Making the Most of Your Time

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those

who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”

-Daniel 12:3

                The start of the new school year is here and I have had several young adults ask me how they can further empower their lives and spread the Good News of God to their peers. Reflecting on my past, I realized I was once just like them: unsure about how to draw others to Christ, afraid of rejection and rebuke. Like most people who don’t have the privilege of going to a Christian academy, I wasn’t surrounded by many people who could help me stand strong against enemy attacks. It is still the same in my college years but this past summer has been very eye opening for me. God has shown me so much and has given me so much knowledge to help prepare me for this upcoming year. So, whether you’re male or female, 12 or 62, or in grade school, college, or the work field, the Bible gives us instructions on how we can be good disciples of God.

                First, we must put all fear of mankind aside. This life is fleeting; it’s just a small dash between two numbers on a stone-a hand’s breath. What matters is how we define ourselves and spend that time. The years fly by and our mortal lives will soon be over. Did you live that life for God?

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of

evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in

Heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

-Matthew 5:11-12

                God gives each and every one of us spiritual gifts. He gives us these gifts to help us draw others to Him. He wants us to use them for His works so that everyone may see His grace (1 Peter 4:10-11) and we can save spirits from death.  Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us to be careful and wise in the way we live so that we can make the most of every opportunity thrown our way. In Paul’s letter to Timothy, he gives Timothy instructions on how to be a light for others.

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set

an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity. Until I come,

devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, and to teaching…

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone

may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because

if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

-1 Timothy 4:12-13…15-16

                The words that come out of our mouths are very important. We don’t always have to mention Jesus’ name but we should be cautious about what we say. It is not what goes into our mouth that makes us unclean, but rather what comes out (Matthew 15:11). Things that come from the mouth are what consume the mind and the heart. Like 6:5 states that the mouth speaks what is overflowing from the heart.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is

helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

-Ephesians 4:29

“A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.”

-Proverbs 14:25

                What we say greatly influences others. Proverbs 10:21 tells us that the lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment. The nourishment is not for the body but for the spirit. The righteous communicate spiritual knowledge and understanding of divine things; these things are the bread of life. Men suffer a spiritual death when they don’t accept and understand Biblical truths.

“The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.”

-Proverbs 13:14

                How we talk also plays a role in who we impact. If we talk with hesitation or as though we are flustered, we will cause people to doubt. We need to be serious and firm in what we say, not stuttering or too humorous.

“In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot

be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed

because they have nothing bad to say about us.”

-Titus2:7-8

                You might be worried about what to say when someone asks you a question about your faith or God. You shouldn’t be afraid. Study the Scripture and pray to God for wisdom. In Nehemiah 2, the king’s cupbearer Nehemiah was very saddened by hearing about the destruction of the wall of Jerusalem. The king, upon seeing him, asked him what was troubling him and what Nehemiah wanted. Very quickly, Nehemiah prayed to the Lord that he might direct him with the right words to say. The apostle Paul, the wise speaker and loyal believer, even requested prayer for knowledge and courage.

“Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be

given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which

I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

-Ephesians 6:19-20

                One tool that I use is the Pocket Testament League. You can order 30 Gospels of John every 30 days for free. The goal is to hand out at least one a day to help spread the Word. The site also sends Daily Devotions to your email and provides other tools in how you can spread the Word.

                Jesus is the ultimate example of a good teacher. We should live by his example and love at all times and allow God to work through us. Let us not choose our own words but listen to what He wants us to say and do. A simple act of kindness can have a big impact on a stranger.

“In everything set them an example by doing what is good.”

-Titus 2:7

Are You Committed?

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the

one and love the other, or he will be devoted

to the one and despise the other.”

-Matthew 6:24

                In our relationship with God we need to be 100% committed to Him. We cannot say that we live for Him if we only go to him when we need something and then continually sin or forget about God when we are financially stable or feel that things are going good for us. We can’t maintain a strong relationship with the Lord if we don’t do his will for us. He won’t let his grace rain down on us if we turn our backs.We will be punished when the time for His judgment comes. We cannot wait and delay our confession of Christ until we are on our death bed so we can live rebelliously either because we do not know when we are going to die. We could die instantly in a car accident and never receive the opportunity again to be saved.

