Be circumspect (1)
In discipleship, in the local church, we are taught everything – everything (including how the believer should spend the new year) should be taught. In the new year, there are desires and already-set expectations, and they are diverse. Expectations are sometimes not equal to achievement, however, with all these expectations, the believer ought to know how he or she ought to spend the new year.
One way to spend the new year is to use time wisely. If the believer is going to grow as he or she aims to or to serve God as you ought to, then the believer must learn to use time wisely.
Read Matthew 26:36-46;
Jesus took his disciples to pray, but the disciples ended up sleeping. He asked them the question: ‘Couldn’t you watch with me for an hour?’ and at the third time, he just told them to sleep, meaning the time for the prayer had gone. Time is very vital. You don’t have all the time in the world, it is one of the deceptions the devil will throw at man, that he has all the time in the world. Time is currency, it’s very vital, use it wisely – someone once said ‘People waste time the way they waste money’. One truth people rarely want to hear is that we cannot have more time, we only have less, and so we have to use our time wisely.
It is good to have expectations and desires, but you should also know how to use the time wisely. The believer spends his/her new year fruitfully to use time well. The difference between those who are actively serving the Lord and those who are not is time.
Colossians 4:1-2
1. Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
2. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
In the gospel, we learn what to do with our time – Paul tells the church in Colossae to continue in prayer (verse 2), and then in verse 5, he tells us how to walk in wisdom – to redeem the time. The wise man is the one who uses his time well. Don’t make the mistake of acting like you are in control of time because you are not. There will be different times to do different things, all you have to do is ensure you always remember to ask yourself ‘Am I using my time wisely?’. Time is precious, whenever you are led by the spirit of God to do certain things, ensure you do them.
Psalms 90:12; So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom
The psalmist is saying that as one takes account of time, he gets wiser. You have to know how to use your time – there is time for everything and the moment time is gone, it is gone.
Therefore, in this new year and beyond, use your time wisely.
Daily Bible Reading Plan:
Bible Reading: Genesis 1-3
TEACHING OF THE DAY
Living from a quiet time