Making Your Time Count
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9/11 Twenty Years Ago
Twenty years ago yesterday, the Twin Towers in New York City were taken down. WT7 as well as other WTC buildings were brought down or damaged in the terrorist attack as well. Untold numbers of lives and families were deeply affected by the loss of loved ones in the collapse of the Towers, in attempting to rescue those trapped in the Towers and in the aftermath of recovery efforts from both the Towers and daily life. Lives were lost and shattered in a matter of seconds, minutes, hours and days. Phone calls were attempted, messages left, goodbyes said. Twenty years later lives are still in ruins, memories haunted, people mourned and tears are shed. How people would have done things differently, lived differently, if they had known their days would end on 9/11/2001.
Would we live our days any differently if we knew the day that would be our last? I believe I/we would be motivated to make each day alive with meaning, significance and purpose, making the most of each day, each minute we had left to spend. How would you make the time you had left matter? What would be of prime importance, significance? How would you make your time count?
Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, play two terminally ill gentlemen, who meet in their shared hospital room, and decide to travel the world together, doing the things they wish before “kicking the bucket”.
In the movie, The Bucket List, Jack Nicholson, plays Cole a four-time divorcee and healthcare tycoon, who enjoys drinking the most expensive coffee in the world, Kopi luwak, which is made from…fermented cat poop. [ Kopi luwak is a coffee that consists of partially digested coffee cherries, which have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). It is also called civet coffee. The cherries are fermented as they pass through a civet's intestines, and after being defecated with other fecal matter, they are collected.]. Cole is diagnosed with lung cancer. Carter, played by Morgan Freeman, is a mechanic, amatuer gifted historian and family man, who is diagnosed with brain cancer.
Cole decides to fund the whole trip, after his quick friend, Carter is diagnosed with less than a year to live. The two take off and sky dive, visit the Taj Mahal, race cars, ride motorcycles accross the Great Wall of China and even visit Mount Everest. Things come to a close with Carter passing away during brain surgery and Cole reconciles with his estranged daughter, meets his granddaughter “and kisses the most beautiful girl in the world” and lives to the age of 81. Both are placed in coffee tins at the top of a peak in the Himalayas to “witness something truly majestic”, the last item to be crossed of their list.
At Carter’s funeral, Cole makes the statement that the last three months of Carter’s life, were, thanks to Carter, the best three months of his own life. How would you and I make our lives count if we knew our time was coming to a close?
The writer of Psalm 90:12 says this,
Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.
or as the New Living Translation conveys the same passage,
Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.
The Psalmist cries out to God to teach him/us/his co-patriots how to number our days and develop wisdom in our hearts. What does the Psalmist mean by “numbering our days”? As the NLT translates, “the brevity of life”. Teach us to realize how brief our existence on this earth is and this will help us develop wisdom about what choices to make and how to spend our time. An understanding of our brevity of life develops wisdom in not only what I can do, but also, what I should do.
Have I asked God to teach me, show me, how to be wise with the brief time of life that I have?
Why should I? What does this matter? Because I believe, the Bible is showing us, speaking to us clearly, today, about living in the last days.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.
The Taliban are hunting and killing Christians. Many who were once believers of Jesus, have abandoned His way and live opposed to Him because of hardship, broken dreams, unfulfilled desires, tickled ears and false teachers, prophets and religions. This is a time like no other where false teachers, pastors, prophets and evangelists preaching health and wealth prosperity gospel have had such influence over christians and the spiritual seeking. Joel Olsten, Joyce Meyer, Paula White, Binny Hinn, Steven Furtick, Kenneth Copeland, and Joseph Prince to name just a few.
As lawlessness has been increasing, we see the love for one another growing cold. Riots, Antifa, Proud Boys, vaxxers vs. anti-vaxxers, maskers vs. anti-maskers. Four shoppers at a MMC store in Clearbrook, BC, were overheard saying, “I wish we lived in the States so we could have guns and shoot those who refuse to wear a mask” (Doris, Facebook). Who would have thought a simple face mask would cause such division and derision in people. Families, and family members, are being forced to choose between being vaccinated and losing access to family relationships. People are living in fear, not in love. Love is growing colder, and fear hotter, each second that Covid protocols are increased and each new variant is reported and promoted.
Peter writing to his fellow brothers and sisters, running and suffering under Roman persecution, says this...
Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.
