On Sunday, Pastor Lance Terry continued through the book of Nehemiah by covering chapters 3 and 7 and asking one central question: "What does it take to build?" Pastor Lance opened with the story of the Galveston seawall — how after the devastating 1900 hurricane, different groups came together to plan, fund, and construct a massive seawall while raising much of the city by fifteen feet, completing much of the work in just two years. He then connected that engineering feat to the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls, walking the congregation through a visual reconstruction of the wall section by section, gate by gate, noting that more than forty sections were rebuilt by leaders from different backgrounds and professions — priests, goldsmiths, perfumers, officials, and homeowners. Pastor Lance drew out three things the people needed to recognize in order to build. First, they had to recognize it was not just a brick and mortar project — the high priest Eliashib consecrated the wall at the very start, setting it apart as belonging to God and dedicated to His glory, not their own comfort or fame. Second, they had to recognize where they were vulnerable by strengthening the gates, since gates determined what came in and out of the city and represented their most exposed points. Pastor Lance applied this personally, sharing his family's decision about cell phones for his children and his experience with Re:gen's repentance planning process. Third, they had to recognize it was a group effort, highlighting the repeated phrase "next to him" throughout chapter 3, which painted a picture of everyone working shoulder to shoulder in the same direction. He noted that people of different professions stepped outside their normal work to build, and that most sections were built by the people who lived nearest to them. Pastor Lance concluded by connecting the sermon to a church work day the previous Saturday, where people who were "overqualified to spread mulch" joyfully showed up to serve, and challenged the congregation: "Don't sit back and watch while other people build. Jump in with us. Get to work. Let's keep building."

Look up 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 1 Corinthians 12:12-18, Psalm 127:1, and Colossians 3:23-24. What do these passages teach about the relationship between God's ownership of the work, the diversity of the workers, and the motivation behind the labor? How do they reinforce Pastor Lance's three recognitions — that the work belongs to God, that we must guard our vulnerabilities, and that building requires everyone?

On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson continued through the book of Nehemiah, covering chapter 2 and the remarkable sequence of events that followed Nehemiah's four months of prayer. Pastor Russell opened with a personal story from 2015, when he was leading a church plant in San Saba, Texas — "the Pecan Capital of the world" — and needed a teaching job to support his family of seven. He and his leadership team prayed specifically for a job matching his teaching certificate, for an interview despite having no experience, and for a house big enough for five children in a tiny town, and God answered every one of those prayers in rapid succession. Pastor Russell then walked through Nehemiah 2, showing how prayer, planning, and the providence of God work together. When the king finally noticed Nehemiah's sadness — four months after his initial grief — Nehemiah was "very much afraid," because displaying sadness before the king was a serious breach of court etiquette and he was about to ask Artaxerxes to reverse his own official decree halting the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Pastor Russell highlighted the split-second prayer in verse 4 between the king's question and Nehemiah's answer, explaining that "these normally are the overflow of sustained prayer" and that "we expect God to steady us in the moment of crisis if we have no time with Him before the crisis arrives." Nehemiah's bold, detailed requests — for permission to go, letters of safe passage, and timber from the king's forest — revealed that he had spent his four months not only praying but planning, because "clarity of vision produces clarity of request." After arriving in Jerusalem with a military escort, Nehemiah conducted a secret nighttime inspection of the walls before making his pitch to the people — naming the shared reality plainly, standing with them in it as "we" rather than "you," and sharing the testimony of God's providence. The people responded immediately: "Let us arise and build." When the enemies Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem countered with ridicule and accusations of rebellion, Nehemiah's response was short and decisive: "The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem." Pastor Russell concluded by observing that "prayer, planning, and trusting in the providence of God produce boldness and courage."

Look up Proverbs 16:1-3, Proverbs 21:1, James 4:13-15, and Philippians 1:6. What do these passages teach about the relationship between human planning and divine sovereignty, and how should that shape the way you approach the dreams and burdens God has placed on your heart?

On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson launched a new series through the book of Nehemiah, beginning with chapter 1. Pastor Russell set the historical context by explaining that Nehemiah's account picks up thirteen years after Ezra's arrival in Jerusalem, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes I (445 BC) — a king whose own father, Xerxes, had been assassinated in his bedchamber by a court attendant. When Nehemiah's brother Hanani arrived from Judah with news that "the remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire," Nehemiah's response was remarkable: he "sat down and wept and mourned for days." Pastor Russell challenged the modern assumption that emotional detachment equals strength, pointing out that "Jeremiah wept. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Paul wept over the churches. And now Nehemiah weeps over a people he hasn't seen, in a city he only grew up hearing stories about." He walked through Nehemiah's four-month prayer — from Chislev to Nisan — showing how Nehemiah prayed the truth about God ("great and awesome...scary and dependable"), prayed the truth about himself by identifying with his people's sin rather than claiming personal exemption, prayed the promises of Scripture back to God from Deuteronomy 30, and finally prayed about his "one big thing" — asking God for favor before the most powerful king on earth. Pastor Russell highlighted that Nehemiah's prayer was not demanding of God but was a reminder to himself of what God had already committed to do. He concluded with the quiet revelation at the chapter's end — "Now I was the cupbearer to the king" — showing that God had been positioning Nehemiah for years, and that his comfort was never the point: "When the call came, Nehemiah was willing to trade his security for a dangerous mission on behalf of people he had never met, in a city he had never seen, because they were God's people, and that was enough."

1. Pastor Russell noted that Nehemiah had a cushy government job in the Persian winter palace and no obvious reason to care about a small group of struggling people in a faraway city. When was the last time you were genuinely moved — not just momentarily sad, but deeply burdened — by someone else's situation that didn't directly affect you?
2. Read Nehemiah 1:1-4 together. Pastor Russell said that "we live in a world that often mistakes emotional detachment for strength," but that Nehemiah's weeping was "not a moment of sentimentality" — it was "genuine and prolonged grief" that led to fasting and prayer. When you hear bad news — about a friend, your church, or the world — what is your default response? Do you tend to move immediately to problem-solving, or do you allow yourself to grieve first?
3. Read Nehemiah 1:5-7. Pastor Russell pointed out that Nehemiah didn't open his prayer with his request — "he opens with worship" — declaring God as both "scary and dependable." He then moved to confession, using first-person pronouns: "we have sinned...I and my father's house have sinned." Nehemiah made no claim to personal exemption from his generation's guilt. How comfortable are you identifying with the failures of your community — your family, your church, your generation — rather than distancing yourself from them?
4. Read Nehemiah 1:8-9 and Deuteronomy 30:3-5. Pastor Russell explained that Nehemiah "doesn't come to God with vague hopes. He comes with specific promises" and places them before God as the basis for his petition — not to remind God, but to remind himself "of what God has already committed Himself to do." What specific promise from Scripture are you holding onto right now, and how might praying it back to God change the way you carry that burden?
5. Read Nehemiah 1:5-6 and Hebrews 4:16. Pastor Russell described a tension in Nehemiah's prayer: God is "up there in Heaven," the "great and awesome" God whose self-revelation produces fear — and yet Nehemiah asks this same God to turn His ear and open His eyes toward him. Pastor Russell called this "confident vulnerability." How do you hold together a genuine reverence for God's greatness with the boldness to bring Him your most specific, personal requests?
6. Pastor Russell observed that Nehemiah prayed for four months before he "breathed a word of it to the king," and that "focusing on 'how' early in the process will paralyze us from moving at all." When have you rushed past prayer into action and regretted it? Conversely, when has an extended season of waiting and prayer actually matured a vision or clarified a next step for you?
7. Pastor Russell closed by noting that the final verse — "Now I was the cupbearer to the king" — reveals that God had been quietly positioning Nehemiah for years, and that "his comfort was never the point." As you look at where God has placed you right now — your job, your relationships, your skills, your access — what might God be positioning you for that has nothing to do with your own comfort? What is one step you can take this week to say "yes" to that, even before you know the "how"?

