Redeeming the Time

Pss.90:[1] LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
[2] Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
[3] Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

For those out of the way God uses the circumstances of our lives to turn us toward Him.
For a Christian, God uses the circumstances in our lives to mold us into the image of Christ.

[4] For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
[5] Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
[6] In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
[7] For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

How many people are born, live and die in a thousand years? It is but one day to the Lord or just a few hours.
We are born, we live, we die and go to meet God.
All but a moment in the great span of time.

[8] Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

The only sin not seen by God are those which have been put under the blood of Jesus Christ.
Someday when you meet God you will give an answer dor those sins you have committed that are not put under the blood of Jesus Christ.

[9] For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
[10] The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

What kind of tale has your life told?

[11] Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
[12] So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Indeed we number our days. We have nanoseconds, microseconds, seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades and centuries. Every man rich or poor, beggar or billionaire have 24 hours in a day.
It isn’t the time in your life but the life in your time. It is what you put into the hours which tells the tale of your life.

[13] Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
[14] O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
[15] Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
[16] Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
[17] And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

The times that count are those in which were dedicate to God. Those times when you made a difference for the cause of Jesus Christ.

Turn to Ephesians chapter five where we read:
Eph. 5.[14] Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
[15] See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
[16] Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

We are to walk with watchfulness for danger being considerate of the way we are going.

To redeem time, is to use more diligence in the improvement of it; to be diligent and active in duty and preparation.
If you are a Christian you are going to a wonderful place prepared for you by Jesus Himself. If you are not a Christian you are going to some place also but it wasn’t prepared for you it was prepared for the Devil and his angels and is called Hell.
We as Christians should always be cognizant of the fact we are going somewhere and act like it. Make every day count for Jesus.
We are to redeem our time.

How do we redeem the time you may ask. Turn to Colossians chapter four.:

Col.4:[5] Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
[6] Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

We as Christians are to walk in wisdom. Not the wisdom which man gives but the wisdom of God. Knowing and sharing the gospel of the grace of God. Let our speech and our walk reflect the love of God manifested towards mankind.

Time is fleeting. Turn to Romans thirteen:
Rom.13:[11] And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Every day we live we are one day closer to eternity. Think about that for a moment. We should live our lives accordingly. Time is moving quickly and the world gets more wicked every day. Every breath we take is one breath closer to eternity and meeting God.

Time is short. Turn to First Corinthians chapter seven:
1Cor.7
[29] But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
[30] And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
[31] And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

We sometimes live and walk as if this life is all there is. But it isn’t. Eternity waits for every man and this life is nothing more than a preparation for eternity. In this life the decision is made as to where we all will spend eternity.

Time is now. Turn to Second Corinthians chapter six:
2Cor.6:[2] (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

If you are not a Christian this morning and the Holy Spirit has stirred your heart and conscious as to the tale you are telling, I urge you to give your heart to Jesus. Confess your sins to God and turn from the path you are treading and go the right way. Give your life to Jesus this morning.
If you are a Christian this morning, I encourage you to refresh your commitment to the Lord and make each moment count.