Amazing LF Youth Service....Crazy Worship!

- Good morning, men and women. It's such an honor and a blessing to be able to speak into your life this morning from my fellowship church right here in McKinney, Texas, into your tablet on the Pando app and the correctional facilities that you're in. My name is Logan Williams. My TDC number is 149-0218. I have four numbers after that, and I just share that with you because I've been to prison over and over and over again did nine and a half years total. It's not a super long time. Some of you've done more, some of you've done less, but like I get it. I get all the feelings that come with landing in prison, wanting to do better, being unable to do that, coming back, coming back, all of that, man. I just wanna tell you, man, there is hope. Don't lose heart. Be encouraged. When you get all in with God, anything is possible. Anything is possible. Man, I just wanna remind you that you are part of this life fellowship church family. You are part of our family. We are not just praying for you as you're this thing out there somewhere. We want you to know that you're part of this church and we love you.

And as part of this church, we just want to let you know. We just wanna tell you that Pastor Chris has resigned and he's no longer the senior pastor here at life fellowship due to some things that are just outside of our control, some outside things that have happened, caused him to have to resign. God is leading him somewhere else. And yes, we're very sad and we're very, but we're very hopeful, very hopeful for the future. And we do have a new interim pastor or transitional pastor that has stepped in that is going to lead us and pastor us through this transitional time until we find another senior pastor. And he's preaching on a topic this month. You may have seen his first message, but the sermon series is, "If God is for us." And that comes out of Romans. It comes out of Romans eight, verse 31 that says, "What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" And I know that sounds good, when you're in the world and you're not locked up and things are not the way they are for you guys, but I'm just telling you, man, like having walked that out, having been there and walked it out, yes, when I'm there, it's hard for me to grasp.

This idea, but man, if God is for us, who can be against us, but what goes with that is just back it up three verses in verse 28. And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose. Like God can take our mess. God can take our rebellion, our screw-ups, all that that we did and turn it for the good. He's done it in my life, nine and a half years in prison. He's turned it for the good, but I had to say yes to him. He's not gonna force anything on us. And so we're believing that in our church right now in the midst of the uncertainty that he can work all things for the good and that he is for us. And I wanna encourage you in the whatever facility that you're at, wherever you're at, that he's doing the same for you, that he is for you and he can work all of this to the good, all of it to the good. He takes our broken pieces of a life and he picks them all up and he builds back something so beautiful, so beautiful. It just takes time sometimes. God's timing is one of the things that I argue with him about sometimes, but his timing is always perfect. So I wanna encourage you to hang in there. I wanna encourage you to persevere, not give up,

continue to seek his face, continue to meet with like-minded brothers and sisters wherever you're at. And if you don't have like-minded brothers and sisters that you can walk with, may him pray and ask God to bring them. We never meant to do this walk alone, never. We need at least need one. So God, let's pray, let's pray right now. God, I just thank you for all the men and women that you're drawing to yourself. I thank you for Life Fellowship Church. I thank you for the Pando app. I thank you that you provided resources for us to be on there. If you don't answer any prayer this week would you just do something give them a sign give them a song give them a Comment something on TV something in a book something that would resonate with them to let them know that yes, you are for them Even though it might not feel like it even though it might not seem like it God show them that you're for them and and that that would just birth a faith and a fire To persevere and to seek seek your face even in the midst of trying circumstances God Let them know also that that you're working all these things for the good Just like you did for me Like you did it for me. You can do it for them like God who's next God Touch somebody Draw somebody bless somebody Anybody that's watching God. We love you and we give you all the praise and glory in Jesus name amen Whose house God's house. Let's give him some praise Oh Oh Oh

Oh Oh What's up, what's up you What's up, you come on how many are excited to be in this room today Tonight Come on how many are excited that we get the opportunity to worship together You can be anywhere else, but you're right here in this room And I believe that the Lord has something so special for us in this room tonight But before we get into that, let's worship you worship tonight. Come on. Let's go for it I Praise in the valley I'll praise on the mountain I'll praise when I'm sure I'll praise when I'm down And I'll praise when it's around me Praise in the water my enemy's drowning As long as I'm breathing I've got a reason to cry I'll praise the Lord of my soul Praise the Lord of my soul I'll praise when I feel it And I'll praise when I'm down I'll praise 'cause I know you're still in control My praise is the way it is more than a sound Oh, my praise is the show that I've reached sharing so loud As long as I'm breathing I've got a reason to cry I'll praise the Lord of my soul Praise the Lord of my soul I won't be quiet with my God in the light How could I keep it inside Praise the Lord of my soul Praise the Bible says to enter his game with thanksgiving and praise So let's enter his game and his presence with praise