Look up Deuteronomy 30:1-5, Daniel 9:4-19, Ezra 9:5-15, and Psalm 102:12-17. What common pattern do you see in how God's servants approach Him in prayer during seasons of national distress, and how does the posture of these prayers reshape the way you bring your own burdens to God?

On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson concluded the book of Ezra with chapter 10, the difficult resolution to the intermarriage crisis. The chapter opens with Shecaniah rising to encourage Ezra: "Yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this... Arise! For this matter is your responsibility, but we will be with you; be courageous and act." Pastor Russell highlighted this as a model of how leaders sometimes need others to move them "from dejection to direction." Ezra then assembled all the people—standing in cold December rain, trembling inside and out—and confronted them directly: "You have been unfaithful." The people responded remarkably: "That's right! As you have said, so it is our duty to do." A three-month investigation followed, and the guilty were named publicly—priests, Levites, singers, and laypeople alike. Pastor Russell addressed the "elephants in the room": How does this fit with God's hatred of divorce? He explained this was "a unique situation in redemptive history" involving "the very survival of a faithful remnant," not a prescriptive pattern for today. The book ends somberly, with broken families and unfinished restoration—pointing us forward to Christ, who would come to "finish the spiritual work we could never do on our own."

Look up and read these passages about repentance, restoration, and the hope found in Christ:

Joel 2:12-13 - "'Yet even now,' declares the Lord, 'Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments.' Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil."
Psalm 51:16-17 - "For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."
Romans 7:24-25 - "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
Hebrews 10:11-14 - "Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified."

What do these passages reveal about God's heart toward those who genuinely repent, and how does Christ's finished work provide the hope that Ezra's community was still waiting for?

On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson continued through Ezra, exploring chapter 9 and the crisis that confronted Ezra upon his arrival in Jerusalem. The leaders reported devastating news: "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands"—they had intermarried with pagan nations. Pastor Russell emphasized this was not racial prejudice but a matter of covenant fidelity, noting that "the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness." He applied leadership principles—the Law of the Lid, the Law of the Picture, and Tone at the Top—to show how leadership failure corrupts an entire community. Ezra's response was visceral: tearing his garments, pulling his hair, and sitting "appalled until the evening offering" before falling to his knees in prayer. Pastor Russell walked through Ezra's remarkable prayer, which confesses corporate sin using "we" and "our," acknowledges God's abundant grace (survival, stability, encouragement, constancy, providence, protection), and ends abruptly with no petition—leaving the people "on the brink." He concluded by challenging us to examine our relationships, warning that "who we align ourselves with has a sure impact on our lives."

Look up and read these passages about corporate confession and the call to holiness:
Daniel 9:4-6 - "I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, 'Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land.'"
Nehemiah 1:6-7 - "Let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father's house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments."
1 Peter 1:14-16 - "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"
1 John 1:8-9 - "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

What pattern do you see in how godly leaders confess sin on behalf of their people? How does corporate confession differ from individual confession, and why might both be necessary for spiritual renewal?

On Sunday, Pastor Lance Terry continued through Ezra, covering chapters 7 and 8 and introducing us to Ezra himself—nearly sixty years after the events of chapter 6. Pastor Lance highlighted Ezra's credentials: his priestly lineage tracing back to Aaron, his role as "a scribe skilled in the law of Moses," and the repeated phrase that "the hand of the Lord his God was upon him." Most significantly, Pastor Lance focused on Ezra 7:10, which he called Ezra's "mission statement": "Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel." Pastor Lance challenged us to consider our own mission, noting that "few things are worse than feeling aimless in life." When Ezra faced a dangerous 900-mile journey with significant wealth and no military escort, he chose to fast and pray rather than request the king's protection—because "we've been telling the king that God's hand will be on those who seek Him." Pastor Lance concluded by urging us to identify our unique, God-given mission and to "set our hearts" on living it out.

Look up and read these passages about living with intentionality and purpose:
Proverbs 4:23 - "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life."
Colossians 3:23-24 - "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve."
Philippians 3:13-14 - "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Micah 6:8 - "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

What do these passages teach about the connection between guarding your heart, living with purpose, and walking faithfully with God? How might these truths help you craft or refine your own personal mission?

On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson continued through Ezra, covering chapters 5 and 6 and the restart of temple construction after a sixteen-year delay. Pastor Russell used the "good cop, bad cop" analogy to describe how God sent two prophets—Haggai, who confronted the people's complacency and told them to "go to work," and Zechariah, who cast vision for God's future purposes and the coming "Branch." Together, their prophesying moved Zerubbabel and Jeshua to arise and rebuild. Pastor Russell highlighted the repeated use of the word "decree" throughout these chapters, showing that while Persian kings issued decrees, it was ultimately God's decree being fulfilled through them. He emphasized that "God's word is alive and active" and "energizes and works in those who receive it." The chapters culminate in the temple's completion and joyful celebration of Passover, prompting Pastor Russell to conclude with a powerful reminder: "We obey our way into feelings quicker than we feel our way into obedience."

Look up and read these passages about the power of God's Word to accomplish His purposes:

Isaiah 55:10-11 - "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."

Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

Jeremiah 23:29 - "Is not My word like fire?" declares the Lord, "and like a hammer which shatters a rock?"

Romans 10:17 - "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."

What do these passages teach about the nature and power of God's Word, and how should that shape the way you approach Scripture in seasons when you feel spiritually stuck or unmotivated?

On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson continued through Ezra, exploring chapter 4 and the opposition that arose against the rebuilding of the temple. Pastor Russell opened with the story of Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, who faced relentless opposition from family, mission societies, cultural hostility, illness, financial pressure, and personal grief—yet remained faithful. He explained that the enemies in Ezra 4 were Samaritans, descendants of foreign populations resettled by Assyria, who "feared the LORD and served their own gods." Pastor Russell showed how opposition moved from subtle ("Let us build with you") to overt (discouraging, frightening, hiring lobbyists) to sustained (accusations spanning multiple Persian kings). He emphasized that "opposition often appears as cooperation" and uses "spiritual language, appeals to peace, and promises efficiency, but it quietly undermines." Pastor Russell concluded by reminding us that "God's work will always encounter opposition" and that "the great causes of God and Humanity are not defeated by the hot assaults of the Devil, but by the slow, crushing, glacier-like mass of thousands and thousands of indifferent nobodies."

Look up and read these passages about enduring opposition:

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 - "We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed."
Hebrews 10:36 - "For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised."
Romans 8:35-37 - "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, 'For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us."
Revelation 2:10 - "Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."

What do these passages reveal about God's presence and purpose in the midst of opposition, and how do they redefine what it means to "win" as a follower of Christ?

On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson continued through the book of Ezra, exploring chapter 2 and its lengthy list of names. Pastor Russell opened with the story of Frances Cleveland, who confidently told White House staff to keep everything in order because "we are coming back just four years from today"—and they did. He explained that Ezra 2 carries that same tone of quiet confidence, reading "like a chapter written by people who believed exile was never the final word." Pastor Russell showed how the list connects to God's fourfold promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, demonstrating that "God is a stubborn promise-keeper" whose promises "have a certain inevitability about them, even in dark times." He highlighted that nearly 12% of the 42,360 returnees were devoted to temple service, revealing that "Ezra does not portray worship as an accessory to national recovery; it is the recovery." Pastor Russell concluded by introducing the concept of the remnant—the faithful few through whom God advances His redemptive plan—reminding us that "faithfulness is not measured by quantity but by obedience."

