This week we discussed stress, anxiety, threat responses, panic attacks, and anxiety disorders. Feel free to share this with anyone who might find it helpful. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, do not self-diagnose but talk to your doctor and get help. There is hope. There is healing. Your “now” is not your “forever.”

Freedom. It’s what we Americans sing about. It’s what we brag about. It’s what we thank God for. It’s what we honor our troops for fighting for.

But long before there was a United States of America, there was a longing for freedom. There is something innate within us as humans that longs to be free. Free from constraints and responsibilities and consequences. Free to make our own choices and mistakes. Free to say what we want, think what we want, act how we want, and get what we want.

We long to be free. So what about this freedom we have in Christ? One of the last things people think of when it comes to religion is freedom. Sure, we have the freedom to practice our religion without fear of state persecution. But when we follow a religion we are willingly assuming more constraints on our lives and are therefore less free. Right?

Jesus came to preach freedom as part of the Kingdom of Heaven.
     He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
    to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
(Luke 4:16-21)

     Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
(Matthew 11:4-6)

     To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free….So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
(John 8:31-32, 36)


So we have freedom in Christ as his followers. But there are ways we might not be as free as we think. If Jesus came to bring freedom, you better believe that Satan wants to keep us in bondage as long as possible. There may even be ways in which we think we are free but really aren’t. Let’s use three examples from the animal kingdom that I think are every bit as applicable to our own lives.

HOW TO TRAP YOUR MONKEY


     As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
     Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
(Luke 9:57-58)

Do you have pesky monkeys making a mess of everything around your property? Do you want to trap them and get them away from your house and land? Then try a gourd trap.

The way it works is incredibly simple. Just get a large gourd and cut a small hole in the side. Hollow out the entire inside and then place a shiny ball of foil, a coin, or even some rice inside. The monkey will see the desirable object and reach in to steal it. The hole will be large enough for the monkey to slip its hand into; however, once the monkey has a hold of the object it cannot remove its balled up fist.

All it has to do is let go of the object and slip its hand back out, but it won’t. It’s trapped. Congratulations, you’ve caught a monkey.

How many of us can relate? We are just like that monkey. We know what we need to let go of, but we can’t. Is it a grudge? A bad habit? An addiction? A toxic relationship? A too busy schedule?

It seems cliche, but there is freedom in letting go. The enemy knows exactly what to put in that gourd to trap us. For some it might be the pursuit of more financial success or that promotion at work. For others it might be recognition in the community or becoming captain of your ball team. Maybe it’s family.

It doesn’t have to be a bad thing in that gourd. It just has to be something you aren’t willing to let go of. That’s why Jesus said that unless you deny yourself, take up your cross and follow him, you can’t be his disciple. He told the rich young ruler to sell all his possessions and then come follow him. The guy couldn’t do it. He couldn’t let go.

What are you holding onto in that gourd? Let it go. Give it up so that you can find real freedom.

THE ELEPHANT AND THE ROPE


     He said to another man, “Follow me.”
     But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
     Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
(Luke 9:59-60)

There is a story told of a man traveling abroad. He passed by another man with an elephant. The elephant, he noticed, was enormous yet it was held in place by a small rope tied to a metal stake stuck in the ground. If the elephant wanted to he could easily pull free and be on his way. The traveler was intrigued, so he asked the owner how he kept this massive animal contained with a simple rope and stake.

The owner answered that when the elephant is very young they tie a larger rope around his leg and attach it to a much stronger post. The elephant pulls and pulls but is never able to budge. It is truly stuck. So it learns as it gets older that as soon as it feels the rope around its leg and a little bit of resistance, it is stuck and cannot go anywhere.

The elephant is conditioned to think it is trapped even though it could easily be free. The only thing holding it back is its past conditioning.

I’m all for raising children with guidelines, rules, and boundaries. But as they get older, they must experience freedom from those constraints.

