God’s Time Is Now – Redeem The Time

Ephesisans 5:15  Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, ¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore don’t be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

What does “redeem” mean?  One thing it means is to “buy back”.  If you purchase something and decide it is not suitable or the wrong size, some stores allow you to return or “redeem” your money.  You can get your money back to use for something else.

To “redeem time” is to use time for something more profitable for God’s kingdom than how you were originally thinking of using that time.

Can you increase time?  Not actually.  But you can manage time differently.

Hebrews 12:1  Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

I Corinthians 10:23  “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are profitable. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things build up.

We all have to make choices of how we use time.  The Bible indicates that while some things are permissible, they are not the wisest use of time.

How do we find out the best use of time?  This takes a dedicated walk with God.  It means taking time to read the Bible.  It means taking time to pray.  It means taking time to listen to God.

James 1:5  But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. ⁷ For that man shouldn’t think that he will receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Luke 9:23  He [Jesus] said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.²⁴ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, will save it.²⁵ For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self?

The Bible teaches that the kingdom of heaven is eternal.  The best use of time is to lay up treasures in heaven.  That means getting involved with what God is interested in, which is the salvation of souls.  In the end, souls being in heaven rather than hell is the only thing that matters.

Matthew 6:19  “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; ²¹ for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.