Look up and read these passages about God's faithful remnant:

Isaiah 10:20-21 - "Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God."
Romans 11:5 - "In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice."
Zephaniah 3:12-13 - "But I will leave among you a humble and lowly people, and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel will do no wrong and tell no lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths; for they will feed and lie down with no one to make them tremble."
Revelation 12:17 - "So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus."

What do these passages reveal about the character and calling of those who make up God's remnant throughout history?

On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson launched a new series through the book of Ezra, beginning with Ezra chapter 1. Pastor Russell opened with an extended illustration about home remodeling projects, noting that "demo is so much fun and the easiest part of the whole process" but that putting things back together takes far longer and requires both resources and outside help. He walked through the sweeping arc of biblical history from creation to the eternal state, showing how Ezra fits into God's redemptive plan following Israel's 70-year exile in Babylon. Pastor Russell emphasized that God keeps His promises, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy exactly when He said He would. He highlighted the Hebrew word "stirred" (עוּר), showing how God worked through both the pagan king Cyrus and the hearts of His people to accomplish His purposes. Pastor Russell concluded by defining providence as "God's wise, purposeful governance of creation whereby He accomplishes His redemptive plans through human choice," challenging us to recognize and respond to God's stirring in our own lives.

Look up and read these passages about God's sovereign work through human history:
Isaiah 44:28 - "It is I who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.' And he declares of Jerusalem, 'She will be built,' And of the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid.'"
Proverbs 21:1 - "The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes."
Romans 8:28 - "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Philippians 2:13 - "For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."

What common threads do you see in these passages about how God works through human choices and circumstances to accomplish His purposes?

On Sunday, Pastor Jamey Bryant explored Philippians 4:1-9 by examining "The Pathway to Impossible Peace"—the kind of peace that seems out of reach in our most strained relationships. Pastor Jamey opened with the remarkable story of the Christmas Truce of 1914, when British and German soldiers climbed out of their trenches and shook hands as friends, asking, "As we round the corner into 2026, don't you find yourself longing for Impossible Peace?" He walked through Paul's practical instructions to Euodia and Syntyche—two women in conflict whose dispute threatened the church's unity and gospel witness. Pastor Jamey outlined four steps to impossible peace: rejoice in the common bond we have in Christ, show gentleness because "the Judge is coming," stop being consumed by the conflict and give it to God in prayer, and dwell on what is true and praiseworthy about the other person. He reminded us that "unity among believers isn't optional—it's essential" and that "the ground is level at the foot of the cross." Pastor Jamey concluded by pointing us to Jesus as the One who forged this pathway to peace through His own blood at the cross.

Look up and read these passages about unity, humility, and pursuing peace with others:
Romans 12:17-18 - "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."
Ephesians 4:1-3 - "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Colossians 3:12-14 - "So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity."
1 Peter 3:8-9 - "To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing."

What common threads do you see in these passages about the connection between humility, forgiveness, and unity among believers? How do these texts reinforce Pastor Jamey's teaching that impossible peace flows from the peace Christ secured for us through His own blood?

On Sunday, Pastor Chad Melton explored Philippians 1:3-6 by challenging us to look back on the year through "the lens of grace." Pastor Chad opened by showing personal snapshots from his family's yearbooks—snow days in Houston, baseball championships, and Lillee starting high school—explaining that "the way we look back really matters. Because reflection gives us perspective." He walked through how Paul's entire reflection on the Philippians flows from one controlling verb: "I thank"—showing that gratitude is the engine driving everything else. Pastor Chad taught that Paul remembered a "grace-built church" rather than a perfect church, asking us: "When you look back on your year, are you watching the film like a critic—or like a coach who believes God is still working?" He explained that Paul's joy came not from perfection but from "participation"—koinōnia—active partnership in the gospel "from the first day until now." Pastor Chad concluded with Paul's confidence in verse 6: "He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus," reminding us that "God doesn't start things and then walk away."

1. Pastor Chad shared that his family keeps yearbooks and his kids love flipping through old photos and telling stories. What's one memory from this past year that brings you unexpected joy when you think about it now?
2.Read Philippians 1:3-4 together. Pastor Chad explained that Paul's remembering wasn't neutral—"His memories are filtered through grace." When you look back on this past year, do you tend to replay frustrations or recognize where God showed up? What would it look like to intentionally remember through the lens of grace this week?
3.Read Acts 16:13-15, 25-34. Pastor Chad traced the Philippian church's origins to Lydia, the slave girl, and the jailer—each with different brokenness but "one common denominator: God stepped in." How does remembering that your story began with God's intervention rather than your own effort change how you view your spiritual growth over this past year?
4.Read Philippians 1:5. Pastor Chad explained that "participation" (koinōnia) means more than friendship—it's "active partnership, a shared mission, a sense of 'We're in this together.'" Where have you experienced meaningful participation in the gospel this year—serving, giving, encouraging, praying—and how did that involvement bring you joy?
5.Read Philippians 1:6. Pastor Chad emphasized that Paul's confidence isn't in the Philippians but in God: "If God started it, Paul says, God will finish it." What unfinished areas of your life are you tempted to see as failures rather than "works in progress"? How does Paul's confidence reshape your perspective on those areas?
6.Pastor Chad asked a powerful question: "Are you watching the film like a critic—or like a coach who believes God is still working?" Share about a time when harsh self-criticism or criticism of others kept you from seeing evidence of God's grace at work.
7.Read Philippians 1:3-6 together one more time. Pastor Chad closed by inviting us to "look back and recognize grace" and "look forward with participation." What is one specific way you sense God calling you to participate in the gospel—through worship, community, serving, equipping, or sharing—in this coming year?

Look up and read these passages about gratitude, God's faithfulness, and confidence in His ongoing work:
Psalm 103:1-5 - "Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle."
Lamentations 3:21-23 - "This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness."
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 - "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."
Hebrews 12:1-2 - "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

What common threads do you see in these passages about intentional remembrance, God's faithful character, and confidence that He will complete what He started? How do these texts reinforce Pastor Chad's encouragement to look back through the lens of grace and forward with confidence in God's ongoing work?

On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson concluded the Daniel series by exploring Daniel 11-12, using the powerful image of WaterWorld's wave pool to illustrate the relentless nature of human history: "the waves didn't stop. They kept coming, bigger, harder, closer together." Pastor Russell walked through the stunning prophetic accuracy of Daniel 11:1-35, where specific historical figures from Persian and Greek empires are described centuries before they lived, declaring "hitting a bullet with a bullet idea. Here we are again, and again, and again!" He demonstrated how wave after wave of kingdoms rose and fell—Ptolemies, Seleucids, and ultimately Antiochus IV Epiphanes—all crashing through Israel with deception, violence, and persecution. Pastor Russell taught that behind this chaos stands God's sovereignty: "God determines even the terms of tyrannies, and they are restrained to the dates on God's calendar." He concluded with God's assurance to Daniel and to us: "Your duty is clear: go your way to the end; and your future is settled: you will enter into rest and rise again," reminding us that we have "an allotted place, an assigned space, designated for you in the resurrection age at the end of the days."

Look up and read these passages about God's sovereignty over human history and His promise of resurrection and reward:
Psalm 2:1-4 - "Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, 'Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!' He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them."
Isaiah 40:15, 17 - "Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust... All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless."
Matthew 10:28 - "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Revelation 20:11-12 - "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds."

What common threads do you see in these passages about God's perspective on earthly powers, the temporary nature of persecution, and the certainty of resurrection and judgment? How do these truths equip us to faithfully "go our way to the end" regardless of the waves that crash around us?

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision. In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris, I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult. Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves. So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength. But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground. Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said to me, “O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future.” When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. And behold, one who resembled a human being was touching my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who was standing before me, “O my lord, as a result of the vision anguish has come upon me, and I have retained no strength. For how can such a servant of my lord talk with such as my lord? As for me, there remains just now no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me.” Then this one with human appearance touched me again and strengthened me. He said, “O man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you; take courage and be courageous!” Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, “May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” Then he said, “Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come. However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.

