After a long time looking forward to it, I’ve finally started a series on the Book of Daniel.  It should be lots of fun because on the one hand it’s very well known for its stories about Daniel in the Lion’s Den and Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego in the fiery furnace.  But at the same time, a lot of people have never dug into the prophecy in the second half of the book, which is so interwoven with many of the other Old Testament prophets in scripture, and New Testament writings,  including the Book of Revelation, which has intricate connections with Daniel.

So this first part is an introduction that sets up the book, and gives a little taste of the history and political environment leading up to Daniel’s life.  I hope you enjoy it!

Click the Podcast link to listen.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:56 — 20.1MB)

Judge not lest ye be judged.  Ever heard that line before?  I’ll bet when you heard it, it came from somebody who didn’t want to be held accountable for their choices.  But do you think an out of context Bible verse is the best defense of irresponsibility?  Listen to the podcast and you be the judge…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:04 — 25.2MB)

It seems like Christianity is becoming less and less popular in pop culture and mass media.  So maybe all of us Christians should just give up and become atheists. They’re even killing off our brothers and sisters in Africa and the Middle East.  Now’s maybe a good time to get out before it gets that bad in the U.S.  Then again, Jesus did warn us that following him wouldn’t be easy.  Maybe we should take him at his word, count the cost, and live out our faith with some real commitment.  Just an idea.

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Don’t you think it’s ironic that so many politicians end their speeches with the words “God bless America” and then they go on to lie, cheat and trade votes for pork and basically do the opposite of blessing the country themselves.  It’s like praying to lose weight and then eating nothing but greasy junk food.

Doesn’t it make a lot more sense, if you want God’s blessings, to do things that are conducive to receiving his blessings.  God isn’t going to rain down blessings on a sinful, narcissistic, and atheistic nation.   If we truly want to be blessed it requires humility, prayer, turning away from wickedness, and truly seeking the face of God.  And if we as a nation will do that, God promises to forgive our sins and heal our land.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:36 — 20.9MB)

I remember when the word tolerance used to mean only accepting those things that fall within acceptable limits.  For example a machined bolt had to be made within tolerance or else it was garbage because it would do the job it was designed to do.  So it was ok to have a little adjustment room, but if you never set any limits, you would actually be working against the ability of things to function well.

Today, culture has redefined the word to mean basically the opposite.  You only have tolerance if you have no moral boundaries.  Tolerance today goes beyond just accepting other viewpoints to actually supporting all views and lifestyles regardless of how dangerous they may be to yourself, your family, and society.

It’s an impossible system because if applied fairly in all cases the philosophy should accept even the viewpoints of Christians who do not accept anti-God behaviors.  But  typically the modern “tolerance” movement accepts everything except conservative Christian values.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:40 — 17.7MB)

What’s life all about?  The things you do?  The places you go?  The people you know?

Or is it who you are?

Or does it go even deeper than that?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:40 — 17.2MB)

Jesus is alive!  I don’t know about you, but I think that’s the best news ever.  And it’s crazy to think that the King of all creation ever had to die in the first place.  What kind of God would die for a bunch of wicked, rebellious, peons?  He certainly didn’t have to die.  He could wipe us all out with a snap of his fingers and completely get rid of the mess we’ve made of things.  But he hasn’t.  He sacrificed himself to give us the hope of finding a brand new life in him.  What an amazing gift.  He must really love us!  And we can count on him and all the promises he made because he is alive.  Praise the Lord!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:41 — 19.1MB)

Do you think you’d get a better report on the Civil War from a modern historian or by spending some time with Abraham Lincoln?  Do you think you could get a better picture of what the Apollo 11 moon landing was like by checking out the NASA website or by sitting down with Neil Armstrong and having him tell you the story about when he took that small step/giant leap?

Obviously, if it were possible to talk to the people who had been a part of events in the past, you’d get some amazing stories about those events.  You could get a feeling for what it was like by talking to the people who were there when it happened.

Did your parents ever tell you about when you were born?  Did your grandparents ever tell you about what it was like to live through the Great Depression or to watch the Apollo Moon Landing on live TV?  Wasn’t it cool to hear those stories from the people who’d seen it happen?

So along those same lines, would it be better to learn about the history of the world from somebody who was never there but had made a guess about what might have happened as the world started or from Someone who was there, Someone who actually built the Earth, Someone who designed the universe as a star spangled backdrop for His favorite creation to enjoy when the sun went down?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 52:32 — 24.0MB)

To be independent is the opposite of being dependent.  So when it comes to your own life, do you have independence or are you in dependence?  Do you work to provide for yourself and your family or do you depend on government to provide for you?

The only way to have real freedom and liberty, is to live a life that is self-controlled, self-reliant, and self governed so that nobody else has to control you.

Are you truly free?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:11 — 19.8MB)

Hey Church!  I have a bone to pick with you.  Yeah you–the whole Church–all you people who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ.  Do you remember what Jesus prayed for you before he was crucified?  He prayed that we would all be ONE–just like he and the Father are one.  And do you remember why he prayed that?  So that the world would KNOW that God sent Jesus.  Well guess what?  You have fractured the church into so many opposing groups that the world looks at you and says, “Ok, so which one of these factions should I believe in?  They all seem to disagree.  So why should I believe in Jesus, if his prayer for his church didn’t even work?  How can I be any worse off by not believing in what any of these groups say?”

Real nice job church!  You’ve made quite a mess of Christ’s prayer.

So how about working on that problem?  Why don’t you start living like Jesus did…in PERFECT unity with God.  Don’t let there be even a hint of immorality and sin in you.  Let the world see a body of believers who live pure lives from pure hearts made pure and kept pure by cooperating with the power of the Holy Spirit.  Do you remember how upset Jesus was by those who claimed to be “religious” but were really just religious hypocrites?  Don’t be anything like that.  Let your life be lived the way your Lord commands it to be lived–RIGHTEOUSLY!

I guarantee if every person who claimed to follow Jesus actually lived like Jesus, that the world would have no choice but to understand exactly who Jesus is and that God sent him into the world.  And, if the church (the whole church) lived in perfect unity with Jesus and obeyed all of his commands, she would automatically live in perfect unity as the “body” of Christ.  The church would be ONE.

Read John 17 and think about it.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:33 — 21.3MB)