R1435 The Story of Conviction

Conviction when receiving someone we admire it, but the story of conviction can take us even deeper. Let's study God's word together. This is The Encouraging Word featuring the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton well-known author and evangelist and today his message on the story of conviction comes from Daniel chapter 3 will open God's word in just a moment together but we need you to know were open to you right now. Would love to talk with you. Pray with you at 866899 word 866-899-9673 or meters online. Our website is TW online.org that's DEW online.org many folks asking about the bumps or what you climb on it's a wonderful book. You can take a look at right now online@dewonline.org now. Today's message with Dr. Don Wilton the story of conviction take your Bibles turn with me to Daniel, the book of Daniel.

In chapter 3. Love the book of Daniel.

I want to speak to this morning about the story of conviction. The story of conviction. I should imagine with profound respect to everyone that most people know the story of Shadrach me shack and Abednego in the you know I love the story. The whole book of Daniel is just so powerful. If I had to rename the book of Daniel.

I think somehow I would call it the story of conviction, but I'm going to just focusing on on three men sawed like to read just a few verses beginning at verse 13, Daniel chapter 3, then maybe you could measure in a furious rage monitor that Shadrach me shack and Abednego be brought before him. So they brought these men before the king Nebuchadnezzar on student said to them, is it true what I'm hearing gentlemen, Shadrach me shack and Abednego that you do not serve my gods worshiped them. You not worshiping the golden image that I the government authority the king had decreed you not understand both the golden image and I'm telling you you want to live in this country. This is who you worship this 15 now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn. The pop the lather, Steve. I guess this is the orchestra and obviously they were part Scottish because there's a bag popping here. I don't how the bagpipe got a man but I did know bagpipes agreement wrong, but they lay all the hop the bagpipe in every kind of music to fall down and worship the image that I've made when you hear that sound, it will be well and good for you but if you do not worship as I'm telling you, you will immediately be costing the burning fiery furnace, and who is the God small G who will deliver you out of my hands and me tell you something gentlemen you want to live in America, you better get this religion nonsense out of your head. You better stop behaving like a Christian you bid understand one thing we don't do this in America ski sorry I'm here with Nebuchadnezzar. So yes, Nebuchadnezzar is the government.

He was the king Bowden image, said I want you to know is what you gonna do you gonna worship me government you gonna worship the institutions, the secularized society in which you live. Let's get on the verse 16 and see what happens. Shadrach me shack and Abednego Onset and save the King of Nebuchadnezzar. We have no need to on seeing you in this matter. By the way church is this something we need to be talking about. We need to call the church meeting to decide whether or not we actually are going to live like Christians and be believers.

We need a church meeting on this may be convened something this on so that these three men gave is a powerful on so we have no need to on so you in this matter.

One of the things I love about this church and I'm very grateful to you.

We don't coal meetings to discuss whether or not God said what he said in his word he said he actually is not even asking us.

He's just telling us this is who I am.

I want you know you follow me, you gonna have the abundant life. Verse 17. 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 king, but if not, if not be known to you oh king that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have setup now we know the rest of the story don't you remember how that that's exactly what happened in the orchestra and the band struck up and these men did not bow down and worship golden images and false images they wouldn't do it and so Nebuchadnezzar followed through and threw them into the fiery furnace affected was so hot.

The Bible says, even those that through them in parish by the flame. We know that incredible story, how that he looked any soreness administered their fourth man in the fiery furnace was the Lord and how God delivered these three men and what came about as a result of that, don't you love going back and reading history. I love the history of the United States. It's powerful you known and when you go back and you read about June 28, 1776 June 28, 1776 and what took place and how that impacted our lives. Those seven men that by the way, in 1916 were designated as our founding fathers.

The founding fathers. Those seven incredible people. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, just think about it.

Alexander Hamilton and John Jay Thomas Jefferson James Madison peps one we know so well.

George Washington, by the way, if you borrow if you have almost 2 other founding fathers can you name them. Some you better because you might be on some show hundred thousand dollars be on the lines I get to know this and if you tithe 10% of that it will help the church in the Lord's work, so I hope you'll go on a game show this next week and now you know the names of the seven founding fathers see how this all works. How you put it all together but you know you can go and study which I've done you can go and study the lives of these people. They were remarkable. John Jerry and Benjamin Franklin and all you go and study their lives, they were interesting bunch of people. They went all Christian people lather, it would seem we know that it involved only 13 states back then but you know all that aside, there were a lot of things you can say about that day and age, but I think three things we can say about our founding foxes is that they knew why they had come to America and you why you know why you're here. They knew why.

Second, they they knew what they believe are I are resonate with that. They were very different people fact in many ways is you know someone somewhere matures better study or written a PhD dissertation, but really the seven founding fathers as they became designated they were very unique and they will almost a mirror image of the nation that America has become. They were very diverse, very different in their personality in the belief system and what they brought to the table in the personality. They were they would different men.

