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July 1, 2022 3:00 am
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A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.
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We are glad you're joining us for a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast supported by harvest partners get more encouraging audio content. When you subscribe to pastor Craig's daily depots. Learn more and sign up@harvest.org go to motor King sent Daniel to the lien for disobeying his command that anyone home for the roster. Greg Laurie my machine. Notice that the team spent a sleepless night conference call was slow like a baby. The peril of about three better to be alliance with God in a world without the king of the jungle, the cowardly lion ticker symbol flash, but in real life lion grew up 10 feet long with 400 pounds, 50 miles an hour kill 250 humans each year. When Daniel was in the lion's danger was very real.
Greg Laurie points out today on a new beginning for annual protection was very real. Let's grab our Bibles and turn to Daniel chapter 6 of the title of my messages Angels and the life of the believer. The last time we saw our hero Daniel is been arrested for praying is a gospel port. If you were were were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you by evidence. I don't mean how many harvest Crusade stickers you have in your car, maybe how many Bibles you have at home, but rather real love Were we could talk your neighbors or members of your family are your coworkers and say is this person a real Christian will Daniel was a real believer and the other an amazing habit where he would pray three times a day and so he was very open about it so anyway, the Babylonians had been defeated go jobs are their final king is now dead and Cyrus in the Medo Persian Empire has taken control of the nation.
Darius's new King straightaway. Darius recognizes that Daniel is the man. Even though Darius was a pagan king, he saw that Daniel was a man of integrity. He was a man of honesty. He was a man that would get the job done and he immediately favored him from the previous regime, and so he decided to put Daniel in charge of everything. The others were very angry about this. They were jealous of Daniel and the one to bring him down. There was one problem. Daniel didn't have any skeletons in his closet.
Daniel didn't have any scandals or anything so exposed and they said the only way we can bring Daniel down is that we find something concerning him and his God.
So they came up with the bright idea. Let's get the king to sign the decree that no one can pray that any god, but the king for 30 days so they rush in the king's presence and said King Darius. We came up with an idea. Our all in on this, including Daniel.
We think you should sign the decree that no one can pray to anyone but you.
For 30 days. King very flattered by this said that's a great idea, so we cited in the law. And here's the interesting thing about the law of the Medes and the Persians. Once the king signed it into law. Even he could not overturn it because he was regarded as a deity, so he did not realize it but unwittingly he had condemned his top advisor, Daniel, to a certain death, so no new laws been passed, you can no longer pray for 30 day one of a lie like that was passed in America tomorrow or the state of California almost seems believable, doesn't it.
You can no longer pray in a restaurant you can no longer say grace when your meal arrives in a public place.
It's a new law you can no longer pray in church. You can even pray in your home.
Would you obey the law. Would you I would because there are times when the laws of God supersede the laws of man and this is one of those high Daniel.well you know that's an interesting one, because I pray every day and I'm not going to change that and you know there's a lot of ways then you could've wiggled out of this 30 day is you. I'm on the overdue for a vacation, leapt out for 30 days and when you get back. The law will be over with. Sorry kid is doing pretty prayed by pray three times a day I think I could I could just kind of not pray for 30 days a minute that I can be subtle about my prayer you know I don't have to close my eyes are get on my knees are all go home and I'll pray, but I won't open up the windows like I normally do all kind of doing undercover.
No, Daniel thought, I'm not going to change a single thing so we went home and he prayed as he always did done and now you're taking notes there is point number one. Daniel was a man of prayer. Daniel was a man of prayer. This is a take away truth for us because we too should be people of prayer. Daniel six tenses when Daniel learned a lot been fine. Went home, he knelt down as usual, you might underline that just as he had always done any pray three times a day, giving thanks to his God. I love this phrase just as he always had done no more first introduced to Daniel Shadrach me shack in the Bendigo in the beginning of the book of Daniel. Their kids their teenagers now. Daniel is an old dude. He's probably 80 maybe as old as 90 and he still has this habit of prayer, which is a great thing is in it. You always pray you know it's been said so I thought. Reprint acts on act, reap a habit so I haven't reap a destiny. And that's good or bad depending on what kind of a habit. It you think about bad things and develop bad habits that haunt you for a lifetime.
But on the other hand, if you think about godly things develop good habits like Bible study church attendance giving to the Lord and praying that will be a great habit that will become your legacy and that was Daniel. Just as he always had done, and no doubt it was on his knees. He received the fearless courage that he had then enabled him to stand boldly before kings like Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and now Darius.
He understood that when anxiety came he needed to pray he could've freaked out. But no, he prayed as he always had that point number two, Daniel had a attitude of gratitude. Daniel had an attitude of gratitude. Look at verse 10, he prayed three times a day. Just as he always did.
Done giving thanks underline those two words, giving thanks to his God, giving thanks to his God.
