Time Well Spent, BY R.C Sproul

Time Well Spent (excerpt)

By R.C. Sproul

Time is the great leveler. It is one resource that is allocated in absolute egalitarian terms. Every living person has the same number of hours to use in every day. Busy people are not given a special bonus added on to the hours of the day. The clock plays no favorites.

We all have an equal measure of time in every day. Where we differ from one another is in how we redeem the time allotted. When something is redeemed it is rescued or purchased from some negative condition. The basic negative condition we are concerned with is the condition of waste. To waste time is to spend it on that which has little or no value.

I am a time waster. When I think of the time I have wasted over the course of my life, I am hounded by remorse. This guilt is not a false one fostered by an overactive work ethic. The guilt is real because the time I have wasted is real time.

The late Vince Lombardi introduced the adage, “I never lost a game, I just ran out of time.” This explanation points to one of the most dramatic elements of sports—the race against the clock. The team that is most productive in the allotted time is the team that wins the game. Of course, in sports, unlike life, there are provisions for calling time-out. The clock in a sports contest can be temporarily halted. But in real life there are no timeouts…

Given my propensity to waste time, I have learned a few tricks to help me beat the clock. They may be helpful to some of you.

First, I realize that all of my time is God’s time and all of my time is my time by His delegation. God owns me and my time. Yet, He has given me a measure of time over which I am a steward. I can commit that time to work for other people, visit other people, etc. But it is time for which I must give an account.

Second, time can be redeemed by concentration and focus. One of the greatest wastes of time occurs in the human mind. Our hands may be busy but our minds idle. Likewise, our hands may be idle while our minds are busy. Woolgathering, day-dreaming, and indulging in frivolous fantasy are ways in which thoughts may be wasted in real time. To focus our minds on the task at hand—with fierce concentration—makes for productive use of time.

Third, the mind can redeem valuable time taken up by ordinary or mechanical functions. For example, the mechanics of taking a shower are not difficult. In this setting the mind is free for problem solving, creative thinking, or the composition of themes. Many of my messages and lectures are germinated in the shower. When I used to play a lot of golf, I found that the time I had between shots was a great time for composing messages in my mind.

Fourth, use your leisure time for pursuits that are life enriching. Leisure time is often spent on avocations. Reading is a valuable use of time. It enriches life to read outside of your major field or area of expertise. Augustine once advised believers to learn as much as possible about as many things as possible, since all truth is God’s truth. Other avocations that are enriching include the arts. I like to study the piano and I dabble in painting. No one will ever mistake me for a serious musician or an accomplished artist. But these avocations open up the world of beauty to me that enhances my view of God and His manifold perfections. I also enjoy working cross-word puzzles to warm up the little gray cells and to expand my vista of verbal expression.

Fifth, find ways to cheat the “Sand Man.” Several years ago I had an epiphany about time management. Though my life-long pattern had been to stay up late at night I realized that for me, the hours between 9–12 p.m. were not very productive. I reasoned that if I used those hours to sleep I might secure more time for more productive things. Since then my habit has been to retire between 8–9 p.m. when possible and rise at 4 a.m. This has effected a wonderful revolution for my schedule. The early hours of the day are a time free from distractions and interruptions, a marvelous time for study, writing, and prayer….

Sixth, use drive-time for learning. Driving a car is another mechanical function that allows the mind to be alert to more than what is happening on the roadway. The benefits of audio tape can be put to great use during these times. I can listen to lectures and instructional tapes while driving, thereby redeeming the time.

Finally, in most cases a schedule is more liberating than restricting. Working with a schedule helps enormously to organize our use of time. The schedule should be a friend, not an enemy. I find it freeing in that the schedule can include time for leisure, recreation, and avocation. It helps us find the rhythm for a God-glorifying productive life.

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[The article “Time Well Spent: Right Now Counts Forever” was written by Dr. R.C. Sproul and published in Tabletalk magazine (September 1997, pp. 4–7). This excerpt is reprinted by the kind permission of Ligonier Ministries.]

Busyness is not equal to Productivity

I just read this quote from CJ Mahaney in an email from a friend and

 found it really helpful, I hope you enjoy it and be transformed by it.

“I forget now who first brought these points to my attention. But the

realization that I could be simultaneously busy and lazy, that I could be a

hectic sluggard, that my busyness was no immunity from laziness, became a

life-altering and work-altering insight. What I learned is that:

Busyness does not mean I am diligent

Busyness does not mean I am faithful

Busyness does not mean I am fruitful

Recognizing the sin of procrastination, and broadening the definition to

include busyness, has made a significant alteration in my life. The sluggard

can be busy—busy neglecting the most important work, and busy knocking 

out a to-do list filled with tasks of secondary importance.

