Do Justice To The Time Given Us

* The maturity of a Christian can be seen from the way he redeems his time.

* However, the immature Christian always does injustice to his time:

1) Does things without a godly purpose.

2) Does things mindlessly.

* “Me time” comes from a self-centred tendency. It doesn’t has its roots in the gospel.  

* Not managing our time well is not being morally right before God.

<Eph 5:15-17>: 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

<Proverbs 24:33-34>: 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 34 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.

* Beware of Negligence

* Charles Spurgeon (on negligence): “Rest assured of that; the best will become the worse if we neglect it. Neglect is all that is needed to produce evil. If you want to know the way of salvation I must take some pains to tell you; but if you want to know the way to be lost, my reply is easy; for it is only a matter of negligence.”

<Pro 6:6-8>: 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

* The value of hard work

* Always working for the future

** How do we do justice to the time given us? **

Good Stewardship

* All of my time is God’s time by which I am a steward.

* Not “me time”, but stewardship.

* Free to do anything, but beware of overindulgences.

* Managing our time wisely knowing the Lord’s will.

Time can be redeemed by concentration and focus

* When we are distracted from serious and needful work, we waste time.

* Train our mental stamina.

Free your mind to think creatively while performing ordinary function.

* Sometimes, when we are given space to think, new ideas come.

* Ordinary functions (e.g. exercising, showering, dining) sometimes free our mind to think.

* <1 Thes 5:17> says: “pray continually”.

* As God’s image bearer, we are not only to work hard, but work creatively.

Spend appropriate amount of time on recreation and leisure.

* St Augustine once advised believers to learn as much as possible about as many things as possible, since all truth is God’s truth.

Manage our sleep patterns and waking hours well.

* Sleep enough to have full focus in serious work.

* We are most accountable to God for our productive hours.

* Importance of a daily blessed schedule.