The same goes for our faith. I hear people say, “I wasn’t raised that way” or “that wasn’t what I was taught.” Well, maybe it’s time to tug a little harder on that tradition or teaching. Maybe it’s time to stop letting our past and traditions hold us back from experiencing the freedom we have in Christ. We might be resigned to doing things the way they’ve always been done because we feel bound by our past. But Jesus came to bring freedom. Retrain your brain to pull. You are stronger than your past. You are capable of enjoying the freedom you have in Christ now without being a prisoner to your upbringing.

THE BUCKET OF CRABS


     Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
     Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
(Luke 9:61-61)

Maybe you’ve heard of “the crab mentality.” It’s a concept that comes from those who catch crabs. If you put one crab alone in a bucket, it will almost certainly climb out and escape. However, if you get several crabs in a bucket, they will keep each other from escaping. If one attempts to scale the walls to freedom, then other crabs will reach up and pull that rebellious crab back down into the bucket with the others where it belongs.

You can probably see where I’m going with this. The “crab mentality” is a phenomenon that happens in social circles all the time. If someone begins to excel academically, they are bullied. If someone stands out on the ball court, then they are called a showoff or ball hog. If someone gets on fire for Jesus, then they are ostracized or ridiculed until they calm back down.

The crab mentality keeps too many people from pursuing their dreams because of all the nay-sayers around them. It keeps people from stepping out in faith because “we’ve never done it that way.” It keeps people from truly following God’s calling on their lives because my parents would kill me if I left college to become a missionary.


We’re all just a big bucket of crabs pulling each other down. Instead, we should be like mama birds pushing their babies out of the nest so they can fly and be free. Real freedom is found in following God’s calling for your life no matter what the pessimists around you say. Real freedom is found in climbing out of that boat on the stormy sea so that you can be closer to Jesus even if the other eleven guys stay in. Real freedom is found in refusing to bow to the gods of this world even if that means risking your career, your social status, or even your life.

DO YOU WANT TO BE FREE?


     It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
(Galatians 5:1)

In each of those three interactions Jesus has with would-be disciples in Luke 9, we see something holding them back from experiencing the freedom that comes from following Christ. The first didn’t want to let go of the life he had built for himself. He wasn’t ready to sacrifice all the things he had worked for. The second wanted to follow Jesus, but he wanted to wait until his father died. The indication is not that his father is already dead and he has to go to the funeral. The text implies that the father is still living, and this man can’t follow Jesus until his dad is out of the picture. He is letting his past and upbringing keep him bound. He should be free to leave any time he wants, but it’s his relationship with his father that is holding him back. The third wants to say goodbye to his family. That seems reasonable, but the implication is that his family isn’t coming along with him. If he goes back now, there is the real chance that they could dissuade him and pull him back into that bucket.

How badly do you want it? If you want true freedom in following Christ, then you must let go of whatever you are holding onto; you must stop letting your past hold you back; and you must determine to follow no matter who else goes along with you and no matter what anyone else thinks or says.

What’s holding you back most often? Are you a monkey, and elephant, or a crab?

Why is it weird to pray outside of church?

Because we’ve made it weird.

I admit that I’m not one to always pray at a restaurant before a meal. But we do pray around our dining table at home and before bed and on the way to school. I try to normalize it for our family to pray. We try to pray anytime we see a wreck or an ambulance drive by. And I’ve been trying to get better about stopping to pray right then and there whenever someone asks me to pray for someone or something.

The problem is that we compartmentalize our lives too much. We have our prayer life, our church life, school life, sports life, family life, work life, social life. There is a place for everything and everything in its place. We take God out of his box when we go to church, but then we shelve him when it’s time for school or the game.

The thing is, God doesn’t want your “spiritual life.” He wants your life. All of it. The whole thing.
      Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
(Romans 12:1-2)

I love the way Eugene Peterson words this passage in The Message:
     So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

God wants your whole life. Jesus is King over every part of our lives.

The thing about prayer, specifically, is that we don’t have to stop, close our eyes, fold our hands, and bow our heads. Prayer is a way of living in constant contact and communication with God. That’s why Paul can say,
     Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, The Message)

Pray all the time. Never stop praying. Pray without ceasing. How can we do that if we have to close our eyes and bow our heads? Prayer is simply keeping near to God throughout our day.

