Sleepless in Judah Part 4 RDS5D

God has an Encouraging Word for each of the Bible-based printing of Dr. Don Wilton on the Tuesday edition of The Encouraging Word and as we study the word where available for your keyboard keyboard on our website at tewonline.org eight and on the phone and 866-899-WORD 866-899-WORD 9673 now maybe everything that happened to him became immediately drawn slighted into his own self-aggrandizement.

This man was. Amanda had a real problem with pride and ego. The bottom line was his lust for power folks there are people today who will do anything they possibly can to hold onto power morality will take a backseat to power in America today.

We got many expressions of that. The bottom line.

Power sales walked. Morality is not the issue. We don't care how a person's what's at stake here on issues that are relevant just by the way some people divorce me about dreams and visions to folks, this is a tough area to get into because I don't want to stand up there and say that you and I do not have dreams and visions. We don't wake up sometimes in the mornings disturbed by, or the like to buy things that we thought we dreamed about, but I am going to say to you folks that the use of dreams and visions as far as God is concerned is redundant it's over. It's no longer necessary, God no longer uses that and the reason is because of his word.

God has given us the full revelation of himself through his word no longer needs to utilize dreams and visions to motivate people, I say to you without any apology whatsoever that if you had a dream or a vision related to spiritual matters, it's probably just that you didn't like your Alka-Seltzer before you went to sleep. I cannot stand yet or not to make a definitive statement about dreams and visions, but I am going to tell you that God according to Hebrews chapter 1 in times Paul spoke to us through his prophets, but now he is spoken to us through his son, of which we have the complete revelation of Jesus Christ through his this is the revelation of God. This is the vision of God. So it is that the king moves from his dream to his decision. I want you to notice. He recalled in his cabinet. This king was surrounded by some very interesting people.

First of all, they were the magician the magicians according to the ancient literature were the scholars. These were the very people who analyzed and dissected information had a very high level of understanding.

The second group with the astrologers, they were the strawberries group with the sorcerers. They were the medium. These were the palm readers. These were the people who had special 900 numbers below folks that today there are multi millions of dollars being spent by ordinary people like you and me who are calling this kind of which Croft that flies in the face of a loving God, you realize that there are people in California, New York and New Orleans sitting there rubbing their hands together reaping the benefits from a nation that is gone berserk, a nation that finds themselves in the midst of agreed. A nation that is being led by cabinet that is called to make decisions outside of the boundaries of the principles and precepts upon which God's I've tried to analyze the king's decision. It seems to me that King Nebuchadnezzar this insecure hostile man crying for power gathered around him, his cabinet, he immediately began to seek advice and what he did was he Colby and his advisors who were there they were the magicians in the astrologers and the sorcerers, and by the way, don't forget the Chaldeans, you will remember where Abraham came from. You will remember, Abraham came from the Chaldeans. That was the seat of wisdom that was the learning center. The great mathematical centers of understanding.

This was the root of Pythagoras and every rider that is been affixed thereto. This was where the great theorems of the world began to rise up the physiological understanding of man's anatomy. This was way principles and precepts were founded and grounded and so it is that this king could Meza finding himself in a predicament immediately began to gather to himself those who would help him to arrive at a decision by just like a little side room BE very careful about the people to whom you go to to help you make the decisions that you need Mike, I would say to our young people. As always, do not just to our young people would say to our business people man and woman drop fosters ministers to moms and dads God is privileged are so much in a community like this because Spartanburg is food with men and women who have spiritual and godly wisdom. I want you to know that I'm very grateful that God brought our family into a community where children go to school when even the superintendent of the school system is a godly man. I'm grateful for that. Folks I'm I'm grateful for the godly teachers that God has raised up in this community.

The counselors I'm grateful for the churches that we have across the board here in Spartanburg County where people can go with. I can seek and receive godly wisdom and counsel. I'm grateful for moms and dads of integrity who are willing to make a stand and take a stand. I had a family say to me, the softening pasta.

