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End Time Insanity - Full of Pride - 248 · Marriage Life and More and Bible Study

• 0:04
  Daniel Moore: When life is going smoothly, we often stop thinking about God.
• 0:08
  Daniel Moore: If our bills are paid, our family is healthy, there's food on the table and a stable roof over our heads, we may believe that we have everything that we need.
• 0:18
  Daniel Moore: Things seem to be working out just fine without involving God, so why bother acknowledging Him as the source?
• 0:25
  Daniel Moore: The truth is, many of us don't know how to handle prosperity in a way that keeps us humble and dependent on Him.
• 0:32
  Daniel Moore: But when life gets tough, where do we go?
• 0:37
  Daniel Moore: This week on Connecting the Gap, we continue our series on Unshaken, holding fast in a culture of compromise.
• 0:46
  Daniel Moore: We'll be back with this week's episode right after this.
• 0:56
  Daniel Moore: Welcome to Connecting the Gap.
• 0:59
  Daniel Moore: This is a podcast about marriage, bible and book studies, when we interview people that have stories.
• 1:24
  Daniel Moore: I'm Daniel Moore, your host.
• 1:25
  Daniel Moore: Thank you, guys, for joining us this week.
• 1:27
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• 1:31
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• 1:34
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• 1:42
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• 1:46
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• 1:54
  Daniel Moore: Also, something I want to let you guys know about this week we do have a blog on our website now.
• 2:00
  Daniel Moore: Each week as we release a new episode whether it be a marriage episode or just a Bible study episode we're going to be putting a blog post up for that.
• 2:09
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• 2:20
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• 2:27
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• 2:31
  Daniel Moore: So if you'd like to check that out, you can go to our website at connectingthegapnet and just click the blog link and that'll take you right to it and you can see the marriage and the Bible study blogs there that we've already uploaded at this point, and each episode we release we'll add a new one.
• 2:47
  Daniel Moore: So just wanted to make you guys aware of that as a new feature on our website.
• 2:53
  Daniel Moore: Well, as I said here in the beginning, we are about halfway through actually this week of our series on Unshaken, and I hope that you guys have enjoyed it.
• 3:02
  Daniel Moore: So far, this has been a study based on the book of Daniel, as we've been talking about holding fast in a culture of compromise, how difficult it is, but we have to stand, we have to be strong in these times that we live in today to make sure that we don't stumble and fall, and we need to give the devil a black eye.
• 3:20
  Daniel Moore: That's the whole point of all of this.
• 3:22
  Daniel Moore: So this week we're going to get into episode eight of this extended series of Unshaken.
• 3:27
  Daniel Moore: The title of this one is End Times Insanity Full of Pride.
• 3:33
  Daniel Moore: What makes humility so desirable is the marvelous thing it does to us it creates in us a capacity for the closest possible intimacy with God.
• 3:55
  Daniel Moore: That's a statement that was made by Monica Baldwin.
• 4:02
  Daniel Moore: Hey, daniel, how do you feel about the recent Supreme Court decision?
• 4:05
  Daniel Moore: Daniel, what are your thoughts on how we should approach the LGBTQ community?
• 4:11
  Daniel Moore: Daniel, what's your perspective on this tragic incident that just occurred?
• 4:16
  Daniel Moore: You know all the time I'm asked by a variety of people, from church members and fellow believers to friends and family for my take on the latest headlines.
• 4:26
  Daniel Moore: Whether the issue is marriage definitions, new legislation or another tragic event, my response remains consistent Really, for what it's worth, my opinion doesn't really matter, although I usually do give them one.
• 4:42
  Daniel Moore: What difference does it make?
• 4:45
  Daniel Moore: What I think?
• 4:46
  Daniel Moore: All that matters is what God's opinion is.
• 4:50
  Daniel Moore: Well, we live in a culture deeply consumed by social media, where personal opinions, comments, likes and retweets dominate our daily interactions.
• 4:59
  Daniel Moore: We placed ourselves at the center of our own small worlds, constantly encouraged by our surroundings to believe we should be in control of our own paths and to weigh in on how others manage theirs.
• 5:12
  Daniel Moore: There's a widespread belief that every opinion counts, but that whoever argues their point the sharpest or shouts the loudest will come out on top.