Sermon Summary
On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson explored Daniel 10 by pulling back the curtain on the unseen spiritual realm that influences everything we see in the physical world. Pastor Russell opened with a chilling story from his wife's family about a pregnant woman who was likely gang bait in Galveston, illustrating his main point: "Things are not always as they seem. What we see on the surface isn't always what's really happening." He taught four profound truths from Daniel's encounter with a heavenly messenger: faithfulness is harder than it seems, truth is weightier than it seems, prayer is more crucial than it seems, and history is more complicated than it seems. Pastor Russell explained that Daniel's three weeks of prayer mobilized angelic forces in spiritual warfare, with the messenger declaring "from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words." He concluded by revealing that behind earthly kingdoms like Persia and Greece stood demonic princes engaged in cosmic warfare, reminding us that "an invisible war is going on behind the 'seens.'"

1. Pastor Russell opened with the story of his wife's family narrowly escaping a dangerous situation in Galveston when a pregnant woman turned out to be potential gang bait, noting "what we see on the surface isn't always what's really happening." When has a situation in your life turned out to be far more complex or dangerous than it first appeared?
2. Read Daniel 10:1-3 and Philippians 1:29. Pastor Russell noted that the heading "one of great conflict" reminds us "we live in an abnormal situation here in the States" where we don't face overt persecution, and he quoted Philippians 1:29: "For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake." How does understanding that suffering for Christ is the global norm—not the exception—challenge our perspective on the difficulties we do face in standing against cultural trends?
3. Read Daniel 10:5-9, 15-17. Pastor Russell walked through Daniel's repeated physical collapse—losing strength, turning pale, becoming speechless, retaining no breath—emphasizing "how much did carrying the word of God cost them?" and noting "I seldom, if ever, think of the horror and pain the Lord's servants endured in order to be the vessels used by God to get his word passed on to us in the Scriptures." How should recognizing the immense physical and emotional toll on biblical authors deepen our reverence for Scripture and our gratitude for the Bible we hold in our hands?
4. Read Daniel 10:2-3, 12-14. Pastor Russell taught that the angelic messenger said "I have come in response to your words," explaining that "Daniel's prayers succeeded in drawing angels from heaven to earth. These angels formed an invincible heavenly guard around the people of the Lord, keeping the plans of the enemy from succeeding." When you pray and see no visible change for days or even weeks, how does knowing that "every prayer we pray is heard immediately in heaven, even when nothing seems to change on earth" sustain your perseverance in prayer?
5. Read Daniel 10:13, 20 and Ephesians 6:12. Pastor Russell explained that the "prince of Persia" and "prince of Greece" are demonic powers opposing God's messengers, and he referenced Ephesians 6:12: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." How does understanding that unseen spiritual forces influence earthly kingdoms and cultural movements change the way we pray for our nation, our leaders, and global events?
6. Read Daniel 10:12, 19 and Matthew 26:53. Pastor Russell noted that Daniel was repeatedly strengthened by the angel's touch and words, and he reminded us that Jesus spoke of "more than twelve legions of angels" at His disposal. Given that we serve the God who commands angelic armies and hears our prayers from the first day, what fears or discouragements in our spiritual lives need to be surrendered to the reality that "history is more complicated than it seems" and God is actively at work in the unseen realm?
7. Read Daniel 10:11 and Revelation 12:7-9. Pastor Russell concluded by revealing "an invisible war is going on behind the 'seens'" but also that Michael and his angels are stronger than the dragon and his angels, giving us confidence that "there is what we see on the surface, but then there is this whole unseen realm" where God's forces are victorious. What specific situation in our lives this week—whether personal, relational, or cultural—needs to be viewed through the lens of spiritual warfare rather than merely human conflict?
   
   

Extra Credit

Look up and read these passages about the unseen spiritual realm, angelic activity, and spiritual warfare:
2 Kings 6:15-17 - "Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, 'Alas, my master! What shall we do?' So he answered, 'Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.' Then Elisha prayed and said, 'O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.' And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."
Luke 22:31-32 - "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."
Colossians 2:15 - "When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him."
James 5:16 - "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."

What common threads do you see in these passages about the power of prayer, the reality of unseen spiritual forces, and God's ultimate victory over evil powers? How do these truths encourage us to persist in prayer even when we cannot see immediate results in the physical realm?

"Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God,  while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. He gave me instruction and talked with me and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision. “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

Sermon Summary
On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson explored Daniel 9:20-27 by unpacking one of the most mathematically precise prophecies in all of Scripture—the prophecy of the seventy weeks. Pastor Russell opened with the stunning illustration of the USS Lake Erie shooting down a disabled spy satellite in 2008, achieving what seemed impossible: "They hit a bullet with a bullet!" He then demonstrated how Daniel's prophecy achieved even greater precision, prophesying "not thirty seconds, but prophesied centuries in advance" the exact timeline of Messiah's arrival and death. Pastor Russell explained that the seventy "sevens" equals 490 years, with 483 years (69 weeks) stretching from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem in 444 BC to Christ's crucifixion in AD 33—exactly 173,880 days as prophesied. He taught about "the gap" between the 69th and 70th week where we currently live in the Church Age, and concluded with the promise of the final seven-year Tribulation when God will fulfill all six purposes for Israel. Pastor Russell reminded us that "the God who measured seventy sevens is the same God who holds your life, your future, and the end of all things."

1. Pastor Russell opened with the incredible story of the USS Lake Erie hitting "a bullet with a bullet" by shooting down a satellite traveling at 17,000 miles per hour with only a thirty-second window. What's the most impressive display of precision, timing, or accuracy you've ever witnessed—whether in sports, technology, or everyday life?
2. Read Daniel 9:20-23 together. Pastor Russell noted that Gabriel's words "for you are highly esteemed had to be some of the most encouraging words for Daniel in such a weary moment" after decades of exile and troubling visions, reminding us that "we can never underestimate the power of the right words at the right time from the right person." When has someone's timely encouragement sustained you through a difficult season of waiting or uncertainty?
3. Read Daniel 9:24-25. Pastor Russell explained the six purposes of the seventy weeks: "finish the transgression, put an end to sin, atone for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up vision and prophecy, and anoint the most holy place." He noted these goals stretch "all the way to the second coming" with only partial fulfillment at the cross. How does understanding that God is working toward specific, guaranteed outcomes in human history affect the way we view current world events and our own uncertain futures?
4. Read Daniel 9:25-26 and Nehemiah 2:1-6. Pastor Russell demonstrated that from Artaxerxes' decree in 444 BC to Christ's crucifixion is exactly 173,880 days (483 prophetic years of 360 days each), declaring that "Six centuries before Jesus was born, God revealed the exact timeline leading to the public presentation and death of His Messiah." What does this level of prophetic precision tell us about God's character, His sovereignty over history, and the reliability of Scripture?
5. Read Daniel 9:26-27 and Isaiah 61:1-2. Pastor Russell taught about "the gap" between the 69th and 70th week—the Church Age we currently live in—using examples like Isaiah 61 where Jesus stopped reading mid-sentence in Luke 4 before "the day of vengeance of our God." How should knowing that we live in this prophetic pause between Christ's first and second coming shape our priorities, our urgency about the gospel, and our daily choices?
6. Read Daniel 9:27 and Revelation 13:5-8. Pastor Russell explained that the final "week"—the seven-year Tribulation—remains future and "will accomplish exactly what God designed. It will complete His purposes for Israel, bring the nation to repentance, finish transgression, and prepare them to finally look upon the One they cut off." Given the severity of what Scripture describes for this period, how does understanding God's purposes behind the Tribulation help us trust His justice and His ultimate plan for redemption?
7. Read Daniel 9:24 and Romans 11:25-27. Pastor Russell concluded by reminding us that "Daniel 9 shows us a God who is in absolute control of history, who keeps His promises with precision" and that "the God who measured seventy sevens is the same God who holds your life, your future, and the end of all things." What specific worry, fear, or uncertain situation in our lives this week needs to be surrendered to the God who orchestrates history with perfect precision?

