Knockout, Part 2

Today on Summit life with Jeannie Greer I think about being in a place.

Never again will I do not have the assurance of God regarding my present giving life to my relationships and blessing my relationship. I'm terrified about being a place where I'm not sure the got a security must lightly as always, I'm your host Molly benefits.

If you recall, last week on the program. We talked about the roots of pride. The first rate is the failure to recognize everything every breath you take is a gift of God. In the second route is the foolish assumption that this will last forever. If you missed the first part of this message you can check it out@jeanniegreer.com today. Pastor JD will take a look at what God has to say about pride's fruits and pride to cure. These are definitely reminders that we all need from time to time so let's get back into Daniel chapter 4 as Pastor JD picks up where he left off with a message titled Babylon virtually impregnable wall around Babylon I told you to structure 56 miles in many places most places.

Most places it was was over 80 feet wide. In some places, over 300 feet high raced chariots on top of the wall.

It was so wide. The point I'm making is if anybody should have felt secure about the future. It was Nebuchadnezzar he could not be attacked literally no army in the world. Compared about what they could be fired as an unchallenged monarch can't go bankrupt is the World Bank which you and I both know that God has a way and you might be sitting right now on top of the world. You might have enough savings for any contingency or maybe you're young.

With so much talent that everybody keeps telling you the world is your oyster. It's all there for you but then everything changes with a simple three word diagnosis. You've got cancer for a little over a year ago and invisible virus that none of us and heard about shut our society down.

Reminds me of the famous words of the builders of the Titanic, who famously boasted, not even God could sink the ship opened and there's a nice perk member review Civil War history went on about the one mighty Civil War general boasted that he had never lost a battle and it was true that he became violently ill and died from a tick bite you think about that. The imagery that is got a general who could conquer any army, but a small insect you crushing your feet not only take some illness but takes a model life.

This happened to you this year through your spouse telling you that your she's done. I see that happen are my first ministry assignment in Fort Lauderdale Florida on the 22-year-old youth pastor. I'm sitting there with one of the wealthiest man I've ever been in the presence of weeping at least 30 years old to me. Just falling his eyes I'm 22 years old boy, his eyes out to me because his wife or just come home and told him she was going to happen this year with one your kids. Maybe it's happening right now in no pain like to think you know the mightiest people the world can be reduced to nothing because something is happening in the life of their kids that they don't know how to control maybe like Nebuchadnezzar is happening to mental illness. Human body is so delicate so fragile so easily thrown off when you watch others major documentaries on Netflix and realize how fragile our entire ecosystem is of what you want the other day a scientist was explaining that the right solar flare in just the right direction at just the right time to destroy life on earth as we know it and we have about eight minutes from when it happened to ball being destroyed or an asteroid earthquake. The financial markets can get disruptive the right set of factors create the Wall Street crash had been billionaire start jumping out of windows somebody says the word – shortage in North Carolinians begins on a plastic bag for gas. You know you are okay go crazy on the screen.

I'd say it.

The point is we were not as impregnable as we think we are folks part of Satan's lie in the garden of Eden was, you will not surely die. It is a lie that he whispers over and over on repeat in our ears today. If not, that he convinces us that that that that death is not real this is that he makes us forget about it as a reality. Don't know if I don't die years ago I was watching one of those faces of death documentaries is video footage of this guy who his job was filming. People parachuted out airplanes even young couple go on a honeymoon did do a parachute jump and he jump out after them gets very footage so they can they can have it as a memory and so on this particular documentary see him.

You see his camera jump out of the plane and some great shots of this couple is there I doing their parachute thing and after about a minute. The camera starts to go like crazy. The commentator comes on base and says we think it was at this moment that this man realize that he jump out of the airplane without his parachute.

Just going to so many times he forgot to put it on. One was morbid showing thing just watches camera for another minute just just fly men, and then it just goes dark.

You and I when you think about it were actually in that situation. Death is certain. It's not like we all know the grounds, there is have any idea how far that we have the full phase of the orbit so my now right now my walk out on your roof, you might look out of your empire, your portfolio, your future prospects and say look at what I bill by my power for my glory and my enjoyment one small flick of the Almighty's finger. Everything changes. I was a teenager.