No, listen here was the problem with Daniel. He had never read the book of Daniel is like Joe but never read the book of job. Now we know how the story ends what he did. He knew that his certain fate was being fed to a denim lives. By the way, just in case you think these were docile liens understand that Daniel survived this.
I hope that's not something you were aware of a spoiler alert. He survived, but the ones who accuse him of this reform of the lion's den and they were eaten quickly before they even hit the ground.
The lions attacked and made them never underestimate a hungry lion. I was in the Africa years ago. Actually Ethiopia is speaking at a pastors conference with Franklin Graham and Dennis like a genie in NSO we little time off. One afternoon we went to the Ethiopian zoo and there was really, hardly anyone there working and we walked right up.
I'm not making this up. I know it sounds insane. This is the truth.
We walk right up to a lion's cage, and if I want to try get a stuck my arm through this cage and there in the corner of this cage was the most malnourished lion I've ever seen in my life. This lion looked like he was on the verge of death, and so I'm looking at this lien and I said no and I don't even think he moves anymore and Dennis I get genie and thought it would be a great idea to shake the cage bars so he started screaming that line came to life came lunging out us and roared about as loud as any lion would roar and after my blood went cold and I I I was scared because that's a powerful line so these liens were hungry so understand this was God's intervention. He gave things without any certainty of how things would turn out. The Bible tells us that if everything we should give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
It also tells us to rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.
See if one thing we get things doing things are going well. By the way, you should have everything's going well for you today.
Remember to give thanks because the problem is, sometimes we only pray when we have crisis but when things are going well were effectively saying things God CNX crisis know we should say, Lord. Thank you that all my bills are paid.
Thank you that my health is good. Thank you that I have food on the table thank you that I have the status or view. Thank you for what you've done, but that when things are not going well. I still think God listen, not for the adversity, but for the fact that God is still on the throne. He still there the Lord. I have this problem and I don't know how them and to get through this problem, but I know you're in control and I know you're all powerful. And I know you love me. I know you have a plan for my life. So I'm committing even this deal and that's how Denny was praying they'll probably be fed the lions when I'm given thanks anyway because that is what I always do. Mr. Greg Moore will have the second half of this message just a moment. I don't know if you know about this, but we have a weekend service called Harvest at Home exclusively for people that are tuning in literally from around the world listen to this. We even have harvest groups where you can get in was small group with folks from all around this planet of ours, studying the word of God. So join us this weekend Saturday and Sunday for Harvest at Home at harvest today were discussing the story of Daniel in the lion's den pastor Greg is pointing out what brought the godly man Daniel to this point of confrontation with the cane LLC what happened, so he prayed he was arrested. Daniel six verse 16 so the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions and the king said to him.
May your God, whom you serve so faithfully rescue you. Is it for the king to say he wasn't going to allow him to stand in the story continues. A stone was brought in place over the mouth of the den and the King sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so no one could rescue Daniel.
Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and could not sleep that night very early the next morning the king got up and hurried to the lion's den. When he got there he called out in English. Daniel, servant of the living God, which are God whom you serve so faithfully able to rescue you from the lions. Verse 21, Daniel answered. Long live the King by God sent his angel and shut the lion's mouth so they would not hurt me bribe and found innocent in his side and I have not wronged you, your Majesty. There point number three Daniel chose to trust God no matter the circumstance. Daniel chose to trust God no matter the circumstance it appeared that all was lost in this would be his last night on earth God was at work and he dispatched one of his secret Angels and angel of the Lord sent to deliver him.
Notice that the king spent a sleepless night, despite the comforts of the palace. Meanwhile, Daniel slept like a baby in the peril of a bunch a hungry lions bring me to this point.
Better to be in a lion's den with God than anywhere else without trying.
So maybe you're a hard time right now aligned and if you will, as God with you. Will your Christian is so you're good to go. I'd rather be there with God than anywhere else with out And Daniel was trusting the Lord and look at what he said in verse 22 by God sent his angel know it's interesting to me that the animals had reverence for an angel of the Lord.
The animals apparently saw the angel of the Lord and back up running under know what happened in the lines in the Bible doesn't tell us, but I imagine when he was dropped in the Lancet OT time for food. And as they begin to approach the profit suddenly they backed off when they saw these powerful messengers sent from heaven. You know it's interesting to me that sometimes animals have more sense than people that you read this article in the paper about cocoa the gorilla that die cocoa the gorilla understood sign language and as it turns out this amazing animal was able to sign more than one thousand words and cocoa.
The gorilla understood more than 2000 words read a few articles about the gorilla and one story that amuse me as cocoa had pet cats. Who knows why but she that she loved cats and she be very gentle with these little cats and and so she had this one little cat that she was very fond of and I and one day cocoa got angry and ripped the sink out of the wall utterly destroyed it, and sword trainer came to call going and said your cocoa. Why did you do that and cocoa sign back.
