Determine the Day
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I would like for us to the Word of God and look in Acts chapter 2 verse number 1. As we look at that verse I would like for you also to hold your finger there and find Psalm chapter 90.
In just a moment, we will read verse number 1 of Acts chapter 2 and then read Psalm chapter 90 after we pray.
Introduction: many weeks ago as I was reading my Bible, I came to this spot in the book of Acts and was struck by this phrase we are about to read.
And as I meditated upon it, the Lord really spoke to my heart concerning this matter of and what I have entitled this sermon “Determining the Day.”
With that being said let us read Acts chapter 2 and verse 1.
Acts 2:1 “1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”
Notice this phrase found here in this verse, “when the day of Pentecost was fully come.”
What struck me so powerfully by the Lord, was God’s design for this particular day; the day of Pentecost.
When we came to this passage so long ago in adult Sunday School I was amazed to discover the truth that God had set apart this day. God had a special plan for this very day.
Knowing what little I do about my awesome Saviour, I came to marvel at the fact that this day was purposefully set in particular way. It was designed and set apart on God’s calendar for this very purpose.
This being marvelous to me because I came to understand that God is not bound by time, like you and I.
The Bible expresses this when it tells us even in Psalm chapter 90, “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.”
He is the Author and Owner of Eternity. Time itself does not define Him and yet in all of this He has shown us was is good and right in this matter found here in Acts chapter 2:1.
He had marked this day, recorded for us as a significant day.
Let’s pray and then we will read Psalm chapter 90 considering our responsibility to Determine the Day.
Please open your Bibles to Psalm 90 now if you have not done so.
Very rarely do I find myself strictly preaching a topical message. However, the preacher should be moved by God for the message.
Therefore, I was constrained to preach about this particular subject on this night as we look toward the ending of this year and the beginning of a new year.
The Word of God tell us that from the very beginning God instituted the first day.
In Genesis 1:5, the Bible says, that “the evening and the morning were the first day…”
When we think about the fact that God has created the day we come to understand that our time here on this earth is precious.
Our lives are bound up in time, we live our lives day by day just as that wonderful hymn speaks about.
Someone put it this way, “A wasted life is really nothing more than a collection of wasted days. As God gives us life, each one of us starts the new year with the same number of opportunities—365—that we can choose to either use and invest in eternal things or allow to drift by without taking advantage of the gift we have been given. The difference between those who succeed and those who fail is not found primarily in talent but in diligence and effort.”
Let us begin reading in Psalm chapter 90.
After Verse 1 — We could stop there and underline this first verse stating, that Our Lord and Saviour is our dwelling place. And that for all generations he will always be our dwelling place. We would understand of course that Moses is the penman of this very Psalm and perhaps as he penned this he had in his mind thoughts concerning the nation of Israel. But you and I as a child of God have every right to claim God as our dwelling place as well.
After Verse 2 — Shows us undoubtedly the truth that God Himself is the Owner and Author of eternity. He alone defines all else and is existent irrespective of time and eternity.
Continue reading…
You’ll notice in this passage the reoccurring usage of the word ‘days’ and the emphasis placed on the day.
After Verse 8 — In other words, in thy face everything is made bare. In the light of thy Holiness, our sin is exceedingly sinful. Nothing is hidden before thee.
After Verse 12 - states again, “teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.”
The penman of this Psalm is said to be Moses. Moses lived 120 years and saw (31860 days [354-day years] + 11520 [384-day years…leap year (30)) 43,380 of these days.
These being reckoned by the Jewish calendar year of 354 days on a normal year and 384 days on a leap year. (Based on a lunar-solar cycle versus a solar lunar cycle.)
With Moses in particular we have his entire life recorded for us from his birth through his physical death.
And here in this particular Psalm penned by Him, but written for us according to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit we find this sure admonishment concerning the earthly time you and I have be given.
I would like to give you three points concerning this, the last being a way for us to apply what we would discover.
When we think about the usage of the word day in our Bible we come to understand several things:
I. God Instituted the Day
I. God Instituted the Day
God Created the Day
Genesis 1:5, we find these words, “And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”
The existence of this matter of time has to do with God’s design. He is the Creator and thus defines a day.