They went on to greater and different things. All of them but they knew they knew what they believed and certainly they knew who they represented. They must've had an increase in the provision I'm told that way back then in 1776 just think about. They knew they were representing millions of people that they couldn't even probably see I'm just a parallel. I've often thought about the way the television The Encouraging Word broadcast ministry began in this church. 60 years ago with the group of people in this church before television was even rarely what it is today had no idea they couldn't figure out a year like this all the way television would be so critical today that they had no idea that almost gone and all the days where churches can go to neighborhoods and walk around and knock on doors.

Did you know that and see a lot of people walking around knocking on doors anymore. We live in a very suspicious world today. You see someone walking somewhere and you think there's something wrong with them that they had no idea the dramatic shift technology all those things but that group of people in this church sat down pool their resources and sit God has spoken. The quartet you know the same message you here today is being rolled cost in every state in the United States on the radio across this nation to every military base known to the United States over hundred and 75 countries around the world are listening to me now. That's why you are so important because we see you and we recognize that Jesus Christ is the onset these founding fathers how they could see this. I think God did something. I'm one of those people that believe that it's no accident in God we trust.

But I'll guarantee you that little phrase in the next 20 years. Somebody in this country's going to start something going ballistic. Because why should we put God on anything in this country.

Hope I'm looking at a couple of people who gonna stand up and say you want a piece of me, Jan, one of those people that believe this nation was founded on deep and abiding conviction. I wasn't there. I don't know them but I think God did something so if you consider Shadrach me shack and Abednego water things you can say about them.

They were rising seniors Bible says you. You can read all this yourself but it's a long passage but if you just go to chapter 1 verse form five. The Bible says they were used without damage of good appearance skillfully and wisdom endowed with knowledge, understanding, learning competent to stand in the king's palace and to teach them literature in the land language of the Chaldeans and the king assigned to them. Bible says that these three men were risings you're listening to Dr. Don Wilton here on The Encouraging Word and he'll be back in just a moment with the rest of today's message we want you know that you can connect with us online@dewonline.org to hear this message again or other resources that throw you in your faith this message in Daniel about Shadrach me shack, Abednego, is a powerful story but as we understand how to apply it to our lives. That's the life changer.

This is make us Lord, not just hearers of the word doers of the word. One of the joys of our ministry is to help you on a daily basis with the daily Encouraging Word Bible guide you can sign up for it online@gwonline.org is absolutely free.

I pray will check it out online GW online.org daily Bible guide ballots die back in today's message did citizen don't brush aside, Shadrach me shack in Italy go in terms of who they were in the country in which they live.

In fact, they were so incredible, the Bible, seizing chapter 2 in verse 49 that Daniel made a request to the king and the king appointed these three men over the affairs of the province of Babylon. I'm seeing more and more of the younger generation to me rising up and taking leadership over the affairs because they got conviction I'm looking for a few good men in this church and a few good women in this church you know these three men, Shadrach me shack and Abednego they were amazing rising senior respected citizens, but they were also relentless worshipers. They were relentless worshipers seizing in chapter 3 and in verse 12, you know, Bible says there were certain Jews whom you've appointed W.

Shadrach me shack and event.

These men king pay no attention to you. They do not serve your gods or worship your image what they were relentless about worshiping the God of our fathers. I've I've I you know you going to sit there and say, gosh, you know pasta you have to be the single most perfect man I've ever met your life. I'm going to make those decisions all the time because I'm one of those people like will you. I love it all the love life. I really love sport love board and I love your golf and I love boss I love watching you name it. I just enjoy athletics but I made a decision. I'm not going to worship athletics. I love this country, you know that I'll I love I'm so grateful I did some summit you being here so long you don't even know how good you got it. That's why you walk around complaining about everything all the time, somebody needs to ship you overseas for little while so you can get some life show you the way some other people live. I appreciated I mean where we live and what we have and how God has blessed us man the motor because we drive in the food we eat and the friendships and the beaches and the holiday the opportunity to interact and remove the hospitals and healthcare. And I mean you just think about. Just think about it. Just think about the blessing that we have of being able to minister and to help those in need.

That's a blessing in America.

Do you know that that's a blessing we have because we got thousands of poverty-stricken people.

We got thousands, hundreds of thousands of people in dire straits. We are so blessed we we have got the ability to help people in need. That's a blessing. We live in a country where we can actually help our own. That's a blessing. I try, I don't always succeed because a lot of things I love food better donor worship food.

I love my family but I don't worship my family.

There are thousands of American believers today you putting your family in front of God.

That's not what God expects or requires of us family doesn't come first when it comes to worshiping God.

What is this what is your problem thou shalt have no other gods before me. Now here's the way it works.

One would think I'm gonna put my family first because of God the way God works is under God, my family comes first, and God gives in every way.