We've only just started going to church but I tell you the last four months. Weeping coming morning due to not by sitting here right now and I commend him for being here in the house of God, because God has surrounded us with the places and the people to provide us with godly counsel at the privilege that's approved. I thank the Lord for my mom and dad and for my parents and mole softly driving over here. I called my father not just to cite Tim how you doing pop and what's going on down.

On the other side and did you enjoy the services where you wear this morning. It wasn't just about that.

It so that I can listen to my father's voice because when I listen to my father's voice I am surrounding myself with God's cabinet. The greatest counsel God gives to me is my wife. I take very seriously.

We were there are so many jokes and little asides of this and that, folks, I tell you something.

The person that I know who speaks the most wisdom to me is my own. Why surmise or she can tell me things that nobody else knows especially about my preaching. I love it.

We got home sometimes and I say to her what you think of the service this morning and she said all man. Steve just as a tremendous and I tell you the choir and just did such a good job and on and on.

You know, whatever is appropriate and then why a little bit morning I'll just white mouse and and and what did you think about the whole service you know you know and she said all man I tell you I just enjoyed. When the chairman of Beacon's Gautama close the servicing prayer on police on-site new one that grade and what what you think about the rest of the and will exhaust every avenue of opportunity of the whole thing and I'm still all asking her what she thinks and we basically get down the way she's got nowhere else to go and also I wanted you think about the preaching go and she'll say yes. I say what you mean. Yes, what is that mean yes yes yes no yes up this year. She said no it was. It was and I like to try all I love you try that's the point at which I turned and say what you know about preaching anyway so glad that God is given to me in this church. Some men who have become so very dear to my own heart. I sometimes don't see them for days on end.

And yet, that Makes no difference. They they they did counsel counseling is not just something that said it's a presence it's not just an affirmation. It's not just a yes it's a no and it's a year since an up and it's a down it's a truth it's a reality it's a lot of joy it's a camaraderie it's a oneness with its an understanding. It's a feeling it's an empathy it's a oneness and I'm going to say to you that thing never you could Meza in this predicament.

What the world does he wait and he consulted with his cabinet.

So here's the question tonight.

Who is your cabinet. Who are you consulting with please forgive me for the stipend.

But I'll never forget when Pres. Carter was president of the United States are still believed to this day I didn't believe it is much back then, but today I certainly do that. This man had tremendous principles character might not have voted for him back then. Whatever the situation and circumstance but the one thing that I was always disappointed with about Pres. Carter with the people that he surrounded himself with. I'm one of those people who take an interest on the inside things I'm interested in the kinds of people that the president nominates to be a part of his cabinet, and it absolutely pulls me in the name of accommodation and compromise. The type of people in the character and the framework out of which some of these people come that our leaders from the state government to the White House surround themselves with. But it's no different to you and me who are you consulting with the king's dream and the king's decision but notice the Kings.llama is not llama was that he dreamed a dream and then he forgot what the dream was, you know, folks.

If you don't mind little humor here. I think God just decided he was going to mail his hind leg to the wall say I bought understood. Maybe could Ms. I think God understood this man's ego.

I think he realized what it was that was going to Rockies but most of all I think the God understood that he needed to have his treasury threaten to the highest level of irritation.

I believe it was that God looked down and said I maybe use this godless man who thinks that he owns and runs the world and I'm doing a rapidly's bones sleepless in Judah.

We must be reminded that in Oriental culture. A forgotten dream was a bad omen that made things 10 times worse. So let's look at the Kings dramatic testing verse five he put his people, his cabinet to a dramatic case at 40 did he call them into your cabinet meeting and he said I don't care what anybody says I didn't do go out there and tell everybody I didn't do that. I went out and said he didn't do it when the king speaks everybody listens to see a dramatic text of this nature with a basic underlying spiritual foundation demonstrates three things. Number one a demonstrates the failure of mankind.

