Watch Wisdom

How quickly the time passes! How rapidly things in this world change! My text this afternoon contains a prayer that I have uttered to God more times than I can count in the last few weeks. Yet, it is a prayer that weighs more heavily upon my heart than ever before. “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

Of all mathematical problems this is the most difficult. Men can number their herds and their flocks. They can estimate the revenues of their farms and businesses with relative ease. We can count our cash, balance our check books, and calculate what our retirement income should be. Yet, mortal man foolishly imagines that he is immortal. Most are persuaded that their days are infinite and innumerable. Therefore they do not number them. We look at a strong young man, one who watches his diet, exercises regularly, and seems to sparkle with life, and say, “He has a long life ahead of him.” And we look at an old woman, weak, worn, wrinkled, and ever weary, and say, “She will not be with us very long. Her days are few.” Thus, we imagine that we can number the days of others, but few will number his own days. What folly!

It is evident that the great thing needed to persuade us to prepare for eternity is the persuasion of our own mortality and the brevity of our lives in this world. We will not apply our hearts unto wisdom until we are brought to the numbering of our days. Yet, the fact is, no one will number his days and apply his heart unto wisdom until he is taught of God to do so. Thus Moses prayed, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” As we reflect upon the brevity of time, we ought to be persuaded to set our thoughts upon things that are eternal. As we look into the grave, which must soon be our bed, we ought to be humbled and made to know how frail we are. But we are not wise. Only the grace of God will cause a mortal man to number his days and apply his heart unto wisdom. Let this, then, be your prayer and mine: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

I have only just a minute, only 60 seconds in it;

forced upon me; can't refuse it;

didn't seek it, didn't chose it.

But it's up to me just how I use it.

I must suffer if I lose it, give account if I abuse it.

Just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it.

The Big Idea: A sense of mortality ought to make us wise and cause us to apply our hearts unto wisdom.

In this message, I want to show you five words from God about time, about our brief, brief time in this world. May God the Holy Spirit be our Teacher and apply these things to our hearts.

A Word of Comfort

Psalm 31:15 ESV

My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

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Thank God, my times are not in the hands of my enemies, or even in the hands of my friends, or even in my own hands. “My times are in thy hand!” The time that I shall live is in his hand, determined by him alone. The times of my trials, troubles, and temptations are in his hand. The times of my peace, prosperity, and pleasure are in his hands too. My times of darkness, desertion, and despondency as well as my times of dancing and delight are in his hand. All my times are appointed by him, ordered by him, and disposed of by him for my good and his glory. I can think of nothing in all the world more comforting.

“Our times are in Thy hand,Father,

we wish them there:

Our life, our soul, our all we leave

Entirely to Thy care.

“Our times are in Thy hand,

Whatever thy may be,

Pleasing or painful, dark or bright,

As best may seem to Thee.

“Our times are in Thy hand,

Why should we doubt or fear?

A Father’s hand will never cause

His child a needless tear.

“Our times are in Thy hand,

Jesus the crucified!

The hand our many sins had pierced

Is now our guard and guide.

“Our times are in Thy hand,

(Help us to) trust in Thee;

Till we have left this weary land,

And all Thy glory see.”

As this fact quietened David’s heart in the midst of great trials, so let it quieten our hearts as we make our pilgrimage through this vale of tears. “My times are in thy hand.”

My time in this world has been appointed by my heavenly Father.

Job 14:5 ESV

Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass,

My time in this world is ruled by my heavenly Father.

My time in this world is ruled by my heavenly Father.

No minute need be lived in vain. Eternity will render it significant if lived in faith for the glory of God. In the end we are comforted by these words: "My times are in Your hand"

Exodus 23:26 ESV

None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.

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A Word of Caution

The apostle Paul warned us of the perilous times in which we now live.·

2 Timothy 3:1–7 ESV

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

2 Timothy 3:14–17 ESV

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

In these days of apostate we must tenaciously adhere to the old, old path of gospel truth that hold our hearts in peace.

Jeremiah 6:16 ESV

Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Jeremiah 6:16 ESV

Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Divine Sovereignty· Electing Love· Particular Effectual Redemption· Efficacious Grace· Special Providence

A Word of Counsel

1 Corinthians 7:29–31 ESV

This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

Because the time is short, we must redeem the time we have

Because the time is short, we must redeem the time we have (). C.H. Spurgeon wrote, “A short life should be wisely spent. We have not enough time at our disposal to justify us in misspending a single quarter of an hour. Neither are we sure of enough life to justify us in procrastinating for a moment.” A. The time for salvation is short (; ).B. The time for service is short. -”The night cometh when no man can work” ().C. The time for suffering is short ().

