The Rock of KC

Romans 12:2 God is far more interested in changing your mind than in changing your circumstances 3 REASONS THAT I MUST MANAGE MY MIND 1. Because my thoughts control my life (Prov. 4:23) 2. Because the mind is the battleground for sin. - Our mind is where we win or lose the battle (Rom. 7:22-23) - whatever gets your attention gets you 3. Because it's the key to peace and happiness. (Rom. 8:6) - A managed mind leads to strength, security and serenity 3 Daily Choices for a Healthy Mind 1. I MUST FEED MY MIND WITH TRUTH (Matt. 4:4, Ps. 119:147,97) - The Bible is our soul food. It's our owner's manual for life. (Ps. 16:7) 2. I MUST FREE MY MIND FROM DESTRUCTIVE THOUGHTS - What are the enemies? a. The first enemy is our old nature (2 Cor. 10:3-5, Rom. 8:5) b. The second thing that's going to fight this is Satan c. The third enemy is the world's value system (1 John 2:16, 2 Cor. 10) - What is a stronghold? It's a lie that we believe. A spiritual stronghold in my life is a lie that I believe. 3. I MUST FOCUS MY MIND ON THE RIGHT THINGS A. Think about Jesus (Hebrew 12:3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up.) B. Think about others (Philippians 2:4 Don't just think about your own affairs but be interested in others too and what they are doing.) C. Think about eternity (1 Cor. 2:9 No eye has seen no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.)

"Peace of mind makes the body healthy." Proverbs 14:30 (TEV) "A relaxed attitude lengthens a man's life." Proverbs 14:30 (TLB) Before we look at the text let me just identify the seven most common sources of stress in modern life. These are the seven things that cause stress most often in today's lifestyle. 1. Worry. The reason why worry is number one is because there's a lot more things to worry about than there used to be. Nobody worried about identity theft twenty years ago. Nobody worried about losing their cell phone twenty years ago. There are a lot of things we worry about today that your parents didn't have to worry about because they are new worries in an increasingly complex world. 2. Hurry. Hurry comes from the increasing pace in our life. Would you agree that it seems like the world is going faster and faster? We live in a microwave nanosecond world where everybody wants it now and they want it yesterday and they want it immediately. And everything is going faster and faster. That creates stress. Speed creates stress. 3. Crowds. As the world gets more crowded people are getting more stressed out. The reason why is we have a thing called urbanization. That is people are moving to the cities. Life used to be rural but now it is definitely urban. Eighty three percent of America lives in a large city. 4. Multiple choice. Or more choices than ever before. Actually the more choices you have in life, you think that's more freeing, more liberating. But actually it's more paralyzing because it creates indecision. 5. Loss of privacy. Actually any loss is stressful but in the modern world the loss of privacy there are not just the government but all kinds of corporations keeping their number on you. They want to know where you are and who you are and what you said and what you bought. Every time you buy something now somebody rings it up and they're keeping a record of how many Pampers you bought and when you need to move to Depends. You move from hot wheels to wheel chair. 6. Pluralism. What is pluralism? We now live in a world where the people around you often have very different beliefs, convictions, lifestyles, cultures and things like that. 7. The fear of the future. The what ifs. The fear of the future. 7 SPIRITUAL HABITS THAT REDUCE STRESS (PSALM 23) 1. Look to God to Meet All My Needs This single change in your life – you stop looking to other people to meet your needs – if you'd stop looking to your husband, to your wife, to meet your needs, your stress would go down dramatically. Stop putting your security in things that you can lose. The Bible says this in "Since God did not spare even his own Son for us but gave him up for us, won't he also surely give us everything else we need?" Romans 8:32 (LB) "The Lord is my shepherd, so I have all I need." Psalm 23:1 Isaiah 30:15 says this, "The sovereign Lord says only in returning to me and waiting for me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.'" 2. I NEED TO OBEY GOD'S INSTRUCTION ABOUT REST. So much of the stress in your life comes from always being in a hurry. Always working too much. Always feeling like you've got too much to do. That's why you overwork. You never can get caught up. God says I want you to rest. Psalm 23:2 "He makes me lie down." Circle the phrase "makes me". He says God makes me lie down. Does God ever have to make you lay down? Because you weren't smart enough to obey what he says about rest and take a day off every week. Sheep aren't smart enough to rest when they get tired so the shepherd has to make them lay down. Getting enough sleep is essential to stress management. My best requires rest. You're not wasting time when you're relaxing. You're not wasting time when you're resting. Three Things to Happen on Your Sabbath: 1. Rest my body. You need to rest your body. Physically rest. The Biblical basis for a good Sunday afternoon nap. Just not while I'm speaking. 2. Refocus my spirit. I rest my body on the Sabbath and I refocus my spirit. What is that? That's worship. It's what you're doing right now. You are refocusing your spirit right now by coming to worship. In corporate worship we recharge and refresh our spirit. 