Come on guys, praise him tonight I'll praise 'cause you're sovereign Praise 'cause you're rain Praise 'cause you're always undefeated in the grave I'll praise 'cause you're faithful Praise 'cause you're true Praise 'cause there's nobody greater than you I'll praise 'cause you're sovereign Praise 'cause you're rain Praise 'cause you're always undefeated in the grave I'll praise 'cause you're faithful Praise 'cause you're true ♪ Come alive ♪ ♪ I'll praise 'cause you saw this ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you prayed ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you rose and the queen in the grave ♪ ♪ I'll praise 'cause you're faithful ♪ ♪ Praise that's the truth ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause there's nobody ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause I am proud of you ♪ ♪ Oh my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ How could I keep it inside ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ How could I keep it inside ♪

♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ How could I keep it inside ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ We're gonna praise you ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ We're gonna praise you ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord of my soul ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪

♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ Standing next to me ♪ ♪ There's another in the water ♪ ♪ Running back the scenes ♪ ♪ The chatter in me and me blind ♪ ♪ Of how I've been set free ♪

♪ There's a cross that bears like blue ♪ ♪ Another who died for me ♪ ♪ There's another in the fire ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh, you're right there for me, love ♪ ♪ 'Cause you are ♪ ♪ ♪ My dead everybody in the water ♪ ♪ Or the longer the stakes of a city ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Should I call it this message waiting ♪ ♪ Why the hands of thee, let the spread be ♪ ♪ In the way I will bow to the face of the Holy Spirit ♪ ♪ And I know, and I know I will never be alone ♪ ♪ It's another in the fire, standing up to me ♪ ♪ There's another in the walls ♪ ♪ Holding by the seas, should I ever need a reminder ♪ ♪ The power has set me free ♪ ♪ There is a place that holds nobody ♪ ♪ Nothing power is in me ♪ ♪ There's another in the fire, oh ♪ ♪ There is another in the fire, oh ♪ ♪ There is another in the fire, oh ♪ ♪ There is another in the fire, oh ♪ ♪ And I should see the light in the darkness ♪ ♪ As the darkness falls to heaven ♪ ♪ I can hear the light in the heavens ♪ ♪ As the space keeps me waiting ♪ ♪ And I should feel the ground ♪ ♪ Shaking in dust ♪

♪ How the praise that you are chasing ♪ ♪ Oh, nothing's new between us ♪ ♪ And I should see the light in the darkness ♪ ♪ As the darkness falls to heaven ♪ ♪ I can hear the light in the heavens ♪ ♪ As the space keeps me waiting ♪ ♪ I can feel the ground ♪ ♪ Shaking in dust ♪ ♪ How the praise that you are chasing ♪ ♪ Oh, nothing's new between us ♪ ♪ And I should see the light in dust ♪ ♪ Oh, nothing's new between us ♪ ♪ There is no other name but the name that is Jesus ♪ ♪ He who was I still is and will be flowing ♪ ♪ So come with me ♪ ♪ The space keeps me waiting ♪ ♪ All the things I see in this wicked ♪ ♪ I know I will never be ♪ ♪ Oh, I know ♪ ♪ I know I will never be alone ♪ ♪ But be another in the fire ♪ ♪ Standing next to me ♪ ♪ So be another in the waters ♪ ♪ Holding back the seeds ♪ ♪ That should I ever need ♪ ♪ Remind ♪ ♪ How could you venture me ♪ ♪ I'll catch a joke ♪ ♪ I better be back ♪ ♪ Oh, 'cause I know that's where you'll be ♪

