Saturday, January 24, 2015

January 25, 2015

"Be very careful then how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16

Decisions shape your life and they are made in real time. So, time management is crucial for a meaningful and productive life.

That is why I have been sharing four observations about wise stewardship of time and they center around your response to the question: "In light of my past experience, my current circumstances and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing for me to do?"

Reviewing the first three observations:

1) Investing small amounts of time over time is cumulative
2) Neglecting small amounts of time over time is cumulative
3) Random has no cumulative value

Or, put into the context of our study:

Investing small amounts of time over time is the result of asking the question and acting wisely.

Neglecting small amounts of time over time is the result of asking the question and acting unwisely.

Living randomly is not asking the question.

That brings us to observation four:

4) In the areas that matter most, you cannot make up for misspent time.

This is when the regrets kick in from the years of neglect and random decision-making. This happens because the question is asked too late to undo the damage.

When you have ruined relationships, health, finances, your spiritual walk and your family from neglecting to make deposits of time over time you cannot make up for it.

You can't suddenly make large deposits trying to compensate for the years of neglect. Once time is gone it is gone.

The ultimate purpose of time is to prepare for eternity. So, as long as you still have time, you have hope! While you can't undo past neglect you can begin making small deposits of time in important areas of life. Your future can be better than your past if you will begin asking the question, "In light of my past experience, my current circumstances and my future hopes and dreams where do I need to begin making deposits of time over time?"







January 24, 2015

"Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16

Life is made up of decisions, so good decisions greatly improve the quality of life. Wisdom is necessary for good decision-making.

Thus, we offer this series of messages on the one question that leads to good decisions - "In light of my past experience, my current circumstances and my future hopes and dreams what is the wise thing to do?"

While life is made better by good decisions, life consists of time. So, wise decisions about how you use your time are among the most important ones you will make.

Over the last few days I have been sharing some observations about the wise use of time.


1) Investing small amounts of time over time is cumulative

2) Neglecting small amounts of time over time is also cumulative

The third time-wise observation is: Random has no cumulative value.


So, there are those who know how to use time wisely and do it consistently. And there are those who know the wise thing they ought to do but rarely do it. And then there are those who only think about what they want to enjoy in that moment.


Random generally refers to those who live with no plan or purpose. They do what seems right or feels right or looks like the most fun. What seems fun tomorrow may be what feels right today. Since your life lacks direction or continuity you waste your time and wasting your time is wasting your life.


Random can also refer to those totally unplanned and unexpected things that happen during the course of a day. These random events tend to be a distraction to or departure from the schedule you planned for that day. It could be a legitimate crisis or it could be a result of poor planning by yourself or by others.

Saying that something is unplanned or unexpected infers that there is a plan in place. Wise people know where they need to invest their time during the day to produce the results they desire. They also know that everything won't go exactly as planned that day. They anticipate there will be interruptions arise and since they know what they want to happen they know how to adjust their plan.


Can you really afford to live without a plan? If you are living without a plan you are planning to fail. That is not wise.


Ask it - In light of my past experience, my current circumstance and my future hopes and dreams what is the wise thing for me to do?


When you ask that question they answer will never be live randomly.