Every breath can be a prayer of thanks. Every ache and pain can be a prayer for healing and strength. Every joy can be a prayer of praise. Every laughter, every step, every meal can be a prayer.

I appreciate the words of a couple songs that I will close with.

In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to Thee
(“A Living Prayer” by Allison Kraus)

May my steps be worship
May my thoughts be praise
May my words bring honor to Your name
(“Father God”)

Praying outside of church is only weird if we’ve made it weird. Don’t make it weird. Make it your life, part of who you are, all day every day.

It is no secret that I’m a huge Star Wars fan. I could talk for hours about the movies, the books, the details, the meanings and symbolism, and the future of the franchise. When I visited Disney World last November, I felt right at home at the Black Spire Outpost on Batuu (AKA Galaxy’s Edge).

One of the best things to happen to the Star Wars Universe…er…Galaxy is the Disney+ hit show, The Mandalorian. If you’ve been living inside a giant asteroid worm and haven’t seen the show or anything about it, then go watch it. I have spoken.

The show is essentially a “space western” following the eponymous Mandalorian, our main mysterious character. We don’t even see his face or hear his real name until late in the series. He is a bounty hunter commissioned to bring in a high-risk, high-reward target – the 50 year old youngling affectionately named by fans “Baby Yoda.”

As cute and awesome as Baby Yoda is, that’s not what I want to talk about. This show gives us a glimpse into the secretive life of the remaining Mandalorians. They were once a great race of warriors from the planet Mandalore. They were renowned for their armor, their battle tactics, and their honor code. According to that code, a warrior must never remove his helmet or have it removed by another person. It symbolizes their commitment not only to their people but also to their way of life. Throughout the series you hear “Mando” and his fellow remaining Mandalorians affirm, “This is the way.”

**POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD**

I say “remaining” Mandalorians because their homeworld and their people were destroyed by the Empire. They were all but wiped out, and those that remain were forced into hiding as refugees throughout the galaxy. But their legends followed them. Mandalorian armor was a high value treasure that was worn by proud and boastful outsiders like Jango and Boba Fett. The real Mandalorians live in underground communities that cannot grow too large without blowing their cover. They must be careful about revealing themselves and their location. They are a tight-knit group of like-minded warriors who must keep their identities and communities safely hidden from the Empire – or what remains of it in this case.

But we also learn that “Mando” wasn’t a naturally born citizen of Mandalore or the Mandalorian people. He was saved by Mandalorian warriors as a child when his own home world was invaded and attacked by the Empire. He was rescued and taken in as one of their own. He was trained in their ways and customs to become a Mandalorian warrior himself. He willingly chose to don the armor and helmet. He chose to submit himself to “The Way.”

Their commitment to a specific way of life has me thinking and wondering – Are we as committed to anything in our own lives as the Mandalorians are to their way of life?


I think as Christians we can learn a lot from the Mandalorians. No, not how to shoot a rocket launcher while flying with a jet pack — although that would be awesome! But their level of commitment should be evident in our own lives.

For the average American citizen, the strongest allegiance is to their favorite sports team. Yes, you read that right. The average American is more committed to their sports team than they are to their country, their family, their spouse, their job, or their religion. In other words, a man could divorce his wife, leave his family, quit his job, and move to Taiwan, but he will still be a Cubs fan until the day he dies.

We aren’t committed to anything anymore. When surveyed, most Americans will agree with the statement that “loyalty is a declining virtue in this country.” But they will ALSO agree with the statement, “I am more loyal than the average person.” We see this across the spectrum. Employees are not staying with a company as long anymore. Adults are waiting longer and longer to get married and have kids. And whereas “regular church attendance” meant 2-3 times per week 15 years ago, now that has come to mean 2-3 times per month.

There is something refreshing about those people in my life who are truly committed. I admire those couples who have been married for five decades. I appreciate those workers who retire from the same company they started with. I look up to those ministers who have been with a church for 15+ years. Most of all, I want to be like those people who live consistent lives day in and day out no matter what the circumstances.

