Posts with the category “message-series”

Sometimes, when we study the end times in the Bible, we try to crack the code to figure out God’s plans for the future. But God is not hiding anything from us—prophecy is supposed to reassure us. In Daniel 7, we learn about a visionary dream Daniel had that reminds us of the God we serve. The God of the furnace and the God of the lion’s den is the same God who reigns over heaven and earth. Daniel ...  Read More

Daniel’s experience in the lions’ den was his final demonstration of how to live for God within a godless culture. It was a result of small, daily acts behind closed doors when no one was looking. Daniel didn’t suddenly muster up the courage to face a group of hungry lions. His character was built by the habits he formed over decades. Building his muscles of faith equipped him to be among lions....  Read More

Pride is a blind spot that we often don’t recognize in ourselves until it’s too late. In Daniel 4-5, God confronts the pride of two powerful kings. It’s a story about how He ultimately brought down the Babylonian Empire, but it also shows how He deals with prideful, rebellious people in all times and places. God will always have the final word. Our hope isn’t in our circumstances. It’s in Him....  Read More

When Daniel’s friends were told to bow down to a golden idol, they were courageous in their convictions. As a result, they were thrown into a fiery furnace. We all face our own furnaces that ultimately reveal who we are and who we’re becoming. When we go into the heat, we’re not alone. We can trust God to refine us to become more like Him....  Read More

In Daniel 1, we saw Babylon’s strategy to influence Daniel. In chapter 2, we see Daniel’s strategy to influence Babylon. God was at work in and through Daniel because he didn’t isolate, blend in, or water down. He was deeply involved in others’ lives who were far from God, and he lived unapologetically for God. When the pressure’s on, God wants to give us a solid foundation so we can make a differ...  Read More

The book of Daniel is a roadmap for how godly people can thrive in a godless culture. Daniel lived for God in a way that was winsome and influential. He didn’t just survive the godless culture around him. He thrived in it, got promoted in it, and was viewed with respect and had influence within it. While Babylon tried to indoctrinate him, Daniel held onto his distinctiveness and didn’t compromise ...  Read More