Fellowship Bible Church - Mullica, Hill N.J.

Ephesians 5:15-16
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Each human life has a span, and within its duration there are momentous events. Man may see them as random happenings—determined by the roll of the celestial dice—but the Bible teaches that God has a chosen purpose for everything. Man has mastered many things, but he has no control over time. Each moment is God appointed. -- J. Winter

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

(2) TAKE ACTION accordingly & MAKE CHANGES courageously
A time to kill, and a time to heal (3:3)

(1) THINK realistically & LIVE patiently
A time to be born, and a time to die (3:2)

Remember how short my life is, how empty and futile this human existence! No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave. -- Psalm 89:47-48, NLT

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Psalm 90:12, NLT

(3) REACT honestly & CONNECT with others emotionally
A time to weep, and a time to laugh (3:4)

(1) THINK realistically & LIVE patiently
A time to be born, and a time to die (3:2)

Man is active in the gaining and giving away, but passive in the losing and keeping…The whole idea in Solomon’s mind is to put possession into context: gain, but be prepared to lose; keep, but be prepared to give away.
Jim Winter

(4) PLAN appropriately & COMMIT to others sacrificially
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together (3:5)

(5) LIVE LIFE peacefully & DO LIFE minimalistically
A time to seek, and a time to lose (3:6)

GAIN all you can; SAVE all you can; GIVE all you can.

John Wesley

Man is active in the gaining and giving away, but passive in the losing and keeping…The whole idea in Solomon’s mind is to put possession into context: gain, but be prepared to lose; keep, but be prepared to give away.
Jim Winter

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
1 Timothy 6:6-8

"Minimalism is intentionally living with only the things I really need—those items that support my purpose. I am removing the distraction of excess possessions so I can focus more on those things that matter most…Modern culture has bought into the lie that the good life is found in accumulating things—in possessing as much as possible.

They believe that more is better and have inadvertently subscribed to the idea that happiness can be purchased at a department store. But they are wrong. Embracing minimalism brings freedom from the all-consuming passion to possess. It steps off the treadmill of consumerism and dares to seek happiness elsewhere. It values relationships, experiences, and soul-care. It lets us see all that we already have and reminds us to be grateful."

Josh Becker

(6) GRIEVE meaningfully & ENCOURAGE consistently
A time to tear, and a time to sew (3:7)

(6) GRIEVE meaningfully & ENCOURAGE consistently
A time to tear, and a time to sew (3:7)

5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Colossians 4:5-6

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29

“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.”
— William Arthur Ward

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

(7) GIVE sacrificially & STAND steadfastly
A time to love, and a time to hate (3:7)

“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.” — William Arthur Ward

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58

Ephesians 5:15-16
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Step 1: ANALYZE—Am I wasting time without realizing it? look carefully how you walk (Eph. 5:15)

Getting things done is not only a matter of managing your time, but also a matter of managing your energy. In many vocations and in many places in life it is energy, not time, that is the more valuable commodity. Like time, energy is limited and needs to be used strategically…Know yourself. At one times of the day are you at your peak? Are you a morning person, a night-owl, or a mid-afternoon warrior?
-- Tim Challies

Step 2: PRIORTIZE—Am I investing time it what is truly important? Making the best use of time (Eph. 5:16)

Getting things done is not only a matter of managing your time, but also a matter of managing your energy. In many vocations and in many places in life it is energy, not time, that is the more valuable commodity. Like time, energy is limited and needs to be used strategically…Know yourself. At one times of the day are you at your peak? Are you a morning person, a night-owl, or a mid-afternoon warrior?
-- Tim Challies

Step 2: PRIORTIZE—Am I investing time it what is truly important? Making the best use of time (Eph. 5:16)

Step 3: BIBLICIZE—Am I determining what is truly important from biblical values? Understand what the will of the Lord is (Eph. 5:17)

Step 3: BIBLICIZE—Am I determining what is truly important from biblical values?
Understand what the will of the Lord is (Eph. 5:17)