Sunday Morning March 8, 2009 Bel Aire Baptist Church
Series: “Moving With God (Exodus)” [#10]
TOMORROW?
Exodus 8:1-15
Introduction:
This morning, I would like each of you to take your bulletins and turn it to the back. In the next 60 seconds I want everyone to write down 5 things you could do to bless someone this week. (Pull out stopwatch.)
My challenge to you today is that you do all 5 of those things. I’m sure that many of you are already figuring out reasons why you cannot accomplish all 5. How many people know in their heart what they should do, (they may have good intentions) but they keep putting it off? One of the greatest challenges we face is procrastination. The interesting thing about procrastination is that it is so easy to justify.
One day…
> I’ll get serious about my relationship with God.
> I’m going to forgive that person who hurt me.
> I’m going to get back in shape.
> I’m going to get my finances in order.
> I’ll find a ministry and start serving God.
What is your…
“One day I’ll __________________”?
If the enemy can’t get us to be outright disobedient, his next plan of attack is to deceive us into putting it off. We know what we should do but we just don’t do it. We have good intentions; but good intentions don’t equal obedience.
Exodus 8:1-10
“Tomorrow”- Are you serious? When given the opportunity to get rid of millions of nasty, stinky, diseased ridden frogs at any moment, the Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow”. What kind of idiot was he? Let me ask you the same question, “When given the opportunity to rid of all of the nasty, stinky, diseased things within your life; why do you tell God, “Later”?
Why do we procrastinate?
1. Indecisiveness. You can’t decide what to do, so you just do nothing.
2. Perfectionism. You want everything perfect, so you wait until conditions are better.
3. Fear. You are afraid of what might happen, so you play the “What If” game.
4. Laziness. You just don’t want to be bothered, so you just don’t do it.
So the question for today is, “Do you want to move forward with God”? If the answer is yes, then how do we do that?
Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV)
“Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
We move forward with God by using our time properly.
Let me give you a few principles concerning time:
Time is a…
1. Gift from God.
God is the Creator of time. God’s great gift to you is #1-Jesus and #2-Time. The Lord has given us time to work, time to play, time to laugh, time to labor, etc... We need to learn to see that every day is a gift from God. Has it ever occurred to you that for you to cease living, God would not have to take your life? All that God would have to do is stop giving life to you.
Imagine if your banker called you and told you that an anonymous donor had decided to deposit $1440 into your bank account every day, 7 days a week- With 1 stipulation. The stipulation is that you have to spend all that money on that day. There will be no balance carried over to the next day. Each evening, the bank would cancel whatever sum you fail to use.
Did you know that every morning a gracious God, who loves you, deposits into your bank of time 1,440 minutes? The same stipulation applies because God does not allow any of our time to be carried over on credit to the next day.
Time…
2. Equals opportunity.
Paul says, “Making the most of every opportunity”. Each second that ticks away comes with opportunity.
Time…
3. Is temporal.
Psalm 90:12 (NIV)
“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Wisdom is the art of spending time wisely.
How do we spend our time wisely?
Tune into God through prayer.
Identify the priorities of your day.
Motivate yourself to do it now.
Energize yourself with God’s power, not your own.
Conclusion:
So let me ask you, “What frogs are you letting stay in your life until later”?
During this invitation, I want you to take an urgent inventory of your spiritual house. In a booklet titled “My Heart- Christ’s Home”, it describes the areas of life as the rooms of a house. This inventory is in the bulletin and I want you to grade each room as follows:
A = excellent rating
B = good rating
C = passing, but needs a little dusting.
D = barely passing, needs a lot of cleaning.
F = I am not a Christian; I will fail on this inventory.
Once you are finished inventorying your life, then maybe you will know what God is directing you to do during the invitation.
* Library
This room is your mind-what you allow to go into it and come out of it. It is the ‘control room” of the entire house.
* Dining Room
This room is where you feed on the appetites and desires of your heart. This is where you get your spiritual nourishment.
* Drawing Room
This room is where you draw close to God, seek time with Him daily, not just in times of distress or need.
* Workshop
This room is where your gifts, talents, skills are put to work for God… by the power of the Spirit.
* Rumpus Room
This is the social area of your life- the thing you do to amuse yourself and others.
* Hall Closet
This is the one secret place that no one knows about but is a real stumbling block in your walk with God.