• 5:22
  Daniel Moore: This obsession, however, reflects something deeper, a serious symptom of the moral sickness in our society, namely the sin of pride.
• 5:34
  Daniel Moore: It doesn't matter what our friends on Facebook say, what our employers' HR policies suggest or what our favorite celebrities believe.
• 5:44
  Daniel Moore: If we're serious about knowing, loving and serving God, then our own opinions take a back seat.
• 5:53
  Daniel Moore: What truly matters is what God thinks.
• 5:55
  Daniel Moore: He's already given us His Word to reveal His thoughts.
• 5:59
  Daniel Moore: If God has spoken, there is no need for us to create our own viewpoint.
• 6:05
  Daniel Moore: Our calling is to keep following the way, the truth and the life, and those are only found in Jesus.
• 6:13
  Daniel Moore: Pursuing this path requires us to humble ourselves before the Lord and acknowledge that he knows what is best and we do not.
• 6:23
  Daniel Moore: It's not always easy, but it's a crucial part of remaining grounded when cultural pressures begin to rise.
• 6:31
  Daniel Moore: This is one of the most urgent lessons that we can learn from Daniel's example.
• 6:37
  Daniel Moore: Up to this point, we've looked at culture's biggest goal shaping our identity and its greatest test drawing us away from worshiping God.
• 6:50
  Daniel Moore: Now it's time to examine what may be culture's most dangerous sin, which is pride.
• 6:55
  Daniel Moore: Pride is often confused with self-confidence or strong character.
• 7:00
  Daniel Moore: While having a healthy sense of self isn't wrong, true spiritual health requires humility.
• 7:07
  Daniel Moore: The moment that we believe we're better than someone else or another group, pride begins to puff up our egos, and when we put ourselves ahead of God, we find ourselves in even deeper trouble.
• 7:21
  Daniel Moore: Even deeper trouble.
• 7:27
  Daniel Moore: Pride is a gateway sin that opens the door for the enemy to slip in and convince us that we're more capable than we actually are and that we don't really need God.
• 7:32
  Daniel Moore: It suggests things like religion is just a crutch for weak people.
• 7:38
  Daniel Moore: You're strong.
• 7:39
  Daniel Moore: You're above that.
• 7:40
  Daniel Moore: You're in control of your own life.
• 7:42
  Daniel Moore: You're above that.
• 7:43
  Daniel Moore: You're in control of your own life.
• 7:47
  Daniel Moore: Now, these lies inflate our sense of independence, leading us to question God's wisdom and believe that we know better than he does.
• 7:54
  Daniel Moore: But you and I both know that that's not the truth.
• 7:58
  Daniel Moore: Scripture speaks unmistakably about God's greatness, power and holiness, and about humanity's sinfulness, weakness and limitations.
• 8:05
  Daniel Moore: Pride is a serious issue that often triggers a series of destructive consequences.
• 8:12
  Daniel Moore: That's why pride is addressed repeatedly throughout the prophetic books of the Bible.
• 8:17
  Daniel Moore: It acts as a root that gives rise to many other sinful decisions and behaviors.
• 8:23
  Daniel Moore: The prophetic warnings found in Scripture are meant to lead us away from sin and back toward God.
• 8:32
  Daniel Moore: Daniel recorded his experiences to do more than just highlight God's faithfulness.
• 8:37
  Daniel Moore: During his time in Babylon, he also aimed to inform, encourage and caution future believers, especially those living in the end times.
• 8:46
  Daniel Moore: Spanning nearly 75 years of his life, the book of Daniel remains as timely and relevant today as ever.
• 8:56
  Daniel Moore: As we witness our culture unravel through moral confusion and increasing violence, daniel's message serves as a powerful reminder that still speaks through the headlines that we face each day, and it's only getting louder.
• 9:12
  Daniel Moore: The challenge of human pride, arrogance and self-reliance seems more prominent now than ever before.
• 9:20
  Daniel Moore: Self-reliance seems more prominent now than ever before.
• 9:24
  Daniel Moore: Many believe they have the power to design their own future, altering DNA, redefining gender and even attempting to use science to avoid death.
• 9:30
  Daniel Moore: Society often promotes the idea that wealth can give us complete control over our lives.
• 9:37
  Daniel Moore: This growing dependence on science, technology and personal satisfaction is gradually replacing the need for God.