Psalm 118:24 states happily, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
God Sustains the Day and Gives Every Particular Day
We come to understand that every particular day is by God’s creation and design.
So true is this fact that God gives us every day he stated In Jeremiah 33:20, 21 Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant....
You see each day is special in of itself because it has the fingerprint of the Creator upon it.
God Determines Our Days
Each day that we live here on this earth is given to us, as we understand the Scriptures that God is the giver and sustainer of life, and that He is also the determiner of one’s physical death.
Acts 17:24 and 25 thus states, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;”
Job chapter 12:9 and 10 states, “Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.”
II. God purposes particular days
II. God purposes particular days
God chose a particular day to create the heavens and the earth and all that exists.
His reasons perhaps are many, but we are sure that His reasons for creation and all that exists are bound up in glory and for His glory.
Colossians 1:16 “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”
God chose a particular day to destroy the earth by a flood.
Genesis 6:3 tell us the number of years left till the flood would be 120, but then in Genesis 7:11 we are described particularly that God chose the second month and the 17th day of that month in the 600thyear of Noah’s life to flood the Earth.
God chose a particular day to speak to a man by the name of Abram. Who would be called the Father of faith.
In Genesis chapter 12 and verse number 1we are told that God told Abraham to “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:”
God chose a particular day to call a people, His people out of Egypt.
This nation that would come from Abraham’s loins was foretold told of being in Egypt four hundred and thirty years.
In Genesis 15:13 we are told this, “And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt”
God in dealing with the nation of Israel specifically outlined in His law certain days they would celebrate the feasts, perform their sacrifices.
God chose a particular day to become man without ceasing to be God.
Galatians 4:4,5 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
God chose a particular day to become sin for us.
For we read in the Scriptures, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” II Corinthians 5:21
The testimony of God’s Word tells us that God chose a particular day to rise from the grave.
The Lord Jesus’ own words state in Matthew 3:20 “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
From this we understand that God chose particularly 3 days and 3 nights.
The Lord Jesus Christ ascended back to Heaven on a particular day as we read the parallel accounts found in Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51 and Acts 1:9
We discover this ascension was precisely 40 days after His resurrection from the grave.
And then on the fiftieth day we see the Lord specifically marked out to send the promise of the Father the Holy Ghost; that day of Pentecost.
God has chosen a particular day to rapture His church.
We are told in II Thessalonians and also …. that “…. the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:” and the church will be caught up to be with Him forever.
God has already established a particular day to send the Lord Jesus Christ back to rule to reign.
As surely as you and I are sitting here present today, we can rest assured that God’s will, will be accomplished.
For the Bible says that there is coming day when Heavens will be opened and the one Whose name is called Faithful and True will descend with the host of Heaven. His name is called the Word of God, His eyes are as a flame of fire and on his head many crowns. And the Bible says, “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
This day will surely come and it is a particular day!
God has a particular day to set up His Great White Throne of judgement according to Revelation chapter 20.
All I am simply saying is that God has a particular purpose for each day.
And consequently, I believe knowing first that God instituted the day, Secondly, that God purposes Particular Days, thirdly
III. We should purpose our days
III. We should purpose our days
The Daily Bread once published this concerning the days that we spend on this earth:
“This is how a typical lifespan of 70 years is spent. Here is the estimate:
Sleep—23 years—32.9% Work—16 years—22.8%
TV—8 years—11.4% Eating—6 years—8.6%
Travel—6 years—8.6% Leisure—4.5 years—6.5%
Illness—4 years—5.7% Dressing—2 years—2.8%
Religion—0.5 years—0.7% Total—70 years”
Just to make that statistic real to you,
If we only spent one day at the house of the Lord over a 70 year life span (3 hours X 52 days divided by 24 hours = # days per year then multiply times 70), that would be a a total of 1.24 years out of 70 spent in God’s house.
Of course we would understand our measure of conformity to Christ is not based us attending church. But it certainly is shocking to think about how our days could be spent.
I would like to give you three determinations that we need to make as we look forward to this New Year should the Lord of glory tarry His coming for us.
