ALMOST? WE DESIRE TIME THE MOST, BUT WE USE IT THE WORST.
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I HAVE A HOUR GLASS OF SAND, I START IT AT THE FIRST OF THE LESSON.
PLENTY OF TIME, JUST WAIT. TIME IS WHAT WE WANT MOST BUT WHAT WE USE THE WORST.
2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
A YOUNG MAN WAS TALKING TO GOD… The boy asked God what does money mean to you? The answer was simple… a billion dollars is like a penny. The boy asked what time means to you God? The answer was: A thousand years is like a second to me.
The boy says: God can I have a million dollars? God said SURE WAIT A MINUTE.
AM I LIVING WISELY? DO I NEED TO CHANGE MY TIME PRIORITIES?
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
AT BEST LIFE IS A TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT AND IT IS VERY FRAIL.
Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
PERHAPS OF ALL THE SINS PEOPLE COMMIT THERE ARE TWO AT THE TOP OF THE LIST. 1. WE THINK WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME. 2. PROCRASTINATION.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
GOD GIVES US THE GIFT OF TIME… WHAT WE DO WITH THE TIME WE HAVE COULD BE OUR GIFT TO OTHERS AND TO GOD… TIME AS WE KNOW IT IS A LIMITED COMMODITY.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Do we recognize our time should be invested wisely? God has plans for us. If we use our time wisely God will bring about good all of our days. We have a bright future of hope when we use God’s gift of time wisely.
IF WE INVEST OUR TIME AND EFFORT WISELY LIFE WILL BE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
There was a lady named BARBARA KIPFER that was having some difficult times as a teenager. She was very shy and backward. She heard a suggestion of people keeping a written record of the blessings and good things that daily happened to her. She would write down things in her composition book of good things that happened. She wrote down what a good breakfast she had. She wrote down about the enjoyable ride on the school bus. She would even wake up at night and write. For 20+ years she wrote of her joys and life in multiple spiral notebooks. This 20 years of joys and blessings became a book: 14,000 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT. Are you writing your book?
NIGHT IS COMING! DARKNESS? HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE? THE TIME OF LIGHT IS A LIMITED GIFT.
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
My Mom lived to be in her 70’s. My dad is 86. My grandparents lived to be in their 90’s. I have plenty of time.
I knew the girl for 40+ years. I knew her in middle school. I gave her a Bible when she graduated high school. I married her and her husband 32 years ago. She has two children, a son and a daughter. She has 9 grandchildren. She had a good income. She was a Sunday School teacher and a youth leader at her church. She took a load of kids with her to church every service. Thursday her grandson said: GRANNY, I AM HUNGRY. So she ran to the PIZZA PLACE and got pizzas for the family. Then she was returning home. An impaired driver crossed the four lane highway and hit her head-on at 70 miles an hour. She was able to call her husband and say I have been in a wreck, please come and get the pizzas I have been in a wreck. Little did she know the pizzas were all over the car. The husband arrived at the scene. Her 3 adult sisters and her 86 year old dad was there but they would not allow them to come near. The husband was allowed. She told him to tell the family she loved them and she knew she was dying. Her husband said, Honey you are not dying. Your sister was in a terrible accident a year ago and she survived. Honey, you will make it. She told him NO, I AM DYING!
The helicopter landed alongside of the cars. It took some time to extract her from her vehicle. As she was removed and placed on the stretcher her heart stopped. They got her back. A second stoppage, a third as they loaded her in the helicopter. At the trauma center they worked desperately. Finally the family gathered around and they pleaded with the doctors: STOP, STOP, LET HER GO BE WITH MOMMY. At 55 everyone was shocked. So sudden.
Let us assume we will live to be 70? The average person will spend around 229, 961 hours sleeping, a 1/3 of our lives will be asleep, 27 years? We will spend 67 minutes a day eating and drinking, that is 32,098 hours of your life. We will spend on the average of 101 minutes a day driving… 37,935 hours driving. The average person will spend 90,360 at work. The computer will take 28,300 hours. The average person will spend 9 years, or 80,486 hours watching TV. We will spend 1 ½ years taking a shower? Time swiftly passes.
NOW? NOW? REDEEM THE TIME: BUY IT BACK… TIME IS GOD’S GIFT TO YOU, WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR TIME IS YOUR GIFT BACK TO GOD… TODAY IS ALL YOU HAVE… YESTERDAY IS IN THE GRAVE. TOMORROW MAY NEVER BE…
2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Be honest, are we making the best of the opportunities before us? Is time spent in trivial pursuit? Are we really practicing the thought: LIVE LIKE I AM DYING? Time is where we prepare for ETERNITY.
Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
PREACHER PAUL THAT SURE IS A GOOD TALK YOU GAVE… I WILL WAIT FOR A MORE CONVENIENT SEASON:
Acts 24:25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
PREACHER YOU ALMOST PERSUADED ME? I ALMOST CAME TO THE DECISION TO CHANGE HOW I SPEND MY TIME? ALMOST? HOW MANY IN HELL WILL SAY: I WAS ALMOST PERSUADED… I WAS ALMOST A CHRISTIAN? I ALMOST STARTED USING MY TIME IN THE LIGHT OF ETERNITY?
Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
CONCLUSION: WE NEVER KNOW WHAT THE DAY MIGHT HOLD. Never forget CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES… ON MAY 14, 1988 on I-71 a Ford church bus with 67 kids and parents were returning home on from a Church day at Kings Island, Cincinnati. Some of the kids were asleep. Some were visiting and recounting the pleasures of the day. A preacher was driving the bus. A Toyota pickup truck was driven by LARRY MAHONEY down the wrong lanes of the interstate. The driver was alcohol impaired… he had been arrested several times driving drunk. He received a 16 year sentence, he pulled 9 ½ years. Of the 67 people on board, 27 died, was burned to death. OF THE 40 SURVIVORS MANY CARRY UGLY DEEP SCARS. Jacqueline one survivor has had 40 surgeries. TIME?
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET ME TO USE MY TIME MORE WISELY?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
