A Divine Appointment

That's can you hear me? I can't hear myself. Sorry about that. Well great intro, right. Good morning church. It's good to see all of you and a happy Labor Day weekend do every single one of you. Love weekends like this because they give us a good chance to take a little bit of a breather for me life tends to be very busy have 3 kids and lots of different responsibilities. Lots of different things just kind of have to chase down and it's nice to have a weekend to take a little bit of a break it's strange to me because we live in a culture that has more technological conveniences than any culture and history and these technological convenience. Is there supposed to be time-saving but it seems like we have less time than ever before. Is it just me or is anybody else out if you can figure that out? I don't know how that works. But that's the way that it tends to work life tends to make so many demands on our time whether it's home. And family are work are extracurricular activities or school or church and all of the things that go along with that with friendships and and community and all of the different events that you can go to. It's very hard to keep track. How does anyone stay on top of all of the things that they potentially could have to do during a day for me personally. I use like a a calendar or a to-do list. How many of you use a calendar or a to-do list you see if I don't put anything if I don't put something on my list and it's that ain't done. It didn't get done. It just slipped my mind because there's too many things that I have to hold onto and so my life is basically on my phone on my calendar everything that I have to do everything that I have to go and maybe your system is a little bit different than mine. Maybe that's the case but Regardless of the point regardless of the system that you use we all find ways to make time for the things in life and the people in life that are important to us. We all find ways to make time for the people and things in our life that are important to us. If you were to look at your calendar, are you show me your calendar will probably pretty easy for me to figure out which things in life are most important to you. Whether it's family or sports or work all these kinds of things. You could see pretty clearly because of where you spend your time. But this morning I want to encourage you to do something add something to your list to make something a priority if you haven't done it already know. I know I know that's already stressing you out, isn't it? Because we're all busy we all have trouble just managing the things that we've already got rather than adding something else, but I think I believe that if you'll take what we have today to say today, seriously, it'll take God's word seriously. Then adding this one thing will not only take up some time. But it will make you more effective and better than all the other things that are on your list you interested. If you are even if you're not you're here, you're stuck with us for a little bit. So turn with me to the Book of Daniel chapter 6 Daniel chapter 6 if you want to use one of the Pew bibles if you didn't bring one, it's on page 609. I believe Daniel chapter.

If there's anybody in the biblical story who understands what it is like to be busy. It would be Daniel. Daniel was a he was so talented and he was so productive that he was made one of the chief administrator for not one but two empires that conquered the entire Known World in that day. Daniel was responsible. In his daily duties for running the empire in essence running the world. Now, you can imagine what his calendar and his to-do list might have looked like he probably had a ton of responsibilities when we pick up the story and Daniel chapter 6 Daniel is working for the Second Empire that he would end up working the Persian Empire under a king named the rights and Daniel was one of three Chief administrators in this Kingdom. They were second in command to the king himself. They make sure that everything in the Kingdom went smoothly. Daniel was a busy guy. I can only imagine the kinds of things that he had to deal with on a day-to-day basis. But you don't get to the level of Daniel in power and prestige in position and Authority without making a few enemies. Now Daniel was a good guy. He didn't cut any throats in order to rise in his position. But still he had power and authority and dries like Daniel even better than the other two administrators that he was on the same level with and there is the king plan to put Daniel in charge of the entire Kingdom. It was jealousy against Daniel that that spurred these men on to try to find some way. Stop Daniel in his rise to power. I thought surely surely we can dig up some dirt on Daniel surely. He's got some skeletons in his closet surely we can find something in the way that he's done his business. That's a little bit Shady. Maybe he's taking a bribe. Maybe there's something that we can dig up on Daniel, but they looked and they looked and they looked and there was nothing Daniel was a man of God. He was a man of integrity. He did his work well. And because he did it well. I could find nothing against him. So in frustration that had to come up with another plan, it says this and Daniel 6 verse 5. Finally these men said we will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.

So they hatch a plan.

