The Writing is on the Wall: Steadfast and Immovable

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We need to make sure we're not living a lightweight form of Christianity today. He points out our faith needs to be robust and it needs to be substantial scale. In general, we want to weigh less, not more right sense of God's given God's scales. We want to be.

We want our life. They have substance and meaning and ways because of our relationship with God and always abounding in the work of that was in education from the apostle Paul in first Corinthians we do the work of the Lord were to be steadfast and immovable when the winds of change flow through her culture were to be solid as a rock.

Today is a new beginning for Greg Laurie points on how to do that as we consider a man who showed us how not considering a failure in the Old Testament year ago I went to the gym. Believe it or not I go to the gym okay and and they had this really fancy high-tech machine energizes a Greg I would like to do a test on you no charge. It's free, you will measure you will tell you what your body fat is you know you'll learn everything you need to know about where you're at right up physically said three.

Okay, let's do it. And so they measured me. My high way my body fat, etc., right out of the gate last week how tall you I said I I'm I'm five 10 1/2 ago. So, measured visas USC five 9 1/2, so we know.

I am five 10 1/2. No you are anymore so I realized a great I've slunk in the inch and then he says your overweight great. So now I'm all that and I'm shrieking like that song says I'm not half the man I used to be. I get that through my kit for the why am I gaining weight and then I realized I think I know the reason it's something I discovered at the market. Not long ago there called. She could chance everything these okay so these chips are very affordable $3.50 a bag so I bought a bag in front of a thought. These are like addictive height.

The first one then I sue, then a three then I'm overseeing the entire bag so I blame it on. She could ship so I said to my wife Kathy had to stop buying these jabs there evil chips. So let me buy him anymore but is that the market not long after that with one of my granddaughters and I grab a couple bags and put them in the basket. She said Poppa why are you buying the evil chips because I like them well. So I did a little post on Instagram about these chips jokingly calling them the evil chips that I got contacted by she could ship company and they were very happy because I pointed out I call them evil chips only because I'm addicted to them because they're so good and they think me it is her way of saying thanks they sent me up big box full of chips and I didn't know this very Christian company and I noticed that next to the little character. This little tortilla chip guide on the back. They have John 316 written. There are so my wife is why you weeding the evil chips. I said, they're not able to their Christian chips. This my wrist on stability as a Christian word this company but I didn't work out too well on the scale so I got on this Quito diet is anybody here tried to really screaming for the Quito diet. Okay the Quito diet is the greatest time on earth for the first three days because you can eat meat you can eat cheese you can eat fattening things. Avoid carpet like literally after today's screaming of carbs. I'm dreaming about pizza and the worst kind of diet the beyond is the Quito diet and then eat carbs while you're on it because now it becomes the weight gain diet so you know when we get on the scale. In general, we want to weigh less, not more right well that's not true of God's scales will be given God's scales. We want to be a heavyweight. We want our life to have substance and meaning and wait because of our relationship with God to work in a look at the story now that you probably heard before, and some of you maybe haven't about a young man a weapon to be the king of Babylon, who was waiting God's scales and this guy was the lightest of lightweight and this is a story where God rolled on the wall of the palace. You heard that expression the writing is on the wall right this is where that expression came from. This is a story of Belshazzar was the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar. So this King Morgan a look at the moment went out of his way to mock and attack God in the face the consequences was for the best.

It's never a good idea to mock God because the Bible says be not deceived, God is not mocked whatsoever a man sows, that will he also reap. Don't be a marker of God.

I used to mock Christians because I didn't know any better I thought they were crazy. I thought they were delusional, but I had to admit they were pretty happy and so is a 17-year-old kid. This is 10 years ago plus decades more of my high school campus. I decided to eavesdrop on the Christian and I started off looking at them with skepticism and laughing at them for the first time I heard what it was they were saying that was the day that I ended up believing and so this is what happens here. Here's a guy who could not respond appropriately to the writing that was on the wall.

I think the writing is on the wall for our culture right now. Yes, even the newsfeed you see it in events that are happening around the world. You see it in violence. Random acts of violence. I was just talking with the police chief and he was telling me violent acts are upright the chief I see these things on the news. Is it really that bad. He says it is more than ever hard for the police officers out there right now and we have course have the continuing opioid crisis that we continue to have conflicts over in the Middle East and we continue to have just instability among the nations of the world and the potential for war were literally seen Bible prophecies being fulfilled before our very eyes, and the writing is on the wall so we can read it. Probably going to ignore it or begin it. Attention to it, and here's what the writing said to the young king of Belshazzar buddy. Your number is in one day your numbers going to be a one day.

My number is going to be up but we don't know when that is about a pastor that went to visit man named John who was very sick infecting this time in the hospital he couldn't even breathing needed an oxygen mask to assist them. Therefore, the pastor cannot hear what he was saying in this condition suddenly grew worse. So the pastor dropped to one knee and began to pray fervently for John and Penny could see John was trying to say something but he couldn't speak because of the oxygen mask in the pastor gave John a pen and a piece of paper and John scribbled something down and tragically right there. John passed into eternity.