When we make a commitment to follow Christ, we are taking off the old self and clothing ourselves with Christ. When people see the main character in the first-ever live action Star Wars TV show, they don’t see Din Djarin, they see the Mandalorian. He chose to put on that armor and never remove it in front of anyone. We have put on Christ. Are we willingly taking off our “armor” for all the world to see? When people look at me, do they see Daniel, or do they see Christ?

This is the way.

Jesus said that he is “the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through [him].” Before Christ-followers were called Christians, they were known as those who follow “The Way.” This “Way” that we follow is a life altogether different from that of the world. We are living as foreigners and strangers. We are living as small outposts of the Kingdom of Heaven. Our citizenship is not with any nation on earth, it is in Heaven. We are small groups of highly committed followers of The Way who invite others in and encourage them to put on Christ.

We are warriors, but our battle is “not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” We don’t wage war, we wage peace. We don’t pick up weapons, we turn them into farm tools. We don’t return evil for evil, but we overcome evil with good and pray for our enemies. Our way of life is shaped by a tool of execution wielded by the Empire. We don’t fight for our lives, but we pick up our cross daily willing to go to our deaths. Our way of life looks like foolishness to the world, but is good news to those who are perishing under the weight of life’s demands.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

This is the way.

When studying Scripture about a certain topic, I think the best and most helpful approach is to study it from beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible is one cohesive story with a lot of twists and turns along the way. It was written by approximately 40 different authors across three different continents spanning multiple Empires and about 2,000 years of human history.

We must recognize the diversity of thought going into the writings of Scripture. Moses and Solomon and Daniel and Paul are all writing from VERY different times, places, and circumstances. Is there disagreement in the Bible? Yep. And I’m comfortable with that. The Bible is not so much a source for answers about God as it is a debate stage about God. That’s why God can seem very different from the Law, the Psalms, the Prophets, and the Gospels.

The amazing thing, though, is that even through the diversity and arguments, we can see themes and principles developing throughout the story from beginning to end.

Take baptism for instance. Water is there in the opening lines of the Bible. Water represents chaos, evil, and death. But we see God bringing life out of the water. Creation rises from the chaos of water. In Exodus there is deliverance from the Egyptians through the waters of the Red Sea. In Joshua the Israelites enter the promised land through the waters of the Jordan River. Passing through the waters from chaos into freedom and new life is a major theme for the story of Israel, and that’s the story at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. The book of Revelation looks ahead to a time when there would no longer be any “sea.” Chaos and evil and death have been done away with. There is only new life, new creation.

We can do this same exercise with blood and grace and the Trinity and the Kingdom of Heaven. The creative team behind The Bible Project on YouTube does and amazing job with their videos showing how major themes are developed throughout the course of Scripture. Definitely check them out.

Here’s the point in all of this. When it comes to foundational truths of our faith, we cannot simply latch onto one or two verses. That would be like judging a song based on four notes in the bridge rather than the song as a whole.

But that’s exactly what we do when it comes to our understanding of women in the church. We disregard the rest of Scripture and focus in on five sentences from Paul’s letters and say that women cannot have a voice in the public worship assembly of the church – ever. Period. Case closed.

Five sentences.

I usually wouldn’t do this, but here’s a thought experiment. If I were to disregard Acts 2:38 and 1 Peter 3:21, I could still use the bulk of Scripture to make a case for the sacrament of baptism. If I were to ignore 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, I could still make a case for the sacrament of communion. If I were to disregard Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16, I could still make the case for congregational singing in worship.

Are you with me? Do you see where I’m going with this?

If I were to disregard 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-12, I could NOT make the case for prohibiting women from serving and leading in the church. The issue is not brought up anywhere else. It’s an entire prohibition based on five sentences while purposefully disregarding the rest of Scripture.

We have two options when it comes to these five sentences.
1) Either Paul contradicts himself and the rest of the Bible in the worst way, or
2) we have been misunderstanding or misapplying what Paul was saying.

So let me be clear. The BIBLE does not say that women are to be silent and submissive to men in every church for all time. PAUL instructs certain women in certain churches who are causing certain problems to be quiet and submissive so that they can learn and become educated so that they can then contribute in a way that encourages and builds up the church.

