- 
        
00:00:02
        - Hey, welcome to Crossroads.
My name is Hannah.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:04
        - And I'm Kyle.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:05
        And today we're
talking about Wordle.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:06
        -What? I thought we
were studying Daniel.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:08
        - I just said we should
talk about Wordle.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:10
        And that --
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:11
        - Okay, but is -- is
actually what you just said
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:14
        is a six letter
word, by the way.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:15
        It's not. You say a Wordle.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:16
        Okay, it's fine. We're
talking about Daniel.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:19
        Now, listen, there's
some crazy wild stuff
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:22
        happening in the book of Daniel.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:23
        There's visions, there's
dreams, there's interpretation.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:26
        And all of it just gets a
little bit, like I say, crazy,
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:29
        - Which is exactly right.
There's fire, there's lions.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:32
        It's kind of nuts.
- It's nuts.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:33
        - Which is why we thought
there's no one better
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:35
        than our very own Chuck Mingo
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:36
        to make sense of
all of it. Get it, Chuck.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:03
        - The book of Daniel is
a story of a faithful man
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:06
        and the unmatched power of God.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:09
        So Daniel is a book
about, well, Daniel,
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:13
        and his whole life, but
it's also about Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:16
        Even though Daniel's
in the Old Testament,
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:18
        it's years before
Jesus would come.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:20
        The whole book points to a man
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:22
        that Daniel would
never meet on Earth.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:24
        The fiery furnace shows
us something about Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:26
        The lion's den shows us
something about Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:29
        Daniel even later
has some visions
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:31
        that talk about Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:32
        Today, we uncover
how Jesus is presented
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:34
        in the Book of Daniel
and how it is relevant to us.
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:48
        - Oh, sorry, I'm tired. I
mean, we're all tired, right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:54
        Worn out, frustrated,
life feels chaotic,
       
    
      - 
        
00:01:57
        don't know what's going
to happen next. You too?
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:00
        Okay, good because
that's how I feel.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:02
        But if you'll hang with
me in the next 15 minutes,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:04
        I'd like to help you
find a way out of that.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:07
        You know, I feel like
in my life right now,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:08
        everything is in the in between,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:10
        everything is in
the stage of not yet.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:13
        We're not yet out of COVID.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:14
        We're not yet settled
in a new normal,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:16
        whatever that looks like
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:17
        at work or home
or in your family.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:19
        We're not yet
resolved, some of us,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:20
        on some family situations.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:22
        You know, for me personally,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:23
        I'm no longer
raising all babies,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:25
        but I am not clear
on what it looks like
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:28
        to raise teenagers.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:29
        And let me tell you, if
you're feeling that way,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:31
        if you feel frustrated,
you're not alone.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:34
        And even if you're
in the church,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:36
        it's not any different.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:37
        Don't believe me?
Check this out.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:39
        This was a study
looking at Christians,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:42
        and it says the
Christians right now
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:43
        are struggling in their
faith in the in between.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:47
        And I feel that, I feel that
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:50
        I wake up more days
now than ever saying,
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:53
        "I don't think I have what
it takes to do this today."
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:57
        You feeling that?
You've been there?
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:59
        Why is that happening to us?
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:02
        Well, it's because
of this principle of life.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:05
        You and I, we become
whatever we trust.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:09
        Said another way,
whatever we rely on,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:11
        we become like that thing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:13
        I mean, think about
your friend group.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:14
        If I were to spend time
with you and your friends,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:16
        you know what I notice?
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:17
        I'd noticed you guys have
the same mannerisms.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:19
        I'd noticed that you
use the same phrases.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:22
        I would notice a commonality
around your priorities
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:24
        and your preferences,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:26
        even if you didn't
start out that way.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:28
        And you know what?
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:29
        That's true no matter
what you rely on.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:32
        If you adhere to a
political philosophy,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:34
        you become like that philosophy.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:36
        If you have a specific
style preference,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:38
        if you have a
specific fan group,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:39
        you will become those things.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:43
        True confession?
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:45
        I see and feel this
pull in my own heart.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:49
        And I think it's important
to recognize this
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:50
        because all of those
things that we rely on,
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:54
        other than Jesus,
are actively failing us.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:58
        You know this.
