but if you turn your Bibles to Daniel chapter 6 so we'll be going to different places and we'll try to connect it all together I don't want to make sure it's not all confusing but Daniel chapter 6 we'll start in verse 1 and then next will be in Mark but make sure we all go smoothly from here but Everybody knows the good old story of Daniel. And I love the story, because it's definitely a huge miracle that Daniel survives. But I don't want to spoil it for you. If you haven't heard the story, I don't want to spoil it for you. But I love the story. I don't know about you guys, but whenever I think about Daniel in the lion's den, I think about VeggieTales. And the song, I'm not gonna sing it before you guys, I don't wanna run you guys off, but every time when I hear that song, it just replays in my mind, I love it. But we'll go ahead and get started. And Daniel chapter six, verse one says, it pleased Darius to set over the kingdom and 120 princes, which should be over the whole kingdom. And over these three presidents of whom Daniel was first, that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and the princes because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king thought to set him over the whole realm, which that's a big step right there. He got a good raise right there, that's great. And verse four, then the presidents and the princess sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find none occasion nor fault. For as much as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. You know, we can look in today's society, people will say, I have no error, I have no fault, but are you faithful? I feel like faithful is definitely hard, but it's to God that we should be faithful to. If you look at verse five, then said these men, we shall not find any occasion against this Daniel except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. So they're trying to trick him, trying to find a way that we're going to stop Daniel in his tracks, we're going to get him, we're going to get him good. Right here. I'm not I'm not preaching about Daniel being perfect He's amazing man, but he's a faithful God-fearing man, and he loves the Lord. He's following the Lord and but I really want to get to tonight is Titus he knew and something that is very challenging to Daniel of course, but he knew that some of these men were against him the king seemed to love Daniel and And Daniel, you know, that's pretty cool. When you got a king who loves you, you're in good shape. But then all these people are surrounding him, trying to find a way to get rid of Daniel. And if you look at verse, let's see, verse 6, then these presidents and princesses assembled together to the king and said thus unto him, King Darius, live forever. Try to flatter and make him look good. Verse 7, all the presidents, of the kingdom, the governors, and the princess, the counselors, and the captains have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for 30 days, save thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. This is not just for all of them, it seems that they're after one man, Daniel, try to get rid of him. Verse 8, now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing that it be not changed according to the law of the Medeus and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore, King Darius, sign the writing and the decree. They're like Come on, come on Darius. Listen to us. We know what we're doing. Just listen to us. Sign and decree. It's going to be worth it. Verse 10, now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house and his windows being open in the chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. I'm not saying that Daniel was the man above everybody else, but God can use Daniel. God did use Daniel. And that Daniel could have done anything else but pray. He could have chose, well, if my life is going to be almost at its end, be thrown in the den of lions, my life is about to be cut short. Maybe I shouldn't pray for these 30 days. Maybe I should just wait it out. Maybe I should see what might happen after this. But he knew that God was far more better than life itself. So he prayed, not less, not more, but he prayed the same amount of times as he did before. And even though he knew that this was very, his life was about to end, very soon. And we all know the story, that when they all found him, they got him in there, he broke the law, they threw him in the den of lions, and what's crazy is that they didn't eat him, that's crazy. When the lions are hungry, they're not gonna play around, they're going to devour you. And when the angel closed the lion's mouth, No one knew what was going on at that moment. It was late. Darius was scared to death. He couldn't sleep. He didn't want no music around. He wasn't hungry. He was definitely worried about Daniel because he loved Daniel. And when Daniel was like, hey, buddy, I'm still alive. Don't worry about me. They praised God because he knew. who he was serving. He knew that God was worthy of praise. He knew God was the only God. And what stood to me about that was Daniel knew that even though that those people were out to get him, trying to, you know, get rid of him, throw him into them lines. He says, get rid of Daniel. He is so annoying. We