Give the Gift of Your Time

Introduction

Hudson and the Batmobile - I’m going to break his heart! You’re thinking about you want and what you want to give… I want you to think about what God has given you, and what He is calling you to give in response.

The

Christmas is a reminder that best way you can spend your life is to give your life away.

Christmas - we’re in a giving spirit. Challenge is to be generous with what God has given us. Next several weeks - generous with time, talents, treasures, and testimony.

None of us know the amount of time we have on earth. Therefore, it’s not the duration of your life that matters, it’s the donation of your life that matters.

This morning: time. Your days are numbered to live for God on this earth. Some of us will live to an old age, some of us will not. How will you use your time? Therefore, it’s not the duration of your life that matters, it’s the donation of your life that matters.

Two truths:

1. Time is not yours to spend.

· Time does not belong to you. “I have time…” No you don’t. Every second gift from God.

Time does not belong to you. “I have time…” No you don’t. Every second gift from God.

· – Business who had their lives mapped out. Season of economic boom, so their plan was to move to the coastal cities for a year to make a profit.

– Businessmen who had their lives mapped out. Season of economic boom, so their plan was to move to the coastal cities for a year to make a profit.

How do you map out your time for your gain? (Mapping out career plans, child’s educational/sports goals, etc.)

For these businessmen, time was a commodity to be used for their gain. No regard for what God’s will was for their lives.

· For these businessmen, time was a commodity to be used for their gain. No regard for what God’s will was for their lives.

· James: “You’re foolish. You don’t even know what tomorrow holds.”- You’re making plans to spend the most precious gift you have. You’re planning to spend your time on yourself, and you don’t even know if you are going to have time.

James: “You’re foolish. You don’t even know what tomorrow holds.”- You’re making plans to spend the most precious gift you have. You’re planning to spend your time for your gain, and you don’t even know if you are going to have time.

· Similar to Ecclesiastes – “Your life is nothing but a vapor.” Therefore, to lay out your plans and spend your time to profit you is a waste of your time. If life is a vapor, then your time should be used for what matters.

Similar to Ecclesiastes – “Your life is nothing but a vapor.” Therefore, to lay out your plans and spend your time to profit you is a waste of your time. If life is a vapor, then your time should be used for what matters.

· Your time is not yours to spend. Time belongs to God, so how will you use your time to do His will?

Your time is not yours to spend. Time belongs to God, so how will you use your time to do His will?

· What happens when you see time as something that belongs to yourself? You become enslaved to busyness. When you view time as belonging to you, life becomes a rat race to get what you want. We’re desperately trying to use time for our own gain – to gain wealth, happiness, material possessions, entertainment and recreation, education, and on and on. You spend 60 hours a week at work, you run your kids from ballet to ball practice, you rush to get to the lake on Saturday to have a peaceful Saturday to rush back to try to do your housework before the week starts over again – You’re trying so hard to use your time to get the most out of life, and all you are is just really busy and really tired.

What happens when you see time as something that belongs to yourself? You either become really lazy - no urgency to use what God has given you - or You become enslaved to busyness - urgent to do everything except that which matters.Life has becomes a rat race to gain – to gain wealth, happiness, material possessions, entertainment and recreation, education, and on and on. You spend 60 hours a week at work, you run your kids from ballet to ball practice, you rush to get to the lake on Saturday to have a peaceful Saturday to rush back to try to do your housework before the week starts over again – You’re trying so hard to use your time to get the most out of life, and all you are is just really busy and really tired.

· Using your time productively is a great goal. Being overly busy is not . More often than not, our busyness is a result of misplaced priorities and a wrong perspective of time.

Using your time purposefully is a great goal. Being overly busy is not - you’re busy but not purposeful. Often, busyness is a result of misplaced priorities and a wrong perspective of time.

· If the constant refrain of your life is, “I don’t have time…” then your life is out of balance. If busyness is robbing you of your joy then you have a problem. A busy life = No joy in your walk with the Lord because you don’t have time to walk with the Lord. No joy in your family because you don’t have time for your family. No joy in serving God through your local church because you don’t have time for your church.

Busyness robs you of joy and contentment. A busy life = No joy in your walk with the Lord because you don’t have time to walk with the Lord. No joy in your family because you don’t have time for your family. No joy in serving God through your local church because you don’t have time for your church.

