God Created Time for His Purposes
God created time for His purposes. Time can refer to the measurement of time; a year, a day or an hour. Time can also refer to the passage of time; the past, the present and the future. But in Christianity, it can also represent a set time for a particular purpose, or the season of opportunity appointed by God for His purposes to be fulfilled.
Time can represent a set time for a particular purpose or the season of opportunity appointed by God for His purposes to be fulfilled!
“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven”.
(Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Man has been encumbered with the burden of time. Each one of us is given a set number of days to live on the earth. And God has set in place set seasons in which to take advantage of His promises, so that His purposes on the earth might be fulfilled. Jesus Christ was our example. He knew there was a set season in which to do the work of His Father and He made the most of every opportunity.
The time will come when the season or opportunity for doing the Father’s work will be gone.
As believers in Christ we need to understand, that while we are in the world and Christ lives in us, He remains the light of the world to impact the world through us.
Jesus said; “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world”.
(John 9:4 & 5)
The Time Is Short
God is: “Longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3: 9).
God’s purposes declare God’s heart!
We must come to understand that the heart, will and purposes of God are to reach those who are lost. There is an urgency to reach the lost because the time is so short. Paul instructs us to live our lives with this urgency. We must be prepared to give up our very lives in order to reach the lost.
“But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away”.
(1 Corinthians 7:29 – 31)
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time”.
(Revelation 12:11 & 12)
Now is the Time to Awake!
The Apostle Paul tells us to know the time. Many believers in Christ and non-believers alike are spiritually asleep and unaware of what is going on around them in the spiritual realm.
Now is the time to awake out of spiritual sleep!
“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light”.
(Romans 13:11 & 12)
Now is the time of salvation!
“‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation”.
(2 Corinthians 6:2)
Now is the time for harvesting souls.
“Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”.
(John 4: 35)
Redeeming the Lost
It is every believers responsibility to redeem the time!
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is”.
(Ephesians 5:15 – 17)
The Greek word used here for redeem is ‘exagorazo’, meaning ‘to ransom or buy back.’ The word for time used here is ‘kairos’, meaning ‘season or opportunity’ (Strong’s Concordance). Paul tells us we are not to walk as fools but as wise. That we are to walk circumspectly, meaning ‘exactly; accurately; diligently; perfectly’ (Strong’s Concordance).
There are set seasons or opportunities available to us in which to redeem the lost, but then those opportunities will be gone!
If we are diligent and wise and understand what the will of the Lord is, we will not miss those opportunities right in front of us.
- Redeeming the time is God’s will for every believer!
- When we walk circumspectly we will not miss today’s opportunities to redeem the lost.
When we walk circumspectly we will know a sense of purpose and assurety in our spiritual walk.
Prayer: “Father God I come to you today to ask you to fill my heart with urgency for reaching the lost. Where I have been spiritually asleep, awaken me! Give me eyes to see the opportunities You have placed in front of me. Do not let me be neglectful of fulfilling Your commission that commands me: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen” (Matthew 28:19 & 20).
Today I command every fear and distraction to stand aside in the Name of Jesus. I thank You, Father, that Your purposes declare Your heart and I testify before You today, that I will no longer follow my own purposes, but I will follow Yours. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
