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The Talent of Time

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“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining
toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win
the prize for which God has called me heavenward in
Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13,14. NIV

The New Testament book of Philippians was written by Paul in 60-62 A.D. from a Roman Prison. While on his second missionary journey, Paul established the Philippian church whose predominate members were Gentiles.  He had a special love for these believers, a love that they reciprocated. Despite being in jail and unsure of his earthly future, Paul uses the time to write a letter to the Philippians – a book of joy through Christ.

 

Our Time Belongs to God

 

In the beginning God created man in His own image and placed them in a beautiful garden home. They were given authority over all other living creatures on earth. The first couple was happy in Eden until they disobeyed their Creator. This act allowed Satan to claim ownership of the earth. However, a plan had been devised to conquer the fallen angel. Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, came to pay the penalty of our sins, buying back, with his blood, the ownership of this world. “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19,20. Let us devote our time and our means to the service of God, that we may have his approval and receive His reward.

 

Paul’s Perspective on the Past

 

Paul came from a very privileged family and was educated by the most influential of Jewish schools. However, his upbringing afforded him little. His life was centered on the persecution of Christians and in doing so he had been persecuting Christ. Paul could have looked at the past with regret, but he looked at his past experiences with a desire to learn from them. “Whatever the mistakes or failures of the past, we may, with the help of God, rise above them. With the apostle we may say: “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.” Philippians 3:13.” KJV.

 

Paul’s Perspective on the Present

 

Paul made a conscious decision to make the most of the present. He decided to reach “forth unto those things which are before.” He did not look back at his life with either pride or remorse; he chose to make the most of the time he had remaining to work for the Lord. He developed singleness or purpose to do what he could to better his character and share the gospel of Christ with what time and strength he had left. “Singleness of purpose, wholehearted devotion to God is the condition pointed out by the Savior’s words. Let the purpose be sincere and unwavering to discern the truth and obey it at whatever the cost, and you will receive divine enlightenment. Real pity begins when all compromise with sin is at an end

 

We, like Paul, must make the most of our time God has given us to develop characters that will glorify Christ. In doing this, our lives can be a wonderful witness of the power of a living Christ.

 

Paul’s Perspective on the Future

 

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:14 KJV.  Paul was in jail as he was writing this letter, a place of despair, doubt, fear, and anger. Yet, he looked at his present condition with hope and joy, for he knew well Who held the future. He knew that there was a hell to shun and a heaven to gain and so pressed toward the mark of the high calling of Jesus. Each of us, no matter what our current situation, can look forward to heaven and the wonderful reward that Christ has prepared for the faithful.

 

It is the work that we do or do not do that tells with tremendous power upon our lives and destinies. God requires us to improve every opportunity for usefulness that is offered us. Neglect to do this is perilous to our spiritual growth. We have a great work to do. Let us not pass in idleness the precious hours that God has given us in which to perfect characters for heaven. We must not be inactive or lazy in this work, for we do not have a moment to spend without purpose or object. God will help us to overcome our wrongs if we pray and believe on Him. We can be more than conquerors through Him who has loved us. When the short life in this world has ended, and we see as we are seen and know as we are known, how short in duration and how small will the things of this world appear to us in comparison with the glory of the better world!

 

Now is the time to perfect our characters for heaven. Now is the time to present Christ to a dying world. Like Paul, we must learn from the past and then forget it. Our thoughts need to be focused on Christ and His reward for the faithful. Living the present to the fullest for Christ, and looking to the future He has prepared for us, will make the present a glory to both ourselves and also those around us.

 

Improper Use of Time

 

Sleeping too long – The bright morning hours wasted by many in bed. These precious hours, once lost, are gone never to return; they are lost for time and eternity. Only one hour lost each day, and what a waste of time in the course of a year! Let the slumberer think of this and pause to consider how he will give an account to God for lost opportunities. This lifetime is too short to be squandered in vain and trifling diversion, in unprofitable visiting, in needless dressing for display, or in exciting amusements. We cannot afford to squander the time given us of God in which to bless others and in which to lay up for ourselves a treasure in heaven. We have too much time for the discharge of necessary duties… By neglecting these essential duties and confronting to the habits and customs of fashionable, worldly society, we do ourselves and our children a great wrong.