· Your struggle with busyness is not a time management problem, but a heart problem. Your priorities are out of whack. You are not generous with your time. You are not giving your time away for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Rather, you are selfishly using time to get what you want out of life, and it’s left you busy and burned out.

We look at busyness as a badge of honor, but it’s not. Often, being overly busy reveals a heart issue. Prideful heart - I’m busy, so I must be important. Selfish heart - using my time to get what I want. Wasteful heart - not using my time for what really matters. Unwise heart - I don’t know how to manage God’s time and use it effectively.

Two uses of time - me cleaning house - Staci rewrapping books - I’ll look back and say, “So what?” She’ll look back and enjoy the tradition with the kids… One necessary the other purposeful - can’t avoid the necessary, but need to think about purposeful use of time.

2. Time is God’s for you to manage.

Your time is a gift given to you by God to use for His purposes and His glory.

· Your time is a gift given to you by God to use for His purposes and His glory.

Before you say, “This is how I’m going to spend my time…” Ask, “How does God want me to invest the time He has given me?” ()

· Before you say, “This is how I’m going to spend my time…” Ask, “What is God’s will regarding my time? How does God want me to invest my time?” ()

To not consider God’s will when you determine how to use your time is arrogant - because you think you are lord over time instead of realizing that God is Lord over time.

To not consider God’s will when you determine how to use your time is arrogant - because you are viewing something that belongs to God as something that belongs to you.

· Helpful Scripture:

Helpful Scripture:

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

What is best use of your time? To purposefully invest your time for God’s glory and His Kingdom. Not pursuing sinful desires and your will but God’s will.

· The best use of your time is to give it away – to use your time making investments that return eternal dividends rather than investing in your temporal happiness.

· Your life will be purposeful, full, and not unnecessarily busy if you give away your time to:

Your life will be purposeful, full, and not unnecessarily busy if you give away your time to:

Give your time to grow in your walk with God. You will not regret anytime you’ve spent investing in your walk with the Lord. You will not regret the daily discipline of prayer and reading God’s Word. You will not regret time spent in corporate worship and gathering with a small group of believers to encourage each other in Christlikeness.

Give time to your family. will not regret spending time educating my boys in how to be men of God. I’m finding that I’m already regretting spending too much time away at work, etc. That’s a good, eternal investment. I want to enjoy my wife and my children, because in those moments of just spending time with my family it creates an environment to allow me to speak truth into their lives. Giving time doesn’t mean competing with every other family to see who can do the most stuff! Limit activities and maximize the relationship. (Made the commitment not to be gone away from home more than 3 nights a week. I love you - but I only have so many years to instill the Gospel into my kids.)

o Give your time to your family. will not regret spending time educating my boys in how to be men of God. That’s a good, eternal investment. I want to enjoy my wife and my children, because in those moments of just spending time with my family it creates an environment to allow me to speak truth into their lives.

o Give time to the expansion of the Kingdom. We get one lifetime to make the most of Jesus and lead others to know Jesus. Church – this is our opportunity. This is our day in history to make the Gospel known. Instead of playing church, let’s be the church. Let’s help those who are hurting. Who are you investing in? 3 people? Are you with us at BSC? Are you using your abilities and gifts to help BSC accomplish its mission?

Give time to the expansion of the Kingdom. We get one lifetime to make the most of Jesus and lead others to know Jesus. Church – this is our opportunity. How are you serving God through the local church? Who are you investing in for the sake of the Gospel? Who are you discipling?

Give time to enjoy God’s good creation. God wants you to enjoy the time you have on this earth. () When you enjoy time off, a football game, a trip to the beach - thank God for the gift of leisure. And, don’t feel guilty about a day off , etc.

Give your time to enjoy your work. Much of our time is spent working - whether on the job or completing everyday chores. Not a drudgery but a gift for you to practice creativity, abilities, etc. Make the most of it! Work to the best of your ability. Make meaningful relationships. See your career as a mission field not simply a way to earn a living.

If you focus on giving away your time for what is Christ honoring instead of taking time to pursue your desires, you will find yourself content with your time instead of overly busy.

If you focus on giving your time to these areas, your days might be full, but rather than feeling burnt out, you’ll feel content and satisfied.

