Ephesians 5:16 Redeem the

time, because

the days are evil.

DAILY BIBLE VERSES AND PRAYER THOUGHTS:

MONDAY - VERSES: Job 7:6-10; 14:1-12; PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God for the time you have had, and ask Him to help you always remember that life is short and no more time is promised.

TUESDAY - VERSES: 2 Kings 20:1-6, 12-19 Hezekiah got extra time from God and promptly wasted it. PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God's forgiveness for the time you have wasted in your life.

WEDNESDAY - VERSES: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 Consider the song "None of Self and All of Thee" Which verse are you living? PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you take an honest inventory of how you are currently using your time, and find areas where your time is being wasted.

THURSDAY - VERSES: Galatians 2:17-20; 1 Corinthians 13:11; Romans 13:11-14 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God for wisdom to use your remaining time in ways that will bring Him glory.

FRIDAY - VERSES: Acts 9:26-28; 11:22-26 PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God for those who have invested their time in helping you become the Christian you are today.

SATURDAY - VERSES: Proverbs 11:30; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Consider the song/poem "Lead Me to Some Soul Today". PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you find someone that you can invest time in so that they can become more like God wants them to be.

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"The easiest way to find more time to do all the things you want to do is to turn off the television set."

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ASSIGNMENTS

1. At least once a day read over this material and read or sing the song.

2. Place the scripture where you will see it often throughout each day.

3. Honestly look for areas in which you could better use your time each day.

4. Pray for God's help in using your time more wisely.

5. At the close of day write down the ways you need to improve in managing your time.

6. Plan to tell the class, next week, an example of how you redeemed some time this week, or tell how you should have used your time more effectively.

SPIRITUAL HEALTH REGIMEN -

TIME MANAGEMENT

WEEK 13 - 10-14-12 TO 10-20-12

SCRIPTURE - EPHESIANS 5:16 - redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

COMMENT - Because of the evil that is in the world we need to make the most of every opportunity to use our time wisely, for the Lord. When we do so we are buying back (redeeming) the time that we have and using it for the glory of God.

SONG - TAKE TIME TO BE HOLY

1. Take time to be holy, Speak oft with thy Lord; Abide in him always, And feed on His word. Make friends of God's children; Help those who are weak, Forgetting in nothing His blessings to seek.

2. Take time to be holy, The world rushes on; Spend much time in secret With Jesus alone. Abiding in Jesus, Like him thou shalt be, Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

3. Take time to be holy, Be calm in thy soul, Each thought and each motive Beneath his control. Thus led by his spirit To fountains of love, Thou soon shall be fitted For service above.

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"In primitive societies no one has a watch but everyone has time. In advanced societies, everyone has a watch but no one has any time." -- Gerhard Gschwandtner

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I heard an interesting comment at a meeting I attended in New York, and I made a note of it:

Because Jean-Claude Killy, the world-famous skier, was three-tenths of a second faster than his closest competitor, he earned $3 million instead of having to settle for being a $10,000-a- year ski instructor.

That is probably an oversimplification to some extent, but it is substantially and very likely true. Three-tenths of a second made the difference. It's much the same in most things.

As Christian workers, let's do all that we can to give just a little more attention to the little things that will propel us on to greater achievement!

Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle. -- Abraham Lincoln

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The Procrastinator's Poem:

I've gone for a drink and sharpened my pencils,

Searched through my desk for forgotten utensils.

I reset my watch, I adjusted my chair,

I've loosened my tie and straightened my hair.

I filled my pen and tested the blotter

And gone for another drink of water

Adjusted the calendar, and I've raised the blinds

And I've sorted erasers of all different kinds.

Now down to work I can finally sit,

Oops, too late, it's time to quit.

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There is an ancient story about three demons who were arguing over the best way to destroy the Christian mission in the world. The first demon says, "Let's tell all the Christians there is no heaven. Take away the reward incentive and the mission will collapse." The second demon says, "Let's tell all the Christians there is no hell. Take away the fear of punishment and the mission will collapse." The third demon says, "There is one better way. Let's tell all the Christians that there is no hurry" and all three immediately say, "That's it! All we have to do is tell them there's no hurry and the whole Christian enterprise will collapse."

