St. Simons Island — Christianity is under siege. The Christian faith is the last moral stronghold holding out against multiple forces of evil dead set on doing it in.

Islam, atheists, the ACLU, a secular church, and immorality in general all strive to abolish the Christian faith. The pure Christian faith stands as a bulwark against complete annihilation of Judeo-Christian principles that were the founding values of our country. However, powers are at work both inside and outside the church to erode, overwhelm and render it powerless.

While contemplating the physical appearance of the church today one may assume that it possesses tremendous influence. Well, it should, but the truth of the matter is that the church has, in all-too-many instances, succumbed to the ways of the world.

People no longer want to be convicted of their sins, but rather affirmed in them. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 talks about godlessness in the last days: “But Mark this: there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

Daniel, the hero of the book of Daniel, was a faithful Jew in the Babylonian exile. He gained favor with the kings by his God-given ability to interpret dreams. Because he was highly favored by the king, he was given a high position in the kingdom, but he did not relinquish his faithfulness to God.

He had come to this land against his will as a prisoner of war; he was requested by a pagan despot to study pagan literature and science and be trained to serve in a pagan court surrounded by luxury, sensuality, lust, self-seeking, idolatry, and ruthless cruelty.

In the middle of all this, there grew up this fair flower of a character, pure, true, holy and stainless, even by the acknowledgement of his enemies, and in which not even accusers could find fault!

When conniving people in the king’s court became jealous of Daniel and schemed to trick the king into signing a decree that prohibited Daniel from praying, he continued to go to his room, open the windows toward Jerusalem, and pray as he had been doing.

The evil schemers had been watching him, and when they saw him praying they had him arrested and carried before the king. The king, bound by the decree that he had signed, had no alternative but to have Daniel thrown in the lion’s den.

King Darius, knowing that he had been tricked, could not sleep--all night he worried. Early in the morning, he went to the lion’s den to discover that the lions had not harmed Daniel.

An angel had interceded and shut the mouths of the lions, and they had not hurt Daniel. As a result of Daniel’s faithfulness to God under extremely adverse circumstances, King Darius issued another decree in Daniel 6:26: “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom, people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel for he is the living God and he endures forever….”

While Christians in America have never been held in physical bondage, as was Daniel, we are increasingly experiencing captivity to an immoral and godless society, and a lethargic church. As we talk about the “fiscal cliff” that our economy is approaching, we are also approaching another cliff that will send us plummeting into a deep hole of spiritual darkness.

The church needs to stop trying to be a politically correct social event encouraging worldly ways and remember what it is called to do. We need some Daniels who will stand up, speak out and talk back for Christ even if it means being thrown to the lions or nailed to a cross.

The Bible is a “how to Book.” It tells us precisely how to get back into the way with God in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Are there some Daniels left?