I am not going to go back and trace the theme of male and female equality throughout Scripture. I’ve already done that in about 20,000 words worth of posts. Please go back and read those if you are so inclined.

If we are going to be faithful workers who “rightly handle the word of God,” then we must handle the WHOLE word of God. Paul’s instructions in those two passages are beneficial and have their place. But they must be viewed and studied within the larger framework of the Bible and the story we are all a part of.

Why doesn’t God show Himself as much today as He did in the stories from the Bible?

This is a great question. I’ve wondered the same thing myself. Wouldn’t it just be awesome if God would make himself absolutely, undeniably visible and present? I would love to witness a miracle. When I run out, he could just turn my water into more coffee. Or writing some kind of message in the clouds. Or healing someone instantly. Or turning all the water in our high school to blood.

This question is closely related to the previous question about convincing people that God is real. Just like we won’t be won over by scientific findings or philosophical debates, we also won’t be won over even if we witnessed a miracle with our own eyes or heard God’s voice with our own ears. I know we think we would instantly change our lives and be completely faithful as long as we live if only God would reveal himself to us in a big way. But that simply is not the case. It never was the case. The Bible itself seems to go out of its way to show us this.

     Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
(Matthew 28:16-17)

Time and time again throughout the gospels, the disciples of Jesus witness amazing miracles, hear Jesus’ powerful teachings, they even hear the voice of God affirming Jesus’ identity. And yet they still had little faith. In the verse above, they were face to face with the resurrected Christ getting ready to witness his ascension – but some doubted.

Interestingly enough, Jesus even tells us that this would be the case. In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the rich man begs Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to warn the man’s brothers about what awaits them if they don’t change. But look at Abraham’s ominous and telling response:
     “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
(Luke 16:31)

They will not be convinced…even if someone rises from the dead. **wink wink nudge nudge**

We read the stories in the Bible and get jealous of them. We want to see God in that way, too. I want to offer some bullet-point thoughts in response to this question, otherwise I could end up with a whole book.

• Who am I to say God doesn’t show up like that anymore? Just because I’ve never witnessed a miracle doesn’t mean they don’t happen. I’ve heard reports and claims. Miracles, by their very nature, are not repeatable or verifiable. There are over 7.6 Billion people on the planet. If some of them have a divine mystical encounter with God, who am I to say, “NOPE! Doesn’t happen!” And let’s not forget that miracles aren’t the only way God can show up.

• I believe that the power of God is still living and active in the world. I’ve heard stories from missionaries that make my hair stand on end. I believe that God is at work preparing unreached people groups to receive the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. Those stories just aren’t going to make the headline news or even the church bulletin.

• Jesus would tell his disciples before his death that when he leaves them he will send the Holy Spirit to them. Jesus told them that they would do even greater things than they saw during his own ministry (John 14).

• John reminds us that God does in fact show up – when his people love each other. Check this out: No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:12) That’s right. We’ve never seen God, but if we love one another He is right there with us. Do you want to see God? Do you want God to show up in a big way? Do you want the impossible to become possible? Then look around. He is right here among us when we are in a community of love.

• And let’s not forget that God wasn’t showing up all the time in peoples’ lives even in the Bible stories. Abraham was 70 years old before he met God. Moses was 80 years old when God spoke to him from that bush. God isn’t even mentioned in the story of Esther, but he is clearly at work behind the scenes. The stories we have of faithful men and women in the Bible are condensed, brief glimpses into their lives. The vast majority of their time was spent NOT hearing from God but doing the mundane, everyday tasks that life requires.

How Do You Convince Someone That God and Jesus Are Real?

For this and other questions, entire books could be written. How many hours do you have? But I will attempt to be thorough yet concise. So, here we go.

     Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
(Hebrews 11:1)

Simply put, I don’t try to convince anyone. That’s not really my job. Faith is one of those weird things. There are those who believe, those who don’t, and those who are on the fence. For those of us who have faith, it’s not our job to convince and persuade others to believe in God. I know that sounds counter intuitive, but hear me out.