Extra Credit

Look up and read these passages about God's precise fulfillment of prophecy and His sovereign control over history:
Isaiah 46:9-10 - "Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.'"
Luke 4:16-21 - "And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 'THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.' And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.'"
Acts 1:6-7 - "So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, 'Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.'"
2 Peter 3:8-9 - "But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

What common threads do you see in these passages about God's perfect timing, His fulfillment of ancient prophecies, and His sovereign control over both cosmic history and our personal timelines? How do these truths encourage patient trust while we live in "the gap" between Christ's first and second coming?

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. So I [a]gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land. “Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us open shame, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You. Open shame belongs to us, O Lord, to our kings, our princes and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him; nor have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His teachings which He set before us through His servants the prophets. Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. Thus He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what was done to Jerusalem. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth. Therefore the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice. “And now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and have made a name for Yourself, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have been wicked. O Lord, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us. So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplications, and for Your sake, O Lord, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary. O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

Sermon Summary
On Sunday, Student Pastor Eric Wischmann explored Daniel 9:1-19 by examining one of the most powerful prayers of confession in all of Scripture. Pastor Eric opened with vulnerable reflections from his own marriage, sharing how "nothing has shined a brighter spotlight on how selfish I could be than marriage" and how he struggled to apologize without filling his words with "ifs" and "buts." He taught three essential elements of honest confession: we must take responsibility for our sin, we must take responsibility for the damage our sin has caused, and we must give the responsibility of forgiveness to God. Pastor Eric explained the crucial distinction between our position and our condition with God: "Our POSITION is our unchanging standing before God—fully forgiven, fully loved, sealed as His children through faith in Jesus. Our CONDITION is the closeness of our fellowship with God." He concluded with the encouraging truth that "confession is not about convincing God to forgive us—it is about removing what is blocking closeness with Him."

1. Pastor Eric shared that marriage revealed things about himself he never knew—like how loud he chews! What's something a close relationship (marriage, roommate, family) revealed about you that you had never noticed before?
2. Read Daniel 9:1-3 together. Pastor Eric explained that Daniel was meditating on Jeremiah's prophecy about the 70-year exile and recognized "the time is coming where Israel needs to repent as a nation." When you sense distance in your relationship with God, what typically prompts you to finally address it—is it Scripture, circumstances, the Holy Spirit's conviction, or something else?
3. Read Daniel 9:4-10. Pastor Eric pointed out that Daniel—who had been faithful throughout the exile—still prayed "we have sinned" rather than distancing himself from Israel's failures, and he noted that "the devil wants us to believe the lie that if we confess and take responsibility, we will lose the relationship." Why do we so often fill our confessions with "ifs" and "buts," and how does understanding God's faithful character help us own our sin without excuse?
4. Read Daniel 9:11-14 and Genesis 3:11-13. Pastor Eric contrasted Daniel's confession with Adam's response in the garden, where Adam blamed "that woman you gave me"—shifting responsibility to both Eve and God. In what areas of our lives are we most tempted to blame circumstances, other people, or even God for the damage our own choices have caused?
5. Read Daniel 9:15-19. Pastor Eric taught that Daniel "does not demand forgiveness, he does not try to prove why he should have it. Instead he recognizes that it has not been earned, but he asks for it, because of who God is." How does appealing to God's character rather than our own merit change the way we approach confession and asking for forgiveness?
6. Read James 4:8-10 and 1 John 1:9. Pastor Eric distinguished between our position and condition with God: "Sin doesn't remove us from God's family, but it does interrupt our intimacy. Confession doesn't restore salvation—it restores closeness." Share about a season when you felt distant from God and what it looked like when that closeness was restored through honest confession.
7. Read Psalm 32:3-5. Pastor Eric challenged us that "confession must be a regular part of our life" and that "bringing it to our community gives us a chance to have accountability so that we don't do it anymore." What is one specific area where you need to practice honest confession this week—either with God, with a trusted believer for accountability, or to repair damage your sin has caused in a relationship?
   
   

Extra Credit
Look up and read these passages about confession, forgiveness, and restored fellowship with God:
Psalm 51:16-17 - "For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."
Proverbs 28:13 - "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion."
Isaiah 59:1-2 - "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short that it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."
1 John 1:8-10 - "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us."

What common threads do you see in these passages about the relationship between honest confession, God's character, and restored closeness with Him? How do these verses reinforce Pastor Eric's teaching that confession is about removing what blocks intimacy with God rather than convincing Him to forgive us?

In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king a vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me previously. I looked in the vision, and while I was looking I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal. Then I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last. I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before him nor was there anyone to rescue from his power, but he did as he pleased and magnified himself. While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power. Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven. Out of one of them came forth a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land. It grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down. It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down. And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper. Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?” He said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored.” When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one who looked like a man. And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision.” So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.” Now while he was talking with me, I sank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and made me stand upright. He said, “Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end. The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. The broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power. “In the latter period of their rule, When the transgressors have run their course, A king will arise, Insolent and skilled in intrigue. “His power will be mighty, but not by his own power, And he will destroy to an extraordinary degree And prosper and perform his will; He will destroy mighty men and the holy people. “And through his shrewdness He will cause deceit to succeed by his influence; And he will magnify himself in his heart, And he will destroy many while they are at ease. He will even [ag]oppose the Prince of princes, But he will be broken without human agency. “The vision of the evenings and mornings Which has been told is true; But keep the vision secret, For it pertains to many days in the future.” Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it.

Sermon Summary
On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson explored Daniel 8 by examining one of the most detailed prophecies in Scripture—a vision that accurately predicted Alexander the Great and Antiochus IV Epiphanes hundreds of years before they lived. Pastor Russell opened with a clever AI-generated "prophetic vision" about the American Civil War to illustrate how remarkable true biblical prophecy actually is, then demonstrated that "God's Word can be trusted. It is reliable and the prophecies of Daniel are powerful evidence for divine inspiration!" He explained the double fulfillment principle, showing how Antiochus Epiphanes serves as both a historical fulfillment and a foreshadowing of the future Antichrist. Pastor Russell concluded with a sobering warning: "We are all capable of beastly gross sinful behavior. It is arrogant to think otherwise," challenging us not to rage arrogantly against God's Kingdom and values but instead to reflect the character of Christ-followers who love others and uphold God's Kingdom.