That's why you're tired.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:00
        That's why you're anxious.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:01
        That's why you feel overwhelmed.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:04
        And we're watching
this change happen.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:06
        Things are unraveling
at a crazy pace right now.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:10
        And everything is
vying for your attention.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:13
        Hey. Me, me, me.
Over here. Me, me, me.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:15
        I've got your answer.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:16
        Everything is vying
for our attention.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:18
        The only thing that's
changed is the pace.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:21
        Now this thing of what we
relying on, what we seek
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:24
        can change in a matter
of months or weeks.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:27
        Sometimes it can
happen overnight.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:30
        And we bear the results
of that in our souls.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:33
        We bear the results
of that in our spirit.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:36
        And all of this is
just exacerbated
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:38
        by the uncertainty of our times.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:40
        Here's what I want you to know.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:42
        What's happening
for us right now,
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:44
        this challenge of
living in the in-between,
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:46
        thankfully, we're not alone.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:48
        We've been looking
at the story of Daniel.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:49
        Daniel was a
leader in the Bible.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:51
        He's a man who lived his
entire life in the in between.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:54
        Daniel was a guy who
saw his entire world
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:57
        turn upside down
in his lifetime.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:59
        Think about it.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:00
        Daniel lived in a country
where nearly a million
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:03
        of its citizens died
in a short span of time
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:06
        because they were
invaded by a foreign power.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:08
        A power called the
Nation of Babylon.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:11
        He saw massive political
and social upheaval.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:14
        He saw powers
come and powers go.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:17
        He saw everything that
he thought could be trusted
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:20
        actually fall away.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:22
        Foreign powers
changed his country's life
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:24
        and culture literally overnight.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:27
        And in the midst of that,
he was made in exile.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:30
        He lost his home.
Does that feel familiar?
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:33
        Does that feel familiar to
where we are right now?
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:36
        Daniel was living
in the not yet,
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:37
        and it was never
settled in his lifetime.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:40
        But Daniel had this gift.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:43
        He had the gift of
prophecy, which meant
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:45
        that in the midst
of his situation,
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:47
        God gave him words and visions.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:49
        And all of those
words and visions
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:51
        were meant to encourage
the people in Daniel's time
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:54
        to be faithful to God.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:57
        See, that's what
prophecy is in the Bible.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:58
        Let me just give you a
kind of prophecy 101.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:01
        Prophecy is a message from God
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:03
        designed to help us
understand His character
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:06
        and His plan for the ultimate
redemption of the world.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:09
        Prophecy in the Bible kind
of works like movie previews.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:12
        I mean, think about it.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:13
        I went to the movies this
week and saw a fun movie,
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:16
        and I love the previews
and there's always one,
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:18
        right, that grips you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:19
        I mean, that's what
good movie previews do.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:21
        They captivate us.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:22
        You're like, "Oh, part
two of that's coming out?"
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:24
        "Oh, he's playing
that character>"
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:26
        "She's going to
be in that movie?"
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:28
        It captivates us.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:29
        And then it sustains our
excitement long enough
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:32
        until the movie comes out,
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:33
        because they drop
that date on you:
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:34
        coming summer 2022, right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:37
        Sometimes it's like
coming fall of 2023,
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:39
        and you're like, "Oh, I
can't wait till fall of 2023."
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:42
        And that excitement is
sustained by those previews.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:46
        And ultimately, it
propels you to do what?
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:49
        To get your butt in the seat
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:51
        or get in front of a
screen and see the movie.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:54
        And that's how prophecy
works in the Bible.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:57
        Prophecy in the Bible
is meant to captivate us
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:59
        that God is in control.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:00
        God is good. We can trust him.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:03
        God is not removed
from the situations
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:05
        that are going on in the world.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:06
        But it's also meant to
sustain us in the in between.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:10
        You know, God makes
promises in scripture.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:11
        What do we do
between the promise
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:13
        and where we are right now?
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:15
        That's what prophecy helps
us to do, to be encouraged,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:17
        and it propels us to be
faithful and faithless times.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:23
        Dr. Tony Evans is a
pastor, and he said this:
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:32
        If you've been reading
along in the Bible Challenge,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:34
        you've seen that Daniel
gets pictures of crazy things.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:37
        And we're going to look
today at one of the ones
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:40
        I think is just,
it's way out there.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:41
        Let me just tell you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:43
        I'm going to read, I'm actually
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:44
        going to summarize
this prophecy for you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:46
        And it's going to feel
super weird and irrelevant.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:49
        You're going to be like,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:50
        "What? You're
talking about what?
