WHAT ARE WE TO DO WHILST WE ARE WAITING ON EARTH?
EPHESIANS 5
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Do you want to get to heaven, as Paul did?. But had to stay on earth
Philippians 1:23
King James Version
23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
We are citizens of heaven, we long for that place, but we are needed here on earth, until the Lord sees fit to call us home, so what are we to spend our time doing?
We are to redeem our time, not waste it, lets look at some of the things we could be doing.
WORKING 2 Corinthians 6 :1
We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
We are not here to be idle; we are workers together with God, this is a joint venture, we are his co-workers. Yes, we are unworthy servants Luke 17:10, but we are God’s instruments to serve and reach a world that needs to know Him.
In Galatians 6 and 2 Thessalonians 3, we are told not to be weary in well doing, in other words, keep doing good, keep serving others, keep on serving God.. don’t stop even for a minute.
WATCHFUL ISAIAH 62:6
Isaiah 62:6
King James Version
6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence,
A watchmen is constantly on the lookout, even the slightest hint of danger, they report it, nothing gets past them, they see everything.
Jude said that people had crept into the church without people noticing, maybe the watchmen were asleep or distracted?
Are you keeping watch?
If you are a pastor, are you keeping watch over your sheep? Are you guarding the flock of God?
Ordinary believer, are you watching out for false doctrine spreading in your church and are you watching over young believers in your fellowship?
WORSHIPPING
What will we be doing in heaven? Worshiping and praising God.
We ought to be a worshipping people, our hearts should show forth the glories of the Lord. Let’s get focused on heaven by worshipping God on a daily basis, as that is what we will be doing in heaven. Let’s have a real heart for worship, adoration and praise to God.
WITNESS ACTS 1:8 MATTHEW 28:16-20 AND COLOSSIANS 4:2-6
Our greatest honour is to share the gospel, to be used by God to bring another person to Christ, is awesome. This is probably the main reason, we are here, not to make money, not to satisfy ourselves but to reach others.
This must start with our families, we have to touch our families for Jesus, many households are divided, a mother trusts Christ but the husband doesn’t. This is so important, so many women in China, put church first, but they have the wrong priority, its family first.
WARNERS
We need to be Warners, people are going to a Christless eternity, are you a watchman on the wall, if you are and then you see danger, but don’t see anything and the wall gets broken down, you are guilty. Ezekiel Chapters 3 and 33
WARMERS
Are you a warmer?
What is a warmer?
Do you open up your home to fellow believers?
Is your home a haven for Christian friendship and fellowship?
When people meet you, do you warm them or repel them?
Are you a Christian, that makes others feel comfortable and warm?
WARRIORS INVOLVED IN WARFARE 2 TIMOTHY 2:3 COLOSSIANS 4:12 2 COR 10:4-5 EPHESIANS 6:10-18
We are in hand to hand combat, as a:
Soldier
We are all soldiers in God’s army, we have armour, we have weapons. Whilst we are here on earth, we will spend our time in spiritual warfare, remember Christian, you are in a war. In Pilgrim’s progress, Pilgrim had many battles with the enemy, he was equipped with armour, why because he was to experience daily spiritual warfare.
Prayer warrior
Epaphras was a man who battled fervently in prayer, he was a fervent prayer warrior. Our prayers are a dynamic spiritual weapon,
Are you a fervent and passionate prayer warrior, like Epaphras was.
What are you doing with your time on earth?
We are to se our time in God honouring activities, like the ones mentioned above, if we do this, we will sure be:
REDEEMING THE TIME
Remember use your time well.
Don’t waste your life on trivial things, invest your life in eternal things.
God bless you
Keith