The total joy and everything you could possibly experience be sold to your kids and your family.

What about money. What about our material money we earn and we live and we want to have a bank balance and be able to retire and pay the booze and have health coverage. These things of very important but some of you are worshiping money. That's what you worship you worship your money, your syllabus often on your money everything your life controls about it.

Even your wife is sick and tired of it because everything about you is money money money money you worship money.

That's what this is the issue here. These things run very deep. What is water what is this and what is the story of conviction when it comes to beautiful story. So here's what I want. I want to be a multi-millionaire and if you think I'm kidding. Look at the space I want boats I been trying to get out deacons to get me a really nice yard for years and years in this church. They just want to wear his whiz out Chama deacons Christmas coming men. Can you imagine me with her fantastic yacht.

I mean it needs to sleep. About 25 because I got a lot of frame all pocket down at Hilton Head and all the other good things right.

These guys teach us so much that everything in perspective.

I think people who've got it in perspective, God finds the people that he can trust to me in my life. The more I don't worship money.

The more I use it for God's kingdom, the more likely is God's going to give it to me because you can trust me with it the more I don't worship my family. I just love them with a passion without sacrificing raw the teaching parsing on to my children and my family the things that really matter. The mold gone allows me gives me opportunities to be able to love and be loved by my family. When he finds churches like that when he finds churches that don't miss themselves up with the stupidity of mankind. He blesses that church when he finds churches that don't worship stained glass windows. He blesses them. We will never worship the stained-glass window or carpet or steeple or a bus are you kidding me. And the more we say Lord this everything is yours, the more God looks at us and says you know what I found someone I trust what's the stained-glass window. I'm going to give you but most importantly they were remarkable believers. They were remarkable believers. They trusted God completely. I wish I could have that kind of trust they knew what they had to do the just knew it. God's looking for men and women who trust God completely and no what they have to do is result of the they believed in the outcome. Believers know what the end result is because God's in control.

It's a wonderful place to be when you just know that God is going to take care of it and that he loves us so much, why would God want any harm to come upon us anyway.

Why would God not want us to be based. Everything in the Bible is about the blessings that God pours out on people they let worship lead to them.

It it began with the whole attitude toward worshiping the Lord is one of the reasons we calling everybody together to do what we doing today with creating a movement because that's what these people did they just started a movement you know what happened as result of their testimony as result of the fact that they worship God based on movement is a spiritual thing made a difference. God did something God inhabits the praises of these people. I want God to use me one God to speak to me when gone to place me you do to. You know that's what I pray for you. I pray that for you for us. I want to lead you us to be all God wants us to be a powerful story of conviction from Daniel today, but perhaps the Lord has been doing more than educate you about the story. Perhaps he's been convicting you as well.

I pray you open your heart to what Dr. Wilton is about to say next. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I'm so happy to hear that wanting to pray this prayer with me today.

Dear God, I know that you love me very, very much and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came and died on the cross so that I might be forgiven of my sin. Today, I repent of my sin.

I confess my sin to you, and I invite you to come into my heart into my life by faith in Jesus name I pray, if you prayed that prayer. Let me be the first want to welcome you to the family of God. This is wonderful. I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying for you and how very important this is for me. Call us so we can talk to you and connect you in the right place you can begin this wonderful journey. The Lord is spoken to you given your life to Jesus Christ. Are we dedicated your life. Welcome to the family of God and welcome to an opportunity for us to encourage you. We would love to put some resources in your hands if you call us and let us know your decision. 866899 word is our phone number Chinatown store yourself, 866-899-9673 were here 24 hours a day to pray with you and connect with great resources or meet us online@teonline.org TEW online.org a number of great resources. You can hear today's message again see the video versions of it and so many more elements including a brand-new book called the bumps or what you climb on and it's become a great resource.

We have just a few more days to make that available to you. Here's lives with all the details struggle with frustration, depression, disappointment, or loneliness you can gain perspective to see your life through the lens of God this month for your gift of $25 or more person The Encouraging Word you will receive two ministry resources. Dr. Wilton is a stirring message. The poured out believer in the bonus book. The bumps are what you climb on board weirds me these resources will help you gain strength to serve God fully no matter what age you are or whatever your second call us at 866899 where and request the poured out believer line CD or DVD along with the bonus book today The Encouraging Word you are listener supported ministry trust in God to supply three people listening today. Number 866-899-WORD 9673 will connect you about resources like that book the bumps. What time on poured out believer more than that it's an opportunity for us to pray with you and for that we mentioned earlier, one verse from James help us Lord to be doers of the word not just hearers only father I pray even now in my life and the life of those listed now to this broadcast that we would take what we have heard and let you by your spirit strength us to apply it to our lives in such a way that we live today closer to Moore on five brighter for you to start shows God again how to just lean into your spirit.

Love you Lord and thank you for your precious name. The name of Jesus