Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.
Make Today Count
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16 NIV).
Time is a precious commodity. It is a gift from God, and we should be good stewards of our time as with any other gift. Certainly, the devil is interested in misuse of your time. If he can cheat you of your time, he can cheat you of your heavenly treasure. Perhaps the last thing that he is loath to let go is time. His game is to cheat you of today and the next day by whatever means necessary. For some it is procrastination – let’s do that tomorrow. For others, it may be to conjure up past mistakes and keep your focus on past problems and rob you of the joy of today and the forgiveness and grace that comes from Jesus.
Our focus must be on the present if we are to be good stewards of our time. This was the message of Paul in Hebrews 3:13, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,”
so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” We should be intentional in using our time to honor God. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).
Each day we decide whom we will serve as we are taught in Joshua 24:15. “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
To make the most of your time, you must discern what’s most important. Yes, it is impossible for one person to “do it all.” God does not expect you to do everything. He does expect you to use your gifts and talents to make wise decisions that will have a meaningful impact on His kingdom. The greatest gift that God has given you is salvation by Jesus Christ. The second greatest gift you were given in life is the freedom to choose.
When you haven’t clarified what you want out of life, you’re indecisive all the time because you can’t do what’s good until you decide what’s good. You can’t do what’s important until you decide what’s important. Pray and talk to your pastor about how you can use your time to honor God. Maybe your pastor has been praying for somebody with a heart for evangelism to join the evangelism committee, and you have such a heart. When you use your time wisely, you are honoring God, and He will certainly bless your efforts.
Prayer: Dear God, We live in a world with so many distractions that take our focus away from you. Help us to honor you with all that we do. Amen.
Meet the Author
Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
We welcome your comments below.
Liked this post?
Read more below or search for more topics...
-
The Precious Gift of Time
The Precious Gift of Time “Use your time in the best way you can” (Colossians 4:5 ICB). I recently had a nice visit with a young man at my church. He told me that he was about to graduate high school and study engineering in college so he could “make a lot of money.” I told him there is nothing wrong with making a lot of money. I reminded him that the founder of the Methodist church, John Wesley, had a profound statement in this regard. Wesley stated, “Having, first, gained all you can, and, secondly saved all you can, then give all you can.” Clearly,... -
In Search of Equity in the Vineyard and Today’s Society
In Search of Equity in the Vineyard and Today’s Society “But He answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’” (Matthew 20:13-15 NIV).The terms “equity” and “fairness” are often used to support an argument in favor of one person that has less resources and against the other person... -
The Best Christmas Present
The Best Christmas Present 18 “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). I love Christmas and the Advent season. It is a special time of year for families and the church. The Advent season allows us to prepare our hearts for the birth of the Christ child. I also love all of the traditions that come with Christmas – decorating the tree with ornaments that have been passed down from generations, giving and receiving presents,...