So the pastor took the little note John Roden put it in the pocket of his coat, forgot about it until a few days later when he was doing the memorial service for John and as he was getting ready to speak. It suddenly occurred to him. John wrote me a note.

These are actually his last words and without even reading it. He said while the people assembled that John's funeral he wrote me a note.

I'm sure will inspire all of us and he pulled it out and read these words pastor you're standing on my oxygen to it's a joke, people. There never was a guy named John Dinan in the hospital. It's a joke.

Okay, came making no weight once it never uses joke people took it seriously and were traumatized in didn't really laugh, Joe said there's going to be a day when we hear those final words and we to pass into eternity.

Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message moment right after a quick look at the way a new beginning touches the lives of listeners in the Lord now having a guiding hearing them on the radio and relaying every monsters like that really move me think of this. This young lady is a little girl here in our program and that she obviously made some bad choices in life, becoming an addict where own admission coming back to the Lord of the Bible says if you train the child in the way that they should go the come back to the return to it and that's what happened with this young lady and that's when so important to when you're driving around with your kids in your car bring to listen to contemporary Christian music. Great to listen to Christian radio and can I just say really great to listen to a new beginning because the word of God will not return void. So were so thankful that our ministry is touched or back in her childhood to this present day, and that's why we do what we do and we couldn't do what we do without the support of our listeners.

Thanks much for praying for us and for investing so this work can continue. You can make a generous year-end gift today@harvest.org will pastor Greg is highlighting the biblical account of the demise of Belshazzar. Today's message is titled the writing is on the wall little background on Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. So now the condenser was the king of Babel she conquered Israel and brought them into captivity. Back in this land that was filled with all kinds of false gods and idols. He was a very cool king.

In fact she took the king of Israel and forced him to watch his own children be put to death before his very eyes, and then he gouged out the eyes of the King of Israel, so this is of wicked man this is an evil man. This is what you would probably think of as an unreachable man but the prophet Daniel interpreted the dreams of King Nebuchadnezzar and God ultimately humbled this powerful king, and he came to his knees and he put his faith in God and literally told his entire kingdom. He was now a believer in the Lord God of Israel, it would be like if someone like him. Kim Jong-Il, North Korea came to Christ told everyone. I'm a Christian now or someone like Saul of Tarsus, who was a Christian killer hunting down followers of Jesus with the Lord. Got a hold of him and transformed him into the apostle Paul were the greatest preachers of all time.

This is a reminder that no one is beyond the reach of think of the most evil person you know.

Maybe it's your mom or dad.

Maybe it's a neighbor. Maybe it's a coworker maybe had somebody else with whoever this person is you can't even imagine them ever believing in Jesus Christ and I'm telling you right now start praying for them and don't give up on them because no one is beyond the reach of God. God Reese Nebuchadnezzar so he told everyone he believed that somehow this message did not get passed down to his son and ultimately to his grandson so Nebuchadnezzar died and his son ruled in his stead. In the name of his son was evil Mira.who names her kid evil Mira.I mean the kid ended up being a self-fulfilling prophecy. He lived up to his name. People come up really random names the name kids these days. I did a Google search weird names that parents have given to their children and these are all real names. None of these are made up. These are things that parents of literally name their kid starting with ABCD E name is Africa leasing of the beginning of the alphabet about this one a real name are sent you really want your kid to live up to their name are sent another child was a Bacardi wino tequila. I mean you're naming your child after those about this one may name their child banana all that gift and have a great time in school.

I guarantee it. Another child was the brick brick. Another child was named Berger. Another was the chaos would you hang around with the kid being chaos, limiting the scales go do some not really my friend arson here and I don't want arson or chaos want nothing to do with you. Here's another one. I'm not making this up. Something their kid Cassie. That's is said Jesse know the kid was named hashtag. Really another kid was named IKEA really what about target.

I don't know that I would be really about me, but then another child was actually named Kale that's really sad. No one will ever play with the job in Keio because no one really wants to eat kale. There he met Anna right. The child was named I can't believe this Netflix really child Netflix.

We'll listing him Amazon prime for Hulu, but we went with Netflix instead and then Mike would give the same riot Ryan hey Ryan if you want to play with chaos I mean is this crazy to more they name their child quiche on Jesus and the final one Velveeta Jovita keys and Berger Robin to play together. Jesse you fit in here somewhere as well so Nebuchadnezzar named his son evil Mira.he lives up to his name. He turns out to be an evil person in clearly evil Mira… Concept based on to his grand son look my son Jonathan is the pastor today is on the pastor because his dad's a pastor he's a pastor because he put his faith in Christ.

You have to make your own commitment to Christ.

God doesn't have any grandchildren just sons and daughters the way you become a son or a daughter of God are a child of God is by receiving Christ. The Bible says, for as many as received him, he gave them the power to become sons of God, so is Daniel five opens we have the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, the sonnet evil Mira dog going out of his way to laugh everything off and he went out of his way to mock and challenge God.

