Many times when we are taught about being good stewards over the resources that God has made available to us, the focus is usually on money. There is an even more important resource that God has given to us and most of us are guilty of squandering it on useless activities. That resource is TIME!!

If you were to take the time to make a journal of how you spend your time each day you would be surprised to see how much of it is spent doing things that are not adding any value whatsoever to your life. In particular, not adding any value to your spiritual growth. Believe it or not, we are accountable to God for how we spend the time HE has given to us. Yes, it’s HIS TIME to be used according to HIS PLAN for our lives. I wonder how many of us really recognize this? Does this perspective of time make you see the need to change how you use your time? Does it make you see the need to be more critical of how you spend your time? It should!! I know it has made a difference in my own life. I have reached the point now where I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me in the use of my (oops, I mean God’s) time. I literally ask Him what does He want me to do next. Sometimes, He leaves it up to me but many times there are specific things if left up to me I probably would not have done. Like writing this blog every Saturday morning 🙂

I have a confession to make. Until a few months ago, I used to spend a lot of God’s time watching series on Netflix and other useless videos on You Tube. I would spend whole nights doing this as some of those series are really captivating! Then, I would feel so tired the following day and not be as productive as I ought to be. I was actually robbing myself of well needed sleep. I even began having headaches and my eyes were constantly burning. It’s amazing what lack of sleep does to your health. It doesn’t have to be specifically watching TV or videos on your laptop or phone, it could be going to social events, parties, playing video games, watching sports – anything that causes us to use extended periods of time in unfruitful activities and losing valuable sleep doing it.

One morning after such a series marathon, the Holy Spirit asked me, “So, what did you achieve? What great insight did you gain? What lasting reward has that provided for you? How has it equipped you for the work of the Lord to which you have been called? How could you have used that time better?” Of course, I was thoroughly rebuked and convicted of my own sin. After all, when the tyre hits the road, it was all about my will and not the will of the Father. I have discovered that as you submit and surrender God’s time back to Him and find out what He wants you to do with His time He still allows you times of entertainment and relaxation but in the right balance with the time spent building up your spirit man and ministering to the needs of others. Repentance anyone??

Well, 2018 is upon us and I know that this new-found stewardship of God’s time, guided by the Holy Spirit, will indeed be a continuing discipline in my life. There are books to write, ministries to establish, lessons to teach and battles to be fought in the realm of the spirit! I encourage you to join me. I guarantee you will obtain an everlasting reward as you hear the Lord saying to you, “This is My beloved child in whom I am well pleased. Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Abba Father is wanting our TOTAL SURRENDER to Him for 2018. We will be facing perilous times ahead and only those who spend time with God will know God and be strong enough to do the exploits required to gain victory over the forces of darkness.

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Eph. 5:15-17)

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. (Isa. 40:31)

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” (Mt. 16:24-27)

Have a blessed 2018!!

Shalom.