Using Time Wisely: Avoiding Sin Through Self-Discipline

Devotional

Day 1: God's Grace as Our Escape Route

God's grace is a powerful force that provides a way of escape from every temptation we face. It is not about achieving perfection but about recognizing the opportunities God gives us to turn away from sin. The Bible assures us that God is faithful and will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. However, it is up to us to take the escape routes He provides. Ignoring these opportunities can lead to unnecessary falls into sin, as we see in the lives of many who have confessed to such struggles. [02:24]

1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV): "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

Reflection: Think of a recent temptation you faced. How did you respond, and what escape route did God provide that you might have overlooked?

Day 2: The Consequences of Misused Time

The story of David and Bathsheba illustrates the danger of misusing our time. David's fall into sin began when he chose to stay in Jerusalem instead of being at war, where he was supposed to be. This decision led to a series of events that resulted in adultery and murder. Being out of place and misusing our time can make us vulnerable to temptation. It is crucial to be where God wants us to be and to use our time wisely to avoid falling into sin. [08:13]

Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV): "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."

Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you are not where you are supposed to be? How can you realign your priorities to ensure you are using your time wisely?

Day 3: Self-Discipline as a Guard for Spiritual Health

Self-discipline is essential for maintaining spiritual health and avoiding sin. The examples of missionaries like Rosalind Goforth and D.E. Host, who prioritized their duties over personal desires, highlight the importance of self-control in the Christian life. When we discipline ourselves and use our time wisely, we protect ourselves from the attacks of the enemy and maintain our spiritual well-being. [21:51]

1 Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV): "Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle with self-discipline? What practical steps can you take today to strengthen your self-control in this area?

Day 4: Selfishness and the Misuse of Time

The misuse of time is often rooted in selfishness. When we fail to discipline ourselves, we become vulnerable to the enemy's attacks. Dying to self and focusing on God's mission helps us avoid distractions and sin. By putting God's priorities above our own, we can better use our time to serve Him and resist the temptations that come our way. [17:58]

Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Reflection: Identify a recent decision you made based on selfish desires. How can you shift your focus to align with God's mission and priorities?

Day 5: Love for Christ and Wise Time Management

Our use of time reflects our love for Christ. When His love controls us, we make decisions that honor Him. Growing in self-discipline and intimacy with Christ helps us resist temptation and live lives that are pleasing to Him. By prioritizing our relationship with Christ, we can better manage our time and make choices that glorify God. [24:24]

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV): "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Reflection: How does your current use of time reflect your love for Christ? What changes can you make to ensure your time management honors Him?

Sermon Summary

Reflecting on the events of 2017, I am deeply grieved by the number of confessions of sexual sin within our church community. This sorrow stems from the realization that such falls into sin are not inevitable; they can be avoided through the power and grace of God. When I first came to faith, I was not taught about triumphant Christianity. Instead, I was comforted with the idea that even great figures like Paul struggled with sin. However, the Bible teaches us that while perfection is not attainable, a clear change in direction is expected for those who are in Christ. God provides a way of escape from every temptation, yet many choose to ignore it.

The story of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11 serves as a poignant example. David, a man after God's own heart, fell into adultery and murder because he misused his time. Instead of being at war, where he should have been, he remained in Jerusalem, leading to his downfall. This misuse of time is a common factor among those who have confessed to falling into sin. When we are not where we are supposed to be, we open ourselves up to temptation.

The misuse of time is often rooted in selfishness. When we fail to discipline ourselves and use our time wisely, we become vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. Self-control and discipline are crucial in maintaining our spiritual health and avoiding sin. The examples of missionaries like Rosalind Goforth and D.E. Host, who prioritized their duties over personal desires, illustrate the importance of self-discipline in the Christian life.

Ultimately, the way we use our time reflects our love for Christ. When the love of Christ controls us, we make decisions that honor Him. We must strive to use our time wisely, not just for productivity's sake, but to glorify God. As we grow in self-discipline and intimacy with Christ, we will find it easier to resist temptation and live lives that are pleasing to Him.

Key Takeaways

1. Discipline and Spiritual Health:** Self-discipline is crucial in maintaining spiritual health. The examples of missionaries who prioritized their duties over personal desires highlight the importance of self-control in the Christian life. [21:51]
4. The Role of Selfishness in Sin: Misuse of time is often rooted in selfishness. When we fail to discipline ourselves, we become vulnerable to the enemy's attacks. Dying to self and focusing on God's mission helps us avoid distractions and sin.

5. The Importance of Love for Christ: Our use of time reflects our love for Christ. When His love controls us, we make decisions that honor Him. Growing in self-discipline and intimacy with Christ helps us resist temptation and live lives pleasing to Him.