• 9:45
  Daniel Moore: It's heartbreaking to see how this deception driven by the enemy is quietly infiltrating our communities, our churches and our families.
• 9:54
  Daniel Moore: In the book of Daniel, we encounter similar attitudes reflected in King Nebuchadnezzar.
• 10:01
  Daniel Moore: Daniel, we encounter similar attitudes reflected in King Nebuchadnezzar.
• 10:02
  Daniel Moore: You might be familiar with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
• 10:08
  Daniel Moore: These gardens were a marvel of architecture and engineering, blending artistic beauty with the technological advances of that era.
• 10:17
  Daniel Moore: They were constructed during Nebuchadnezzar's reign.
• 10:21
  Daniel Moore: At that era.
• 10:24
  Daniel Moore: They were constructed during Nebuchadnezzar's reign.
• 10:25
  Daniel Moore: Given this extraordinary achievement, along with his success in defeating the Israelites, he likely viewed himself as the greatest king in Babylon's history, perhaps even the most powerful ruler in the world at that time.
• 10:37
  Daniel Moore: Interestingly, king Nebuchadnezzar's struggle with pride surfaced only after he had acknowledged the Most High God, the God of Daniel and his people.
• 10:47
  Daniel Moore: Despite witnessing multiple miracles involving Daniel and his Hebrew companions, which clearly demonstrated God's power and divinity, nebuchadnezzar's pride still persisted.
• 10:59
  Daniel Moore: Yet he initially responded with enthusiasm, even issuing a joyful proclamation.
• 11:06
  Daniel Moore: In Daniel, chapter 4, verses 1 through 3, it says King Nebuchadnezzar, to the nations and peoples of every language who live in all the earth, may you prosper greatly.
• 11:20
  Daniel Moore: It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders.
• 11:41
  Daniel Moore: The Hebrew word used for prosper in this context is the same word often translated as peace, but it signifies much more than simply a restful or calm state.
• 11:52
  Daniel Moore: This type of prosperity refers to a deep inner peace, a sense of well-being and completeness that remains unshaken even when everything around you falls into turmoil.
• 12:05
  Daniel Moore: But for Nebuchadnezzar, peace did not come easy.
• 12:10
  Daniel Moore: His pride got in the way, just like it does for us.
• 12:16
  Daniel Moore: Have you ever considered how deeply destructive pride can be in our lives?
• 12:32
  Daniel Moore: It lies at the root of every other sin.
• 12:35
  Daniel Moore: The greatest offense isn't something like murder or adultery, it's pride.
• 12:42
  Daniel Moore: Pride says I want to be God, I'll live by my own rules and follow my own desires.
• 12:49
  Daniel Moore: But, as the story of Nebuchadnezzar shows us, pride leads to ruin, mental confusion, distorted thinking and inner unrest.
• 12:59
  Daniel Moore: His journey highlights a powerful truth we can choose between humility or humiliation.
• 13:07
  Daniel Moore: One is a choice we make, the other is a correction that God brings.
• 13:13
  Daniel Moore: God actually gave Nebuchadnezzar a warning highlighting three specific areas where pride tends to take root and push out humility and irreverent fear of the Lord.
• 13:24
  Daniel Moore: The first area is prosperity and ease, a state of comfort that can lead to complacency, making us feel entitled to enjoy whatever we desire in life.
• 13:34
  Daniel Moore: Nebuchadnezzar reflects this when he says I, nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous.
• 13:44
  Daniel Moore: That's Daniel 4, verse 4.
• 13:49
  Daniel Moore: When life is going smoothly, we often stop thinking about God.
• 13:52
  Daniel Moore: If our bills are paid, our family is healthy, there's food on the table and a stable roof over our heads, we may believe that we have everything that we need.
• 14:01
  Daniel Moore: Things seem to be working out just fine without involving God, so why bother acknowledging Him as the source?
• 14:10
  Daniel Moore: The truth is, many of us don't know how to handle prosperity in a way that keeps us humble and dependent on Him.
• 14:17
  Daniel Moore: When life gets tough, where do we go?
• 14:22
  Daniel Moore: When everything feels out of our control?
• 14:25
  Daniel Moore: When a child is battling an illness doctors can't explain, when our retirement savings vanish overnight, or when divorce papers arrive unexpectedly, that's when we find ourselves crying out to God.
