Here are the sermon notes for Week 2 of our sermon series titled: MARGIN.

Click here to listen to the podcast for this message.

Margin is the extra space in our life. The extra money at the end of the month. The extra time you have when you get to work in the morning. The extra emotion peace you have when you get into a discussion with your spouse. The extra space between you and your date and the moment you fall to temptation.

Our tendency is to take everything to the limit. Cram everything in. push limits morally, spend all our money. When this happens we squeeze out margin.

WHY don’t we live with limits? We are afraid because we don’t want to miss out on life and the result is that life gets out of control

The fact is that: We will all live in limits.  Will it be the ones that culture sets for you? Or God limits that have margins?

Today we are going to focus on our time and Schedule.

There are so many people in our community that would say:

• “I don’t have time.” There is no way that I could have margin in my time. I don’t have time for margin.”
• “I can’t slow down or stop enough to make margin happen”

I have good news for you. God can lead you to a place of margin.

FACTS of LIFE

• Your time is limited – we often schedule as if we don’t have limited time. We always say “yes”. The truth is that we are limited with our time.
• All of our time will be SPENT doing something – time is a lot different than money. there is no left over time that carries over. We can’t save time. We can save money, but we can’t save time. There are some important things that we put off for the future. “I’ve been saving some time for that.” Or “I will have time for that later” Later never happens. Every single moment will be spent.
• Someone will determine how you will spend ALL your time. Either you, your kids, PTA, boss determine how your time is spent.

Whether you or someone else is in control: we tend to allow the urgent things to push aside the important things. We don’t exercise, health, dating wife, kids, playing (important things).

Here is a new idea for many here today:  What would happen if God took over your schedule?  When we do give our schedule to God, he gives us margin. He leads us to margin. Extra. Unplanned.

1. We Realize Our Days Are Numbered By God

Job 14:5 You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer.

God knows the number of our days and we can’t add to them. IF they are numbered and IF God knows how many are left, then doesn’t make sense that we give our schedule to God?

You are only a teenage once, you are only 30 once, USE those moments to the fullest.  This gives us the correct perspective to prioritize correctly. How then should you live?

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

You have only been given one life. How will you live?  We will naturally be more wise about our time when we let the concept of numbered days sink into our minds.

2. We Prioritize with God

Ephesians 5:15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

When making your schedule: Ask this question, “What is the wise thing to do?”  Even if the activity is not illegal, or even if it isn’t unethical or moral. Ask: “In light of things right now, is it wise to do this?” To go to the party. To sign her up for this. To go on this trip.

1 Corinthians 10:23 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial.

When we add this WISE question to our calendaring issue, it changes everything.  Most people schedule their time by checking to see if the date/time is open on the calendar.  Thursday night is open, sure! Let’s do it. Friday evening is open, yes, lets do that! Saturday afternoon has an opening, let’s go!  What will you subtract in order to do this new event? Nothing. We never subtract, we just add.

I want to introduce the BIG HOLY MINUS!  We want to introduce this concept to your scheduling. The BIG HOLY MINUS.

In light of what all is going on in our life and what God is doing in my life and my family…is this thing wise?

When we pack our trunk or van, we prioritize. The big stuff first. There is this guy thing that I don’t want anyone to help me pack. Put the stuff at the end of the car, and I will pack. And I want to end up with margin to see out of the rearview mirror.  How much I get in and how much I get done depends on priority.

As we begin to allow God to prioritize, we will be amazed at our capacity and there will be margin to see outside the rearview mirror.

3. We Make Time With God #1 Priority

Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Let’s focus on TWO THINGS. Lock them in:

• SPEND TIME on Prayer or Scripture Reading (or both)
• SPEND TIME on REST

“Remembering the Sabbath, to keep it holy” means: Don’t forget to keep one seventh of your life unproductive.  One day a week, intentionally do nothing that is of productive value.

By resting one day of the week, you are communicating to God that you do not believe you are the source of accomplishment in your life.  You are worshipping God by saying,  “I trust that you are in control of everything.  I have worked hard this week and now can confidently rest because I believe/trust that you, Jesus, are in ultimate control.  All the loose ends from my task list are not going to sink my job, me, or the world.  I can be unproductive today because your word says,

When we went on the Cruise this summer with people from the church: I told them that I didn’t want them to even think about anything productive.  Don’t read a book unless it is for fun, don’t do work on the laptop, try your hardest to do…nothing.  Nothing but have a good time.

I told them that when we left the boat we were going to be spiritually and emotionally and spiritually healthier than when we got on the boat. We were going to be stronger when we left.  Not because we had an encounter or specific moment on the cruise, but because we were being obedient and faithful to God by….doing nothing productive. Resting. Trusting that God had everything under control back on land.

Every time you are tempted to not take time off, those are testing moments.

Do I trust God’s plan of rest? Do I trust his reward of obedience.  Work hard for 6/7ths of your life and then rest hard for 1/7th of your life.

Take a look at your watch. Put your watch in your hand. Where do you put it at home? Tomorrow do something different. Pray a prayer. Quote Psalm 90 over your watch(schedule). Recognize that God is able to teach you how to gain a heart of wisdom. I only have one shot to do this. I want you to lead me to a place of Margin today. What if your watch was your visual reminder that God is control just like your ring symbolizes your wedding vow.