hope

November 16, 2015

The Red Zone

2 Peter 1.1-11

Pursuing godliness is the ultimate goal of the Christian life. The good news is, we’ve been equipped with everything we need to pursue this life…the Word and the Spirit. Peter even gives us some hand and footholds, a list of virtues from faith to love.

I know we all want to finish well…we want our lives to have an impact for the kingdom. And some of you are having a huge impact right now. I think of those who are volunteering in our children’s and youth ministries, those who are leading community groups or small groups, those who are serving the homeless, or are leading in any number of other ministries that take place on our campus. You’re pursuing godliness, relying on God, so that you can finish well. Keep after it. The race is not done…we haven’t crossed the goal line. We are in the red zone, and it will continue to be hard work to finish well, but it is all worth it.

But for others of us, maybe we’ve fallen already. We started out well, or maybe not so well, and now we’re wondering what to do. Peter would say, “I know you’ve fallen. I know you’ve failed Jesus. So did I…” but the good news is, you can still finish well. How? Begin today to pursue godliness, relying on God.

Jeremiah 9.23-24 says, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.” Is knowing God your greatest priority in life?

May we pursue godliness, rely on God, and finish well.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on a sermon from 2 Peter 1.1-11 entitled The Red Zone. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on twitter: @ccclancaster

November 9, 2015

Examining a Lifestyle of Worship

Luke 2.41-52

Jesus lived a lifestyle of worship…a lifestyle that was modeled by His parents and reflected His absolute devotion to God. There is no doubt He was totally sold out.

We see Joseph and Mary’s lifestyle of worship in their pursuit of God…their obedience by doing everything according to the Law including the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. Following God wasn’t just a part of their life…an event reserved for the Sabbath or special holidays…it was their life. A lifestyle of worship…it invaded every corner of who they were. We see it in their investment in Jesus’ life…passing on a spiritual legacy to their Son.

Jesus’ lifestyle of worship is evident in His relationship with His Father God. Not only did He participate in the celebration of Passover, He wanted to learn everything He could…energizing His heart and mind through biblical teaching. He had a personal relationship with God. And He obeyed those God had placed in authority over Him…even though He was and is eternal God.

What does it look like for us to live a lifestyle of worship? For both parents and students, it looks like all out pursuit of God, walking in obedience and learning all that we can about Him, and passing on a spiritual legacy to the next generation. It’s more than the songs we sing or a weekend event…it should infect every aspect of our lives. Make the commitment to pursue a lifestyle of worship today.

There are no +1’s in the kingdom of God. Each of us can only enter by being a son or daughter of the King. That means that each one of us must have his or her own relationship with Father God. You can only have that through Jesus. Joseph and Mary went looking for Jesus because they thought they had lost Him, but He was where they had left Him all along. Are you searching for Jesus? Then look no further. He’s here today and wants to welcome you into the family.

May we pursue a lifestyle of worship this week, growing in our understanding of who God is and who we are as His children and pointing others to Him.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on our Luke series entitled Redefining the Family. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on twitter: @ccclancaster

November 2, 2015

According to the Law of the Lord

Luke 2.22-40

Joseph and Mary, Simeon and Anna, the faithful remnant within Israel who were anxiously awaiting the coming of Messiah and the fulfillment of God’s promises to His people are blown away when Jesus shows up. They experience the joy that salvation brings…the joy that can only truly be known when what is most hoped for has been realized.

Salvation is here! It’s a day of joy or a day of dread…for those believe in Jesus, for those whose hope has been realized, it’s a day of joy. That’s why I love the picture of Simeon and Anna who were daily looking for Jesus. There’s no doubt what they most hoped for. Their actions demonstrated it. I wonder what our actions demonstrate… You see, we as the church, are a part of the family of God like Simeon and Anna were. Are our lives marked by the same love and devotion to God, the same sense of expectancy and anticipation? Could it be said that we are daily looking for Jesus? Not just for this life, but also anxiously awaiting His Return? Is our faith clear by our actions? Is Jesus our Savior and Lord? Do we count it a privilege to be the Lord’s slave or have we forgotten that we were saved to serve fearlessly?