• 14:39
  Daniel Moore: In those moments we realize we can't fix everything on our own.
• 14:45
  Daniel Moore: We need His supernatural strength and intervention just to get through.
• 14:51
  Daniel Moore: If we want to break free from pride, we must shift from relying on ourselves to depending fully on God.
• 14:57
  Daniel Moore: That means recognizing that everything we have comes from Him and that we are simply caretakers of the blessings that he has given us.
• 15:05
  Daniel Moore: God doesn't bless us so we can store up wealth and accumulate possessions.
• 15:10
  Daniel Moore: He blesses us so we can bless others, further His kingdom and reflect His love through the gift of salvation in Christ.
• 15:19
  Daniel Moore: So how do we show our dependence on God?
• 15:22
  Daniel Moore: Like so many parts of our relationship with Him, it starts with prayer.
• 15:27
  Daniel Moore: Scripture tells us that if God's people humble themselves and pray, he will hear and forgive them.
• 15:34
  Daniel Moore: That's in 2 Chronicles 7, verse 14.
• 15:37
  Daniel Moore: Just the act of coming before God in prayer is a sign of our willingness to submit and depend on Him.
• 15:45
  Daniel Moore: Have you ever considered the idea of the atheism, of prayerlessness, and how it contrasts with the way we often turn to God only in times of crisis?
• 15:54
  Daniel Moore: Genuine dependence on God means treating prayer as a daily lifeline, not just something we reach for when life gets hard.
• 16:03
  Daniel Moore: There's nothing flashy or unusual or special.
• 16:08
  Daniel Moore: We just pray.
• 16:10
  Daniel Moore: I know that is why I have finally figured out how to flourish.
• 16:15
  Daniel Moore: I'm not a super smart person by any means.
• 16:19
  Daniel Moore: The only reason I have the relationship with God that I have today is because I know who.
• 16:23
  Daniel Moore: I am in Christ on my own, and I depend on Him to meet my needs.
• 16:27
  Daniel Moore: If I am having issues, I either get on my knees to pray or I reach out to my fellow prayer friends and have them pray for me.
• 16:35
  Daniel Moore: If there is any secret at all, it's simply to stay dependent on God at all times.
• 16:45
  Daniel Moore: The second area where pride can stun our spiritual growth is in how we handle recognition and credit.
• 16:50
  Daniel Moore: Do we attribute our success and the blessings in our lives to ourselves, or do we thank God and acknowledge Him as the true source of all good things?
• 16:59
  Daniel Moore: King Nebuchadnezzar came face to face with this question through a deeply unsettling dream, which was later interpreted by Daniel.
• 17:07
  Daniel Moore: In his dream, the king saw a grand and tiring tree, full of fruit and rich with life.
• 17:14
  Daniel Moore: Its branches offered shelter and nourishment to people and animals alike, but then a messenger from heaven commanded that the tree be cut down and its parts scattered.
• 17:25
  Daniel Moore: You can read about this in Daniel, chapter 4, verses 5 through 21.
• 17:30
  Daniel Moore: None of the king's advisors or magicians could explain its meaning, so Daniel was summoned.
• 17:36
  Daniel Moore: While Nebuchadnezzar was likely hoping the tree symbolized his defeated enemies, daniel made it clear that this was not the case.
• 17:46
  Daniel Moore: In Daniel 4, verses 22 and 25,.
• 17:49
  Daniel Moore: It says your Majesty, you are that tree.
• 17:51
  Daniel Moore: You have become great and strong.
• 17:54
  Daniel Moore: Your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
• 18:00
  Daniel Moore: And your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
• 18:02
  Daniel Moore: Your majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, come down from heaven and saying Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump bound with iron and bronze in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground.
• 18:17
  Daniel Moore: Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven.
• 18:19
  Daniel Moore: Let him live with the wild animals until seven times pass by for him.
• 18:26
  Daniel Moore: This is the interpretation your Majesty, and this is the decree of the Most High, has issued against my Lord the King.
• 18:32
  Daniel Moore: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals.
• 18:37
  Daniel Moore: You will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven.
• 18:45
  Daniel Moore: Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.
• 18:54
  Daniel Moore: Nebuchadnezzar clearly thought very highly of himself.
