Do you have an appointed time with the Lord daily? 

Daniel 2:16 ESV
And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.

Back Story: The King wanted his dream interpreted and the wise men (worshipped demonic false gods) couldn’t tell the king the dream and now the king has called for the all the wise men to be killed. 

Daniel 2:12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.

Daniel was forced and taken during the exile was appointed to be a wise man but he was a man of God. Daniel was included in those to be killed. Yet Daniel a young men fourteen or fifteen years of age shows his spiritual maturity by asking for an appointed time with the king. He knew only God could interpret the dream.  Another thing that is so cool about chapter two in the midst of this turmoil Daniel grabs his friends to seek the Lord that night. 

Daniel 2:17-18 ESV
Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, [18] and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

We need help, God never attended us to go it alone. How awesome is it to have strong Godly brothers and sisters that will seek an answer from the Lord alongside of you? We need and should be there for each other. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 ESV
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. [10] For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

We are not supposed to go it alone. Sadly, prayer isn’t a priority for many. We need to initiate prayer. For me if I like stop the conversation before we see goodbye and I say let us prayer about that. We need to be that way in this church. To often we will say I’ll pray for you, and we will forget. 

Appointed Time: Daniel made time to seek the Lord. It was something that he had to have learned and put in to practice on a daily basis. We should have the same discipline as well. 

Daniel 2:16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.

It takes time to wait on God. We live in a very instant world. We want answers immediately, unfortunately that is what google has done to us. Also, we do not know how to be quiet and wait to listen for the Lord’s answer. We are rushing and not willing to sit and listen to the Lord. 

Psalm 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word, I hope.

This is not the waiting on hopeless resignation but of hopeful anticipation, for each new day brings new blessings from His hand. Longer you wait and linger the louder it will be as you hear from him. Spend at least 15-20 minutes a day but the more you can the louder he gets. Wait quietly and listen. 

Lamentations 3:22-26 ESV
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; [23] they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. [24] “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” [25] The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. [26] It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Less talking, we may spend a lot of time in prayer but are we listening. Are we zoning out? 

1 Kings 19:11-13 ESV
And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. [12] And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. [13] And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

So as your waiting do understand, seeking the presence of the Lord, do you understand who it is your spending time seeking?  

Revelation 4:2-8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

The worship to the Lord never ceases, I am guilty of rushing in sometimes and when I read this verse, I realize just how much I take this for grant. Do give the Lord your leftovers. Linger, patiently wait to hear from God. Answer may not come quickly but are you willing to wait?

Church I know it isn’t easy to wait.  I mean we are impatient people. We can order stuff and have same day deliver from Amazon. We have been spoiled; we really do not know what it is to patiently wait for things. I tell you when you have an appointed time with Jesus it changes my day. Spend time daily in his word, meditating on his word, seeking to hear from him and in prayer. Your relationship will change in very radical way. You want to hear from the Lord read his word, you want an answer sit and be ready to listen. Linger don’t rush away. 

God Bless 
​Pastor Michael 

I remember as a kid when Sally Field won her Oscar, in her speech she said, "You like me, you really like me." 

I am afraid in the world we are in today with the lure of Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and YouTube many Pastors and followers of Christ have spent much time wanting to be liked, read, and watched. 

Luke 6:26 ESV
"Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
Do we win people to Christ? 

 We have to be careful when we place ourselves into a position of being liked or loved. Then they look to you before the Lord. Trust me we have some narcissistic pastors in the pulpit. It is more about them then God’s truth and His son Jesus. When we are trying to be liked or loved, then you may worry about offended someone with the truth, you start thinking I just want to love them all the time. I told the church I will offend at some point because it is the word of God that convicts or reproofs. It is not done in hurtful or harmful way. I know I will say something that will ruffle your feathers, because I know my Senior Pastor did to me from the pulpit. Not done in harmful way just the word of God getting to marrow of the bone. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 4:12 ESV
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Whose approval are you looking for Man’s or God’s?

In this culture today many seek the approval of man. They are more afraid of being cancelled then share truth. Pastor Ken Graves had great quote about cancel culture, Marxism and progressive Christianity, He said; 

“Woe to unto you if not canceled. Woe unto you if your still popular in a world who hates Christ.”
Pastor Ken Graves 

What Pastor Ken Graves was discussing is how many Progressive Pastors are trying to recast Jesus. We are seeing a growing number of pastors accepting a lot of these wrong unbiblical teachings because they don't want to lose popularity or not be loved. We have to be careful because it easy to create a mass media, celebrity filled, social network pastor today. They stress about saying certain things about marriage, gender, race, or homosexuality because it might get them canceled even the though the bible clearly states the truth on each subject. 

Galatians 1:10 ESV
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

We have to share truth and what is truth? It is the word of God. Our society is pulling further and further away from the truth. 

“The Further a society drifts from the truth, the more they will hate those who speak it.” George Orwell

Pilate feared man, he was threatened by the Jews and his fear of Caesar caused him to release Barabbas over Jesus because he feared man. 