Faith or a lack thereof is often a result of many different factors: environment, upbringing, trauma, personal experience, knowledge, exposure, and more. I’m not going to sit here and pretend that if I had been born in Mosul or Delhi or Beijing that I would for sure still be a Christian. I trace my faith in Christ back to my parents. If they hadn’t been Christians, then would I? I don’t know. Faith is often handed down through families and social systems in which we find ourselves.

That doesn’t mean there is no hope for those who were born into different situations than me. People can come to faith no matter what their background. Here’s what I would say to those of us who already believe:

1) Everyone is religious. Humans have a natural curiosity about the world and their purpose in it. We latch onto whatever it is that gives our lives meaning. Some find it in Christ, others in Allah, or Buddha, or sports, or politics, or materialism, or family. We all seek meaning and purpose. We all want to outlast our lives in some way. That can be a good place to start with someone.

     “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you…”
(Acts 17:22-23)

Maybe you have a friend who is curious about God and Christianity. You don’t begin by trying to prove scientifically that God exists. You begin with conversations about meaning and purpose. I can bet that most people who have no faith and are not members of a church community have a difficult time finding meaning, purpose, and belonging.

2) You represent Christ to everyone else. We are Christ’s ambassadors. When people look at us, what do they see? Are we judgmental or full of grace? Are we condemning or merciful? Are we “holier than thou” or humble? Do they know that we love them no matter what or that we’re only interested in converting them?

     We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
(2 Corinthians 5:20)

It’s not my job to convince others that God exists. It’s my job to live as if he does. People can spot a fake pretty easily. Does your life line up with what you claim to believe? Jesus told us to let our lights shine so that others may see our good works and glorify God.

3) You don’t have to have all the answers. One of my favorite miracle stories in the gospels is from John 9. Jesus healed a blind man. The man was then questioned by the religious leaders who were upset with Jesus and looking for a reason to have him arrested. They claimed that Jesus was a sinner. Listen to the formerly blind man’s response:

     “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
(John 9:25)


Saying “I don’t know” is better than saying the wrong thing. You don’t have to know everything. You just need to tell your story. The most convincing argument for God is a changed life.

     But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…
(1 Peter 3:15)


People are not typically won over through debates or arguments or scientific findings. People are won over through relationships, belonging, purpose, and love. Paul would remind us that we could be the most amazingly religious people on the planet – speaking in tongues, knowing the deep secrets of the universe, sacrificing our bodies on account of our faith – but if we don’t love others, then it counts for nothing.

     “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
(John 13:34-35)


If the conversation gets off on apologetics, science, philosophy, or whatever, then it’s ok to follow that path, but don’t let that be your starting point. Let love be your starting point.

I am a Christ-follower. I try to make that very clear through the way I live and the things I talk about. My highest allegiance is to Christ. My citizenship is in heaven. I live under His kingship in His kingdom. Period.

This past weekend I was able to take sixteen students and four other adult chaperones to Gatlinburg, TN, for Winterfest, and annual teen youth conference that brings 10,000+ Christian students together for worship and biblical lessons. The theme this year was timely. The conference centered around the story of Daniel and his friends in Babylon. The main title was “Not Now. Not Ever.” We learned about what it means to live in Babylon and how to stay faithful even in the darkness and turmoil of this evil world.

I’ve always loved the story of Daniel (after whom I am named), but I’ve grown to appreciate him even more as I’ve aged and become more aware of the realities around me.

However, I latched onto something new this time through. It’s not that I had never noticed this before, but it really struck a cord with me. Read through these verses and see if you notice a theme.

     Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”
     Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.
(Daniel 2:46-49)

     Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”
     Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
(Daniel 3:28-30)

How great are his signs,
    how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
    his dominion endures from generation to generation.
(Daniel 4:3)

At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion;
    his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth
    are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases
    with the powers of heaven
    and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand
    or say to him: “What have you done?”
     At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
(Daniel 4:34-37)

Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
(Daniel 5:29)

     “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
“For he is the living God
    and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
    his dominion will never end.
He rescues and he saves;
    he performs signs and wonders
    in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”
     So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
(Daniel 6:26-28)

Did you notice any sort of theme? Throughout the first six chapters of Daniel (the narrative half of the book) we see kings and emperors honoring Daniel and his friends, promoting them to places of honor, and declaring the praises of the God of Israel.

