Today, By Your Love, One God, I Speak Jesus-Reliably True (medley)

What word would you use to describe how you view “time”?

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

Our life is determined by our time. Our life and our time are a gift from God. We must live an intentional life so that we can live with purpose and meaning. There are four keys to living the Intentional Life:

I. EXAMINE YOUR LIFE: “Be careful how you walk…” (v.15)

How you walk is how you live your life in the conduct and direction of your life. Be attentive to the direction of our life. Where is your life headed? Move from a pursuit of success to live a life that is significant. God calls us to live a life of purpose and meaning in Christ. What are you living for? What are you exchanging your time and life for? Be careful how you walk…don’t “K-drama” your life away!

“Be careful how you walk” can be translated “to walk accurately”. Pay attention to the steps that you take in life. We can be derailed in our direction if we are not careful. Be sensitive to whether you are paying attention or not paying attention to things that are important. Don’t take your life for granted, the past is already gone. Seize the day and steward your time.

Here are two practical ideas to manage your time well: 1-Have a “THINK TIME” to keep your thoughts sharp. This may include time to read and to journal. Start with one hour each day. “An unexamined life is not worth living” (Socrates). Allow the Lord to guide your thoughts. 2-Keep a “BUFFER TIME”. Don’t put engagements back-to-back, put enough time in-between for deep, unhurried conversations, for “think times”.

II. REDEEM YOUR TIME: “Making the most of every opportunity” (v.16) 

In Greek, time can either be “chronos” where we get “chronology”, the passing of time. “Kairos” is opportune time, translated as “making the most of every opportunity”.

This tells us that every opportunity from God is precious. Be sensitive to the opportunities that God gives you. Make the most of these opportunities because they can be lost in the days of evil! By the wisdom of God, capture these opportunities in how we use our time in every season:

The “Discovery” years from childhood to youth, to young adulthood (birth to 30 years old). Learn as much as you can, because it will help you for the rest of your life. Read, grow, have deep conversations. The “Defining” years from young adulthood to middle age (30 to 60 years old) are vital contribution years. This is where you are able to take your learning and grow with experience. Most leaders in our world today are in this season; young enough to have the energy, old enough to have the experience. Pray for vital contribution, the stewardship of your gifts. In the “Deepening” years (60 years old and above) your life has been deepened by God. You have a lot to contribute, pray for a worthwhile legacy.

To do so, you must not take your time for granted. The past is gone; the future has not yet arrived. You only have the present. How do you change the past? Imagine five years into the future (i.e., today is the past already), if you use today well, and every day else, all these “todays” will become your past, then tomorrow the “past” would be a redeemed past.

III. DETERMINE YOUR PURPOSE: “Understand what the will of the Lord is” (v.17)

The Greek word for “understand” is to “see the big picture and to put the pieces together”. If we are wise, we will lean into God’s will for our lives. He is the only one who knows and holds the future and commands our destiny. The Lord’s will is totally sovereign, gloriously redemptive, sometimes puzzling but always perfect. Many Christians want to know God’s will, but very few to do the will of God. The purpose of our lives is to do the will of the Father.

The foundation of our faith should be the Word of God. But as we are faced with our pursuits (what we seek after), pains (trials) and pleasures (temptations) we tend to see life through our cognitive lens (“mind” sight), instead of through God’s eyes. The human soul cannot operate in two systems; we either throw out the Word of God, or we repent from our worldly attitude, and re-engage in the biblical worldview. But there are many Christians who operate on two belief systems, who are governed by their own operating system, while giving lip service to the Word of God. We put on a mask and live a compromised life and don’t understand the will of God. We no longer live an intentional life but a derailed and distracted life. The apostle Paul tells us how to avoid this…

IV. EMBRACE YOUR PRIORITY: “Be filled with the Spirit” (V.18)

The answer to how to live a life that is centered on God and doing His will is to be filled with the Spirit of the Living God!

“Be filled” with the Spirit is a command in the “present imperative”– you must keep on being filled by the Holy Spirit. Discipleship and spiritual warfare is daily, the filling of the Holy Spirit and the blessing of God can be a daily thing as we surrender and submit to Him. Be filled by the Spirit day by day!

This does not mean that I have more of the Spirit, or that I’m empty or half-filled by the Spirit. It’s not about how much I have of the Holy Spirit, but how much the Holy Spirit has of me! The key to the empowered Christian life is to be filled by the Holy Spirit. We cannot live the intentional life without the filling of the Holy Spirit!

We are living in the final days of world history and we have the gospel in our hands that can change human destinies. We have to run with the gospel for the glory of God by living an intentional life.

How can we live our life intentionally?

How can we best know the will of God?

Pray for your family, friends and loved ones to have the desire for the intentional life in Christ. Live out the intentional life in the power of the Spirit, “running” with the gospel wherever you go, share Jesus to those you are praying for.

• Worship God for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do in our lives.

• Upright and moral governance of public servants; repentance and salvation for government leaders and citizens for a Christ-centered Philippines.

• God’s help and comfort, salvation for Israel, wisdom for their leaders in government, military and their soldiers as they defend themselves against terrorists’ attacks. PRAISE GOD for the release of hostages so far! Continue to pray for the release of the remaining ones.

• War in Ukraine to end, loss of lives prevented; conflict in African, East Asian and Middle East countries to stop. Pray for Christians from different countries who have been persecuted, attacked and killed in recent weeks.

• CCFers would honor and love God and make disciples.

• Elders, pastors, dleaders, and families (holy, humble, harmonious, happy, heart-working).

• Ministries and churches expansion worldwide.

• Worship and Training Center

• Prayer Mountain

• Deeper intimate relationship with God.

• Righteous living.

• Salvation of family and friends.

35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.