♪ In all you see ♪ ♪ In all you see ♪ ♪ The lights in the darkness ♪ ♪ As the darkness out to me ♪ ♪ As you feel the rain ♪ ♪ As you face between us ♪ ♪ As you feel the rain ♪ ♪ Shaping me there ♪ ♪ As the priest in one kingdom ♪ ♪ Oh, now this is between us ♪ ♪ How could you see the light ♪ ♪ Oh, now this is between us ♪ ♪ As the darkness out to me ♪ ♪ I can hear the rain ♪ ♪ In all you see ♪ ♪ As the priest in one kingdom ♪ ♪ I can see the rain ♪ ♪ Shaping me there ♪ ♪ As the priest in one kingdom ♪ ♪ Oh, now this is between us ♪ ♪ Nothing stands between us ♪ ♪ There will be another in the fire ♪ ♪ Standing next to me ♪ ♪ There will be another in the waters ♪ ♪ Holding back the seats ♪ ♪ That should I ever need reminding ♪ ♪ How could you open to me ♪ ♪ How could you open to me ♪ # Count the joy come every bad # # 'Cause I know that's where you'll be #

# Count the joy come every bad # # 'Cause I know that's where you'll be # # Oh, that's where you'll be, Lord # # You'll never leave me # # You're always right there # # I see you # # Come on, will you just take this next few moments and just close your eyes? # # And what this song is saying that in the midst of whatever your storm is that we can count # # On this truth and Jesus # # In the middle of whatever our situation is is always right there # # Lord, I don't have to look far down # # 'Cause you're right there next to me # # And whatever the storm is # # Whatever my situation is, Lord, or whatever my circumstance # # Lord, I don't have to look far, God # # Because I know that you're right there # # I know that's where you'll be # # I know that's where you'll be # # There's another little fun # # Standing next to me # # There's another in the waters # # Holding back the sea # # And if I ever hear your mind # # If I ever need your mind # # I don't have to look far, Lord # # I know that's where you'll be # # That's where you'll be # # I don't have to look far # # But I know that's where you'll be # # I would just like to hear this #

# Don't you have been so good? # # Would you took everything on the cross # # All of our shame, all of our sin? # # Or would you stand in awe of who you are? # # Or there's no one else on heaven or on earth? # # Or in no one like you? # # And so, Jesus, we just say you are worthy? # # But we look past all that we see in our lives # # And we say, "But you alone are worthy? # # And so, Jesus, we just worship you in our whole hearts # # And I can give it all to you # # And thank you for the cross, Lord # # And thank you for the price you pay # # Bearing all our sin and shame # # And of you came # # And gave amazing grace # # And thank you for this love, Lord # # And thank you for the male # # The distance, wash me in your cleansing flow # # Now all I know is your forgiveness # # And in grace, what is the love? # # He seated on the throne # # We call you now # # With any crowns # # You were victorious # # And high in lifted eyes # # Jesus, I am the God # # The darling of heaven crucified # # Worthy is the love # # Worthy is the love #

♪ Thank you for the drives you take ♪ ♪ Very well I see your shame ♪ ♪ In love you came ♪ ♪ You gave amazing grace ♪ ♪ But I thank you for our love ♪ ♪ Thank you for the pain that helped me resist ♪ ♪ 'Cause me in your past in love ♪ ♪ Now all I know is your forgiveness ♪ ♪ Red and red ♪ ♪ Word is the land ♪ ♪ Seated on your soul ♪ ♪ We crowd you now ♪ ♪ With many crowds ♪ ♪ Praise the glory of us ♪ ♪ I am lifted up ♪ ♪ Jesus, the Lord of God ♪ ♪ 'Cause all the young heaven ♪ ♪ Who sit by ♪ ♪ Worthy is the land ♪ ♪ Worthy is the land ♪ ♪ Worthy is the land ♪ ♪ Seated on your soul ♪ ♪ Worthy is the land ♪ What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? What is the best? It's not easy all the time. I know that sometimes we face hardship. I know that sometimes we're going through things. I know that sometimes life is hard. School is doing what it's doing.

