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Leisure or Urgency- Stewardship of Time -

Dr. Samuel OngWhispering Hope4.09.2011

+Preaching @ WHope, September

4 Sept Leisure or Urgency – Time (Dr. Samuel Ong)

11 Sept Thrift or Generosity – Material Possessions (Dr. Goh Chee Leong)

18 Sept The Consumer World (Rev. Dr. Andrew Tan) + Holy Communion

25 Sept Career or Vocation (Mr. Goh Keat Peng)

+I. Introduction: Lord, I have time(Abbe’ Michael Quoist)

+II. Why Are We So Busy?

Poor Life Management Activities and tasks versus life’s direction, meaning.

The Tyranny of the Urgent (Charles Hummel, 1967) The example of Jesus. John 17:4.

+III. A Theology Of Time (1)

Time began at creation. Genesis 1:5

Time is a gift from God to us. Genesis 2:3; Psalm 24:1

God has entrusted us with time as stewards. Ephesians 5:15-16; 1 Corinthians 4:2

Time, like all of creation, has also been affected by the Fall.

+A Theology Of Time (2)

The Bible speaks of time in two senses - chronos and kairos

We experience time in seasons Ecclesiastes 3:1

Time is not an endless ebb and flow that has no meaning. God will make all things beautiful in His time. Ecclesiastes 3:11

Time is an evangelist to take us beyond the present to where God is, that we may know Him. Ecclesiastes 3:11

+Theology of Time (3)

Recognize the brevity of human life. Psalm 90:12

Seek God. Isaiah 55:6; Ecclesiastes 12;1, 6-7

Look to eternal realities 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Psalm 10:6

Make the most of earthly opportunities Ephesians 5:16

+IV. A Spirituality for Busy2 People

Stick it in your head – time and life are limited!

Prioritize, ruthlessly!

Keep your time alone with God!

Guard the Sabbath, jealously!

Live a simpler lifestyle!

Make time for rest and recreation!

+V. Conclusion: Lord, I have time

You who are beyond time, Lord, You smile to see us fighting it.

And You know what You are doing.

You make no mistakes in Your distribution of time to men.

You give to each one time to do what You want Him to do.

But we must not lose time, waste time, kill time,

For time is a gift that You give to us,

but a perishable gift, a gift that does not keep.

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Lord, I have time,

I have plenty of time,

all the time You give me,

the years of my life, the hours of my days.

They are all mine,

mine to fill quietly, calmly,

but to fill up completely to the brim,

to offer them up to You, that of their insipid water

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That You may make a rich wine such as You once made in Cana of Galilee.

I am not asking You tonight, Lord, for time to do this and then that,

but Your grace to do conscientiously, in the time that You give me,

what You want me to do.