“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”
(Ephesians 5:15-17)

(Ephesians 5:15-17)
Time is short and the work that needs to be done is never-ending. This will never change. There are only so many hours in a day and you will only live for so many years. You know how many hours there are in a day, but you do not know how many days you have left to live. Add this fact of life to a dilemma many face, “How can I make my life count for eternity?” In other words, “How can I redeem the time?”

Words mean something. The Strong’s Concordance teaches us that redeeming means to buy something up. Webster’s definition is similar. I know that this sounds simple, but think about it, can you buy time? No. We can buy all sorts of things, but time is not a thing. Time is allotted to us by God. What we can do is use the time given to us, “understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

There are many books, blogs, podcasts, and all kinds of resources that teach us how to use our time. The premise behind many of these things is often to be more productive. If one is more productive then they are more successful. For the child of God, success is never defined by how much we get accomplished in** the world, but by doing the will of God.

God’s will gives our lives purpose. James London said, “The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use them.” Let this be a challenge to all of us; are we just existing or are we doing the will of God for our lives?
Allow me to be personal. I want to do more than just exist. I need more for my life than just punching a clock. I need more than just living for the weekend. I would imagine you are the same, you want your life to count for something.

This is why it is so important for us to learn how to redeem our time. How can our lives count for the Kingdom of God if we waste the limited resource of time that makes up our lives?
I am seeking to learn how to manage my time better, not to be productive by the world’s standards, but to do the will of God. This is where we will begin for this post.

You may be reading this and you’re thinking that you do not even have that part taken care of; you may not know what God’s will is for your life. I do not believe that there is a step-by-step guide that can be used to “discover” God’s will for your life. There is no book called “Finding God’s Will for Dummies.” I am not saying that it is difficult, but you must be willing to do what is needed so God will show you what He wants you to do.

When we think of the will of God we automatically think in terms of the big picture. Our minds need to be retrained to start looking at God’s will in terms of a small picture. I am not saying that God’s will is small. Anything that has God attached to it is not small. God’s purpose for your life is not small. But I have learned that God will not show us the big picture, He shows us one piece at a time.

I have also learned an important lesson that can be tied to the previous thought, God only shows us the next part of the puzzle, the next step on the path of life, when we obey Him. Pastor Sexton has often said that the job of the servant is to obey. This is why it was said previously that there is no guidebook (outside of Scripture) on finding God’s will. Why would God show someone the big picture if they are not willing to do a small piece of the puzzle?

My life’s verse is 1 Timothy 1:12. I will give you a minute to look it up. Paul praised God that he was put in the ministry. I guarantee that this was not some sudden revelation from God, but it was the natural sequence of events in being faithful to the will of God. This is seen in Acts 13:1-3. Verse 2 says, “As they ministered to the Lord…”. This was when the next step was shown. He was separated for the purpose of the ministry.

Really, we are all in the ministry. The question is how much are you willing to do. This will be the extent to which you will find God’s will. If you are willing to obey what God wants you to do now then He will show you what to do next, in His timing. Now is the time of service and preparation.

I have not left the thought of “Redeeming the Time.” I am simply trying to build to it. Why should we redeem the time? Why should we be better stewards of our time? It is so we can do the will of God for our lives. For right now, a good exercise would be to develop a purpose statement for your life. Write it down in a place that you will see on a regular basis. Then I will ask you to be open to learning what the Bible has to say about time and then we will learn, together, some practical tips on how to redeem the time we have.

We have forgotten what patriotism really is. Patriotism is not racism or rioting. These are divisive and destructive. Patriotism is not kneeling while our country is being honored. Kneeling is showing disrespect to all people of all races who have sacrificed and who are sacrificing.

Webster defined patriotism this way. Love of one’s country; the passion which aims to serve one’s country, either in defending it from invasion, or protecting its rights and maintaining its laws and institutions in vigor and purity. patriotism is the characteristic of a good citizen, the noblest passion that animates a man in the character of a citizen.

I want to challenge you to read from the Proverbs every day.  There is much wisdom that can be gleaned from this book.  This morning I read from verse one.  Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.  

It is so easy to be ungrateful for what we have.  We have the dry morsels.  This is the simple thought that hit me this morning.  God gave me my “dry morsels.”  So when I am ungrateful for these “dry morsels” I am ungrateful for what God has given me.  What God gives me is enough to sustain me.  What God gives me is enough to give to the work of the Lord.  What God gives me is what God deems necessary for my life.

There are so many people that have less “dry morsels” than I have, but they are doing more to serve God than I do.  This tells me that the devil uses discontentment as a diversionary tool.  He wants to prevent me from serving God.

God gives me every day what I need to sustain me.  He sustains me so that I may serve Him.  Therefore, I must refocus my efforts away from being ungrateful for the “dry morsels” to seeing them as a gift from God given that I may serve Him.

Let us be grateful for what we have and use what we have to serve Him.

 

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Extraordinary times require extra ordinary prayer.  Our Scripture tells us two things that we need to do as Christians, watch and pray.

The word watch gives us the idea that we must be alert.  We must be alert to the fact we are in a spiritual war, we must be alert that our adversary the devil uses many tactics to attack us, we must be alert and on guard.  

We must be vigilant during the day and the night.  During the day we can see dangers afar off.  During the night we cannot see the dangers, but we know they are there.  Both times require that we take these dangers very seriously.  Unfortunately many of us do not take these dangers very seriously.  