That should be awesome, right? That’s what we want, isn’t it?

Not so fast.

Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Temple of the LORD and plundered all the sacred objects from inside. He overthrew Jerusalem and took God’s people captive. He forced all the people to worship an image of himself. He became so proud that it drove him mad.

Is Nebuchadnezzar really the one you want endorsing the God of Israel?

His grandson, Belshazzar, was a useless piece of garbage. He was a terrible ruler. His capital city was under siege by the Medo-Persian army and he threw a party that lasted for weeks. During that party he used the sacred objects from Israel’s Temple.

Sure, he acknowledged Daniel’s God and promoted Daniel to third in command, but it was all an empty gesture. Too little, too late.

Darius allowed himself to be duped by a group of jealous viceroys. They got him to sign a law forcing everyone to pray to the King for a month. What? This prideful folly forced him to sentence Daniel to a night in the lions’ den. Only after God’s saving miracle did Darius offer any kind of praise or acknowledgement of God.

And let’s not forget what would happen during his son’s reign (see Esther).

What’s my point in highlighting this?

I am not judging their hearts. They may have been sincere (although I get the feeling Belshazzar wasn’t sincere about anything in his life). But it was a flash in the pan. There was no real change of heart. Babylon would never be a nation that honored the LORD. Persia had their own gods. These emperors may have said and done some things to appease the Jewish population living among them, but they really didn’t care. There was no long-term change.

Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius are all set up in stark opposition to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. God did something big and amazing, so the emperors offered words of praise. God allowed their homeland to be destroyed and their whole lives to be uprooted, and these faithful Jewish men honored God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

They never took the words of these pagan rulers as anything other than words, lip service. It didn’t make one ounce of difference to Daniel et al whether the kings acknowledged God or not. They knew that the Empires are going to do whatever is best of the Empire. They never thought, Well everything is great and Nebuchadnezzar is an awesome guy. He’s even one of us! Sure, he committed some atrocities, sure he’s prideful and arrogant. But don’t you remember that time he promoted Daniel? Don’t you remember that time he praised our God? The media just wants you to think he’s a bloodthirsty tyrant, but we know the real Nebuchadnezzar.


Too many of us are fooled by politicians who use certain buzzwords and phrases that they know will win over religious voters. I am always wary when a politician running for office prays in public or quotes Scripture. They do that for a reason. Too often that reason is to lower our guards and win us over to their side. They don’t really want to honor God and put God first. They want votes. They want power. They want authority. They want notoriety. They want honor for themselves.

I’m not here to judge the hearts of men. I am positive there are many sincere, faithful Christians serving in the political sector. The story of Daniel inspires us to care about the cities and nations in which we live. Daniel was a faithful servant to God first and foremost, but he also worked to ensure the peace and prosperity of Babylon. Civil service is not the problem. We need Christians in Washington and in our local court houses.

But we must be more discerning about the ones in power. Jesus told us not to judge, but he also told us that we can know what kind of person someone is by looking at the fruit of their lives. If a politician is making Christian-sounding statements and offering lip service to the Christian faith, be sure to look at the fruit of their lives and their policies. Are they consistent? Or is there a glaring disconnect?

And we must all ask ourselves the same question. Are we consistent? Or is there a glaring disconnect between our religious beliefs and our political stance?

Daniel shows us what it could look like to live faithfully among a people who are increasingly hostile toward our faith. Daniel shows us what a life of integrity and consistency looks like. The Empires of the world are only consistent in that they will do whatever is best for the Empire. Sometimes that means persecuting people of faith. Other times that means pandering to them. May we not be fooled by the ways of Empire and political power.

May we all walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which we were called. May we all live faithful, consistent lives as strangers and foreigners. May we never forget that our citizenship is in heaven, that Christ is our King, and that our highest allegiance is to God alone.