Maybe at home is at the best. One thing I'm reminded of and what encourages me when I'm in situations like that and I'm shortly into worship. And they're telling people to worship and do these things but they're writing these things from prison. And one of the things that stands out to me about this story of Paul and Silas doing things when they're chilled, it says that the first thing that they do when they're in prison is that they release a sound of worship. They praise the Lord and they're not so focused on their present circumstances and what they see. And what we see throughout the rest of their story is we see that as they begin to worship the Lord, that it says in Scripture that the prison begins to shake and the grounds begin to shake. People begin to get free, chains begin to break as they begin to release their sound of worship. And there's so much more in the story that I want you guys to go back and read whenever you get the chance. But what I really want to emphasize tonight is that not all the time is your circumstance going to look pretty enough for you to want to lift your hands. Not all the time is you're going to have the best grades and you're going to have the best at home life. Your circumstances are perfect. That's not always what's going to happen. Sometimes you're going to come in this room and you're not going to want to worship the Lord. But what we see is that when you begin to worship the Lord in the middle of your circumstance, when you begin to worship the Lord in the middle of what seems like bondage, what seems like a heart place, when the Lord begins to intervene and begins to break things off of your life, begins to free you. And so I want to encourage you guys tonight and as we just continue to go out moments of worship, hey, listen, don't be so distracted by your situation and what life may throw at you. I want to encourage you guys, if you're having a hard day, if you're having a tough moment in life, just begin to worship the Lord and just begin to lift your hands. And what you'll see in your life is just like what happened in Paul and Silas' story. It's not that the Lord will begin to shake up and break up those things that are coming against you. And so I really want to pray into that. Jesus, Lord, I thank You so much, God, that we get the opportunity to worship You. That we get the opportunity to have breath in our lungs, God. And just like that song says, Lord, we return that breath that You gave us. And we worship You with that same breath, God, that You gave us when You woke us up this morning. And Lord, when we come into this room, we have hard days. When we come into this room, we're facing hardship. Lord, let us not be so focused on our circumstance.

But Lord, let us worship You in the middle of our circumstance, in the middle of our trials, in the middle of our situations. And just like what You give for Paul and Silas, Lord, You'll begin to intervene in our situation. And what look like bondage, Lord, we'll start to look like freedom, what look like chains. We'll start to look like broken chains as we worship You, Lord. So I thank You, Lord, for the fruit of this that is going to happen in this room as we continue to go out. Our You services, Lord, we love You. And we thank You for Your presence in this noise. And it's in the mighty name of Jesus, what we all say. Amen, amen. Come on, can we all give Jesus a praise tonight? Jesus, the King of Kings. All right, guys, you can make your way back. You can make your way back to your seats. As you make your way back to your seats, first off, if it's your first time here, I want to say, what's up? If you're on the outside to come and let us scoot in. We're not just a crowd, but we're a family. Let's scoot in. I promise you, no one in here bites. I think I'm not sure, but I think no one bites in here. Hey, listen, I'm so excited to be with you all here tonight. I mean, if you don't know, my name is Ryan. I'm one of the worship leaders here at Life Fellowship Church. And I do have a few announcements for you guys. Okay. Number one, somebody say number one. Next week, if you see in your seat, there's a little card. And there's this really cool thing that we're going to do, and it's called Color War.

Somebody say Color War. Listen, Color War, we're going to take -- I want you guys to make sure that you wear a white shirt, that you don't mind getting dirty, or some clothes you don't mind getting dirty. And what we're going to do is we're going to throw a bunch of color, little things at each other. Is that not fun or what? So next week, we got Color War. Don't forget to bring a friend, and I have a little bit of an incentive. We'll receive a free fall retreat Free free 99 So we're trying to who try to pull up to fall retreat for the free twin Come on. Come on speaking of far retreat fall retreat is coming up somebody say forward tree Fall retreat is coming up. It is gonna be on October 9th 10 and 11 and let me tell you guys I know a little bit of this. I know a little bit of that and I'm telling you guys We have something so special so special in store for you guys for that little couple three days So please sign up sign up. Sorry open Please sign up invite your friends invite your cousins invite your nephews invite your best friends invite The other person that you know cheated on you and then I say another girl invite him to he needs Jesus He needs Jesus too. Everybody needs Jesus, right? So invite everyone to fall retreat come on say one more time fall retreat Sign up. All right So before we get to the next part of service. I want to introduce you guys. We have a really cool special speaker tonight She's gonna preach the word. She's gonna preach the house down I actually had the car the fire department because she actually might preach the house down like I heard there was some stuff happening in the foundation I don't know, but I know it's gonna be really good, but before we do that turn your attentions to the screen You You You You

