowledge, that we may prepare our hearts, in prayer and fasting, that we may draw closer to Him, that we make Him our place of refuge long before hardship forces us to seek one. The wise man prepares, while the foolhardy is caught unaware.   Jeremiah 19:15 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will bring on this city and on all her towns all the doom that I have pronounced against it, because they have stiffened their necks that they might not hear My words.       Terrorists Hiding in the States   Michael Boldea Jr. - May 5, 2003  I dreamt I was on a very high ridge, with a great valley spanning out beneath me. The night was calm, the moon and stars shining brightly in the sky. As I looked around trying to get my bearings, I was stunned to see my grandfather (Dumitru Duduman) standing next to me. He looked young and vibrant, his hands in his pockets, and a smile on his face.   “Interesting times ahead my boy, interesting times ahead”, he said. For a minute I was so shocked I couldn't say anything. Finally I blurted out the only thing that came to mind, “They have been interesting ever since you left. Trial after trial, hardship after hardship”.   “Now you know how Jesus felt when He walked the earth”, he answered, “always doing good, always in the Father's will, yet always mocked and rejected, always misunderstood and despised. Besides, it was all a test anyway”.  “A test of what?” I asked.   “For you personally, God wanted to see if you would stay true to your calling even when all seemed lost. He was preparing you and purging you, refining you, for the time when He will use you, and speak to you as He spoke to me”.   Before I could say anything, he lifted his hand to stop me. His fingers were no longer crooked from his arthritis, they were straight, and normal.   “I know what you're going to say my boy, it's not what you want, it's not what you asked for. But you should know by now it is the task you were chosen for. In this you have no choice, besides where can you hide from the face of God? Men have tried before, look how it turned out in the end. To reject what God has planned for you is to deny God. You know what the consequences are”. Unable to find the words to answer, I simply nodded my understanding and allowed him to continue speaking.   “As for why the ministry had to go through what it went through, God has already spoken that to your heart. You already know the answer. God wants all that know of this work, to be certain of one thing. It is He who sustains it; it is He who blesses it, and not the hands of men or their gimmicks. Do you think any of it would still be here after all that has happened if not for God? Never doubt Gods promises concerning this work, or His ability to fulfill them. Hope in God never disappoints; hope in man always leads to disillusionment.” (Amen. God has been preparing and sanctifying His Reformers to be leaders for the soon coming tribulation.)   “Now for the reason I am here. I was sent to show you something. Look and see”, he said, pointing down to the valley below. As I looked, I saw the outline of a map of America then the outlines of states began taking shape. As I continued to watch this map solidify, small lights began to flicker on and off in some of the states. I recognized California, Illinois, Michigan, Arizona, Washington State, Florida, and New York, among the states that lit up. The light was rhythmic, almost like a homing beacon, constant in its progression. I continued watching the lights go on and off, waiting for something else to happen, but nothing did. Finally I said, “I don't understand. What does this mean?”   “These are the places where those who were sent here long ago, to bring fear and cause chaos, have situated themselves. They lay in waiting, planning and plotting destruction. They are as coiled serpents, looking forward to the hour when they will be loosed upon this nation. If God's children pray, once more will He delay the season of sorrow that is yet to come”. (I believe He has done this.)   We stood on the ridge in silence for a long time. After a while the lights stopped flickering in the valley below, and the map began to fade away. Suddenly my grandfather turned his head toward the east, and began to sniff the air as he used to do. “Storms coming my boy, and it's a bad one”, he said. “Now give an old man a hug and let me be on my way. Be vigilant and work while you still can, it's all God asks of any of His servants. If the Father wills it, we will speak again”.   As I hugged my grandfather, I began to hear the rumbling of a great storm. The sky darkened overhead, and the booming of thunder was now audible. In my dream I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, I was in my bed, awake. I wiped at my cheeks with the back of my hand, and realized I had been crying. As my eyes began to adjust to the dark, I saw that my wife was sitting up in bed, staring at me. When I asked her why she wasn't sleeping, she said I'd been talking in my sleep for over thirty minutes. I tried going back to sleep but sleep would not come. Finally I gave up trying, went into the kitchen and prayed until morning.   Over the past few days, I have spent much time in prayer as to whether I should share this dream or not. I believe that I am supposed to. My prayer is that no one would perceive it as a reason for fear, but rather a reason to hope. God hears the prayers of His children, and as long as He encourages us to pray, we must do so without reservation. The day will come, a day I anticipate with great dread, when God will speak to His children as He spoke to Jeremiah, and say do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry for them any longer. For now, while we still can, may we ceaselessly bring our petitions before the Lord.       Our Secret Place of Safety   David Eells   Everyone is looking for the place of safety in the tribulations to come. One man says the safe place is to be with the Ark of the Covenant, which is said to be in a Chapel next to St Mary of Zion, Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Axum, Ethiopia. I believe that Solomon gave a copy of the Ark to the Queen of Sheba who carried it there.   Be that as it may; God no longer dwells in houses made by men, so the ark is a relic. (Acts 7:47) But Solomon built him (God) a house. (48) Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in [houses] made with hands. That just tells us that the ark in the temple was just a type and shadow of Jesus in His body. As He said, “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one” (Jn.17:23). God now dwells in the ark of Christ and Christ now dwells in the Body of Christ. In us He is the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein [was] a golden pot holding the manna (of the Word in us), and Aaron's rod that budded (a sign of the authority of the High Priest in us), and the tables of the covenant (of the law written on our heart) (Heb.9:4).   The presence of the Ark ensured Israel of victory and protection. When the Philistines captured the Ark it brought a curse on them so terrible that they sent it home with an offering. On the other hand Jesus said in (Mat.5:13) Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.   Another brother asked me if I thought the Christians will flee for safety to the city of Petra in Jordan. I told him that I thought Petra would be far too small to accommodate them and it would be a natural trap where they could be wiped out. I do believe that some natural Jews will find shelter in Petra, which is the Greek word for “rock”. However, spiritual Jews who are circumcised in heart, have the spiritual Rock of Jesus as a place of safety. Jesus said that standing on Him was the place where Hell had no power over us. (Mat.16:18) And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter (Gr: “Petros”, meaning a piece of the rock), and upon this rock (Greek: Petra) I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Jesus is our rock of safety.   Peter himself said that Jesus was the Rock that we are to be founded on. (1Pet.2:5) ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (6) Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame. (7) For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; (8) and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. The disobedient stumble through unbelief in the Word and so are not founded on the Rock. Judgment will take them away wherever they hide.   Those who are obedient to the Word through faith are on the safety of the Rock. (Mat.7:24) Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock: (25) and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and if fell not: for it was founded upon the rock. (26) And every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: (27) and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall thereof. The apostate churches belittle obedience to the Word because of their unbelief.  We don't stand on the Rock in our own strength but our faith gives us God's strength. My wife had a dream of me after we first became Christians. She saw me standing on a Rock in the middle of the ocean. I had leg braces on like crippled people wear to strengthen their legs. I perceived that the Rock was Christ or the Word and the ocean was the curse as was the flood. In our own strength we are crippled and not able to stand on the Word, but the filling of His Spirit and faith in His promises empowers us to be what we normally are not.   It has come to me that only the rich in a time of economic collapse and wrath would be able to fly to the city of Petra, but salvation is for the poor. No amount of money can buy us safety, because it is not a place but a state of being. (Pr.11:4) Riches profit not in the day of wrath; but righteousness delivereth from death. (6) The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them; But the treacherous shall be taken in their own iniquity.   Faith in the Lord makes Him our secret refuge. (Psa.91:1) He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Notice the confession that puts us on the Rock. (2) I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in whom I trust. The secret place of safety will be hidden to many who are only called “Christian” but the righteous are safe right in the middle of judgment. (7) A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; [But] it shall not come nigh thee. (8) Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, And see the reward of the wicked. (The good confession that puts us in safety.)  9 For thou, O Jehovah, art my refuge! Thou hast made the Most High thy habitation; 10  There shall no evil befall thee, Neither shall any plague come nigh thy tent. God's angels will protect the righteous wherever they are. (11) For he will give his angels charge over thee, To keep thee in all thy ways. (12) They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. They do this for the righteous who believe. (Gal.3:13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (14) that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus.   A friend of mine had a very clear dream about the coming invasion of America. He said everyone in the Gulf States was fleeing toward the north to get as far away from the invading army as possible. He was going to get on a shuttle and go too, but the Lord told him to give his place to someone else and sent him and his family into a local city that had been nuked. He had no fear of the radiation or the enemy. It is obvious that God's people will not need to follow the world's example. Paul was not hiding but sharing the Gospel in the most effective time to do so. He said, “[in] journeyings often, [in] perils of rivers, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils from [my] countrymen, [in] perils from the Gentiles, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren” (2 Cor.11:26).   The Lord told me that this time represented the second 3½ years of the tribulation period. Paul also said, “what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me” (2Tim.3:11). He also said, “But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom” (2Tim.4:17,18).   If one is called to be a martyr, they will have the protection of God until their testimony is finished and even then only their flesh will be given up for a sacrifice. (Rev.11:7) And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.      Agree with the Blessed Provisions   David  We are in a battle which can be won by those who will speak the Word of the Lord and confess His promises for safety and provision. The Bible tells us that Death and life are in the power of the tongue (Pro.18:21). Let's look at how we can cooperate with God in the process of sanctification so that we are those who speak life and partake of the benefits of the Kingdom and able to give them to others. (Jas.3:8) But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] a restless evil, [it is] full of deadly poison. (9) Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God: (10) out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. (11) Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening [sweet water] and bitter? (12) can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? neither [can] salt water yield sweet. We want to learn by the grace of God to bring forth those “sweet waters” so that we will not suffer with the wicked.  When Moses and the children of Israel came up to Marah, meaning “bitterness” (Exo 15:22-25), they couldn't drink the water. God commanded that a tree be cast into the waters so that they would be made sweet. Marah represents the bitter waters of the fountain, or mouth, which were cured by the tree, representing the Cross. The Cross has conquered our tongue and has given us this gift of the sweet waters so we can bring forth blessings, instead of the cursings, out of this spring of our mouth. Believe this.  The Bible also tells us, The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth, And addeth learning to his lips (Pro.16:23). So we want to educate ourselves to be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath (Jas.1:19). We need to think about what we are saying and disagree with the devil because he tempts us to speak the things under the curse and not the things of the Kingdom. The Lord is helping us and He has already conquered the tongue, which no man can tame, but the Lord can through His Word and promises. Jesus was the sacrifice Who gave us a new tongue through the reconciliation.   It says in (Jos.1:6) Be strong and of good courage; for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I sware unto their father to give them. (7) Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest. Notice that God said that Joshua (Hebrew: “Jesus”) was going to cause His people to be brought into their inherited Promised Land. This land belongs to us, not every Pagen alien they can invade us with and we will win this battle with them.  We know that the Promised Land is also us. Heb 6:7-8 For the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God: 8 but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned. Jesus bore this curse let us confess Him before men.  The Son of God is being manifested in His people. (Col.1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is a product of the Word of God being assimilated in our life and mouth; Christ is the Word of God (John 1:14). He saved us from our enemies. (Luk.1:70-74) (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old), 71 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; ...74 To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear,  You crucify the spiritual man when you walk and talk in the flesh and for those who have been filled with the Holy Spirit and enlightened, who have tasted of the heavenly gift, this will become a curse unto them. (Heb.6:7) For the land which hath drunk the rain (Those who have partaken of the Word from heaven.) that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God: (8) but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned. The word “rejected” is adokimos, meaning, specifically, “reprobated.” The apostle Paul said that he kept his body under control if, perhaps, after he had preached to others, he himself would be “rejected” or “reprobated” (1Co 9:27). This has been demonstrated to us.   God doesn't reprobate land; He reprobates people. The Bible is very plain; in the original Greek, we are God's “tilled land” (1Co.3:9). God wants to plow this earth, our natural life, and plant His seed in the midst of it, bringing forth the fruit of Jesus Christ in us. The land that Joshua wants to cause us to inherit is referring to our new fruit and life. Part of that is our bold faith. The spiritual man, the Israelite, is to conquer this land with the edge of the Sword, the Word of God. The spiritual man is to take the land from the enemy, the Canaanite and live in his house, our body, and plant his crop and bear the fruit of the spiritual man.   (Jos.1:7) Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest. Notice that turning to the right or left would cause failure to take our Promised Land from the enemies.   I had a dream many years ago where I was standing on a mountain, looking down into a valley and a road that went down the side of this mountain. The road had a ditch or trench down the middle of it. I was in a car, with one set of tires on one side of the trench and the other set on the other side, going down this road to the bottom of the mountain. I realized I couldn't turn to the right or the left because, if I did, two wheels would fall into the trench and that would be the end of any progress; I wouldn't go any farther. I steered very carefully, not to the right and not to the left, as I went down this mountain. Let us speak what the Word says about us.  The Lord gave me the understanding afterward that this mountain represented the kingdom of the world – man, self or the old life. I was to navigate this road and not turn to the right or left, until I got off of this mountain. As soon as I was at the bottom, I immediately realized that there were enemies everywhere. To the extent that we humble ourselves to the Word of God, going down the mountain of “self,” the more enemies we will have, even religious enemies or so-called “Christian” enemies. (2Ti.3:12) … All that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But as we hold fast to the confession of our hope the enemies will be conquered as our faction was and the political faction shall be. (Luk10:19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.  Most of the persecution toward Jesus and the disciples came from the people who called themselves the “people of God” but were not. When I got to the bottom and knew that the enemy was everywhere, I went under a bush and there I found tools that I picked up, and treated them as if they were treasure. These tools were hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches and so on. The Lord later revealed to me that these tools represented the authority to bind and loose (Mat 18:18), as all of these tools do. The Lord made me to know I was coming to a time, when under the bush, I was going to manifest more of this authority. Let us bind our enemies in the name of Jesus.   At the time of the burning bush, Moses was given authority to go into Egypt to act for the Lord. I've been binding and loosing for many years but I believe that we're coming to a time of real power from God. It's only going to come to those who humble themselves and don't turn to the right or to the left, but stay on God's road, a self-crucifying path of obedience to the Word of God. When I picked up these tools, I went up another mountain, which represented Mount Zion. I went through the front doors of a great temple, which I believe represented the New Jerusalem on Mount Zion and I saw Jesus sitting on His throne. I went over and sat down next to Him, as He said that overcomers would do. (Rev.3:21) He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne. This is the throne of dominion over our enemies.  As I was speaking with Jesus, I heard people trying to come into the throne room by a back way and not through the door that I had come through. Jesus is the door in John 10:1. Jesus saw these people and said, “Don't worry about them; they can't come in here.” So these were people looking for “throne room” authority but they wouldn't humble themselves to the Word of God personally. The Pharisees only had physical authority as in our day. God will give authority only to those who overcome according to Rev 2:26. Back to (Jos.1:8) This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. The spiritual man speaks the Word so that as you walk, it will bring good success when conquering our Promised Land for the Lord. The first fruits are approaching this point. We must speak according to God's promises, even in the midst of the fiery trial. As Christians, we “calleth the things that are not, as though they were” (Rom.4:17). We speak the things we have according to promise and not according to what we see in the world. This is how we change the things around us. This is God's plan. We let the Word, or our agreement with the Word in what we say, come from our mouth so that we may have good success in conquering our Promised Land.   Further on in Joshua, we see that he is still leading the people of God to conquer their Promised Land in order to put to death their enemies there. In this particular case, the head of God's people, Joshua, is conquering the Amorites. (Jos.10:12) Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel; and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; And thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon. I believe God is showing us here to what extent He would go to give our enemy into our hands, if we would speak the Word with boldness.   (Jos.10:8) And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thy hands; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. On a personal and spiritual level that “man” He was referring to was the old man who lived in the Promised Land of our life before the new man took possession. He represented the lusts of the flesh, which would not be able to stand. On a physical and political level it would be the DS and their invading army. Joshua and the children of Israel were having victory over the Amorites but they were running out of time. Remember, the Lord said that if we confess Him before men, He shall confess us before the Father in Mat 10:32.   Likewise, Joshua confessed in the sight of Israel. He was bold and full of faith and he spoke it right in front of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; And thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon (Jos.10:12). (13) And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, Until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stayed in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.   Now at first, I thought God just stopped Earth from spinning, but I later realized that the moon stayed in the same relative position as the sun and Earth didn't spin. It's possible the whole solar system had stopped. This is a very dangerous thing to do, unless you also control the rest of the universe. Things would tend toward collision down the road somewhere. Can you imagine that God stopped the solar system and more, just so Israel could conquer their enemy? What kind of other big miracle can you imagine that God would do for us to give us victory over our enemy? God gave the Israelites an awesome victory over their enemies! Of course, they needed the time and, for a whole day, the system was frozen. We have all heard of NASA finding the missing day so they could calculate where things would be at a certain time.  