They knew that King there is love Daniel and that was a problem. But they also knew that dries love dries. And so they played into his vanity and I convinced him dries your the Emperor of this Kingdom. It only makes sense that everyone should be under your Authority. And so we think it would be a good idea for you to pass a law that for the next 30 days anyone who is top praying to any God or man other than you. Will be thrown into the lions den.

now in case you're wondering that's not a good place to be. They made it illegal to pray. to anyone other than giraffes there is. That sounds like a good idea. And so he passes the law. Know when Daniel hears about it hears that prayer is illegal. What do you think he does? Most of you grown up the story know exactly what he does. He does the same thing that he's always done. He goes to his home. He opens the window. He bows down towards Jerusalem, which is the place where in Daniel's mind the spirit of God dwell at the temple and he began to pray to the god of Heaven just like he had done before it did not deter him at all. Even though Daniel fully understood that praying could cost him his life. What did Daniel do he made time? For what was most important?

now this is exactly. But the men were hoping that in fact, they probably knew exactly what Daniel was going to do you think about being in a working relationship with somebody who takes three times a day just to go where is Daniel I needed to sign this I needed to do this. I need to figure this out. Oh, he's praying again. He'll be back in just a little bit. They knew that this is the kind of man that Daniel was. It's a when Daniel prays they burst in on him. They find him pray and they take him they go to King derise and say Hey you remember that decree that you passed out a funny thing. We were at Daniel's house and he just completely disregarded your degree and he was praying to his own God. So I guess that means that you got to throw him to the line. Dr. Reyes didn't want to do it. Your highest tried to save Daniels life, but here's the thing about Persian law Persian law was above even the authority of the king once a law was passed. No one. No one not even the king himself.

Can you turn it up to the ceiling?

And so reluctantly. Do I escape the order for Daniel to be thrown to the Lions?

And he went to bed.

But he couldn't sleep all that night. He was worried about Daniel. He was his best servant. He was his friend. He loved Daniel. We pick up our story in verse 19 it says this. At the first light of dawn the king got up and hurried to the lions den. When he came near the den, he called the Daniel in an anguished voice Daniel. Servant of the Living God has your God whom you serve continually been able to rescue you from the Lions? You guys got to be thinking at this point now he's dead.

Imagine how relieved he was to hear the voice of Daniel answering May the King live forever. And he continues my God sent his Angel and he shut the mouths of a lion. They have not hurt me because I was found innocent in his sight nor have I ever done any wrong before you your majesty and it says next the King was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no one was found on him because he had trusted in his God. Now. There's a reason why this is one of the most famous stories in the Bible. Probably no one in here has never heard something about Daniel in the Lion's Den. Even if you've never read it from the pages of scripture. We love stories like this. We love stories of God coming in and rescuing his people when it seems that All Is Lost we love stories of seeing people making it through seemingly impossible odds, because of God's grace and his Mercy we love seeing the good guys win. And we see all of that in the story and we love it and it gives us hope for our own story for the own struggles and difficulties and you could say Lion's Den that we face in our own lives.

But as I read this story in preparation for this message, there was something that I had never really considered. It's this.

We just read Daniel chapter 6 verses 19 through 23. And we love that part of the story. But what I realized I got Shelby's that we would not have verses 19 through 23. without Daniel chapter 6 verses 10 and 11 Will you read those with me now? It says this. Now when Daniel learned that the decree have been published he went home. He was upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day. He got down on his knees and prayed giving thanks to his God just asked you done before and it says in verse 11, then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.

What was it? That made such a difference in the life of Daniel.

is prayer

and I believe the prayer can make a huge difference. In your life and in my life as well.

So this morning I want to take some time to encourage each and every one of us to do the same thing that Daniel did. Specifically this I want to encourage you to make prayer a priority.

I know I know I know. You've heard the sermon before. You might know that you need to pray more. You probably feel a little guilty about the lack of prayer life in your life if you're there. I've been there. I have felt guilty about lack of Prayer in my life as well. And maybe you've heard a few sermons maybe even some that I preached that tried to make you feel guilty because you weren't praying enough or doing enough. And if that's the case, I'm sorry. I'm not here to try to guilt you this morning into doing anything. You know, why because I've learned that guilt is not a very good motivation for doing anything. If I try to guilt you into praying more, you know, what you'll do you want pray more but you will feel more guilty about it when you don't So instead what I want to do this morning, cuz I want to try and explain try and show you why prayer is so important the difference that it made and Daniel's life and how it can make the same kind of a difference. in yours

We said before that we all make time for the things in our life that are most important every morning when you get up you probably hit the ground running because you got to get the kids ready for school. You got to do this. You got to get to work on time. You got to do this that and the other some of you probably wake up way before the sun gets up just so you can do all of these kinds of thing you dragged out of bed and you shove some toast in your mouth or something or maybe a Pop-Tart on the way out the door and you are just running the rest of the day, but every single morning you have the capability of deciding how you spend your time. You have the capability of deciding which things are most important to you. Now some of you may already make time to pray and if you do that's wonderful. I hope that you continue to do it. I hope that you're doing well more and more. But some of you may not have prayed taking some real time that actually make time to spend with God. in a long long time

Why is that?