When considering our schedules, we have endless options. But there are a few

clear priorities and projects, derived from my God-assigned roles, that

should occupy the majority of my time during a given week. And there are a

thousand tasks of secondary importance that tempt us to devote a

disproportionate amount of time to completing an endless to-do list. And if

we are lazy, we will neglect the important for the urgent.” C.J. Mahaney

CHRIST OR SELF

One of the greatest sins of this age is pride. We try to magnify ourselves above others. This inclination to pride is displayed the most when we see someone displaying the same kinds of things that make us proud. What pride hates the most is pride in others because their pride competes with its own self-worth. Pride also manifests itself in self-sufficiency, and in exaggerated ideas of one’s own virtues, abilities or importance. We creatures even magnify ourselves above our Creator, making ourselves supreme (or the end goal) in our thoughts, affections, goals etc…
The down side to pride is that God detests the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Thus, for us to receive grace from our grace-supplying God, we must be humble. Martin Luther said, “We were made out of nothing, we must remain nothing and God will make something out of us.”
We must always remember that once we were not a people and God made us his own, we were dead in our trespasses and sin and God made us alive (1Pet 2:10; Eph 2:1). The meaning of the passive verb “made” in this last sentence is to silence our prideful hearts. Only God should boast about who we are because he made us who we are. “What do you have that you did not receive, and if then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (1Cor 4:7). Christ and self cannot be exalted in the same individual; one must be exalted and the other debased. Let us learn from John, who after confessing that, “a person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven” (John 3:27), resolves that “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

5 Things to remember when Schedules fail

• Remember that God causes all things to work together for our ultimate good though we might not see it right away
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

• Remember that your times are in God’s hands because he planed and numbered your days with the events of those days
“My times are in your hands” (Psalm 31:15), “He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting” (Psalm 104:19). “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecc 3:1)

• Remember that God changes events as he pleases and he has set a time for everything on earth
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons (Daniel 2:20-21). “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Eccl 3:1).

• Remember that, that is the best God has for you at that time though it might not seem best to you
“I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11)

• Remember to do all your planning with a view of God’s sovereign control of the universe in mind
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit” yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:13-15)

Christian Suffering

1. Suffering is a gift of God to his own. "It has been granted (bestowed as a gift) to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake" Phil 1:29

2. It is far better to suffer for Christ's sake than to enjoy fleeting worldly pleasure because there is reward for those who suffer for Christ's sake. "By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He (Moses) considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward" Heb 11:24-26

3. Suffering works in us (christian) virtues that we will not have otherwise. "we rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produces endurance, an endurance produces character, and character produces hope and hope does not put us to shame" Romans 5:3-5

4. Present suffering--of what ever nature--cannot sever us from Christ but will make us savor Christ more if we respond properly to it. "who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.....for i am sure that neither death nor life....will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:35-39. "it is good for me that i was afflicted, that i might learn your statutes" Ps 119:71

5. If we suffer the lose of everything but Christ, we have everything in Christ. "everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life" Matt 19:29. A w Tozer said, "he who has God as his one treasure has all things in one"

6. The present suffering are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us. "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" Romans 8:18

7. It is a privilege to suffer for Christ and with Christ since our hope is beyond this life. "Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name" Acts 5:41 "it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will" 1Peter 3:17

So, "count is all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" James 1:2 for "through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God" Acts 14:22

Guidance in discerning the will of God

• Seek to get your heart in such a condition that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Do not depend upon feelings or impressions.

• Seek the will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with, the Word of God.

• Take into account providential circumstances.

• Ask God in prayer to reveal His will clearly.

Thus, through prayer to God, the study of His Word, and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment, and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly. I have found this method always effective (Kenneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace : 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions, Includes Indexes. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1990), 234.)

“Good things” can keep you from “THE GOOD”

Jesus told his disciples a parable that we all need to learn today. The conception has been that only sinful things like sexual immorality, lies telling, deceitfulness etc can keep someone from entering the Kingdom of heaven. These things truly do hinder people from the kingdom. But, not only those things we generally know to be bad are hindrances to the kingdom.

In Luke 14:16-24, Jesus gives a parable of the kingdom, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. ¹⁷ And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ ¹⁸ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ ¹⁹ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ ²⁰ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.”

Right at the time when the banquet was ready, the invitees all gave excuses (legitimate)

1. I just bought a field, and I must go out and see it

2. I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them

3. I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come

Buying a field, buying oxen, cars, televisions, dresses, cloths, etc are not sinful in themselves, but they can become great snares if God is not held in the right perspective. We should not let gifts hinder us from the GIVER. Gifts are intended by the GIVER to point us to him. A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. Let no “good thing” keep you from ultimate Goodness.

For your ultimate Joy