just got to get rid of him. He knew that they made a decree and the king signed it. He knew, and to me, I felt when we know something, like when we know that we have cancer, we know that our payment is right there ahead, that deadline, or we know that we might have a flat tire somehow, we're like, that flat tire, gotta keep pumping it up, gotta keep going, gotta get to work somehow. I know it's gonna be hard, but I just gotta keep believing in the Lord. But even though Daniel knew that they were about to sign the decree and everything, he kept praying. He said, I'm not going to stop. I mean, this is all part of life. He just kept loving the Lord. I'm going to keep praying. And there's no telling what he could be praying, because I wasn't there. But I know that he was praying to our Heavenly Father. And that's the exciting part. And I really want to get super excited about this, but I definitely don't want to get ahead of myself. But Mark chapter 14, if you'll turn with me. So that was just Daniel we were focusing on for a little bit. But definitely, I want to get to focus on Jesus right here about, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Mark chapter 14. Mark chapter 14 verse 30. Oh, let's see. Actually, let's look at verse 29. Verse 29. But Peter said unto him, although all shall be offended, yet will not I. Verse 30, and Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crowed twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spake the more vehemently, if I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. They all were saying, we're not going to deny you. We're going to be with you to the end. We're not going to leave you. Verse 32, and they came to a place which was named Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, sit ye here while I pray. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John and began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy. Verse 34, and say unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death. Tear ye here and watch. This gets me every time I read it. And he went forward a little and fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass from him. He said, Abba, Father, All things are possible unto thee. Take away this cup from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt. It gets me every time knowing that Jesus was praying to his Father, if it's possible, just let this cup pass from me. Let this hour just pass that I may not have to go through this, talking about the crucifixion. Crucifixion is definitely, I don't know if you've seen the Passion of the Christ, but that was probably closest that we'll ever be able to see Jesus going through that crucifixion. And just by reading what He went through, He didn't stop. He didn't say, I'm done, Father. I've done everything I could. They kept mocking me. They kept forsaking me. All my disciples are gone. He could have just said, Father, I know. He knew the plan. He knew the plan. And he could have just stopped and said, you know what? All these people that are going to just mock me, laugh at me, they're going to whip me. They're going to give me vinegar to drink instead of water. They're going to just watch me die on this cross. I can't. He could have walked away, but it's crazy how at that very moment he looked beyond that. He saw that Jared Ellison can get saved. He saw that these people way ahead of time saw that what we really needed was a savior. He knew that of all the mistakes I made, he knew everything about Jared, even though all the crazy mistakes, all the stuff that, decisions that I made that was poorly. But what's crazy is that he looked way beyond that. And he knew that this plan was the only plan. He could have came as he was. All the disciples, all the people could have believed, like, oh, there's Jesus. He's in the air. He's coming as a king. There he is. But instead, he came as a little boy in a little manger. That's what we celebrate for Christmas was about baby Jesus, that he didn't come just to be born a baby and live his life on this earth but he came to do amazing miracles for people to believe and that he can come and die for our sins. He knew that plan and that plan is not It's going to be easy. It's going to be fine. We're going to just brush it off. It'll be alright. Now this plan made it to where Jesus just had to fall. Just read with me real quick on that one verse, verse 35. And he went forward a little and fell on the ground. How many of you have been here before where you just felt like you're just so heavily burdened and all you can do is just fall down to the ground and just cry and pray The devil might see that as defeat, but I don't think that's defeat. I think it's just getting closer to God. That's just humbling yourself before God and saying, God, I need you more than anything else. But I know that this part right here where Jesus fell to the ground and prayed, I'll read that verse one more time. Verse 36, and he said, I have a father. All things are possible unto thee, which it is. It's true. Take away this cup from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt." It's hard sometimes when we, I feel like we know the plan of God in our life, but we still fight it, we still turn away, we still walk away from it. Jesus had to