If you are one of those faithful saints who, like Simeon and Anna, are daily looking for Jesus, let me encourage you to keep at it. To serve the Lord with gladness and proclaim the good news that salvation is here. If you are not living a lifestyle of worship, serving and proclaiming the good news, what are you willing to do about it? You are having an impact on those around you…what kind of impact are you having? Is it for good or ill? Are you leading them one step closer to Jesus, or turning them away? Make the commitment to be all in. Pray and ask God for help. Make it a regular practice to spend time reading God’s Word and meditating on it. Pray daily. Give generously. Look for opportunities to help/serve others. Join a community group. Talk to one of the pastors or your community group leader. Get involved in serving on the weekends. Just like my boys, I want you to know the joy, peace and love, and all the other good stuff that only can be experienced when you are running after Jesus, and the sense of adventure when you trust Him in big ways in your life. The Psalmist says, “Taste and see that the LORD is good. How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”

But for those who reject Jesus it’s a day of dread because He is the only hope of rescue. He is the only One who can save us from our sins and give us new life. You are either for or against Him. You can’t remain neutral. There is no fence. What are you waiting for? What will you do with Jesus today?

Salvation is here! May we daily look for Jesus, experiencing the joy of His salvation and sharing that joy with others.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on our Luke series entitled Redefining the Family. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on twitter: @ccclancaster

October 5, 2015

Happy Birthday John!

Luke 1.57-80

Zechariah has learned to trust God in a bigger way. While he was an OT saint who was eagerly awaiting the Messiah…he was a believer…he was not yet willing or able to trust God to do the impossible. But now that God has fulfilled His promise, Zechariah can’t help but praise Him and trust Him in a bigger way to fulfill His promises to Abraham and David, providing rescue to His people.

Sometimes we’re like Zechariah…we’ve crossed the line from death to life. We’re followers of God, we’ve trusted in Jesus for eternal life. But we still don’t believe that God can do the seemingly impossible in our own lives. Somehow we see our situation as different. Maybe we don’t doubt that God can…but why would He? Zechariah is a great reminder that God is still actively involved in the lives of His people…He works through ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. And He wants to work through us…you and me.

We were saved to serve God fearlessly…Paul says it this way, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not as a result of works lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” As we will see later in Luke, John is a great example of this. His ministry was to prepare the way…he served God (and others) by giving them the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of sins. Guess what? That’s our job description too. We’re to share the good news of the gospel…to bring folks one step closer to Jesus. Are you doing that? The Impact List is a great way to get started.

Can you see the first rays of the Sun rising? Has “the Sunrise from on high” shined on your life? Do you have “the knowledge of salvation”? Is Jesus your mighty “horn of salvation”? Do you know that you have “the forgiveness of sins”? Have you been saved from “the shadow of death”? Are you fearlessly serving Him? Are your feet treading “the path of peace”? If not, you need the Sunrise—you need Jesus who came to rescue you.

“May we trust God to do the impossible, fearlessly serving Him, and sharing with those in darkness the good news of the gospel.”

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on our Luke series entitled Redefining the Family. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on twitter: @ccclancaster

September 28, 2015

Mary’s Song

Luke 1.39.56

John echoes Gabriel’s promise that Mary would be Jesus’ mom by leaping in the womb. Elizabeth praises Mary’s faith in God’s promise. Her blessing leads Mary into a hymn of praise that is also a declaration of faith. God will vindicate the God-fearers in the nation in remembrance of His covenant promises to Abraham. Mary knows that God has not only shown mercy to her, but that this mighty, merciful, and holy God will also show mercy to His faithful people. It’s clear that Mary trusts in the fulfillment of God’s promises. They will come to pass.

John, Elizabeth and Mary are co-conspirators in the divine plot to rescue the lost, experiencing the joy that salvation brings. There is a sense of excitement and great expectancy about what God is going to do. He is fulfilling His promise to David, but also His promise to Mary. He is a faithful God and One who is powerful enough to bring about what He has promised. He exalts the humble and brings low the proud.