• 18:56
  Daniel Moore: He often praised his own accomplishments After all, he was the king who constructed the Hanging Gardens and conquered Israel but he failed to recognize that all of it came from God.
• 19:08
  Daniel Moore: It was God who gave him the ability to lead and who allowed him to achieve the things he proudly claimed as his own.
• 19:15
  Daniel Moore: Every breath he took, every meal he ate, every relationship he enjoyed and every possession that he had it all originated from God.
• 19:24
  Daniel Moore: Take note of the warning here.
• 19:27
  Daniel Moore: It revealed the natural consequences of arrogance and pride.
• 19:31
  Daniel Moore: This wasn't a threat of divine punishment, but rather a clear statement of what happens when someone elevates themselves above God.
• 19:39
  Daniel Moore: It's a caution we should all take seriously.
• 19:42
  Daniel Moore: When pride is left unchecked, it can lead to spiritual and mental ruin.
• 19:48
  Daniel Moore: Many assume that judgment comes directly from God, but often it's our own pride and choices that brings it upon us.
• 19:56
  Daniel Moore: How can we avoid ending up like Nebuchadnezzar?
• 20:01
  Daniel Moore: One of the most effective ways to uproot pride from the garden of our lives is by cultivating a heart of gratitude.
• 20:07
  Daniel Moore: Choosing to worship and consistently thank God pulls us out those deep-rooted lies from the enemy, especially the ones that try to convince us that we deserve the credit instead of God, when we boldly declare that everything we have comes from Him.
• 20:22
  Daniel Moore: It realigns our perspective.
• 20:24
  Daniel Moore: It clears up our thinking and reorients us to the truth.
• 20:28
  Daniel Moore: Gratitude restores our clarity and brings us back to spiritual and emotional wholeness.
• 20:36
  Daniel Moore: Now I understand how difficult it can be to feel grateful when you're walking through painful or challenging seasons, but I was recently reminded of what true gratitude looks like from a story that a pastor said about one of their previous Saturday prayer meetings.
• 20:50
  Daniel Moore: The pastor told of a prayer request that came in from a sweet older woman in their church, miss Anita.
• 20:57
  Daniel Moore: She was asking for healing after undergoing surgery that resulted in the amputation of her leg.
• 21:03
  Daniel Moore: Even in the face of such a life-altering and painful experience, she wrote Thank you so much for your prayers.
• 21:11
  Daniel Moore: I feel so blessed to be part of this church.
• 21:14
  Daniel Moore: God has been so good to me and I'm so thankful for all the blessings that he's given me to me, and I'm so thankful for all the blessings that he's given me.
• 21:26
  Daniel Moore: That pastor said that he had to read her request more than once to make sure he was understanding it right.
• 21:29
  Daniel Moore: Here was this precious woman, having just lost her leg, thanking him for praying for her and declaring how good God has been to her and yes, in case you're wondering, there might have been a little mist in his eyes.
• 21:43
  Daniel Moore: That kind of faith and gratitude speaks volumes.
• 21:46
  Daniel Moore: It stands in direct contrast in Nebuchadnezzar's pride-filled gardens, monuments, military triumphs and grand palaces.
• 21:54
  Daniel Moore: Success and prosperity can easily cloud our perspective.
• 21:59
  Daniel Moore: We often make the mistake of thinking we've earned it all ourselves and that it belongs to us.
• 22:05
  Daniel Moore: But the truth is everything we have comes from God.
• 22:10
  Daniel Moore: Scripture reminds us what are you so proud of?
• 22:14
  Daniel Moore: What do you have that God hasn't given you?
• 22:17
  Daniel Moore: And if everything you have is from God, why do you boast as if it were you and all your own doing?
• 22:24
  Daniel Moore: That's in 1 Corinthians 4, verse 7.
• 22:27
  Daniel Moore: You know, I try to keep that in mind every time I give a tithe or offering, simply praying Lord, this is yours, all of it belongs to you and thank you.
• 22:58
  Daniel Moore: Lastly, the third area where we need to remove pride is our perspective.
• 23:00
  Daniel Moore: We have to let go of the belief that we know best and instead recognize that heaven is in control.
• 23:04
  Daniel Moore: This truth is revealed in the final part of the king's dream.
• 23:08
  Daniel Moore: Daniel explained the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that heaven rules.