3. Recharge my emotions. Use the Sabbath to recharge your emotions. That's what recreation does. It recharges your emotions. Different things recharge different people. About how you need beauty in your life. You need to do something that restores you and reenergizes. It could be a hobby. It could be a sport. These are good things that God has given us as gifts in order to recharge your emotions. It doesn't really matter which day is your Sabbath. The book of Colossians in the Bible says it doesn't matter which day you choose. You just need to choose a day. 3. RECHARGE MY SOUL WITH BEAUTY That's the third thing we need to do: Recharge my soul with beauty. Beauty is an incredibly important thing in stress management. Ugliness stresses you out. Beauty inspires. Beauty encourages. Beauty motivates. Beauty stirs up positive emotions. "He makes me lie down in lush green meadows and leads me beside calm, quiet waters. He restores my soul." Psalm 23:2-3a Some Suggestions: 1. Get outside every day. If you're not getting outside every day your stress level is going up. Even if it's just your back yard, even if it's just a walk around the block 2. Start the day with God not the media. Before you go read any text message, before you check your email, before you turn on the radio to some talk radio and people screaming at each other, before you turn on the television for some morning show, you need to get in touch with God first. 3. Intentionally put beauty around you. Pieces of art or music that inspires you. Or a craft. Looking at beauty lowers your stress level. Listening to beauty lowers your stress level. "You'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly." Philippians 4:8 (Mes) 4. GO TO GOD FOR GUIDANCE. "He guides me in the right paths for his name's sake." Psalm 23:3 This is important because a common source of stress in your life is indecision. You can't make up your mind. Some of you right now are wavering. You're at a fork in the road or maybe you've got multiple options and you just can't decide and the stress is killing you. You can't decide whether to get in or get out or do neither. You've got too many choices. Psalm 23:3 says this "He guides me in the right paths for his name's sake." That's an affirmation: God I believe you're going to guide me at the right time in the right way. I believe you're going to do that. If you have that belief he's going to do it. 5. TRUST GOD IN THE DARK VALLEYS "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me." Psalm 23:4 I trust God in the dark valleys. We're all going to go through dark valleys in our lives. You'll go through many of them in your lifetime. One of the common sources of stress is loss. You can lose your job and you can lose your income and you can lose your money. You can lose your health. You can lose your reputation. You can lose a loved one. We all go through many losses in life. Psalm 23:4. Here's what David says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, [I don't fear anything. Why? ] for you are with me; Your rod and your staff comfort me." 6. LET GOD BE MY DEFENDER "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, and you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." Psalm 23:5 How do you handle rude people? How do you handle mean people? You don't. You let God handle them. You let God be your defender. 7. EXPECT GOD TO FINISH WHAT HE STARTS IN ME "Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6 I expect God to finish what he starts in me. Are you a person who is afraid of the future? Are you a what if-er? You're always what if-ing. What if this happens? What if this went wrong? What if that went bad? What if? What if? What if? If you're a what if-er it leads to enormous amount of stress in your life. Unnecessary stress.

How to Get Closer to God Part I Spiritual Health The further away you get from God, the more your life is troubled. The closer you get to God, the more your life is transformed. four things to do in order to get back to God! 1. I Get Fed Up! “...he wasted it all…he had nothing left…he got desperate and hungry… he finally came to his senses...” Luke 15:13-14, 17 God loves you just the way you are but He does not want you to stay in that condition. God has no desire to see you waste your life. GOD: “You’ll find me when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else.” Jeremiah 29:13 (Mes) 2. I Own up! “When he came to his senses, he said...“I have sinned against God and you...” Luke 15:17-18 “Your sins have separated you from your God, and have hidden his face from you...” Isaiah 59:2 Blame is spelled b-lame! Quit blaming everyone else for your spiritual condition. 3. I offer Up! I offer up my life, my total being. The son drifted away saying, “GIVE ME MY share...” Luke 15:12 He returned to the Father saying, “MAKE ME a servant” Luke 15:19 Do you notice a change in attitude? This is transformation. When your heart moves from self-centeredness to God-centeredness that is true godly transformation. 4. I lift Up My Praise! “We’re going to celebrate with a feast of eating and drinking...He was lost but now he’s found! So the party begins!” Luke 15:23-24 “Sing to God, sing praises to his name; LIFT UP A SONG to him... his name is the Lord!” Psalm 68:4 (ESV) The Father celebrated. He did not condemn! I am fed up! I own up I offer up I lift up!

