Unwasted Time
EDITOR'S LETTER
Image source: Paul Earle, Unsplash
King Jehoshaphat was one of the good kings of Judah and we see evidence of that on many occasions. One is in 2 Chronicles 20.
Word came to Jehoshaphat that a significant army was coming to attack him. Verse 1 tells us that this was the armies of Moab, Ammon and others. Verse 23 includes Mount Seir, which is the Edomites. Three nations from the eastern side of the River Jordan had come around the southern end of the Dead Sea and up along the western coast where they would be hidden from the people of Judah by the mountains. They planned a surprise attack, but failed in that regard, because God, who knows all things, worked by His providence to send someone to inform Jehoshaphat of the approaching armies. This was a huge threat. Three nations against tiny Judah (which was one-sixth of the nation it used to be when combined with the other ten tribes of Israel).
Jehoshaphat understood that the odds were against him and responded as you would initially expect; he was fearful. But his fear didn’t paralyse him or lead him to go to any of the wicked neighbouring nations for assistance to fight against the armies of Moab, Ammon and Edom. Instead, he responded in the best possible way. According to verse 3, he “set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”
“Instead of relying on his own strength or wisdom, [King Jehoshephat] humbled himself before God and sought the Lord in prayer.”
This was exactly how he should respond. He did what God instructed Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Instead of relying on his own strength or wisdom, he humbled himself before God and sought the Lord in prayer. This was not merely his individual response, but he called all the people of Judah together and commanded them to go without food and earnestly call upon God. Note that this was not just the men of the army, but everyone. Verse 13 says, “Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the LORD.” Verse 4 says they gathered together to “ask help from the LORD.” Wicked kings of Israel or Judah went to other wicked nations for help; something God had forbidden. But godly Jehoshaphat went to the Lord and told his people to do the same.
There is a lesson for you here. When faced with situations that trouble or overwhelm you, commit the matter to the Lord and seek His help. Humble yourself and pray to God. This ought to be your first response, not your last resort. Do this yourself and teach your family to do the same.
Using Time Wisely
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Jonathan Edwards was a Christian of the 18th century who was not only known as a powerful preacher, but who also wrote a lot that is useful for people of the 21st century. Below are some things I have taken from one of his books, which certainly has a long title, but fittingly summarises the point of what he was writing – The Preciousness of Time and the Importance of Redeeming it – with a Warning Against Procrastination. I trust you will not only find this informative, but will discover things that lead you to alter the way you spend your time for the better.
Time is precious for the following reasons:
First, because a happy or miserable eternity depends on the good or ill improvement of it.
Second, time is very short, which is another thing that renders it very precious.
Third, time ought to be esteemed by us very precious, because we are uncertain of its continuance. We know that it is very short, but we know not how short.
Fourth, time is very precious, because when it is past, it cannot be recovered.
Consider what has been said of the preciousness of time, how much depends upon it, how short and uncertain it is, how irrecoverable it will be when gone. If you have a right conception of these things, you will be more choice of your time than of the most fine gold. Every hour and moment will seem precious to you.
But besides those considerations which have been already set before you, consider also the following:
First, that you are accountable to God for your time.
Second, consider how much time you have lost already.
Third, consider how time is sometimes valued by those who are coming near to the end of it.
I shall conclude by advising three things in particular.
First, improve the present time without any delay. If you delay and put off its improvement, still more time will be lost; and it will be an evidence that you are not sensible of its preciousness. Talk not of more convenient seasons hereafter; but improve your time while you have it, after the example of the psalmist. Psalm 119:60, “I made haste, and did not delay to keep Your commandments.”
Image source: Jon Tyson, Unsplash
Second, be especially careful to improve those parts of time which are most precious. Though all time is very precious, yet some parts are more precious than others; as, particularly, holy time is more precious than common time. Such time is of great advantage for your everlasting welfare. Therefore, above all, improve your Sabbaths, and especially the time of public worship, which is the most precious part. Lose it not either in sleep, or in carelessness, inattention, and wandering imaginations. How foolish are they who waste away, not only their common, but holy time, yea the very season of attendance on the holy ordinances of God! The time of youth is precious, on many accounts. Therefore, if you be in the enjoyment of this time, take heed that you improve it. Let not the precious days and years of youth slip away without improvement. A time of the strivings of God’s Spirit is more precious than any other time. Then God is near; and we are directed, in Isaiah 55:6, “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” Such especially is an accepted time, and a day of salvation:
2 Corinthians 6:2, “‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Third, improve well your time of leisure from worldly business. Many persons have a great deal of such time, and all have some. If men be but disposed to it, such time may be improved to great advantage. When we are most free from cares for the body, and business of an outward nature, a happy opportunity for the soul is afforded. Therefore spend not such opportunities unprofitably, nor in such a manner that you will not be able to give a good account thereof to God. Waste them not away wholly in unprofitable visits, or useless diversions or amusements.