One of the things a God used to shake me up was a kid that I've grown up with, who died in a car wreck was gruesome.

One of the coolest kids in school and I'm standing there in front of his casket, making Jamie is in eternity once he's in heaven or hell right now. At that moment realizing everything that he and I competed in sports graves. Girls attention, popularity, none of that mattered to Jamie anymore pride's roots are the failure to recognize that everything everything every breath you take is a gift from God. The second the foolish assumption that is gonna last forever. Those roots gave birth to Nebuchadnezzar's life to several fruits see several fruits of this and just list the amount of how to move through them quickly number 11 pride's first competitiveness Nebuchadnezzar's language is filled with boasting I my my my glory means the attention. The people were given to me. Nobody compares to me that's a sure sign that you're reading up with pride #3 Nobel Prize you're always comparing yourself to other people. I do not mean a healthy desire to do your best.

I'm talking about a drive to show that you are the best. CS Lewis said that one of the quickest indicator lights that will show that you got pride in working your heart did this not what you think it is.

He says it is that some other person's pride bothers you. I've always loved this whole section of your Christianity was if you want to find out how proud you are the easiest way is to ask yourself how much do I dislike it when other people snub me or refuse to take any notice of me or patronize me or show off in front of me.

The point is that each person's pride is in competition with everybody else's pride, it is because I wanted to be the big noise of the party that I am so annoyed at somebody else being the big noise through the trade. Never agree. Pride is essentially competitive.

It is competitive by its very nature so there you have it, how much to somebody else's pride annoyed you, how much you like to say how they're always bragging, themselves always wear this close to show that they're the best always, Robin Eckhart asserted that the best oh they just think that there's something that is a sure sign that you got a terrible case of pride. You see there pride is competing with your pride.

That's why bothers you. Your mad because they got the attention and deep down, whether you admit it to yourself or not you want to be attention. It takes you all that that they think they're something because deep down you want to be thought of as something in there something this is get in the way your something this and you like that about all this is that you don't even recognize that you have it is obvious everybody else around you. CS Lewis said that that there pride is a funny disease because those who suffer most from it.

Never know it even though it makes everybody around them sick.

That's the irony of right. John Calvin noted that that nibs insanity gives us a picture of the blindness of human rights when somebody's insane know that there and say nobody else knows they're saying they think the home competitiveness number two in gratitude. Gratitude.

The apostle Paul in Romans one to the reason for the fall. Ultimately what this was. We did not glorify God is God normally thankful we did acknowledge the source everything. Gratitude is the sigh of humility, you recognize that everything you have is a gift and is a sinner. You don't deserve any of it. So you're constantly giving God glory forth and thanking him for she that's always tied to number three in gratitude's ugly twin brother entitlement entitlement pride says I deserve good things. I worked hard I worked harder than everybody else.

I did something good. I did something difficult I did something special I sacrifice myself. I do what nobody else had done before me of all the people who work for this I deserve it most. My mama, I deserve glory is appraised appreciation or money, a better marriage and her kids a break. Whatever your life is going well. Pride says well this is as it should be.

I deserve this blessing in life. I mowed this kind of marriage. I mowed these kinds of kids.

I deserve this kind of friend I deserve this job.

Whatever you should thank me when things go poorly. Pride says this didn't fare this hidden right and you live with resentment blaming others for how they have let you down your husband, your friends, your kids, you blame God should, by contrast, when things go well for humility. Humility says while soloing undeserved gift.

This is mercy thanking God things go poorly.

Humility says well God is growing me, which is good as I sure needed. Thank you God thank you got even for the struggle because I know that you have a good purpose and a pride leads to entitlement, humility, lease, gratitude, number four for fruit overconfidence. Nebuchadnezzar believes that his kingdom will last forever. In the New Testament James tells us that a sauna pride is that you take the future from branded changes on the safe.