For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;
but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Jerusalem falls five years after Peter writes these words in 65 AD. Christians are burned at Nero’s garden parties. Every day is a new event of Christians falling to wild beasts at the Colosium. Crucifixion, torture, beheading and being burned alive are the realities of the day for the Christian. Possessions are of little concern. Peter had four basic things to say to the Chrisitans who would suffer this holocaust about making their time remaining count.
Have a Militant Attitude Toward Sin (v.1-3)
The picture is of a soldier putting on his armor and arming himself for battle.
“Our attitudes are weapons, and weak or wrong attitudes will lead us to defeat. Outlook determines outcome and the believer must have the right attitudes if he/she is to live a right life." -Warren Wiersbe; BEC; 1 Peter 4:1-11; p. 419
Our home has terrible lighting. To read a book in the living room, you have to have all the lights on, the kitchen, dining area, side lamps and even the stairway lights. It is amazing that a person can actually see what they are reading without these lights on. But it can be done.
Are you able to navigate around your house in the darkness? I get up every Sunday at about 5 am to finish getting ready for Sunday morning. My alarm goes off, I get up and go to the bathroom, go downstairs, make a coffee, some toast and then head downstairs to my office. I do this all in the dark (except for making my coffee and toast, I turn on a little undercounter light and stove light).
For, it does not take long for one to get accustomed to the darkness. Just as it is easy for Christians to get accustomed to sin. Instead of having a militant attitude toward sin, we gradually get used to it and let it reside. It grows on us, like moss on a tree or the mold and mildew that grows slowly on the windowsils of your home. We tend not take notice until it becomes a real problem, sometimes even causing a health problem.
Why be militant towards sin in our lives with the rest of the time in our lives?
Think of what happed to Jesus because of sin (v.1) - Jesus suffered in the flesh for our sin. How can we enjoy that which made Jesus to suffer and die on the cross?
One of our goals as a Christian is to be like Christ. How can I be like Christ if I am holding onto that which causes me to sin? “If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right has been born of Him.” -1 Jn 2:29
If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right has been born of Him.
Peter does not say that suffering of itself would cause a person to stop sinning. Pharaoh went through great suffering but never stopped sinning, he actually sinned even more! Many suffering people have grown more and more bitter over time because of their suffering. The difference? Is Christ a living God and relationship in their lives? Christ can help us have victory over sin in our lives. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 6:5-11...
For if we have been joined with Him in the likeness of His death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of His resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that sin’s dominion over the body may be abolished, so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin’s claims. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him, because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over Him. For in light of the fact that He died, He died to sin once for all; but in light of the fact that He lives, He lives to God. So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
If Jesus is a reality in my heart, we are no longer slaves to sin; it can no longer be my master because Jesus cleared it’s claims upon us. Death no longer rules over us because Jesus rules over death! He lives to God so that we can live to God. So we are to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. We are no longer slaves to sin! So we throw off the shackles, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Is my attitude that of Jesus?
Enjoy the will of God (v.2) - If we decide to do the will of God, then we will invest our time remaining in that which is lasting and satisfying. We waste the rest of our time when we invest in the ways and things of the world.
I love sports, particularly hockey and football. But my love for those two things has wained over the years, especially from when I was first married and entered the ministry. The questions is: What value have these things in eternity? What value should these things have in light of my brevity of time left on earth? Loving God and loving others has become the priority. Anything that helps promote these two things I will be interested in and invest in. As a result relationships have become a priority- family, friends and strangers becoming new friends for the love of Christ and sharing His love and kingdom.
The will of God comes from the heart of God and therefore is an expression of the love of God (Ps. 33:11). We may not understand what God is always doing, but we know that what He is doing is for the best for us. We do not live on explainations, but instead we live on the promises of God (2 Peter 1:4; 2 Cor. 7:1; Gal 3:29).
Remeber who you were before you met Christ (v.3) - God urged Israel to remember that they had once been slaves in Egypt (Dt. 5:15). Paul remembered that he had been a persecutor of believers (1 Tim. 1:12).
We get caught up in sin, because we forget the bondage that it once brought. We are to not live in the memory of sin, but we are not to forget the consequences of sin, so that we will not be caught up once again in it’s tenticles. Conforming to the ways of the world means we have forgotten the bondage that sin once brought.
