procrastination – La Vista Church of Christ

Carpe Diem – Seize the Day

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 17:00:13 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Carpe-Diem.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: I Thessalonians 4:9-12

I. “Carpe Diem” is from a poem written in Latin by Horace. It means “seize the day.”

A. The point of the poem is that a person does not know what the future holds so one should make the most of the what a person has at the moment.

B. For a Christian, it is not so much that the future is uncertain as that we don’t know how much time we have - James 4:13-15

1. Life on earth is not long - Psalms 90:9-12

II. While we have opportunity

A. One of James’ point is not to count on the future to make plans. But another application is we should not put off doing good - James 4:16-17

B. Galatians 6:9-10 - Do good as the opportunity presents itself. You aren’t guaranteed another chance.

III. While we have time

A. Ephesians 5:15-17 - redeem the time

1. Walk carefully (circumspectly). You don’t have time to waste in sin.

2. Redeem the time (buy back the time).

a. Don’t waste it, but spend the time you have wisely.

b. There is too much trouble in the world to waste time.

c. In other words, buy time by giving up time wasters so you have more time to use profitably.

3. Use your time to know what God wants you to do.

B. Use your time to walk wisely toward those outside the church - Colossians 4:5

1. To behave properly to those within and without - I Thessalonians 4:9-12

IV. Today is a day to work

A. Work with all your might because you can’t work after death - Ecclesiastes 9:10

B. In secular work, work like God is your boss - Colossians 3:23

1. Proverbs 18:9 - Don’t waste what you have: possessions, talents, opportunities

2. Be self-motivated - Proverbs 16:26

C. But there is work for the Lord that is far more important - John 9:4

1. Run as if to win the prize - I Corinthians 9:24-27

2. No end to excuses - Proverbs 26:13

3. We cannot give excuses - Luke 9:59-62

4. We cannot waste time in the past - Philippians 3:13-14

5. Don’t be sluggish - Hebrews 6:11-12

6. Not lagging in diligence - Romans 12:11

V. Today is a day to praise

A. The Lord made today, so rejoice and be glad - Psalms 118:24

B. You are alive, so praise God - Isaiah 38:18-19

VI. Today is a day for salvation

A. High time to wake up - Romans 13:11-14

B. Exhort while it is today - Hebrews 3:12-13

C. Now is the day of salvation - II Corinthians 6:1-2 - Seize the day

A Round Tuit

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 15:30:49 +0000

by Jefferson David Tant

Dear Reader,

If you are reading this, you are probably wondering what in the world that circle represents. Well, there is a name for it. It’s called “A Round Tuit.” You may not be familiar with an image with that name, but the title of the circle is a well-known phrase.

How many times have you been confronted with a task, job, or responsibility, and you delay, delay and delay? And when someone asks why you haven’t tended to the matter, your reply is “I’ll get around to it later.” (I’m not sure what shop you can go to and buy A Round Tuit,)

The truth is, I am sure we have all used that phrase at some time in our lives. It may have had to do with getting our school homework done, getting the yard mowed, getting the house cleaned, getting the car serviced, visiting the sick, etc. We’ve all been there if we have lived very long on this planet.

And sometimes there is a legitimate reason for the delay. There may be a pressing matter that we face before we can take the car to the shop to have the oil changed. We may need to call the plumber to fix a leak in the kitchen before we go shopping for a birthday present. We may need to go to the hospital to check on a friend who was just taken there in an ambulance before we tend to some other matter.

Then there are other matters that need our attention without excuse. Those matters are spiritual in nature, as Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

Too often there are things concerning the Kingdom that we know we need to pay attention to, but for various reasons we put them off, all the while having good intentions that “I’ll get around to it” before long. That may be as simple as starting a daily Bible reading schedule or getting back into the practice of faithfully attending church services.

There was one older couple at a church where I was preaching who did not attend services while they were raising their children. In their later years, they were very diligent in their spiritual lives, but not one of their grown children had any spiritual interest.

