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Probably
the most precious commodity that we have is time.
Whether you are rich or poor, young or old, we have exactly the same
number of hours in each day available to us.
The only thing that differs is how long we live.
It is not an accident that we use the same terms when referring to time
as we do to money. Here are just a few.
We say that we waste time and we waste money.
We say that we lost time and we lost money.
We say that we invest time in a project we invest money in a project.
We say that we save time and we save money.
We need to add to that incomplete list that:
Our money has been stolen and more importantly,
Our Time has been stolen.
Our individual, supremely accurate preset clock is
relentlessly ticking our life away.
It is counting down the fleeting hours of our life whilst we busy
ourselves and fill our days with never ending,
often meaningless activity.
Most seem totally oblivious that we are all running out of time.
There is nothing we can do to stop the clock but we can certainly
choose to spend our time wisely and profitably.
Many of us have many clocks and several watches, however,
we do not know the time. We are admonished to know the time.
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 (first KJ21) believed.
BBE Colossians 4:5 Be wise
in your behaviour to those who are outside,
making good use of the time.
Ephesians 5:15 See then that you walk circumspectly,
not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
The Strong's definition of 'redeeming' - Strong's No 1805
1) to redeem
1a) by payment of a price to recover from the power of another,
to ransom, buy off
2) to buy up, to buy up for one’s self, for one’s use
Interestingly it does not simply say to use the time.
The implication seems to be that someone else has claimed and even
owns your time and you have to exert great effort to buy it back in
order to regain it for your use.
It is easy to see that as this is such an important issue,
it comes under the most severe attack by the enemy.
He tries to steal our time from us at every opportunity.
Regardless of the country of residence, many of the people
to whom I speak say the same thing.
They tell me, and I see how very hard they are working and
that they have no time to do anything for themselves.
Their time and life has effectively been stolen.
Often they are worn to a frazzle and are right at their wits ends.
The problem is that the enemy has
managed to systematically steal
their time and they are quite
unaware of his schemes.
Christ came to give us life whilst Satan works diligently to
lie, steal,
and to kill us..
John 10:10 The thief
cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill,
and to destroy: I am come that they might have life,
and that they might have it more abundantly.
John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the
lusts
of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning,
and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in
him.
When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar,
and the father of it.
Satan is a liar, a thief and a
murderer.
He is not a figment of the
imagination.
We have to realise that this is reality and not just a
theological concept. This is his literal occupation.
In addition to these activities, he is constantly accusing us before God,
Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,
Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of
our God,
and the power of his Christ:
for the accuser of our brethren
is cast down,
which accused them before our
God day and night.
Many people presume life and quite incredibly appear to be totally
unaware of the brevity of life or its speed as it rushes past us.
NKJV Job 7:1 "Is there not a time of hard service for man
on earth?
Are not his days also like the
days of a hired man?
KJ21
Job 7:6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
and are spent without hope.
7 "O remember that my life is wind; my eye shall no more see good.
8 The eye of him that has seen me shall see me
no more;
Your eyes are upon me, and I
am not.
9 As the cloud
is consumed and vanishes away,
so he that goes down to the
grave shall come up no more.
The last part of verse 9 refers to the fact that the physical body
remains in the grave and knows nothing until the resurrection.
The
spirit, however, returns to God who gave it in the first place.
We need therefore to use the time
profitably as we cannot
in anyway add or detract from what we did up to the point
at which we die. The sad fact is that vast multitudes are going
through the motions of living while they simply are waiting to die.
Ecclesiastes
12:7 Then shall the dust return
to the earth
as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
The spirit, however, according to the record of Lazarus
and the Rich man is fully aware of itself.
It is important to realise that this does not claim to be a parable.
See Then You Die.
There are only two places in the Gospels that Christ uses the word fool.
The first refers to the person who is angry with his brother.
The second refers to the person who presumes life.
BBE
Luke 12:20 But God said to him,
You foolish one,
tonight I will take your soul
from you, and who then will be the owner
of all the things which you
have got together?
The words Foolish One is translated Fool in the Av and other versions.
Rotherham's translation says Simple One.
Young's Literal translation says Unthinking
One.
This physical life does not go on forever. Everything that
you are,
have, and own, can vanish in a moment. You can see this on the news
every day.People just like you, educated, hard working, professionals,
young and old, rich and poor or the simple and the ignorant are
brought to nothing in a flash. Everything they have worked for
diligently has been whisked away. Often many lose their lives as well.