The word “watch” is a warning that we often get distracted.  We hear the preaching of the Word of God and believe that it does not apply to us.  We read the Bible and do not submit to God’s precepts.  

The word “watch” should lead us to “pray.”  Watching gives us the burden.  Watching shows us the need.  Prayer is asking God to intervene and protect.  Prayer is pleading for God’s help.

These two words make an appearance after the armor of God is put on.  Ephesians 6:18 tells us to pray and watch.  A prayer warrior has put on the armor of God and then uses them.  We use them by watching and praying.

Are you alert to the dangers, to the needs, to God’s will?  Are these things moving you to pray.  Do not avoid the responsibility that we have to be prayer warriors.  We may not be able to things that others can do, but we all can pray.  

“I’d rather be able to pray than be a great preacher; Jesus Christ never taught His disciples how to preach, but only how to pray.”—D. L. Moody

 

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.  Acts 20:24

My first year in college I went to my mail box and found a tape of a message preached by Dr. Curtis Hutson.  It was entitled, “But none of these things move me.”  Every student was required to listen to it.   I only share this story because whenever I read this verse I can hear his voice in my head.

Let us consider an spect of God’s will.  When we think of God’s will we tend to think about going to certain places and doing specific things.  Have we given thought to dealing with certain things.  

God’s will is specific.  He does call certain people to do very specific task.  The apostle Paul reached the gentiles.  He started many churches.  He was used of God to write much of the New Testament.  But when Paul wrote this verse he said none of these things.  These things were the trials that he had to deal with along the way. Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 and see all the perils that Paul had to deal with.  Those perils were part of God’s will for his life.

We do not enjoy the perils; we want the profits.  We do not enjoy the burdens; we want the blessings.  We are afraid of the endangerment; we want the experiences of victory.  Let us be encouraged through the Scriptures that the things that we have to deal with as we attempt God’s will is part of God’s will.  

Paul also said that he finished his course with joy.  Determine to do the same.  Do not let the things you have to deal with along the way detour you from the will of God.

Gratitude can change your life.

Psalm 136:1-4, 23-26

Gratitude means thankfulness, counting your blessings, noticing simple pleasures, and acknowledging everything that you receive. It means learning to live your life as if everything were a miracle, and being aware on a continuous basis of how much you’ve been given. Gratitude shifts your focus from what your life lacks to the abundance that is already present.

The Psalmist is reminding us to give thanks.  Being thankful is a command.  We should say that it is the will of God for us to be thankful.  We did not read the whole Psalm, but it is praise directed to God.  He gives some reasons for his gratitude.  Let me reread the last few verses again.  He is grateful for God’s goodness to him.

There is also a recurring theme throughout this Psalm, it is the mercy of God.  He never forgot what he was (sinner) and he did not get what he deserved.

I want to make a point.  We tend to take for granted the good that is already present in our lives.  imagine losing some of the things that you take for granted, such as your home, your ability to see or hear, your ability to walk, or anything that currently gives you comfort. Then imagine getting each of these things back, one by one, and consider how grateful you would be for each and every one. In addition, you need to start finding joy in the small things instead of holding out for big achievements—such as getting the promotion, having a comfortable nest egg saved up, getting married, having the baby, and so on–before allowing yourself to feel gratitude and joy.  We need to appreciate each day’s gifts.

Another way to use giving thanks to appreciate life more fully is to use gratitude to help you put things in their proper perspective. When things don’t go your way, remember that every difficulty carries within it the seeds of an equal or greater benefit. In the face of adversity ask yourself: “What’s good about this?”, “What can I learn from this?”, and “How can I benefit from this?”  The Bible teaches this.  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  1 Thes. 5:18

There are a number of ways that we can express our gratitude.  We can keep a journal.  A written of the abundant blessings of God will help us not to forget.  We can write a thank you letter to those who have been a blessing or an influence.  We can tell others.  We should set aside a time every day to practice “Thanksliving.”  

I believe that attitude is everything.  Life is what we make it to be.  When we are thankful it affects our daily lives and those who inhabit it.  When we are unthankful it does wear on us and others around us.  Look for the good and not the bad.

There are 12 until Thanksgiving day.  I would like to issue the “Thanksgiving Challenge.”  Let the next 12 days be filled with praise.  Make your homes a “No Complaining Zone.”  We cannot complain if we are grateful for the goodness of God.
Once you become oriented toward looking for things to be grateful for, you will find that you begin to appreciate simple pleasures and things that you previously took for granted. Gratitude should not be just a reaction to getting what you want, but an all-the-time gratitude, the kind where you notice the little things and where you constantly look for the good even in unpleasant situations. Today, start bringing gratitude to your experiences, instead of waiting for a positive experience in order to feel grateful; in this way, you’ll be on your way toward becoming a master of gratitude.

This weekend is Mother’s Day.  I know, it just seemed like we just put away the Christmas tree.  Well most of us have.  Any ways, back to the subject.  I have been doing much thinking about the lady we call Mom.  I am addressing husbands and children in this post.  I have been studying the book of 1 Peter in preparation to preach a series entitled, “A Call to Faithfulness..”  1 Peter 3:7 speaks to the husbands about being a faithful husband.  Studying this verse has helped me to fall more in love with my wife.

Mother’s Day is a day that we honour our mothers and the mother of our children.  She is a special lady deserving of our love, tenderness, and support.  The best Mother’s Day gift we can give is our love.  Men, let me challenge to fall in love with the mother of your children all over again.