Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Is it any wonder that the last several lessons we have provided are dealing with what is to come??
Everyone has 24 hours a day. It does not matter if you are the Prince, the Pauper, the President or pheasant… we ALL have the same amount of time.
One of the things that is under attack today is Time. The scripture said to redeeming the time… Redeeming – Take it back… take it back under our control…
Time has value:
- Time can be bought and sold
- Time can be shared
- Time can be stolen
- Time can be wasted
- Time can be budgeted
- Time can be managed
- Time can be redeemed
- Time can be lost
- Time can be found
- Time can be appreciated
- Time can be respected
Time can be a moment, a minute or a mindset.
With all these things you still only have 24 hours a day to use as best as we can.
Out of your 168 hours a week you will spend:
- 56-70 hours sleeping
- 18-21 hours eating
- 30-49 hours watching tv, social media, ect.
- 7-15 hours commuting
- 30-45 hours in working
- 10-18 hours shopping
- 17-21 hours grooming
If you take all the min. of each of these and add them up, it comes to 168. This means to have time to do anything else, something has to be moved or removed to make time.
But for all these averages… what is missing?
…God
Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
There are many things of God that require time.
- Coming to Church, takes time
- Prayer, takes time
- Reading your Bible, takes time
- Bible study, takes time
- Inviting others to church, takes time
- Teaching a class, takes time
- Preaching a Sermon, takes time
The list goes on and on.
What we do with our time today will determine our time for tomorrow and beyond.
Matthew 6:33a But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; …
As a Christian we must look to eliminate those things of the world that take our time and replace them with the things of the Lord.
There is a balance to be sure… but as time goes by the world presents more and more that takes our time… leaving less time for the things of God.
Giving time to God rather that finding time.
Isaiah 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
The tithe is giving 10% of our financial increase back to God… what about 10% of our time?
Part of understanding time is to understand that there isn’t much of it left…
Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Isn’t interesting that there is never enough time to do the things of the Lord, but there seems to be enough time to watch a 2 hour movie, a 3 hour sporting event…
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
- Let me ask you: Is your time more important than the one who gave you the time to start with?
There are things out there that steal your time…
2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
TV, Media players, phones, tablets, computers and using programs like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, twitter and snapchat can all be devices used by satan to get an advantage.
Idleness – social media
1 Timothy 5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
Proverbs 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Proverbs 20:3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
Before we look for time tomorrow we must make sure today is secure
2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)