** [21:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:16] - Reflections on 2017
[01:38] - Grief Over Sin
[02:24] - God's Way of Escape
[03:50] - Ephesians 5 and Purity
[05:06] - David's Misuse of Time
[07:13] - Lessons from David's Fall
[08:13] - The Importance of Being in the Right Place
[09:26] - The Custom of War
[11:20] - Vulnerability and Temptation
[12:31] - Pride and Complacency
[13:16] - The Deceitfulness of Sin
[14:56] - Uriah's Self-Discipline
[17:58] - Selfishness and Time Misuse
[21:51] - Examples of Self-Discipline
[24:24] - Love for Christ and Time Management

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

2 Samuel 11:1-5
1 Corinthians 10:12-13
Ephesians 5:3

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Observation Questions:

What was the specific misuse of time that led to David's fall into sin according to 2 Samuel 11:1-5? How did this misuse of time contribute to his vulnerability? [05:06]
In 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, what promise does God give regarding temptation, and how does this relate to the sermon’s message about God providing a way of escape? [02:24]
According to Ephesians 5:3, what should not be named among believers, and how does this align with the pastor's grief over the confessions of sexual sin in the church? [03:00]
How does the example of Uriah in 2 Samuel 11:8-11 contrast with David's actions, and what does this reveal about self-discipline? [14:56]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the misuse of time reflect deeper issues of selfishness and lack of self-discipline, as discussed in the sermon? [17:58]
What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between self-discipline and spiritual health, and how is this illustrated through the examples of missionaries like Rosalind Goforth and D.E. Host? [21:51]
How does the sermon interpret the role of love for Christ in managing our time and resisting temptation? What practical steps are suggested to grow in this area? [24:24]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that pride and complacency can lead to a misuse of time and subsequent sin, as seen in David's story? [12:31]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your own use of time. Are there areas where you find yourself vulnerable to temptation due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time? How can you change this pattern? [08:49]
Consider a recent situation where you ignored a way of escape from temptation. What could you have done differently, and how can you be more attentive to God's escape routes in the future? [02:38]
How can you cultivate greater self-discipline in your daily routine to strengthen your spiritual health? Identify one specific habit you can change this week. [21:51]
Think about a time when selfishness led to a misuse of your time. How can you practice dying to self and focusing on God's mission in your daily life? [17:58]
How does your current use of time reflect your love for Christ? What changes can you make to ensure your time management honors Him more fully? [24:24]
Identify a specific distraction that prevents you from focusing on Jesus. What steps can you take this week to minimize that distraction and draw closer to Him? [28:52]
Reflect on the examples of self-discipline shared in the sermon. How can you apply these lessons to your own life, particularly in areas where you struggle with time management? [21:51]

Sermon Clips

When I was first converted I didn't I didn't hear triumphant Christianity where I came from I remember going to my youth leader and mentioning battles in these areas and he basically said well that's fine Paul the Apostle had the same thing he couldn't do the good he wanted to do it's no big deal. [00:01:51]

No you don't find perfection but you find a very clear change of direction that the power of God is working in the Christian you'll find that no temptation is overtaking is not common to man but God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability but with temptation he'll also give a way of escape. [00:02:20]

One way to look at David's fall into adultery is the misuse of his time the misuse of his time and as I look back on all these people in 2017 who came to me and said they fell into sexual sin you know one thing that is for certain about all of those people when you step back and look at it they missed youth their time. [00:08:17]

When we are out of the way of our duty we are in the way of temptation so by misusing his time not being at war what he should by remaining at the time when Kings go to war David put himself in a place where there was perfect provision to fall into sin in the midst of all the ease in his eye on that he had at that moment. [00:09:23]

You put yourself in a place where you're misusing your time Satan is going to wage war at you at that moment he sees they're in a vulnerable spot they're misusing their time they're disobeying and not being where they should be Satan is gonna send all an all-out attack on you he wants you to fall. [00:12:03]

Every misuse of our time it's rooted in selfishness in some way or another if you look it back at every time you misuse your time in a way that did not honor and glorify God selfishness was involved selfishness causes you to be distracted constantly but death to self when you die to self you died the distractions you focus on the mission. [00:17:44]

The more you know scripture the more you know of Christ the more you'll live for eternity and the less time you will waste and the less opportunities for sin you will create by the misuse of your time you know Ravenhill on his tombstone it says this are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for. [00:41:09]

How you use your time factors in to how close you are to Christ, how close to Christ you are factors into your purity and if you're near to the Lord as Joseph was you will flee when Potiphar's wife comes tempting you think about the value of time it's something we don't want to waste. [00:24:48]

The use of our time everything we do takes place in time and eternity it's not stopping think of the decisions we make and part of my point in these things I'm sharing is the people from 2017 who came to me and they said that they had fallen into different different what forms of sexual sin or any sin. [00:38:12]

When the love of Christ controls you you're going to make right decisions with your time we need is not more time management though that can be helpful what we need is a greater love for Christ and what he has done Paul said for the love of Christ controls me why because I made a simple conclusion that Christ died for me. [00:24:20]

I discipline my body I keep it under control lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified he said to Timothy and second Timothy two is Kevin quoted to us on Wednesday night with the song we sang no soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. [00:23:23]

The fact that a missionary is not immediately responsible to some superior as to the use of his time carries with it a serious temptation to looseness in this matter he says on page 187 it is not possible is it not possible that by a thoughtful readjustment the use of our time son if not all of us may be able to accomplish more for God than ever before. [00:21:38]

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Using Time Wisely: Avoiding Sin Through Self-Discipline

Devotional

Day 1: God's Grace as Our Escape Route

Day 2: The Consequences of Misused Time

Day 3: Self-Discipline as a Guard for Spiritual Health

Day 4: Selfishness and the Misuse of Time

Day 5: Love for Christ and Wise Time Management

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Using Time Wisely: Avoiding Sin Through Self-Discipline

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