Verse 10 there is not a man on earth who can do what the king number two demonstrates full which is just a nice way of saying safe people living in a masquerade and number three. It demonstrates the fickleness of godly leadership. Verse 11.

These people said listen this thing is far too difficult. King you're putting a number on us.

You making things go beyond the pale of reason. See basically what happened folks that the king spoke out one side of his mouth. King Nebuchadnezzar did not believe in the zone system so we look at the king's decree in verses 12 and 13. This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise man in Babylon.

I want to submit to you tonight that Satan inspired. Maybe you could Meza just as he does to buy to rid the world of a man like Daniel, a man who would not compromise by a micro statement that I made at the beginning of the study tonight if you living if you are living for the Lord Jesus Christ.

You become a prime candidate to be squeezed out. Satan is often he wants to trip you up wants to destroy Alaska business and he's going to use whatever means at his disposal. I want you to note a patent here that is not unlike the patent excitement uses in our lives.

According to Scripture, he has a definitive plan that Satan even uses the things that God puts in our hearts and minds in this case there was a dream. God put that agreement, Satan used number two. There's a violent temper that follows Satan's plan always results in destruction.

Dreams always changes to the structure and they ultimately resulting day. There is an extreme penalty that waits for those who succumb to bad virus. So what does this teach us tonight will I want to suggest three things that this teaches us to Mark.

First of all, that no man can arm himself understand the revelation of God turn with me to first Corinthians in the New Testament.

First Corinthians chapter 2 in verse 14 first Corinthians chapter 2 in verse 14. A very very important passage of Scripture.

No man can love himself understand the revelation of God. Listen to this. First Corinthians chapter and verse 14 the man with the spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned. Now folks want to say this to you to my with with a I want you to listen to me very carefully. If you are here tonight or you are listening to my voice by way of radio and you do not understand these things by going over your head like by parsing you.

You struggling your grappling with them that don't make sense. In fact, you found yourself sometimes sign off of. That's just a lot of nonsense. That's preacher talk, you know, why do you keep on relating this back and drawn by an agent. This is just a lot of nonsense.

Guess what the Bible says to the Bible says to you that the man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. They are foolishness to him he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned inside of me pasta what what do I need to do about this.

Just what you need to do. You need to give your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. The greatest thing you can ever do that will happen is the immediately you give your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. God by his spirit immediately begins to give you spiritual discernment – spiritual discernment literally means that God gives you the means to be able to interpret quote unquote your dreams from a spiritual perspective you begin to see things in a spiritual laptop in the human life they been many times in my life that I brought up to somebody and and I've said to them, let me show you this verse God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son or verse like this and I'll read it to them say what does that mean to you and nisi are our on another just doesn't really make seems to me then that person gives their heart and life to Jesus Christ and you go to read them the same verse and slightly more. Does this mean and nisi wow I can't believe this. I've never seen this like this before. That spiritual discernment you don't happen.

You moved out of the way and God's move-in God by his spirit is taken over. Now, folks. What happened here with Nebuchadnezzar is that he is cabinet in reality when making a pronouncement about spiritual discernment, but I didn't know that if you got up to those astrologers and palm readers in the binders and everything else in between, and medium countries and and all the other things in statement. Do you know that you making a spiritual statement about spiritual discernment by would've said to say what God was using it possible that God could use magicians, astrologers four, three, and Chaldeans to speak his message to those that he wanted to hear. Well, listen to what they say it. They say that time without number. Hearing chapter 2 they said what the king lost is too difficult though I never saw such a thing. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, what were they doing they were making a spiritual pronouncement about spiritual discernment, so that godly people like Daniel could pick up God's truth and forward into the prophetic future of God loves us and gave us everything that we have it all disposed. What a dramatic irony. What a dramatic irony number two. A Christian man is a man on earth able to touch the things of heaven are I and we go. This is it, how many of you to not would say with me pasta despite myself, I know and love the Lord Jesus Christ and he lives in Mohawk, would you raise your hand thank you. Please put your hands down you folks listen to me, is what the Bible says about you because you are a Christian man, a Christian lady you are able to touch the things of heaven.