Then there are young people who intend to be faithful to the Lord when they get older, but they want to enjoy living in the world while they are young. Oh, they are not criminals or evildoers. They just enjoy things of the world that are not compatible with living for Christ. The problem is that too often they become so entangled in the world that Satan has more of an influence on them than Christ does. Or it may be that they die in their youth. Death has no preferences. Accident or disease is not a respecter of persons.

And beyond these matters, another delay may be in talking to my neighbor, my coworker, or my friend about spiritual matters. We all know those who are not Christians, are those who will be lost in the eternal fires of hell if they do not come to know and follow Christ.

What will your answer be if, on the day of Judgment, your lost neighbor, co-worker, or friend should turn to you and say, in the words of the old song, “You never mentioned Him to me, You helped me not the light to see; You met me day by day and knew I was astray, Yet never mentioned Him to me,”
“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” (James 4:13-14).

I’m afraid there are too many young people who decide they will enjoy the things of this world while they are young and then will turn to God when they are older. And while some have succeeded at this, too many have put off serving God too long, so that they either become ensnared in the ways of the world or meet an untimely death.

Young reader, please give heed to the admonition of words of ancient wisdom.

“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no delight in them" (Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:1).

"Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming” (Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:42).

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (The apostle Paul in Ephesians 5:15-16).

The Harvest Is Past

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 21:34:47 +0000

by Jarrod Jacobs

“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved” (Jeremiah 8:20 KJV). In context, these words were spoken by people desperate for someone to deliver them from the consequences of their decisions. Some Bible versions even use phrases like “we have not been delivered,” “rescued,” and “we have not been helped” in place of the word “saved” used in the KJV. It seems people had recognized God’s power to help them (Jeremiah 8:14) but understood it was too late now (Jeremiah 8:15). Now, these people, God’s people, realize they had run out of chances. “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” What a tragedy!

I suppose there are no sadder words in the English language than “no hope.” They are used by Paul in Ephesians 2:12 when he describes the spiritual state of people who are outside of Christ. This is the way these people in Jeremiah’s day were! Though they were God’s children, they continued to reject God through idolatry (Jeremiah 8:2). They “hold fast deceit, they refuse to return” was another charge against the people (Jeremiah 8:5). In addition to these, we read of their stubbornness when they rejected “the old paths” in Jeremiah 6:16!

I understand that God extends a time of patience to allow people to see the error of their ways and repent (II Peter 3:9; Romans 2:4). God extended such patience to the Canaanites (Genesis 15:16). He did this with the Egyptians, allowing them not only 430 years to correct their error and adding ten more plagues as a means of giving the Pharaoh every last chance to free the Israelites. We have seen God’s longsuffering in other areas of life, and it was evident when He dealt with the Israelites during these years of the divided kingdom!

Yet, God’s long-suffering is not eternal. For example, there was a day when God shut the door to the ark, and none were allowed in (Genesis 7:16). Even in the parable of the ten virgins, the door was shut after a period of time, and five virgins remained outside of the wedding feast (Matthew 25:10). In Jeremiah 8, we see the people lament because summer is over and the harvest is past. In other words, it is too late now!

When we look in the New Testament, the urgency to become a Christian is apparent. After urging people to “save yourselves from this untoward generation” (Acts 2:40), Acts 2:41 says about 3000 were baptized when they gladly received the word. The language here leaves us with the understanding that they were baptized right then. They did not put it off. Again, when the Philippian jailor wanted to be saved, he was taken “straightway … the same hour of the night” to do it (Acts 16:25, 33-34). The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians and told them, “now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation” (II Corinthians 6:2). The Hebrew writer also emphasized taking immediate action when he wrote, “today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 3:7-8, 15).