Run from your past (slide 1) You can try to distance yourself from your past. Put as much real estate from it as you can. Perhaps by moving to another city Another church You can try to convince yourself that it did not happen. I just don’t want to deal with it attitude. If you don’t deal with your past, your past will deal with you. Over and over again, having you continually get close to people only to RUN once it gets uncomfortable or “too close” Past hurt causes pain (Slide 2) Pain left unchecked or not dealt with causes hurt Hurting people, hurt people We see it every single day do we not? Our culture is full of people saying the meanest, craziest things to one another. Christians are doing it as well! Sometimes I have even found myself saying hurtful things! Why? Because pain left unchecked will undoubtedly produce pain. Like Mr T said “I predict pain” Hide from your past (Slide 3) You can try to stuff it down deep so that it doesn’t effect you. Isolate yourself from others so that you don’t get hurt again. Set up barriers and protective mechanisms to ensure you don’t experience that ugliness ever again. Past disappointment causes blame (Slide 4) Blame left unchecked causes pain …and uh oh here we are again! Back to Mr T! Every single one of us has lived through disappointment. Each of us has been disappointed And each of us has disappointed people Why in the world do we not understand this and deal with the pain of disappointment? Because it is easier to hide under the bridge where you don’t have to deal with people and the pain of their disappointment. You can emotionally begin to live “under the bridge” - it was under the bridge where I first experienced “the lie” and it was under the bridge where I stayed. A sneak attack came on my identity and it subdued me. It came so quickly and in a way that was so subvert. It didn’t come from a stranger. It did not come from someone I didn’t respect. It came from someone I very much loved and looked up to. And this person NEVER said it thinking they were hurting me, in fact I know that the words spoken were said for the exact opposite thing to occur. For me to learn. Listen to them again, phrased differently: “Give me that, you are doing it wrong.” But that is not what I heard or how I heard it. And for many of us, the intentions of others are less impactful then the actions of others. And so it was that I remained locked in the past, under the bridge, slowly becoming emotionally isolated. Oh it didn’t take full root that day under the bridge but that is where the seed was planted and if left unchecked…that is exactly where it was going to grow. And grow it did. Running and Hiding from your past leads to settling. (Slide 5) Let’s talk about this word, settling, and why it is so important. And why I believe it is the heart of todays message. We were not made to settle in life. Well it’s just something I have to deal with. Life is not the best but it’s ok. My marriage is ok, but it could be worse. My job…ehh..it’s a job I understand everything in life is NOT going to be great all the time, we will have trials, we will have persecution,…but we do not settle. We were made to be active participants in the victorious life found in Jesus Christ. Victorious means we are constantly taking ground. Constantly pursuing. Consistently moving forward and onward into the greater things God has prepared for us. And oh the good things God has prepared for those who love Him and call Him Lord. Numbers 32:5 (NKJV) These two tribes are asking to settle short of the promised land. Short of what God says is the best for them. Just across the Jordan, not quite in the PL but almost. Moses has to remind them of that their fathers did the same thing…they settled. In fact, they wanted to go back. Back to the past. To the place where they were beaten, abused, discouraged, and in slavery, NOT free! The Israelites who experienced so much blessing from God actually wanted to return to their old life! Past failures can cause shame (Slide 6) Shame fuels the engine of relapse Shame leads to more failure We can easily become slaves to our past. It is what we know or perhaps all we know. It is what we are comfortable with. From alcohol to pornography to food addiction, we fail and shame is always there to remind us of how much we suck! But God has more for you. He wants to free you from your past, live in your present, and move you to your future! He is NOT there to tell you how horrible you are or how that is the 77th time you have done that, when are you going to just stop! God is always there offering freedom. He is there, extending mercy and grace. He is there to offer hope. He is there call you out of that addiction, out of that thing that you have been wrestling with for so long! He is there! —————————————————————————————————————— How do we get out from under the bridge? Allow Jesus and Holy Spirit to do these 2 things: Identify the lie (Slide 7) 2 Cor. 12:9 (NKJV) “My grace is sufficient for you; for my strength is made perfect in your weakness.” Confess your weakness that you might possess His strength! Acknowledge and release (slide 8) It is ok to acknowledge the past for what it is…the past! It is what happened. That does not mean it is what God has for your entire life! When it comes to the Past: Hold on to those God moments (joy peace life giving moments identity building moments - good and bad, destiny builders) Release the moments that have caused pain, disappointment, or