You are a conduit your channel your ally clean conduct that's what you you have the capacity to parse on God's message to the world. A Christian is a man on earth able to touch the things of heaven. What a privilege. Now what prevents us from touching things in heaven. Allison prevents us.

So how do we clear the fog. How do we make it possible for us to touch things of heaven, confessing our sin, telling the Lord. That's why it's important to say Lord Jesus, I've sinned against you. What God does. He claims is us from all our righteousness and enables us to touch the things of heaven, it's a most dramatic most dramatic thing. This issue of spiritual discernment. Folks listen to me. I'm praying more and more every day that more and more people every day at First Baptist Church are going to be people of spiritual discernment that you going to be able to understand what a privilege we have parents show today with you with your children, your teenagers listen God will give you spiritual discernment, even when you don't know what to do next when you lose your job and and and and you worried about that in your exasperated God will give you spiritual discernment understand when you're faced with a predicament at work and you don't know what to do about God in his timing will give you discernment and understanding why because God will by his grace to touch the things of the world cannot do that. Number three. You cannot touch the things of God and the things that God does unless you have God living in you that one of the things that God does joy, happiness, peace, love, these are the things of God. These are the things of heaven and God's word says to us, wait a minute I want to take you beyond the realm of the astrologers of this cabinet that surrounded the likes of King Nebuchadnezzar and I want to give you the privilege of being able to touch the things of God. Folks, let me just close by saying this to you when we give our lives to Jesus Christ.

We become adopted to be joint heirs with the sun we are included in the family of God. We are given all the basic fabric of what it needs to be a coequal department in the rich grace of God spoke about it in Romans chapter 12 verses one to he said I begged you in view of God's mercy or that another website that is based upon the outpouring and the availability of the bottomless reservoir. All of the riches of God's mercy.

I have given a goal to you.

I want you to have when I get back to you. I'm able to give you strength and encouragement. Joy. I'm able to give you spiritual discernment on day to help you to understand when you lose a loved one. I'm going to give you in the middle appeal brief ice rain, praying with the pastor strewed your heart. Perhaps you want to take a step further. Maybe have some questions we can help answer from the Bible itself gives a call.

We stand ready to connect with you 24 hours a day at this number 86689 Johnstown Stewart yourself would love to connect with you and pray with you. That's 866-899-9673 or email us at online@tewonline.org online.org, and accept the most important thing a pastor has to share today is God has spoken to you and you ready to give your thoughts and dreams. I'd love to help. Dear God, I know that I miss. I know that Jesus loves me for me on the cross. Right now I repent of my sin and I can face my sin to the Lord Jesus Christ come into my heart and save me today and forgive me for my sin.

In Jesus name I pray a main if you've prayed that pray we'd love to get alongside of you and celebrate with you and send you some literature and help you as you begin to grow and I want you to know that I love you very very much.

And by the way, don't leave, don't go away. What ever you do is I'll be right back spoken to you. Let's talk about. Let's pray about it.

Let's put three resources in your hands that will help you take the next step email us at online@tewonline.org, a that's TW online.org or give us a call 8668 is the number that's 86689673 before we get away hot work from Dr. Don about what it is to be an encourager. Hello my friends I want to speak to you personally today from my heart to you. I don't think there is a better more important time for us to respond to our world by standing up for righteousness. Now with this in mind I would like to invite you to become an encourager ministry partner. You see, together we can impact lives, both now and for all time and all eternity. The Encouraging Word is in you and listener supported ministry and to know that you are standing with me financially, enables me to move with confidence to do the work God has called me to. So please call the number and just simply say I want to become an encourager. Thank you so much for helping me that number again is 866-899-WORD 866-899-9673 or online@twonline.org