You You You You Well, hello everybody. I am so excited to be back And to be able to speak to you guys today if y'all don't know me my name is Grayson I work here at the church. I work with kids and youth and guys, I'm gonna let you in in a little secret So y'all remember a couple weeks ago where I preached That was my first time ever so this is my second time ever Preaching and I am so excited because I have a word that the Lord has put on my heart and I'm so excited So we are in week four of our way backwind series, but first things first Let's all stand up and say our word of the year 2026 is the year of steadfast faith I will be unwavering in my walk with Jesus. No matter what comes my way I will stand firm as a Christian faithful committed devoted and loyal to God is how I choose to live No matter how I feel this year. I will be steadfast my faith to Jesus Christ All right Okay, so I Am so excited about this week. So if you guys have a notepad Today we're gonna be in Daniel 3 and the my message title is built for the fire So first I want to start with a little story. So guys way back in my day back in y'all's day, too Because we have not that big of an age gap We didn't have like Netflix or Hulu and a lot of you guys probably remember we had like little CDs now if you're really young and you don't know what a CD is is Basically this little metal disc that you had to pop in your TV, and that's how you watched your favorite movies. Well me and my sister Gabby were CD collectors and we Would get so hooked on a movie that we would watch it every single day for like Months guys like I'm not kidding. There was a period that me and Gabby shared a room

We had a bunk bed our room was teal it was zebra print curtains, and it was really hip for the time not to brag but we literally watched Greece every single night for six months straights and So my dad wasn't super crazy about what we could or couldn't watch like I was a spongebob watching kid Did any of y'all watch Spongebob when you were younger? Yeah, my dad didn't really care but he was strict about what he let me have on DVD and Now that I'm thinking about it I'm pretty sure Greece was the only regular movie that I was allowed to have that was not Veggie tails so that being said me and Gabby loved veggie tails like I was a I'm not playing y'all. I'd be watching that with my nephew to this day. It is so good, but our favorite one was this one called Rack Shackin' Binney. And it basically was about like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, but like put them in a chocolate factory and their boss name was like Mr. Nebuchadnezzar and like they bowed to like a chocolate bunny or something. It was really weird and honestly guys, like more recent than I care to admit, me and my dad were talking about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. And I said dad, that's the one where they bowed to the bunny, right? It was very humbling for me to find out that there was no bunny involved. Guys, that was probably a couple of months ago and I'm super embarrassed, but it's okay. But anyways, I'm telling you guys this story

because tonight we are talking about Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, the fiery furnace in King Nebuchadnezzar and I'm seriously so excited. This is one of my favorite Old Testament stories, but I wanna give you guys a little bit of backstory. So if y'all can flip your bibles, go ahead and flip them to Daniel 3. That's where we're gonna be, but just so we save some time, King Nebuchadnezzar built this huge gold image and it said that it was 60 cubits high and six cubits in breadth, which like in our terms would be like 90 cubits high and like nine cubits, or nine feet, 90 feet by nine feet. So I wanna show you guys an example of what this looked like. Now I don't know how historically accurate this picture is, but I wanna give you guys an idea of what they were looking at. So this thing was huge. Like imagine your whole like town is just like bowing around that thing. That is really scary to me. But it was like really important because all of the like officials in the governors and like the counselors, like every single important person was coming for the dedication of that statue that was made by King Nebuchadnezzar. So there was a big rule about this image and it was as soon as people hear any

and every kind of music they had to fall down and worship this statue. Okay? And the consequence for that was that if they didn't bow down, they would be thrown into a fiery furnace. So it's just a little intense, you know, a little, some slight, but we are gonna start reading. So verse eight is where we're gonna start. At this time, some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "May the king live forever. "Your majesty has issued a decree "that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, "the flute, the zyther, the lyre, the harp, "the pipe, and all kinds of music must fall down "and worship the image of gold. "And that whoever does not fall down "and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. "But there are some Jews whom you have set "over the affairs of the province of Babylon. "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego "who paid no attention to you, your majesty. "They neither serve your gods nor worship the image "of gold that you have set up. "So someone comes up to King Nebuchadnezzar "and is like, yo, you made this huge rule "that if somebody was not about this thing, "they'd be thrown in the fiery furnace. "So what are you gonna do about this?

