Welcome to Babylon - Daniel: Part 1 - Woodside Bible Church Algonac

As we journey on in our series, Confessions: Erasing Shame and Experiencing Renewal, we will see that an essential part of confession is taking responsibility for our sin. In Romans, we see that Paul states, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” When we were born into this world, we entered into sin, our need for Jesus is very great. And the first step we take in the process of confession is realizing our sin and owning up to it. In confessing before God, it is important that we acknowledge that God is just, confess our fallen nature, and receive God's wisdom. What a gift, that we do not have to do it alone. We have the blood of Christ to cover our sins, He does not leave us alone, we need to take the initial step of recognizing and confessing. Join us in the latest sermon from the series, It’s On Me, and see the freedom in confession. 

We are continuing in our new series, Confessions: Erasing Shame and Experiencing Renewal, this week we will be diving into Gods mercy and how He is faithful to show us mercy. When we appeal to the character of God and appeal to the cleansing power of God, we can experience His great mercy. Rather than carrying it on our own, the Lord is calling us to confess, surrender, release our grip on struggling to clean ourselves up. We can’t do it without Him. When we believe in Him and turn toward Him, confessing before Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to show us mercy. He can mend what we have broken, and He can heal our hearts from what we have let in. We do not have to suffer in silence, no matter how easy it may seem to suppress it and clean it up on our own. We need Him. Join us in listening to the latest message of the series, God’s Immeasurable Mercy, and release your grip on the sin you may be trying to cover.

We are beginning a new series, Confessions: Erasing Shame and Experiencing Renewal, where we will look at 2 Samuel to better understand the role confession plays in our lives for us to find renewal. Today, we begin talking about this topic looking at David’s shortcomings when he gave into temptation and sinned against God. We see that the Lord confronts our sin so that we can experience renewal. To an extent, it’s as if we can have blinders on, where we can’t see the sin that tangles itself in our lives. On the other hand, we are aware of it and may turn our heads from seeing it. God lovingly confronts us with our sin because we are blind to it, at times we have despised the word of God, and the Lord is faithful to forgive our sin when we repent before Him. Tune in to our latest sermon on this vital topic, When God Confronts Our Sin, and allow your heart to be open to what the Lord may be confronting you with.

Today, we are closing out our series, Daniel: Clash of Cultures, looking at the life of Daniel as he faced several difficulties and resided in a land that was hostile to God. As Christians, we are called to have faith, a faith that stands strong against the patterns of the world. Our faith can have an impact on the people and communities we are met with. We are the representation of Christ; the world is looking at us, watching our actions and lifestyle. God calls us to be faithful and to stand firm upon Him. He is saying; be faithful, He will deliver us. As we dig into this chapter, we see four truths about Christian faithfulness, it exposes cultural opposition, cultivates uncompromising character, reveals Divine deliverance, and sparks spiritual awakening. Our faithfulness to God is so vital, it impacts all who meet us. May the truths we have looked at in this series inspire and challenge you in your walk with Christ. Stand firm, we are image bearers, we are in this world, but not of it!

Today, we are diving into another chapter in Daniel, looking at the fall of a king who opposed God. In this chapter, we see that God is sovereign over ungodly kings and kingdoms. We learn lessons from history and actively try not to repeat their past mistakes—it is the same for us as Christians. The word of God is full of stories of men and women who have fallen short, disobeyed God, forgot Him, and walked away, but thanks be to God that He never stopped chasing after them. We see that through their failings and mistakes, God is present, He picked them up, patched the pieces, and restored them. Just as He did then, He is doing now, so we need to learn from what scripture states. Join us in another sermon from the series, Following a Father's Footsteps, and remember your need for Jesus.

Today, we are moving forward in our series on Daniel, looking at the journey of Daniel’s life and his courage to stay loyal to God whilst living in a culture that rejected God. Pride so simply entangles us in its grasp. It is easy to get caught in the success of what we complete or achieve and give ourselves all the credit, puffing ourselves up with more pridefulness. God warns us of the evil that can infect our hearts when we indulge in pride. But he does not leave us to figure it out on our own, He provides careful correction for our sinful ways, sharing with us His grace. God warns us of our pride, He will judge us for our sin, and then He restores us by his grace. He is faithful to redeem us. Join us in the latest sermon of the series and hear of how you can humble yourself before the true King. 

Today we will continue our series, Daniel: Clash of Cultures, looking at another courageous story of Daniel and his friends in Babylon. When faced with the direct command to bow down to a false image by King Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bend their knee to a fake god. They had the courage to refuse and remain loyal to God alone; even if their refusal meant a sentence to death. Through the bravery of these young men, we see how courageous faith rejects idolatrous worship. As we fight in our present culture to stick close to our faith and values, we should reject cultural idolatry, refuse to compromise, and trust in God's deliverance. Tune in and hear how the courageous faith of these men allowed them to stay loyal to God despite living in a sinful, idolatrous society.

Have you faced moments of great struggle? There can be times in our lives when it feels like our world is crumbling—when God seems distant or doesn’t seem to hear us. During these times it is easy to turn from God and indulge in worldly ways. But we can lean on Him when we endure these trials. As we continue in our series, Daniel: Clash of Cultures, we will see how just like us, Daniel also faced difficult times. He was a faithful man of God, remaining dependent on Him when he suffered, rather than turning his back on God. Today, we will learn how Gods wisdom, kingdom, and authority are greater than all. We can depend on God when we endure difficult trials—He is above all. Join us in the latest sermon of our Daniel series, A Kingdom Dream, and let the Lord stir in your heart. 

As Christians in a modern world, we can feel like foreigners under pressure to blindly accept values that directly conflict with the gospel. Today, we're beginning a new series called Daniel: Clash of Cultures. When we step into the world of Daniel, we find ourselves in a land known for its excess, sin, and violence. This is also the reality of the age we currently live in. The key to Daniel's survival and ours is to recognize cultural influences, remain dependent on God, and receive the Lord's divine favor. Listen in as we discuss how to remain loyal to God in a hostile culture — by holding fast to the truth that God is sovereign over our circumstances.

We live in an “all about me culture.” We are dominated by self-image, individuality, how to best serve ourselves, and often leave others out of the equation. In a world that is very self-centered, as the body of Christ, who have been called to humility—it is vital that we reject this mentality and strive to put on humility. It is not always easy to deny ourselves and put others before our own desires, but when we are struggling with this we can look to the example of Jesus. Today, we journey on in our series, Emmanuel: God with Us, looking to the incarnation of Jesus and how it impacts us today. Jesus led by His example of humility; we can follow Jesus’ example of humility in our personal lives. To embody humility in our own lives we can consider our position, consider our mindset, and consider our example. By denying Himself, Jesus took on the fullness of humility. Join us today in the latest sermon of our series, The Incarnation of Humility, and learn how to follow Jesus’ example of humility.