1. What's the most eerily accurate prediction you've ever heard someone make—whether it was about weather, sports, politics, or something personal? How did it make you feel about that person's insight or knowledge?
2. Read Daniel 8:3-8 together. Pastor Russell explained how this vision predicted Alexander the Great with stunning accuracy, noting that "Jewish historian Flavius Josephus tells the story that as Alexander the Great swept through the ancient world" he may have actually read about himself in Daniel's prophecy. How does knowing that biblical prophecies were fulfilled with such precision hundreds of years later strengthen our confidence in God's sovereignty over history and our personal futures?
3. Read Daniel 8:9-14. Pastor Russell described how Antiochus IV Epiphanes desecrated the Temple, banned Jewish practices, and called himself "Epiphanes" (meaning "God Manifest"), though many called him "Epimanes" (meaning "the madman"). When we face leaders or cultural movements that oppose God's values and persecute believers, how does understanding Daniel's vision help us maintain perspective on the temporary nature of evil's seeming triumph?
4. Read Daniel 8:23-26 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12. Pastor Russell taught about the double fulfillment principle—Antiochus as both historical reality and prophetic shadow of the coming Antichrist. Given that Scripture warns us "Eternity and the cosmic battle around us is real" and that "we must be ready to endure hardship and persecution," what specific spiritual disciplines should we be strengthening now to prepare for increasingly hostile opposition to biblical faith?
5. Read Daniel 8:15-18, 27. Daniel was so overwhelmed by this vision that he "was exhausted and sick for days," and Pastor Russell noted that "if Daniel was unable to comprehend it all, we should be good with a fair bit of mystery as well." How do we balance healthy curiosity about end-times prophecy with humble acceptance that some things remain mysterious, without falling into either obsessive speculation or complete disinterest?
6. Read Daniel 7:25 and Daniel 8:24-25. Pastor Russell warned that we shouldn't look at historical tyrants like Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, or Antiochus Epiphanes and assume we're fundamentally different, saying "We are all capable of beastly gross sinful behavior. It is arrogant to think otherwise." Share about a time when you were shocked by your own capacity for pride, arrogance, or rebellion against God—what did that reveal about your need for constant dependence on Christ?
7. Read Daniel 8:11-12 and Matthew 24:15-22. Pastor Russell challenged us: "You do not want to see yourself profiled as a beast in scripture raging arrogantly against God's Kingdom and values. We want to see ourselves as the NT profiles what believers should look like." What is one specific area in our lives this week where we can actively choose to love others and uphold God's Kingdom values rather than succumb to beastly, self-centered behavior?
   
   

Extra Credit
Look up and read these passages about God's sovereignty over world empires and His faithfulness to preserve His people through persecution:
Daniel 2:20-21 - "Daniel said, 'Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.'"
Daniel 7:21-22 - "I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom."
Romans 8:35-39 - "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, 'FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.' But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Revelation 13:9-10 - "If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints."

What common threads do you see running through these passages about how God's people should respond when facing persecution from powerful rulers who oppose God's Kingdom? How do these texts encourage both patient endurance and confident hope in God's ultimate victory?

Daniel 7: 1-28

Sermon Summary
On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson explored Daniel 7 by addressing the universal questions "Are we there yet?" and "How much longer?"—explaining that this chapter "is not primarily about prophecy; it's about pastoral comfort" for God's exhausted, suffering people in exile. The sermon walked through the four beasts emerging from the sea: the lion with eagle's wings (Babylon), the bear raised up on one side (Medo-Persia), the leopard with four wings and four heads (Greece), and the terrifying fourth beast with iron teeth (Rome), noting that "God doesn't lie to His people" by pretending everything will be fine—instead He shows them "the route" so they can endure. Pastor Russell emphasized that "while the beasts were raging on earth, God never left His throne in heaven," introducing the "Ancient of Days" whose throne is "ablaze with flames" with "thousands upon thousands" attending Him, demonstrating that "the beasts aren't steering history." The climax came with "one like a Son of Man" (Jesus) being given an everlasting kingdom that "will never end, never be destroyed, never pass away." Pastor Russell unpacked how Daniel was "distressed" because things would go "from bad to worse," but the key word is "until"—"the suffering has a time limit" and "the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever." The message concluded with three applications: "stop being surprised by the beasts" since we know it gets worse before it gets better, "live with an eternal perspective" by looking up when beasts roar, and "endure" without giving up or bowing to the beast.

1. Read Daniel 7:2-8 together. Pastor Russell said hearing about four more empires after Babylon was "like hearing we have 13 more hours of driving on a 15-hour trip." When in your life have you felt like Daniel's audience—thinking things couldn't get worse, only to discover the road ahead is longer and harder than you expected?
2. Read Daniel 7:9-10. Pastor Russell emphasized that "while the beasts were raging on earth, God never left His throne in heaven." How does our understanding of the "Ancient of Days" enthroned with "thousands upon thousands" attending Him change the way we view current "beasts" (governments, institutions, or personal struggles) that seem invincible?
3. Read 1 Peter 4:12. Pastor Russell said "it is funny how we act so surprised when the world acts like the world is supposed to act" and challenged us to "stop being surprised by the beasts." What current cultural or personal situation are you being surprised by that you should expect as part of living in a fallen world?
4. Read Daniel 7:13-14 and Mark 14:62. Pastor Russell explained that Jesus claimed the title "Son of Man" from Daniel's vision and that His kingdom "will never end, never be destroyed, never pass away." How does knowing that every earthly kingdom has "an expiration date" but Christ's kingdom is eternal affect the way you engage with political or cultural powers today?
5. Read Daniel 7:18, 21-22. Pastor Russell noted the key word "until"—that the little horn was "waging war with the saints and overpowering them UNTIL the Ancient of Days came." Share about a difficult season in your life where you're still asking "How much longer?" and how the promise that suffering has "a time limit" helps you endure.
6. Read John 16:33. Pastor Russell defined "eternal perspective" as "living today with forever in view" and said "when the beasts roar, look up." What specific practice or discipline helps you maintain an eternal perspective when you're tempted to stare at the beasts and become overwhelmed?
7. Read Daniel 7:27-28. Pastor Russell concluded by challenging us to "endure" without giving up, bowing to the beast, or assimilating into culture, reminding us "we have work to do as the church to bring grace to the world." What's one specific way you need to endure well this week—bringing grace rather than just waiting for the kingdom to come?

Extra Credit
Look up and read these passages about enduring while waiting for Christ's eternal kingdom:
Romans 8:18 - For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 - For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Hebrews 12:1-2 - Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Revelation 21:3-4 - And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

How do these passages expand our understanding of living with "forever in view" while enduring present suffering? What common thread runs through all of them about keeping an eternal perspective when beasts roar?

It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom... and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one)... Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom. Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. Then these men said, "We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God."... Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously... Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions' den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you."... Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions' den. When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?" Then Daniel spoke to the king, "O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime."... So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. (Daniel 6:1-28, NASB)

Sermon Summary
On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson explored Daniel 6 by emphasizing that "adversity not only builds character, it reveals it"—and at 80 years old, Daniel's character was on full display when his excellence led to promotion and persecution. Pastor Russell highlighted that Daniel's enemies "could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption" in his government work, calling this "one of the biggest miracles in all of scripture"—"a squeaky clean politician!" with work that "stands on its own." The sermon emphasized that Daniel had "faith that makes you vulnerable" because his enemies knew he would choose loyalty to God over anything else, making him predictable in his faithfulness. Pastor Russell unpacked "the secret of consistency" found in Daniel's prayer life: "Time" (three times a day, scheduled faith) and "Place" (roof chamber facing Jerusalem), noting that Daniel "didn't start praying because of the adversity; he just kept doing what he'd always done." The message explored how "we seldom receive what we deserve from people/man, either criticism or honor, but we always receive what is best from God, even when the package and the timing are not what we expect"—Daniel wanted deliverance before the lions' den, but God's timing allowed His glory to be on full display. Pastor Russell identified three "heart idols" that drive us to external idols: Power (need to feel in control), Security (need to feel safe), and Approval (need to feel liked), concluding that "the story of Daniel seems to be less about the lions and more about his loyalty to God."

How do these passages expand our understanding of consistent, scheduled faithfulness versus crisis-driven faith? What common thread runs through all of them about trusting God rather than the heart idols of power, security, or approval?

Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. Then the king's face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together... Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him. O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father... Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and all your ways, you have not glorified... Now this is the inscription that was written out: 'MENĒ, MENĒ, TEKĒL, UPHARSIN.' This is the interpretation of the message: 'MENĒ'—God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. 'TEKĒL'—you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. 'PERĒS'—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians." That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. (Daniel 5:1-31, NASB)

Sermon Summary
On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson explored Daniel 5 by opening with sentimental coffee mugs to illustrate what happens "when you use a coffee mug that is important to God, in the wrong way"—specifically, "what happens when we make something common that God has deemed Holy." The sermon introduced Belshazzar, who threw a massive feast and ordered the sacred vessels from Jerusalem's temple to be brought out so "the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines" could drink from them while praising false gods. Pastor Russell emphasized the gravity of this mockery by noting that these vessels were consecrated and that "outsiders" touching them warranted death in the Law. When a disembodied hand appeared writing on the wall, Belshazzar became terrified—"pale, scared, knees knocking, and may have lost his bowels"—and his advisors once again failed to interpret the message. Daniel, who had been "forgotten" after decades of faithful service, was finally summoned and boldly told the king "Keep your gifts for yourself," then delivered a scathing rebuke: "Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this" about Nebuchadnezzar's humbling. Pastor Russell unpacked how Belshazzar was "not ignorant" but "insolent" in treating holy vessels as "common Tupperware," asking us to examine how we treat holy things like marriage, the Bible, and people as common. The writing on the wall—"MENĒ, MENĒ, TEKĒL, UPHARSIN"—pronounced judgment: God had numbered, weighed, and divided Belshazzar's kingdom, and "that same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain," demonstrating that "pride leads to devastating falls" while "humility is the character quality God desires."

Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth: "May your peace abound! It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. How great are His signs and how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom And His dominion is from generation to generation."... Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his thoughts alarmed him. The king responded and said, 'Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.' Belteshazzar replied, 'My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries!'... it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth... that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes... Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. The king reflected and said, 'Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?' While the word was in the king's mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, 'King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you...' But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation... Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride. (Daniel 4:1-37, NASB)

Sermon Summary
On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson explored the complete arc of Daniel 4, beginning with NFL player Terrell Owens' famous quote "I love me some me" and showing how Nebuchadnezzar's pride led to his dramatic humbling. Pastor Russell emphasized Daniel's remarkable compassion for the king despite years of cruelty—"no 'us-versus-them' mentality here"—as he delivered the alarming interpretation with "radical candor" and offered wise counsel: "break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor." The sermon traced how twelve months later, as Nebuchadnezzar stood on his palace roof boasting "Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built," God's judgment fell immediately and he became like a beast for seven years "until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind." Pastor Russell unpacked how pride manifests not just in "self-exaltation, self-promotion, and self-justification" (Personal Reputation) but also in "false humility, self-condemnation, self-demotion" (Devalued Estimation), explaining that "pride is when we are only concerned with ourselves" whether lifting ourselves up or tearing ourselves down. The climax came when Nebuchadnezzar "raised my eyes toward heaven" and confessed "the Most High" with true humility, demonstrating "what saving faith looks like in the OT." Pastor Russell concluded with Walter Kaiser's story of Louis XIV's funeral where the preacher snuffed out the candle and proclaimed "Only God is great!"—reminding us "we are all a bunch of Nebuchadnezzar clones" needing to remember that "grace begins where pride ends."

1. What's a moment when you found yourself thinking like Nebuchadnezzar on his rooftop—taking credit for something and saying "Look what I have built by my mighty power"?
2. Pastor Russell noted Daniel's compassion for Nebuchadnezzar despite being his "political enemy" who had been cruel to him and his friends—showing "no 'us-versus-them' mentality." Who is hard for you to have compassion for right now, and what would it look like to speak truth to them with Daniel's combination of compassion and "radical candor"?
3. How does our understanding of the two sides of pride—Personal Reputation (self-exaltation, self-promotion, self-justification) and Devalued Estimation (false humility, self-condemnation, self-demotion)—help us recognize pride in areas where we thought we were being humble?
4. Pastor Russell said that after twelve months passed, Nebuchadnezzar "lulled himself into a false sense of security" thinking "consequences for sin won't follow me." Where in your life have you been lulled into thinking you have things under control without consequences?
5. The sermon emphasized that Nebuchadnezzar had to be humbled for seven years "until you recognize that the Most High is ruler." What does it mean to truly "recognize" God's rule versus just intellectually acknowledging it?
6. Pastor Russell noted that Daniel gave "vocational repentance" counsel—essentially "quit being a meany, be nice to people, look out for the poor." How does our faith in Christ call us to vocational repentance in how we treat people in our work, leadership, or daily interactions?
7. Pastor Russell concluded that "we are all a bunch of Nebuchadnezzar clones" and quoted "Only God is great! Only God is great!" as something "we need to go around muttering to ourselves." What specific area of your life needs you to shift from "look what I have built" to "only God is great" this week?
   
   

Extra Credit
Look up and read these passages about God humbling the proud and giving grace to the humble:
James 4:6 - But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
Luke 14:11 - For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
1 Peter 5:5-6 - You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.

How do these passages expand our understanding that "grace begins where pride ends"? What common thread runs through all of them about God's pattern of opposing the proud but showing grace to those who humble themselves?

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up... Then the herald loudly proclaimed: "To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire."... Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."... Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king." He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!" (Daniel 3:1-30, NASB)

Sermon Summary
On Sunday, Lance Terry preached on Daniel 3, focusing on the profound faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when faced with Nebuchadnezzar's command to worship his golden image. Pastor Lance opened with a personal story about his daughter confidently praying that God would keep their family from getting sick, which led him to ask the central question: "What if He doesn't?" The sermon explored how these three young men faced tremendous pressure from three sources—"command, conformity, and consequences"—yet refused to bow down, declaring "our God whom we serve is able to deliver us... and He will deliver us... But even if He does not" we will not worship false gods. Pastor Lance emphasized that their faith was rooted in two key truths: "they're certain of God's revealed will, but not His circumstantial will" and "they have confidence in God, but not entitlement." The message challenged us to move from an "as long as" faith (trusting God only when things go well) to an "even if" faith that stands firm regardless of outcomes, reminding us that "God doesn't always keep you away from the fire, but he does always meet you in the fire."

1. What's a time when you hoped and prayed God would do something specific—and He didn't? How did that affect your faith?
2. Lance described three sources of pressure Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced: "command, conformity, and consequences." Which of these three creates the most pressure for you when you're trying to stay faithful to God?
3. How does our understanding of the difference between God's "revealed will" (what He's clearly said in His Word) and His "circumstantial will" (what He chooses to do in specific situations) help us stand firm when we don't understand what God is doing?
4. Lance said our faith can look like "as long as" (trusting God only when things go well) instead of "even if" (trusting Him regardless of outcomes). Where in your life right now do you need to shift from "as long as" faith to "even if" faith?
5. The sermon emphasized that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had "confidence in God, but not entitlement." How do we recognize when we've crossed from healthy confidence in God's character into unhealthy entitlement to specific outcomes?
6. Lance shared that "God doesn't always keep you away from the fire, but he does always meet you in the fire." Share about a difficult season when you experienced God's presence even though He didn't remove you from the hardship.
7. Lance identified several modern "fires" we face—career success that compromises integrity, seeking approval by never speaking up for what we believe, refusing to confess sin, or suffering we didn't deserve. What's one specific area where you need to trust that "even if He doesn't deliver you from the fire, He'll never let you face it alone"?

Extra Credit
Look up and read these passages about God's presence in the fire:
Deuteronomy 31:8 - The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
Isaiah 43:2 - When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.
Matthew 28:20 - teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Hebrews 11:33-36 - who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.

How do these passages expand our understanding of God's promise to be with us in suffering rather than always delivering us from it? What common thread runs through all of them about "even if He doesn't" faith? 