Determine to live holy each day.
I know we surely understand that the Bible speaks about the matter of holiness.
Why are we commanded to live holy lives?
Because He is Holy.
The Bible tells us that God is Holy.
I Peter 1:16 states, “..., Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
How can we commune our Holy Heavenly Father, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and not Grieve the Holy Spirit without living Holy lives?
I John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship onewith another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Because We Represent Him in this World.
We are Co-Laborers with the Lord Jesus Christ the Bible tells us in I Corinthians 3:9.
Not only are we co-laborers, but we are ambassadors for the Lord Jesus Christ according to II Corinthians 5:20.
This simply means that you and I are to represent our Master and in doing so we are to deliver His message.
We are working together with the Holy Spirit who is presently reproving this world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgement. (John 16:8-10)
We must determine every day that God allows us to live Holy lives. Lives that are pure. Lives are representing Him.
Holy men and women, followers of the Lord Jesus Christ making a difference because we are daily determining to live a holy life.
Determine to live in light of eternity each day.
Our text here in Psalm 90 verse 6 spoke about the brevity of life, comparing us to grass that grows up and is soon cut down.
In verse 10 the text goes further even numbering our years, as obtaining 70 and 80.
In James 4:14 the Bible describes our lives as a vapor, that is hear and quickly gone.
You see, the night is coming when no man can work.
I am reminded of the ever-shortening string of my temporal life here on this earth. That soon it will be that I will fly away as the psalmist said here in verse 10 here of Psalm 90….
Not only should we determine to live holy lives and determine to live in light of eternity each day but thirdly,
Determine to live in God’s Will each day.
This statement ought to provoke us to good works each day.
We ought to pray and ask the Lord, “What would you have me to do today?” “What would you have me to accomplish this day?” “How can I serve you today?”
Perhaps, we ought to pray each day to be sensitive to the leading and directing of the Holy Spirit.
I am reminded of what I just read recently in the 9th chapter of the book of Acts,
In that chapter three very different men are described that were greatly used by God.
The first man described is Saul of Tarsus. Here was a man that was recently blinded by seeing the glory of the Lord Jesus… the One whom Saul had persecuted.
He was then led by the hand of others to the house of one Judas in Damascus. It was during this time that the Lord Jesus spoke to Ananias in a vision.
And both Paul and Ananias received instruction from the Lord Jesus in a vision as to what each was to do.
Paul was to receive his sight by the hands of Ananias Praying.
Ananias was to seek out Paul and Pray for him that he might receive His sight.
You see both men, Paul and Ananias were available for the Lord Jesus Christ to lead and guide them.
But then as the passage continues we are told of the third man, again these all being vastly different figures in the Word of God who God used greatly. The third one was Peter.
Peter, after sometime in that passage was led to a place where a woman Tabitha was laid having been sick and then died. Peter went up into the upper room where they had laid her and prayed and this woman Tabitha was raised from the dead. And the Bible says, “And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.”
Peter, along with Saul, and also Ananias each had one thing in common though they be three different men. They determined to live in God’s Will each day. They sought the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were labourers together with Him.
Illustration: As I close this sermon, and as we think about our responsibility to Determine our day for the Lord Jesus Christ. It really comes down to us making a a choice to determine each day for the Lord.
“Film maker Walt Disney was ruthless in cutting anything that got in the way of a story’s pacing. Ward Kimball, one of the animators for Snow White, recalls working 240 days on a 4-1/2 minute sequence in which the dwarfs made soup for Snow White and almost destroyed the kitchen in the process.
Walt Disney thought the scene was funny, but he decided that the scene interrupted the flow of the picture, so out it went.
When the film of our lives is shown, as we think about “Determining the Day;”
Will it be as great as it could be?
A lot will depend on the multitude of ‘good’ things we need to eliminate to make way for the great things God wants to do through us.
Larson, C. B. (2002). 750 engaging illustrations for preachers, teachers & writers (p. 423). Baker Books.”
I wonder if you and I this night will Determine the day,
Determine to live a Holy life Each Day
Determine to live in light of Eternity Each Day
Determine to live according to God’s Will each Day