Making Life Count
Notes
Transcript
Big Idea: Life Is Short - Make it Count
Big Idea: Life Is Short - Make it Count
Preliminary:
Preliminary:
Read Psalm 102:11
11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; And I am withered like grass.
Introduction
Introduction
It is no secret that life is very brief. Probably all of us have commented at one time or another at how fast time flies.
The Bible discusses the brevity of life in various ways and passages.
Genesis 6:3 “3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.”
Psalm 90:10 “10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; [70 years] And if by reason of strength they be fourscore years [80 years], Yet is their strength labour and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”
it is likened to:
A shadow
A flying shuttle
Like a hurrying messenger
A handbreadth in extent
Like a weaver’s web
A story
Like a vanishing vapor
Its something that is here and then its gone
Looking at your ancestry can be so fascinating - but as I go back hundreds of years you have to wonder - what was their life? So often all I can find is a birth date and a death date - sometimes places they lived but no real living stories - they were born they lived they died.
Dr. James Dobson of Focus On The Family once related to an experience he had concerning a colleagues death. Dr. Dobson wrote, "One of my colleagues [passed away] during my last year at Children’s Hospital, having served on our university medical faculty for more than 25 years. During his tenure as a professor, he had earned the respect and admiration of both professionals and patients...
At the staff meeting following his death, a five-minute eulogy was read by a member of his department. Then the chairman invited the entire staff to stand, as was our custom in situations of this nature, for one minute of silence. I have no idea what the other members of the staff contemplated during that 60-second pause, but I can tell you what was going through my mind.
I was thinking, ‘Lord, is this what it all comes down to? We sweat and worry and labor to achieve a place in life, to impress our [peers] with our competence...Then finally, even for the brightest among us, all these experiences fade into history, and our lives are summarized with a five-minute eulogy and 60 seconds of silence.
[Dobson, James. Straight Talk To Men And Their Wives. Http://www.northheartland.org/ 1996/090196m.htm. Making Time For What Really Matters.]
Nobody wants to live a meaningless life. Everybody wants to be of value.
For our lives to count - they have to be lived with intentionality and purpose.
But also with fullness, richness, family, generosity.
We have bought in to the psuedo-spiritual mantra’s of today especially;
“Live, Laugh, Love”
The pursuit of filling our lives with moments, and meaning, and memories is a billion dollar industry.
Amusement parks and theme parks are raking in billions of dollars by thrill seeking people
Electronic gaming and virtual reality use has soared and brings in a pretty penny as well
So much to do and keep us busy and going - like the energizer bunny we keep going and going and going....
But in reality - there has to be a respite - a pause - a really serious stopping and considering the reality that life is short. There is a brevity to life
The Psalmist prayed Just shortly after realizing that life is only about 70 or 80 times orbiting the sun
12 So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
One English Bible translates our passage this way -
Psalm 102:11 "My life is passing swiftly as the evening shadows."
Time line of inventions
1436 - Printing Press
1844 - Telegraph invented
1873 - Typewriter
1876 - Telephone invented
1885 - 1st invented combustion automobile
1893 - 1st "movie"
1903 - Airplane invented
1924 - 1st liquid fueled rocket
1926 - Sound added to movies
1932 - 1st parking meter
1936 - Helicopter invented
1945 - Atomic bomb developed
1951 - Hydrogen bomb developed
1975 - VCR developed
1977 - First home computer
1991 - World Wide Web open to public use
1994 - First Smart Phone hits market
Today - We are online nearly 24/7
Life is changing dramatically. People are moving faster, going farther, and accomplishing more than ever before.
Most Americans Yearn for a Pre-Internet World
A new poll has found 77% of middle-aged Americans between 35 and 54 years old want to return to a time before society was always “plugged in,” a time before the always-on internet and cell phones in our pockets ruled our lives.
But it wasn’t just middle-agers. The poll also found 63% of people aged 18 to 34 years old also want to go back to simpler times—even though most of them never experienced those days.
Weirdly, fewer Baby Boomers want to go back, with 60% of people older than 55 saying they want to return to pre-internet days.