Mary once again is a model of faith…believing what the angel has said, trusting in God to bring it about, submitting to His will, then moving out in faith. We too are to believe God’s promises (everlasting life, eternal kingdom, presence), trusting Him to bring them about, submitting to His will (timing, ways) and then moving out in faith.

But it starts with faith…faith that salvation is here. Jesus has come to rescue us. He is both perfect, sinless Man and almighty God. He alone can save. By believing that He came and lived a perfect life, died a bloody, sacrificial death, was raised again the third day, conquering both sin and death and trusting in Him alone to rescue us…all so that we could be reconciled to our Creator God…the Bible says we are saved. We are rescued.

May Jesus be enough for us this week, and may we experience the joy of salvation that Jesus brings.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on our Luke series entitled Redefining the Family. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on twitter: @ccclancaster

September 14, 2015

Unexpected Promise

Luke 1.5-25

Zechariah is unexpectedly surprised…opportunity to offer incense for the people, appearance of Gabriel, and the news that he’s going to be a daddy…and not just of any son, but a son with an amazing prophetic ministry, integral to God’s plan of redemption for His people.

Everything that God has promised in the OT is coming to pass. The plan is in motion, the stage is set. The showdown will be quickly underway. God cares about the salvation of His people…but as we said last week, He also cares about the salvation of the nations. He will rescue those who turn to Him in faith. He will reconcile heaven and earth. His plan has cosmic repercussions.

But this story reminds us that in the midst of the bigness of God’s plan for reaching all peoples, He is still concerned about the lives of individuals. He cared about Zechariah and Elizabeth’s pain. He knew the questions and sideways glances that others gave them. And while He could have answered their prayer for a son much earlier in life when it was more convenient and they had more energy, in His perfect timing He chose to bless them with an incredible son in their old age. God doesn’t conform Himself to our wishes or dreams for ourselves… God is not a genie in a bottle, and prayer is not a divine vending machine. He is actively involved in the lives of His people to bring about His purposes…His glory and our good.

God was actively involved in the lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and He’s actively involved in our lives as well. On the macro level, He wants to see this valley impacted for His kingdom. On the micro level, that happens as each one of us seeks to impact one or two around us, bringing them one step closer to Jesus. I love the fact that Zechariah and Elizabeth still trusted God in the midst of their pain…that they walked blamelessly. They weren’t perfect…we see Zechariah’s, doubt, even though he should have known better. But nevertheless they were committed to following God.

So what about you? What prayer are you waiting to have answered? Are you trusting God in the midst of it? How has He surprised you in unexpected ways? Who can you impact, bringing them one step closer to Jesus?

If you are not a follower of God today, the first step is trusting in Jesus. He’s the long-awaited Hero we’ve been longing for…the only One who can rescue us. He wants to give you life today. Don’t wait.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on our Luke series entitled Redefining the Family. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on twitter: @ccclancaster

September 7, 2015

Setting the Stage

Luke 1.1-4

Who is Jesus, and why is He a big deal…why is He important? He’s the long awaited Jewish Messiah…He didn’t just show up one day on a dusty Jewish road and say, “I think I’ll die for the world today.” He’s the long-awaited Jewish Messiah…the Head-crushing Seed of the woman from Genesis 3.15. He’s the long-awaited Jewish Messiah…the Descendant of Abraham, the One through whom ultimately all the families of the earth will be blessed from Genesis 12. He’s the anticipated Lion of the tribe of Judah from Genesis 49, the One from whom the scepter will not depart. He’s the Greater Prophet than Moses from Deuteronomy 18. He’s the long-awaited Jewish Messiah, the Son of David and the expected King from 2 Samuel 7. He’s Isaiah’s Suffering Servant from Isaiah 53. He’s Daniel’s Son of Man who rides the clouds and receives an everlasting kingdom from the Ancient of Days from Daniel 7. He’s the long-awaited Jewish Messiah…the Perfect Son of Man and the Son of God. He IS God. He’s our Hero, our Savior, our only hope of rescue and reconciliation with our Creator God. Through His life, death and resurrection He has not only defeated sin and death, but He’s also given us life…eternal life. Luke, writing to a guy named Theophilus, endeavors to answer these questions. Luke challenges Theophilus to examine the evidence and draw his own conclusions. But it doesn’t stop there. Having examined the evidence, Luke wants Theophilus to be changed…to be transformed to live and love like Jesus. As we go through this series, I’m going to challenge us to do the same thing…examine the evidence. Who is Jesus, and why is He important to me? What impact is He having on my life? How is He transforming me to live and love like Him?

