It's All About Time—November 1-2 Bible Reading Plan - Denise Pass

It’s About Time

The beginning of Daylight Savings Time yesterday is a vivid reminder that we want to make the most of our time. Our lives are so jam-packed and busy we struggle with time—feeling mastered by it and trying to get our “to do” list done. God is outside this space and time and yet He sovereignly rules over it. It’s about time that our lives revolve. And the times we live in impact how we use the time we have been given. We live in a polarized culture. How can we be agents for God in these times, redeeming each day to share of God’s salvation?

Bible Reading of the Day: Ecclesiastes 3-4 and Acts 11-12

The thing about time is that it limits our activity. We can feel like there is never enough time and yet God’s word says there is a time for everything.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”

Or we can feel discouraged if we do not see a return on our investment of time (Eccl. 3:9).

Ecclesiastes 3:9-11 (NLT), “9 What do people really get for all their hard work (struggles – CSB)? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”

It’s About Time—Prioritizing

There is time for what needs to be done but sometimes we have to leave some things undone. And sometimes our goals with time might not be God’s.

Our time is not ours, but God’s. It is on loan to us to see how we will steward it.

Psalm 90:12 reminded us several weeks back that the goal of living is to gain wisdom, draw near to God and number our days well.

So how do we walk in wisdom in a foolish age? Humanism and vain philosophies infiltrate and influence others more than the gospel, or so it seems.

We have an election tomorrow and the reading today from Acts 11-12 is a snapshot of how the early church used the time they were given and the effect that political struggles of that time period had on them.

It’s About Time—Doing What Matters Most

Peter, Paul, Barnabas, Cyrpus and Cerene of the church at Antioch were busy doing the work of God in a politically charged society where Christians were persecuted.

The fruit from their labor was evident.

Acts 11:21-24

“21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 News about them reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel as far as Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And large numbers of people were added to the Lord.”

In the midst of this incredible fruit were challenges.

Acts 12:1-5

“About that time King Herod violently attacked some who belonged to the church, 2 and he executed James, John’s brother, with the sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.”

It’s About Time—For Such a Time as This

Friends, we will not be embraced by our culture for the faith we uphold. But for such a time as this, we must stand on the foundation of the Gospel. We need to care more for people’s souls than how they think or who they vote for, but we also must do our civic duty to vote for one who will uphold righteous laws, not rights that are contrary to God’s word.

My affiliation is with Jesus, not a political party. But my vote will be influenced by my faith and the policies each political party embraces.

In Acts 12:20-23, God intervenes into the political

“Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. Together they presented themselves before him. After winning over Blastus, who was in charge of the king’s bedroom, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country. 21 On an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a speech to them. 22 The assembled people began to shout, “It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 At once an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.”

The people were asking for peace from a wicked politician. Friends, God intervened anyway. God is our peace. We can have peace no matter what the election results are tomorrow in Christ.

Scripture of the Day: Acts 12:24

“But the word of God spread and multiplied.”

This “but” comes right after the death of Herod and persecution for believers. God’s will and word will triumph.

Ecclesiastes 3:11
“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”

Application

• Let’s not use division as an excuse not to multiply.
• Share Christ in season and out of season.
• May our speech be seasoned with God’s word.
• My affiliation is with Jesus, not a political party. But my vote will be influenced by my faith and the policies each political party embraces.
• Friends, I wish our media was color blind. I wish we all were. The media is trying to stir up controversy, and to be sure there are problems in our culture. There are sins such as racism, but people can use those very sins for their own political purposes, making an election more politically charged.
• Please pray HARD and then vote. Lay down your agenda and other political agendas and pick up the cross. Which policies line up with God’s word?
• May we bravely represent Christ as we vote.

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁 12 𝗽𝗺 𝗘𝗧.

Day #306-7: Eccl. 3-4 and Acts 11-12—It’s About Time

𝒱𝑒𝓇𝓈𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒟𝒶𝓎: Acts 12:24

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