Overall, two-thirds (67%) of poll respondents said “they’d prefer things as they used to be versus as they are now.”
There’s merit to the desire to go back. Take the work-from-home phenomenon that exploded as the world sunk into the COVID-19 pandemic. Sure, it’s nice to be home, but with the advent of constant connectivity, the work day often starts shortly after you wake up and ends well into the evening. In between, everyone can reach you at all times.
All that is over. Bosses have no qualms about sending workers an email or text at 9 p.m. asking for something to be done immediately. And forget those hourlong lunches (what we called a “lunch break”—and we did it daily, taking off from noon to 1 p.m. to relax and recharge). Now, we slam down a sandwich while tapping away on our computers. It never ends. Makes sense most of us want to go back.
Source:
Joseph Curl, “Bye Tech: Two-Thirds Of Americans Want To Go Back To Time Before Internet, Cell Phones, Poll Finds,” Daily Wire (6-20-23)
Inventor of Cellphone Says ‘Get a Life’
The inventor of the world’s first cellphone says he’s stunned by how much time people now waste on their devices. 92-year-old Martin Cooper made the declaration during an interview with “BBC Breakfast” responding to a co-host who claimed she whiled away upwards of five hours per day on her phone. “Do you really? You really spend five hours a day? Get a life!” he stated, before bursting into laughter.
Cooper invented the world’s first cellphone back in 1973. He came up with the idea to make a portable phone that people could bring with them into their car, but also take out of the vehicle and use while they were out and about running errands.
Once the device was completed, it was named the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X. It weighed 2½ pounds and was 10 inches long. It lasted just 25 minutes before it ran out of battery and took a whopping 10 hours to recharge. The phone didn’t hit the market for a further decade, finally released to the public in 1983. It cost a whopping $3,995.
Now, almost half a century after Cooper’s invention, Americans are hooked on their devices. A 2021 survey found that 46% of respondents spent five to six hours on their phones each day. 11% said that they spent a staggering seven hours or more on their devices.
Source:
Andrew Court, “Inventor of world’s first cellphone: Put down your devices and ‘get a life’,” New York Post (7-1-22)
Yes things have changed from the time of our Grandparents and great grandparents - but one thing that has not changed - ONE THING REMAINS THE SAME: TIME
Time is that one constant in which we all live. You can’t store it up, use it up, borrow it, or spend it. You can’t share it, steal it, alter it, or manipulate it.
No matter what changes, no matter how much changes, TIME remains the same. Since a day has been a day, a year has been a year. Twenty-four hours 2000, 4000, 6000, or even 8000 years ago is the same as twenty-four hours today.
While we know this - we get this - yet we never seem to have enough time.
Consider the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon. Calvin says to Hobbes, "God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind I will never die."
How many times have we felt like Calvin? So busy, so pressed for time that it seems life itself is encompassing us, crushing us under its weight!
“Someone said, “If the devil can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.”
― Robert J. Morgan, Mastering Life Before It's Too Late: 10 Biblical Strategies for a Lifetime of Purpose
Two scriptures speak to this -
4 Lord, Make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; That I may know how frail I am.
5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; And mine age is as nothing before thee: Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: Surely they are disquieted in vain: He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
There are two facts we need to take note of:
1. Life Is Short
1. Life Is Short
They say when you’ve done something long enough and you’ve had enough experience you become an expert. Some of you this morning are experts on living, and you know more than I how true this is.
Age and youth look upon life from the opposite ends of the telescope; to the one it is exceedingly long, to the other exceedingly short.
Henry Ward Beecher
My dad would say when I was a teenager - and I didn’t recognize what he meant fully - but he would say something like, “It seems like just yesterday when all of you were little ones.”
It hit me recently that I will have an 18 year old come August -
Henry Twells wrote -
When as a child I laughed and wept,
Time crept.
When as a youth I waxed more bold,
Time strolled.
When I became a full grown man,
Time RAN.
When older still I daily grew,
Time FLEW.
Soon I shall find, in passing on,
Time gone.
O Christ! wilt Thou have saved me then?