• 23:17
  Daniel Moore: That's Daniel 4, 4, verse 26.
• 23:26
  Daniel Moore: God always provides a path back to him.
• 23:27
  Daniel Moore: He's always ready to bring new growth from the stumps in our lives.
• 23:29
  Daniel Moore: When pride causes us to collapse under the weight of our own self-importance, we're left with no choice but to humble ourselves and begin again.
• 23:36
  Daniel Moore: We're left with no choice but to humble ourselves and begin again.
• 23:38
  Daniel Moore: But the good news is God meets us in that place of humility if we're willing to seek Him, if we're willing to admit that it's heaven that rules, not us here on earth.
• 23:48
  Daniel Moore: That's the starting point for restoring God's favor in our lives.
• 23:55
  Daniel Moore: He spent seven years living like a madman, behaving like a wild animal and completely out of his mind, separated from his people.
• 24:07
  Daniel Moore: He survived by eating grass and stopped living like a human being.
• 24:08
  Daniel Moore: In that time he lost not only his sanity and peace, but also his very sense of humanity.
• 24:14
  Daniel Moore: That's in Daniel 4, verse 33.
• 24:18
  Daniel Moore: The same holds true for us today.
• 24:21
  Daniel Moore: When we ignore God's warnings, our pride eventually causes us to crumble under the weight of our own sin.
• 24:26
  Daniel Moore: We're living in a time when everyone seems to believe that they're wise in their own eyes.
• 24:31
  Daniel Moore: God's word is often dismissed or disregarded entirely.
• 24:36
  Daniel Moore: Just think about it.
• 24:38
  Daniel Moore: Did you ever expect to live in a world where terms like recreational drug use, sex buddy and gay marriage are not only common but part of everyday conversation?
• 24:49
  Daniel Moore: Some people refer to our current era as progressive, suggesting that God and his ways are old-fashioned or irrelevant.
• 24:58
  Daniel Moore: But at its core, this is the very definition of sin choosing our own way over God's way.
• 25:06
  Daniel Moore: So whose rules do you live by, your own or Heaven's?
• 25:14
  Daniel Moore: Nebuchadnezzar chose to follow his own path, disregarded God's warning and ultimately faced the consequences.
• 25:21
  Daniel Moore: The prophecy came to pass.
• 25:24
  Daniel Moore: In much the same way, we too have often turned a deaf ear to God's repeated warnings, and now we see those consequences playing out around us.
• 25:33
  Daniel Moore: The question is where do we go from here?
• 25:36
  Daniel Moore: Thankfully, nebuchadnezzar eventually came to his senses and turned back to God with genuine humility.
• 25:42
  Daniel Moore: He finally followed Daniel's counsel, wisdom that still serves as a powerful remedy for both personal and cultural pride.
• 25:50
  Daniel Moore: In Daniel 4.27 it says Therefore, your Majesty, please accept my advice Renounce your sins by doing what is right and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed.
• 26:02
  Daniel Moore: It may be that then your prosperity will continue.
• 26:09
  Daniel Moore: After enduring seven years of madness, nebuchadnezzar offered these words, which are the same words that we need to echo today.
• 26:16
  Daniel Moore: At the end of that time, I, nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my sanity was restored.
• 26:25
  Daniel Moore: Then I praised the Most High.
• 26:27
  Daniel Moore: I honored and glorified Him, who lives forever.
• 26:30
  Daniel Moore: His dominion is an eternal dominion.
• 26:34
  Daniel Moore: His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
• 26:38
  Daniel Moore: All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing.
• 26:42
  Daniel Moore: He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth.
• 26:48
  Daniel Moore: No one can hold back his hand or say to him what have you done?
• 26:52
  Daniel Moore: At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom.
• 27:00
  Daniel Moore: My advisors and nobles sought me out and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before.
• 27:07
  Daniel Moore: Now I, nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just, and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
• 27:20
  Daniel Moore: That's Daniel 4, verses 34 to 37.
• 27:25
  Daniel Moore: You know what a powerful prayer to offer.
• 27:27
  Daniel Moore: God immediately responded to the king's humble cry by restoring his clarity of mind, his peace of heart and joy in life.
• 27:35
  Daniel Moore: God always answers a heart that is truly broken before him.