People claim that God only did that back then and does not do that today, simply because of the verse right after it. (Jos.10:14) And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel. Well, the Lord still hearkens unto our voice, for many people speak miracles today and they come to pass as they did in the Bible long after Joshua. The key here is “voice of a man” The creation now hearkens to the voice of God through man.  Jesus said, the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life (Joh.6:63), meaning they are His Spirit and His life. In other words, it's the life of God living in us; it's the spiritual man who speaks in agreement with the Word of God. Also, it is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph.6:17). Therefore, it's not as if God is hearkening unto the voice of a man, but He is hearkening unto the voice of His sons. That spiritual man in us is not man, but God. The Son of God is manifesting in His people speaking His Words out of us. When we come into agreement with the Word, we can be trusted. The Lord said, If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you (Joh.15:7). Why? The Word in you is trustworthy to God. If you fill yourself up with the Word and you desire earnestly to walk in agreement with it, God says you're trustworthy.   A long time after Joshua, the Lord wrote this: (Isa.45:11) Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask me of the things that are to come; concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me. Does God really do that? When you command something to be done, like when His disciples commanded healings, deliverances, provision and so on, God fulfilled it. God gave them the authority, which is the right to use power and it's what we do when we speak in agreement with the Word of God. In effect, what we are doing is commanding God, since He said that if we do, He will do it and Jesus said the same.   Psalm 8 was spoken concerning the natural Adam and his seed, but also in type to spiritual Adam, Jesus Christ, and His seed. (Psa.8:6) Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet. This was said of man and the Son of man. Jesus said that God had given Him authority because He is son of man (Joh.5:27). Man was given authority on the earth but when Adam sinned, he lost that authority to Satan. However, we gained it back through Jesus Christ because He was faithful. We now have this authority over the works of God's hands when we speak in agreement with the Word of God and He fulfills it. (Lam.3:37) Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?   The next thing we see in Joshua is that they went after the five kings who were ruling the Promised Land. (Jos.10:16) And these five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. (17) And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah. (18) And Joshua said, Roll great stones unto the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to keep them: (19) but stay not ye; pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand. The first thing they did was trap the five kings in the cave and then they rolled great stones over the mouth of the cave.   Adam was created from the dust of the earth and this old man is earthly, but as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly (1Co.15:49). We are both earthly and heavenly, a spiritual man of the heavens and the carnal man of the earth represented by this cave in the earth. The carnal man of the earth has a mouth and here it's called “the mouth of the cave.” The Lord made the spiritual men roll these great stones over the mouth of the cave. The five kings represent the five senses and the spiritual man put stones, which represent the Word, over the mouth so the carnal senses are not permitted to speak and bring a curse.   The Bible says that senses must be exercised by the Word of God so that we understand the difference between good and evil. (Heb.5:13) For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. (14) But solid food is for fullgrown men, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. Born-again people have born-again senses. As spiritual men, we must have spiritual senses. Our carnal senses trap and rule over us and our land when we live according to what we see, hear and feel as the old man and the world does.   God teaches us how to spiritually see in (2Pe.1:3) Seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue. We see that God has already provided us everything that pertains unto life and godliness! Now you have the eyes of a dove (Son 1:15). You have the eyes of the Spirit when you begin to see that the promises are true, but the world is transitory. (2Pe.1:4) Whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises (the stones at the mouth of the cave); that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.   Having eyes to see, we can partake of God's nature. We will have spiritual eyes, ears, touch, spiritual smell (or discernment), spiritual taste and words. We've been given these spiritual gifts that enable the spiritual man to take over. The Israelites had captured the five kings who ruled the Promised Land in a cave and they closed up the mouth with great stones. And we know, Jesus is the Stone; He's the Rock which is the Word of God. These great stones represent the great promises of the Word of God. We're adding learning to our lips, which are the “mouth of the cave.”   When we study the Word of God, we learn and see what we are supposed to say and what we're not supposed to say. It gives us restraint to not say things that would permit a curse upon our life. The Israelites had to conquer the Promised Land, and conquer these kings that ruled over the carnal man and bring the curse upon him. And this is what the parable points to – rolling out those stones in front of the mouth. (Eph.4:29) Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying (building-up) as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.   We can see that we can apply many verses when speaking of conquering the DS with all their invaders who are getting ready to overthrow this land we live in. Just a couple come quickly to mind. (Mat.18:18-19) Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. And (Mar.11:23-24) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. 24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. These will come in useful when the invaders rise up.  If we see and walk in the Spirit, then we speak in agreement with the Spirit. (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Our nature is changed by the Word of God when …we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. (2Co 3:18) When we see a need, such as someone living under the curse, we should speak truth with grace to them to overcome, grace to meet that need, whatever it may be. When we speak according to the Kingdom, we are meeting someone's need for God and His benefits. Saving this country from the invaders to whatever extent God permits is a need.  They will be permitted to persecute the apostate Church for it is in rebellion to the Word of our covenant. (Col.3:17) And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, [do] all in the name (Greek: “nature, character and authority”) of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Do everything as if you are representing Him because you are an ambassador of Christ (2Co 5:20), so speak His words to this world and His enemies. We're called to confess Him before men always and to speak in His name.   (1Pe.4:11) If any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God; if any man ministereth, [ministering] as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen. When we speak as an oracle of God, that is His Word coming out of us, we're letting the spiritual man, who is in communication with God through our spirit, do the speaking. We don't let the carnal man, the flesh, do the speaking.   To walk holy is to walk separate. The Greek word for “holy” is the same word for “sanctified” and it means “separate”; that is, separated from the world, from sin, separated unto God. We speak His words, think His thoughts and we do His works because He lives in us. The more we do that, the more we grow in holiness. It's the place of Holiness, preservation and provision. Without holiness, no man can see the Lord (Heb 12:14). Holiness is what we grow in when we bear the fruit of Jesus Christ. It is separation from the old man, who is moved and ruled by the carnal senses, unto the new man, who is ruled according to the spiritual senses.   Now let's go to (Isa.11:2) And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. (3) And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither decide after the hearing of his ears; (4) but with righteousness shall he judge the poor (This is poor in the things of the Kingdom), and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. (5) And righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins.   He's talking about Christ in His first-fruits Man-child in the end-time who will not walk according to the carnal senses because he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither decide after the hearing of his ears (Isa.11:3). Instead, we are to have our senses exercised to discern good from evil (Heb 5:14) by the Word of God, which is the washing of water with the word (Eph.5:26). As our senses are exercised, we begin to see and hear spiritually; we begin to hear and speak the Voice of the Spirit.   It's similar to when David went to slay Goliath, the giant in the land. He went to the brook and pulled out those five smooth stones that were exercised by the washing of the water, which represents the Word. He took only one of those stones and he felled Goliath (1Sa 17). David spoke it to him ahead of time, declaring that he would take off Goliath's head and feed him to the birds. That's very bold! And because David spoke it, that's exactly what he did. The stone, or sense, that David was using was the tongue. The tongue senses tastes but it also speaks the Word. David conquered Goliath because he had spiritual senses.   Now we can return to Joshua. He told the Israelites to go after their enemies, since the five kings were already trapped in the cave and closed off with the stones. Now they were able to conquer those whom the kings had ruled over. (Jos.10:20) And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities, (21) that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.   (22) Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forth those five kings unto me out of the cave. (23) And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon. (24) And it came to pass, when they brought forth those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the chiefs of the men of war that went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.   They let them out of the cave and they had to keep them from speaking, so they put their feet on their necks. It reminds me of the dream I've shared before about being in a war with a giant and not letting the old man speak. When he did, he said, “Bigger, bigger, bigger!” We have a lot of giants around us – a lot of big problems and a lot of big enemies. But we can't let the old man, whom I captured in the dream and who was in bondage to me, speak out of our mouth. I didn't want to let him speak because the old man has the authority to make the situation worse and make the enemy stronger and bigger. I refused him and demanded that the giant be reduced, saying, “No! Smaller, smaller, smaller.”   Similarly, the Israelites put their feet on the kings' necks, causing the five senses to not speak or to rule over the body. (Jos.10:25) And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. (Notice, you speak the Word and the Lord will do it. In Rev.12:11, the devil and his angels were cast down by the “word of their testimony” of the saints.)  (26) And afterward Joshua smote them, and put them to death, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. Notice that all of our enemies, firstly our old man, will be conquered in this way. Father said against Babylon in Jer.51:3 …Utterly destroy all her army. We are not permitted to wrestle with flesh nor use fleshly weapons but to “resist not” and if opportunity arises we are to preach Christ to them.  But we have authority over all their power and that includes the principalities and powers. (Luk.10:19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. As an example to us, before Jesus' time of crucifixion, when the Jews sought to throw him off a cliff, he just passed through their midst unharmed. I was shot at by an assassin from close range and my angel made the bullet disappear. A tractor back blade was thrown straight at my head by a demon, while Michael watched, but all I felt was a finger on my nose pushing me to the ground with zero pain. That was just ahead of the blade. Michael was sure it had hit and killed me.  My tractor wheel fell into a hole and the tractor was flipping into a gully. I was looking straight down at the ground when the tractor uprighted with me stuck in the seat. It was a work of our satanists. Several other times I escaped them. (Luk.1:68) ...For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people... 71 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us...74 To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear.  Jesus Christ was hanged upon a tree, or cross, and they wanted to take Him down before evening, too. Jesus also was buried in a cave. So why is God applying this to the senses of the old man? (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. That includes our five senses. The Lord has already taken care of this problem when He was crucified on that tree and you were crucified with Him. You have been given this gift of the new man, for by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified (Heb.10:14).  We walk in the spirit according to these divine senses that are attuned to the Kingdom of Heaven. These senses see how to walk in the Kingdom. It comes quite naturally to us to walk in the world but it comes supernaturally to us to walk in the Kingdom; that is, to have our senses exercised by the Word of God to see and hear the way God sees and hears, and to smell, or discern, the way God does. It is also to have our emotions in communication with God.   We have the victory over the old man and his senses because he's dead and the new man, Who is Jesus Christ, lives in you. Because of your faith and speaking that faith, God will bring it to pass. He will do it through our faith and not by our works. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory.   Father, we pray that You will (Psa.141:3) Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips. Amen.  So we know that in the Kingdom of Heaven, there is singing, praise, worship and thanksgiving to the Lord our King. When we do this, we are bringing more of His Kingdom down here to earth. (Mat.6:10)  We have ‘authority over all the power of the enemy' (Luk.10:19). We have power in praise. When we praise the Lord, He gives us the victory!       Worship and Praise   Vines Expository Dictionary on the Greek word Worship: “to make obeisance, do reverence to” (from pros, “towards”, and kuneo, “to kiss”), is the most frequent word rendered “to worship”. It is used of an act of homage or reverence. In other words, worship is an act of love toward God.   Father is looking for those who worship Him with their all: (Joh.4:21) Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father. (22) Ye worship that which ye know not: we worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. (23) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers. (24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth. There is much fake worship -- words without heart and spirit.   Worship is the way to bring God's presence: (Psa.100:1) Make a joyful noise unto Jehovah, all ye lands. (2) Serve Jehovah with gladness: Come before his presence with singing. (3) Know ye that Jehovah, he is God: It is he that hath made us, and we are his; We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. (4) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Give thanks unto him, and bless his name. (5) For Jehovah is good; His lovingkindness endureth forever, And his faithfulness unto all generations.   Worship reveals our love and admiration for God and He knows it: (1Ch.29:11) Thine, O Jehovah, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Jehovah, and thou art exalted as head above all.   Praise Him everywhere, with a new song that comes from your heart, and dancing and with all instruments and enemies will be conquered: (Psa.149:1) Praise ye Jehovah. Sing unto Jehovah a new song, And his praise in the assembly of the saints. (2) Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. (3) Let them praise his name in the dance: Let them sing praises unto him with timbrel and harp. (4) For Jehovah taketh pleasure in his people: He will beautify the meek with salvation. (5) Let the saints exult in glory: Let them sing for joy upon their beds. (This will bind our enemies works against us.)  (7)  To execute vengeance upon the nations, And punishments upon the peoples;  (8)  To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron;  (9)  To execute upon them the judgment written: This honor have all his saints. Praise ye Jehovah. (Children can conquer enemies in worship.) Psa 8:2  Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou established strength, Because of thine adversaries, That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. (150:1) Praise ye Jehovah. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power. (2) Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness. (3) Praise him with trumpet sound: Praise him with psaltery and harp. (4) Praise him with timbrel and dance: Praise him with stringed instruments and pipe. (5) Praise him with loud cymbals: Praise him with high sounding cymbals. (6) Let everything that hath breath praise Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah. It is the will of the Lord to worship in songs and hymns: (Eph.5:17) Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (18) And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit; 19 speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; (20) giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; We give thanks to God; this is a secret of power because we believe we have already received what we asked, right?   Praise (meaning “brag on”) Him to everyone: (1Ch.16:23) Sing unto Jehovah, all the earth; Show forth his salvation from day to day. (24) Declare his glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples. (25) For great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods. (26) For all the gods of the peoples are idols: But Jehovah made the heavens. (27) Honor and majesty are before him: Strength and gladness are in his place. (28) Ascribe unto Jehovah, ye kindreds of the peoples, Ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength; (29) Ascribe unto Jehovah the glory due unto his name: Bring an offering, and come before him: Worship Jehovah in holy array. (30) Tremble before him, all the earth: The world also is established that it cannot be moved. (31) Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth.   We are taught to worship, praise and pray with hands lifted up to the Lord: (1Ti.2:8) I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing. (Psa.63:4) So will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. (Lam.3:41) Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. (Neh.8:6) and Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground.   Why lifting up hands? Offering our hands to the Lord for His works and to conquer His enemies: (Exo.17:9) And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to-morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. (10) So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. (11) And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. (12) But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. (13) And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.   Worship and praise will conquer overwhelming enemies: (2Ch.20:17) Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of Jehovah with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; fear not, nor be dismayed: to-morrow go out against them: for Jehovah is with you. (18) And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Jehovah, worshipping Jehovah. (19) And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise Jehovah, the God of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice.   (20) And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in Jehovah your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. (21) And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed them that should sing unto Jehovah, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks unto Jehovah; for his lovingkindness endureth forever. (22) And when they began to sing and to praise, Jehovah set liers-in-wait against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, that were come against Judah; and they were smitten. (The angels will smite the enemies in the land.)  Worship to bind the enemy and their kings: (Psa.149:6) Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand; (7) To execute vengeance upon the nations, And punishments upon the peoples; (The Lord is doing this.) (8) To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; (9) To execute upon them the judgment written: This honor have all his saints. Praise ye Jehovah.   Because judgment and enemies are near, fear God and worship Him: (Rev.14:7) and he saith with a great voice, Fear God, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters. (Dan.3:16) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter. (17) 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 thy hand, O king. (18) 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.   (2Ki.17:38) and the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods: (39) but Jehovah your God shall ye fear; and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.   We can clap and shout our triumph over our enemies. Triumph is celebrating the victory before we see it: (Psa.47:1) Oh clap your hands, all ye peoples; Shout unto God with the voice of triumph. (Jos.6:20) So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets; and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.   Praise in Hebrew is “Hallal”, meaning brag on the Lord. Give credit or ascribe to the Lord: (Psa.29:1) Ascribe unto Jehovah, O ye sons of the mighty, Ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength. (2) Ascribe unto Jehovah the glory due unto his name; Worship Jehovah in holy array. (3) The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters: The God of glory thundereth, Even Jehovah upon many waters. (4) The voice of Jehovah is powerful; The voice of Jehovah is full of majesty. (5) The voice of Jehovah breaketh the cedars; Yea, Jehovah breaketh in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. When we speak in agreement with the Word of God, we are giving “voice” to the Word and the angels hearken to His voice. (Psa.103:20) Bless Jehovah, ye his angels, That are mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, Hearkening unto the voice of his word. Amen! 