Recently I was speaking to someone about the vanity of accumulating
wealth and presuming life.
There was someone listening whom I did not know.
He just kept nodding his head in agreement.
When I finished he said "I know exactly what you mean".
He had success. He had his millions. The volcanic eruption in Montserrat
had wiped it all out. He is one of a countless multitude.
James 4:14 Whereas you know not what shall be on
the morrow.
For what is your life? It is even a vapour,
that appears for a little
time, and then vanishes away.
We need to understand that the enemy will use anything at all
to eliminate us. Of course he cannot do this outside of God's will.
Anything will be used, it can appear to be good or evil,
it does not matter.
We must never forget that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
was a single tree.
This one composite tree had just a single fruit. It was death.
Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
you shall not eat of it:
for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.
Satan is far too clever and subtle to give simple straightforward
choices. The classic temptations do not work that way at all.
There is a mixture, and he also twists, perverts and misapplies
what has been said.
Genesis 3:1 Now the
serpent was more subtle than any beast of the
field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the
woman,
Yea, has God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the
garden?
God had said the exact opposite
Genesis 3:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying,
Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat:
There was a single exception to what could be eaten.
The Eternal said the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
was not for food. That was quoted above in Genesis 2:17,
Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman,
You shall not surely die: (A Lie)
God had said the exact opposite
Genesis 2:17 But of the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you
shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof
you shall surely die.
Genesis 3:5 For God knows that in the day you eat
thereof,
then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods,
knowing good and evil. (Truth)
Proof of this is
Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened
Genesis 3:22 And the LORD
God said,
Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and
evil:
Regarding the issue of time, you will often find a mix of reasons
which results in your time being stolen.
If you are employed, there will always be a very good reason
why you have to work late, to take work home, to skip lunch, etc.
Pressure at work often prevents the taking of holidays.
Strangely, often the reward for this diligence is that if you don't take
the holidays within the specified time you stand to lose them.
Your diligence and dedication is
used to control and manipulate you.
Regardless of this you can be disposed off in an instant
without any
consideration of lengthy loyal of service.
It does not matter if you are young or old.
Young people are put under gruelling schedules for assignments at school
and university that pushes them to breaking point, and many do break.
This all starts at a very young age.
The work of teachers continues long after they have left school as
they have to plan lessons and mark many books for excessively
large classes and for a variety of subjects.
Some of my teacher friends who had very senior positions have given
up teaching due to the excessive pressure.
Many schools are more concerned with statistics and results
than their pupils. Many subjects have absolutely no relevance to life
or even earning a living. The Latin I learnt has not helped me at all.
The Trigonometry and Algebra has not helped me to solve any
problems at all. The Religious instruction was sadly lacking.
The stark reality is that these things meant many wasted
years and effort.
Our young people are forced to make choices and decisions
when they are not really equipped to do so.
Often they cannot do what they really want to do.
They endure courses of absolutely no interest to them.
For some this continues in higher education.
The result is that some have to change college and university courses
after wasting a year or two doing some unsuitable course.
Many courses are filled with irrelevant mind numbing
material.
A year of diligent and good work can be lost by a short exam of
a few hours because you had an off day, you did not feel well
or you were unfortunate and you or your tutor did not cover
the specific material sufficiently, if it was covered at all.
We are tied up in red tape with numerous complex and extensive
forms to complete. The number of forms that policemen and others
have to complete to record even the simplest events make it easier
not to record it and to pretend that it did not happen.
Whilst you are doing these things you are also worried that there
is probably some rule or some law somewhere that you are breaking.
All of this wastes time and messes your mind up at the same time.
The truth is that many are used and abused in countless situations.
Many work in totally unsatisfactory conditions where their life is cut short
and in spite of the regulatory bodies injuries take place.
Both of these steal our time.
We need to keep firmly in mind that
Satan is the god of this world.
The systems in place at this time
are under his direction.
The Scofield Study bible notes puts it very well.
This is a very powerful and damning statement indeed.
We need to read and inwardly digest this.
If you try to go against the system the authorities will resort to armed
force. We see this even in countries viewed as democratic.
'Satan has organised the world of
unbelieving mankind upon his
cosmic principles of force, greed,
selfishness, ambition, and pleasure.
This world-system is imposing and
powerful with armies and fleets;
is often outwardly religious,
scientific, cultured, and elegant;
but, seething with national and
commercial rivalries and ambitions,
is upheld in any real crisis only
by armed force,
and is dominated by Satanic
principles.'