We make excuses then we say well it's because I'm just too busy you're because I've got so many things so many irons in the fire. So many plates spinning you could come up with any number of metaphor for the busyness of life in the truth. Is that most all of us are busy? Daniel was busy. He's probably busier than most CEOs are busy today. He had incredible to-do list and yet he made time why?

I think often times we tried to distance herself in the world of the Bible. And we say things like oh, well, that was Daniel and Daniel's way up here and God's economy. And here's me. But the issue is not that Daniel is a better person than us. He's a sinner Born Sinner just like you and I

It's not that Daniel is somehow more talented or better at managing his life. That's not the issue either. The reason why Daniel was willing to make time every single day to pray is because for Daniel prayer and time with God was near the top of his priority list. He made sure that have all of the things he had to do. He's scheduled that time and made that time so that he could be with God. Now, why did he do that? It's simply this because he believed. He really believed. in the power the prayer

I'm going to say something that. You may not like but I need you to understand that it's something that got hit me right between the eyes with this week. This is just as much to me as it is to everyone else. If you are not making time to pray. It is not. because of a lack of time

it's because of a lack of faith.

It's because you don't really believe you don't really really believe that the most important thing you can do. One of the most important things you can do with your time. Spend it with God.

You believe that your effort and your running and your work and your driving kids back and forth and all of the things that you do during the day that all is more important. As Damon said during his class and I thought it was perfect cuz it's about the same thing that I'm talking about right now. What does you're doing? Say, what is your doing say? Look at your life and examine and say what am I saying that I Believe by the things? That I do. Daniel was saying that one of the most important things. In fact, it was so important to Daniel that he was willing to risk his life you think about this that the decree from the rice was just for 30 days. Then you could have waited 30 days and then going back to free and there would have been no problem. He could have avoided the Lion's Den. He could have done anything like that. But Daniel was not willing to go one day.

without praying to God

and he was so committed to that. He was willing to stake his life on it. We'll talk about why here in just a moment.

How I should say why. Why should we make prayer a priority in the same way the Daniel made prayer a priority that's because of this. It's simply because God is important. We make prayer a priority because God is a priority. I text tells us two reasons why Daniel was pray and if you look with me first in verse 10, it says this Daniel chapter 6 verse 10 three times a day. He got down on his knees and prayed giving thanks. He was God just as he had done before. The first reason Daniel Prayed was simply to say thank you to God.

Daniel was a very successful talented person hard-working. I look around this room and I see some successful hardworking and talented people. The problem was successful hardworking and talented people is that we tend and whether we tell other people this or not in our hearts, we tend to take credit for all the hours and all the Blood Sweat and Tears that we have earned everything that we have.

that God really didn't give us the blood that's going through our veins that God really didn't give us the glands that cause us to sweat that allow us to sweat to cool our body off that God didn't give us the tear ducts that God didn't give us every single breath that we have any amount of strength or wisdom that everything comes from him Daniel realized this And he attributed his success. Not to all the hours that he had spent laboring although he had done some of those he done many of those. But he first and foremost attributed his success his very life to God. And for Daniel, it would have been rude it would have been improper to do anything less and say, thank you. you imagine

If there was somebody you knew. Who needed a kidney? And they're going to die if they didn't get this, kidney. you have to so you talk it over with your family and say you know what? I think I'm going to see if we're a match and then you find out that your imagine. So you do this incredibly selfless thing you give this person their kidney you give them so many more years of life and health and family and all of these things and you look at that person and you see everything that they have now on the other side of that surgery. It's because of you it's because of what you give him every hour every single minute every breath everything that they're able to accomplish everything that they able to do. They would not have been able to do any of that without you and yet how would you feel

if that person didn't even appreciate never even said Thank you.

How does God feel?

when we take credit

for everything that he has done for us.

See if we're not thankful. We're not going to realize the next point the next reason why Daniel actually spent time praying and that was in verse 11 and it says this it says then these men when is a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.