Sermon Summary: "The Fiery Furnace" - Daniel 3:8-30 Series: Unshakeable Main Message: True faith chooses obedience to God regardless of consequences, trusting His presence and power even in the fire. Overview What do you do when following Christ means losing everything? This sermon explores the powerful story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who faced a life-or-death choice: bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue or be thrown into a blazing furnace. Their response reveals what it means to have truly unshakeable faith. Key Points 1. Faithful People Refuse to Compromise, Even When Everyone Else Does When the music played and thousands bowed down, three men remained standing. They understood that following God sometimes means standing alone, and that some things are non-negotiable. Popularity is not worth your soul, and conformity is not worth your conscience. 2. Faithful People Trust God's Power Even When Deliverance Isn't Guaranteed Their remarkable response to the king included the profound statement: "Our God is able to deliver us... but even if he does not, we will not serve your gods." This reveals "even if" faith—trusting God's character even when we can't see the outcome. 3. God's Presence Transforms Our Trials and Displays His Glory The furnace heated seven times hotter became the place where God's presence was most evident. A fourth figure—possibly Christ Himself—walked with them in the fire. God didn't deliver them from the trial by preventing it; He delivered them through it by joining them in it. 4. Faithful Witness Transforms Those Who Oppose Us The same king who mocked their God ended up calling Him "the Most High God" and promoting the three men to higher positions. Their faithfulness under pressure became a powerful testimony to God's reality and power. Applications Identify Your Biblical Non-Negotiables: Determine now what you will and won't compromise on before the pressure comes. Develop "Even If" Faith: Practice trusting God even when you can't see the outcome, starting with smaller trials to build your faith. Conclusion The same God who walked with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the furnace walks with us in our trials today. The choice is ours: will we bow down to pressure or stand up in faith? Our faithfulness in the fire becomes a testimony to others about who God is.