Don't be so arrogant as to declare that tomorrow you can do this or that. Please you'll know what tomorrow holds your life. You such as fragile vapor that can be whisked away by the slightest whiff of gods in rather James says you should say if the Lord wills that all do this or that if he does well that I will do that. Overconfidence is seen in the bold self-assurance that the future is always good to be right. I always find a way to end up on.I did not down but I get up again wouldn't kill me makes me stronger and any other bunch of 90 songs. I quote missing a little can-do attitude is great I love it. Realize that you can only do any of that as God supplies the strength how does Paul say about not down, got back up again. The house he said I do all things Christ who strengthens me overconfidence will always lead you to number five. Self will self will want watches. Nebuchadnezzar is not afraid to go into the future without God, because Nebuchadnezzar believes that he has all he needs to make life work, but God is about to show him how foolish that is said it was another wealthy king. King Solomon wretchedly the opposite. He said Proverbs 17 the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of God in that context, means a recognition of how much you need, I forgot, for example like I fear oxygen that I'm terrified of oxygen. That's all this room and I'm very grateful for. I just know that oxygen is essential for life, and so I fear being separated from oxygen and would never put myself in a situation where I would be without it. I am terrified of being in a situation where there's not enough oxygen because without it I would die. Those who go through life without seeking to know God's will, are those who are foolish enough to think that they can make it in life without him there is a foolishness that precedes rebellion. You think it's a rebellion probably think it's Alma control prime it is foolishness.

What is it going to take to wake you up from that insanity and I am terrified to think about being in a place ever again.

I do not have the assurance of God regarding my present giving life to my relationships and blessing in my relationship. I'm terrified about being a place where I'm not sure that God is secure in my future leads us to the number six stinginess and exploitation.

Verse 27 Daniel pleads with Nebuchadnezzar separate yourself from your sins, but he was right from your injustices by showing mercy to the needy significant. Daniel puts repentance in terms of a new attitude toward the poor listen.

Does that because a sure sign of pride is a callousness toward the needs of others.

Right if you feel like you're responsible for everything in your life that you got nobody to think, but you you have no natural compassion for those who are poor. If they had work like I did, they would have what I have. But when you realize how much you owe to God.

Every breath is from him and the fact that you're not under judgment is a gift of mercy from him for your heart naturally goes out to others in the I love the little phrase showing mercy. I told you this chapter is written in Aramaic language about life and Aramaic. That phrase literally translates as complaint on behalf of the sign that you are humble is that you complain on behalf of the poor you advocate for the poor.

Entitlement is a sauna pride advocating for the needs of others is the sign of humility. Nebuchadnezzar you see the roots of pride. You see the fruits of pride now and show you really quickly prides sure of the way connect to you how frustrating it is for a preacher to have prides roots, prides fruits and prides, something Roger Richard Fritz, I spent way too long trying to come up with another were there and I can I get prides roots pride free prides salute sins and nothing worked. You come up with a great distance for a short pride secure suffering failure. Maybe this happened to you right now I need you to understand the failure by itself, is never enough is failure more often than not leads to more bitterness and more resentment.

God's spirit has to wake you up in your failure yes reach out his hand like he's about to do Nebuchadnezzar to take the edge of his chin is lifted up. John Calvin said again. He said nebs insanity did not wake him up seven years.

He was insane and we cannot, God had given my sissy. She started here in your soul voice that is calling you to look upward to heaven. You feel the edge of your destroyed chin God's fingers take your your your your chin said look up at the end of those days I Nebuchadnezzar looked up to heaven's look of repentance. My sanity returned to me that happening to you right now to hear his voice in your soul calling you to look up for how much, how much you can have to suffer. How much more final statement here might be one of the most stunning declarations of humility anywhere in the Bible.

It's written by pagan King.

Look at verse 34 of the most high God lives forever should Nebuchadnezzar's flatterers and always greeted him with all king live forever. Nebuchadnezzar now says all know that appetite belongs only to God for all temporary our lives are like vapors in the Winter Park kingdoms like sand castles on a beach.

