Time

05-17-20

Ephesians 5:15-18  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Procrastination – a destroyer.

Do it now – not tomorrow

Urgency

It is imperative that we use our time and efforts wisely in order to do the will of God.

• Become like Jesus
• Act like Jesus

1. First we need to look/examine at how we are walking (living) now.
   • Constantly we should be examining how we are living our lives in the light of who we are (children of God) His Body
   • Are we?
     • Putting things off because they are hard or scary
     • Not doing something because we do not think we are able
     • Questioning if it is the will of God, so we don’t do it
     • Not doing things because ‘we don’t want to’
   • 1 Peter 2: 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
   • Are we putting off things we should be doing?
     • Tomorrow is not any easier than today
2. BUT we are to ‘redeem’ the time (KJV)
   • The difference between wise and unwise here is the use of our time.
   • The unwise (foolish) waste the time given
     • Understand, once a minute is gone it can never be used for a different purpose
     • Time keeps on slippin, slippin into the future…Steve Miller Band
     • Do you ever beat yourself up at the end of a day because you did not accomplish anything?
   • The wise use their time and resources wisely
     • Wise – the practical application of acquired knowledge.
     • Not foolishly…without direction…without purpose
   • ‘Making the best use’ or redeeming the time
     • ‘buying up’; purchasing to own as one’s possession;
     • Time is a commodity, once spent it cannot be gotten back
     • We are to be good stewards of our time.
   • For the days are evil
     • The world is not on the side of Christ and His church
     • The world system sets itself up against the Rule of the kingdom of God and Jesus
     • It’s bad out there.
3. How do we do this…using our time to serve God and not ourselves?
   • Understand the will of God
     • It is a command…should be our continual practice
     • So much more than a head knowledge. It is like two rivers coming together and becoming one.
     • To understand the will of God we need to:
       • Know about Him
       • Know Him
       • Trust Him
       • Submit to Him
       • Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
   • Be filled with the Spirit…
     • First don’t be drunk on wine…pretty much self-explanatory.
       • (but the implication is that we don’t do things just to numb ourselves and gratify our old nature)
       • Living the life of a prodigal…no safety, abandoned to reckless, destructive behavior
     • Be Filled
       • To the brim; to supply liberally; diffuse throughout; to take possession of and so to ultimately control
       • To be controlled by that which fills our hearts and minds
       • Command: we are told to be filled.
       • Continual: ongoing, not one time, keep on being filled
       • The ‘divine passive’ a work of God not man
     • Being filled with the Spirit doesn’t mean we have more of the Spirit, but that the Spirit has more of us.
     • No Christian can fulfill God’s will for his life apart from being filled with His Spirit continually.
     • How: we continually choose to live submitted to Him in everything;
       • Abide in Him and He promises to abide in us
       • Ask…ask…ask
       • It is a process…

The big idea of the Christian life is coram Deo. Coram Deo captures the essence of the Christian life.”

This phrase literally refers to something that takes place in the presence of, or before the face of, God. To live coram Deo is to live one’s entire life in the presence of God, under the authority of God, to the glory of God.

This is Coram Deo living before the face of God, Carpe Diem seizing the day, because Tempus Fugit, time flies and so our daily prayer should be

Mark 8:35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.

John 4: 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

Eph 5: 19-21 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.