Cat did it to story cat did it so Google is smart enough to blame someone else to remind you of the story of the limb and his donkey.
Remember that story the prophet Bailey was told by God to do a certain thing and he disobeyed and was going in the wrong direction. Writing this donkey and when will the ways in the donkey just stopped and Bailey became very angry and began to nudge the donkey on the donkey stopped again went up against the wall and hit his leg and sewed and takes out a stick and starts beating the donkey donkey goes a little further and utterly collapses this time will be limited reading the donkey over and over again in Numbers 22 tells us the Lord because the donkey to speak and the donkey turned to be limited. Why have you beaten me three times. No meds amazing that it donkey spoke with more amazing was that are missing a beat, Bingham says, because you will do what I want to do and then the donkey says, haven't I been a good donkey. Haven't I always done what you are permitted to be Do you been a good dog. I have to admit this but you will go when I want to and finally the angel of the Lord makes himself visible with the sword drawn and he said benefits. A good thing that donkey spoke is getting uptight with you beating him like you were in that donkey had more sense and you had so sometimes animals have more insight than people have, but angels are involved in the life of every Christian.
We don't understand. How many times angels have stopped us from doing something we should not of done or gotten us out of tight situations or protected us from harm.
There might even be times that angels have spoken to us. The Bible tells us in Psalm 34 seven the angel of the Lord guards all who fear him any rescues that is happened for Simon Peter. He was arrested and he was going to certainly be put to death, because James had already been executed by King Garrett and there he was in jail and asked 12 tells us the church began to pray constant prayer was offered to God for him, and an angel was dispatched from heaven and the angel walk right into that prison cell, and Peter was apparently a deep sleeper because the Bible says the angel had a love King James had to smite him.
We come up like wake up Peter wake up he just Stornoway went why your free man.
The doors opened up for the prison cell.
Just like in the supermarkets are no and out Peter walk with the point was the Lord sent an angel to do that and then we find angels in the Old Testament working as well is in the story before us. In fact, there are mentions in the Bible, either directly or indirectly, nearly 300 times. There are millions and millions even billions of angels. It appears that they are eternal and that they never die. Jesus in Luke 2036, said they neither die anymore and so it would appear that they just go on and on and they have this special word to God is called them to do. Hebrews 114 says their ministering spirit sent to serve those work errors of salvation. Sometimes angels speak to us and we may not even know of the Lord had an angel tell Philip go to the desert and Philip went to the desert.
There he met a man who would come from Ethiopia searching for God, but wouldn't it was an angel that told him to do it. There are times that angels will intervene in our lives. In other ways in its even possible.
You have met an angel is it will why would you say that because Hebrews 13 to says don't forget to entertain strangers for in doing so. Some people of entertaining angels without knowing it. So look around right now. Look next to could be an angel, how what I know with her be like feathers on the ground or sums of angel food cake or something like that. Probably not all by the way, I hate to break this to you whenever angels take on human form, they never appear as women, but always as men that's sorry it's in the Bible. Girls can I say I bring this up because we often use the word angel and in a feminine way like she's as pretty as an angel but in reality every time an angel appears in Scripture. The appear as a man.
They're all around us, and here's something with angels are sort of like God's secret agent there sort of like the special forces like the Green Beret or Delta force of the Navy SEALs there often engaged in missions. We never hear about. They going to do the work that they're called to do their deployed to take care of something in the accomplish that task. In return, we don't even know who did what we just know the job is getting done that's angels are not there to draw attention to themselves, that there to do the work of God insight on angels today beginning as part of Pastor Greg Laurie study of how an angel was sent by God to protect Daniel in the lion's den entire contemporary Christian music more very clear something just to run and you had everything else across the world of that's a little snippet from a special resource that we want to send you for this month for your gift of any size is called the Jesus music may have seen in the theaters. You may have seen it on a streaming platform so this documentary film the Jesus music tells a story of how this contemporary Christian music that is so much a part of our lives today started how it started out of his spiritual awakening.
How young people have their lives change and wanted to speak to their culture and it still alive and well today. There's contemporary Christian music stations all around the world and concerts that are being done all the time. It's fantastic, but it had a very credible beginning. We want to tell you that story you're going to be moved by that you're gonna laugh. You might even get a tear in your eye but you're gonna love to hear the history of this music that is so much a part of the landscape today so it's called the Jesus music organist send it to you on DVD and Blu-ray and also send you a downloadable code so you could put it on your tablet or your phone or watch it on your computer, it's yours to keep, and enjoy.
So whatever you can send will be greatly appreciated. Because will put that to work helping us continued to preach the gospel and teach the word of God so order your copy of the Jesus music might even do it right now. Yeah, great idea. It's here waiting for you at a new beginning, and thanks so much for your generous donation that helps us continue to teach believers and reach unbelievers every day we hear from people whose lives have changed because of the teaching of God's word and when you invest, you play a part in that.
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