Amen.
The funny little story is told about
More Perfect Illustrations: For Every Topic and Occasion Mortality: Life Is Short
A man went in for his annual checkup and received a phone call from his physician a couple of days later.
The doctor said, “I’m afraid I have some bad news for you.”
“What’s the news?” the man asked.
“Well, you have only 48 hours to live.”
“That is bad news!” said the shocked patient.
“I’m afraid I have even worse news,” the doctor continued.
“What could be worse than what you’ve already told me?” the patient stammered.
“I’ve been trying to call you since yesterday.”
Life is short - but another fact we have to contend with is...
2. Life Can Be Wasted
2. Life Can Be Wasted
One of the biggest time wasters of our day is electronic devices - namely our Smartphones - Now I’m not here to be preachy - I’m attempting to make us think -
Americans Spend Far More Time on Their Smartphones Than They Think
Americans Spend Far More Time on Their Smartphones Than They Think
Eileen Brown a contributor to ZDNET writes...
If you wonder why you never have any time to do anything, you might want to look at the culprit that is causing the time suck: Your smartphone.
A new study asked 2,000 Millennial and Baby Boomer smartphone users to go into their phone settings and record exactly how much screen time they've spent on their top apps. The survey found that both generations share similarities when it comes to how much time they spend on their smartphones.
The average American spends 5.4 hours a day on their phone. Millennials spend slightly more time on their phones (5.7 hours) compared to baby boomers (5 hours) on average.
However, 13% of millennial and 5% of boomers say that they spend over 12 hours every day on their phones.
Overall, social media takes up the bulk of smartphone screen time.
Americans spend an average of just over an hour (64.5) minutes a day on Facebook and 48 minutes on Instagram.
One-out-of-three thought their screen time would be less than it actually is, and underestimate how much time they spend on their phone.
Yet, two out of three users do not plan on cutting back on phone usage.
Many are in denial.
Over four-out-of-five (82%) people think their personal usage is below that national average.
Source:
Eileen Brown, "Americans spend far more time on their smartphones than they think," ZDNET (4-28-19)
“Wasting time is a kind of unarmed robbery” - Anonymous
I’d like to play devil’s advocate and tell you how to waste your time. Five proven ideas come immediately to mind:
First, worry a lot. Start worrying early in the morning and intensify your anxiety as the day passes.
Second, make hard-and-fast predictions. For example, one month before his July 1975 disappearance, Jimmy Hoffa announced: “I don’t need bodyguards.”
Third, fix your attention on getting rich. You’ll get a lot of innovative ideas from the secular bookshelves (I counted fourteen books on the subject last time I was in a bookstore), plus you’ll fit right in with most of the hype pouring out of entrepreneurial seminars and high-pressure sales meetings.
Fourth, compare yourself with others. Now, here’s another real time-waster. If it’s physical fitness you’re into, comparing yourself with Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jane Fonda ought to keep you busy.
Fifth, lengthen your list of enemies. If there’s one thing above all others that will keep your wheels spinning, it’s perfecting your skill at the Blame Game.
Put these five surefire suggestions in motion and you will set new records in wasting valuable time.
—Charles R. Swindoll, The Finishing Touch
We certainly know that life is short and that we can waste our time - What we need to know now is there something we can do to get the most out of life?
In his book First Things First Steven Covey says there are two tools we need to get the most out of life. The first, is the watch. The second, is the compass.
1. The Watch-measures our day
1. The Watch-measures our day
Psalm 90:12 "Teach us to number our days."
There is no guarantee of tomorrow. Make the most of the moment
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
I appreciate how the CEV translates this -
"Act like people with good sense and not like fools. These are evil times, so make every minute count. Don’t be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do." (CEV)
See then that ye walk circumspectly -
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Ten: Imitating Our Father (Ephesians 5:1–17)
Circumspect comes from two Latin words which mean “looking around.” The Greek word carries the idea of precision and accuracy. “See that you walk carefully, with exactness” is the meaning. The opposite would be walking carelessly and without proper guidance and forethought. We cannot leave the Christian life to chance. We must make wise decisions and seek to do the will of God.
