Daniel 6-10 What makes a Christian stand out in a secular pluralist culture? Not necessarily by the behaviours we demonstrate, though they may well be different. The fundamental difference is seen at the foundational level: we act differently because we have encountered a Lord who is so life changing that we see everything differently. That’s what we learn from the book of Daniel: living holy lives is empowered by a distinct faith in a faithful God, a distinct love from a relational God and a distinct hope in a redeeming God.

Daniel 3, 5 We are encouraged to take our whole self to work, but what about the most important part of ourselves – our relationship with the living God? How do we take our faith to work? The book of Daniel describes the people of God living in exile in a world not dissimilar to our own – a world of power, wealth and the glorification of self-made success. When we’re encouraged to fit in and go with the flow, how do we remain distinctive? When see people living for the moment, how do we prepare them for the day of judgement? When we face times of suffering, how do we draw close to the Lord?

Daniel 1, 2, 4 The way we live is shaped by how we see reality. Are we the Master of the Universe or do we see the everlasting dominion of the Most High God? King Nebuchadnezzar thought he had it all, until it was taken away and he found something better: the living God, a restored humility and lasting treasure. As we look at how Daniel navigated working in a powerful success culture, we will learn how he pointed the King of Babylon to the King of the Universe and how when he lifted his eyes to the heavens, everything changed.