Don't flatter yourself. He would tell you the world. And remember you when you're gone were not to quote the great Mark Twain world lament you for an hour and then forget you forever, but I've told you before your funeral, your family is going to gather up all those prized possessions that you spent a lifetime accumulating and that you were so proud up there to say what in the world we do with all this junk to get a bunch of thrift shops try to get rid of it or gets money cannot buy the whole lot of it and they can hold up your clothes make fun of it. That's it wrong. This continues verse 34 like God. Only God's kingdom is an eternal dominion. His kingdom is from generation to generation. That means trying to erect the light independent of him is like a mad time to build a nest on the surface of the sun or a kid trying to bill Sandcastle on the beach in the middle of a hurricane. Only one kingdom last forever. He says Jesus is only one life to live will soon be passed only what's done for Christ will last and only things done through his power will last you can't make the marriage work.

You can't make those kids turn out right so that we can build discharge unless the Lord builds those houses. Those who build them labor in vain apart for me Jesus said you can't do anything. All the inhabitants. Nebuchadnezzar says her before him like nothing verse 35 God not oppressive.

Babylon is unimpressed with America. He certainly not well by the summit search my talents or your money has no need of any of us and our greatest achievements are of no consequence them. He does what he wants with the Army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth for 35 is fully in charge in history, armies of angels moving his commands as to the smallest molecules on our planet and our bodies. Not a sparrow falls from the sky.

Apart from his permission but I hear from our heads without his knowledge or just inhabitants of the earth. God is in control of it right there is no one he says who can block his hand. His powers irresistible. No one ultimately will ever frustrate his purpose is not you, not Nebuchadnezzar, not Hitler, not Hollywood, not Washington, not not not the UN not St. not Donald Trump not Joe Biden.

Nobody does whatever he pleases. Nobody can stay his hand or saving him.

What are you doing all his works are true in all his ways are just. In the end were to see that God is just and true in all that he did and it's our complaints that were foolish. We feel so justified.

Right now, don't we got what you doing I don't understand this got if you were good if you were if you were really kind.

This is what you would do when our eyes are open to see what God is really up to Nebuchadnezzar to be standing right there saying get told you you're the foolish one you had to seem like three-year-olds were questioning the wise and loving ways of their parents. The prophet Isaiah, who was a contemporary of Nebuchadnezzar set in this way, the wisdom of the wise will perish the intelligence of the intelligent will banish the arrogance of man. We brought low in human pride will be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day Nebuchadnezzar concludes is able to humble those who walk in pride. Mightiest men and women ever walk the face of the earth on that final day, or to find themselves crumbled up in a heap before the king of the universe, unable even to lift their heads front the name of Jesus, the apostle Paul tells us every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth, and every Tom proclaiming Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father.

That's it. That's the conversion testimony of the richest, most powerful, most wicked King and agent is he is able to humble those all those who walk in pride that included by the grace of God JD Greer. This blows my mind to be in heaven. Nebuchadnezzar's dream either call him brother Nebuchadnezzar what you read or listen to the worst thing for you is to go into eternity on humbled and for God right now to wake you up to some tragedy is nothing compared to facing the terror of his wrath on the day of judgment on at least probably the best part of the story. Jesus was the true King even though Jesus walked his whole life in submission and humility at the end of his life, God still drove him into the wilderness of suffering and he died like a beast on the cross and because of that. See he can forgive us from our sins and restore us from our insanity in the little phrase in verse 26 we went over with us, but leave the stump with its roots, a stump with roots can grow again when Jesus died on the cross is life was pulled up by the roots so that he could forgive and restore you, so that those who die in him are never really did, and that no matter what you have done or how sin is destroyed your life. He can rebuild and restore the Locust of Eden and he could grow you again to everything you're supposed to be. If you let him tumble.

Nebuchadnezzar went from being one of them teams in history correcting worship to God and if God can save him. No one too far from God's reach. You're listening to some it might. The Bible teaching ministry of pastor, author and theologian JD Greer were here on your radio station daily and on the web 24 seven to help you dive deeper into the life-changing message of the gospel. We hope you'll join us here as often as possible. But if you ever missed a message or retaining rate.

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