That is living with intentionality and purpose -
Our ultimate purpose is to glorify God -
Redeeming the time - take opportunity of every moment you can -
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Ten: Imitating Our Father (Ephesians 5:1–17)
Our English word opportunity comes from the Latin and means “toward the port.” It suggests a ship taking advantage of the wind and tide to arrive safely in the harbor. The brevity of life is a strong argument for making the best use of the opportunities God gives us.
2. The Compass-gives direction; directs our steps
2. The Compass-gives direction; directs our steps
It is the measure by which we determine what really matters.
There is the story of the old farmer and his wife who went to the country fair? The farmer was fascinated by the plane rides they were offering, but he didn’t like the $30 ticket price. "I’ll make you a deal," the pilot said. "If you and your wife can ride without making a single sound, I won’t charge you anything. Otherwise you owe me $30."
The farmer agreed, so he and his wife got into the back seat of the biplane and off they went into the wild blue yonder. The pilot, wanting to make his thirty bucks, tried every stunt he could think of - rolls, dives, flips, you name it - to get the couple to scream, but not a word came from them. Their lips were sealed.
As they were landing, the pilot called out in defeat, "I can’t believe it. You didn’t make a single sound!" "Well, it wasn’t easy," the farmer yelled back. "I almost did say something when my wife fell out."
[Http://www.northheartland.org/1996/090196m.htm. Making Time For What Really Matters.]
Much like this farmer too many of us never realize what’s really important.
Bro. Wesley Duewel wrote an article that I think speaks to the what do I do now question.
Since You Live But Once - Wesley Duewel
Since you live but once:
Make some eternal investment each day. Invest time. You have the same number of hours as everyone else. Much of what you do is spiritually neutral. It is necessary, but no special investment for eternity, except as all you do consciously is done for God’s glory.
But you can make a deliberate investment of time. First in importance is prayer time for others and for God’s work. Second is time given to bless others just because you love Jesus and them.
Invest love. Do something you would not need to do, just because you want to show the love of Jesus to someone who needs it. Show love to a child, a Christian in need, or an unsaved friend.
Invest words. You will be judged or rewarded in eternity for what you say as well as what you fail to say. Don’t be a silent witness. Say something for Jesus each day. Say, “god bless you.” “Isn’t God give us a beautiful day?” “I hope you are getting as much joy out of life as I am since I gave my life to Jesus.” Find something to say to someone each day.
Plan your priorities. What is the most important for you to do while you still live? Is it to win your loved ones? Then plan how to love them and lead them to Christ. Is it to help your church? Then pray for your pastor each day, and plan to win and bring new people into the church fellowship. There are many things you can do to strengthen the church, even if you do not have officially assigned positions.
Do you want to invest a major proportion of your giving where it is needed most? Then plan how you will give to missions. Some missions are not worthy of your help. Are they true to the Bible? Are they well supervised?
You give each gift only one time. God will reward your good intention, but be sure to give to groups where your funds are not wasted and where God is greatly blessing. You are another day nearer the end of your sowing and the beginning of your eternal reaping.
Do God’s will now. You have no promise of tomorrow. God has given you today. Plan for tomorrow. Plan for your family. Above all, plan for what you want to do for God.
But if you can do it today, do not put off until tomorrow what you know God wants you to do. Satan’s great snare is to get you to delay and then perhaps fail to accomplish what you could.
You can begin a real prayer investment from today on. You can start sharing love, your witness, and new financial investment in souls now. Ask God’s help and guidance, but act at once.
The final decision is yours. It is your life. You can live a happy life, caring for your own and family needs, but always putting God first in daily use of your time, your love, and your possessions. This is your only chance to invest life for God. You live but once, but you will live on forever. Live so that you will have great eternal reward. - Life Indeed
Found in: The Highway and Hedge Evangel Vol. 57 No. 10, October 2021 Front page
This morning I hope to leave you with the reality that time is short - we can waste our time - and we will be accountable to God for how we used our time
We need a watch and a compass
to number our days and to guide our steps