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:51
        What does that have
to do with my life?"
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:53
        It's actually really
long and convoluted,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:55
        so I'm not going to
read it in detail to you,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:57
        but I want you to look it up.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:58
        I want you to read it.
It's found in Daniel 7:1-17.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:03
        You can even pull that up
right now and take a read
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:05
        and then come back and join me,
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:07
        or you can read it later.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:08
        But it's a description
of these beasts
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:10
        that rise and take
power over the Earth.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:14
        These four beasts are described
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:16
        as rising out of the ocean.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:17
        I think about, again,
movie previews.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:18
        I think about like
those alien movies
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:20
        where something's
rising out of the ocean.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:22
        You're like, "What
is that?" Right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:23
        Moonfall is like the latest
one that's coming out.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:25
        I saw that preview, it's like,
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:27
        "What is that rising
out of the ocean?
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:29
        Oh, there's a
being on the moon."
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:30
        I mean, it's crazy, right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:32
        So Daniel has this image.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:33
        And the first beast is a
lion with eagle's wings.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:37
        It's kind of weird,
kind of weird.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:39
        It gets weirder.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:41
        A second beast
rises out of the ocean
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:42
        and it's a bear with
dinner in its mouth.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:45
        Literally, it says it has
three ribs in its mouth.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:47
        Like this bear has just
finished having a meal
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:50
        and is looking to
devour more flesh.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:53
        Then there's the
third beast that's
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:55
        a flying four-headed leopard
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:56
        with four wings on his back.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:58
        Yes, the beasts get weirder
and weirder and weirder.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:00
        And then there's this third
beast that we just say --
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:02
        the Bible just says
it's terrifying, dreadfu,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:05
        I and exceedingly
strong with iron teeth.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:08
        All of it weird.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:09
        But then there are two other
players in this crazy scene.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:13
        The Bible describes God
as the Ancient of Days.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:17
        The words that are
used, Ancient of Days,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:19
        are capitalized as a
proper name for God.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:22
        It says that God's
clothing is white as snow,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:24
        His hair is like pure wool.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:27
        Thrones of fiery flames
is what He sits on.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:30
        And what we see is
God kill the fourth beast
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:35
        and stripped the other
three of their power.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:38
        And then there's
one more character.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:40
        He's described as
one like the Son of Man.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:43
        The translation for that is
one like a on of the gods.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:47
        Friends, this is a
picture of Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:49
        And what we see is the
Ancient of Days, God,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:53
        giving this Son of Man rule over
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:55
        all of the other
kingdoms of the world,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:57
        including all the people,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:59
        every nation and every language.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:02
        Now I know what you're
asking, because I ask it
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:04
        when I read this prophecy too:
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:06
        "What the Daniel
eat the night before?
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:08
        Was he on something? What
in the world does this mean?
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:12
        Do these crazy images
have any relevance
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:15
        to you and me today?"
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:16
        And here's what I want you
to know: they do. They do.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:18
        There is truth in these
weird words and images
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:20
        that applies to your in between.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:23
        Because this is a
prophecy of hope
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:25
        for all future generations
who find themselves
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:28
        in the in between, including us.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:31
        - All right.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:32
        Real quick, Kyle's
going to talk about giving.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:34
        And actually, I'm
going to time him
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:36
        because it needs to be
real quick, like I said. Go.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:38
        - When it comes to
giving, a lot of people think
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:40
        it's just the church
wanting your money.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:41
        Trust me, we don't
want your money.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:43
        No, it's more of us
wanting to help you know,
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:45
        the connection between
your money and your heart.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:47
        Giving is simply
being obedient to God.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:49
        If that's something
you want to try,
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:50
        something you're interested in,
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:52
        you can find out more
at crossroads.net/give.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:54
        - Good job. You were there.
- Back to the message.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:58
        - So what can we take
from this prophecy?