shame to the covering of the Holy Spirit and what He says about those moments. Release the control that the past has on determining your future (Slide 9) God is the one who speaks on that Redefine the Truth (Slide 10) Joshua 1:2-9 (NJKV) “Go over the Jordan to the land which I am giving you” v2 “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you.” v3 “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life.”v5 “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” v9 Jesus said that He will NEVER leave us or forsake us, but rather He is with us to the end of this age. Either He is telling the truth or He is a liar. Listen and Act (Slide 11) Take time to listen to Jesus and Holy Spirit then act upon those words And at 35 years old He answered this question, “Where was Jesus?” In the midst of me experiencing such crazy isolation, hurt, pain, gender confusion, anger, mistrust of authority all through being sexually abused…Where was He? You know what He did? He took me to that day when I was fishing under the bridge. He allowed me to see Him crying over my hurt in that exact moment and in the most reassuring and loving way He said “What happened, happened.” Then He showed me that day when I was 5 He was there, then when I was 7 under the bridge, He was there, then when I was 10 at church and I gave my life to Him (He was there), and 10 again in the room where I was abused (He was there), and in every single moment of my life, good and bad like a flip book He showed me that He was there. He said I didn’t do it, but I was there and that He was going to make sure that I knew that He called me at age 5, and for those He calls, He cares for, and I would realize the purpose and plan He had and has for my life. Then He took me back to the bridge and I felt I had been carrying the lie of “I am not good enough” my entire life. And the lie had spread to “they won’t love you if they really know you…” And Jesus standing up on top of that bridge and me at 35 but still 7 years old simply said “It’s time to go.” For many of you in this room, I know that Jesus is saying the exact same thing. You have been carrying this too long! The hurt you feel. The pain you feel. The disappointment you feel. The anger. The resentment. The bitterness. The shame. It’s time to go. Your past is your past. Absolutely no doubt about that. We recognize that and we choose to give it to God today. No more carrying it around. It is time to let God speak and breathe true freedom into your future!

Cultures Greatest Culprit Daniel 5:1 - 24 Handwriting on the Wall (Daniel 5:25-26) “This is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. This is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.” We tend to squander what we think we have a lot of but protect what we think is in short supply. Prophetic warnings 1. We forget that our days are numbered Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is destined that each person dies only once and after that comes judgment, (Daniel 5:27) “Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.” 2. We allow our lives to get out of balance Average American will spend 13 years and 4 months watching TV Spend 5 years waiting in line. Spend 1 year looking for lost things. A good question to ask: Does this contribute to God’s purpose? Eccl.4: 4 - 6 (Daniel 5:28) “Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” If you do not realize you are divided then it will destroy something, your health, your peace, your marriage, your livelihood. 3. We ignore the warning signs. Destruction and division will happen if we ignore the warning signs. Pain is often a sign that something is wrong. Some warning signs: The risk of sinful choices increases. You find yourself easily tempted and falling into the temptation. You are overstretched, spent, tired. My emotions are inconsistent. Flying off the handle, mad, withdrawn, yelling at cars that cannot hear you. You may say, “That’s not me” I am less productive I Can’t hear God. God is speaking but your world is too noisy and you cannot hear Him. Psalm 46:10 Be Still and know I am God. Lessons to walk out: (Daniel 5:29-31) Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two. A. Live with a sense of Purpose Today (Psalm 39:4-5 NLT) LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath. B. Put first things first. Order determines capacity, order affects outcome. The first of your day, the first of your time, the first of your finances. The first of your week, The first of your attention. The first things have the power to affect the rest of your things. Psalm 90; 12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom Jesus said it this way: Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. C. Do it Now.! 2 Corinthians 6:2 I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation

The sin of pride. God we don’t need you. We have this. We will call on you when we need you. Pride will not let you see how bad you really are. The story begins with the ending: Daniel 4:1 - 4. Application for all generations to come. Insanity-Deranged thinking that is rooted in pride which is a turmoil of soul. Every generation that has experienced any level of prosperity has never been able to handle it. Can we be prosperous and stay very close to God? 1. Insanity happens when we are self-sufficient instead of God –Dependent It manifests itself in our prayerlessness. We pray more when we have a need or are in trouble, or there is a crisis going on. Churches saw their greatest attendance the weekend after 9-1-11 Prophetic warning can we stay God dependent when everything is ok? Prayer is not a fire alarm! Everyday declare your dependence on God! Think about the atheism that is manifested in prayerlessness! Declare your dependence on God! No Self sufficiency Next we move to a Dream of a giant tree that was once flourishing and nourishing everything around it but it is cut down with stump remaining. Daniel 4: 5 - 25 2. Insanity happens When we give ourselves the credit instead of thanking God All that I have is given to me by God! Developing and attitude of gratefulness I Corinthians 4: 7, Daniel 4: 26 - 27 3. Insanity happens when we think we know best instead of acknowledging Heaven Rules We are a progressive generation we know better. We think we can restructure society, call evil good and good evil and suffer no consequences. Sin is doing things my way instead of God’s ways! God’s Ways are higher than our ways! God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts! Do we know best or does God know best? Mike Huckabee response to Sandy Hook How do we get God’s esteem? Daniel 4: 34 - 37 Isaiah 66: 1 - 2 In Closing: To keep you from Insanity A. Exalt the King of Heaven Not Your style-God’s style! B. Acknowledge that God does everything right and all His ways are just God’s ways work! C. Walk in humility Humility is thinking about yourself less. It is not all about me! Culture outside of God’s ways does not work.

Daniel 3: 1 - 6 You are commanded to do this! You will be asked to do something and worship something that is absolutely contrary to what you believe. You have to worship this way! The motivation for worship is out of fear not love! You will be faced with a time to worship something you do not believe in. Daniel 6: 1 - 9 You can’t worship this way! There is an attack over worship! It dates back to Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28 the story of the first worship battle. The 5 I Will’s of Satan Isiah 14:12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." 15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit. We are now the one’s designed to worship God! 2 Thessalonians 2: 1 - 4 Don’t let anyone deceive you. Means it is possible to be deceived. He will oppose and exalt! You can’t worship this way and you will worship this way! Rev.13:14 - 17 The motivation is to worship not because you want to but because you are afraid not to. It is about a battle for your worship! The Spirit of the Antichrist will attempt to: 1. Exalt man above God To get you to worship anything but God! To get you to believe what ever feels good is right. Everyone does what is right in their own eyes. God is love and you are judgmental. Daniel 3: 16 - 18 2. Stop the worship of God Daniel 6: 10 – 13 Will you stand and worship no matter what? Mark 12: 28 - 30 *Heart and Soul- your affections What do you love the most? What do you have the most passion for? *Mind-your attention What do You think about the most? *Strength-your abilities What do I do the most? The greatest battle in the last days will be about what and who you worship! Who You will not worship! Have you decided what you will not do? 2 Chronicles 16: 7 - 9 Who will You Worship? John 4: 7 - 25

Three Things Culture will try to do with you: Daniel 1: 1-7 I. It will try to rename you. Change the labels The very fact that someone can assign a name reveals the authority of the name-giver over the recipient (Gen. 2:20-23).1 When the assigned name is in the same language as the original name, it may reflect a new role or purpose for the individual (Gen. 17:5, 15; 32:28).2 Here, the new name is in a different language than the previous name, which may indicate a desire to give the individual a new identity in order to forget his past.3 The practice of a foreign king assigning a captive a new name may have been familiar to Daniel from the Scriptural account of Pharaoh with Joseph (Zaphnath-Paaneah, Gen. 41:45). There is considerable uncertainty concerning the meanings of the newly assigned Babylonian names.4 Whereas the names of the young men previously bore testimony to the God of Israel, their new names incorporate the names of gods of Babylon. In each case, the Hebrew appellation contains a reference to the true God but the Babylonian counterpart involves an allusion to a pagan deity.5 Thus, whenever the Babylonians used the young men’s newly assigned names, it would serve as an unpleasant reminder of their captivity and service within the pagan culture of Babylonia.6 Daniel means: God is my judge, I answer to God & God alone Belteshazzar Bel’s prince (that is, he whom Bel favors) lady [Sarpanitu, wife of Marduk]12 protect the king Move the Focus from God to Man Let God name you not Culture Hananiah: “Yahweh has been gracious” Shadrach: “I am fearful of God” Focus: From God is Good to God is bad. You don’t want to serve God, you will be bored, God is not for you He is against you. Mishael- “Who is what God is” “Who is Like God?” There is nobody like my God! A great confidence in God! Meshach- “I am despised contemptible & humiliated” Focus from confidence to cowardice You Christians need to hush, you need to take your business somewhere else, you need to be quiet. I am part of “We the people” too! I am not going to be afraid to live what I believe. I am not going to be a coward because it is the enemies label he is trying to put on us! Azariah- “Yawheh has helped” Abednego- “Servant