SUNDAY FEBRUARY ,14TH 2021

MEMORY VERSE: - “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes” (Songs of Solomon 2:15).

INTRODUCTION: -Every day that breaks are a new gift from God that is why it is called “Present”. We thus, need to approach each day with all seriousness, determination and purpose. We must learn how to organize our time so that God’s will and plan for our lives can be fully accomplished within our ephemeral stay here on earth.

B) Identifying The Time Wasters And To Overcome Them

1) Sleep: - Sleep is indeed good and it’s a gift from God (Ps.127:2). But sleep becomes sin and injurious when it is too much (Acts 20:19-21). Medical science says for a healthy living a man should have a t least six (6) hours sleep in a day. But some people can sleep for ten (10) to twelve (12) hours in a day.

If you sleep for eight (8) hours in a day, it shows you have spent one third (1/3) of the day sleeping, in a year, you must have spent four (4) months on sleep alone. By the time you are sixty (60) years, you have spent an average of twenty (20) years of your life sleeping (Prov.6:9-11; 19:15; 24:33). The Bible says it is a great waster (Prov.18:9).

2) Indiscipline: - Indiscipline or lack of self-control is a great time waster and leads to sin. Any time spent for sin or indulgence is a waste for it could have been judiciously spent on something profitable, more and honourable, which could add value to life. Indiscipline makes one spent time on gossiping or gisting or jesting about irrelevant things (Eph.5:3-4).

Indiscipline can make one a busy body going from one place to another rumour mongering, backbiting or spoiling others. Some other people can spend hours talking about politics, sport etc, worst of it all is spending hours at Newspapers’ stand analyzing and arguing (1Kgs.20:40).

When we live disciplined life, we live a profitable and productive life. So, get up and do things that need to be done when they need to be done to add value to your life.

3) Television, Radio, Social Media And Telephone: - These are all helpful tools for training and developing of minds, but we must be careful with their use. They can become activities that will distract us from important valuable things that may need to be done. Too many people can watch part 1-3 of home videos just sitting down at once. Some others can spend 4 – 6 hours on social media, internet surfing etc and get addicted to them. This is how precious time is being wasted on the altar of nothingness.

These things if they are not properly controlled can destroy relationships. Rather than creating time out with family and friends, some people spend their time in front of TV or operating phone or on social media. Those who know the value of relationship will be willing to give more time to it by switching off Television, radio, social media or close that very interesting book now and then.

Today is unique! If has never being before and it will never be repeated. At midnight it will quietly, suddenly and totally end forever, giving way for tomorrow. But the hours between now and then are filled with great opportunities with eternal possibilities. It is only one day at a time, you can never have yesterday again because it is gone forever neither can you live tomorrow today because it has not yet and may never come. Live today, by divine enablement to the full as if it were the last on earth. Remember “there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, no wisdom in the grave whither thou goest” (Eccl.9:10). Redeem The Time!

1. How can you moderate your sleep?

2. How can TV/Social media affect relationship