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:00
        Three things: first, we see here
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:03
        that there will always
be manmade authorities
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:06
        vying for or
demanding your trust.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:08
        These beasts
represent authorities,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:11
        they represent kingdoms,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:13
        they represent power
structures other than God.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:16
        And the Bible has a word
for these power structures
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:19
        and it's the word idols. Idols.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:21
        You know, we don't think
about idol worship today.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:23
        Most of us probably don't
have a statue at home
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:25
        that we bow down to.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:26
        We don't have something
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:27
        that we're sacrificing
dead animals to.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:29
        We don't do that
necessarily in our culture,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:31
        but we still have idols.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:33
        We still have things
that want to get our trust,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:36
        that want us to be
more faithful to them
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:38
        than we are to God.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:40
        And here are some things
that idols all have in common.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:42
        Every idol exhorts
their own power.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:44
        Every idol says,
"I'm the ultimate thing
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:47
        you should put your trust in."
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:49
        And every idol
redefines right and wrong.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:53
        Every idol has a moral code,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:55
        and it's whatever
they want it to be.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:57
        Every idol denies
the authority of God
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:00
        and says, "I'm the
supreme authority."
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:02
        And every idol demand
your total allegiance.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:05
        Think about brands
that market to you
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:06
        want this from you,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:08
        authorities that
want to influence you
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:10
        want this from you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:11
        And it doesn't matter what side
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:12
        of the political
perspective you're on.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:14
        It doesn't matter if you like
Carhart or Supreme Band,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:16
        it doesn't.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:18
        Doesn't matter, every
movement, every cause,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:20
        everything wants the
same thing from you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:22
        They want your faithfulness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:24
        And here's the
thing, these idols,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:27
        they promise you the good life.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:29
        They promise you power.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:30
        They promise to be the
answer to your prayer.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:33
        And every idol works
the first few times.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:38
        I mean, I'll just
tell you, for me,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:40
        these idols are in my life.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:42
        I mean, I'm doing work
with an organization,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:44
        Courageous Love,
the organization I lead.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:46
        I believe that the work
we do is God's work.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:48
        It's about racial solidarity,
healing and justice.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:51
        I believe it's a God
thing, a Jesus thing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:53
        I think we might
all agree on that.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:55
        You know what, though?
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:56
        It's real easy for me to
make this work an idol.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:58
        How do I know?
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:00
        Man, I get real unsettled
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:02
        when things don't go as planned,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:04
        especially if the reason
they didn't go as planned
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:06
        is because of something
that I did wrong as a leader.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:09
        Man, I have been
in a season right now
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:12
        where my leadership
is being exposed.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:15
        My leadership vulnerabilities,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:16
        my leadership weaknesses,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:17
        the learning curves that I
have, it's being exposed.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:20
        I'm just going
to tell you, friends,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:21
        it's really uncomfortable.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:23
        And I have a lot of
mornings where I'm struggling
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:25
        to step up and
do the thing again.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:26
        You know why?
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:27
        Because I've made
my performance an idol.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:31
        And if I keep going to
that and relying to that,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:34
        I'm going to become
like the thing I trust.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:36
        I'm going to always
be on a stage
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:39
        trying to perform
my way to approval
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:41
        or perform my way into peace.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:44
        See, that's how idols work.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:47
        Idols work the first time,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:48
        but they don't keep working.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:50
        Every idol starts out
promising everything
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:53
        and asking nothing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:54
        And over time it begins
to ask more and more
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:57
        and give you less and less.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:59
        If you're anxious, you're
fearful, if you're angry,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:02
        you're numb, if you're
depressed, might it be --
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:05
        Could be chemical
realities in that,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:06
        could also be the
reality that you've made
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:09
        something else an idol
in your life other than God.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:11
        It could be that you're
relying on something
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:13
        that is actively failing you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:16
        And notice what
Daniel sees in his image,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:19
        every man made idol
and power structure
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:22
        eventually becomes
a violent beast
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:25
        that will consume you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:28
        Right now, there are idols
vying for your faithfulness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:32
        And if we're honest,
some of them are winning.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:37
        Some of them are winning.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:38
        So here's the second
reality we see from this vision:
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:41
        you and I are always choosing
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:43
        where we're placing our faith.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:45
        You know, I've heard people say,
"Well, I don't have faith, like,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:48
        I'm not a person of faith."