Many think that when Christ returns, He is going to take what
we consider to be the best of this current world and build on it.
I am still utterly unconvinced that this will be the case.
Close and detailed examination of all aspects of our society leave
a great deal to be desired.
Inbuilt inequalities, corruption, and greed abound.
I feel that all of it will be swept away and replaced with a fair
and equitable system that will bless all people regardless of sex
or race and this will be from the ground up.
At present the foundation is faulty, therefore
the foundation has to be completely replaced by one of
Truth and Love, which of course is
Christ.
Such a system does not exist anywhere today.
The present system is Satanic.
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the
minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the
glorious
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine
unto them.
In the temptations of Christ, Satan offered him that which
he had authority to give. Christ never said that they were not his to give.
Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took him up into an
exceeding high mountain,
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the
glory of them;
9 And said unto him, All these things will I
give thee,
if you will fall down and worship me.
Once we understand this, the confusion and destructiveness of the world's
systems becomes clearer to us.
Some of the pressures which are brought to bear on us to steal
our time are as follows.
1.
Fear.
Fear of losing your job, how
would you live?
How would you support yourself and/or the family
and pay the mortgage and the bills or simply eat?
You are fully aware that there are many people who
are waiting to snap up your job if you step out of line.
2. Guilt.
If you do not do this or that,
other people will suffer.
It will not be fair on your work colleagues.
Even if you are feeling really ill with a blinding headache
you still turn up for work.
3. Business
Business and the world revolves
around making money.
To be behind in your work, or to be sick can mean that
the company will lose money.
The
casualty of cost cutting is people.
You hear of machines and
computers replacing people.
It is rare indeed to hear the reverse.
This means more work with less
people.
Again your time is stolen.
Therefore come hell or high water you will drive yourself
even to the point of a nervous breakdown or other serious illness.
The reality is that probably the firm will be there
long after you are gone. Most times someone else is getting rich
at your expense. Fewer and fewer people are being used to do
more and more, so you have more and more responsibility.
Each person is a very necessary cog in a huge wheel.
A wheel with a cog missing does not function properly.
The first casualty in mergers, restructuring,
down sizing etc., is staff.
Time and again what is needed is more staff.
It is always people who suffer. Past diligence, dedication and
loyalty do not mean you will survive.
Often the whole business shuts down.
4. Capability
You feel that you have to be seen
to be on top of your job.
Often Computer systems and the like need nursing like a
sick child. They are forever changing and breaking down.
As soon as you think you understand something, It is all change
and you are on a never ending treadmill, ever learning but never
fully knowing. You are working harder and harder,
getting more and more frustrated with each passing day
to the point of making yourself ill.
5. Keeping
up with the Jones'
Many parents are
working themselves into an early grave
as they try to fulfil the never ending desires of their children
who try to keep up with their peers by having designer clothes,
trainers, mobile phones, the latest computer games etc.
Sadly many parents themselves fall victim to this themselves as
they try to keep up with their neighbours. The difference is that
the things desired are bigger. We want a bigger and better
television set, stereo, a bigger car, a bigger house and on and
on it goes as we dig ourselves into a huge hole of debt from which
we cannot extricate ourselves. We ignore the advice of the bible
which warns us against comparing ourselves with others
2
Corinthians 10:12 Not that we
venture to class or compare
ourselves with some of those
who commend themselves. But when
they
measure themselves by one another, and compare
themselves
with
one another, they are without understanding.
6. Multiple
jobs
Sometimes to manage, often in the
case of absent fathers,
some have several jobs and work countless hours in order to
survive. I fully appreciate that this terrible bondage exists
and I accept that there is no easy answer.
However, if we put God first we have the assurance that
with God all things are possible, these are Christ's own words.
I have
no solution but I am assured that Christ has.
Mark
9:23 Jesus said unto him, If
thou canst believe,
all things are possible to him
that believes.
There is no hole so deep that Christ cannot pull you out of
it.
There is no night so dark that
Christ cannot find and rescue you.
There is no situation so hopeless
that Christ cannot turn it around.
Of course many do not fit into the above categories and
these
categories are not exhaustive. Many will have vast
amounts of their time stolen away by entertainment.
The worldwide entertainment industry which includes the news
and newspapers is a multi-billion pound industry in many nations.