of Nebo” Focus from Son to Slave *When Culture Shifts you better know who you are! Be secure in your identity in Christ Daniel 1: 8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. II. It will try to tame you Food used in idol worship and was not kosher It was to get you to where you have no convictions. To eat from it’s table. The main thing Empire wants to feed you is Fear! And it feeds a constant diet of fear through: consumerism-it’s the economy stupid and protection- If you don’t have us in power you won’t have a job and you won’t have protection from the bad people. It tries to lure and tame us constantly. One of the distinctions of Israel was their Monotheism vs. the polytheism of most of the cultures of ancient Israel. Only One God! Most important prayer and creed: The Shamah Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God; The Lord is one Is the central prayer in the Jewish prayerbook and is often the first section that a Jewish child learns. During its recitation in the synagogue, Orhtodox Jews pronounce each word very carefully and cover their eyes with their right hand. Many Jews recite the Shema at least twice daily: once in the morning and once in the evening. The Jews could not switch gods or add to gods. If one nation defeated another then their gods were more powerful so we will just switch or add them to our gods. Nebo was a Babylonian God Today culture is offended when we claim the exclusivity of Jesus *When culture shifts don’t lose your convictions! When you decide to live according to God it will give you greater influence. Daniel 1:9-14 10 is a number for testing: *10 commandments testing out faith in God *The tithe is a test. Malachi test me in this. *The Disciples were in the upper room 10 days before Pentecost When they were being hunted down. Would they stay together in unity and wait for the promise Jesus said would come? *The church in Smyrna in Revelation 2 was tested for 10 days When culture shifts you will be tested. There will be a moment of pressure, it may be prolonged pressure. What are you going to do? Will you be tamed by it? III. It will try to claim you · Never Give into the pressure Come on you parents won’t know. Bow down just this one time, cheat just this one time, What’s wrong with a little sin now and then?, It’s no big deal, don’t be so old fashioned, everyone has a vice, it’s no big deal……… Daniel 1: 15-20 You think God’s way isn’t better but it is better! God is ten times better than anything the world would have to offer you! Response: Will I change the world or will I let the world change me? If culture shifts will I? Am I going to set the culture or reflect the culture? Will my Identity come from God or from the world?

Background of the Book Made up of 2 sections, historical and prophetic 4,000 years from Adam to Jesus. 400 silent years. Lived around 600 years BC then Nehemiah and then silent Daniel was taken into Babylonian Captivity and Babylon is Modern day Iraq Brought into Captivity, the Exile by the Babylonians The People of Israel was always living under the pressure of Empire. The Threat of another nation to rule over them. Sometimes as captives as in Egypt and Babylon and sometimes the constant pressure mostly from the North, Assyria, Persia, Greece, The Seleucid empire. The Book of Daniel became very popular among the Jewish people around 150bc during the Seleucid reign of the King Antiochus Epiphanies. He embarked on a forced Hellenization program. Everyone was going to eat Greek, speak Greek, act Greek, worship Greek. Jews were not going to eat Kosher, not circumcise their children, keep the Sabbath etc. They were not to be Jewish at all. The Book of Daniel was important to Jesus in 3 main areas: 1. The Son of Man whom Jesus identifies Himself 2. The Kingdom of God-the rule and reign of God will encompass the world 3. Resurrection-the after life When Culture Shifts Living godly in an ungodly culture The law of the land was asking them to live a different way. What are you going to do when culture shifts? When culture changes God doesn’t 68% of people on Christian Mingle who were surveyed said they would engage in pre-marital sex if given the opportunity Our Culture Today is pressuring us to not live godly, if we call anything they allow as sin. Then it is hate speech! The symbol of the cross is offensive and must be taken down. Scripture is offensive, The Ten Commandments are offensive. The NFL makes a Christian player turn his shirt inside out to give and interview. A jr. High boy is told he is not allowed to have his bible in a classroom to read during free reading time. We could site case after case after case. From music videos, to news, to entertainment, media, raido, books, universities. The evidence is everywhere. Prevailing culture wants to dominate and shape your life, views, habits. Three Things Culture will try to do with you: (Daniel 1:1-7) I. It will try to rename you. Change the labels The very fact that someone can assign a name reveals the authority of the name-giver over the recipient (Gen. 2:20-23).1 When the assigned name is in the same language as the original name, it may reflect a new role or purpose for the individual (Gen. 17:5, 15; 32:28).2 Here, the new name is in a different language than the previous name, which may indicate a desire to give the individual a new identity in order to forget his past.3 The practice of a foreign king assigning a captive a new name may have been familiar to