In Daniel, Chapter 7, Daniel has visions. His vision begins with chaos. The sea is stirred. Strange beasts emerge. Powerful kingdoms rise. It’s unsettling. And that’s part of the point. The Bible doesn’t pretend the world is always peaceful and predictable. There are things that frighten us. There are powers we cannot control. There are…
In Daniel Chapter 7, Daniel wants to understand the beasts. That’s understandable. We want answers too. We want to know: What will happen? When will it happen? How will it turn out? But the most important truth in the chapter isn’t the identity of every beast. It’s the identity of the King. Sometimes we become…
“He got down on his knees and prayed… just as he had done before.” Daniel 6:10 When Daniel heard the decree to bow down to the statue, he went back home and prayed. That was his response because prayer was already his daily practice. Our responses under pressure usually reveal what we’ve been practicing. So…
Faith doesn’t require God to give me the outcome I want before I obey Him. In Daniel 3:17–18, we see that: We need to be reminded that God is able. God is good. And even if He doesn’t do what I want, He is still worthy. We also need to remember that Jesus did not…
Daniel lived in Babylon. He learned its language, studied its literature, worked within its government, and was even given a Babylonian name. In many ways, Daniel became part of Babylonian society. But Babylon never became the deepest part of Daniel. Daniel understood something we easily forget: where you live is not the same as who…
I had the opportunity to spend the week in Jamaica with some friends. As you might imagine, Jamaica attracts people from all over the world. Over the week, we met people from different countries, cultures, backgrounds, and walks of life. And we were different. We spoke differently. We liked different foods. We laughed at different…
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters…” Colossians 3:23–24 Labor Day gives us a chance to step away from work for a moment. But it also gives us a chance to think about why we work in the first place. For many of…
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42 That’s a verse we are all familiar with, and today it got me thinking that there’s a big difference between wanting something and building your life around something. Most of us want to be closer…
Spiritual transformation is not sustained by moments—it is formed through rhythms. Most people want a deeper relationship with God, but they’re trying to build it on: And then they wonder, “Why do I feel inconsistent?” “Why don’t I feel close to God?” The truth is, you don’t build a strong life on occasional moments; you…
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works…” Ephesians 2:10 God transforms us not only for our own benefit but for the blessing of others. Your faith is meant to overflow into your family, workplace, church, and community. Someone needs the encouragement, kindness, wisdom, or generosity that God has placed inside…