Let's see how that went for him. Daniel five starting in verse one reading from the new living translation king Belshazzar had a great feast for thousand of his nobles, you drink wine with them, Paul says it was drinking the wine gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem by just the one little detail these cops and such were used for the worship of God you wanted to drink from them with his nobles as wives and his concubines and he brought these gold cups taken from the double.

The house of God, along with his kings and nobles and they drank from them and when they drank from them. They praise their idols made of gold, silver and stone so he's going out of his way to laugh at that which God had said apart. Suddenly they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the wall of the king's palace near the lampstand, the king himself so they can visit Road and his face turned pale with pride in his knees knocked together in fear in his legs gave way beneath them. So it all starts when Bill says or said have a big party, to shuffle my cool stuff like what guys do when another guy comes over to visit come out in the garage. My stuff so that's Belshazzar check out all of my stuff look at what we took from Israel.

Look at all of these things so is going out of his way to make fun of God and then the drinking begins you know drinking makes you do stupid stuff doesn't, I just read about a four year study that determined the following and I quote young adults to drink frequently are more likely to show bad behavior that decision-making and other patterns that their peers don't drink show you needed a four year study to reveal that I get it told you that for free known you drinking you come under the influence of alcohol is generally lead to some bad things as it did in this story there worshiping these false gods in their breaking God's very long and now they see I can writing on the wall. Verse five. At that very moment that that they saw the fingers of the human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king's palace and check it out there looking at the wall there's a lamp lighting that they see this handing out CVR. They just see a hand writing this heavenly grip. Edie up on the wall and what is that in and they read it ended those mysterious words. Many, many tackle bar sent so here's a man who'd reached all of his goals.

This is a man who had checked all the boxes for success declined of the company found there was nothing there. Belshazzar was the most powerful famous and wealthy man in all of the world and a lot of people think fame is going to fill their soul you know if I can just get some more followers on Instagram and Twitter.

You know I have.

I can just become more well-known red a survey that said 81% of 18 to 25-year-olds getting riches or generations most important goal. 81% getting rich is a most important goal. 51% said the same thing about being famous.

My responses careful what you wish for them. I got it actor and comedian Jim Carrey was quoted to say I hope everyone will one day get rich and famous and they will have everything they ever dreamed of. And no that is not the answer.

David Bowie of fame said fame puts you where things are hollow. Amy Winehouse, who tragically died of alcohol poisoning. At the peak of her fame made this statement famous like terminal cancer. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Justin Bieber posted on Instagram a while ago in a world that glamorous lifestyle you see portrayed by famous people on Instagram don't be pulled into thinking their life is better than yours" careful what you wish for because a lot of people get it they see how empty it is. Belshazzar had that and more, and he is terrified as he sees this writing on the wall. The smirk is gone, the compliance of God is gone and now he is sobering up quickly to Greg Laurie positing at a pivotal moment in the story of Belshazzar from Daniel chapter 5 and there's more to come as this message continues here on a new beginning with Mr. Greg as many of our listeners know our mission here at harvest ministries is to make disciples. Yeah, we reach out as far as we can with the gospel and then we help new believers get started in their walk with the Lord.

That's right now were making available the TV series called the chosen is a great series yes how can this resource help those who are new to the faith. But I think it it strengthens us and what we believe these are true stories center in the Bible the greatest stories ever told.

But when they're traumatized when you see them in cinematic form, they can come to light for you and a way that maybe they didn't come to life. Are you reading them from the page. Of course, I encourage everyone to read the Bible, but I appreciate any tool that is out there that will reinforce the great stories of Scripture I can't think of anyone who's done a better job of this than Dallas Jenkins who was the producer and director of this new series on the life of Christ, called the chosen. It is a monster a success.

Millions and millions of people have watched it and are watching it and I'm very excited to announce that we are offering this month, the month of December, the month when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, season one of the chosen. You gonna want to sit down to watch us with your family enemy at this. What a great way to start in evangelistic conversation invite somebody over and have them watch an episode of the chosen with you and then afterwards talk about Jesus, you'll find this is a very engaging series. It's something that's going to actually be a blessing to you and I have to say it's very entertaining as well so order your copy of the chosen. I will send it to you for your gift of any size. Let me encourage you to be generous because we will take the resources that you send the money you send and use it to expand this ministry to reach more people.

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If you been a partner with us. Thank you so much and if you can partner with us right now. We hope you will ask for a copy of season one of the chosen. You can donate securely online@harvest.org or write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime around the clock at 1-800-821-3300 – 1-800-821-3300 next time. Pastor Greg comes back to conclude the story of the hand writing on the wall. Find out what happened. Looking Belshazzar joined us here on the new beginning pastors and Bible teacher Greg Laurie new beginning podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God if this show has impacted your life. Share your story, leave a review on your favorite podcast and help others find help