go through one of the worst things possible, like worst deaths possible, that being crucified, mocked, his beard being pulled, He played a crown of thorns. He deserved to have a crown with gold on him, glorifying him. But instead, they mocked him and put a crown of thorns, probably not small thorns, but really long thorns, and just dried it down into his skull. And they whipped him, and they whipped him over and over and over. And yet, they still made him carry his own cross. That should have been my cross. That should have been the whips on my back. But yet he just kept going. He knew that if it wouldn't be possible, if he would have stopped and said, I wouldn't, I don't know if you believe this or not, but if he would not go to the cross and die for our sins, I don't think John 3.16 would be there. Because it says for God to love the world. that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever. It didn't say very few people, but it said who. It doesn't matter who. It don't matter who you are. You can just believe. Now I'm so thankful for John 3, 16. It's been really dear in my heart. And Miss Suzy, Hammy, and Miss Juanita listening, but that's Brother Eddie's favorite verse, is John 3, 16. He can say it over and over and over. He loved that verse. But I know I'm kind of falling behind a little bit, but I'm trying to get through as quick as I can. But if we look at verse 37 real quick with me, please. And he cometh and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? Couldst not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. And again, he went away and prayed and spake the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. Neither was they what to answer him." Honestly, I'm in that number as well. Because there's been times where I get on my knees and pray. Sometimes I'm just like, yes, Lord, thank you for this food. Wait a minute. I've done that so many times. I'm sleeping. I get tired. My flesh is weak. But I'm so thankful that the Lord just understands. He understands I'm human. But verse 41 says, and he cometh to the third time and said unto them, sleep on now and take your rest. It is enough. The hour is come. Behold, the son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go. Lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. So he knew. He knew who would betray him. He didn't say, I wonder who's going to betray me? Hmm. I'm not sure what's going to happen. No, he knew exactly. Verse 43, and immediately while he yet spake, come unto Judas, one of the 12, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same as he, take him and lead him away safely. And as soon as he was come, he goeth straight away to him and saith, master, master, and kissed him. That's crazy. And they laid their hands on him and took him. And one of them that stood by drew a sword And Samotha, servant of the high priest, cut off his ear. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are you come out as against the thief with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in a temple teaching and you took me not, but the scriptures must be fulfilled. And this is pretty deep too, verse 50. And they all forsook him and fled. So he was betrayed, forsaken, he was beaten, put on a cross, The verse says he was despised and rejected of men. Trying to imagine, trying to be there watching my Savior being beaten, mocked, and put on a cross, it hurts me to know that I'm in that number as well because I was lost. Every time I just kind of did my thing, I just want to live my life for myself. But it really, truly changed me when he came. This is thousands of years later, thousands of years ago. My Savior would die for those now. It blows my mind to know that it's real. His blood has power to this day. It's not, oh, it's for those that are just in that area. It's amazing grace. I love that song too, Amazing Grace, that saved a wretch like me. I know I don't deserve it, but I saw this verse as well, but if you want to turn with me, we can, but John chapter 16, John chapter 16. John chapter 16 verse 28. Try to be quick. I know you guys are ready. Getting a bit early. I might get in bed early too so I can get some sleep. No, I'm just kidding. But John chapter 16 verse 28 says, I came forth from the Father. and am coming to the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee? By this we believe that thou camest forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace in the world, ye shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. It still amazes me to this day that of all the things that I've done wrong, and that even though Jesus knew that he would be forsaken, he would be betrayed, and in this verse where it says, and shall leave me alone, he was all alone in that moment. All his friends forsaken him, disciples, everybody, even Peter, decided, I don't know this man. Cursed him and said, I don't know this man. I've never seen this man. And literally just like cold turkey, like, I don't even know this man. He knew that all of this was going to be placed. Everything's going to go in order. Everything's going to be as planned. And it just amazed me that, and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. So I don't know what you guys are going through. I know that I've had my share