Procrastination has no place in the Lord’s plan of salvation. We have no lease on life and know not what might happen in our future (Proverbs 27:1). Thus we need to take advantage of the “here and now” before it is gone. The Israelites learned the hard way what it means when the “harvest is past.” Don’t you make that mistake! Be saved today while you still can (Acts 22:16). If you need to repent and return to your Lord, your first love, then do it while the breath is in your body. You don’t know when your life’s “summer” will be ended!

Counting Time or Making Your Time Count?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 03:48:00 +0000

by Bill Robinson

I have a much-loved friend and brother in the Lord who has been in jail for over 15 months. He is a recovering crack addict. We have been very close. For a year he spent every Sunday with me. I would go get him from rehab bring him to worship services and then take him home with us. We would study the Scripture all afternoon until he had to be back in time for curfew.

He had previously been in prison convicted of possessing drugs with the intent to sell. Currently, he is awaiting trial on an armed robbery charge with a gun. That charge is obviously very serious because it is a felony and he is a convicted felon charged with using a gun in the commission of a crime. Thus, he is considered a repeat offender. If convicted on both charges, I think it is a mandatory 25 years to life. He is 37 years old.

He is self-taught. He never graduated from High School and quit school at 13 or 14. He is 6' 1" and a handsome man and well-built. A man of great physical strength. He actually studied himself into obeying the gospel as a late teenager. He can quote whole books of the Bible from memory based on the KJV. He is an excellent preacher. He has preached for us numerous times at South Jacksonville and other places around Jacksonville.

I wasn't surprised when he was arrested this last time (though I didn't know for what) because I knew he had relapsed into his habit again. At the time of his arrest, I was trying to get him back into rehab. I saw him at his worst, even when he was *extremely* angry with me for confronting him. However, while I knew how strong he was and that I would be no match for him if his anger ever turned violent, I never once feared for my life, or thought for one second he would harm me. I knew him that well. So, this armed robbery with a gun charge against him is very troubling for me. He claims he is innocent and I believe him.

There is a reason for giving you all his background. After he was arrested and incarcerated I waited about 3 weeks before I went to see him. I wanted him to detox and get sober before we talked. When I went to see him I knew immediately he had detoxed and was sober. He was smiling from ear to ear to see me. Normally, we would have hugged but such was not possible this time because there was a glass between us.

As we spoke on the jail phone, for the first time since his arrest, he thanked me for coming to see him and told me how much the church at South Jax had meant to him over the previous 3 years. He apologized profusely being clearly penitent, acknowledging his failure and disappointment, in letting everyone down but mainly because he had let God down. I then asked him, if he was reading and studying his Bible and he said, "Yes sir!" and continued, "Brother Bill I am not here counting the time, I am in here making the time count. I have Bible classes going with a couple of the men in here." My friend and I always finished our visits with a prayer, which either he would lead or I would. This visit would have been right before Thanksgiving in 2014.

Fast forward to this past December, a little over a year later and after several visits, studies and prayers. He is continuing to tell me he is teaching and converting people. I asked, "Are most of the inmates from Jacksonville?" He answered, "Yes, and said they are looking forward to worshiping at South Jax and meeting you." I asked again, "So they have been converted?" He said, "Yes sir, and they are committed, brother Bill." I was intrigued, "Where and how did you baptize them?" He replied, "In the shower." I shook my head and asked, "How did you do that?" As he gave me that grin, for which he is noted, he explained, "We got a 50-gallon plastic garbage sack, filled it full of water with 2 or 3 of us holding the bag. We put the man in it on his knees. When the bag fills up with enough water I put him completely under, baptizing him for the remission of His sins." I confess at this point I had grown silent and the tears were welling up in my eyes. He went on to tell me, "Brother Bill, I had to do something. We were studying and when they were convicted of their sins, one of them cried and begged for me to find some way to baptize him. And, the garbage bag is the only thing I thought might work. So we tried it. Of course, what we soon found out was we had to triple the bag to hold that much water to baptize a person. I have baptized three men so far and some others are waiting to get out and come to South Jax to be baptized by you." Again, he grinned and said, "But they are so bothered by not being baptized, I don't think they will be able to wait that long."

