A wealthy businessman lay on his deathbed. His preacher made a sick call and talked about God’s healing power and prayed for his parishioner. When the preacher was done, the businessman said, "Preacher, if God heals me, I’ll give the church a million dollars."
Miraculously, the businessman got better and within a few short weeks was out of the hospital. Several months later, the preacher bumped into this businessman on the sidewalk and said, "You know, when you were in the hospital dying, you promised to give the church a million dollars, if you got well. We haven’t received any of it, as of yet."
The businessman replied, "Did I say that? I guess that goes to show just how sick I really was!"
Ah, yes! Here we are at the first of a new year. A time when promises or resolutions are made. Too often, these are made without considering the consequences involved in "keeping" those promises. On December 31st, we look back over the past 12 months and often say, "I’ll make this year better than the last! AND here’s how I’m going to make it better."
From the results of a survey of a few years ago, it is certain that many Christians need to make some real changes for the better. Of those surveyed:
1. 91% said that they lie on a regular basis
2. 86% of children said they lie to their parents regularly
3. 75% said they lie to their friends
4. 69% said they lie to their spouses regularly
5. 50% said they regularly called in sick, when they aren’t
In comparing the ethics of Christian and non-Christian adults, it was found that:
1. Almost as many Christians steal from work as non-Christians
2. Almost as many Christians use company phones for personal long distance calls, as non-Christians
3. Christians are just as likely as non-Christians to: (a) Falsify their income taxes (b) Commit plagiarism (c) Give bribes to obtain a building permit (d) Ignore construction specs (e) Illegally copy computer programs (f) Steal time from work (g) Exaggerate their products (h) Selectively obey the law (i) ETC.
Yes, I’d say that we Christians need to make some real changes in order to make our "Walk" equal our "Talk". Just a few hours ago, many Believers made a determination or "resolution" to do better. However, most who make such determinations have no real idea what is involved in bringing such resolutions to reality, OR the consequences of not keeping such a commitment to God.
Ephesians 5:14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
The Holy Spirit uses a couple of metaphors in this passage to help us understand the importance of what He is saying. In the first metaphor, the Holy Spirit pointed out that most of us see the value of time just about as much as someone who is sleeping. In the next metaphor, He pointed out that most of us cannot even understand the value of time, because we are in the same relationship to time as a dead person.
All of this is in the context of the shameful practices of the world. For our study, let’s see the implication to our time as Believers, and in some other lesson we can look at the shameful practices. We are to redeem the time, because the days are evil.
Redeem = (Greek) Denotes "to buy out", especially of purchasing a slave with a view of giving him freedom
Unless we "redeem" time, the time we have and use will be evil! Not because we are committing evil acts within the scope of that time, BUT because the day, itself, is evil.
The Christian can "buy back" time from these evil days and set that time free to accomplish righteousness. By the way, that should be the purpose of the Christian life and living, NOT to find some personal emotional satisfaction.
"Redeeming time" is far better than making a "New Year’s Resolution" that will more than likely be broken before New Year’s Day is over. Let’s see some things that characterize our time in general, some dangers of making resolutions and some things involved in setting time free from the evil days to be used for righteousness.
To do all of that, in any depth, would take several lessons, so we will just hit the high points. If we are to redeem time and use it properly, we must understand something about the brevity of our time.
Psalms 39:4 "LORD, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. 5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah 6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them. 7 "And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.
2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Psalms 90:4 For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night… …9 For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh. 10 The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 11 Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
I’m coming up on 70 years spent on this ball called earth. When I reach that magic number of 70, I will have spent 25,550 days, plus the extra days of the leap years. If I make it to 80, I’ll have only 3,650 days to go.
What do I want to do with those few days? How can I make them most profitable? Such an evaluation is the way the world does their calculations. Such calculations, of themselves, are not wrong. Actually, such calculations should be a part of our planning.
But, over and above that, God said that I should number my days SO THAT I can gain a heart of wisdom. Gaining a heart of wisdom, is not gaining information or even the ability to use that knowledge wisely.
The importance is not on what I can do with my days BUT what I can become. My purpose should be to gain a heart of wisdom. That’s who I am, not what I do. Also note, we must GAIN this heart of wisdom because we are not born with it, NOR do we receive it at the point of the New Birth. This is a process that is to be accomplished after Salvation.
The Bible refers to wisdom 215 time. We cannot look at all of those references, even though that would be profitable. Please, give holy reverence as we look at some of those precious passages of Scripture.