Ephesians 5:16 ESV

making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

C.H. Spurgeon wrote, “A short life should be wisely spent. We have not enough time at our disposal to justify us in misspending a single quarter of an hour. Neither are we sure of enough life to justify us in procrastinating for a moment.” A. The time for salvation is short (; ).B. The time for service is short. -”The night cometh when no man can work” ().C. The time for suffering is short ().

C.H. Spurgeon wrote, “A short life should be wisely spent. We have not enough time at our disposal to justify us in misspending a single quarter of an hour. Neither are we sure of enough life to justify us in procrastinating for a moment.”

Psalm 90:3–6 ESV

You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.

The time for salvation is short.

Harry Ironside exhorts us "to be as alert for witnessing to the lost as bargain hunters are to purchase goods to advantage. Yet how often we neglect to use the circumstances which are put in our way, where we may say a word for our Lord and endeavor to point the lost to Him. Our intentions are good, but we become so occupied with other matters, many of them trifling in the extreme, and before we realize it the person to whom we should have spoken is beyond our reach."

Isaiah 55:6 ESV

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;

; ).

2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV

For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

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The time for service is short.

"When as a child I laughed and wept, time crept.

When as a youth I dreamed and talked, time walked.

When I became a full grown man, time ran.

When older still I daily grew, time flew.

Soon I shall find in traveling on, time gone."

The pioneer missionary, Robert Moffatt, said,

"We shall have all eternity in which to celebrate our victories, but only one short hour before the sunset in which to win them."

The night cometh when no man can work”

John 9:4 ESV

We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

The time for suffering is short

1 Peter 5:10 ESV

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

A Word of Charge

Ephesians 5:16 ESV

making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

A survey asked "What do you have to live for?" to which 94% answered they were just enduring today and living for tomorrow. That is living unwisely. Too many people miss today because they are worrying about tomorrow. Worry does not make us ready but unready to redeem the time. As Adrian Rogers said "We face the future out of breath, because we have been fighting tomorrow's battles today!"

We should redeem our time because we are redeemed.

Resolved: Never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can. Resolved: to live with all my might while I do live."

Paul urges us to redeem the time, to buy up every opportunity we have, because we are naturally prone to squander the opportunity God gives us in this world. It is our responsibility to be careful and diligent in our use of time. That does not mean that we should have no time for recreation and relaxation. But it does mean that we should study to improve our use of time to the best advantage of our souls and the souls of others.

Nothing is more precious and valuable than time. Time and the opportunity of the moment, once it is gone, is gone forever! It cannot be recalled or even prolonged. We must not neglect any opportunity God gives us to serve him or one another, to worship him in private or in public, to gain spiritual benefit for our souls, or to minister to the bodies and souls of others for the glory of God.

The best way to withstand the temptations that come with idleness is to redeem the time that is wasted in idleness, buying up the opportunity to do good.

Redeem Your Time . . .

For Heaven’s Sake

For Scarcity Sake

For Uncertainty Sake

A Word of Coaching

Learn to live in the eternal now. Today is the only day you have. Redeem the time.

Stop saying, "If I had time." You do have time.

Stop worrying about tomorrow, and stop waiting for tomorrow. Give God today, and He will take care of tomorrow.

Cut yourself loose from the past. Bury your failure in the grave of God's forgetfulness and let Him give you a brand new day.

If you have not accepted Christ, now is the time "for He says,

2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV

For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Turn my heart from vanity, from dissatisfactions, from uncertainties of the present state, to an eternal interest in Christ. Let me remember that life is short and unforeseen, and is only an opportunity for usefulness; GIVE ME A HOLY AVARICE TO REDEEM THE TIME, to awake at every call to love and godliness, so that I may feed the hungry, clothe the naked, instruct the ignorant, reclaim the vicious, forgive the offender, spread the Gospel, and show neighborly love to all. Let me live a life of self-distrust, dependent Thy Spirit for mortification, crucifixion, prayer." (From Valley of Vision)

ber our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

“It is appointed unto men once to die” ().

God help you to hear me now. “Prepare to meet thy God” ().

Shall a mortal, sinful man meet the holy Lord God? Indeed, we must. That thought would send waves of shock and terror through your soul, if you ever gave a moment’s reflection. There is only one way you can prepare to meet God. You must trust the Lord Jesus Christ. You must flee away to him like the manslayer in the Old Testament fled to the city of refuge.

You must be washed in his precious blood.

You must be robed in his perfect righteousness.

When the appointed time of my departure from this world comes, I want to be found in Christ, not having my own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ imputed to me. Washed in his blood and robed in his righteousness, I hope to leave this world in confident faith, like the apostle Paul.

2 Timothy 1:12 ESV

which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.

2 Timothy 4:6–8 ESV

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

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let this be our prayer: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

let this be our prayer: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”