The other day sitting in my office he called me, as he does once a week (normally on Sunday at 3 pm) but he waited to call me on Monday this week. He usually has some questions about something he has been studying and we discuss that. Something was said that made me say something about him having 5 or 6 in class and he said, "Oh no brother, I have 15 to 20 men in the class I teach twice a week." I said, "What?!" He began to tell me about the class and that it begins with just two or three of them (the ones he baptized) and now those three are teaching and bringing others to the class.

(On a side note, I am just waiting for the Duval County church of Christ to be established, location John F. Goode Detention Center, ha! ha!).

We had to hang up because his time was up on the phone, but he said "I am going to call you right back." A few minutes later my phone rang and it was from the Duval County Jail and so I accepted the call. A voice on the other end said, "Brother Robinson?" I said, "________ is that you (I didn't think it was my friend at least it didn't sound like him)?" The voice on the other end said, "No sir my name is ________ and I am Christian. I am a member of the ekklessia of Christ and am trying to follow Jesus according to the New Testament. I am indebted to brother ______ (my friend in jail) who patiently taught me the truth of God's word and baptized me." He said just a minute there is another man here who wants to talk to you. A similar but different conversation repeated itself with two different inmates telling me of their conversion and how thankful they were to learn from brother _______. Needless to say, once again I was speechless and near tears.

Today, on my visit to see my friend in jail, he was telling me how he had converted one of the men I talked with on the phone. The man he converted was raised a Jehovah's Witness and his mother is very devout. My friend admitted to me that he didn't know much if anything about Jehovah's Witnesses and he wanted to know what they believed before he studied with this man. So he put in a request through the chaplain's office for someone from the Jehovah's Witnesses to come to visit him. One of their teachers came to teach him. He didn't argue with him, he just listened and made notes of what he said. The Jehovah's Witness teacher gave him a copy of the New World Translation. My friend would go back after each class to the Jehovah's Witness inmate and say here is what the Bible says and here is what the Jehovah's Witnesses teach. After several weeks of this, the man could see the error of Jehovah's Witnesses. Then my friend taught him about Jesus Christ, according to the truth of the Scriptures. He also told me today that they sing and study every night together.

I know this is long. I also know if you read this whole thing, your heart has been lifted, rejoicing in the word being shared by my friend, even though a prisoner in jail, he gladly proclaims the good news - our freedom in Christ. Yes, prisoners in the Duval County jail are finding that Jesus Christ came to set the captive free.

Cloud Watching

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 02:49:00 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/CloudWatching.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Ecclesiastes 11

I. I have been wanting to learn a new language for a while. It would be useful to spread the gospel.

A. I got started several times. I even made some fair progress for a while. But it just doesn’t seem to last.

B. I ran across one man who started learning languages when he was 21. He claims that a new language can be learned in just three months with effort.

1. His trick? He tells people to write themselves scripts of what they would like to say in a language. Practice them. And then just go out and start conversations with native speakers.

2. He claims that it doesn’t matter if you aren’t perfect. People appreciate that you are trying. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know enough. The question is: Can you communicate?

3. The details of the language comes later as you figure out what you need to learn.

C. It reminds me of something Solomon said - Ecclesiastes 11:3-5

1. Some things are predictable. Clouds are eventually going give forth rain. When a tree falls it isn’t going to get up and move.