               

“But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless

and in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.”

-Hebrews 6:8

                We need to be careful not to backslide into our old ways. God is a jealous god and will not let His kingdom be a divided one.  If we confess Jesus as our savior but then don’t live according to His law and His will then we are not useful to Him and we bear bad fruit. We bear bad fruit because we are not being righteous. When we bear bad fruit we are not drawing people to Christ; we are turning them away or not even letting them see who Jesus is. What is fruit in biblical terms? It is the manifestation of God’s works. And the only way to bear good fruit is through Him. You can say that you are a follower of Christ but that won’t save you; how do you live your life? Are you just a wolf in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15)?

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain

 in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

-John 15:4

                How do we remain in Him? Through Christ’s words. We must take up our own cross so that our sinful life can be cut off and we can be made alive in the Spirit. In Luke, when it says that we are to lose our life to save it, it means that we are to give up our own free will to perform God’s will so that we may bring others to Him and have Jesus as our savior. Therefore, we do save our life but it’s not our earthly life we save. Instead, we are saving our everlasting life so we aren’t cast into the lake of fire. The things on this earth are not as important as the promise of new life that we will have in Heaven after the Son of Man returns to harvest his people during the Rapture.

“Then he said to them all, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his

 cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses

his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole

world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”

-Luke 9:23-25

“And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

-Luke 14:27

Answering the Call

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord

of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

-Matthew 9:37-38

                God has a special calling on each and every one of our lives. We are put in certain places at certain times. Once we are saved and surrender our lives to God, nothing can interfere with His word and His plans for us. What he wants us to do is to snatch others out of the fire and help lead them to the salvation found in Jesus. He wants us to make disciples out of all the nations. The harvest is the believers of Christ, the harvest field is the very earth that we walk, and the workers are those who answered the calling to serve the Lord and reach out to others to spread the Word.

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

-Matthew 28:19-20

                When He tells us this, He doesn’t necessarily mean to go on missions trips. That’s not his calling for everyone. What He wants you to do is to witness to those in your workplace or at the store, in your community. We can even set examples in our friendships, marriages; pretty much any relationship. Some of us need to be on the home front! It doesn’t mean you have to actually preach about Him, but in your character set an example of righteousness so that those around you can desire what you have: Jesus. If you carry yourself the right way, someone might approach and ask about the joy you have and there’s a perfect opportunity to plant a seed! He intentionally puts certain people into our care, under our wing to help guide them on their walk with God. We need to be good role models and leaders but also remember that not everyone we witness to will be put under our guidance. Some might sow and some might water, but we all have different tasks (1 Corinthians 3:5-9, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6). Some people feel that they shouldn't be near non-believers but if we spend all our time cooped up with fellow believers then how are we going to help minister to those who haven’t received Christ or had God revealed to them? How are we going to do God’s will? How will we be shepherds to those that God has predestined to be part of “our flock”?

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”

-Matthew 9:12

                We do need to keep our guard up too though so that we don’t fall into temptations of those around us. As we minister to others and partake in discipleship, the enemy will try to attack us but we need to be strong and put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20).

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves, therefore

be as shrewd as a snake and as innocent as doves.”

-Matthew 10:16

                Don’t be scared, God will protect you and guide you to where you need to be. He will help lead you out of temptation if you have a desire to do his works (1 Corinthians 10:13). Don’t intentionally place yourself into a dangerous situation that may lead to backsliding, but just allow God’s will to be done. The Lord protects those who serve him (Psalm 23, Psalm 27:1-3, Hebrews 13:5-6) and he directs their paths.

‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

-Acts 9:6

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you

may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

-1 Peter 2:9

                Those who answer to God’s apostolic calling and witness to others will receive a reward. But just a reminder, this is not the only requirement to receive the reward. You must also have faith, obey the law, confess your sins and accept Christ as your Savior. You must be a light unto the world by performing good deeds and having a proper character (Matthew 5:16). That reward is an eternal life in Heaven.

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness

of the heavens, and those who lead others

to righteousness will shine like the stars for ever and ever.”

-Daniel 12:3

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving

as overseers-not because you must, but because you are willing, as

God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager

to serve; not lording it over those

entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the

crown of glory that will never fade away.”

-1 Peter 5:2-4

The Bible and Politics

              The presidential elections are being held this year in November and the candidates are going on their campaigns. Everyone is starting to decide who to vote for and others are choosing to remain loyal to their registered party. But for a moment, let’s forget about political parties. What’s really important is what the person stands for and what their moral values are. Who is going to bring God back into our country? Is there anyone at all? What needs to happen is for the voters and citizens of our country to listen to what the candidates have to say and what’s important to them.

                Who should Christian voters vote for in 2012? All of the candidates profess faith in Christ, but faith does not equate to a calling to be President, nor does profession of faith equate to faith. In the past, many have touted their relationship with Jesus to draw support and votes from Christians during the primaries, only to turn their backs on us during and/or after the general election. America does need a righteous leader, one who is wise and capable and experienced, one with strong leadership ability. Ultimately, elected officials remain responsible under God for their actions and decisions, and we need to pray for whoever ends up in office.

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers,

intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone- for kings

and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives

in all godliness and holiness.”

-1 Timothy 2:1-2

                The issue is not whether we want a God-fearing president who will lead America well. Of course we do. The issue is that a church leadership or church body might back one candidate over all the others, as though the voice of God had spoken. One pastor may support the candidacy of Rick Perry and another pastor might support Barack Obama. The fact that a church leader backs a particular candidate does not necessarily give God’s view on the matter. Voters need to do their homework.

                First, we must recognize that God ordains who should lead.

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities,

for there is no authority except that which God has

established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

-Romans 13:1

                The bible constantly states that leadership is a position given by God. That does not mean that those who became leaders obeyed God or served Him well. There are plenty of kings and rulers in Israel who turned away from God and followed their own desires. Yet, God still gave them the position for His purposes.

                The United States is a representative form of government, which means that the people of America have far more control and responsibility over what happens in their government than do the citizens of a dictatorship or a kingdom. The United States was formed as a government of, by, and for the people, and Christians have the same civic duties as all citizens. However, it seems that the leaders of our country, whether in the judicial, legislative, or executive branch, are becoming more tyrannical. Wicked leaders cause a country to fail, and that is what is starting to happen to America.

“By justice a king gives a country stability, but one

who is greedy for bribes tears it down.”

-Proverbs 29:4

“A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving

rain that leaves no crops.”

-Proverbs 28:3

“Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked

man ruling over a helpless people.”

-Proverbs 28:15

“When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;

but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.”

-Proverbs 28:28

                Also, our nation’s government should not be so large. A smaller government is better for the country as a whole. Once one man becomes wicked, he poisons the whole system (Proverbs 29:12).

“When a county is rebellious, it has many rulers,

but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.”

-Proverbs 28:2

                Regardless of how leaders conduct themselves, either in their personal lives or in carrying out their official duties, they must be obeyed. But their ungodly examples are not to be copied. By respecting those who hold offices through the authority and permission of God, we actually show respect to God Himself. While their personal conduct may be far from praiseworthy, even to the point where some corrupt the very government that they represent, they are still appointed by God to preserve order and punish law-breakers and wrongdoers.

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must

obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what

they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up

heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are

not willing to lift a finger to move them.”

-Matthew 23:2-4

                However, the salvation of the world ultimately lies in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, not the messy thing we call politics. Government decisions are important but only the blood of Jesus can save us.

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one

comes to the Father except through me.”

-John 14:6

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given

among men, whereby we must be saved.”

-Acts 4:12