2025 June 15 | This week, Pastor Evan starts a new sermon series Exiles where we will look at the stories of Daniel and Esther and discover how God's people can remain faithful to his Word, develop wisdom and perseverance, and rely on his providence—even when he seems absent. He begins in Daniel 1:1-21, preaching on how God is steadfast and preserves us in a changing cultural landscape and one that is often hostile to Christianity. Daniel 1:1-21 Daniel Taken to Babylon 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. 3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family[a] and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. 6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. 7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego. Daniel's Faithfulness 8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. 16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Bishop Kamanzy is the National Leader of Foursquare  in Uganda.When we get to Heaven we will have no boundaries and all be one people. The name of this church is Light of the Nations. Jesus is the light of the world. If Jesus is in us, that mean the light is in us. If the light is in us, we need to let it shine everywhere we go. Christ in you must shine!Praying for missions. We are all in a mission field. It isn't only when you go someplace “on a mission.” It is wherever you are. Your mission begins from where you are.God has a plan for your life. Since we are all on a mission, everyday we must pray and ask God how we can partner with Him.God called Joseph and sent him. Same with Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.Think about the reason you are here. Before I go home, I want to fulfill my mission. I want to hear “Well don, good and faithful servant” when I get there.How much do you pray. It can be overwhelming praying for the whole world. We need God in every area of our lives. The more God the better.Your first pulpit is in your home. You must have a church in your home.All have sinned. So all need the saving grace of God. It is a worldwide problem. So we are all called. The first call is in your family. The call for evangelism and discipleship is not only for pastors. It is a work for all of us. When was the last time you led someone to Christ?The Gospel is the only good news and it must get there in time. Why are you afraid to say you are a Christian? Why are you ashamed to talk about Jesus? Did He not do a great work in your life? Ask God: “What do you want me to do?” Don't ask for what you want to do. God has a plan for your life. Ask Him about it.