Daniel from the Scriptural account of Pharaoh with Joseph (Zaphnath-Paaneah, Gen. 41:45). There is considerable uncertainty concerning the meanings of the newly assigned Babylonian names.4 Whereas the names of the young men previously bore testimony to the God of Israel, their new names incorporate the names of gods of Babylon. In each case, the Hebrew appellation contains a reference to the true God but the Babylonian counterpart involves an allusion to a pagan deity.5 Thus, whenever the Babylonians used the young men’s newly assigned names, it would serve as an unpleasant reminder of their captivity and service within the pagan culture of Babylonia.6 Daniel means: God is my judge, I answer to God & God alone Belteshazzar Bel’s prince (that is, he whom Bel favors) lady [Sarpanitu, wife of Marduk]12 protect the king Move the Focus from God to Man Let God name you not Culture Hananiah: “Yahweh has been gracious” Shadrach: “I am fearful of God” Focus: From God is Good to God is bad. You don’t want to serve God, you will be bored, God is not for you He is against you. Mishael- “Who is what God is” “Who is Like God?” There is nobody like my God! A great confidence in God! Meshach- “I am despised contemptible & humiliated” Focus from confidence to cowardice You Christians need to hush, you need to take your business somewhere else, you need to be quiet. I am part of “We the people” too! I am not going to be afraid to live what I believe. I am not going to be a coward because it is the enemies label he is trying to put on us! Azariah- “Yawheh has helped” Abednego- “Servant of Nebo” Focus from Son to Slave *When Culture Shifts you better know who you are! Be secure in your identity in Christ Daniel 1: 8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

Rock Kids take over the service this morning.

Jonah 1-3 1. Change your perspective 2. Cry out to God

Matt. 5:14-17 MSG, 2 Cor. 6:1-13 MSG 5 Relationships we need in our life: 1. a Paul 2. a Barnabus 3. a Timothy 4. a John Mark 5. the Holy Spirit

I recently read a blog and the writer wrote the following: "A few years ago I felt like prayer had stopped working. In fact, I began to doubt whether it had ever worked at all. I was just talking to myself in an empty room. Quieting myself to "hear" God really didn't work either. In fact, that just made things worse. The longer I waited with nothing happening, the more my anxiety kicked into gear, worrying that God really wasn't going to respond. I know that some Christians go through a season of doubt like this and can't survive. They can't find God and have to give up. In my own case, I held on. I can't make it sound like I did something better. I just ended up in a different place after seeking prayer and counsel from trusted friends and family who walked with me through that season." Ed Cyzewski If we removed from the Bible every person who doubted God, it would be a very short book. Mark 9: 14-29 What is the difference between doubt and unbelief? Are they the same thing? As Guinness in his book God in the Dark was very helpful in breaking this down. He writes, "...to believe is to be "in one mind" about trusting someone or something as true; to disbelieve is to be "in one mind" about rejecting them. To doubt is to waver between the two, to believe and disbelieve at once and so to be ‘in two minds.'" He writes that the "heart of doubt is a divided heart." Unbelief is the "willful refusal to believe or of a deliberate decision to disobey." Doubt says I am having a hard time believing. Unbelief says I refuse to believe. Doubt is honesty. Unbelief is stubbornness. Doubt says I know I could do this if I had the strength. Unbelief says I will not do it. Doubt keeps searching for the light. Unbelief is content with darkness. Doubt says I don't know what God thinks. Unbelief says I don't care what God thinks. Doubt can lead to unbelief. When you doubt, the key is to be aware of the movement of your heart in that direction towards unbelief. Guinness adds, "Continued doubt loosens the believer's hold on the resources and privileges of faith and can be the prelude to the disasters of unbelief." The Downside to Unbelief: And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief. Mt.13:58 And He wondered at their unbelief. And He was going around the villages teaching. Mark 6:6 Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen. Mark 16:14 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. Hebrews 3:19 What Unbelief will not do: What then? If some [fn]did not believe, their [fn]unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? Romans 3:3 Mercy is available: even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; I Tim.1:13 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. Rom.11:23 Focus Hopelessness assaults human mind in many surprising ways and anyone who is caught unaware by its intimidating presence, his heart will melt helplessly like a block of ice in the heat of the day. Panic, blunders and emotional breakdown are negative results of being captured by this nerve-racking state. In fact, an early surrender to its sphere of influence means nailing the last nail on its victim's coffin. Beyond doubt, hopelessness is a life-destroyer. Jose Cabjar A quick scan on Acts Chapter 27 is undeniably enough to lead us to realization how hopelessness tried the faith and courage of the Apostle Paul and other men during their sailing to Italy. In Acts 27:20, it is written, And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. (KJV) This Bible passage shows us a glimpse of man's hopelessness during life-threatening moments. Emphatically, it tells us that all hope was taken away. Stanley Jones : "What gets your attention, gets you." If I put a quarter close enough to my eye it can block out the sun. How easy it is to focus on everything that is happening around us and become doubtful. How easy it would be for us to doubt, fear, worry, and give up hope! But Let's look at what Paul Did as an example for us: Acts 27:21-37

