Ephesians 5:15-17 (NKJV) 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5:15-17

 What would you say is your most prized and valuable possession?  The answers to that question are probably as varied as the people who would answer it  Things that are irreplaceable are generally the most valuable

 We all are in possession of something that is irreplaceable  Once it’s gone…it’s gone  I’m speaking of time  Each day begins with 86,400 seconds  Once the day is over, it cannot return

 Perhaps time, if it is not already, should be considered one of our most valuable possessions  With that in mind, would we be willing to surrender that to God as well?  It is worth our consideration…

 1. Time is precious Time is a very precious commodity, and we need to treat it that way How many times have you heard someone say they wish they had more time? David needed reminding of the importance of time (Ps. 39:4)

 1. Time is precious Moses also asked that God teach us to “number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps. 90:12) In the New Testament, James reminded us of the brevity of time when he said that life was just a vapor (Js. 4:14); it’s gone before you know it

 1. Time is precious Time has always been precious Men like Hezekiah begged for more time here on earth (Is. 38) The problem is that we often take time for granted, perhaps more than any other blessing that we have from God

 2. Stewardship is critical If time is one of the most important commodities we have, then the correct usage of it should be essential We must make the most of what God has given us, because we do not know when it will end How are we using our time?

 2. Stewardship is critical Are you one of those who wishes there were 25 hours in a day? If I asked what the #1 hindrance is in serving God better, what would it be? Have you ever thought or said that you would do more for the Lord if you just had more time to dedicate to Him?

 2. Stewardship is critical It’s not a matter of having more time, but making better use of what we have Paul tells us that we should make the most of the time God has given us (Eph. 5:16; Col. 4:5) Paul uses the expression in both places of “redeeming the time”

 2. Stewardship is critical That phrase means “buying up the opportunities” and “taking advantage of all occasions for doing good” (Coffman, Colossians) We must do a better job of using our time wisely, so that we will have more of it to give to our God

 3. Service is time-consuming There is no way around the fact that serving God is going to require some of the time God has given us Our surrender to God is going to mean surrendering our time to Him That’s much more possible when we learn proper stewardship

 3. Service is time-consuming Christ asked that a man follow Him, but was told, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father” (Lk. 9:59) Serving God is a sacrifice of our time Paul said that we are to do good as we have opportunity (Gal. 6:10)

 3. Service is time-consuming All the things we do for God will take of our time Reading God’s word takes time Praying takes time Serving others takes time Coming to worship God takes time

 3. Service is time-consuming Time is a blessing from God, and should be looked at as such (Js. 4:15; Lk. 12:19-20) What do we say to God at the end of time when He asks us to give an account of our time on earth Will you surrender your time to Him?