Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting audio video notes. When our time is over, God will look at the time he entrusted us. Were we specific with time? Did we number our days wisely? Fight necessary battles? How did you spend your time?
TRUST GOD’S TIMING
By Pastor Delbert Young
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
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Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
Scriptures: Ephesians 5:15-16, Psalms 90:12, Ephesians 4:26, Galatians 6:9-10, Mark 5:35-36, Mark 5:40
We’ve been discussing why we should and how to Trust God’s Timing. Last time, we began talking about Trust God’s Timing in Redeeming the Time. Today, I want to talk about Be Specific with Time. We need to be purposeful with time.
(Amplified) Ephesians 5:15-16 Look carefully then how you walk! LIVE PURPOSEFULLY and worthily and ACCURATELY, not as the unwise and witless, but AS WISE (sensible, intelligent people), MAKING THE VERY MOST OF THE TIME
Wise people live on purpose, live accurately, and use their time wisely and specifically.
We’ve all done wasteful things with our time. Maybe you spend too much time on social media or aimlessly surfing the internet. These lead to the statistical lists of wasted time today. “New research has found that the average user spends 23 hours a week emailing, texting, and using social media and other online communication. That number represents nearly 14 percent of the total time in a week.” Maybe you spend time on the phone talking to someone with no dreams or aspirations. They gossip, talk about witless things, and kidnap your time.
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
Maybe you play video games all day long. Is this witless? Perhaps someone has hurt you, and you find yourself dwelling on it. Maybe you sleep the day away. Some people spend a lot of time exercising and doing hobbies. We need both, but have we “pawned” our irreplaceable precious time? None of these things are bad unless in excess, as we saw last time, with being a drunk (Eph 5:18) and causing debauchery – a wasted life.
We need to organize our lives better. Here are some statistics.
“Average Americans spend one year of their life looking for lost or misplaced items. US News and World Report
On average, we spend 6 minutes looking for our keys in the morning. IKEA
The top five items men look for in their homes are clean socks, a remote control, a wedding album, car keys, and a driver’s license. The top five items for women are shoes, a child’s toy, a wallet, lipstick, and a remote control. IKEA
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
The average American wastes 55 minutes a day (roughly 12 days a year) looking for things they own but can’t find. Newsweek
The average office employee spends 1.5 hours a day (6 weeks per year) looking for things. OrganizedWorld.com
The typical executive wastes 150 hours a year (almost an entire month) searching for lost information. For someone earning $50,000 a year, this loss is equivalent to $3,842 annually. Forbes ASAP”
Merely being organized would redeem time.
Clean up your house or tool area. Organize your office. “Oh, great Delbert! That’s just super spiritual!” Yes, it is. It’s redeeming the time. It’s Being Specific with Time.
We are very talented people, but we are easily distracted. We lose focus, get off course, and waste time. We’re not on purpose, people. We get sidetracked, and the hour has gone. Or, the day has gone. Or, the year has gone, or twenty years have gone. Little by little, tiny things take away so much of our precious, irreplaceable time.
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
Psalms 90:12 TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS ARIGHT, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Isn’t it sad that the Scriptures must teach us to count our days? The wise person realizes the importance of every day. God has numbered every day. We only have so many. Be Specific with Time.
When you realize you have a specific number of days, you recognize every battle is not worth fighting. Why respond to every critic? I get blasted for my teachings on the kingdom, finances, marriage, and divorce. Some attacks are mean and vicious. Learning took me a while, but I never responded to their criticism today. What good would it do to get into a battle with them? Everyone isn’t going to agree with me. Some people don’t want to be at peace with me.
I don’t need to please them as long as I believe I’ve pleased God. Conflicts that don’t stand between you and your specific purpose are not battles to engage. They are only distractions and a waste of time. Be Specific with Time. You only have a specific number of days.