2. But exactly when something happens is not so predictable. If you wait for the exact perfect moment, you probably will miss it

3. Some things are out of our control and so cannot be predicted or manipulated.

D. In the case of learning a language, waiting for perfection means you never put your lessons into practice

II. Teaching Others

A. We are commanded to teach - Matthew 28:18-20

B. Sometimes worries about being able to answer questions stops people

1. After all, teachers are accountable - James 3:1

2. Yet, we are told to be prepared to give answers - I Peter 3:15

3. What this means is that we have be careful to present God’s word to the best that we know.

a. Don’t be afraid to say, “That’s a good question. I don’t know the answer, but let me research it and get back to you.”

b. It is when you try to teach that you figure out what questions you need to get answers to

C. Others get bent out of shape because the person they tried to teach rejected it

1. Our responsibility is to teach. The receiver must make up his own mind. Not everyone will accept it and even those that accept it, not all will be faithful - Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23

2. People don’t reject the messenger but the message

3. God is the one that changes hearts - I Corinthians 3:6

III. Obeying the Gospel

A. People have never obeyed the gospel because they wait for just the right moment

B. It is important to count the cost, to understand what you are committing yourself to - Luke 14:27-33

C. But it doesn’t mean you have to be perfect when you become a Christian. There is growth involved - I Peter 2:1-3

D. None of us are perfect. We all fall to sin at times - I John 1:8, 10.

1. We cannot solve the problem of sin outside of Christ

2. To think I have to be perfect before becoming a Christian means thinking I can be saved without Christ’s sacrifice

E. The time for salvation is now not later - II Corinthians 6:2

IV. Life

A. Life is uncertain. We don’t know what tomorrow holds - James 4:13-16

1. But this doesn’t mean we hold off doing good

2. Notice the next verse - James 4:17

3. I don’t know what tomorrow may hold, but I know what I can do today

B. We are not to worry about life - Matthew 6:31-32

1. God will watch over us

2. Thus, don’t put off serving God - Matthew 6:33

3. Handle today’s problems and not tomorrow’s - Matthew 6:34

V. It is so easy to get locked up and not move

A. We try to solve everything at once and get overwhelmed

B. We try finish before we start, so we never start

C. The best answer is take your eyes off the clouds and do what you can today

Putting Off the Lord’s Work

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 02:55:00 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/PuttingOffTheLordsWork.mp3

by PJ Anderson

I know I’m heading to hell, but maybe when I’m 21 I’ll pray to God

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 23:55:00 +0000

Question:

To tell you the truth, I'm probably going to hell. Not that I follow Lucifer or any other entity, it is just that, well, I don't know. I just read your article about sins and all. Some of the stuff you said I can relate to (and I'm not talking about the positive stuff you said). I'm only 16 and I didn't believe in God, but now I do and I do understand I got to believe in Him 100% or I will go to hell. But, hey, maybe when I'm 21 I'll pray to Him and ask for forgiveness for all the sins I've done. I'm not going to try it now because I know I won't change if I pray to Him, so it is pointless.

Answer:

You are correct that it pointless to pretend with God when He knows exactly what you are thinking and doing. God is righteous and holy, and He is looking for people who desire righteousness like Him.

The problem with putting off doing what it is right when you are older is that when you get to that point, you'll put it off again, and then again, ... eventually, you'll tell yourself you are too old and too set in your ways to change.

The time to make a change for the better is when you realize that there is a better way to live. "Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity. Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them" " (Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:1). You not only don't have to go to hell, but you can also actually improve your life here on earth now and look forward to eternal life in heaven.

I'll help, but it is up to you.

When I am Old, Then I’ll be Good

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 02:02:00 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/WhenIAmOldThenIllBeGood.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Matthew 25:1-13

I. In Jesus’ parable of the vineyard workers we learn that salvation is available to all who will come to the Lord, no matter when it is done - Matthew 20:1-16

A. Jesus in his mercy chooses to treat all alike.

B. When an elderly man wrote to me, unsure if God would forgive him after a life spent in sin. He regretted his wasted years, but wanted to know if it was too late to return to God.

1. The answer is that it is never too late, so long as we are in this world

C. But a young man saw this answer and wrote to say that though he isn’t a Christian, this is what he wanted to do: spend a life having fun in sin and then when he is old he’ll change and be able to enter heaven.

D. It is interesting how people only see what they expect to find

1. The young man didn’t see a man who regretted his life of sin. To the young man, sin was fun.

2. The young man didn’t see a man concerned that he waited too long. To the young man the longer he could stay in sin the better.

