Sermon from Sunday, August 16, 2015 at Good Shepherd Platte County.

We make decisions everyday. Some are simple, others more complex. Decisions seem more complex when we must decide between good and good, or bad and bad. If we look at the bigger picture, it may cause us to reassess our priorities, to change our preferred course, or to set our mind on the things of God.

Sermon given during our Everest VBS worship celebration.

We’ve all done it, and we’ve all had it done to us: someone tells us one thing but does another. The same thing happens in this story of two sons. What we’ll discover is that what we do reveals our desires.

Circumstances can have us feeling banished or separated from people, places, and jobs/work we know and love. How we forge a life under our new circumstances can indicate whether we are happy or miserable. Living in exile makes everything seem temporary (friends, work, school). We try not to engage or connect because our heart is somewhere else. What if God wants to do great things through us under our new normal? What if we accept it and flourish for the Kingdom, taking control of ending the exile feeling?

The King's advisors in the early Babylonian empire began to get jealous of Daniel following his repeated promotions. As they watched his daily routine, they convinced the king to sign a decree that everyone should worship the king, not God. Then they sat back and watched. As Daniel continued to faithfully worship God, the king was forced to throw him into the lion's den. When we're watched, do we have the same faith to act in a way that points those watching toward God?

Sometimes we get into patterns of behavior that focus on us rather than on God. We focus only on our problems, or our successes, and we forget about our creator. Many times we are offered signs, signals, and warning through various means or people to let us know that what we're doing isn't life-giving or sustainable. Are we paying attention to the "writing on the wall"?

There are tons of things that distract us from what matters most in our lives. When we get distracted, how do we come back around to keep the main thing the main thing? What helps us return our focus on God and building His kingdom?

It can feel strange or awkward to help someone else that you don't trust, or like, or respect. When Daniel interprets the dreams of King Nebuchadnezzar, he's doing just that. Why does Daniel choose to help someone who is so callous and dismissive of others? How does God use Daniel's dream interpretations for good?

When Judah is conquered by the Chaldeans, Daniel lives his life out in exile in Babylon. Choosing to deny royal rations, he placed his future in God's hands. God was made known to the Chaldeans through a simple change in diet, and Daniel's ability to impact the Kingdom increased. In what ways do we trust God to use parts of our lives to impact the Kingdom? Are we willing to be put to the test so that God might be made known to others?