As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place. But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind. You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. This was the dream; now we will tell its interpretation before the king. You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory; and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold. After you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery. In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy. Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an offering and fragrant incense. The king answered Daniel and said, "Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery." Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. And Daniel made request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king's court. (Daniel 2:29-49, NASB)

Sermon Summary
On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson continued our Daniel series by unpacking Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation in Daniel 2:29-49. Pastor Russell walked through the dream's progression from "head of gold" (Babylon) through silver (Medo-Persia), bronze (Greece), and iron (Rome), emphasizing the "descending value of the metals" representing a "progressive decline of the nations." The sermon highlighted Daniel's bold proclamation to Nebuchadnezzar that his authority came not from Marduk but from "the God of heaven," and that all kingdoms—gold, silver, bronze, iron—would be "crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors" by "a stone cut out without hands." Pastor Russell emphasized the "now and not yet" nature of Christ's kingdom: kingdoms are temporary and "will yield to the greatest form of government in the future: A monarchy with King Jesus on the throne," while also reminding us that "the kingdom is everywhere the king is"—so believers "represent the kingdom until Jesus returns."

1. What's the most memorable history lesson or historical event you learned about in school—and does it still fascinate you today?
2. Pastor Russell emphasized that Daniel boldly told Nebuchadnezzar his authority came from "the God of heaven" not from Marduk or any other deity. When have you had to make a bold proclamation about God's truth to someone who didn't want to hear it?
3. How does our understanding that all earthly kingdoms—no matter how powerful—will eventually become "like chaff from the summer threshing floors" change the way we view current political systems and cultural powers?
4. Pastor Russell noted the "descending value of the metals" representing a "progressive decline of the nations" morally, ethically, and structurally. Where do we see evidence of this progressive decline in our own culture today?
5. The sermon explained the "now and not yet" of Christ's kingdom—it will one day fill the whole earth, but right now "the kingdom is everywhere the king is." How does that truth affect the way we live as believers who "represent the kingdom until Jesus returns"?
6. Pastor Russell described how "a stone cut out without hands" represents Jesus, whose divine origin is seen in the virgin birth where "no earthly father was involved." Share about a time when you've had to explain to someone why Jesus' divine nature matters for understanding who He is.
7. Pastor Russell concluded that we represent Christ's kingdom now in a world of temporary empires. What's one specific way you'll live as a kingdom representative this week—showing that your ultimate allegiance is to King Jesus rather than to any earthly power or system?

Extra Credit
Look up and read these passages about Christ as the stone and His eternal kingdom:
Psalm 118:22 - The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone.
Matthew 21:42-44 - Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, 'The stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone; This came about from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes'? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust."
1 Peter 2:4-6 - And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: "Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed."
Revelation 11:15 - Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever."

How do these passages expand our understanding of Christ as "the stone cut out without hands" who establishes an eternal kingdom? What common thread runs through all of them about Jesus' role in crushing temporary kingdoms and establishing God's eternal reign?

Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. Then the king gave orders to call in the magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. The king said to them, "I had a dream and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream." Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic: "O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation." The king replied to the Chaldeans, "The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses will be made a rubbish heap. But if you declare the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and a reward and great honor; therefore declare to me the dream and its interpretation." They answered a second time and said, "Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare the interpretation." The king replied, "I know for certain that you are bargaining for time, inasmuch as you have seen that the command from me is firm, that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one decree for you. For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the situation is changed; therefore tell me the dream, that I may know that you can declare to me its interpretation." The Chaldeans answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean. Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh." Because of this the king became indignant and very furious and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and his friends to kill them. Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king's bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon; he said to Arioch, the king's commander, "For what reason is the decree from the king so urgent?" Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king. Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter, so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven; Daniel said, "Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him. To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For You have given me wisdom and power; Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, For You have made known to us the king's matter." Therefore, Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and spoke to him as follows: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon! Take me into the king's presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the king." Then Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel into the king's presence and spoke to him as follows: "I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!" The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?" Daniel answered before the king and said, "As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king." (Daniel 2:1-27, NASB)

Sermon Summary
On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson continued our Daniel series by exploring Daniel 2:1-27, focusing on the contrast between Nebuchadnezzar's troubled spirit and Daniel's calm response to an impossible situation. Pastor Russell emphasized that when the Chaldeans declared "there is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king" and that "gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh" would be needed, they were unwittingly declaring "the failure of paganism"—it was "bankrupt" and "empty, offering no hope or solution." The sermon highlighted Daniel's remarkable response "with discretion and discernment" as a 15/16-year-old boy, going home to his friends who were "knit together" to "request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery." Pastor Russell challenged us to examine our own "Chaldeans"—the modern equivalents we turn to first when pressure comes—and asked, "When was the last time you prayed for the impossible?" The climax came when Daniel proclaimed before the king: "there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries," demonstrating that unlike the bankrupt systems of the world, our God dwells with us and does the humanly impossible.

1. What's the most vivid or bizarre dream you've ever had that you still remember—and did you ever try to figure out what it meant?
2. Pastor Russell noted that the Chaldeans inadvertently declared "the failure of paganism" when they said "gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh." What modern "Chaldeans" do we turn to first when life gets difficult—social media, Google at 2 AM, investment strategies, political solutions?
3. How does our understanding of God as One who "dwells with us" and does the impossible change the way we approach situations that seem humanly hopeless?
4. Pastor Russell emphasized that a teenage Daniel "replied with discretion and discernment" rather than becoming "hysterical and rash." What situation in our lives right now would benefit from that same wisdom—being "above the moment" and "knowing the audience"?
5. The sermon asked a challenging question: "When I pray, am I coming to God on His terms, or am I wanting God to get good with my terms?" How do we recognize the difference in our own prayer life?
6. Pastor Russell asked, "When was the last time you prayed for the impossible?"—healing when doctors say there's nothing more, marriages when lawyers are called, kids returning to Jesus after years of rebellion. Who in your life needs you to "step into the gap" and pray for the impossible this week?
7. Pastor Russell concluded by challenging us to examine what becomes our "FIRST response to difficulty instead of prayer." What's one specific way you'll bring the impossible before God this week and wait to see what He can do?

Extra Credit
Look up and read these passages about God revealing mysteries and doing the impossible:
Jeremiah 33:3 - Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.
Ephesians 3:20-21 - Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Job 42:2 - I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
Matthew 19:26 - And looking at them Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
How do these passages expand our understanding of God's ability to do what seems humanly impossible? What common thread runs through all of them about bringing our "impossible" situations to God rather than to our modern "Chaldeans"?

My wife, Diane, and I have attended Faith Bible since 1991. We were both raised in “graceless” denominations and stopped attending church in college. We concluded that we could never be good enough to earn God’s favor, so why try? But we never felt “settled” on that path.

While backpacking around Europe after college, I ran across the CS Lewis book, “Mere Christianity.” As I started reading it, an unusual thing happened - - it seemed like every day I ended up in a conversation with a Christian. One day, it was a missionary who was the only other person in a train compartment. Another day, it was a Christian who picked me up as I hitchhiked. After a week of feeling “almost surrounded by God’s people,” I decided to trust Jesus for my salvation.

Unfortunately, I did not follow that decision by immediately attending a church that taught the Bible. But after almost another decade of bad decisions, I started to understand the true gospel.

My first exposure to solid Bible teaching came from a tape ministry from Berachah Church in Houston. I was working as a Chevron refinery engineer in Hawaii and had recently met my wife Diane who was attending grad school in Hawaii. We were both searching for God. As we listened to those sermon tapes from far-away Texas, we heard the gospel of grace. It seemed almost too good to be true. Where had it been all our lives?

Later, Diane and I married, transferred to California, and found a great Bible church where we began to grow as Christians. We eventually transferred to Houston and found Faith Bible. After over 30 years, Faith Bible continues to bless us with teaching, fellowship, and opportunities to serve.

One year, I went on a Faith Bible mission trip where I met 80-year-old Del Underwood. I learned that decades ago he helped start the Berachah tape ministry, which had resulted in Diane and I hearing the gospel. You should have seen his face when I told him how we had been reached! It was a good reminder that by serving, we bless God and others, and we ourselves are also blessed.