"'Cause these three guys, they are not listening to you. "But something that is so interesting "that I never knew until I went back "and studied the book of Daniel as an adult "was that King Nebuchadnezzar knew these guys. "He knew Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego "because he had already appointed them "to manage the political and economic affairs "for the province of Babylon." So he knew them, and the Bible even says that they had the wisdom of 10 guys. So this is why, like, King Nebuchadnezzar's like, "Yo, like, what's going on? "What do you mean my three guys "are not listening to the law?" Verse 13, furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego "that you do not serve my gods "or worship the image of gold that I have set up? "Now when you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, "the zither, the lyre, the harp, the pipe, "and all kinds of music, "if you are ready to fall down "and worship the image I made, very good. "But if you do not, "you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace, "then what God will be able to rescue you from my hand."

So it says that King Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage. And this is basically him confronting them being like, "I know you know the rules. "So why are you not listening to my rules? "I also know that you know the consequence. "Are you not scared of the consequence?" And I think it's so interesting Consequence that I made for all of Babylon like you are not that special. You're not gonna get out of it No matter what God you have it doesn't matter They would be thrown into the fiery furnace Daniel 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him King Nebuchadnezzar We do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter If we are thrown into the blazing furnace the God we serve is able to deliver us from it And he will deliver us from your majesty's hand But even if he does not we want you to know your majesty that we will not Serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up So I want to give you guys three ways to be built for the fire if you're taking notes Way number one is to be built on conviction not on convenience Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow to the King's idol even when everybody else didn't even Like blink at it like I want you guys to imagine that you're like in a room full of people bowing to this crazy idol And then you're just like they're standing up being like no, I'm not gonna do it. That's scary Like there would be a lot of us who would fall to the pressure of like it's just about it's fine It's just about but no like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego They had the conviction like this is not right I need to stand against what I know what the Lord has convicted me for and shown me is not Right, but I think sometimes faith is the absolute easiest when it doesn't cost us anything Because real conviction shows up when obedience costs you something They didn't have to know that God was going to deliver them before they made the decision to stand up and do what was right I

Think this is still relatable to this day Maybe the Lord is calling you out of something in your life We all have our own personal convictions Maybe the Lord is saying like hey I don't really want you to hang out with that friend group anymore Like you need to leave that boyfriend or girlfriend or you know you need to start pursuing purity or you need to break off that addiction You need to stop going to parties. You need to wash your mouth like maybe the Lord is convicting you of something But sometimes it's hard for us to want to follow those convictions because we're like Lord You are literally not gonna deliver me from that like you are not gonna make it easier Like it's still gonna be hard. I don't have the strength to be able to conquer those things But sometimes we don't have to know the why or the how that the Lord is going to move in us Before like we make the decision to be moved by him We cannot let the pressure of the world or the pressure of anything else Determine what convictions we have in our own faith Your convictions cannot be told to you by anybody else the Lord gave you your own convictions your convictions might not be somebody else's convictions But that's a part of sanctification But I think sometimes it's also hard to you know follow in those convictions because faith is not easy like Honestly, faith is so hard Like it is so hard to follow Jesus And I think you know a lot of people don't talk about it enough Like it is not an easy walk and and the Bible never promised us that it would be easy walk But sometimes faith feels like we're chasing nothing and one of my favorite verses when I was little was Hebrews 11 One now faith is confidence in what we hope for an assurance about what we do not see Sometimes it feels like you're chasing nothing. Sometimes it feels like you're having faith for what Like a it feels like you're chasing the wind like I totally get it, but Whenever you have faith in Jesus Christ You can have faith in the fact that his plan and Mission and purpose for you and for your life like is going to be fulfilled all you have to do is be able to stand up In other words, you don't need to know what God will do to know what you will do. I

