There are two tests in life: the test of adversity and the test of prosperity. The challenge for each is different. The challenge for adversity is not to give in to despair, not to doubt God’s love, power, and presence in our lives. The test of prosperity is to forget God, to not become self-sufficient and proud.  I don’t know about you but my life seems to be a constant battle between the two.

Case in point: the response to COVID. This crisis has left many limping (and I don’t mean physically).  We have watched as our culture has leaned more and more to being anti-God and anti-Christian.  We have to know where we stand!

We have to draw a line in the sand and say, “I will not cross this and neither will you.” Daniel is a book filled with line-drawing. And it is not about “daring to be a Daniel. ” This book is not about Daniel and his 3 Hebrew friends. It is about Daniel’s God, the very same God whom we worship and serve. God is the hero of the book.

Daniel 1 is the second in the series I have entitled Against the Grain.  (Esther 4:1-14 was the first).  It will be all about drawing lines and then holding them.  My sermon is titled Hold the Line! and you can see why as you read the first chapter. I do hope you join us in person. If not, please join us via live stream.

One last thing: one my most faithful blogging friends who comments on both of my blogs, has one of her own, and tunes into our worship ever week is named Martha Orlando. This past week she was admitted for bacterial pneumonia (not COVID-related) to the hospital in Georgia. Would you please pray for her? Thanks.