Making the Best of Your Time

Making the best of your time

Ephesians 5:15-21 (ESV)

15 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.17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Congrats to the graduates whole world in front of you..

Look at watch and waste 5 seconds of life..

86,400 seconds of time --

which represent 1,440 minutes

which, of course, equal 24 hours each day.

Ephesians 5:16 (ESV)

16 making the best use of the time,

To Make the best use of our time

We must walk wisely

Ephesians 5:15 (ESV)

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

Walking in the church during covid..lights out..

Careful akribos – exactly, accurately, diligently

What you watch, what you listen too, who you listen too, who you hang out with..

Days are evil

Romans 12:2

(ESV)

2 Do not be conformed to this world,[a] 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.

psychologist and neuroscientist Merlin Donald

A Mind So Rare, he writes:

symbolizing cultures own a direct path into our brains and affect the way major parts of the executive brain become wired up during development. This is the key idea behind the notion of deep enculturation... This process entails setting up the very complex hierarchies of cognitive demons (automatic programs) that ultimately establish the possibility of new forms of thought. Culture effectively wires up functional subsystems in the brain that would not otherwise exist.”

The world: 1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV)

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Rough sea.

Were does a wise man build his house?

Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV)

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Don’t be foolish

So is it sand? The world or is it God the Word

Understand the will of God

2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,[a] a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Red letter christiniaty…

2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

To Make the best use of our time

Be filled with The Spirit, no spirits

Ephesians 5:16 (ESV)

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

We excuse drunk people.. ..dont pay any attention to him ..he’s drunk.. oh he’s not angry just drunk..

Proverbs 20:1 (ESV)

20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,     and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

2 Peter 2:19 (ESV)

19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves[a] of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

Graduates..Don’t need alcohol to fit in.. to feel secure. To make you feel good.. to escape the world..

All you need is Jesus.. he is the only hope

Jesus drank wine.. Jesus made wine.. there will be wine in heaven

Matthew 26:29 (ESV)

29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”

When we Drink too much the drink controls us..

Dare I say that it seems that when we are drunk or in sin.. that the spirit is pushed away and chooses not to fill us.. because of our sin.

This is why Paul say to be controlled by the Spirit. Pentecost..

Acts 2:12-15 (ESV)

12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.

Be filled is a command..

George video

https://www.dropbox.com/s/29b9clthxerxxa7/MACC_HOLY%20SPIRIT_George%20Anderson_Full%20Length_v2.mp4?dl=

Time in 15:22 Time out: 16:44

I believe Paul gives us this incredible contrast of filled with alcohol to the filled with the spirit.. because of the salvation of Christ.. How he takes us from the extreme of darkness and being out of control.. to being in the light and controlled by the one True God.

What does it mean to be Being filled with the spirit is answered in

Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV)

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of I t, to the praise of his glory.

The results are…

To Make the best use of our time

Worship with each other

Ephesians 5:19-20 (ESV)

19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Psalms.. song accompanied by music

Hymns humnos.. song of Praise

Spiritual songs.. pneumatikos.. song from the human spirit that is filled with the Holy Spirit.. West side story.. ..maria.. Jets… ameriica…

1 Corinthians 14:15 (ESV)

15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

Singing

Making melody to strike a chord.. playing an instrument.. does not matter what the instrument is..they all can be used for the Lord..every style of music can praise the Lord…

To the Lord with your heart

Always giving thanks

Psalm 106:1

106 Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,     for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 107:1 (ESV)

107 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,     for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 118 (ESV)

118 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;     for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 136

136 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,     for his steadfast love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16:34 (ESV)

34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;     for his steadfast love endures forever!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

To Make the best use of our time

Submitting to each other

Ephesians 5:21

21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

submitting – hupotasso – A Greek military term meaning “to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader”. In non-military use, it was “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden”.

refers to someone subjecting himself or herself to another who is in authority over that person

It is used elsewhere in the New Testament to refer to Jesus’ submission to His parents (Luke 2:51); of demons being subject to the apostles (Luke 10:17, 20); of citizens being subject to governing authorities (Rom. 13:1; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13); of the universe being subject to Christ (1 Cor. 15:27; Eph. 1:22); of unseen powers being subject to Christ (1 Pet. 3:22); of Christ being subject to God the Father (1 Cor. 15:28); of church members being subject to their leaders (1 Cor. 16:15-16; 1 Pet. 5:5); of wives being subject to their husbands (Col. 3:18; Titus 2:5; 1 Pet. 3:5; Eph. 5:22, 24); of the church being subject to Christ (Eph. 5:24); of servants being subject to their masters (Titus 2:9; 1 Pet. 2:18); and of Christians being subject to God (Heb. 12:9; James 4:7

Wayne Grudem in systematic theology states:

“The word is never ‘mutual’ in its force; it is always one-directional in its reference to submission to an authority”

If I had my say it would be we lay aside our rights and humbly serve one another in love by following the word of God.

Earlier George talked about submission of the trinity…

Reverence/fear for Christ

Psalm 115:11-13 (ESV)

11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!     He is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;     he will bless the house of Israel;     he will bless the house of Aaron; 13 he will bless those who fear the Lord,     both the small and the great.

Submission is denying yourself for others.. It is not losing your uniqueness or value…

Ben Sangster.. Colonel… army

Humility and submission is born out of self denial..of putting Christ and His word first..putting others first..

Mark 10:42-44 (ESV)

42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,[a] 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave[b] of all.