“Talk not of more convenient seasons hereafter; but improve your time while you have it”
You have need to improve every talent, advantage, and opportunity, to your utmost, while time lasts; for it will soon be said concerning you, according to the oath of the angel, in Revelation 10:5, 6, “The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by Him that lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer.”
What Happened in December
Click the different dates to find out historical Christian events that happened in the month of December. These are listed in chronological order by year.
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John Wycliffe died in England, aged 60. He was an early reformer who spoke out against the errors of Roman Catholicism. He is most well known for his writings and translation of the Bible into English.
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John Philpot suffered martyrdom at Smithfield in England for defending the principles of the Reformation.
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Horatius Bonar was born in Scotland. He was a minster in the Free Church of Scotland who was especially known for his preaching, writing books and writing hymns. Many of his hymns are in our hymn book.
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Samuel Marsden preached the first gospel message on New Zealand soil at Rangihoua in the Bay of Islands. It was on the first Sunday after he arrived in New Zealand. He preached from the text, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10). ‘All People that on Earth Do Dwell’ was sung at the service.
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William How was born in England. He was a bishop in the Church of England who wrote some hymns. His most well known hymn is ‘For All the Saints’.
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Frances Havergal was born in England. She wrote many hymns and taught children in Sunday School. She was especially known in her day for her devotion to Christ and desire to know and serve Him better.
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Andrew Bonar died in Scotland, aged 82. He was the youngest brother of Horatius and also ministered in the Free Church of Scotland and wrote Christian books.
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Martyn Lloyd-Jones was born in Wales. He was trained as a medical doctor, but his focus changed to doing good for people’s souls by preaching the gospel after he was converted.
The Greatness of God
There is so much that can be written about God from what He has revealed to us in the Bible, but at the same time there is so much that cannot be written about God because He is far beyond human understanding.
Ephesians 3:19 speaks about the great “love of Christ which passes knowledge.” That is so true. For although we know that Christ showed His great love by dying for us to save us from our sins, it is beyond our understanding to comprehend the way He loves sinners who rebelled against Him and took the punishment they deserved upon Himself.
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”
One of the things many non-Christians struggle with is the eternity of God. Human reasoning says that everything must have a beginning. However, that is not so when it comes to God. Psalm 90:2 says, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” Psalm 90 is a prayer of Moses and the first of the Psalms to be written. How appropriate that Moses began by stating the eternity of God’s nature. He was there before the world existed because He created the world. God has always existed and will always exist. He is an eternal God.
Along with that, He is a God who does not change. As you go through life, you change constantly. Not only do you grow bigger in size, but your knowledge and ability to do things increases over the years. In a world of constant change, God never changes. He says in Malachi 3:6, “For I am the LORD, I do not change.” Hebrews 13:8 says the same thing in a slightly different way, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” God never improves or gets better because there can be no improvement on perfection. Just as God never changes, so His standards of right and wrong never change, even though the world tries to make you believe the opposite. Henry Francis Lyte expressed the truth well in one of his hymns, Abide with Me:
Change and decay in all around I see,
O, Thou who changest not, abide with me.
Another truth about God that some people find hard to comprehend is the being of God. What does God look like? God does not have a body like man because He is a spirit (John 4:24). Moses heard the voice of God and communed with Him on Mount Sinai. He desired to see God in all His glory, but was told by God, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live” (Exodus 33:20). “No one has seen God at any time,” (John 1:18) in the fullness of His glory. People saw God in the form of a man when Jesus was on earth, but that was not the revelation of God in the fullness of His glory.
However, a day is coming when all God’s people will see God in heaven. John also said, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). Here is a wonderful truth. Not only will people see God as He really is, but all those who believe in Him by faith will be changed to be like Him and spend eternity with Him in His glorious presence. Make sure you believe in our great God and serve Him faithfully.