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:49
        I think that's a misnomer.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:51
        We are all people of faith.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:53
        There is something
you're relying on,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:54
        there is something
you're trusting in for life,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:57
        for peace, for safety,
for pleasure, for security,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:00
        for power, for a
sense of control.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:02
        We all have something
we place our faith in.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:05
        And you know how
you know what it is?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:08
        You know based on where
you turn when trouble comes.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:11
        I mean, isn't that
the story of the day
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:13
        that we're in, right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:14
        There's a lot of trouble,
a lot of uncertainty.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:16
        There's a lot of difficulty
we're walking through
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:18
        as a society, as a
people in the world.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:22
        And so I want you
to think about this:
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:24
        What has your gaze
during difficult times?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:29
        What has your gaze right now
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:31
        as you're going
through the in between?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:33
        Is it the news pundits?
Do they have your gaze?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:37
        Is it some source of escape?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:38
        Some place you're
going to get pleasure
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:40
        because you just want
to numb out from reality?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:42
        Does that have your gaze?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:44
        Is it self-protection
or self-promotion?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:46
        Is it performance
like I struggle with?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:48
        Is that what has your gaze?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:51
        Or is it God?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:53
        2 Corinthians in
the New Testament,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:55
        Paul's writing,
and he says this:
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:05
        He's saying we
become what we trust in,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:08
        and if we will behold God,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:10
        if we will let Jesus be
the source of our gaze,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:13
        we will become like Him.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:16
        Jesus was a non-hurried,
chill guy all the time.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:22
        In the midst of the
hardest moments,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:25
        Jesus was a man of peace.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:27
        Jesus was a man full of love
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:30
        who didn't have enemies
that he couldn't engage with,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:33
        but actually extended
love to people.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:36
        Man, what would it look like
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:37
        to be a person of
peace that way?
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:39
        What would it look
like to be loving,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:41
        to be, as some have called it,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:43
        a non anxious
presence in our world?
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:47
        When you gaze on Jesus,
that's what you become.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:49
        The question is,
what has your gaze?
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:52
        See if you want to be faithful,
if you want to be faithful,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:55
        then you've got
to make a choice.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:57
        Third, insight is this:
Choose to trust in Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:00
        If you want to be faithful,
if you want to be fruitful,
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:02
        if you want to stand firm,
choose to trust in Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:07
        See, Daniel's vision
included another king
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:09
        in another kingdom.
Did you notice that?
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:11
        Yeah, there was this crazy line?
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:12
        Yeah, there was
this wild, hungry bear.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:14
        And yes, there was
this four-headed leopard
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:16
        and this thing with iron teeth.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:17
        But there was also
what Daniel described
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:19
        as one like the Son of Man,
one like a son of the gods.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:23
        That's an image of
Jesus that he's seeing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:26
        And what I love
is Daniel describes
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:28
        this king in this kingdom
this way, he says:
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:43
        See, we all struggle
in the in between.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:45
        But what I want you to know is
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:47
        Jesus is the King
with a Kingdom.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:49
        While His Kingdom will
reach its fulfillment someday,
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:53
        don't miss this, His kingdom
is advancing right now.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:57
        While someday He
will change all that is evil
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:59
        and turn into good.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:01
        Right now, he's changing
individual hearts day by day.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:04
        I don't always have
a life verse for a year,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:07
        but I do this year and it's
Galatians 6:9, which says:
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:17
        You know what this is saying?
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:19
        If we will be faithful,
God will be fruitful.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:24
        See, I know there's a
real temptation, I feel it,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:26
        to grow weary, to
grow faint hearted.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:29
        Again, mire uncertainty,
more difficulty,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:33
        more challenge, we can
grow weary of the in between,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:37
        but you and I can
choose differently.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:41
        We can choose
faithfulness in the in between.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:44
        We see Daniel choosing this
early in the book of Daniel.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:46
        Daniel makes a choice.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:48
        In Daniel 1:8 it says,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:52
        For Daniel, that was the choice
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:54
        he was making to be faithful.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:55
        What is the choice you
need to make to be faithful?
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:57
        What does it look
like for you and I
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:00
        to trust Jesus in
our in between?
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:02
        It might look like
stopping every day,
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:05
        maybe multiple times
a day, to gaze on Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:09
        See, Jesus doesn't
want your duty.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:12
        He doesn't just want
your church attendance.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:14
        He doesn't just want
your dutiful Bible reading.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:16
        Jesus want your devotion.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:17
        He wants your gaze.
He wants your heart.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:19
        Are you slowing down and
allowing Him to have your gaze?