I am exploring faith from different perspectives. For instance when light passes through a prism the light bends. As a result, the different colors that make up white light become separated. This happens because each color has a particular wavelength and each wavelength bends at a different angle. So today let’s continue to explore the different aspects and manifestations of faith. 1. Faith Comes by Hearing Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Galatians 3:1-5 2. Faith Prevails Luke 22:24-34 3. Faith works by love "For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love" (Amplified Bible, Galatians 5:6). A good battery may not be able to work because it has been drained. You don't throw away a good battery; instead, you recharge it. Your faith may be in great shape, but unable to work. You can recharge it by plugging it into love. Love energizes faith This is so important because “God is Love”. God cannot work against His nature. All the virtues of God work in harmony with one another. There are things that can hinder faith from working: *Unforgiveness saps faith of its strength and power: This is the story of Jesus cursing a fig tree. You know the story. He spoke to a fig tree and told it to die. It did. Then He told his disciples that they could do the same thing...even move mountains by exercising faith. What is not usually known about this incident is the last statement Jesus made about faith and prayer: "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins" Mark 11:25 *Fear can paralyze our faith That is why Love is so important Perfect Love cast out fear I John 4:7-21 It is important to understand the importance of the Holy Spirit in our faith working properly: Faith works by love, the Holy Spirit fills us with the Love of God and His fruit which consists of Love. Romans 5:1-5 Praying in the Spirit keeps me in the Love of God Jude 14-21 It is not faith in the total absence of fear but faith in spite of my fear, or faith that overcomes my fear.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. - Hebrews 11:1 1. Faith is the essence of our relationship to God and the instrument by which the gift of salvation is received: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). 2. Faith is the key that releases the resources of heaven into our situation. Mark 11:12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it. 20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!" 22 "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. • The object of our faith is in God! Not in Faith • Strong’s defines this kind of faith as conviction, confidence, trust, belief, reliance, trustworthiness, and persuasion 3. Three Different Expressions of Faith These are true of every believer A. Saving Faith This is faith that believes resulting in salvation. It causes us to be born again, to secure the promises of God for personal peace, the companionship of His daily presence, and the promise of eternal life with Him Saving faith is humble: It says, “I need the Lord”, it is honest, because it admits, “I have sinned” It makes us fully acceptable with God, because Jesus, was sacrificed on our behalf. This faith “justifies” us. Makes us right with God. B. Redeeming Faith This is faith that believes God will turn what was meant for evil for good to bring about a greater purpose. This is faith that believes God will restore what has been lost. This is faith that believes God will use your story as an instrument to help others recover! C. Triumphant Faith This is the faith spoken of in the Bible in these ways: 1) It Looks unto Jesus Hebrews 12:2 "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God". 2) It Overcomes Rev.12:10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. 11"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. 3) It Walks by faith and not by sight 2 Cor.5:6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord-- 7for we walk by faith, not by sight-- 4) Sees into the Heavenly Realm Acts 14: 8 At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother's womb, who had never walked. 9This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well, 10 said with a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet." And he leaped up and began to walk.… Elisha Captures Blinded Syrians 2 Kings 6:15 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" 16So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha 5) Is bold in coming to God Eph.3:12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him Heb. 4:12 For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. 13 Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done. 14 That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it. Closing: Triumphant faith confronts the spirit of doubt and fear and makes a choice to clearly identify it and present it to God. Triumphant faith holds firm, looks to Jesus, and praises the Lord in the middle of whatever trial or difficulty we face.