I hope that we spend time personally reflecting on the passage each week, praying through and examining the evidence for ourselves. Ask and answer the question: What difference is Jesus making in my life? How do I live my life as I follow Jesus?

I’m excited about our time together examining the evidence to learn more about who Jesus is and the revolution He came to bring. I’m excited to be a part of His revolution…a rescue mission to seek and save the lost, to reconcile heaven and earth, to bring life from the dead, to storm the gates of hell and rescue the captives held there. To share a gospel not only with spiritual ramifications, but one that works itself out on the physical plane in love for our neighbor in unexpected, radical and generous ways.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on our Luke series entitled Redefining the Family. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on twitter: @ccclancaster

August 24, 2015

Transforming Families Part 1

Matthew 28.18-20

This is part one of our two-part vision series. Enjoy

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Our marching orders haven’t changed in last 2,000 years…we are still called to make disciples, but how are we uniquely equipped to do that?

Over the past 18 months, a group of elders, staff and lay leaders have been involved in the process of discovering Central’s singular DNA and how God has uniquely equipped us as a church to make disciples. We spent time looking at the demographics of the particular community that God has placed in, our own history as a church, and the gifts and passions of the leaders that God has brought to Central. And after much prayer and discussion, we came up with Central’s own mission statement…Transforming families to live and love like Jesus.

Each word is deliberate. Transforming…discipleship is an intentional process. It’s not about making a few changes here and there, a few tweaks if you will, becoming nicer people. It’s nothing less than moving from death to life, from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of the beloved Son…Paul says we are a new creation. It’s a total change in perspective…developing a biblical worldview, becoming like the Master.

Transforming families…Why families? Genesis 2, God creates Adam and puts him in a garden…everything is perfect, it’s good…except for one thing. God says, “It’s not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helpmate suitable for him.” And He fashions a woman from the man’s rib. The first family. Abraham is promised, “through you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Israel was arranged in tribes, clans and families. The Great Shema in Deuteronomy 6 “4 “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” Joshua’s memorable statement, “…as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” The Hebrew nation was known as the children of Israel. The family was the basic building block of ancient Hebrew society.

In the New Testament, Jesus is the Son of God, right? And throughout the Gospels, Jesus refers to God as His Father. Same is true throughout the New Testament. In the book of Acts, we see a number of times that whole households come to faith (10, 11, 16, 18). Believers are a part of the household of faith or household of God. Family is built-in to the DNA of the early church. Paul’s instructions to Timothy in relating to folks in the church…older men as fathers, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters. These are just a few of the many examples throughout the Bible. In fact, household or its equivalent is used 302x.

While family is the basic building block of society and even of the early church, family has rarely, if ever, looked like Leave It to Beaver. Adam and Eve’s older son kills his younger brother. Abraham…blended family with multiple wives and half-siblings competing for the promise. Jacob…even worse. David…same story different day. Family was messy in biblical times…that’s why in both the Old Testament and New Testament the people of God were charged with caring for the widow and the orphan and the stranger…James 1.27. They were to be brought into the family.

Today, family is just as messy. There has been a dangerous undermining of families in society … abortion, same-sex marriage, pornography, divorce, absentee parents. These things tear at the very fabric of what God intended the family to be. We want to be a part of God’s counter-revolution of transforming families…not just the traditional ones, but every family in all the wonderful and sometimes heartbreaking implications of that word. When we have healthy families, we have a healthy church. When we have a healthy church, we have a healthy community…the ripple effects can have a huge kingdom impact.

