Making the most of your time

(Ephesians 5:15-17)

The days that we live in are fascinating for many reasons. We are beginning to see the fulfillment of the end time prophecies and there is evidence all around us that the days are short.

It is not inconceivable to expect to see the return of the Lord in our lifetimes. This is an exciting time for those who are in Jesus Christ and will be a terrifying time for those who are not.

Which is why Paul warns us in these scriptures that we must make to most of our time.

Making the most of your time

In these times we cannot become complacent. This is the key warning in this section of scripture.

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17)

If we are to enter into God’s eternal kingdom with Jesus Christ, then we must learn His ways and follow them accurately. There will be no place for compromise or half measures. We need to seek His ways and follow them accordingly.

Now if Paul considered the time was short and the days were evil in his day, how much more so today? You do not need to look too hard to see the evil that exists in this world today. Evil is all around us and it is the work of the devil to try and drown the people of God in evil.

That is why we must make the most of our time. We need to seek the truth because there are so many lies. We need to seek what is good because there is so much evil. We need to seek God’s righteousness because this world is filled with unrighteousness and self-righteousness that in truth is no righteousness at all.

Because the days are short there is not a lot of time to find the solutions to these things and to follow God in accord with His plans.

Make the most of your time. Study the word of the Lord. Seek the Holy Spirit who will be your counsellor, comforter and guide to the path of truth.

Time is short, so do not waste it on the things of this world that have no permanence but are temporary and fading.

And if you are able, speak to people about your faith and convince some who may be wavering or uncertain. Do this because the time is short.

Encourage those Christians with whom you come into contact. Encouragement is essential in these last days because the days are evil and getting worse every day.

All of these things work together to ensure you are making the most of your time.

Seek Wisdom

If we are to make the most of our time then we need wisdom.

It takes wisdom and understanding to reject what is false and to hold fast to what is true. Those who are wise see the difference between right and wrong and can reject what is false.

This is important for all Christians, and we should note that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God as we are told in the Proverbs of Solomon. Those who have come to Christ and to God have the fear of God because they realise they are in need of a Saviour and know the power of God and Jesus Christ to be able to save mankind if people will only come to Him.

Wisdom guides our walk with Christ so that we do not fall into the pitfalls of false teaching.

In Galatians, Paul warns about accepting a different gospel, that is, one that is false and not of the truth of Jesus Christ.

Our challenge today is that there are many false gospels in the world and in the church at large today. And it is evident that there are different gospels simply because of the multitude of denominations, sects and church groups that exists in the world today. They do not all accept what the other groups believe totally and they have differences in what they do believe.

They cannot all be right. Sure, there are elements of truth in all of the different Christian religious groups, but the devil has been at work for two millenia subtly bringing in false teachings to sway the flock of Christ. And the devil has been very successful at his dastardly work. There are many, many false teachings in the church today.

It requires wisdom to seek and find the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus promised that if we would seek diligently, He would show us the truth. But it requires some work on our behalf to seek and question what we hear, not blindly accepting the words of anyone but checking for ourselves.

The Bible does not contradict itself, contrary to what some atheists try to say. There is no conflict between the teachings of the Old and New Testaments. But to see how these two work you need to seek and find the truth because as Jesus said in John chapter 8, “The truth will make you free.”

Only the truth of the New Covenant in Jesus Christ can make people free and you can only find that truth by seeking it in the wisdom of God. Seek wisdom and you will find the truth.

Understand the will of the Lord

Finally, if we are to please God and the Lord Jesus Christ, then we must learn what His will is. We are fortunate for His will is quite simple to find and we can read clearly what the work of God is.

28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” (John 6:28-29)

If you want to truly do the work appointed by the will of God, then do what He told us to do: Believe in Jesus Christ. And if we take that point one step further we see that the will of God aligns with the words of this scripture today in Romans 12:2.

Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

The will of God is that we be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ, who is the image of God the Father. We can only be transformed by the renewal of our mind when we seek to understand the will of God through wisdom. We gain wisdom through studying the words of the Lord in the Bible and immersing ourselves in His words, accompanied by seeking wisdom in and through prayer.

Transformation of the spirit is the will of God for mankind, but man must first seek Him. And especially in this day and age where the days are evil and the time is short.

These are the keys to making the most of your time. Seek the Lord and seek the transformation of the Spirit that comes only in Jesus Christ.

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