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Just a tiny little minute only sixty seconds in it

Forced upon me. Can't refuse it. Didn't seek it, didn't choose it,

I must suffer if I loose it, Give account if I abuse it.

Just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it.

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A little survey that very few people would pay much attention to, but because I'm moving there rapidly, I did pay attention to it. It was a survey taken of people who are over 95.

A large number of people over 95 were asked one question. It was an open-ended question they could answer any way they wished. No religion connected with it, no anticipated response

-- just answer the question. And among all of the different answers given, these 3 answers came back most frequently:

The question was: If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?

If I could live my life over again:

1. I would reflect more.

2. I would risk more.

3. I would do more things that would live on after I'm dead.

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Thomas Jefferson gave the advice, "Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today." Picasso admonished, "Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone." However, many live by the philosophy of Aaron Burr, "Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow." Some even by that of Mark Twain, "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow."

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REDEEM THE __________

INTRODUCTION

A. _________ UP! EPHESIANS 5:14

B. _________ & SEE WHERE YOU ARE! EPHESIANS 5:15

C. UNDERSTAND GOD'S __________! EPHESIANS 5:17

D. REDEEM THE ___________! EPHESIANS 5:16

E. "THE FARM" POEM

I. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT LIFE IS ____________.

A. ___ PETER 1:24

B. ECCLESIASTES 6:____

C. JAMES ___:14

D. PSALM 90:____

II. SINCE LIFE IS _______ WE MUST USE OUR TIME _________.

A. PSALM _____:12

B. ECCLESIASTES 9:_____

III. WE __________ USE OUR TIME ____________ …

A. IN OUR ___________ RELATIONSHIPS

B. IN OUR _____________ RELATIONSHIPS

CONCLUSION

A. PSALM ____:4-7

B. "ONE LITTLE MINUTE" POEM

REDEEM THE TIME

INTRODUCTION

SCRIPTURE - (Eph 5:14-17) Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light." {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.

A. WAKE UP! (Eph 5:14) Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."

B. LOOK AROUND & SEE WHERE YOU ARE! (Eph 5:15) See then that you walk

circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

C. UNDERSTAND GOD'S WILL ! (Eph 5:17) Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

D. REDEEM THE TIME! (Eph 5:16) redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

E. THE FARM

I looked upon a farm one day. That once I used to own;

The barn had fallen to the ground. The fields were overgrown.

The house in which my children grew. Where we had lived for years --

I turned to see it broken down. And brushed aside the tears.

I looked upon my soul one day. To find it too had grown

With thorns and nettles everywhere. The seeds neglect had sown.

The years had passed while I had cared For things of lesser worth:

The things of Heaven I let go When minding things of Earth.

To Christ I turned with bitter tears. And cried, "O Lord, forgive!

I haven't much time left for Thee, Not many years to live."

The wasted years forever gone, The days I can't recall;

If I could live those days again. I'd make Him Lord of all.

-- Theodore W. Brennan

I. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT LIFE IS SHORT

A. (1 Pet 1:24) because "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,

B. (Eccl 6:12) For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?

C. (James 4:14) 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.

D. (Psa 90:10) 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.

II. SINCE LIFE IS SHORT WE MUST USE OUR TIME WISELY.

A. (Psa 90:12) So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

B. (Eccl 9:10) Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

III. WE NEED TO USE OUR TIME WISELY …

A. IN OUR FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

1. WITH OUR MATE

2. WITH OUR PARENTS

3. WITH OUR CHILDREN

B. IN OUR SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIPS

1. GETTING TO KNOW …

a. GOD - (Titus 1:16) They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

b. HIS SON - (Phil 3:8-11) Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ {9} and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; {10} that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, {11} if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

c. HIS WORD - (John 8:32) "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

d. HIS FAMILY - (Rom 12:10-13) Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; {11} not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; {12} rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; {13} distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

2. REACHING OUT TO THE LOST - (John 4:35) "Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!

3. DOING THE WILL OF GOD - (John 9:4) "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

CONCLUSION

A. (Psa 39:4-7) "LORD, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. {5} Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah {6} Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them. {7} "And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.

B. ONE LITTLE MINUTE

Just a tiny little minute only sixty seconds in it

Forced upon me. Can't refuse it. Didn't seek it, didn't choose it,

I must suffer if I loose it, Give account if I abuse it.

Just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.