Transforming families to live and love like Jesus. It’s Central’s lifelong, intentional process, it’s our DNA, it’s…believing what Jesus believed, living like Jesus lived, loving like Jesus loved.

Our mission statement, Transforming families to live and love like Jesus, answers the question, “What are we doing?” Our marching orders haven’t changed in 2,000 years. We are still called to be disciples who make disciples. But how will we go about doing that? What’s our strategy for accomplishing the mission?

It’s pretty straightforward. I have 3 words for you…Gather. Grow. Impact.

Gather. We believe that everyone who calls Central home should participate in our weekend “Family Gatherings” aka our weekend services as we worship the God who has rescued us through singing, praise, Biblical teaching, communion, baptism, giving and prayer. Notice I said “participate” and not simply “attend”. Discipleship is intentional, and being a part of the family means that each family member has a part to play. We want you to move beyond thinking of Christianity as an event and church as a location to seeing it as a relationship of daily worship. Church isn’t a place where we come to be entertained, it’s a place where we come to engage, to worship and learn about Jesus; where we encourage one another to fight the good fight. Where we pray over and for one another; where we may be blessed by others kind words and caring hearts, where we can laugh at jokes, and even share joy through tears. Its a place where we see life transformation happen, and we want you to be all in.

Grow. Not only do we feel like Gathering is important, but we also believe that, as a disciple, Growing is imperative. And for us that looks like regular participation in a Community Group or various other groups that meet for ongoing discipleship…studying the Bible, prayer and accountability.

Impact. Gather and Grow are the “making disciples” of the Great Commission. Impact is “go”…it’s outward. It’s about influencing our world for Jesus by leveraging our spiritual gifts for kingdom work in the lives of those folks God has placed around us. Impact is intentional. We’ve been talking about our 8-15 for over a year now, but now we want to expand that concept. So we’re changing it to our Impact list. The Impact List is a way for us to identify folks in our lives whom we can intentionally love, disciple, pray for, reach out to and connect with. Who can you help bring one step closer to Jesus? Whether they are believers or unbelievers. The key is intentionally bringing them one step closer to Jesus. If you are a parent, your kids should be on your list. If you are married, your spouse should be on your list. If you are a teacher, your students should be on your list. If a student, your friends, teachers and coaches should be on your list.  In other words, every relationship is an opportunity for impact…an opportunity to bring someone one step closer to Jesus.

God is at work. I want to invite you to join us on this journey of Transforming families to live and love like Jesus as we seek to revolutionize this valley for the kingdom in significant ways. As part of the family, we all have a part to play in the life of our church. The Holy Spirit is ready and willing to empower us to accomplish the mission. How about you? Are you in?

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on our Vision series entitled Transforming Families. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on twitter: @ccclancaster

August 10, 2015

Our Reclaimed Hope

Daniel 12

What a ride! Fourteen weeks in the book of Daniel. Terrifying visions, steadfast faith, incredible courage, uncompromising commitment, a new chapter. The rules have changed during the Time of the Gentiles. Where doing the right thing once brought blessing, it now brings a curse (ex. fiery furnace and lions’  den). Conforming to the surrounding culture brings comfort. Good is called evil, and evil good. Right and wrong are a matter of public opinion. Following God will not be easy, but for those with insight and the courage to persevere, their inheritance is secure. As the divine messenger says, “Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” In the midst of a world seemingly out of control, Daniel is reminded (and reminds us) that God is still in control… “For wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the ages; 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.” So don’t give up, don’t give in…God wins.

The first six chapters of Daniel are story…the adventures of Daniel and his three friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah in the kingdoms of Babylon and Persia. Daniel receives his first two visions while Belshazzar is king…still under the dominion of the first beast, Babylon. He receives these visions before the “handwriting on the wall” of Daniel 5. Daniel’s prayer and the last two visions are during the time of Darius/Cyrus. Why is that important? Because Daniel’s experience in the lions’ den (Daniel 6) could very well have come after this final vision. His response to persecution/suffering should inform our response…God can, God will, but even if He doesn’t, He is still sovereign and actively involved in the events of my life and is working for my good and His glory. And just as prayer was an indispensable part of Daniel’s life, it should be of ours as well.

