Sermon Central
-
Whose Time Is It Anyway?
Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Oct 18, 2000 (message contributor)
Summary: When you give Christ your life you really mean your time as that is what comprises a life.
Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: (KJV)
God is a jealous God. He is jealous of time as well. He is not an ATM machine that dispenses ready blessings on demand. He demands the deposit and investment of your time before you get a return.
If your true God is where you spend most of your time then who or what is your God?
Church attendance, prayer and study time are more than important. They are absolute essentials. They do not prove you are spiritual nor is it guaranteed that you will become spiritual since they can be done in the flesh, but spirituality will be nigh impossible without them.
Moses spent 40 years in wilderness before he saw the burning bush and then he had to turn aside from his flock to hear God. He had to choose to take the time to see what this was all about and then God appeared to him. God didn’t tap him on the shoulder and say Moses come over here a minute I have ought to say unto thee. He sent an invitation via the bush and the angel of the Lord and waited to see if Moses would R.S.V.P.
Exodus 24:18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights. (KJV)
No five-minute devotion for Moses. Daniel fasted for three weeks to get an answer to his prayer. (Dan 10:3)
27 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.
28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. (KJV)
Like the moon reflects the light of the sun so Moses’ face reflected the light of God’s Son
Gal 1:11-12
11 But I certify you brethren that the gospel, which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (KJV)
Oh that we might have more men who got their message from God and not men. Men who get their theology from Deity or Theos and not from seminaries that are more like cemeteries.
Gal 1:15-18
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them, which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. (KJV)
Paul was three years in Arabia conferring with God not the Apostles or any Th.Ds.. Knowledge puffs up but wisdom comes from God and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Elisha would not be deterred from getting what Elijah had though Elijah tried to leave him at Gilgal.
II Kings 2:2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. (KJV)
Elijah tried to leave him at Bethel and Jericho as well when he went to cross over Jordan to be taken away.
9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (KJV)