Faith That Moves You Forward: Step Out and Trust God In this dynamic and faith-building message, Pastor John Martin delivers a powerful reminder: God didn't call you to stand still—He called you to walk by faith. Whether you're just beginning your journey or have been following Jesus for years, this message will stir your heart to move forward with bold, persevering, life-transforming faith.

In one of the most personal and powerful messages of Spiritual Emphasis 2025, Pastor Walter Colace shares his journey through cancer, radiation, and chemotherapy — and how God used every step of suffering to shine His light more brightly. Preached directly to our Teen Challenge alumni, this is a testimony that goes beyond healing; it is a lesson in walking through the fire with the peace of God and the presence of Jesus.   Drawing from Isaiah 26:3, Isaiah 50:10, Psalm 103:1-5, and Daniel 3, Pastor Walter speaks candidly about fear, faith, and the supernatural peace that sustained him: “Ever since I came to Teen Challenge almost 34 years ago, God has had my life in His hands.” “When there was no answer from doctors, I leaned on God's Word.” “You say, 'You're a puzzle to us.' No, I'm a miracle because Jesus is my healer.” Even as he sat in the darkest rooms of the cancer center, Pastor Walter carried a radiant hope and used every moment to share Christ with patients, nurses, and even his oncologist. When doctors said he would lose his ability to eat, speak, or avoid a feeding tube, the Lord sustained him with energy, healing, and boldness to pray for others. “Suffering will always squeeze out of you who you really are. And when the pressure came, Jesus came out.” This message reminds us that suffering is not the end of the story. Just as God protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3), Pastor Walter reminds us: “They said I would burn, but God said, ‘I'll shield you from the effects.'” At the core of this message is the unshakable truth that the light of Christ shines brightest in our darkest seasons. “God puts a comma where Satan tries to put a period. The story isn't over.” If you or someone you know is walking through a season of pain, trial, or uncertainty, let this message give you fresh faith. God is not finished with you. His light will break through. ✨ Stay connected: YouTube | Instagram | Facebook: @socalteenchallenge X (Twitter): @scteenchallenge Website: teenchallenge.org

Thank you for joining us for worship! In today's message we study through Daniel 3 and the influences on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that caused them to be so committed to God.

“Delivered by Emmanuel” Daniel 3 June 8, 2025 Pastor John Choi   ----more---- Daniel 3:14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? [15] Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” [16] Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. [17] If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand. [18] But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” [24] Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” [25] He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” [26] Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, [27] and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. [28] Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.     Worship Him who alone is able—and has indeed—delivered us: Jesus Christ, Emmanuel.           I.  Who will you worship? (1-14)          II.  Who will deliver you? (15-23)         III.  Who is with you? (24-30)

Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego did not bow to Nebuchadnezzars idol. They trusted God for deliverance from the king whether or not they would be delivered from the furnace... but God did deliver them from the flames.  Daniel 3 is about our commitment to knowing and obeying God's Word, about trusting God's timing and plans and about God's presence being enough. Thank you Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego for showing us what is important in life. Pastor Rick shared this message to the CrossPoint Church.

JD Greear delivers Session One from our EDM Conference, urging campus ministries and churches to focus on multiplication by equipping every believer to embrace their role in evangelism, discipleship, and missions.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego show us how to trust in God.  We believe what he is able to do, and expect that he will do certain things for us, but even if he does not, we continue to trust him. Speaker: Justin P. Sivley

In this powerful message, we're challenged to examine the nature of our faith through the lens of Jesus' encounter with two blind men in Matthew 9. The central question echoes through time: 'Do you believe I can do this?' This isn't just about healing physical blindness, but about our spiritual vision and trust in God's power. We're reminded that faith isn't just about what we see, but about believing in the unseen. The message encourages us to persist in our prayers and beliefs, even when circumstances don't change immediately. It's a call to action - to combine our faith with works, demonstrating our trust through our actions. This teaching resonates deeply with our daily struggles and reminds us that our faith should be placed not in our own abilities or even in our faith itself, but in the unwavering faithfulness of God. As we face our own challenges, we're inspired to respond like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: believing God can and will act, but choosing to trust Him even if He doesn't act as we expect.

The story of Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace is oftentimes told as a story about God's faithfulness and His ability to rescue and save His people, and it is definitely that. It's also a story about three people who choose fidelity and allegiance to Jesus in the face of death, even if God doesn't save them. They believe God can save them, but that isn't why they refuse to bow and risk being thrown into the fire. They risk their lives and refuse to bow to the king's golden idol because their love for God runs so deep that they'd never compromise their faith or identity, even to avoid death. Are we capable of making the same decision today? Can we become people who refuse to bow down to false idols, even when American culture is filled with them? The particular idols that tempt us make alluring promises, and deliver on many of them, yet still lead to destruction. So, how can we become people who refuse to bow down to anyone or anything other than God?

In his sermon, Pastor Dave highlights the importance of faith being tested, illustrating that true faith can only be proven through trials, much like gold is refined in fire. He uses the stories of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to emphasize that God is present with us in our trials, affirming that while faith may be challenged, believers should remain steadfast and trust in God's purpose. Pastor encourages the congregation not to run from the fire of life's challenges, as these experiences serve to refine and strengthen their character and faith. Ultimately, he reassures everyone that they are valuable to God, and through perseverance in their faith, they will witness God's deliverance and strength in their lives.Zechariah 13:9 cevThen I will purify them and put them to the test, just as gold and silver are purified and tested. They will pray in my name, and I will answer them; I will say, “You are my people,” and they will reply, “You, Lord, are our God!”Isaiah 43:2-3The Passion TranslationWhen you pass through the deep, stormy sea, you can count on me to be there with you. When you pass through raging rivers, You will not drown; When you walk through persecution like fiery flames, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you, for I am your Savior, Yahweh, your mighty God, the Holy One of Israel!Daniel 3 - ESV King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.Daniel 3:12-14 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Proverbs 20:6 NLT Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?Acts 4:19 NLT But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what [b]judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.Daniel 3:24-30 - Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.I Peter 1:7-9  Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your FAITH, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory. You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him - with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation. Psalm 23:4 ESVEven though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

In his sermon, Pastor Dave highlights the importance of faith being tested, illustrating that true faith can only be proven through trials, much like gold is refined in fire. He uses the stories of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to emphasize that God is present with us in our trials, affirming that while faith may be challenged, believers should remain steadfast and trust in God's purpose. Pastor encourages the congregation not to run from the fire of life's challenges, as these experiences serve to refine and strengthen their character and faith. Ultimately, he reassures everyone that they are valuable to God, and through perseverance in their faith, they will witness God's deliverance and strength in their lives.Zechariah 13:9 cevThen I will purify them and put them to the test, just as gold and silver are purified and tested. They will pray in my name, and I will answer them; I will say, “You are my people,” and they will reply, “You, Lord, are our God!”Isaiah 43:2-3The Passion TranslationWhen you pass through the deep, stormy sea, you can count on me to be there with you. When you pass through raging rivers, You will not drown; When you walk through persecution like fiery flames, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you, for I am your Savior, Yahweh, your mighty God, the Holy One of Israel!Daniel 3 - ESV King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.Daniel 3:12-14 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Proverbs 20:6 NLT Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?Acts 4:19 NLT But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what [b]judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.Daniel 3:24-30 - Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.I Peter 1:7-9  Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your FAITH, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory. You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him - with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation. Psalm 23:4 ESVEven though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

In the "Faithful in Babylon" series, Pastor Johnny Carson explores how to live with unwavering faith in a challenging and rapidly changing culture, trusting in God's constant faithfulness to us. Even in exile, God is at work. After witnessing a breathtaking display of divine deliverance from the fiery furnace, how does a powerful and proud king respond? Concluding this in-depth look at Daniel 3, Pastor Johnny Carson focuses on "The King's Decree." This message examines King Nebuchadnezzar's astonishing transformation and the remarkable decree he issues, compelling his empire to acknowledge the power of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Discover how God's mighty acts can profoundly impact even the most hardened hearts and authoritative rulers.Faithful In Babylon: The King's DecreeScripture Ref: Daniel 3Speaker: Johnny Carson

Daniel 3 tells the powerful story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—three exiles who refused to bow to the idols of Babylon. Threatened with death, they stood firm, trusting that God could deliver them—and even if He didn't, they would not bow. This week, we'll consider what it means to live with unwavering faith in a culture that demands compromise. God may not always deliver us from the fire, but He always meets us in it. And when He does, His presence is our peace, and His glory is revealed. Come be strengthened to live faithfully, no matter the cost.