E. There are flaws in planning for a last minute conversion

II. When is the last minute?

A. Young people typically assume they will live a long time

1. Oh, in theory they know that some die young, but somehow that is always applied to other people

B. Tomorrow is not guaranteed - Proverbs 27:1

1. Jesus gave the example of a rich man who was prospering - Luke 12:16-21

2. The man was a fool because he wasn’t focused on what mattered

C. Wicked people tend to die sooner - Proverbs 10:27

1. Violent people get caught in violence

2. The sexually promiscuous catch diseases - Proverbs 6:32-33

3. Let’s face the facts, sinful people are doing stupid things that shorten their lives - Proverbs 21:16

D. It is easy to get lulled into complacency - Psalms 73:12-20

E. Life is not in man’s hands. You don’t know when your life will end, nor when God will decide all life will end.

1. That is the point of the parable fo the ten virgins. The five foolish virgins weren’t prepared for the Lord’s return - Matthew 25:1-13

2. You don’t know when the Lord will show up - Matthew 24:42-51

a. Notice that the wicked slave is called a hypocrite, a person putting on an act

b. Planning to straighten up later is being a fake

III. How do you repent of what you don’t think is wrong?

A. I can say this because we look at what a person does, not what he claims - Matthew 7:16-20

B. Repentance starts with being sorry for what you did - II Corinthians 7:10

1. How can you claim to be sorry for what you set out to do and plan to later renounce?

C. Repentance is changing your attitude toward sin and your behavior - II Corinthians 7:11

D. There won’t be real repentance. Either you are saying you are dishonest about sin now or you plan to be dishonest about sin later - Romans 6:1-2

E. The truth is that the motivation to change isn’t there and likely won’t be there - James 4:4-10

1. It is like the smoker who says he can quit anytime – not now, but he’ll prove it later. We all know “later” keeps getting put off.

IV. Does godliness have no value in this life?

A. People have the odd notion that being righteous is miserable - Psalm 16:11

B. God laws make life better by keeping the follower out of serious trouble

1. For our good - Deuteronomy 10:12-13

2. See good in life - Psalms 34:11-14

3. Long peaceful life - Proverbs 3:1-2

4. Profitable for all things in this life and the one to come - I Timothy 4:8

C. God watches over His people - Psalms 37:25

D. The farmer and the seed

1. You get back what you plant - Galatians 6:7-8

2. You get back more than you plant - Hosea 8:7

E. A guy who plans to bed as many women as he can is in for a miserable life

1. He’ll never have stable companions because he is constantly betraying trust

2. He won’t ever have a loving, stable home because good women don’t want this kind of man for a husband.

3. He’ll have kids, but he will see them as drains on his income and a burden

V. Momentary pleasure or lasting joy?

A. I’ve never met a man who regrets that

1. He didn’t get drunk more often

2. Got stoned one more time

3. Or committed fornication more often

B. The example of Moses - Hebrews 11:24-27

C. Righteousness is for the young - Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:1

Enjoy the Trip

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:40:45 +0000

Don’t Keep Waiting Until you “Get There”

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/2009Fall3EnjoyTheTrip.mp3

by Oscar Miles

The Pursuit of Happiness

Is It Time?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:06:00 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2003/09/IsItTime.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Haggai 1:2-11

While cleaning out his desk, a man found a shoe-repair ticket that was ten years old. Figuring that he had nothing to lose, he went to the shop and gave the ticket to the repairman, who began to search the back room for the unclaimed shoes. After several minutes, he reappeared and gave the ticket back to the man. “What’s wrong?” asked the man. “Couldn’t you find my shoes?” “Oh, I found them,” replied the repairman, “they’ll be ready next Friday.” – Michael Green

I. Procrastination is not the result of a lack of time to complete a task. It is an attitude and must be dealt as such.

A. Most of us procrastinate from time to time.

1. Procrastination is not only undesirable, but it can have eternal consequences.

2. As with most topics, the Bible can instruct us in this topic.

B. Haggai 1:4

1. The Jews had allowed the temple to lie waste, delaying the work to rebuild it, while they spent the time on their own homes.

