Austin Bible Church
The best way to live life is to live each day to the full as it comes, one by one, one day at a time. God has designed the Christian life to be lived one day at a time. In Psalms 90:10, “Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow” means that unless you are in God's plan, all that you do in life is useless labor, just existing, just an empty life and sitting around waiting to die.
“As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away.” (Psalms 90:10, NASB)
There are two ways to learn the Word of God, the easy way where you consistently come to learn Bible doctrine or the hard way where you learn through God’s divine discipline. Either you are going to know the fear (respect) of the Lord through learning and applying epignosis Bible doctrine in your soul or you are going to know His wrath through the administration of divine discipline to get you back to God's plan for your life. Psalms 90:11.
“Who understands the power of Your anger And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You?” (Psalms 90:11, NASB)
It is not the extension of your life that counts, but how you use each day. In Psalms 90:12, “So teach us to number our days” is emphatic and means we are to organize our days for the purpose of learning the Word of God. Every day is a gracious gift from God in our life on earth to be purchased by means of the filling of the Spirit plus the function of the grace apparatus for perception resulting in the construction of the edification complex of the soul and developing “a heart of wisdom.” Psalms 118:24.
“So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” (Psalms 90:12, NASB)
“This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalms 118:24, NASB)
God’s plan for us is measured by days not years. The Christian life exists for you to grow to spiritual maturity with a completed edification complex of the soul. The believer with an edification complex built from epignosis Bible doctrine in the right lobe of their soul regards every day alike. The Christian life also exists for you to produce maximum divine good. We are to develop this divine viewpoint while we are still young, if possible. Prioritize the daily intake of the Word of God above your social life. Organize your days. Plan to get the Word daily.
God provides the capital to make each day count for Him under the title of “greater grace.” God provides the grace means and resources. Βe sure you learn to know what they are and how use them for His glory. James 4:6; James 1:21.
“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."” (James 4:6, NASB)
“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21, NASB)
1 Corinthians 7:29-31 tells us that our time on this earth allotted to each us by God time is indeed short. The older you get, the faster the passage of time seems to be. Beware that legitimate living does not hinder the redemption of time. Do not misuse time by abusing time. You should ask yourself, “Am I using the little time I have here on earth to grow spiritually and thereby glorify God?” Do you know who God really is and what His plan is for your life? God has revealed His very thinking in printed form in the Word of God. He wants you to learn who He is and what He has planned for your life.
“But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.” (1 Corinthians 7:29-31, NASB)
In Ephesians 5:16-18, “making the most of your time” is the answer to time utilization. The believer oriented to the grace of God regards every day to be a gracious gift from God and should “make the most of it” or redeem the time as unto the Lord. The only way for the believer to redeem the time given to them to live their lives on earth is when their soul is controlled by the Holy Spirit - in fellowship with God. The result of the filling of the Holy Spirit is “making the most of your time” allotted to each of us on this earth. Rom. 14:5-6. See categories on Filling of the Holy Spirit and Spirituality.
“making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:16-18, NASB)
“One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.” (Romans 14:5-6, NASB)
Every day is a special day in the Christian way of life and one day is not holier than another day. Sunday is special only in the sense of assembly worship. This does not mean this is the only day we are commanded to assemble. Gal. 4:10; John 11:9-10.
“You observe days and months and seasons and years.” (Galatians 4:10, NASB)
“Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."” (John 11:9-10, NASB)
In Hebrews 10:25, we are commanded to assemble together to learn Bible doctrine and from that to grow spiritually. 2 Peter 3:18.
“not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25, NASB)
“but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18, NASB)
Each day of our time on earth the believer is to avoid the mental attitude sins from emotional revolt which produce self-induced misery. They are the most subtle and the most powerful foe against the spiritual life and spiritual growth. Mental attitude sins come in clusters. A short list includes jealousy, fear, envy, worry, vindictiveness, anxiety, pride, hatred, implacability, hostility, guilt complex, and antagonism. You’ll never be able to organize your days as long as mental attitude sins run rampant in your mind. When you spend time in pride, bitterness, guilt reaction and so on, it hinders your spiritual life. Psalms 27:1; Prov. 27:1; 1 John 2:9-11.
“A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?” (Psalms 27:1, NASB)
“Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.” (Proverbs 27:1, NASB)
“The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:9-11, NASB)
Only in the days of your spiritual life when you are filled with the Holy Spirit can God demonstrate His love for you in undeserved suffering and pressure. Psalms 102:1-2; Lam. 3:22-23.
“A Prayer of the Afflicted when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD! And let my cry for help come to You. Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress; Incline Your ear to me; In the day when I call answer me quickly.” (Psalms 102:1-2, NASB)
“The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NASB)
There is no suffering in eternity. Therefore, God’s provision for strength in undeserved suffering is greater than our adversities. You are to use God’s provision daily through the function of the grace apparatus for perception to develop an edification complex in the right lobe of the soul. Rev. 21:4; 2 Cor. 4:16. See category on Undeserved Suffering From Testing.
“and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."” (Revelation 21:4, NASB)
“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16, NASB)
Each day the believer is to take in Bible doctrine. 2 Cor. 4:6; Heb. 10:25.