Psalms 51:6 Behold, You (God) desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Proverbs 2:1 My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, 2 so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; 8 He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10 When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, 11 discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, 12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things,
Proverbs 8:10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. 12 "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion. 13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.
Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Time is such a relative thing! Time goes fast for some and for others, it just drags. For two teenagers, who think they are in love, an hour goes by like a flash of lightning, as they sit in the car and talk.., BUT for mom and dad wondering just what going on in that car, an hour drags on like an eternity.
Therefore, it is
needful
to carefully
"number"
our days, so that we may
gain a heart of wisdom!!
However, it is not just sinful things that keep us from gaining that heart of wisdom. Quite often it is the "good" things that keep us from gaining that heart of wisdom.
You remember the story of Mary and Martha. Jesus had come to their home, and Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening, and Martha was in the kitchen totally occupied with getting a good meal prepared.
Even beyond accomplishing the needful (a meal), Martha became so involved in much or an overabundance of serving that she missed the needful "thing" or "Person". Martha, in frustration because Mary was not carrying her share of the load in the "good thing" of meal serving, complained to the Lord…
Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
The Lord answered Martha…
Luke 10:41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
The key to understanding the difference between just "doing good" and having the "good part", is seen in two phrases in this passage.
Luke 10:38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
We don’t have time to "flesh" it out, but look at the phrase in 10:40 "Lord do you not care". Because Martha had her total focus on the secondary thing of doing "good", EVEN her perspective of what and Who Christ was in His essence was distorted in her thinking. Martha questioned Christ’s motive and His nature of "love", BECAUSE she did not receive what she thought was her "rights". A lesson we would do well to ponder.
Notice the "also" in verse 39. Mary not only sat at Jesus’ feet, she ALSO did something else. Obviously, in this context the only other thing mentioned is serving. Couple that with verse 40 and the phrase "distracted with MUCH serving".
Mary not only served, she also sat at Jesus’ feet, an expression meaning she became a student of Jesus. Martha, on the other hand, was distracted from being a student by "much" or an overabundance of serving. We only have so much time, therefore we must often choose between "doing good" and "having the best"
Please observe from this passage
the distinction between
"good things" and "that good part".
It was not that serving was wrong. Serving is a good thing. However, the good part was being a student of Jesus, and Martha got caught-up with doing a good thing but missed the "good part". She needed to "number" her days. She could serve in abundance another time, BUT this was the ONLY day she had to sit a Jesus’ feet. Sometimes we have to limit our doing of "good" things, so we won’t miss "that good part".
Please note, Mary
CHOSE
that good part. She had to
evaluate
which of the "good" things were
really
that "good part".
As you enter this year, there will be many, yes even an over abundance of good things you can do. Good things like ball games, school functions, praying with others, Bible study with others, etc., BUT if these good things keep you from being engaged in "that good part"… they become a distraction, not a benefit to the greater Christian life. Yes, we MUST learn to "number our days" and learn to choose "that good part" over and above the good things.
A medical doctor wrote a book in which he dealt with some of the major maladies of our time. Two of those maladies were anxiety and stress. These are almost twin sisters. Anxiety has a great deal to do with what is "yet to happen" while stress has more to do with "right now". That statement is not totally a "trueism", it is a generalization. This doctor called our overriding malady "Overload," and said that people try to do and have more than they can handle. Here is a summary of his conclusions.
1. We’re overloaded with commitments. We’ve committed ourselves to go here and there, to take part in this activity and that social function. As a result, we soon meet ourselves coming and going, because we have overloaded ourselves in the area of commitments.
2. We’re overloaded with possessions. Our closets are full, and our garages are overflowing. We’ve gone into debt to pay for all of these things we "simply must have." Now that we have all that "we must have", we’re afraid that someone will steal them. We are overloaded in the area of possessions.
3. We’re overloaded with work. We get up early, fight traffic, and experience intolerable working conditions, because -- we have to, if we’re going to pay for all those possessions we "simply must have". We find ourselves overloaded with work.
4. We’re overloaded with information. He said that as a doctor, he has to read some 220 articles a month just to keep up with all the changes in his profession. Now with the internet there’s an information superhighway. The problem is that we can’t possibly absorb all that information, so we feel an overload in this area, too.
5. We’re overloaded with activities such as school functions, sports activities, etc., etc., without number.
Yes, the list could go on and on, but you get the picture. There are so many demands on our time, so many good things that can be done.
