Dearly Beloved,

What is your Choice?
Spend your time; Waste your time; or Invest your time?

“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5: 16

“Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” Colossians 4: 5

The Bible tells us in 2 verses with no uncertain terms that we ought to redeem our time. We must take heed to the warning of God’s Word especially when it is spoken to us twice.

We all have exactly 24 hours in one day. No more; no less. It is the same for everyone whether you are rich or poor, young or old, healthy or sick, student or worker or retiree or home-maker. We will use our time on what we consider to be important. We only commit to things because we choose to and so, our schedule reveals our priorities. Pause and examine your schedule for the past week or month, and you may be surprised what your priorities turn out to be. Is it your favourite TV programme or Computer/HP Game or Sports or even your sleep?

Instead of scheduling your priorities around your life, we ought to schedule our lives around our priorities. What should those priorities be? In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Of the Ten Commandments, the very first commandment God gave was: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exod 20:3). The Bible is clear: God should be our number one – most important and highest priority. God wants to be number one on a list of one in our priority! In John 15:1-4, Jesus talks about pruning off things that produce no fruit. That is, He tells us to cut off anything that does not have meaningful and eternal value, which means that we are to get rid of anything that does not strengthen our relationship with God. or waste

You could spend your time doing meaningless things which is wasted time; or you could invest your time in order to make your lives count for Jesus. When you seek God as the only thing you need, He will take care of everything else as promised to us in Matthew 6:33. In Luke 10:38-42, we learn the story of Mary and Martha. Jesus told Martha she was careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful and Mary had chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. What was the one thing, which is the good part, Mary had chosen? She sat at the feet of Jesus to listen to His Word. That’s what it means to seek the only meaningful and eternal thing – God. King David said in Psalm 27:4, “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” What is the one thing we should seek today? I pray it will be God Himself.

We need to re-order our lives to focus on knowing God better, seeking Him, knowing His Word and His will and purpose for our life. That’s really the only thing needed in redeeming our time – that’s how you invest your time wisely for eternity.

Elder John Leong

How Not To Pray – I

1.  We must not harbor unconfessed sin, ‘If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me’ (Psa 66:18).

2. We must not nurture an unforgiving spirit. ‘if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses’ (Matt 6:15).

3. We must not use vain repetitions. The common form of “vain repetition” is the rosary prayer. The rosary is not a Biblical method. Our Lord forbade its use. He said, ‘But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking’ (Matt 6:7).

4. Rosary prayers are vain repetitions. God is not interested in vain repetitions. The rosary is a pagan invention. It is not in the Bible. It is made by men and enforced by men. Christians should obey Christ and not men.

(Adapted from 66 Pocket Prayers by S H Tow)