Daniel Prayed because he knew that he needed God.

I told this next story before but I think it Bears repeating here. So I hope you'll bear with me if you heard it. I never have ever been seeing myself to be much of a handyman. I can do some little projects here and there. but if there's anything big And if I want it done, right, I mean really right. I'm going to hire somebody else to do it. That's just this is not my strong suit. But several years ago. Casey and I live in an older house that we moved on Sizzle and it was up on pier and beam it had a plywood subfloor. And the air conditioning unit the indoor unit was actually right behind our refrigerator. One day it froze up. In the Heat and then it started leaking. And water went everywhere down the wall on to that subfloor in the subfloor underneath the place where our refrigerator was began to rot. So that our fridge I mean you can literally do this and it was just kind of rocking and I was like, you know, we really got to take care of this. Well, it has been days and days and days and I've been busy and I think it was one Friday or Saturday night. I got six. I had the bright idea. I'm going to take this on and I'm going to get this thing fixed. all by myself

I appreciate the coughing. That's probably what I deserve. For my wife and my father-in-law he comes in later you'll see that's exactly what I deserve. So I rolled the fridge out. And I feel up the peel and stick tile that we had on the floor. And then I've got just rotten wood subfloor and area probably about as big as your from here to the end of the stage. And so I just get some ham. I mean, it's just like like paper. I mean toilet paper. I mean, it's just rotted it's so I knock it all out. and as I'm doing all this my wife is like are you sure you know what you're doing?

Are you sure you don't need some help? I can call my dad and he could come in and help me with this and that time and time again, I was like now you know what I think I can do this. I mean, it's just putting some boards down everything else. I think I got it. Okay.

about two hours later after me trying to look at this thing from every single angle. You see the problem was our house wasn't perfectly level. And so getting the boards actually put on their level and getting everything fixed. It just wasn't working for me. I wasn't able to figure out how to do it.

What about 9:30 at night?

And I have to admit. You know what? I'm just standing here in my house, but I'm the house the floors right here and I'm standing on the ground outside underneath the house basically in this big hole that I have made for myself, and I don't not sure that I can patch it up. I'm not sure that I can fix it on my own. It's all finally had to admit. You know what it's time to call for help. I called my father-in-law and he came over and it took us about an hour, but we finally got that at least sealed so that we didn't have snakes or anything crawling in our house during the middle of the day.

And why would I tell you the story?

How many of you the only time when you ask for help in life is when you find yourself in a hole.

How many of you the only time you ask God for help the only time you pray? When you find yourself in a situation where you just can't get out of it on your own. They didn't need God that morning. You didn't need him during the day. You didn't need them for work. You didn't need them for this that and the other you didn't need him to provide for you food, even though he did that. Anyway, you didn't realize that he was the one who was doing all of this the entire time, but God allows you to get in a hole. Why because you need to realize how much you need him. Not only for the whole Situation's not only for the Lion's Den situation, but every single second every single moment of your life, you recognize something that Daniel was so successful that he was able to get so much done because God was the one helping him the entire time. That's why he was thankful. That's why he wouldn't go a day without praying you don't why then it was willing to risk his life to pray. It's because he was not willing to go a day without God as his life line. God was his life. It was a source of life for him and he knew

I know in 30 days. That just was not an option going one day that was not an option. He needed God.

And guess what?

God came through

they got him out of the hole.

What holds have you found yourself in?

Where do you need God? The deliverer you what areas? Do you see this haircut? I need help.

And maybe how can we realize that God is the source of everything that we need his help for every single thing that we do whether it's parenting or work or all of these things. You know, you're a better parent with God then without you know, you're a better employee or a boss with God then whatever. Do you know, you're better at everything with God then without him. And we walkthrough allies and God. Is there waiting in the wings and he said hey, are you sure you don't need help with that? And you say no I got it God. I'm good. I got this. He's not going to force himself.

He wouldn't let you get in a hole from now and then

but he's also the one that if you will ask him when you get in that hole he will come and he will help you. the fix

that's why we pray. How can we pray in the world? We were so busy.

