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Daniel 4
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. What I am sharing with you concerning financial freedom, can also be applied to spiritual freedom and security! The same things that lead to financial disaster, are the very things that lead to spiritual disaster. Truth be known, spiritual disaster almost always comes before any other kind of disaster in a person’s life. If you are financially stable, secure, and free today, then this message may offer you some guidelines to help others in your life that are not, but want to be financially free and secure. I think almost everyone wants to be financially free and secure, but not everyone is willing to do what must be done to be financially secure. Someone may very well say, I know we are to give to God, but I just can’t do that because I am so financially strapped or burdened that I barely have enough to pay my bills. Some day when I am financially able, I will start to tithe! The truth is if you are in financial bondage today, most likely, the cold hard truth is you are mismanaging and/or misusing – or wasting God’s money. How do I know it is God’s money? Read Deut. 8:11-18, and notice especially v. 18. The consequence of mismanaging, misusing, or wasting God’s money is always financial disaster! Today I want to show you one of the most common processes through which financial disaster occurs. By most standards king Nebuchadnezzar was one of the greatest kings of all time. However, like so many people in his position, with his power, he had an “I” problem. His 1st “I” problem was:
- THE SIN OF IDOLATRY. Look at Dan. 3:1. Idolatry is the spiritual worship of an idol. Spiritual worship always originates in the heart of a person. Spiritual idolatry is anything that occupies a higher priority in your heart than God. Listen: All spiritual idolatry originates in SELF, and is the ultimate expression of pride and arrogance toward God. Another contributing factor to financial disaster that is a by-product of idolatry is:
- INSECURITY 4:4, 5. Insecurity can be defined as not trusting God to provide all my needs sufficiently! Nebuchadnezzar couldn’t have read Matt. 6:25-34 where Jesus tells us not to worry about our day-to-day needs because God knows what all we need and provides them to us. But you can and should, read Matt 5-7, John 13-16, and other passages to be aware of such promises. Idolatry cannot lead a person anywhere but into security. At that time Nebuchadnezzar ruled most of the known world – ruthlessly, broiling anyone who defied him! He had everything most people in the world want. Now watch! Read v. 4, 5 and notice how all the power, position, prosperity, possessions, and even a palace do not always bring peace and security. That’s because a life that is not built on trust in God, is a life built on a foundation of sand. And insecurity is always an issue because the question is never if – but always when will the foundation will crack and crumble? Another I problem that caused Nebuchadnezzar’s financial disaster was:
- THE SIN OF IMPERSONATION! 4. V. 1-4 are Nebuchadnezzar’s reaction to the fact that Daniel and his 3 friends were delivered from the furnace. So all of a sudden Nebuchadnezzar has religion, not redemption, just religion! Nebuchadnezzar himself is revealing who he really is, by revealing what is in his heart. Our true character is known when we reveal what is in our heart. Finally, the other I problem that caused Nebuchadnezzar to meet financial disaster was his:
- SIN OF IGNORANCE 4:28-33. Nebuchadnezzar was not ignorant. Ignorant means having little or no knowledge. Nebuchadnezzar was guilty of the sin of ignoring God. To ignore is to disregard deliberately; pay no attention to; refuse to consider. To have little or no knowledge of something is not always a matter of choice. Listen, we don’t know – what we don’t know. God does not hold us accountable for what He has not yet revealed to us! However, to ignore is always a deliberate and willful choice! And God will always hold us responsible and accountable for what He reveals but we ignore!
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