I am not saying that entertainment is wrong,
but I am saying that it can take up an unacceptable amount of our
time without us realizing it.
I suppose that the number one culprit would be television.
7. Television
Disregarding the rubbish or the immoral
programs that clog up
our TV channels there are many very good, interesting and
informative programs. However, repeatedly, when we should be
sleeping to recuperate from the hardship of the day, instead we
find ourselves falling asleep in front of an interesting documentary
or movie or
some boring program. Most people who claim that they
rarely watch Television, still spend more time watching
Television
by watching the news and the occasional documentary than
they do
reading their bible or praying. The scheduling of TV
programs is no
accident. They are carefully designed to hold specific viewers,
which means you.
8. Videos
There is so much that we would
want to see on TV,
most times we can set up the video to record that which
we have missed. It is possible to have a backlog of things to watch.
Additionally there are the video stores to supplement
any shortage that might exist in our minds.
Ecclesiastes
1:8 All things are full of
labour; man cannot
utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear
filled with hearing. It is clear that our eyes will always want
to see more of whatever it is we want to watch. We cannot
see enough of it.
9. The
pride of life.
Most sin falls into three
categories.
1 John
2:16 For all that is in the
world,
the
lust of the flesh, and
the
lust of the eyes, and
the
pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world.
This verse exposes the direction and the focus of the attacks
against us. As we have been warned, we can prepare for them.
The first two points are self-explanatory.
We must recognise the importance
of the third point,
the
pride of life,
if we humble ourselves it would save us much wasted time.
It is neither a sin nor a crime to acknowledge that you do not
know. Advice that will save you much time and heartache can come
from a place or a person other than you would wish or expect.
10. Computers.
Computers which are of course
very useful
are also a prime time waster.
There are countless games that can be played by yourself
or with others over the internet.
You can spend your entire life learning to use computer programs
that you will never use profitably.
As soon as you think that you have mastered whatever it is,
a new version is released and you start all over again.
Regularly these newer versions have more problems associated with
them than the older version to which you were accustomed.
Machines are forever 'crashing' or as the banks say 'are down'.
Attempting to get 'help' can also be a great time waster.
Frequently you do not get manuals.
Even with a manual you can never find what you want,
as you do no know what you are looking for in the first place.
The shear complexity of everything and
information overload overwhelms you.
You can spend endless hours surfing
the net learning or looking for all sorts of things.
You can listen to radio and TV on your computer.
You can go into computer 'chat rooms' and speak endlessly with
others anywhere in the world about any pet topic you wish.
As a sick alternative, you can mess
up your mind with the most
gross pornography any time of the day or night for as long as
you like in the privacy of your home.
11. Sport
There is nothing
wrong with sporting activity, however,
we can spend excessive amounts of time actively indulging in it,
or alternatively as armchair sportsmen. If we don't feel energetic
we can passively partake as we soak up the action on TV.
12. Delegating
Duties
Failure to delegate at home and
at work.
Regularly we refuse to delegate because we could do whatever the
job is quicker and better than someone else.
For example parents cannot bear the long time that it takes
children to do the washing up, or some other chore,
therefore they do it themselves.
The same applies to work.
Due to slip shod and careless
work many prefer to do jobs
themselves as they would have to do it over in any case.
Any time
spent doing work that someone else should be doing
is to
have your time stolen from you.
12. The
Past
If you cling on to the past and
never let go of it,
the past will become your future.
Meanwhile there is no present as you are living in the past.
The present, your time, has effectively been stolen from you.
13. General
confusion
Systems in operation simply force
you to waste
time and you have absolutely no control over them.
Countless hours are spent waiting in traffic,
waiting for buses, trains or planes.
Telephone calls that were straightforward and took a few minutes
are no longer the same as you have to deal with machines and
call centres who have no idea about what you are speaking.
You listen to countless options and buttons to press.
Lo and behold when all that is finished
there was not one to suit your needs.
So you go over the process. Confused you wonder what to do next.
You make appointments for the gas man, the electrician etc.
You take time off from work, these workmen never arrive on time,
if they arrive at all.
14. Meetings.
Many meetings
are the greatest time wasting events imaginable
and often they achieve very little if anything.
We even have meetings about having meetings.
15. Liberty
taking.
There is no
question that we should help others and not
live selfish lives, however, time and again others organise
and allocate your time for you and take you for granted.
Of course we should be devoted to our immediate and extended
family and even friends but very often some family members
and friends plan their lives around using the time and life
of the other family members or friends.
