Time

Main Point of Sermon:

To change your world it takes time. To see the favor of God invade your world it takes time. Everything takes time.

Psalm 37:23-31

Intro of Key Scripture:

Why did you choose it?

It shows us what God will do in our lives when He delights in our ways. Our steps are ordered by God.

Statement of problem and solution.

Problem: Invest our time in the wrong places. Peoples priorities are not in the right place. We spend more time on everyday task and expect our steps to be ordered by God.

Solution: Invest our time in the right places, God and people which are eternal. Spend time with God, spend time with your spouse, spend time with your children, spend time with your brothers and sisters.

Bill Graham ~ “Time is the capital that God has given us to invest. People are the stocks in which we are to invest our time, whether they’re blue chips or penny sticks or even junk bonds.”

PATAH = Rich Man

Point #1: Passion

Joan of Arc said this while bing burned alive at the steak.

“Every man gives his life for what he believes. Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing, and so they give their lives to little or nothing. One life is all we have, and we live it as we believe in living it… and then it’s gone.

But to surrender who you are and to live without belief is more terrible than dying - even more terrible than dying young.”

We must be passionate about righteousness. About God, for He is alone is righteous.

1 Corinthians 10:31

Matthew 6:21

Psalm 84:2

God is passionate about His children coming to know Him and that same passion should burn inside of us as we draw closure to Him.

This passion requires an alteration though.

Point # 2: Alteration/change - Do What You Do Not Want to Do

We must be passionate about our walk with God. Our how Rich Warren puts it “Driven” What we are passionate about and value will take our time. It is what we will invest in. However a lot of times what we know we should be passionate about is not what we always want to do because our flesh hungers self gratification.

Stubling blocks to change:

a. Slow Learner - we forget

b. A Lot to Unlearn - it can take twice as long to unlearn a bad habit or belief Eph 4:22-24

c. Character Defects - We have to face our selves and be truthful. You have to be humble and teachable (pride comes before the fall)

d. It is hard and scary. Not changing stops us from growing up into woman and man of God. We must overcome our fear because God knows best.

e. Habits - Are hard to break but can be broken with time and practice and new ones can take hold. 1 Tim 4:15

Point #3: Time/Invest

The time is now to invest into God and the people around us. Only thing that matters is eternity. God and people are the only things that last forever.

There is a song - “The Cat’s in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin, and a part of it says:

“My child arrived just the other day. He came to the world in the usual way.

But there were planes to catch and bills to pay. He learned to walk while I was away.

He was talking before I knew it, and as he grew. He said, “I’m going to be like you, Dad. You know I’m going to be like you.”

My son turned ten just the other day. He said, “Thanks for the ball, now come on let’s play. Can you teach me to throw?” I said.

“Not today, I’ve got a lot to do.” He said, “That’s OK.”

And he walked away and he smiled and he said “You know I’m going to be like you, Dad, you know I’m going to be like you.”

The final verse says:

“I’ve long since retired and my son’s moved away. I called him up just the other day.

I said, “I’d like to see you, if you don’t mind.” He said, “I’d love to, Dad, if I could find the time.

You see, my new job’s a hassle and the kids have the flu, but it’s sure nice talking to you, Dad. It’s been real nice talking to you.”

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me, he’d grown up just like me.

My boy was just like me.

Here’s the rest of the story: Harry Chapin’s wife, Sandy, actually wrote the words to that song after their son Josh was born.

• It became a self-fulfilling prophecy. When their son was 7, Harry was performing 200 concerts a year and Sandy asked him when he was going to take some time to be with his son.

• Harry promised to make some time at the end of the summer. He never made it. That summer, a truck hit Harry’s Volkswagen and he was killed.

Katheryn Colman said”Its going to cost you everything.”

“The only limit to the power of Almighty God lies within you & me.”

Point #4 Access

Ephesians 3:12 access to boldness and confidence

2 Corinthians 3:17 access to true freedom, where the spirit of the lord is there is freedom

Ephesians 2:18 access to the Father

Matthew 28:18 All authority has been give to Christ and is now available to us; now go

Point # 5 The Harvest

Go with: Boldness, Confidence, Freedom, King of Kings on your side and the Power to move mountains!

Do you see how all these will take our time but this is what God has called us to.

You know the abbreviation of all these items is PATAH and that means RICH MAN. We were created to be Rich in Christ, children of God. God delights in us.

Point #1: Abide in Christ

Point: If you abide in Christ you will be fruitful and the Lord will delight in you.

Scripture: John 15:1-5

Point #2: Doing takes time

Point: If we hear all this great teaching and go to all the right places but never do what God has called us to do we will forget and not be blessed.

Scripture: James 1:22-25

Point #3: Time = Men, Time = Women. Time = Family, Time = Blessing