In many ways we live in a culture "where there is a subconscious drive to eliminate mystery.” How many calories are in an M&M? Ask Siri. How far away is Mars? Ask Alexa. Yet how does this constant conditioning impact our interaction with a God who in many ways is both above and beyond our ability to understand or comprehend?

Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discover how key mystery is in knowing God. You can click here to access our weekly podcast (releases Monday).

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Not knowing is uncomfortable. There’s a subconscious drive to have the answers and to eliminate mystery. Not knowing is not something we’re used to in our advanced Western culture. We can figure out and understand some things — a lot of things, in fact. But we can’t always do that with God. So, what are we supposed to do with that? Pastor Mike helps us make sense of living with the mysteries of God.

Message by Mike Van Rees

Scripture referenced: Daniel 11:36–45

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For many, the animal sacrifices depicted in the Old Testament come across as unusual if not unsettling. Yet as we learned from Pastor Mike's message, life requires the sacrifice of life — it is a key part of our existence not only physically but spiritually.

Join Pastor Mike and Will as they explore how the discipline of sacrifice plays out in our day-to-day relationship with God and others.

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The abomination that causes desolation mentioned in Daniel 11 is pivotal to understanding the chapter. But what is it? Remember that what was prophecy for Daniel is history for us. To topple Israel, Antiochus Epiphanes’s strategy was this: to abolish the daily sacrifice. Pastor Mike explains the meaning behind animal sacrifice, the importance of daily sacrifice, and why it’s so important that we live for something more than ourselves.

Message by Mike Van Rees

Scripture referenced: Daniel 11:29–35

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One of the many amazing aspects of the gospel is that we can experience deep transformation through the work of God's Spirit. Yet how does this change happen? And how can we know we are in the right place to encounter God in this transformative way?

Join Will and Leadership and Ministry Director, Julie Wiemann as they discuss what exactly this supernatural work of God looks like in our daily lives.

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As Pastor Mike mentioned, God's sovereignty can fill us with hope and encouragement from the past and for the future. And yet it can also raise some questions, particularly when things happen in our lives that are painful and challenging.

Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss how we navigate those seasons as well as ways in which we can grow in trust in God and His ways.

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Kings, battles and conquests fill Daniel 11, and admittedly, it’s confusing. But it is significant for us even today. Daniel 11 shows us that God’s sovereignty doesn’t mean that everything that happens is good and happy or even what God desires. But here’s the good news: God loves us and will not abandon us. He is good despite the pain and hurt. And He brings good out of bad, joy out of pain, blessing out of grief, resurrection out of crucifixion.

Message by Mike Van Rees

Scripture referenced: Daniel 11

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Daniel 10 pulls back the curtain on the physical world into the spiritual realm. Cosmic battles and angels being held captive are some of what was happening behind the scenes, yet how do we respond to this today? Are we really involved in a spiritual battle? Are there really forces at work against us?

Join Pastor Mike and Will as they seek to answer these questions and more.

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Daniel 10 articulates another vision — one of a powerful Jesus — and a message from an angel. Through these two things we see beyond the visible to the spiritual war being waged between God and the enemy. We see that there is an adversary, there is an opponent. He is against God and against us. Satan orchestrates sickness and chaos. But regardless of what we see and feel, there is a deeper power at work in this world: The resurrection power of Jesus.

Message by Mike Van Rees

Scripture referenced: Daniel 10:1–13, 17–19

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Symbolic images and biblical mathematics — Daniel 9 offers the kind of ingredients that are often hard to digest for the average Bible reader. So how do we go about tackling passages like this? Join Pastor Mike and Will as they share insights into how to approach Bible reading as well as how prophecy passages like this can break the hold of fear in our lives.

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