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:24
        You will become like
Him as you behold him.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:28
        Maybe it looks like
choosing to not let
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:31
        the first in the last
word of your day
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:33
        be these other idols,
these other messages,
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:36
        the news pundits,
whatever it is.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:38
        But maybe you want
to start in your day,
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:39
        even if for 30 seconds
with God's truth.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:43
        What would it look
like for the first thing
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:45
        you reach for in the
morning and the last thing
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:47
        that you put down at
night to be God's truth
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:51
        through Bible,
through a devotional?
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:54
        But just not be your phone,
not be your social media?
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:57
        And friends, trusting
in Jesus in this moment
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:00
        looks like sometimes
stepping away from the fray.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:05
        I want to encourage you
that the practice of Sabbath,
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:08
        slowing down one day in seven,
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:10
        the practice of taking
time away to enjoy beauty,
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:13
        to have fun, to
do things you love
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:15
        could be the most
faithful thing you're doing
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:18
        in your in between.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:21
        Because we become
like what we trust.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:23
        But as we trust in Jesus,
we become like Jesus:
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:28
        non anxious presence,
people of peace,
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:30
        people of love,
people of faithfulness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:35
        If you are faithful,
God will be fruitful
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:39
        and your life will be free.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:43
        So I want to pray for you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:44
        I want to pray for you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:45
        I want to pray a blessing
of faithfulness over you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:47
        You know, one of the
ways that you can be faithful
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:50
        is joining us for
the Bible Challenge.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:52
        We do this Bible
Challenge as a community
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:54
        where every week we're
in the Bible together,
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:55
        we're reading on the Crossroads
App the same scriptures.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:58
        We're journaling on it.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:59
        We're being encouraged
by what other people
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:01
        are seeing in the scriptures.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:02
        It's a way to
practice faithfulness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:04
        We would love for
you to be with us
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:05
        on this journey,
on this challenge.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:07
        And God will meet
you in His Word.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:10
        Let me pray for you
for your faithfulness
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:12
        in your in between.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:13
        Jesus, thank you for Daniel.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:16
        Thank you for his
example, his model
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:18
        of what it looks like
to be faithful to You.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:20
        Thank you that in Daniel
we see that it is possible
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:23
        for us not to gaze at
the idols and the beasts
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:27
        that demand our
attention and our loyalty,
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:30
        and instead, we can
fix our gaze on You.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:34
        Because the principle is true
that we become what we behold,
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:36
        I pray that everybody listening,
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:37
        everybody who's engaging
in this prayer right now
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:40
        would behold You and see
how much You love them,
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:43
        they would see Your
presence in their life,
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:47
        they would trust in Your power,
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:49
        they would trust in Your wisdom,
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:51
        and they would know
that they are never alone
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:53
        and that where it feels
like they are stumbling,
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:55
        it is in those
moments of their life
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:57
        that You're carrying
them through.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:00
        I pray that in Jesus' name,
Amen.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:03
        - The Bible Challenge
that Chuck mentioned,
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:05
        you can be part of.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:06
        It's something we're
doing as a community.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:08
        It's super easy.
You need a couple of things.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:09
        First, the Crossroads App.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:11
        When you download
the app, you can read
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:13
        the same section of
scripture that the rest of us
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:15
        are reading, write a
journal about it, reflect on it.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:17
        - And see what we're writing.
- Share it if you want to.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:19
        This even helps you
keep track of your streaks.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:21
        Look, I've got a three
day streak going right now.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:23
        - Good for you.
I actually fell off yesterday.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:25
        Hey, and if you're
like me, if you fell off,
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:27
        I want you to know you
could just get back on.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:30
        There's no like
all in or all out.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:32
        We want you to be a part
of this Bible Challenge.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:34
        And if you want to know more,
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:35
        you can go to
Crossroads.net/BibleChallenge
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:38
        because when you go
there, you're going to find
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:40
        that you can get one of
these neat little guidebooks
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:42
        that just give you
a little bit more context
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:44
        to what we're studying,
kind of why we're studying.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:46
        It really helped me
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:47
        when I was reading
some of that dense stuff.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:49
        - Same, there's stuff
in there I didn't know.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:51
        - Stuff Chuck's
talking about, I'm like,
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:52
        "Man, I needed some
of this," so you can do it.
       
    
      - 
        
00:22:55
        - That's it. we'll see you
next week on Crossroads.