Kwaku, one of our elders and trustees based at our Lee site, brings a message from Daniel 3 on the faith of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He explores how they trusted God in the face of the fiery furnace, choosing to stand firm even when the outcome was uncertain. Their story reminds us that God's presence is often found not in avoiding the fire, but in walking through it with Him.

This week on the Dundee Church Podcast, Pastor J.D. Georlett and theologian Keith Holmes take us into the heart of Daniel 2–5. Together, they unpack how Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood firm in humility and faith—even under the pressure of kings, culture, and a fiery furnace.

This week, Matt asks Pastor Derek about Daniel's absence during the events involving Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. In a separate discussion, Matt raises a question about the Apostles' Creed: What does it mean when it says, “He descended into hell”? Pastor Derek explores the historical and biblical meaning behind the phrase, which leads to a discussion about whether Jesus needed to be raised from the dead for us to be justified. In his response, Pastor Derek emphasizes that the imputation of Christ's righteousness is a crucial—yet often overlooked—element of the Gospel.   Check us out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HU6dumpnetQ

King Nebuchadnezzar sets up a statue of himself that everyone should worship but Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refuse and are thrown into the fiery furnace. A fourth person is seen walking around with them in the furnace and they emerge unharmed, with no smell of fire on them. N turns and worships God saying this is the true God. Possible application points: what are we tempted to worship other than God? How do we resist this pressure to conform? How can we strengthen our faith so, like SMA, we can say “Our God is able to rescue us, but even if he does not, we will not bow down!” God preserves those who remain faithful to him, even if they die (Bonhoeffer). The goal is “to have no smell of fire” (compromise) on us.

“The Kingdom of God is at Hand” Daniel 2:25-49                May 18, 2025 Rev. John Choi  Sermon Application [file]   ----more---- Daniel 2:25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.” [26] The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” [27] Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, [28] but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: [29] To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. [30] But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind. [31] “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. [32] The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, [33] its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. [34] As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. [35] Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. [36] “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. [37] You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, [38] and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. [39] Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. [40] And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. [41] And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. [42] And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. [43] As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. [44] And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, [45] just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.” [46] Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. [47] The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” [48] Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. [49] Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king's court.   God has established His eternal kingdom through Jesus, the true Rock, so that He may be exalted over all.          I.  God's mystery exposed (25-30)           II.  God's Kingdom established (31-45)          III.  God's messenger exalted (46-49)

The 3rd Chapter of Daniel gives us the memorable account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and their calm faith that allowed them to stand before King Nebuchadnezzar. God works in their lives, not saving them from the fire but saving them in it. 

Paul McDonald talks with Greg Allan Martin about his calling as both a lawyer and an actor. They also discuss the show Shadrach and why it's a watchable series for the whole family.About Greg:Greg Allan Martin, a powerful and commanding presence onscreen, currently can be seen as a series regular playing a rugged rancher in the new SONY/Affirm Originals series SHADRACH, that just premiered on July 25, 2024 on Great American Pure Flix. A versatile actor, Martin has drawn attention for his ability to play such diverse characters as the redneck boat owner Jed opposite Jason Bateman in an iconic scene in the first season of OZARK, a guest star role as an irascible cancer patient opposite Katey Sagal in REBEL, a wealthy socialite experimenting with LSD opposite John Slattery in MAD MEN, arrogant surgeons in THE RESIDENT, HEARTBEAT and two years as Dr. Noah in THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, and as a professional football coach in multiple seasons of the hugely popular MADDEN NFL video game.QuestionsWhat are your core values? What is most important to you? How does you life align with those values? Where is there conflict?Why do you believe what you believe?Subscribe to our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2xo9bvDbN4Z3BEx37AlRqw?sub_confirmation=1) for bonus content.To dive into this content even more, visit our website: www.menatthemovies.com/podcast. You will find resources mentioned on the podcast, plus quotes and themes discussed.Find us on the socials:YouTube: www.youtube.com/@menatthemoviesFacebook: www.facebook.com/menatthemoviesInstagram: www.instagram.com/menatthemovies/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@menatthemoviesTwitter: twitter.com/_menatthemoviesIf you would like to support our work (and get some behind-the-scenes perks), visit our Buy Me A Coffee page (buymeacoffee.com/menatthemovies). Get invites to livestreams, bonus episodes, even free merch. If you'd like to do a one-time contribution (a cameo appearance), visit www.menatthemovies.com/investors. Edited and mixed by Grayson Foster (graysonfoster.com)Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston (ianhjohnston.com)Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from ShutterstockLinks:MATM website: www.menatthemovies.com/podcastYouTube: www.youtube.com/@menatthemoviesSpotify: open.spotify.com/show/50DiGvjrHatOFUfHc0H2wQApple pods: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/men-at-the-movies-podcast/id1543799477Google pods: podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ODMwNThjL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz

Daniel Taken to Babylon Dan 1:1  In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. Dan 1:2  And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. Dan 1:3  And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; Dan 1:4  Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. Dan 1:5  And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. Dan 1:6  Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Dan 1:7  Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego. Daniel's Faithfulness Dan 1:8  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Dan 1:9  Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. Dan 1:10  And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make meendanger my head to the king. Dan 1:11  Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

Send us a textWhat does true faith look like when everything is on the line? The story of three men facing a blazing furnace offers us a profound answer that challenges our expectations about how God works in our darkest moments.Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood before the most powerful ruler in the world, faced with an impossible choice: bow to a golden idol or burn alive. Their response resonates through the centuries: "Our God can save us... but even if He doesn't, we still won't bow." This remarkable "even if" mentality represents the pinnacle of spiritual maturity—faith that isn't conditional on favorable outcomes.We often pray for God to spare us from the furnace altogether. We want the healing before the diagnosis, the provision before the lack, the restoration before the breakdown. Yet these three men teach us something profound about where miracles actually happen. God didn't prevent them from being thrown into the fire; He showed up within it. The king witnessed not just three men surviving, but four figures walking freely among the flames.This powerful narrative directly contradicts the prosperity gospel so prevalent today. Faith doesn't guarantee a life free from suffering—it offers us something far better: the assurance of God's presence in our suffering. What if the greatest demonstration of God's power isn't in keeping us from the fire, but in revealing Himself to us and through us while we're in it?When you're facing impossible circumstances, remember that the miracle may not be in the escape. It may be that when everything around you burns, you discover you're not walking alone. And sometimes, like Nebuchadnezzar witnessing God in the furnace, the people watching you go through the fire might see something of God they never would have seen otherwise.Subscribe now to explore more stories of faith that stands firm when tested by fire. Share your own "even if" moments in the comments below!

Kings and Kingdoms #3 - The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3 reminds us that obedience to God is non-negotiable, even when faced with opposition or danger. Their faith led them into the fiery furnace, but God was with them, showing that while He can save, our obedience should never depend on whether He will. In daily life, standing firm in faith may come at a cost, but knowing that Christ has already sacrificed everything for us gives us the courage to trust Him in every challenge.Learn more about The Bridge Church: Website: https://thebridgechurch.hk/

Has anyone ever wanted you to do something wrong? What did you do? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were asked to do something wrong too. Memory Verse -- We will serve the Lord. JOSHUA 24:15, NIV. We worship God when we refuse to do wrong things.

Has anyone ever wanted you to do something wrong? What did you do? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were asked to do something wrong too. Memory Verse -- We will serve the Lord. JOSHUA 24:15, NIV. We worship God when we refuse to do wrong things.