Acquirement of wealth – That time is worse than lost to parents and children devoted to the acquirement of wealth, while mental improvement and moral culture are neglected. Earthy treasures must pass away, but nobility of character, moral worth, will endure forever. If the work of parents be well done, it will through eternity testify of their wisdom and faithfulness. Those who tax their purses and their ingenuity to the utmost to provide for their households costly apparel and dainty food, or to maintain them in ignorance and useful labor, will be repaid only by pride, envy, willfulness, and disrespect of their spoiled children.

 

Justifying self – If pride and selfishness were laid aside, five minutes would remove most difficulties. Angels have been grieved and God displeased by the hours that have been spent in justifying self. I saw that God will not bow down and listen too long justifications, and He does not want His servants to do so, and thus precious time be wasted that should be spent in showing transgressors the error of their ways and pulling souls out of the fire.

 

Disorder and disorganization – Washington, the nation’s statesman, was enabled to perform a great amount of business because he was thorough in preserving order and regularity. Every paper had its date and its place, and no time was lost in looking up what had been mislaid. Men of God must be diligent in study, earnest in the acquirement of knowledge, never wasting an hour. Through persevering exertion they may rise to almost any degree of eminence as Christians, as men of power and influence. But many will never attain superior rank in the pulpit or in business because of their unfixed ness of purpose and laziness of habits contracted in their youth. Careless inattention is seen in everything they undertake. A sudden impulse now and then is not sufficient to accomplish a reformation in these ease-loving, indolent ones; this is a work that requires patient continuance in well doing. Men of business can only be successful only by having regular hours for rising, for prayer, for meals, and for retirement. If order and regularity are essential in worldly business, how much more so in doing work for God.

 

Self Seeking - It is wrong to waste our time, wrong to waste our thoughts. We lose every moment that we devote to self-seeking. If every moment were valued and highly employed, we should have time for everything that we need to do for ourselves or for the world. In the expenditure of money, in the use of time, strength, opportunities, let every Christians look to God for guidance. “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

 

Lack of purpose or object – It is the work that we do or not do that tells the tremendous power upon our lives and destinies. God requires us to improve every opportunity for usefulness that is offered us. Neglect to do this is perilous to our spiritual growth. We have a great work to do. Let us not pass in idleness the precious hours that God has given us in which to perfect characters for heaven. We must not be inactive or lazy in this work, for we have not a moment to spend without a purpose or object. God will help us overcome our wrongs if we pray and believe Him. We can be more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

 

Selection of wrong subject matter upon which to converse – Lack of wisdom in the selection of subjects of conversation has dome much harm. The conversation should be upon spiritual and divine things; but it has been otherwise. If the association with Christian’s friends is chiefly devoted to the improvement of the mind and heart, there will be no after regrets, and they can look back on the interview with a pleasant satisfaction. But if the hours are spent in levity and vain talking, and the precious time is employed in dissecting the lives and character of others, the friendly communication will prove a source of evil, and your influence will be a savor of death unto death. 

 

Time is a valuable gift; one that we are called upon to account for, so how we use the gift is critical. The value of time is beyond computation. Christ regarded every moment as precious, and it is thus that we should regard it. Life is too short to be trifled away. We have but a few days of probation in which to prepare for eternity. We have no time to waste, no time to devote to selfish pleasure, no time for the indulgence of sin. It is now that we are to form characters for the future, immortal life. It is now that we are to prepare for the searching judgment.

 

Strict accounting of our use of time – Our time belongs to God. Every moment is His, and we are under the most solemn obligation to improve it to His glory. Of no talent He has given will require a more strict account than of our time.

 

Proper Use of Time

 

“For it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:14-16 NIV “God declares, “You have been weighted on the scales and found wanting.” Daniel 5:27 – Wanting in a knowledge of practical business, wanting in knowledge of how to make the best use of time, wanting in knowledge of how to labor for Jesus.

 


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