Eternity Daily Bible Study No. 251

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Living In Christ – 12

REDEEMING THE TIME

Ephesians 5:15-17
(15)  See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
(16)  redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
(17)  Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Christians are to live wise and circumspect lives, using their time well, and doing good deeds, that flow from a deep knowledge of God’s will. This needs to be a conscious spiritual effort because the natural man naturally puts “idle time” to evil uses - “because the days are evil”. 

Christians were to be circumspect and wise. In other words we are to think over our actions, to consider our ways and take careful thought about our choices, to live deliberately and intelligently in all things. We are not to live thoughtless, foolish and undisciplined lives; for there is nothing spiritual about folly. So lets look at how we are spending our time because, after-all  our time is our life-time – and we will give account to the Lord. (Matthew 12:36, Romans 14:12, 1 Peter 4:1-6)

Holiness involves time management – but not the time management of the “efficiency experts’ but rather the time management of Christ where every moment is filled with the presence of God and with good deeds. 

It is the quality of our time, not the quantity of our time that is important. In a fallen world “the days are evil” and in need of redemption, so we must sanctify our time and lift each moment up out of sin and lust and vanity and into the stream of redemption, faith and love.

1 Peter 4:2-3
(2)  in order no longer to live in the lusts of men, but in the will of God the remaining time in the flesh.
(3)  For the time of life which is past is enough for us to have worked out the will of the nations, having gone on in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, parties, carousings, and abominable idolatries.

Instead of spending a day brooding about revenge, spend the time in prayer and forgiveness. Instead of spending an hour day-dreaming about an illicit romance – spend it in bible study or doing good. Program your life according to the will of God. Fill your diary with good things, loving things, and with worthwhile and beautiful things. 

Plan your life with God’s Kingdom interests in mind. Take a month on a short-term mission trip or a year to do some Bible College, or spend two years on the mission field, or a lifetime serving the poor. 

Does your life have to be spent in the same selfish materialistic lifestyle as your peers? Can you redeem the future years and use them for the glory of God? I am not saying that you have to be a pastor or a missionary, but I am saying that your life should be lived positively and constructively for the will and purposes of God.

If you own a company –how is that corporation focused? Is the profit motive “the bottom line” or does it also exist for a higher purpose? Is it assisting with the betterment of mankind and the redemption of the community? It does not need to be a charity but it should be a kind, functional, happy and community-conscious workplace.

Do you consciously plan in family-time and time one-on-one with each child? Do you have a genuine day of rest? 

Redeeming the time is different from efficiency in another important aspect – meetings and “busyness”. If you are so busy that you are no longer sanctified, and the fruit of the Spirit have begun to “fall off the tree” – then you are too busy. If you are grumpy, impatient, short-tempered and unkind because you are so busy – then you are not redeeming the time; rather you are using time efficiently to make people miserable.

Rest is not idleness - actually rest is obedience.  Time of quiet, times of reflection, times in prayer and meditation, time to be part of God’s creation and see His hand in things, and  time for just enjoying people and loving our neighbor. Even time for the refreshment of sleep – for God gives sleep to those He loves (Psalm 127:2)

If you are in leadership consider disciplined scheduling of your time. That may sound onerous but there are some good reasons for it.

1. Scheduling in one's quite time and guarding that time can assist spiritual growth.
 
2, Scheduling in easily neglected ministry tasks such as visiting means you complete all that you are called to do.
 
3.  Scheduling helps you to guard family time and preserve top priorities from demanding people.
 
4. Scheduling stops "drifting" into just doing what you like doing and maintains integrity and discipline.
 
5. Scheduling is a guard against church politics because it gives everyone the clear impression that you are working, that you are fair, that you have no favorites and that you are not blown hither and yon by personal whims.
 
6. Scheduling presents a disciplined life to God - who can then make changes in that schedule whenever He wants.

How should we allocate our time according to the will of God? Firstly give no time for sin or for the flesh. Do not schedule a trip to a wild hotel-casino in Los Vegas. Also do not schedule in R-rated movies or dubious activities. Rather schedule in church, bible study, a visit to the lonely old lady in the neighborhood and a phone call to your parents.

Secondly have a clear set of godly priorities that help you to allocate “which wins” in a clash in your schedule. May I suggest a set of priorities I have used for some years:
1.	Relationship with God
2.	Health 
3.	Family 
4.	Close friends 
5.	Ministry 

Thus while the bulk of my time is spent on my ministry if I gets so busy that my quiet time suffers or my health is wrecked, or my family and friends are alienated from me – then I am doing too much and need to cut back.

 Thirdly develop a spiritual sense of God’s timing for events. “A time to live and a time to die, a time to weep and a time to dance etc” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11) God has His seasons and timings for all things and makes everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Look at the gospels and Acts and develop a sense of what the Spirit-led life looks like with prayer and teaching the Word as priorities. (Acts 6:1-3).  Understand what the will of the Lord is – and then put it in your day planner!

Blessings,

John Edmiston johned@aibi.ph

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