This is an effective thief of time.
We should remember that everyone is entitled to a life.
We have seen several categories of where and how our time
is stolen from us and the list is by no means conclusive.
Some situations are totally outside our control but affect
us greatly none the less.
What can we do ?
A) Seek first the kingdom and everything
else will fall into place.
I am not saying that all problems will vanish in and instant.
We must never forget that it took a long time, diligence and
hard work, to get into the state we now find ourselves.
It is reasonable to expect that a reversal of the situation will
also take time. The Eternal will do what is best for you
in His sovereign will. This will most probably not be in the way
nor in the time frame that you think at all.
Isaiah
55:9 For as the heavens are
higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than
your ways,
and my thoughts than your
thoughts.
This means that you will give God the priority in your life which
He demands.
Matthew
6:33 But seek ye first the
kingdom of God,
and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be
added unto you.
B) It is certainly profitable to pray that our time is not wasted
and that it is spent wisely.
C) We need to pray to be delivered from addictions.
Although we may not realise it,
many things besides drugs are very addictive.
Television is one such thing.
You may be too tired to pray, study, eat or even sleep
but that state of tiredness can disappear the moment
a television program of interest appears regardless
of the hour of the night.
You have to ask yourself what is going on ?
D) It is also prudent where possible to have a plan B to utilise
the time that might otherwise be wasted.
You can always pray and give thanks for your life etc.
E) We must teach our children to respect the time of others.
Most acknowledge that we are living
in the end times.
Luke 12:56 Ye hypocrites, you can discern the face of
the sky
and of the earth; but how is it that you do not discern
this time?
It is therefore imperative that we have the right priorities
in our lives. How we get through these times will not be dependant
on our education, our possessions, our status in society, our jobs,
our fine homes, our wealth etc.
It will depend simply on one thing.
How did we spend our time?
We have to ask, whose will are we carrying out ?
We are accountable much more that we realise .
Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word
that men shall speak,
they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
This verse is followed by several verses that have even
been made popular in song.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
These verses list many activities that human beings do.
Unfortunately this is all we seem to do.
There is no mention of praying and seeking God.
This, however, needs to be our focus and priority.
There are scriptures which make it clear that there will come
a day when we will seek the Lord and we will not find Him.
While we continue our frantic
lifestyles we have no time for God.
We are just far too busy living and surviving maybe
even, 'enjoying ourselves'.
However, there will come a day when only activity
which can withstand the fire, and is pure Gold, will survive.
1 Corinthians 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest:
for the day shall declare it, because it shall be
revealed by fire;
and the fire shall try
every man’s work of what sort it is.
1 Corinthians 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned,
he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet
so as by fire.
Works are the result of how we spend our time.
Our works will be utterly tested to prove their
worth or worthlessness.
When the crisis comes, and it is inevitable, we do not want
to found saying 'if only we listened, and spent the time wisely'.
The prophet Jeremiah was told to say these words to the men of
Judah and Jerusalem, but they are a solemn warning for
all people of every age. The righteous Jeremiah was told
not to pray for the people, as God said that He would not
hear.
It is time to awaken from our
slumber as the day is far gone.
Jeremiah 11:12 Then shall the cities of Judah and
inhabitants
of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they
offer
incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time
of their trouble.
14 Therefore
pray not thou for this people,
neither lift up a cry or prayer for them:
for I will not hear them in the
time that they cry
unto me for their trouble.
Time exceedingly precious.
Psalms 32:6
For this shall every one that is godly pray
unto you
in a time when you may be found: surely in the floods
of great waters
they shall
not come nigh unto him.
Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the
LORD while he may be found,
call ye upon him while he is
near:
Psalms 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD:
He is their strength in the time
of trouble.
Psalms 69:13 But as for me,
my prayer is unto thee, O LORD,
in an acceptable time: O
God, in the multitude of your mercy
hear me, in the truth of
your salvation.
Christians be warned to be saved and to be a believer is not enough.
Peter 4:17 For the time is
come that judgment must begin at
the house of God: and if it
first begin at us,
what shall the end be of them
that obey not the gospel of God?
I pray that we will all treasure our time dearly and spent it wisely.
The only way
out of this dilemma is Jesus Christ.
He is the only way of escape.
Praise the Lord.
Come
soon Lord Jesus.
Amen.
(Bible Explanations,
Messages of Life, Hope
& Encouragement)