Being Obedient to God's Timimg

C. Carroll
2009-09-16

(1) A Time for Everything: Ecclesiastes 3:1-9

    ¹ There is a time for everything,
       and a season for every activity under heaven:

    ² a time to be born and a time to die,
       a time to plant and a time to uproot,

    ³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
       a time to tear down and a time to build,

    ⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
       a time to mourn and a time to dance,

    ⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
       a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

    ⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
       a time to keep and a time to throw away,

    ⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
       a time to be silent and a time to speak,

    ⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
       a time for war and a time for peace.

    ⁹ What does the worker gain from his toil?

(2) Thoughts to Consider

• We often use the word "time", but seldom consider its magnitude ·
  • What time is it?
  • Do you have the time? 
  •  I did it one time
  • When will you have the time?
  •  There is not enough time
  • Have we reflected on the essence of time?
• Time is passing and once it has passed, it's hard to get back
• We must be efficient with time. Because we only have:
  • This day
  • This hour
  • This minute
  • This second
  •  RIGHT NOW!!!
• The moment that we have in time is precious and we should not take it for granted
• Let us be productive with the time God has given us
• Time waits for no one and we must fit into time's schedule

(3) We need to yield to the timing of God in our lives

Our time and God's Time Chronos time

• -chronological time (clock time) Chiros time
• -God's time (the fullness of time) ·

We must adhere to God's timing, because missing His timing may have eternal implications · We must not be stuck in the timing of the world, because God has a bigger picture that operates in chiros time

Luke 4:13 "When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time"

Ecclesiastes 3:1 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven"

In God's timing, we can overcome obstacles and things that we wouldn't be able to accomplish on our own ·

• Being in God's timing places a person of God where the resources of God will be ·
• We have to live our lives as if every minutes matters, because in the scope of eternal salvation, it does ·
• If we don't deal appropriately with the chronos time given to us, we won't be pleased with the chiros time that results from our actions

Isaiah 40:31 "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength"

Waiting is a time of strengthening to receive the power of God

1.) Our timing is often determined by pleasure, God's is by purpose and passion

• Are we motivated by "When we feel like it"
• God sets us at the intersection of destiny and opportunity, so that we may receive the blessing
• Our lives are not just about us (Are we setting ourselves in the God Appointed Place G.A.P?)
• Everything that God wants to do affects something/someone else, not just ourselves
• Our timing has personal and pleasurable implication, but God's timing affects eternity

2.) Unless we're connected to the Spirit of God, we won't know God's timing

•  The Lord doesn't want us to be concerned about time, but more about His purpose  

Acts 1:7-8 "He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" ·

3.) Quite often God's schedule will conflict with our personal schedule

• God will not change His mind just because we say no ·
• If we know it's from God, then we have to overcome what we feel like, be obedient, and fulfill His will ·
• Our timing might yield some earthly result, but God's timing will yield eternal results ·
• If we don't place ourselves in a position to hear from God, we will constantly miss His timing

Jonah 1:1-3, 17 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me." But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights

And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."

 

We need to yield to the move of God in our lives

We need to yield to the will of God in our lives

We need to yield to the timing of God in our lives