of hard times. I know that there's gonna be future of more tribulations and heartaches in this world. But if you look at verse 33, there is your confidence in the Lord. I have overcome the world. So I know either, I know what everybody's going through, it's like job situation, finance, you know, cancer, treatments, you know, going through surgery. I mean, we can all go, if we all, if I could stand here right now and say, I want everybody to raise their hand about some things that they're going through, everybody raise your hand. I would raise my hand, I would raise both my hands, because there's always something that we're all facing, there's always something that we're all going through. But we're not alone. We have a mighty God that has been with us every step of the way. There has not been one time God said, oh, Jared, you make me frustrated. And he just turned and walked away. He could have done that a long time ago. But he's still with me to this day. I wouldn't stay with me, because I've driven myself insane sometimes, too. But I just want to say, we serve an amazing God. Because no matter how many times that we have failed him, he knew, he knew, he can probably write down and say, Jared's going to mess up 5,386 times. That's just a number. I might mess up more, I don't know. But he still loves me the same. His love never changes, and he never changes. Amazing God and even though that back in Daniel in the lion's den It's it just it just being trying to be in his place trying to imagine being in his place knowing that I just going in the back of his mind, knowing that everybody was standing around him, watching him pray, knowing that they already signed everything, signed it that, yes, if anybody prays to a God or anybody else, they're going to be throwing in the denim lions, hungry lions. They're not vegetarians. Sorry, I didn't mean to make that point, sorry. But anyway, but it amazes me to know that you can go thousands of years back, God is still the same. Because he loves his people. He created, we people, we all believe the same. None of us are, we may have different character, but we all have that sin nature. But I'm so thankful that God has stood with us right here. Even with Daniel being a lion's den all alone, even with some lions, but he was, in that moment, nobody was around to comfort him. It's okay, Daniel, even though you're around a bunch of lions, you're gonna be okay. He had no encouragement from anybody. And for one thing, he had to keep pacing around. This, I don't know, this doesn't look very promising for Daniel, but he had God on his side. I'm so glad God is on our side, because I don't know if you guys need it, but we need the Holy Spirit. We need God to be on our side, because I can look around. Anybody can fail you. Anybody can let you down. And you can say, hey, I need a ride to work. I need somebody to pick me up at this such and such time. And they get up. They let you down. They're not there to pick you up. You're stranded. Anybody can let you down. Not one time have I written down that God has let me down. Let's see. Let's see how many times. Zero. God has not let me down. Not one time. It gets me stirred up knowing that there's so many lost people out in this world blaming that God has let them down. But yet they turn their back. They don't even get to know the Lord. The Lord is compassionate, loving, and caring. And God set His only Son to be the replacement. It should have been me to that cross. But instead, God chose Jesus, His Son, to go to the cross instead. So, He knew this whole plan. But guess what? My Jesus is not dead. He may have died on the cross, But he's only a few days, three days later, he's not, you can go to the grave, you can do that all you want. See the stone looking there, oh no bones, he's gone. He's not here, for he is risen. So he even knew that moment of that plan, knowing that I don't have the words to say, but it's horrific how they beat him. They put him on that cross and did all that to my Savior, my Jesus. But when he gave up the ghost, Well, before that, he said, it is finished. So everything he did was for the glory of God. And he did everything, everything that God wanted him to do. And then whenever he got finished, he sat down right hand of the throne of God. So when he said, it is finished, he says it's finished. It's not when we say it's finished. He says it's finished. So I'm so thankful that no matter what we face, we have a God that knows. He knows everything. And even though we go through some heartaches in this life, but instead of complaining and frustrating and blaming other people, how about we get a hold of God and get on our knees and just pray. That's why we have that relationship with Jesus Christ. He's that comforter. We come before Him and just pray, Lord, I got so many things going on right now. I'm stressing. I don't know how to put all this together. Lord, help me. It doesn't matter what you pray for, just give it to the Lord because He knows. He knows everything. And I'll stop right there, because I am a talker. And the more I talk, the more I go off rabbit trails. But thank y'all for listening. And just keep serving the Lord. Don't stop. Because we're so close to the finish line. We don't need to turn back now.