This Sunday we return to our study in Daniel, "Living in God's World, Even When It's Hard." We are in the middle of the section where Daniel sees all these strange visions regarding the future. This week we see how he responds to the visions. His response answers a question we often ask, "If God knows and controls the future, what's our responsibility, if any?" Daniel falls on his face in humble prayer for himself and God's people. We will never go wrong by humbling ourselves. It sets us up in the ultimate position to receive grace from God. Are you ready for God do something wonderful? Repentance helps us be ready for God to do a powerful work in our personal lives and in our church. Please come Sunday. Let's make ourselves ready for God to do something wonderful.

This Sunday, we are excited to hear from Lincoln and Jenny Fitch who serve at universities in Pennsylvania through DiscipleMakers. Lincoln will also be sharing God's word with us through a message, The Surprising Way Up, based on 1 Peter 5:1-6. We have been hard-wired with a longing to be honored, lifted up, and recognized. Not only others, but most of all by God. But the way up, as 1 Peter 5 shows, is perhaps not what we expect.

The theme of VBS has been about how we Magnify the Lord. This Sunday, the children and the VBS crew will share with the whole church and their parents all that we have experienced this week. It will be so amazing and so much fun. Then we will take a few minutes to look at what Psalm 19 says about how we magnify the Lord.

We continue in our series, "Living in God's World, Even When It's Hard." This Sunday we will look at one of the most famous Bible stories of all time, Daniel in the lions' den. Even under a new administration, Daniel still has a horrible time with opposition. This time, the trouble doesn't come from those above him, but his colleagues and those below him. They are so devious. And yet Daniel shines like an incredibly bright light with all of the evil that surrounds him and seems to have it out for him. How was he able to do this? Our story actually tells us, and it's pretty exciting.

As we continue in our series "Living in God's World, Even When It's Hard," guess what? It gets harder and worse. The next King of Babylon mentioned is worse that those before. Have you ever been in difficult times, asking God for relief, only to have life get even harder? It happens to all of us at one time or another. Yet when it seems to get worse, God is still there. He shows up. Daniel still brings the word of God even when it is not welcomed. God is at work even when it gets harder. It is so helpful to know this when we're going through it. How will God show up for you this week?

In our ongoing series, "Living in God's World, Even When It's Hard," we will see one more scene with the troubled king Nebuchadnezzar. Once again, Daniel is on the spot to help him. Why is God so on this particular king's case? What does he want from the King? What is God doing? When we know a little more about the history of Babylon and Israel, both inside and outside of the book of Daniel, we see what may be going on. God wants particular things from this king that are actually helpful for all leaders. But will Nebuchadnezzar listen? He's a slow learn. How many times does God have to tell you something for you to get the message? We seldom learn humility without pain. But is one of the most priceless lessons of life.

This week in our series "Living in God's World, Even When It's Hard," we will notice the one thing that the three Hebrew men, captives and servants of the king, would not do. They could not, no, would not do—One Thing. They would rather die than do this one thing. And death was waiting there, drooling, to receive them into its fiery mouth with pleasure. For some reason they were not afraid of death. Their colleagues betrayed them. The king raged at them. There was music and celebration all waiting for them if they would only do this one thing and death if they would not. They would not. But death did not win the day, when the three of them stood there alone, with the weight of the world pressuring them to give in. What was the one thing that kept them from giving in?

This Sunday in our series, "Living in God's World, Even When It's Hard" we will see the first recorded vision that Daniel receives as a prophet of God. Daniel's visions are among some of the most unusual in the entire Bible. What I notice in Daniel 2 is the striking contrast. There is the little picture of what Daniel, his friends and Nebuchadnezzar are going through. But then there is the big picture of God's plan for the history of the entire world. God is personally involved and moving in both dimensions-the micro dimension of our personal lives and the macro-dimension of working redemption in the entire world. It makes me love God and bow in awe of Him. Why would God want to use such ordinary people like me and you? How is it that we have a small part in his amazing plan? Let us delight in God together this week as we ponder the end of Daniel 2.

We continue our series "Living in God's World, Even When It's Hard" in Daniel 2. Things are seeming to go from hard to harder for the 4 Hebrew boys. The King is on a deadly rant. The difference between the fearful rage of Nebuchadnezzar and the calm composure of Daniel is profound. How could he be so calm when his life and that of many others hung in the balance? How can someone be so bold, composed and good in the face of such evil? I want some of what he has. How about you? Let's find it together this Sunday.

This Sunday we begin an all new series, "Living In God's World: Even When It's Hard" from the book of Daniel. The first scene focuses on four young Jewish men taken captive to work in the administration of the king of Babylon. They are treated well. They have all they could want: nice clothing, good food, a place to live in the palace, new names, and the highest education the Babylonian Empire had to offer. If all goes well with them, they can just walk away from their old life in Israel into an exciting new life in Babylon. They could give up their faith and no one would care. They could have it all. Nobody would ask them if they were being faithful to their God. They could just enjoy the pleasures and freedoms given them in the palace. All they had to do was just go with the flow in Babylon. Why wouldn't they? But they don't. Is it possible that God will be with them even though they are far away from Israel, when no one else cared if they were faithful to God or not? Come see.