39 Now as the king passed by

39 Now as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and there, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver. ’

40 While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. ” Then the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; yourself have decided it. ” 41 And he hastened to take the bandage away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.

42 Then he said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people. ’” 43 So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and displeased, and came to Samaria. (I Kings 20)

Too Busy! The prophet’s excuse for failing in his duty was that he was too busy!

The Story • God helps Israel twice - I Kings 20: 13, 2022; 26 -30, 34

13 Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD. ’”

20 And each one killed his man; so the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them; and Ben-Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with the cavalry. 21 Then the king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.

22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself; take note, and see what you should do, for in the spring of the year the king of Syria will come up against you. ” … 26 So it was, in the spring of the year, that Ben-Hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.

27 And the children of Israel were mustered and given provisions, and they went against them. Now the children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, while the Syrians filled the countryside.

28 Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The LORD is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys, ” therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD. ’”

29 And they encamped opposite each other for seven days. So it was that on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians in one day. 30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; then a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the men who were left. And Ben-Hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner chamber.

34 So Ben-Hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore; and you may set up marketplaces for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria. ” Then Ahab said, “I will send you away with this treaty. ” So he made a treaty with him and sent him away. (I Kings 20)

The Story • God helps Israel twice - I Kings 20: 13, 20; 28 -30, 34 • Ahab’s penalty - I Kings 20: 42 -43

42 Then he said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people. ’” 43 So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and displeased, and came to Samaria. (I Kings 20)

The Story • God helps Israel twice against Syria, but Ahab let Ben-Hadad escape • Ahab’s would have to pay for his negligence with his own life.

Too Busy? • The prophet’s story - I Kings 20: 39 -40

39 Now as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and there, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver. ’

40 While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. ” Then the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; yourself have decided it. ” (I King 20)

Too Busy? • The prophet’s story - I Kings 20: 39 -40 • Are you too busy …. ? – To seek God? Acts 17: 26 -27

26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; (Acts 17)

Too Busy? • The prophet’s story - I Kings 20: 39 -40 • Are you too busy …. ? – To seek God? Acts 17: 26 -27 – To assemble for worship? Hebrews 10: 25; 13: 15

25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10)

15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13)

Too Busy? • The prophet’s story - I Kings 20: 39 -40 • Are you too busy …. ? – To seek God? Acts 17: 26 -27 – To assemble for worship? Heb. 10: 25, 13: 15 Too busy for heaven? 2 Tim. 4: 6 -8

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Timothy 4)

Too Busy? • The prophet’s story, I was busy • Are you too busy …. ? – To seek God? – To assemble for worship? Too busy for heaven?

Time • Is limited - Psalm 90: 10

10 The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. (Psalm 90)

Time • Is limited - Psalm 90: 10 • Like a breath - Job 7: 6 -7

6 “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And are spent without hope. 7 Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good. (Job 7)

Time • Is limited - Psalm 90: 10 • Like a breath - Job 7: 6 -7 • Like a vapor - James 4: 13 -17

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away

15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that. ” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4)

Time • • Is limited - Psalm 90: 10 Like a breath - Job 7: 6 -7 Like a vapor - James 4: 13 -17 Time to serve God - Romans 13: 11 -14

11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Romans 13)

Time • • • Is limited - Psalm 90: 10 Like a breath - Job 7: 6 -7 Like a vapor - James 4: 13 -17 Time to serve God - Romans 13: 11 -14 Redeeming the time - Ephesians 5: 15 -16

15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5)

Time • • • Is limited Like a breath Like a vapor Time to serve God Redeeming the time

God has given us all the time we need to meet every need we have in this life; service to Him, family, job, and even recreation. But many have convinced themselves that they are just too busy, and don’t have enough time for God.

If you have no time for God today, be assured that God will have no time for you when the judgment comes! It’s time to get your priorities right and start truly planning for eternity!