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
When you’re Being Specific with Time, you won’t waste time attempting to make someone happy who will never be satisfied. There are people who, no matter what you do for them, it is not enough. Their happiness is not your responsibility. Your responsibility is to love them, but their happiness is something they are responsible for acquiring. It’s OK if they don’t want to be happy, but they will not stop me from being happy. I only have a specific number of days, and I’m not spending it trying to change things I can’t change or helping people no one can help. I am Being Specific with Time.
Many people waste their valuable time waiting for someone to apologize to them.
They say, “I’m not going to be happy until they apologize.” People don’t understand that they are wasting away days, months, and years of their lives. What if they never apologize? You’ve allowed the person to kidnap your time. Pay the ransom. Forgive them. How much time have we wasted being upset, offended, and angry? Be Specific with Time.
Ephesians 4:26 “In your anger do not sin”: DO NOT LET THE SUN GO DOWN while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
People go to bed night after night with anger in their hearts, refusing to forgive. They lie down and relive their hurts, disappointments, and how people did them wrong again and again. If the sun goes down with bitterness and anger in your heart, the sun will come back up with resentment and anger in your heart. You are blocking God’s blessings and giving the devil a foothold. Pay the ransom. Forgive quickly so you can redeem the time. You don’t need an apology. You have a specific number of days. Be Specific with Time.
We all go through valleys in life – disappointing times, but valleys always lead to higher places. Valleys are temporary. If God did not think you needed the valley, you would never go through it. When you’re in a valley, instead of sitting around, becoming angry, frustrated, and having a pity party, go out and do something good for someone else.
Galatians 6:9-10 Let us not become WEARY IN DOING GOOD, for at THE PROPER TIME we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, AS WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
God will give us opportunities to do good for people. Notice the association between doing good to people, getting beyond being weary, and reaping the harvest. The fastest way I’ve learned to get up when I’m down is to do something good for someone. Years ago, I was working on my boat at home. In my attempt to fix something, I broke it. I was already frustrated, but when I broke it, I indeed became upset, but I needed to finish. Knowing I had an appointment later, I jumped into my truck and sped off, snatching gears and heading for Walmart. I was in a hurry, frustrated, and angry.
I was hot and sweaty as I wheeled into the Walmart parking lot. Parking my truck, I jumped out and took off, walking as fast as possible to the entrance. I noticed an elderly lady pushing a buggy full of groceries, looking aimlessly over the parking lot. Immediately, I thought she had misplaced her car. I wanted to help her but was in a hurry and frustrated. I thought, “Lord, I don’t have time for this,” but my conscience got the best of me. So, I said OK and went toward her.
I didn’t want to startle her, so several feet away, I said, “Mam, it appears you’ve misplaced your car. May I help you locate it?”
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
Her gaze went from looking over the parking lot to me. She looked puzzled as she searched to find words to respond without sounding like she was senile and a victim of Alzheimer’s.
She stuttered and said, looking away, “I thought I parked it right here.” I said, “Let me push your buggy, and we’ll see if we can find it.” I asked what model of car it was and what color it was. Off we went, walking all over Walmart’s parking lot, looking for her green Ford. I couldn’t find a green Ford anywhere. Finally, she said, “That one looks like it.” It was a blue Buick. I hoped it was her car, even if it wasn’t a green Ford. I said, “Well, let’s see if your key will unlock it. Hallelujah! It did.
I asked her if she put her groceries in her trunk or back seat. She said, “I put them in my boot.” I thought, “OK. I know what that is.” I unlocked her boot, put her groceries in, closed the boot, and handed her the key.
She was apologizing the whole time. I told her it was fine and that I could help her. She looked me straight in the eye, and with the most sincere look and words she could muster up, she said, “Thank you, sonny.” I thought, “Sonny? I’m sixty years old.” In the most heartfelt way I could, I said, “You are so very welcome. You have a wonderful day.” I turned, pushing her buggy to a buggy area. I thought, “Now, why did I come to Walmart? Oh yes – boat part.”
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
Amazingly, all my frustration and anger were gone.
The boat didn’t matter anymore. I got to do something nice for someone. I remember the big smile on my face as I pushed her buggy into the storage area, watching her “green Ford,” which miraculously became a blue Buick, drive off. Doing good and nice things for others expecting no reward is a great way to Be Specific with Time.