· How do you begin to give your time away?

How do you begin to give your time away?

o Ask God to change your view of time. You are here for His will, not yours.

Ask God to change your view of time. You are here for His will, not yours.

Take responsibility for the time you’ve been given. Quit making excuses and start making wise choices. “I’m just so busy, I can’t.” You will spend your time on what you are most passionate about. What does your use of time reveal about your heart? God isn’t that important to you? His mission through the church isn’t that important to you? If you are going to follow Christ, then follow. Take responsibility, and quit making excuses.

o Take responsibility for your time. Quit making excuses and start making choices. “I’m just so busy, I can’t.” You will spend your time on what you are most passionate about. You will make time for what’s most important to you. So, maybe God isn’t that important to you. Maybe His mission through the church isn’t that important to you. Maybe the way you spend your time shows that what’s most important to you is you. If you are going to follow Christ, then follow. Take responsibility, and quit making excuses.

o Focus on attainable goals. I’m going to get up 30 minutes earlier to spend 15-30 minutes a day reading the Word and praying which means I’m going to cut out that last T.V. show and go to bed earlier. I’m going to invest in 3 people. I’m going to get my family to Route 65 so we can learn how to talk about the Bible as a family.

Focus on attainable goals. I’m going to get up 30 minutes earlier to spend 15-30 minutes a day reading the Word and praying which means I’m going to cut out that last T.V. show and go to bed earlier. I’m going to invest in 3 people. I’m going to get my family tin a LCG to grow in Christ, etc.

Don’t wait. Do not put off until tomorrow the changes that need to be made today. Today is the day of change. Today is the day you begin to give your time away. It is unwise, irresponsible, and destructive to your walk with God to not obey in this area. Don’t say, “When things settle down…” Things will not settle down! You will always put off what is not important to you, but you won’t wait on what is important to you.

o Don’t wait. Do not put off until tomorrow the changes that need to be made today. Today is the day of change. Today is the day you begin to give your time away. It is unwise, irresponsible, and destructive to your walk with God to not obey in this area. Don’t say, “When things settle down…” Things will not settle down! You will always put off what is not important to you, but you won’t wait on what is important to you.

o Remember Jesus. Jesus used His time generously and perfectly. He lived every moment of His life for the glory of God and the sake of others. We will never use our time perfectly, but thank God Jesus did. The greatest use of Jesus’ time was to give His life away on a cross – to die for you and for me. We had all rebelled against the God who made us, but God loved us, and He sent His Son to rescue us from our sin – to save us. Jesus died on the cross, taking the punishment for our sins that we deserved so that we could be forgiven of our rebellion and never punished. He rose three days later to prepare the way for us to have eternal life. Unbeliever: Give Him your life and find the joy that comes in giving your time away for Him. Believer: Are you wasting your time on you? Repent. Ask God to help you give your time away.

Remember Jesus. () The Christmas story is about God perfectly working in time to bring about His plan to save us from our sins through the gift of His Son, Jesus, who used His time generously and perfectly. He lived every moment of His life for the glory of God and the sake of others. We will never use our time perfectly, but thank God Jesus did. The greatest use of Jesus’ time was to give His life away on a cross – to die for you and for me. We had all rebelled against the God who made us, but God loved us, and He sent His Son to rescue us from our sin – to save us. Jesus died on the cross, taking the punishment for our sins that we deserved so that we could be forgiven of our rebellion and never punished. He rose three days later to prepare the way for us to have eternal life. Unbeliever: Give Him your life and find the joy that comes in giving your time away for Him. Believer: Are you wasting your time on you? Repent. Ask God to help you give your time away.

Remember Jesus. Jesus used His time generously and perfectly. He lived every moment of His life for the glory of God and the sake of others. We will never use our time perfectly, but thank God Jesus did. The greatest use of Jesus’ time was to give His life away on a cross – to die for you and for me. We had all rebelled against the God who made us, but God loved us, and He sent His Son to rescue us from our sin – to save us. Jesus died on the cross, taking the punishment for our sins that we deserved so that we could be forgiven of our rebellion and never punished. He rose three days later to prepare the way for us to have eternal life. Unbeliever: Give Him your life and find the joy that comes in giving your time away for Him. Believer: Are you wasting your time on you? Repent. Ask God to help you give your time away.