Love I love this story because I love where it says even if he doesn't deliver us from your hands We're still not going to conform to what you think is the right thing to do when the Lord has placed on our heart The right thing to do and we need to do that more often. I think it's really something that we don't do a whole lot To be able to like look away and be like, okay I know my friends are doing that and my friends don't see a problem with that But the Lord's convicting me of that and I'm not gonna do that anymore And actually I'm not even gonna put myself in the situation to be involved in that anymore Verse 19 the Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach Meshach and it been to go and He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, their trousers, turbans, and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king's command was so urgent and the furnace was so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and these three men firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. So King Nebuchadnezzar was so mad that he was like, yeah, the furnace ain't hot enough, let's turn it up. And he did it seven times hotter. So this leads me to point number two, which is to be built to stand when the pressure turns up. I think that the fire in this story, first of all, it's interesting because it was so hot, it literally killed the big strong guys that were supposed to take him up. Like that's how you know, like this is the Lord moving

in this story, like it's so interesting, but I think the fire also is a good representation of our lives today. Like the fire can represent your temptation, your pressure, your challenges, the hardships that come with walking with the Lord. You know, sometimes doing the right thing does not make life automatically easier. Like we saw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego say, "No, I'm not bowing to you." And they still got thrown in the furnace. This reminds me a lot of my testimony because when I got saved, y'all, I was a mess. And when I got saved, my life did not just get better because I chose to make better decisions. That's not how that works. Like I couldn't just wake up and be like, "Yeah, go with it, you're pretty cool." Like let me start following you. Like it'll be a simple ride. No, I had to have so many hard conversations. I've hurt so many people in my past and I had to apologize. I did not have a good relationship with either one of my parents and I had to apologize. I had to forgive myself. I had to choose to walk in purity. I had to choose to walk in sobriety. I had to choose to make the things

that the Lord was convicting me for. Like, okay, yeah, I'm gonna change that. But that doesn't mean that it wasn't hard. Like it was so hard. I would be standing in the furnace of my own life and I'd be like, "Lord, like it would be so much easier for me to just go back to that." But I still had to walk through it. But the second that I realized that the Lord's strength was enough to get me through it and that he was living in me, that's when I started to be able to walk through the fire and see the other side. (sniffs) Their faith wasn't built around avoiding the fire. It was built strong enough to stand in the fire. I think that this is a good example that, you know, pressure, having pressure, dealing with temptations doesn't always mean you're on the wrong path. It just reveals what kind of path you're on. The fire doesn't create your foundation. It reveals it. How do you act when temptation comes your way? How do you act when pressure comes your way? When your friends are doing things and you're like, "I don't want to be left out, like I want to do that too." Or like, "Let me just do this one more time. It's fine." What are you built on?

Are you built on sand where you're just going to fall and you're going to be like, "Let me just go back." Just one more time, just one more time. Or are you built on the rock of Jesus Christ and say, "No, I can walk through the fire because we're hand in hand together." Verse 24, "Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisors, weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into that fire?" They replied, "Certainly your majesty." He said, "Look, I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God come out, come here." So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire and the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisors crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed, their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. This leads us to point number three, be built to discover that God is with you in the fire. Everyone expected to look into the furnace and be like, "Yo, those guys are dead, like they're burning up in there."

No, they looked in and they saw four men in the fire. I love that song that we sang earlier. And I think this is so interesting because God didn't keep them from entering the fire, but he was with them in the fire. Sometimes the fire is like the most interesting part of your testimony. Like I have walked through so many fires in my life and been like, "God, I can't do it." Like the flames are hot, it's beating me down. But then when I get out of the fire, getting to look back and be like, "God was in there with me." That is the coolest thing that you can see as a Christian. I think this proves that your hardest season doesn't mean that God has abandoned you or neglected you or left you or forgotten you. You don't have to walk through the fire alone. The Lord wants to come and walk it with you. He wants to be hand in hand with you. In other words, God may not keep you out of the fire, but he will never leave you alone in it. And I think this is such a good reminder for us. There's been so many times that I've been in the hardest season of my life. Like I know I talk about getting saved a lot, but it truly changed my life. And walking through that was not easy. Like I had years of just baggage and bondage that I was carrying and family trauma

