Investing Your Time By God's Design

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Investing Your Time By God's Design</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id312.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Investing What Belongs to Someone Else"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id315.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Making Time For What Matters"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>“Investing Your Time By God’s Design” </B></div> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, June 16, 2002am</B></div> <bR> <div>      In 1973 Gary Kildall wrote the first popular operating system for personal computers, named CP/M. In 1980 IBM approached Kildall about developing the operating system for IBM PCs. But Kildall snubbed IBM official at a crucial meeting. The day IBM came calling, he chose to fly his new airplane. The frustrated IBM executives turned instead to Bill Gates, founder of a small software company named Microsoft, and his operating system named MS-DOS. Bill Gates of course is now a multi-billionaire and Kildall missed out on the opportunities IBM could have provided. Someone said of Kildall, “He was a smart guy who didn’t realize how big the operating system market would become.” (Contemporary Illus, Larson, #197.)</div> <div>      Everyday, opportunities are around us in which we can invest in God’s kingdom. When God offers such opportunities to us, giving us a task that he wants us to accomplish, will we snub him to instead work longer hours, sit in the front of the TV, push paperwork on our desks, enjoy our possessions? There is nothing wrong with any of those (in balance), except when we say to God, “I don’t have time for you or your work, because I’m too busy.”</div> <div>      Last week, we looked at 2 foundational principles – We belong to God, and God honors those who are committed to his ways. God is the “investment counselor” for our time, as well as “owner;” we invest for his glory and he allows us to see the benefits. Today, our challenge is this: invest your time based on God’s design for your life.</div> <bR> <div> 1. Identify the basic time obligations of being a follower of Christ.</div> <div>      The phrase “redeeming the time” appears twice in the New Testament. It is translated, “make the most of the opportunity.” It challenges us to take advantage of the passing opportunity. Each day is like a valuable coupon that will expire at the end of the day. In the two places were this phrase occurs, it relates to two different but important obligations in living as followers of Christ.</div> <div> A. Ephesians 5:16 (vss. 8-21) – Personal and corporate spiritual growth. </div> <div>      We are to “redeem the time” to be dedicated to growing as a follower of Christ, both individually, as well as in community with other followers of Christ. Note Paul’s challenge to “understand the will of the Lord.” The phrase, “because the days are evil,” suggests that time is running out. Think of how focused a sports team is when there are two-minutes left in the game and they have to score some points. That is the kind of focus we need. This is not a time to relax and put off growing in Christ. Moses said in Psalm 90:10, 12, “The length of our days is seventy years-- or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away . . . Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” </div> <div> B. Colossians 4:5 (vss. 2-6) – Sharing your faith.</div> <div>      We are to “redeem the time” by taking advantage of every opportunity to share Christ’s love and message with those who need to hear it (everyone who is not a believer in Jesus Christ).</div> <div> 2. Discover and function in your “divine design.”</div> <div>      1 Peter 4:7-11challenges us to use whatever gift God has given to us to serve him and benefit the church and those the church serves. It may be a public gift that others see often, or it may be a gift that works behind-the-scenes. Whatever it is, make it a priority in your life to us your gift! God has designed you to fulfill a role in the church, the body of Christ. Your spiritual gifts, along with your talents, experiences, personal passion, and opportunities help point you to God’s design for your life. </div> <div>      Think of a father receiving gifts from his children on Father’s Day. How would the children feel if their dad put the wrapped up gifts on the closet shelf, unappreciated, unopened and unused? How do you think God feels when you leave the spiritual gift he has given you on the closet shelf, unappreciated, unopened, unused?</div> <bR> <div>      Once, a man said, “If I had some extra money, I’d give it to God, but I have just enough to support myself and my family.” And the same man said, “If I had some extra time, I’d give it to God, but every minute is taken up with my job, my family, my clubs, and what have you – every single minute.” And the same man said, “If I had a talent I’d give it to God, but I have no lovely voice; I have no special skill; I’ve never been able to lead a group; I can’t think cleverly or quickly, the way I would like to.” And God was touched, and although it was unlike him, God gave that man money, time, and a glorious talent. And then He waited, and waited, and waited.....And then after a while, He shrugged His shoulders, and He took all those things right back from the man, the money, the time and the glorious talent. After a while, the man sighed and said, “If I only had some of that money back, I’d give it to God. If I only had some of that time, I’d give it to God. If I could only rediscover that glorious talent, I’d give it to God.” And God said, “Oh, shut up.” And the man told some of his friends, “You know, I’m not so sure that I believe in God anymore.” (<I>God is No Fool</I>, Lois Cheney, 1969, Abingdon Press).</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2002, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>