Oh, how precious is time, and how it pains me to see it slide away, while I do so little to any good purpose. Oh, that God would make me more fruitful and spiritual. (David Brainerd)
back it up with bible
Psalms 90:12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Proverbs 10:5 He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
Proverbs 21:25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
1 Samuel 21:8b The king’s business required haste.
Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
1 Corinthians 7:29a But this I say, brethren, the time is short.
core christianity
Glorifying God with Our Time
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ” I Corinthians 10:31
I Corinthians 10:31 can be a heavy verse for Christians. Whatever you do, it must be for the glory of God. Many take it as hyperbole and ignore its seemingly excessive demands. For others, the verse is paralyzing, causing them to micro-analyze every decision and thought. Ephesians 5:15-16 is no less demanding, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ” How does a Christian make the best use of the time so that in all they do they glorify God?
There are two ways one can approach the question. First, list common tendencies that are obviously not God-glorifying. The puritan, Richard Baxter, called these tendencies “time thieves” – things like idleness, excessive amounts of sleep, gluttony, idle chatter, and so on. These things rob us of our time to grow in the knowledge of Christ and to labor for his kingdom. They will never turn a proit fo God’s glory.
A second way to look at that question is to ponder how Christians can positively glorify God. This is a more dificult question, bu Scripture gives us insight into how we should think about our actions. I Thessalonians 4:3 tells us, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification. ”For Christians, growing in godliness should be our first impulse in glorifying God. Richard Baxter says it this way, “The master time-thief that robs men of their time is the unsanctiied, ungodly heart; for they lose time in whatever they do, because they never truly intend to glorify God. ” The first step in glorifying God in all that we do is to sanctify our hearts – the fountain of our thoughts and deeds (John Starke)
previously published
Live With a Passion!
(Jesus:) You’ve let yourself become lax in that you know I’ll care for you. You trust in My love, and thus you can tend to ride along a bit, not really stirring yourself up to continue to pull down My power and My love through doing the things I’ve asked of you. You’ve resorted to coasting along, knowing that no matter what, I’ll keep working things out for your good. This is true to some degree, but there’s lots more that could and is meant to be yours if you’d reach out and really live those things that I show you.
In your work you tend to think that as long as there are others around who can help to safeguard and pick up the tab, you’ll be fine just doing the bit here and there that you can, without really thinking that you need to be just as stirred up. You can’t just let others bear the weight. They need you to be there all the way, really giving it all you’ve got. Seek Me for what your role and your place is to be, and then live it with a passion. I’ve got a great ministry for you if you’ll seize it, live it, and do your best.
Live each day like it’s your last, really giving it all you’ve got. You can do this by keeping ahead of things, planning things out, doing what you know you need to do to make your time quality time.
Make it a habit to always seek Me about what to do, when to do it, and to be looking beyond the “now. ” You won’t always be doing what you’re doing now, but your following closely and doing the best you can helps to lay good foundations for what you will be doing in the future and for the way things go in others’ lives. Now will afect your future. Each decision, each bit of giving, everything that you pour out--it all has something to do with the way things will be and the fruitfulness of your life both later and even now.
The Enemy lies to you - telling you not to get so into things…But that’s just the reverse of what I want to tell you. You never know what I may bring about tomorrow, but if you’re doing something now, it’s because I want you there, and I love to see you giving it your all
Then, when and if things change, it will positively afect your future and what you’ll be doing. (What the Hell is Lethargy?)
make it personal
What are some areas in which You want me to be more zealous with my time? What does it mean to “glorify You with my time”?
