Now is the time!

Ephesians 5:15-16 (King James Version)

15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Colossians 4:5 (King James Version)

5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

The Lord really spoke to my heart about this lately...Redeeming the time! According to the Bible, if we are to be wise, we must be managers of our time. Sometimes, we can be completely scheduled and organized, and still not be managers of our time. As I was thinking about this post, I was thinking about the different stages in life that we go through in life, and we are always wanting to rush through certain stages to get to another stage...do I seem to be rambling on? haha...I seem to have several ideas running through my mind right now...but the first one that I would like to discuss is one stage that I am in right now...actually I am in two that I will discuss...

1. Single hood...oh...the dreaded years of living a single life...no family...no husband...or wife if you are a guy reading this...hehe...but yes, I know, from personal experience that this is a big time in our lives as singles that we need to be managers of our time.

I Corinthians 7:32 KJV

32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that

belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

This is our time to take to learn the things that we need to learn. This is our time to serve the Lord to our fullest potential! As a lady, this is our time to learn the things that are necessary for marriage, such as cooking, dealing with children, learning to live with other people, being a servant, learning to have a meek and quiet spirit, etc.

I Peter 3:1-5 KJV

1Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

2While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

3Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

4But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

5For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

Now, I am sure that plenty of married women can tell you that they wished they had done some of these things before they were married. We are so quick to say that we will do that tomorrow or when I get married then I will learn that or be this way or that. Now is the time to cultivate a walk with the Lord. Now is the time to serve the Lord to our fullest potential. Now is the time.

I covered the women, but as men, I can tell you what most Christian young ladies are looking for...as a man, you need to be serving the Lord to your fullest potential! You need to learning skills that you will need as a husband, such as building a relationship with your heavenly Father, with your family, becoming a good worker, being faithful to the Lord and church, manager of your money. Now is the time.

I could really go into great deal about this, but the message that I want to get across is now is the time! Don't waist your single years pining for the future...trust me, I have failed in this...but with the Lord's help, I am learning many things...learning to enjoy time with my family, educating my self by reading and learning new skills (there is a difference between schooling and education, we should never stop our education. A person can be schooled but never really learn or glean from it, but that is another post for another time!) But I am also learning to apply these things!

Okay, now for number 2:

2. Full-time Christian Ministry...

I Peter 4:13-14

13Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

As a pastor's daughter, I have been in many services and seen men and women stand up and say, "I feel like the Lord is calling me to fultime Christian service," but most of them just sit in a pew Sunday after Sunday, never doing anything. And I think, what are they waiting for?!? We have some men in our church that are serving the Lord in their local church that have been called to the ministry, and praise the Lord for the help, they have given my daddy as a pastor.

I can say that my daddy has been a great example of this. When he was called to preach, he took every opportunity to preach! He was a bus captain. He would stop in at church on some days to see if there was anything he could be doing. He went soulwinning at any opportunity. He sang in the choir. Whatever he could find in the church to do, he would do! He did not wait until he had a church of his own. He did not wait until he had a 4-year college degree or a master's or a doctorate! He started at the time that God called him to full time Christian service! Now, I am not saying that schooling is wrong, that you do not need a degree or education, but I heard a preacher one time say that what you are now is what you will be later...something to that saying...understand?

Now is the time to be what the Lord would have you be! Now is the time to start enjoying your life...now is the time to become the Christian that you should be! Now is the time! Serve the Lord...for what is your life?