Sermon Central
-
Lesson 5: Using Time Wisely
Contributed by Elmer Towns on Oct 22, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Using time wisely is an important Christian virtue, as God has a plan that He wants to accomplish with and through your life.
Pastor’s Bible Class
What Makes You Do the Things You Do?
Dr. Elmer Towns
Lesson 5: Using Time Wisely
October 21, 2007
A. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT TIME
“Make the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16, NASB).
“Teach us to number our days, that we may present to You (Lord) a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90:12, NASB).
1. Definition: “Time is the interval between events.”
2. What does redeem mean? “Redeem the time” (Eph. 5:16, KJV). To buy back.
3. Sayings:
a. “Don’t cry over spilled milk.”
b. “Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.”
c. “Yesterday is a cancelled check, tomorrow is a promissory note, and today is cash.”
d. “In childhood time creeps, to teens time walks, to young adults time runs, to the middle aged time flies, to old age time flashes by.”
B. HOW TO USE TIME WISELY
T ime
- Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.
- Wrong “Time is money.” You can make more money, but it is impossible to make more time.
- Redeem time because it is valuable, i.e. a treasure.
- Everyone has the same amount of time for today.
I nvest
- You can’t save time, you only invest it.
- If you don’t use it, you lose it.
- Where you invest your time reveals your priorities.
- To say, I spend quality time is a misnomer, because all time has the same quality.
M anage
- Our time (life) comes from God, we manage it for Him.
- “Time management” is a misnomer; the key is not to manage time but to manage ourselves.
- You’ve got the same amount of time as everyone else does.
- If you don’t manage your time, someone else will manage it for you.
- If you manage your time for God, He can manage your life.
Make a to-do list.
Prioritize the list.
Choose your task, don’t let them choose you.
Determine the time to finish a task.
Don’t take all day, value your time.
Don’t put off today’s jobs for tomorrow, it may never come.
Build breathing room in your schedule.
E njoy
- There will always be something else to do.
- When you say “yes” to a certain time, you say “no” to another time.
- Ken Griffey, player of the decade said “no.”
- Create happy memories, you don’t have long to live. You only have 500 days left if you are 35 years old.
4. “Redeeming the time . . . understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:16-17).
a. God wants you to understand how to use time profitably.
b. God wants you to “buy” your future.
c. God expects you to use your mind to control your time
GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE
Silver and Blue Sign
God – not you.
Has – its already thought up.
A Plan - score and sequence.
For – its available.
Your – its personal.
Life – You belong to God.
5. Four years is a long time to spend in college. Where will you be in four years if you don’t go?
6. “We are wandering in the desert because You are punishing us for rebellion. We are spending our years as a story that is unfolding. You have promised us 70 years, and if we live longer, it will be with weakness and hardships, then we are cut off and we fly away. . . so teach us to wisely number the days we have left” (Ps. 90:9-12, Amplified)
- Because of sin, we don’t have forever.
- Our life is a story.
- We must wisely use every day.
- Our greatest time is yet to come in Heaven in God’s presence.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
To receive this lesson, log on to www.elmertowns.com. You will find it under Sunday School lessons. To email Dr. Towns, eltowns@liberty.edu. For more information on the class, log on to the Internet for TRBC Home page at www.trbc.org/pbc.