God’s faithfulness to deliver the fantastic four…His faithfulness to deliver His people throughout history … should cause God’s people to want to be faithful in the face of tribulation and oppression. The Daniel’s visions are given within a context of persecution…there was tremendous pressure for him to compromise and even abandon his faith. Daniel writes to persuade folks who are suffering persecution to hold fast their faith and endure because God will rescue them even through death by resurrection (many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake…to everlasting life). Like the fantastic four, we too are tempted to compromise and abandon our faith, but don’t do it. We are called to live out our faith in a hostile world no matter the cost, being available to be used by God to boldly, yet compassionately point those on our impact list to Jesus, knowing that good triumphs in the end. Don’t give up, don’t give in…Jesus wins.

Is your name written in the book? Only those whose name is written in the book will be rescued and resurrected to everlasting life. And the only way to have your name written in the book…trusting in Jesus to rescue you. Then you too, like Daniel, will receive your allotted inheritance in the eternal kingdom. If your name is not in the book, or if you’re not sure…if you don’t know the God that Daniel speaks of today, the God of heaven, the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists, the Revealer of Mysteries, the Rescuer of our souls, please don’t wait. Only those who have insight, whose names are in the book…who have trusted in Jesus for everlasting life will be a part of His eternal kingdom. The rest will spend an eternity apart from Him. Lack of understanding will be no excuse.

May God give us the courage and steadfastness of Daniel to face life in the fourth kingdom, and may we do it with an undying hope.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on our Daniel series entitled Reclaimed. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on twitter: @ccclancaster

July 27, 2015

The Abomination of Desolation

Daniel 11

History and prophecy. This passage gives us hope for the future. Understanding how God fulfilled the now historical aspects of Daniel’s vision in the past gives us confidence…it strengthens our faith and hope that He will do the same with those aspects that are yet future. God is sovereign over, and is actively involved in, the events on the world stage…past, present and future; and He’s also sovereign over, and actively involved in, the events of our lives as well. Don’t give up, don’t give in, God wins.

The description of the political and military intrigue of this passage is a kind of blueprint of history…folks fighting back and forth, trying to expand their kingdoms by any means necessary, whether by deceit or treachery or outright war. It’s true of both nations and individuals. As Solomon famously said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” But even more fascinating is the battle that has raged for millennia over this one piece of real estate…Israel. We see it even today. And no doubt that current events are playing somehow into Daniel’s vision of the future.

We are reminded once again that evil will not ultimately triumph. Good overcomes evil. The Seed of the woman crushes the head of the serpent. God wins in the end. Jesus defeated Satan at the cross, but we await the final working out of his defeat. In the meantime, we live under the dominion of the beasts, where evil is called and good is called evil. We should expect this to be a time of suffering and opposition from the enemy, as we are called to follow God and to oppose wickedness. And like the martyrs under the altar in Revelation 6, we may wonder, “How long, O Lord…?”

Though “evil does not reign supreme, neither will it ever cease altogether until God reigns supreme.” The road is not an easy one, and our determination to follow the Lord will be tested again and again. Sadly, many of the Jews living at the time of Antiochus IV gave up on the faith of their fathers and gave in to the culture. But there were those who refused to give up or give in…those who had insight, who relied on their God, gave understanding to the many. The answer to “how long?” is, “not forever.” And the good news is…we are not alone in the struggle. Jesus promises never to leave us or forsake us. He’s also placed us in a body of believers so that we can bear one another’s burdens and take up arms for the spiritual battle together. We look forward to the day when God, who has rescued us from sin and death through the life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, will one day bring us into His glorious kingdom. Our hope is resurrection…Daniel 12. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. God wins.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on our Daniel series entitled Reclaimed. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on twitter: @ccclancaster