and just so many things that you guys can imagine. And I think sometimes it's easy to look at the person on stage and say, you don't know what you're talking about. You don't know what I'm going through. Like you don't have a first problem. You're on a stage, all these things. Guys, I used to sit in those seats back when I was in seventh grade, like literally. And I would think that about the people who were on stage, I'd be like, you don't know what you're talking about. Like you were probably raising a Christian household. You have no idea what it means to walk through a fire. Guys, I get it. Anything that you can think I've probably dealt with one level or another. And I think it's just so interesting. It's just such a testament that if the Lord can bring me here and stand in front of you and say that the Lord walked me through the fire, the Lord can walk you through the fire, too. There's no flame too big or too small for God to want to walk hand in hand with you. Verse 28, "Then Nebuchadnezzar said, 'Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants. They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any God except their own. Therefore, I decree that the people of any nation

or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble. For no other God can save this way. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon." First of all, let us switch up because literally 15 verses ago, he was saying, "Your God can't deliver me from my hand." And now he's saying, "If you talk bad about their God, I'm gonna cut you up." I just think that's a little crazy. But it's so interesting because even if you continue to read through Daniel, you can see King Nebuchadnezzar's attitude towards God change. But maybe you're in a furnace right now. Maybe you feel like you're walking through the fire. Maybe the pressure is coming from your friends. Maybe you're dealing with a lot of temptation. Maybe you're dealing with a lot of fear. Maybe you're wondering why God hasn't taken the heat away from you. But I think Daniel three is such a good reminder that the presence of God is not proven by the absence of the fire. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn't know that God would deliver them. They only knew that they would trust in Him. And that says, I think so much about them because it's so hard to trust God, guys, I get it.

Like there are still times to this day where I'm like, I don't know, like I'll just do it my way. I don't think the Lord's gonna provide for me, but every single time he proves me wrong and he humbles me. Like trusting God is the first step to letting Him be your strength and be your shield and walk in the fire with you. They knew who they would trust. So I wanna encourage you guys, do not bow. Don't compromise. Don't trade your convictions for convenience. Because even if you're walking through the fire, you will not walk in the fire alone. And like I said, whenever you come out on the other side, you're gonna be able to look back and say, I didn't survive because I was strong enough. I didn't survive because, you know, I just got through it. I survived because God was faithful to me. [BLANK_AUDIO] Like we may not you know be thrown into a furnace for not a bow into a statue But we walk through plenty of our own fires and the same God who delivered Shadrach Meshach and Abednego is the same God who lives in you and lives in me and has the same authority and the same strength You're not expected. You were not created to be strong enough to get through the fires and the struggles of your life alone That's why we have a God There is nothing that you could do to have a perfect seamless not hard life like that is so Unrealistic, but when you have the Lord on your side it makes it a little bit easier It does even if it's hard even if it beats you down even if it's God When am I gonna get to the end of this God? When am I gonna see you through this like the Lord's way of showing up? Is insane guys Seriously in

same So I want to encourage you guys to you know Let the Lord walk with you in your fire Because he will show up if you ask him to Shadrach and Abednego how to take their leap of faith and then the Lord was there They they started by doing the right thing. They started by following their convictions. They started by not giving in to pressure They started by not conforming to the world, but standing up and what the Lord had already planted in them So Lord I just thank you God for what you're doing in these students God I thank you that you have just put your hand on our hearts on our lives God that you call us by name that you walk with us Lord God that you want to walk through the fire with us God. Thank you for your strength that lives inside of us God Lord I just pray that in Jesus name any addictions any battles any fires God that these students may be walking through would just fall God no bondage can stand at your name Lord And if these students are struggling God Would you walk with them through it Lord if they don't know how to ask for help God? Would you walk through it with them? Would you make yourself aware to them God? Would you just set a fire in their souls for more of you God? And would you help them to have a new wind of faith so that they may be able to walk Faithfully closer to you God continue to sanctify them Lord We love you God. We praise you. We know that you're working in Jesus name Amen Amen Amen amen come on can we give it up for grace in an amazing word that you share with us tonight Hey listen, I'm super glad that all of y'all are here in the room tonight We're gonna go to our circles tonight. So we'll do middle school boys high school boys middle school girls high school girls Front back front back you guys know the drill We'll do that and that's it. That's all I have Come on was the word good or not did she did she preach or would? Come on the word hit leaders you guys know what to do. Thank you guys. Y'all have a blessed one You a

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