John 19:12 
From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”

Church I hope you realize the importance sharing the truth of God’s word in today’s culture. We will speak truth they may hate, persecute, or cancel you but we need to hold fast to Christ. Remember the culture may drift further and further away from truth but we need to stand firm in it. Be wary of those pastors that want to be like, loved or fame seekers because they are seeking approval of man not God. 

God bless, 
Pastor Michael Petit 

I was reading this past week about the decline of a biblical worldview in Christianity. [i]Overall, the current research revealed that only 9% of all American adults have a biblical worldview. The scary part of this is that most youth have established their worldview by age thirteen and over their twenty’s it is set.

[ii]Here are a few notable findings among practicing Christians:
61% agree with ideas rooted in New Spirituality.
54% resonate with postmodernist views.
36% accept ideas associated with Marxism.
29% believe ideas based on secularism.

Colossians 2:8 ESV
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

What is a biblical worldview?
A biblical worldview is based on the infallible Word of God. When you believe the Bible is entirely true, then you allow it to be the foundation of everything you say and do. Someone with a biblical worldview believes his primary reason for existence is to love and serve God.
 
 
[iii]Do you have a biblical worldview?
Answer the following questions, based on claims found in the Bible and which George Barna used in his survey:

Do absolute moral truths exist?

Is absolute truth defined by the Bible?

Did Jesus Christ live a sinless life?

Is God the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe, and does He still rule it today?

Is salvation a gift from God that cannot be earned?
Is Satan real?

Does a Christian have a responsibility to share his or her faith in Christ with other people?
Is the Bible accurate in all of its teachings?

Did you answer yes to these?
Only 9 percent of “born- again” believers did.

Why the decline? 

One major reason for the decline is the parents or parent is not establishing a biblical worldview in the home. Many do not see their parent living it out in their faith, or in the marriage or the home. Notice in Deuteronomy 6:5-6 The Lord is dealing the individual person-parent first. These words shall be on your heart first and then teach them to your children. 

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ESV
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [5] You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. [6] And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. [7] You shall teach them diligently to your children, 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. [8] You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. [9] You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.


Teach them diligently.

We know the schools; media and the community are teaching them diligently wrong. If you will not teach your child, they will, or Satan will. Honestly, I was so guilty of this before Christ, I expected the school to raise my child and teach them. Once I became I believer and I learned about planned parenthood, socialism, LGBTQ, and other religions (Buddhism meditation or Hinduism yoga) being taught to my kids and it was wrong. We had to establish a godly example in the home. I also needed to be willing to teach why I believe so strongly on issues of the world, especially the ones that went against the word of God. I needed to be a walking, talking billboard for Jesus as husband, father, and man in my home and outside the home. I would live my life based on that truth. We have to engage our kids, teach them diligently. That word in the Hebrew means to pierce or to sharpen. We will do a disservice to our kids if we do not sharpen them in Christ. We need to prepare them for this world, we live in. Trust me it will push and challenge those godly views constantly and if they are not grounded in Jesus they will begin to struggle in what they believe.

What is the Churches responsibility?

Yes, the church has responsibility especially in children’s ministry, youth, and young adult’s ministry to establish that biblical worldview as the ministry meets. But the biggest issue is the parents or parent living it out in the home? We all have a responsibility as Christians through discipleship and I know it is something we will establish as we begin to teach the Book of Daniel over the next few weeks. The first six chapters of the Book of Daniel will establish our biblical worldview, especially in this time we are living in today. The bible is extremely relevant to the times we live in. So, teach it to them diligently, we as a church normally get a child or youth once or twice a week. The school gets them five days a week and you have them all the time. Look for biblical teaching moments with them.
When I was reading about this it was alarming, I discussed it with my wife, we talked about what changes we need to make in our life as we spend time sewing into our grandchildren.  As a pastor it really made think how we can establish a strong foundation for church goers and parents. We pray it is lived out at home. We want good soil, with deep roots, built up in Christ. How is your soil? How is your kids’ soil? Full of weeds or hard Texas ground. The world (weeds) will choke out the word if your not careful. 

Colossians 2:6-7 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, [7] rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Let us teach them diligently and walk in Jesus not just at church but live out your faith at home in your marriages and with your family. Deep roots, strong foundation and strong biblical worldview for the whole family and church.
God Bless,
Pastor Michael Petit
 
 


[i] Changes in worldview among Christians over the past 13 years. Barna Group. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://www.barna.com/research/barna-survey-examines-changes-in-worldview-among-christians-over-the-past-13-years/.

[ii] Changes in worldview among Christians over the past 13 years. Barna Group. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://www.barna.com/research/barna-survey-examines-changes-in-worldview-among-christians-over-the-past-13-years/.

[iii] Changes in worldview among Christians over the past 13 years. Barna Group. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://www.barna.com/research/barna-survey-examines-changes-in-worldview-among-christians-over-the-past-13-years/.