Daniel 3 You are called to be a warrior just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Know your identity and know your authority. There was a fourth man in the fire and the same God who protected Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego will protect you. The fourth man in the fire stands with you. He will take you through the trial and you will see His hand at work in your life. Service date May 9th, 2025 www.cathycoppola.org www.houseofglorychurch.org

Daniel 3 You are called to be a warrior just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Know your identity and know your authority. There was a fourth man in the fire and the same God who protected Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego will protect you. The fourth man in the fire stands with you. He will take you through the trial and you will see His hand at work in your life. Service date May 9th, 2025 www.cathycoppola.org www.houseofglorychurch.org

Mike, Debi, Nathan and Ashley Pearl answer these questions from viewers:(00:00) Start(01:00) Where was Daniel in the story of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abnedego?(02:56) Is it Biblical to have more than one wife?(11:50) Which King James bible has 12,000 in the Book of Revelation?(17:03) If someone gets exposed to p*rn, do they lose their virginity?(19:46) does anyone have the gift of singleness today?(32:48) Who is fighting in heaven?(44:50) Qualifications for elders in the church?(55:29) Is it a sign to forge documents to get benefits?(58:08) How does your ministry view the pre-trib rapture?(1:06:06) How do I deal with my unsaved husband?(1:06:51) How do I gain rewards in Heaven?(1:08:50) My first wife left me after an affair, is it adultery to remarry?(1:09:28) What does the phrase 'the end of the world' mean in Matthew 13?

In his sermon, Pastor James Crawford examines Daniel chapter 3, focusing on the unwavering faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue despite the threat of a fiery furnace. He draws parallels to modern cultural pressures, urging believers to stand firm in their convictions against ideological idols like fame, materialism, and societal conformity, even when it leads to isolation or persecution. Crawford emphasizes that true faith trusts God's presence and power in trials, regardless of the outcome, as exemplified by the trio's declaration that God could deliver them, but even if He did not, they would not worship false gods. The sermon challenges Christians to live courageously, reflecting God's glory through obedience, which can influence culture and even hostile hearts, as seen in Nebuchadnezzar's eventual respect for God.Verse References: Daniel 3 verses 1-30, Romans 12 verse 2, Job 13 verse 15, Isaiah 43 verse 2, Psalms 34 verse 19, Matthew 5 verse 16, 1 Peter 5 verse 6Make sure you subscribe to this channel and follow us on all our platforms to always stay up to date with our latest content!And you can always head over to our website for any general information!https://godspeak.comPrayer/NeedsIf you have any needs, or have a willingness to be used to meet various need in the body, please email info@godspeak.com. Also, let us know if you need prayer for anything.Giving is part of our worship time, and in this season, the easiest way to do that is online. If you go to our website, godspeak.com, you will see the "Give" tab in the top right corner. Or you can simply click this link https://pushpay.com/g/godspeakAny questions?Please feel free to email us, comment here, or DM us on Instagram any questions that you may have.Please Subscribe to this channel and turn on your notifications to be notified when our Livestreams start so you don't miss out! We hope you are blessed by the service!-The Godspeak Team

As we continue our Courage In The Fire series, Pastor Zach takes us through Daniel chapter 3, exploring the unavoidable conflicts that arise when we live faithfully for God in a world with opposing values. Using the example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's defiance of King Nebuchadnezzar's idolatrous command, Pastor Zach highlights how God often uses these challenging moments to display his power and glory to those who don't believe. Ultimately, he encourages us to embrace these trials, trusting that God can use our steadfast faith—even under intense pressure—to transform the hearts of others, just as Nebuchadnezzar eventually recognized the supremacy of their God.

Welcome back to week 2 of our “Step Out” series. Today, we delve deeper into the concept of stepping out in faith within our relationship with Jesus. Taking a look at the story of Daniel 3, we witness the unwavering faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Faced with a daunting choice, they were compelled to decide between their unshakable faith in God and a false god. 

Intro: Genuine, biblical faith is a miracle! Faith in God is something we do not possess naturally. Eph. 2:8 tells us that faith is “the gift of God.” God enables us to believe in Him for salvation, then He gives every believer some “measure of faith”, Rom. 12:3. That is, God empowers His children to believe Him, to serve Him, to glorify Him through the power of the faith in Him that He gives to us! This outworking of faith in God's people has allowed them see demonstrations of God's power that boggle the mind. It has allowed them to receive answers to prayers for things that appeared impossible. Consider the following: Joshua 10:12-14 – Joshua commanded the sun to stand still so Israel could defeat the Amorites. Isaiah 38:1-6 – King Hezekiah was told that he would die. He prayed to the Lord and God added 15 years to his life. Genesis 22:1-14 – Abraham was told to sacrifice his son Isaac, who was the son of promise. He obeyed by faith and God spared Isaac, providing a ram in his place. Joshua 14:6-16 – 85 year old Caleb believed God for the power to defeat a mountain infested with giants. God gave him that mountain. 1 Samuel 17:1-54 – A teenage boy named David believed God for the power to defeat a giant named Goliath. God gave him the victory. Daniel 3:1-30 – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believed God to keep them from the power of a pagan king and a fiery furnace. God met them in the furnace and protected them there. Many, many more examples could be given, Ill. Heb. 11:32-35, but these are enough to teach about the power of biblical faith in God.    The passage before us today magnifies the power of biblical faith. On Monday morning of the Lord's Passion Week, as Jesus his disciples walked toward Jerusalem, Jesus cursed a fig tree, 11:12-14. When they passed by the next day, the fig tree was dried up. Jesus uses this experience to teach His disciples a lesson about Biblical Faith.

In this video, we're going to explore the fascinating story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three biblical heroes who defied the mighty King Nebuchadnezzar and stayed true to their faith. Who were these three men, and what can we learn from their bravery and conviction? Join us as we delve into the biblical account of their remarkable story and discover the lessons that still resonate with us today.

Research shows that the average adult makes around 35,000 conscious decisions every day. That’s a staggering number. Some of those decisions are small and routine, while others are large and life-shaping. Sometimes, choices that seem minor carry major consequences—and at other times, we treat significant decisions as if they’re insignificant. So how can we learn to make better decisions? In this episode, Executive Pastor Glenn Goldsberry introduces the first part of our decision-making framework: Is it Biblical? Drawing from the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Glenn offers practical and insightful guidance to help us navigate decisions with clarity and conviction. Renaissance Church - Richmond, Texas https://ren-church.org #alloflifealltheearth #walkgrowlive #jesus #bible #christian #preaching

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king." - Daniel 3:16-17

A @Christadelphians Video: In a world full of uncertainty, how can we remain **steadfast and immovable** in our faith? This powerful Bible talk explores what it means to stand firm in God's promises, no matter what storms come our way. Discover key Scriptures, practical wisdom, and inspiring truths to help you live an **unshakable life** in Christ!

What does it mean to be great for God? In this powerful message, we unpack four foundational truths from the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that show us what real greatness looks like. It's not about age, talent, or status—it's about faith that obeys, courage to stand, commitment to community, and most importantly, a connection to Jesus. When the world demands compromise, will you stand firm in God?

This week we are studying Doctrine and Covenants sections 41 through 44. We'll talk about how the Lord commanded his disciples to follow His law, expecting them to be disciplines. We'll discuss how discipline is also required when trying to achieve consistent change, and how inconsistent efforts are less effective. We'll also talk about the idea of “but if not” from the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and how this concept can help us remain faithful even when our trials persist. There are free worksheets available for the invitations made in the weekly podcasts. To get these worksheets, please sign up for my email newsletter. Not only will you get access to the free worksheets, but access to many more free strategies to help manage your mental health. Please sign up at the following link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NEWSLETTER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠For more information regarding Dr. Morgan, please visit his website here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠WEBSITE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elder Bednar's Ensign article: ⁠ACCEPTING THE LORD'S WILL AND TIMING⁠Dr. Morgan's LDS Living article: ⁠ARTICLEDownload copy of episode transcript: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TRANSCRIPT

There is no doubt the devil is powerful and is the prince of the power of the air. However, he is not more powerful than God, and he can't take you down if you allow God to fight your battles. Come join us on a journey through the scriptures as Kim Miller of Woman at the Well Ministries opens the Bible and allows it to reveal the truth about the power God has over sin. With God on your side, man can do nothing to you, sin can't overpower you, and you will be victorious. Scriptures Mentioned in this Episode Jonah 1:3 (Jonah fleeing to Tarshish) www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A3&version=KJV  Daniel 3:14–28 (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace) www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+3%3A14-28&version=KJV  Romans 8:28 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A28&version=KJV  1 John 4:4 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A4&version=KJV  Isaiah 43:2 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+43%3A2&version=KJV  Romans 6:14 ("For sin shall not have dominion over you...") www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+6%3A14&version=KJV  Did you enjoy this podcast? Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can listen to us on all major podcasting platforms like Apple Podcasts,  Spotify,  Google Podcasts,  YouTube, and Podbean. Check out Kim's latest Bible Bit book on Amazon! Do you want to bring Kim Miller to your church, upcoming retreat, or conference? Contact us! This podcast is brought to you by Woman at the Well Ministries and is supported by our faithful listeners. To support this podcast, please visit our support page.  

