Beating the Clock
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· 49 viewsHow you view time will determine how you live for eternity. We were created as eternal beings that would be in a love relationship with God for all eternity. This time bubble that we are living in right now serves as a bridge from eternity to eternity. We can only find our worth and purpose when we focus on life in eternity and not in time.
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Introduction: Defining the Pain
If there is one thing I hear over and over again is the phrase, “I don’t have time.”
We have so many important things that demand our time and attention. Now more than ever we need to incorporate good rhythms in our lives.
Time management is a skill that everyone needs and few possess. There are classes you can take and books you can read. In the notes I have a link to the top 15 time management books of all time.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/329378
Many think time management is about getting more things done. But that’s not really the issue.
Time Management is orchestrating your life to maximize enrichment and contribution with God and community.
The Bible has much to say about how we manage our time and thus how we are to focus our lives. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon teaches us some principles about how we should view the time of our lives.
Scripture: Defining the Passage
Understand the Rhythms and Seasons of Life.
Understand the Rhythms and Seasons of Life.
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
The Seasons of Life
The Seasons of Life
Infant: 0-1, New
Toddler: 2-3, Bondaries
Childhood: 4-12, Learning
Adolescence: 13-18, Foolishness
Young Adult: 19-28, Self-awareness
Adulthood: 29-49, Responabilities
Middle Age: 50-65, Achievement
Senior Years: 66-79, Mentorship
Old Age: 80-End, Memories
Each Season is filled with great times and hard times.
Each Season is filled with great times and hard times.
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
Each season has different rhythms.
Each season has different rhythms.
11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
We must all learn to take the good with the bad. This too shall pass.
“Time and tide wait for no man” Geoffery Chaucer
Rules of Time Management
Rules of Time Management
Determine the most important priority in your life right now.
Priority is determined by your core values.
Form your daily routine around that which is most important.
Don’t let others dictate your priorities.
Say no to good things so you can say yes to the best thing.
There are a lot of things you can do, but few things you should do.
Be proactive in your planning instead of reactive under pressure.
Look at time through the lens of Eternity.
Look at time through the lens of Eternity.
9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
Life is bigger than time.
Life is bigger than time.
Who can know the mysteries of eternity past.
Which is an oxymoron because there is no eternity past there is just eternity.
Eternity has no beginning and no end.
Who can know the mysteries of the future.
We serve Jesus because he is greater than time. He was and is and is to come.
Our salvation is bigger than time.
Jesus was crucified before the foundations of Earth were formed.
Because God is outside of time, everything just is.
Those that have received eternal salvation have always been with Christ and are forever with Christ.
All we can know is this short window of time.
12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.
God’s eternal plan is right on schedule.
God’s eternal plan is right on schedule.
14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.
God sees everything from an eternal perspective.
God is doing a short work of restoration.
Live with the uncertainty of Time.
Live with the uncertainty of Time.
17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.
Time is a test for all Mankind.
Time is a test for all Mankind.
Your faith is tested.
Your work is tested.
Your reward or judgement is still to come.
19 For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.
No one is assured of any amount of time.
No one is assured of any amount of time.
The best a person can do is make the most of the time that you have.
How you view time will determine how you live for eternity.
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.
Next Steps:
Next Steps:
Determine the top 3 priorities in your life right now.
Determine the top 3 priorities in your life right now.
Write out 3 priority sentences for your current stage of life.
“It’s important that I raise my kids in the ways of the Lord.”
“It’s important that I flesh out my heart felt relationship with God.”
“It’s important that I build a nest egg for my retirement.”
Evaluate these priorities in light of eternity and not time.
Evaluate these priorities in light of eternity and not time.
What eternal value does this priority hold.
Raising my kids to fall in love with Jesus will lead to their salvation.
I will point people to God if they can see my relationship with Him.
If I build a nest egg I can continue to give in my later stages of life.
Build tasks around your priorities that will bring them to pass.
Build tasks around your priorities that will bring them to pass.
Learn to say no so you can say yes to the better things.
Be proactive in your planning so you are not reactive under pressure.