Faithful Unto Death
John Philpot was born in England in the early 16th century. He was part of a large family and had seven brothers and three sisters.
Queen Mary Tudor of England 1554 by Antonis Mor, Wikimedia Commons
He was appointed archdeacon of Winchester in 1552 and was well known for his powerful preaching in defence of the biblical teachings that were rediscovered during the Reformation. He was not afraid to rebuke those who did not hold to biblical truths or who failed to live a godly life.
Life became exceedingly difficult for him when Queen Mary ascended to the throne in 1553. He was one of the speakers at a formal meeting of religious leaders in October 1553. Most of the people in attendance were Catholic supporters of the new queen. Despite most of the people opposing his biblical views, John Philpot unashamedly defended the truths of the Bible and spoke against the false practices of Catholicism which the queen wanted to reintroduce in England.
At the end of the meeting, John Philpot was taken to prison where he spent the remaining two years of his life. He appeared in fifteen trials which ended in him being condemned to burn at a wooden stake – a common form of execution in those days. In the midst of all this, John Philpot remained firm in his beliefs and would not deny Christ.
“Shall I disdain to suffer at the stake, when my Redeemer did not refuse to suffer the most vile death upon the cross for me?”
On 18 December, 1555, he was led to the wooden stake at Smithfield in London to which he would be tied and burnt. He did not complain, even though he was about to unjustly suffer a martyr’s death for holding to his biblical beliefs. His final words were not short. As he stood before those who had gathered to watch him burn, he said, “Shall I disdain to suffer at the stake, when my Redeemer did not refuse to suffer the most vile death upon the cross for me?” He went on to recite (from memory) the 43 verses of Psalm 107 which is a psalm of thanksgiving to God for His great works of deliverance. The people heard him say four times, “Oh, that people would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (verses 8, 15, 21, 31). He recited verses about the Lord delivering His people (such as verses 13, 19, 28), knowing that upon finishing his final speech, his life on earth would be over.
John Philpot did not stop when he reached the end of Psalm 107. He continued by reciting all thirteen verses of Psalm 108. What a wonderful ending to his last words, “Give us help from trouble, for the help of men is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies” (Psalm 108:11, 12).
As soon as he finished speaking, he was tied to the wooden post and the pile of wood around it was lit. His life on earth was over, but God remained faithful. He delivered John Philpot from the trials of life on earth and ushered him into his eternal home in heaven.
I suggest you read through Psalm 107 and 108, picturing these words being spoken by a man who was about to die, but had firm confidence and trust in his God.
“Give us help from trouble, for the help of men is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies”
God at Work
Most people would read Exodus chapter one as an historical narrative of what happened to the Israelites while they were in Egypt, but would ignore the great fulfilments of prophecy contained in the chapter. The chapter records the cruelty the Egyptians heaped upon the Israelites, but there is much more to be found in this chapter.
Firstly, we see that the Egyptians put the Israelites to work as slaves and cruelly afflicted them. Pharaoh even made a law that all sons born to Israelite women were to be thrown into the River Nile. This is in accordance with what God told Abraham in Genesis 15:13, “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.”
“Everything in this chapter, and indeed the book of Exodus, hinges on God faithfully bringing to pass what He promised by increasing the number of Israelites in the world.”
A second, far more significant fulfilment of prophecy, is found in Exodus 1:7, “But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.” Pharaoh described them as “more and mightier than we” (verse 9). Egypt was the greatest, most powerful empire of the world in those days. Not long before this, the Israelites had less than one hundred people, but now they are described as being more numerous and mightier than the Egyptians. What a wonderful fulfilment of the promise God gave Abraham in Genesis 22:17, “Multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore.”
Everything in this chapter, and indeed the book of Exodus, hinges on God faithfully bringing to pass what He promised by increasing the number of Israelites in the world. This set the stage for the Israelites being oppressed, the birth of Moses and Pharaoh’s daughter saving him from her father’s murderous law. God then used Moses as His appointed man to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to the land He promised them (Genesis 15:7; 17:8). God would also judge the Egyptians (Genesis 15:14) with the ten plagues and in other ways (Exodus 7-14).
Finally, God was continuing the family line of Abraham from which He would fulfil the ultimate promise of Genesis 12:3 and 22:18, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,” by sending Jesus to die for sinners to save them from their sins and by giving eternal life to people from all nations who believe in Him.
We hope you enjoyed the excerpts from this month’s volume of The Christian Informer.
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