However, there are only
8,760 hours
in this year,
and
we’ve already used
11+
of those hours.
We want to make the most of every opportunity, so what are we to do? Allow me to make a few suggestion and then some cautions. Please understand that this list of suggestion is only a starter list, but if we put into practice these few suggestions, we will be further along in this task than we were before we started.
(1) Establish your priorities. (You MUST start here!)
I assume that, since you’re in church this morning, you believe Christ should be a part of your life. That’s a good start. Now you need to decide at what level of importance Christ is in your life.
Is Christ simply a "good" thing, as was the attitude of Maratha OR is Christ "that good part" as was Mary’s attitude? It is my prayer that we will each put our relationship with Christ at the very top of our list of priorities.
If you believe that the Church is the Body of Christ, and it is at church where we learn of Christ and fellowship with others in the Body of Christ, then the church must come next in the "list", that is, IF Christ was first on your list. Too often, our purpose in seeking Spiritual things, is NOT to know Christ, which only comes from Scripture, BUT our seeking is to satisfy a personal emotional desire.
If Christ is first on your "list" of priorities and the place of growth and fellowship in Christ is the church and it is second on the list, then those two will affect all others, as to their importance.
If those two (Christ & Church) are on the top of the list, then when church time rolls around, neither rain nor shine nor football kickoffs will interfere with your being in church. That will also mean that commitments to Christ and the Church will come first over rescheduled activities of all kinds.
It never ceases to amaze me, that when an activity such as a ballgame or something else is rained out and rescheduled during a church activity, I hear -- and God hears.., "Well after all, we’ve committed to this activity, so it must take priority."
You know what, I can’t remember too many times when a church function was "rained out" and rescheduled on a school or ballgame time, that the same standard was applied by saying "We’ve made a commitment to Christ and the church, so this church activity must take priority."
You can piously say whatever you want, but when those choices are made, I can tell you without question, where the priority is.., and it is NOT with Christ and the church. Come to think about it, if I can figure that out, I’m sure that God can figure that out, also!
I can’t AND won’t attempt to tell you what is right or wrong in each of these situations, BUT you do need to number your days and choose "the good part".
You say, "Pastor, what are to do, then?" I don’t know, that is your choice, but I’m quite sure I know what God’s answer would be to that question and it is found in…
Luke 10:41 And Jesus answered and said to her (put your name here), "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
It’s no wonder
that the World thinks
so little
of our faith in Christ..,
they are just following
our example.
If you are going to make this year count for God you MUST set priorities, and then STICK with them.
1. Establish your priorities
2. Make sure your day is filled by fellowship with Christ (prayer is our communication with God) and meditation on His word (God’s communication with us)
3. Establish time to spend with your family. Time spent with your family should be "WITH" not simply herding your family from one activity to another. Your children will be gone before you know it, and the time spent with them will shape their lives for all of time and eternity. You will answer to God for how you used your days with your children. Please learn to number your days, before they are GONE!
4. Make sure you give your boss an honest day’s work. When a work day is finished you can’t make that day a more honest day. To produce an honest day of work, you must start at the first of the day. Now, let me tell you, that’s REAL deep theology.
Colossians 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Ephesians 6:5 Servants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; 6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.
I’m sure that your "list" will contain many more areas, BUT make sure that what is most important is at the top of the "list". Yes, set you priorities and then, learn how to live day by day.
Two of the greatest enemies of time are regrets for things we did or didn’t do in the past, and anxiety about what will happen to us in the future. Far too many are living either in the past or in the future. The Bible has much to say on this subject, but look at a couple of passages.
John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Many people, even Believers spend their whole life playing a little game called…
"I WISH IT WERE"
"I wish it were next week" "I wish it were next month" "I wish this day was over" "I wish I had what someone else has" "I wish it was anything but what it is" ETC.
Please allow me to relate an illustration that I’ve used before. After all, when you have a good illustration, you should use it often, right? Plus, the chances are high, very high that you won’t remember it, anyway.
A girl went to college, but she just hated it. She told herself, "If I can ever get out of college, get married and have children, I know I’ll finally be able to enjoy life."
So she stuck with it. She went to classes every day and finally graduated from college with honor.
She did get married, had children, and discovered that children are a lot of work. So she said herself, "If I can just get these kids raised, I’ll be able to relax and really enjoy life."