Leaders Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego

For years, the Toronto painter Gordon Shadrach has been making stunning oil portraits that investigate the way Black men are represented in society. But in his new exhibit, “the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing,” Gordon unpacks his cancer diagnosis and the year of isolation that followed it. He sits down with Tom Power to tell us how illness and recovery affected him and his art. You can check out a selection of Gordon's paintings on our Instagram (@cbcq). If you're interested in hearing more conversations with artists, take a listen to Tom's interviews with Hangama Amiri, Wanda Koop or Geoff McFetridge.

In this episode, Russell Moore, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today, joins Mark Labberton to discuss the seismic political, moral, cultural, and spiritual crises facing American evangelicalism and how to respond. Reflecting on his own journey from the Southern Baptist Convention to his current role, Moore offers a candid and theologically rich diagnosis of a movement he describes as simultaneously fragmented, bored, and longing for renewal. Drawing parallels to historical awakenings and moments of global upheaval, Moore challenges listeners to consider what faithful Christian witness looks like in a time of digital saturation, political idolatry, and ecclesial disillusionment. Together, they wrestle with how evangelical institutions can resist becoming co-opted by market forces or ideologies, and instead return to the soul of the gospel—Jesus himself. Episode Highlights “We simply want Jesus as revealed in scripture.” (Russell Moore) “The good news is so clouded with distorted noise.” (Mark Labberton) “You mistakenly think that the solution has to be at the same scale as the problem.” (Wendall Berry, cited by Russell Moore) “Every person has to have an act of willful excommunication.” (Nicholas Carr, cited by Russell Moore) “Christian Nationalism is like ‘Bizarro Evangelicalism' … i f you can get external conformity, then you have righteousness.” (Russell Moore) Karl Barth on Christian disillusionment during World War I: “We  we want to preach the gospel as though nothing has happened.” … “ He's saying the church is being co-opted and used by forces alien to it. And there have to be people who are free from that to actually appeal to the genuine gospel and to remind people that God is God.” About Russell Moore Russell Moore is Editor in Chief of Christianity Today and is the author of Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America (Penguin Random House). The Wall Street Journal has called Moore “vigorous, cheerful, and fiercely articulate.” He was named in 2017 to Politico Magazine's list of top fifty influence-makers in Washington, and has been profiled by such publications as the New York Times, the Washington Post, TIME Magazine, **and the New Yorker. An ordained Baptist minister, Moore served previously as President of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and, before that, as the chief academic officer and dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he also taught theology and ethics. Moore was a Fellow at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics and currently serves on the board of the Becket Law and as a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum in Washington, D.C. He also hosts the weekly podcast The Russell Moore Show and is co-host of Christianity Today's weekly news and analysis podcast, The Bulletin. Russell was President of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2013 to 2021. Prior to that role, Moore served as provost and dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where he also taught theology and ethics. A native Mississippian, he and his wife Maria are the parents of five sons. They live in Nashville, where he teaches the Bible regularly at their congregation, Immanuel Church. Show Notes Comparing Christianity Today and Fuller Theological Seminary Religious reconsiderations post-World War II “My grandfather was blown out of a tank by the Nazis in the Battle of the Bulge and came back. He went an unbeliever, came back really feeling his mortality and, and searching for answers. And ended up at a revival meeting where he came to know Christ.” A false choice presented to Christians: “You had this false choice being presented to Christians … you either go with an ever narrowing, ever quarrelsome sort of group of fundamentalists or you liberalize.” Billy Graham and Martin Luther King, Jr. The recent history of Evangelical Christianity A Movement in Crisis: What is the state of Evangelicalism in America? Revival preachers and entrepreneurialism: a religious, market-driven reality “Lifelessness and deadness” “ I can't think of a single church that has split over Christology. Most of the arguments have to do with politics and, and related sort of cultural issues because that's what people really care about and what they really think often is important.” Tumult of the digital economy Alienation, dehumanization: “We can simultaneously think of ourselves as gods and as sets of data and algorithms.” Speed of change and life Teaching ethics: a final exam question students have never thought about How to prepare people for ethical problems and real-life challenges Mental health crisis: “high rates of depression and anxiety driven by a piece of glass that everybody carries in his or her pocket that can connect that person with all of the information in the entire world.” 100 years since the invention and use of the microphone No microphones, but extraordinary voices “The dials are askew, because the sound that evangelicalism is evoking in so many quadrants is a sound that is hostile and grading and brash and arrogant.” “The good news is so clouded with distorted noise.” Secularization How Evangelicalism appeals to people: End Times Prophecy, Marriage and Family Values, and Shocking Attention-Grabbing “Real life takes on the characteristics of the internet.” Wendall Berry: “You mistakenly think that the solution has to be at the same scale as the problem.” Can you give us some hope? “Hope that is seen is not hope. Instead, there's suffering that creates endurance. Endurance that creates character, character that creates hope, and hope does not put to shame.” Ezekiel and the valley of the dry bones What is the work of Christianity Today right now? Redefining who is “us.” Who is the “we” of Evangelicalism? “We simply want Jesus as revealed in scripture.” 2 Corinthians 4: “The glory of God reflected in the face of Jesus Christ.” Karl Barth and disillusionment during World War I: “We  we want to preach the gospel as though nothing has happened.” … “ He's saying the church is being co-opted and used by forces alien to it. And there have to be people who are free from that to actually appeal to the genuine gospel and to remind people that God is God.” How to cultivate freedom “One of the major challenges to a freedom is loss of attention.” “I have to be free from the constant whirl—and what he meant at the time was the radio, you know, which is nothing compared to what we have—because my attention is necessary for me to be able to serve and to give.” “Kingdom of God is like yeast.” Waiting, attention, and a longer view of time “How do you then hold onto this freedom that we're describing in a way of connected disconnectedness or disconnected connectedness or something?” Nicholas Carr: “Every person has to have an act of willful excommunication.” Revelation and the Book of Daniel: “Seal all this up for now. … Don't worry about it.” Nebuchadnezzar demanding  that. Shadrach, Mishak, and Abednego bow down and worship the golden statue. Evangelical Pastors: Preaching the Bible versus advocating a political vision Galatians 1 and 2—Paul's not yielding to false teachers in order to preserve the Gospel New Apostolic Reformation Christian Nationalism: “Bizarro Evangelicalism … i f you can get external conformity, then you have righteousness.” “Blood mysticism” Jonathan Rauch's Cross Purposes Keeping guard up in conversations with disagreement “Simply asking for Christians to be who we say we are.” Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment Magazine and Fuller Seminary.

Meg Craig, of BSM, shares how her life plans changed from aspiring teacher to influential campus minister. She also discusses the challenges and opportunities of engaging students on community and commuter college campuses. If you're looking to connect with like-minded leaders and glean practical insights to elevate your ministry, be sure to join us for the EDM '25 conference. Register at https://www.vianations.org/students/events/edm25  We're back with the latest episode of our series, "Offstage": A sneak peek into the lives, ministries, and passions of our EDM '25 speakers.

Send us a textUnshakeable Bonds:The Strength of Spiritual FriendshipsDr. Jessica Fernandez April 06, 2025#Realspringcreekchurch #springcreekchurch #godlyfriendships #unshakeablebonds #realfaith #strongfriends #strongbondsThis sermon, Unshakeable Bonds, will uncover the value of spiritual friendships and the essential role accountability plays in our walk with Christ. You'll discover how godly relationships protect us from isolation, discourage spiritual apathy, and speak truth into our lives when we need it most. True friends don't just stand beside us—they challenge us, encourage us, and help us reflect Jesus more clearly. Learn how to cultivate these unshakeable bonds that sharpen your faith and strengthen your heart.In a culture where surface-level connections are common and loneliness often hides behind busy schedules,  The Bible highlights the life-changing power of authentic, God-centered friendships. "As iron sharpens iron,  one person sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17) is more than just wise advice—it's God's design for how we grow stronger in faith and character._____DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Who are the “battle buddies” in your life—those spiritual friends who pray for you, speak truth to you, and walk with you through the fire? How did God bring them into your life? If you don't have someone like that right now, what's one step you can take to build that kind of friendship?2. Daniel 3 shows us that standing in unity gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego strength—but Jesus was the one who set them free. How do your spiritual friendships give you courage? And how do they help you stay focused on Jesus, the one who brings freedom?3. Think about a time when your faith was tested. Did someone walk through that “fire” with you? How did their presence (or absence) shape your experience and your faith?4. What would it look like to be the kind of friend who helps others reflect Jesus more clearly? How can you show up, speak life, and help sharpen someone else's faith this week?5. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn't just survive Babylon—they revealed God in Babylon. What kind of shared legacy are you building with the people around you? How can your friendships point others to God?