We make prayer a priority in this is my final point. I'm making an appointment to pray. Make an appointment spray. I told you before that I use a calendar that if it doesn't go on the calendar, it doesn't get done. So what do I do? I make some time to pray on my calendar. I make sure that all the other things that I have that this gets on there. And here's the cool thing is that when I do this, I realize that I'm not trying to get all of this other stuff done on my list on my own that God is the one who is who is helping me because I've invited him to help me. I'm trusting in Him in faith. Not just in that one single area of my life, but for every single area of my life, wherever I go. I'm looking him. I'm focused on him. I'm trusting in Him. I'm looking for him to work in all of these areas.

I want to encourage you to do that to make some time on your calendar to pray if you have to spend a few less minutes surfing on Facebook. I'm sure the world will be okay. If you have to spend one last hour binge-watching that Netflix show, I'm sure I'm sure you'll survive.

if your married if your spouse

don't encourage each other in this help each other. Hey, it's my turn to pray or better yet pray together. But if you need to and the kids are young, you know say Hey, you can go pray and then I'll pray afterwards make time work together do this. Because it will impact your life.

But here's what you need to know.

the last thing but the devil wants you to do.

That is the last thing in the world that he wants you to. Do. You know, why because he's not worried about you and your own effort.

You're not much of a Hey challenge to him on your own.

But you bring God into the fight and he knows that he doesn't have a chance. When you start trying to do this, it's going to be difficult. You're going to feel lost at times. You're not going to know what to say in times when I get that way. You know what I do. I open up my Bible to the songs and I begin to pray through prayers that David or others prayed throughout history and that gives me a little bit of a language or something that I can focus on and talk to you about going to try to distract you. So, you know what you set aside 15 minutes or 30 minutes or maybe so maybe an hour and you know, how are you going to fill all that time?

But when you commit to that time with God, I'm telling you fill it the Bible talks a lot about waiting on God. I think that's part of it. But don't be surprised when you try if it's difficult if you can't think of things to say. Don't be surprised if that voice comes in your head and says, you know what this is just a complete waste of time. Don't even try doing it. Don't be surprised if when you bow down to pray seven people call you at the same time. It's happened to me. Don't be surprised. If you decide that you're going to wake up 30 minutes early so that you can spend time with God that your kids have a terrible terrible night asleep. And you don't sleep at all that night either in the alarm goes off in your life. I don't know if I can do it. Don't be surprised. If all of these things start happening to try to keep you from doing what God wants you to do, but I encourage you to church press through.

Because it's worth it guard that time defendant.

Why because you believed that you need God? You believe that he answers prayer. You believe that you owe him everything. And saying, thank you and asking him for help. That is the least. The very least you could do. if you believe like Daniel did

You pray. if you don't you want simple as that But I encourage you. Make that appointment because we all make time. For the things in life and the people in life who are important to us. I just have to ask you and ask yourself is God. at the top of that list

would you play with?

Heavenly father. I thank you so much for your words.

Thank you for the faith of Daniel. And how it inspires us but I pray this morning that I wouldn't not guilt us the father that we would believe that we would trust it for Faith would be the motivation.

We're coming to you. I'm trusting in you.

How we know? But you answered prayer even though it's not always to our liking we know that you answer and we know that you listen to us, since you respond. We know that you speak to us. We know that you want us to make that time. To make that time for you.

How do we thank you. And we love you. And we give you praise.

I pray that you would inspire all of us. Through faith to make time every day. to pray In Jesus name I pray. Did you stand with the church?

several years after Daniel

Jesus Christ was praying In The Garden of Gethsemane.

And as he was praying he was praying God if it is possible. Would you take this cup from me? He was about to go into his own Lion's Den of sorts. He was about to be crucified on the cross. The only difference is when Jesus prayed. Got said no God delivered Daniel from the mouth of the Lions, but he didn't deliver Jesus from the cross. You know, why? Because Jesus was dying for you and for me on the cross Jesus cried out my father my father. Why have you forsaken me?

Jesus was forsaken.

So that we would know that we never would be for second. He took our place and he offered us his. And he invites everyone everyone who hears the message of the Gospel to respond to follow Jesus to become a follower by being baptized into Jesus cry if you haven't made the decision to follow Christ. I encourage you to do that. And if you still want to know more you want to talk we can study talk to us. We'd be happy to help you make that decision. If you have made the decision. Encourage you to continue in them. the walking at each and every day to be thankful for what Christ has done for us and to rely on his help because he said and I will never leave you and I will never forsake you. May the Lord bless and keep you Church.

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