When we’re specific with time and realize our days are numbered, we will reevaluate our friendships and relationships regularly.
How much time are people taking from you? Is the time invested, redeemed, an opportunity to do good, or wasted? People will waste your time.
Jesus was very selective with his time relationships. He was an on-purpose person, and he knew his days were numbered. He was worthy of the days given him, so he was accurate with his time. Jesus was very specific concerning time. Hundreds of people wanted to be close to Jesus, but he chose only twelve and only then after spending much time in prayer. Three of those twelve were his close friends: Peter, James, and John. One became his best friend – John. He was the disciple Jesus loved and who Jesus entrusted the care of his mother.
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
You may know many people and have many acquaintances, but be cautious with your time relationships. You can’t have twenty best friends. I know people who try, but even Jesus couldn’t. The closer you get to your destiny, the tighter your relationships will become. It’s great to have many friends, but the two or three close to you must believe in, support, protect, and stick with you through the good and the bad. If your life is not progressing, it could be because you spend your time with the wrong people.
Mark 5:35-36 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher any more?” IGNORING WHAT THEY SAID, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” HE DID NOT LET ANYONE FOLLOW HIM EXCEPT PETER, JAMES AND JOHN THE BROTHER OF JAMES.
Some people you have to ignore. Jesus knew that when it came to severe issues, the only ones needed were people who would not question who he was. When you’re in the heat of a battle and serious issues are at stake, you don’t want people around you who question and doubt you. Ignore them. At these times, I’m even very picky about who prays for me. I’ve been in those times of battle. I will only spend time with those I know who believe in me.
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
Judy was sick not long ago. She didn’t need someone saying, “Oh, I think my grandmother died from the same thing you have.” No. She needed people to tell her, “You’re getting better every day and better in every way.” You don’t need people saying, “I bet you’ll have to go bankrupt.” Or, “Your marriage is doomed.” You don’t need people who want you punished because you made a mistake. It would be best to have people who will hold your arms up and say, “I’m with you. We’re going to get through this.” It would be best to have people who will talk faith into you, not talk faith out of you.
When Jesus got to Jairus’ house, he told people the girl was not dead, only asleep. They mocked Jesus. Have you ever been mocked?
Mark 5:40 But they laughed at him. After HE PUT THEM ALL OUT, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.
You may need to show some people the door. Certainly, you don’t need people around you with a mocking, critical spirit dragging you down. You can love them but love them from a distance. Jesus loved every one, but he was Specific with Time and to whom he gave it. He raised the girl to life. You may need to put some people out if you want a miraculous, supernaturally blessed life. If you want something raised to life, realize it won’t happen with the wrong people in yours.
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
Who do you eat lunch with every day? Who do you talk on the phone with every day? Where are they going in life? Do they believe in you? Are they pushing you toward your destiny? If not, show them the door. Put them out. Be specific with your time-relationships.
When our time is over, God will look at the time he entrusted us.
Were we on purpose, people? Did we do life accurately? How much time did we waste not being merely organized? What distracted you? Did we learn to number our days wisely? How many unnecessary battles did we fight? How much time did you waste trying to change things you can’t change and fix people you can’t be fix, and how many nights did you allow the sun to go down with anger in your hearts? Did we take the opportunities to do good for people? How did we manage our time-relationships? How did you spend your time, and how did you spend your life?
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
The Lord will not accept, “God, it was my friend’s fault.” Or, “I know I spent all those years bitter and hating, but they did me wrong.” Excuses won’t work. God will bless your life when you realize there is a proper time for everything; there is a procedure with miseries to go through to get to everything that matters. He will bless you when you redeem the time when you’re an on-purpose person living accurately and Being Specific with Time.
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
Specific Time – How to Find Peace in the Waiting
Other Related Sermons:
Redeem Time – How to Overcome Procrastination & Distractions
Redeem the Time video audio notes
A Number 10 Father Father’s Day sermon
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