My dog, Nico, met a porcuppine the other day. It was not an enjoyable experience for him. As I am pulling the quills from his nose, jaw and jowels, I am asking myself, “Will he learn from this encounter? Will he now stop running off to chase a chipmunk or other animal?” I hope so, but I have to admit, I am not convinced. He is still a pup and has much prey drive left in him. My conclusion, no more offleash in the woods. Dogs tend to be reactionary, instead of proactive. But we as believers need to be proactive with sin, instead of reactive…like Joseph who ran from Pharoah’s wife…have nothing to do with it! Do not entertain sin, run from it and remember where she led you the last time.
Have a Patient Attitude toward the Lost (v.4-6)
Remember, that Peter is addressing Gentile believers who are fresh to the faith and following Jesus. Their friends do not understand the decision they have made to follow Jesus. They still think Joe will do what Joe once did before He met Christ.
All Romans were expected to take part in the Festivals of the days. One such festival was the Festival of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, festivals and pleasure. At this festival, much wine was consumed, which led to one thing, which led to another. Peter refers to the activities as “unrestrained behavior, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and lawless idolatry”(v. 3). How great the pressure to attend and do as everyone else did. Can you imagine the fortitude and courage it took to say no? To walk the other way? How many friendships ended because of one’s refusal to partake? People were honestly shocked that a person would make such a decision.
Sound familiar today? I have run into neighbors that were shocked that our church was still meeting during Covid. People think we are crazy for living with confidence that God will protect us from Covid. That people would walk around, let alone worship God without a mask. As far as the world is concerned, God is a myth, stop selling a lie and close up shop. Sorry, but God is very much alive, Jesus is His name and He lives in Me, and I in Him. I choose to live by faith, not by sight (Hebrews 11).
But we must be patient with the unbeliever, as Christ was patient with us. Jesus did not agree with our lifestyle at one time, but He continually stood at the end of the road waiting for us to get over ourselves and return to his family. Each one of us has been the prodigal son at one time or another., blinded to the spiritual truth of Jesus and His love and kingdom. We were all under the influence the ruler of this world at one time (Ephesians 2:1-2 ).
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens, the spirit now working in the disobedient.
But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
When the unsaved family, friend or foe attack us, this is an opportunity to witness to them about the love of Christ and a better way (1 Peter 3:15 ).
but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
Do I have a patient attitude toward the lost as Christ did towards me?
Have an Expectant Attitude toward Christ (v.7)
The early church expected Christ to return at anytime (Romans 13:12 ; 1 Jn. 2:18 ). Are we expentant of the same?
Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, “Antichrist is coming,” even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour.
The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Christ calls us to live in expectancy of His return! Am I doing so? Am I making my time count? Peter gave “10 Commandments”, if you will, as far as the Lord’s return was concerned.
Be sober-minded (v.7) - keep your mind steady and clear or “keep your cool”. Do not became manic about the times and fulfilled Bible prophesy. The sober-minded exercise restrain and avoid impulsiveness. This was so important that the aposle Paul reminded his people ten times in the pastoral epistles to “be sober-minded”. It is one of the qualification for pastors and members of the church (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 2:1-6). Avoid getting out of balance with Scripture.
Watch unto prayer (v.7) - be alert and self-controlled in prayer. This would have been a strong admonishment from Peter because he was one of the disciples who feel asleep while Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion.
Have fervent love (v.8) - especially towards your brothers and sisters; being forgiving, practical and serving. Jesus commanded forgiveness, hospitality and service to one another, using our gifts for the building up of the body. How is the intensity of my love for my brother and sister?
Use hospitality (v.9)
Minister with your spiritual gifts (v.10-11)
Think it not strange when things happen to you because of your conviction and love of Christ (v.12)
Rejoice in all circumstances including suffering, pain and persecution (v.13)
Do not be ashamed to suffer as a Christian (v.15-16)
Glorify God in your suffering and pain (v.16-18)
Commit yourself to God (v.19)
How will you choose to live with the last remaining time of your life?
Jesus choose to glorify His Father by doing His will, throughout His life, even when He was facing suffering, pain, and death. Will we “seize the day” as Peter encouraged His brothers and sisters to do, in the face of suffering and social pressure? Will we ready ourselves for the coming of Jesus and His kingdom by putting sin to death in our lives? Put sin to death so one can enjoy and do the will of God. Be proactive, instead of reactive. Share the Gospel of Jesus and the Kingdom. Nothing is greater, nothing is more significant and important than the life of one who does not know Christ. Amen.