• 27:40
  Daniel Moore: He is a loving father, always ready to forgive and bring restoration.
• 27:44
  Daniel Moore: Do you want to have your peace and clarity restored in the middle of a chaotic culture?
• 27:50
  Daniel Moore: Would you like to find calm in your soul while godlessness and tragedy unfold around you?
• 27:57
  Daniel Moore: Looking to the repentant king of Babylon as our example, let's consider three important steps as we close out this episode this week.
• 28:05
  Daniel Moore: First, lift up the king of heaven.
• 28:08
  Daniel Moore: God is worthy of sincere, wholehearted praise and offering.
• 28:13
  Daniel Moore: Anything less reflects our own pride.
• 28:16
  Daniel Moore: You know I've shared before how it bothers me when people go absolutely wild at a football game and other sporting events, yet scoff at the idea of lifting their hands during a worship song.
• 28:26
  Daniel Moore: And it's not just sports.
• 28:29
  Daniel Moore: Think about how many thousands of fans stand for hours at concerts, clapping, cheering, waving and singing every word with passion for their favorite artist.
• 28:38
  Daniel Moore: That level of devotion is everywhere except, too often, in worship.
• 28:48
  Daniel Moore: Next, recognize that God is always right and His ways are perfectly just.
• 28:52
  Daniel Moore: Now more than ever, we need to embrace the authority of God's Word without hesitation.
• 28:58
  Daniel Moore: Don't second-guess Him, don't try to figure out every detail or bend Scripture to fit your preferences.
• 29:05
  Daniel Moore: God's ways are higher than ours.
• 29:07
  Daniel Moore: Our responsibility is to trust and obey.
• 29:10
  Daniel Moore: Keep in mind God doesn't require us to fully understand His ways.
• 29:16
  Daniel Moore: He knows we're not capable of grasping it all, so he doesn't require us to fully understand His ways.
• 29:19
  Daniel Moore: He knows we're not capable of grasping it all, so he doesn't expect us to.
• 29:21
  Daniel Moore: What he does ask is that we trust and obey Him.
• 29:25
  Daniel Moore: There's a real sense of freedom in placing your trust in something you don't have to completely understand.
• 29:31
  Daniel Moore: We may not always agree with what God asks of us, but if we truly love Him, we will choose to obey.
• 29:38
  Daniel Moore: This is how we allow Him to be God in our lives and fully surrender ourselves to His will.
• 29:44
  Daniel Moore: When we do, clarity returns and peace fills our hearts.
• 29:51
  Daniel Moore: I firmly believe that the day our nation returns to its Judeo-Christian roots will be the day that sanity and true peace are restored in our land and finally choose to walk in humility.
• 30:04
  Daniel Moore: This doesn't mean constantly putting yourself down or acting as though you're insignificant, saying things like oh, don't worry about me, I'm just a tiny speck in the universe.
• 30:16
  Daniel Moore: You know, that may sound spiritual, but it's not true humility.
• 30:20
  Daniel Moore: Real humility isn't thinking less of yourself.
• 30:24
  Daniel Moore: It's thinking about yourself less.
• 30:27
  Daniel Moore: We can be both bold and humble at the same time.
• 30:33
  Daniel Moore: Living with humility is all about attitude.
• 30:36
  Daniel Moore: Scripture tells us in James 4, verse 10,.
• 30:40
  Daniel Moore: You know, the less that we center our thoughts on ourselves, the more we draw near to God.
• 30:56
  Daniel Moore: An old-time pastor of Bethany Church in Baton Rouge, louisiana, roy Stockstill, once said If you start your day on your face before the Lord, there's nowhere to go but up.
• 31:01
  Daniel Moore: The man on his face can never fall from that position.
• 31:06
  Daniel Moore: Standing strong in a pride-inflated culture begins face down.
• 31:12
  Daniel Moore: Humble yourself before the Lord and he will meet you there.
• 31:18
  Daniel Moore: Well, that's going to do it for this week's episode, and as we go, don't forget that we believe that God's Word never fails us.
• 31:26
  Daniel Moore: God's Word has stood the test of time and through Jesus' death on the cross, he has connected the gap.
• 31:32
  Daniel Moore: Connecting the Gap podcast is an extension of Connecting the Gap Ministries.
• 31:36
  Daniel Moore: We pray that you have a blessed week.