“For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6, NASB)
“not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25, NASB)
The future is in the Lord’s hands with its problems, its challenges, its joys, etc. So consequently, the believer needs to live one day at a time.
The Selfish Believer’s Planning
The only time we possess to glorify God in our life on earth is the number of days allotted in God's plan for us. In James 4:13-15, “Today or tomorrow” refers to the selfish believer who plans their time based only on the world they can see. They do not have eternity’s values in view. They make no plans for daily Bible doctrine intake or application. “Such a city” means they select where they want to live based only on the climate and where the dollar is easiest to make. There is no geographical planning to be in an area where the Lord has a pastor-teacher who is teaching Bible doctrine categorically. They go where they think the business is best, not where the Lord wants them to be in business to serve Him. They are actually ignoring the geographical will of God.
“Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."” (James 4:13-15, NASB)
“Spend a year there” means they limit their stay. This is the use of man’s independent volition to the exclusion of God’s will. It is not how long does the Lord want me to stay, but how long I want to remain, how long can I make money here. Making money is a legitimate pursuit, but it should not be the main pursuit of your life. You may have your mind filled with important issues and decisions regarding your business and how you are going to spend your time in one year or two. But what about the Word? So what? They say, “It will fit in somewhere.” There is no concept of God’s will indicated here.
In James 4:13-15, “engage in business” means they plan their own activities, but no planning for Christian service. They plan their own activities and what they are going to buy and sell with no thought of representing the Lord and serving Him. “Make a profit” indicated that they plan their business to gain a profit, but no planning for spiritual production in time or the building of an edification structure in their soul. Everything is related to how much they can make and running their business to the exclusion of God’s plan as a habit in their life. This believer’s problem is an ignorance of Bible doctrine. They may even substitute the phrase “If the Lord wills” for really knowing and believing the Word.
Life’s Priorities
Legitimate living does not hinder the believer’s making full use of their time. Legitimate living includes sorrow from loss of loved ones, adverse circumstances, pain, and illness. Sorrow should never get to the point of morbidity. Legitimate living also includes happiness. What makes you happy? We should have inner happiness all the time, but pursuit of happiness can cut into utilization of time. Legitimate living also includes the pursuit of pleasure. These are things that are relaxing to you personally apart from your daily work or professional activity. However, the believer should set their priorities in life with Bible doctrine always as number one. Pursuit of pleasure above the Word of God makes the believer a “lover of pleasure more than lover of God.” 2 Tim. 3:4.
“treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,” (2 Timothy 3:4, NASB)
Boats are wonderful things, but some of you could care less about boats. An example of how pursuit of something can gain ascendancy in your life’s priorities is Sam and his boat. Sam built a boat and this hobby resulted in him no longer coming to Bible class or church services. Now that he has a boat, a trailer is needed. Then, he found the boat was underpowered so he worked overtime to pay for a larger boat motor. Then he decided he needed an inboard motor. Then he really had a headache, so went back to an outboard. Then he started sailing. The believer’s pursuits can be anything such as horses, guns, airplanes, autos, relatives, friends, parents, football, sports, bowling, golf, stamps, coins, etc.
In 1 Corinthians 7:31, we are commanded to make full use of time allotted to each of us. “Those who use the world” is not talking about worldliness, but refers to the fact that the reconstruction of this world was on a time basis. “Did not make full use of it” means to not misuse our time. “The form of this world” refers to the design of this world. What is the design of this world? Time! This world “is passing away” and time marches on.
“and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.” (1 Corinthians 7:31, NASB)
As believers, how do we utilize our time to the full? Learn Bible Doctrine every day. Live in the Word. Apply epignosis Bible doctrine or divine wisdom to life’s situations and decisions and experiences through the filling of the Holy Spirit. Keep short accounts of your sins by routinely using confessions of sin via 1 John 1:9. Make legitimate living a slave of Bible doctrine principles and application. In other words, make Bible doctrine a priority over the legitimate details of sorrow, happiness, and pleasure.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB)
Respect the fact that time marches on. Time is short. Focus on pinning down some area of life. In 1 Corinthians 7:34, “holy” means to be set apart unto God. Complete a crash program on learning Bible chapter titles. Complete a crash program on recorded Bible lessons in some category from a prepared pastor-teacher who is teaching using the I.C.E. methodology - Isagogics, Categories, Exegesis.
“and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.” (1 Corinthians 7:34, NASB)
Learn to focus without distraction upon the Lord and His thinking gained from the Word of God which is the very thinking of Jesus Christ. Develop the ability to study a subject start to finish undistracted. Develop the ability to view Bible study overall. Develop the ability to concentrate. Develop your self-discipline. 1 Cor. 2:16; 1 Cor. 7:35.
“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16, NASB)
“This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 7:35, NASB)
The thesis of 1 Corinthians 7:35 and the remainder of the chapter is that a single person has more time for the Lord. Marriage is not a time waster, but it is a time consumer. The worst thing in this life is to be married to the wrong person. It is legitimate to take the wife out to eat, do things with the family, rear the children and support the family. That is why many young people who were wonderful believers before marriage do not get to Bible class regularly after. They do not know how to utilize time.