Time Value & Investment
Why is it important to manage time wisely?
·
We’re supposed to be good stewards of what God has given us.
o
Whoever
is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys. (Proverbs 18:9)
·
It allows us to accomplish more; our
life can have a bigger impact.
o
Look
carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of
the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)
o
She
watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of
idleness. (Proverbs 31:27)
·
It affects who we are as individuals.
o
So
teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
·
We never know what tomorrow will bring,
so today needs to be invested well
o
Yet
you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist
that appears for a little time and then vanishes. (James 4:14)
·
It brings rewards!
o
A
little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty
will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. (Proverbs
6:10-11)
o
The
hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
(Proverbs 12:24)
o
The
soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is
richly supplied. (Proverbs 13:4)
o
The
desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. (Proverbs
21:25)
o
The
sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
(Proverbs 20:4)
·
It keeps us from being shamed by ants or
being compared to door hinges...
o
Go
to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any
chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food
in harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8)
o
As
a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. (Proverbs 26:14)
Four Common Struggles with Time:
1. Boredom
a. “Only
boring people are bored!”
b. Lists
can help:
i.
What are some things you are interested
in and want to learn more about?
“So
we have the technology needed to put man on the moon in our pockets, and we use
it to look at funny cat videos!?” –Joseph Phillips
ii.
What are some skills you
would like to learn?
iii.
(Most
importantly...) What missions do you think God might be calling you to in the
future, and how can you prepare for them?
2. Wasting Time/Procrastination
a. Always
be thinking of ways to use your time wisely.
b. Identify
time-wasters and cut them out.
c. Accountability
is key!
3. Disinterest
in Important Things
·
How much time per day do you spend
watching YouTube videos, playing computer/phone/video games, being on social
media, or surfing the Internet?
·
How much time do you spend on
“me-time”...doing only what you want to do?
·
How much time per day do you spend
reading your Bible and praying?
·
How much time do you spend investing in
relationships with family and friends?
·
How much time do you spend serving
others?
·
If someone were to look at the way you
spend your time, what would they say are your priorities?
4. Busyness/Over-Commitment
a. If
rest was important enough for God to base one of the Ten Commandments on it, we
should pay attention!
b.
Mark 2:23-28
Memory verse: Ephesians 5:15-16
Extra credit: Psalm 90:12, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Romans 14:4