However, about the time the kids were entering high school, her husband said, "Guess what? We don’t have enough money to send our kids to college. I think you’ll have to get a job."
She didn’t want to, but she knew it was the right thing to do and they needed the money, so she went to work.
She hated it, but she told herself, "If I can just get these kids out of college, and get all of the bills paid, then I can quit work and really enjoy life."
Finally, the last child graduated from college and all the bills were paid. So she walked into her employer’s office and said, "I quit."
The boss said, "Oh, you don’t want to quit now. If you stay with us just another 8 years you’ll have a pension for the rest of your life."
She thought, "I don’t want to work another 8 years, but there’s all that money. I really can’t turn down the opportunity."
So.., she worked for another 8 years. Finally, she and her husband retired at the same time. They sold their home and bought a little retirement cottage.
Then they sat down in the swing on their front porch, looked at the family picture album AND dreamed about the good ‘ol days.
May we learn to use the 8,760 hours this year for the honor and glory of God, AND then we can really look back at the "good ‘ol days" with joy.
New Year’s Day seems to be a universal day of regrets for the past, and commitments for the future. Proper commitments are good and we should have a committed life. Let me give you some Biblical cautions in regards to making commitments, whether to God or any other aspect of life.
Deuteronomy 23:21 "When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you.
Numbers 30:2 "If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed. 5 it is better not to vow than to vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?
Matthew 5:33 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ’You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 "But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 "nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 "Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 "But let your ’Yes’ be ’Yes,’ and your ’No,’ ’No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
A couple of very homey illustrations may help us to see the value of having a heart of wisdom, and the value of not making commitments that we won’t keep.
A busload of politicians were headed to a convention, but because of highway construction, they had to take a detour down a rural road. The driver had problems with the wind as he drove down the country lane and lost control of the bus. It ran off the road and crashed into a tree in an old farmer’s field.
As the old farmer was driving to town, he noticed that there was a gaping hole in his fence. He stopped to investigate and saw what had happened. He went back to his truck, got a shovel, and buried all the politicians.
Since the politicians never arrived at their destination, a state trooper was dispatched to locate them. He backtracked their route, followed the country road to where he saw the wrecked bus in the field.
The trooper looked up the old farmer who owned the property, and asked the farmer if he knew where the politicians had gone. The farmer informed the trooper that he’d buried all of them.
The trooper said, "Didn’t you call the coroner? After all, there was a possibility that not all of them were dead."
The old farmer replied, "Well, some of them kept sayin’ they weren’t dead but you know how them politicians lie!"
Hummm, now what kind of a Spiritual lesson can we draw from such a story. I don’t know, but it was a good story, wasn’t it? Way too often, Christians make promises that they never keep, and maybe never intended to keep. Such action does not demonstrate a heart of wisdom. Not that this situation could possible be your end, but it might be good, anyway, to take inventory of your heart.
Once there were two brothers who were very rich and very wicked. Both of them lived lives of sinfulness and debauchery and used their wealth to cover up a lot of their wickedness. However, both were members of a local church and used their money to gain positions of influence.
The old preacher of this church retired and a new preacher was hired. This new preacher was a man who preached the gospel with zeal, courage and personally lived an exemplary life.
The congregation began to grow at such a rapid rate that they needed to build a new church building. At the same time, one of the brothers got sick and died.
The new preacher was asked to do the funeral. The day before the funeral service, the surviving brother pulled the preacher aside and handed him an envelope.
The brother said, "There’s a check in this envelope that is large enough to pay off the new building. All I want you to do is tell the people at the funeral tomorrow that my brother was a saint. I want the people to hear that my brother was a saint. Do you think you can handle that?"
The preacher shook the brother’s hand and said, "I will do precisely what you have asked."
The preacher immediately took the check to the bank and deposited it to the church’s account. The next day, the preacher stood in front of the large group of people who had come to the funeral and said..,
"This man in the coffin was an ungodly sinner and wicked to the core. He was unfaithful to his wife and abusive to his children. He was ruthless in business and a hypocrite in the church. BUT compared to his brother, he was a saint!"
Luke 10:41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many (good) things. 42 "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
The difference in what you make of 2006 will largely depend on what you think is "good" and what you think is "that good part"
Today is the first day
Of the rest of your life!
If Christ is your Co-Pilot..
THEN
By all means
Change seats!!!!
© Clyde White, Austin TX, 2006
(Scripture Text NKJ unless stated)
(Many illustrations from sermoncentral.com)