2. Once the Jewish people had a different attitude – II Samuel 7:2

3. These people had put off rebuilding the temple for over 15 years.

4. God sent Haggai to stir up the people and break them from the grip of procrastination.

C. Unfortunately, the problem remains. Who doesn’t have a problem with procrastination?

II. Procrastination is strongly rooted

A. An ancient proverb states, “It is not the size of the tree, but the depth of its roots that make it strong.” Procrastination’s roots are very deep.

B. People who are disorganized tend to procrastinate

1. Poor distinction is made between urgency and priority

a. The tendency is to do the easy things first

b. This creates a backlog of harder things which sooner or later become urgent.

c. The one who delayed following Jesus - Matthew 8:21-22

2. Then there are those who are easily distracted.

a. Something else has come up and before you know it, things needing to be done are left only half completed.

3. Another factor is forgetfulness

a. If you ask, the answer is “Of course I remember, I was just about to do it.”

b. We all forget at times, but for too many it becomes a convenient crutch.

4. Finally, there is the problem of lumping everything together – that all tasks come as an inseparable whole.

a. When kids are told to clean their rooms, they will whine, moan, and drag their feet.

b. They see the task as one monstrous whole that never will be completed.

C. For other people, the motivation to put things off is fear

1. Sometimes it a fear of making the wrong choice.

a. “Oh, I don’t know why. I know I should do it, so why can’t I just do it?”

b. The person is locked in an ever fluctuating orbit of indecision.

c. Lot’s delay in leaving Sodom - Genesis 19:16

2. Sometimes it is lack of discipline

a. “I planned to do it, but when the time came, I just didn’t feel like it.”

b. It is a dislike or even fear of being uncomfortable.

c. Discipline is doing things even when you don’t want to or like to.

d. Felix’s delay - Acts 24:25

D. Still another reason is perfectionism

1. You have to do things because others can’t get it right.

a. So you taken on more than a reasonable person can handle in the given amount of time.

2. You insist on not starting on something if you don’t believe you can do it well.

3. You don’t want to start something unless you are certain you can finish it.

E. Then there is the lack of belief in what you need to do.

1. If you don’t believe in something, it is easy to put it off

2. Those who did not believe in the resurrection - Acts 17:32

III. Procrastination keeps many people from doing the things they ought to do.

A. Rom 13:11-14 - It is high time to wake up and get moving.

B. Ask yourself, “What am I afraid of?”

1. Haggai 2:4-5 - The leaders of Judah had done nothing, in part because of fear.

2. If we are to overcome, we need to recognize what it is that we fear. Only then can we deal with the fear.

C. Get organized

1. It doesn’t have to be sophisticated. When I get bogged down, I’ll make a to-do list to check off.

2. I won’t get everything off, but I can see the progress.

3. Break large things up into manageable chunks.

a. Perhaps today you can put all the toys back.

b. Tomorrow you can straighten out the bookshelf

c. This leaves you time to do small, but important things (like homework)

d. It also makes things less frightening

D. Whatever we do, it is to be with our strength - Col 3:23

IV. You see one decision some of you have put off is that of serving God

A. Oh, there are many reasons, but they all lead to procrastination

1. Some people don’t want to face the displeasure of family (fear)

2. Some won’t do anything until they are convinced they can do it perfectly (perfectionism)

3. Some feel there is plenty of time to decide later, but there are more urgent things that need to be done now (disorganized priorities)

4. Some are overwhelmed by all that is required. It is too big of change right now (lumping)

5. Some know what they need to do and they start, but other matters get in the way (disorganized distractions)

B. Sometimes the best cure is to just do it. You know what is required of you. You have delayed too long. Own up to the fact and just do what you need to do right now.