REDEEMING TIME

SERIES: THROUGH THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS

TEXT: EPHESIANS 5:15-18

We serve a God of details. He is concerned with the details of our daily walk in salvation as the Word says, “Be careful how you walk’’.

The word of God says we should be sober and vigilant (1^st Peter 5:8). The enemy can strike any time. In war however, a soldier is experienced and no matter what rank he holds, if he is not diligent he will be compromised and killed. Our enemy is a great enemy, skilled and tactical.

If you desire to live a victorious Christian life all your life, be sober and diligent, being CAREFUL how you walk, each day.

The person who walks carefully is called WISE, and the one who walks/lives carelessly is called UNWISE, in the Bible.

The unwise person does not:-

PRAY REGULARLY – One who prays shows one’s dependence on God, satan hates a prayerful
READ THE SCRIPTURES – A believer who is a friend of the Bible is not a friend to sin. Satan hates Bible readers.

More about walking carefully:-

REDEEMING TIME – THE DAYS ARE EVIL (Ephesians 5:15)

A year has equal time for everyone but people produce differently by the end of the year. It is possible to wade through life without doing anything for Jesus who did so much for us.
Being productive in the work of God doesn’t just happen, it takes desire, resolution and plan. Different believers, all converted, will be rewarded by the Lord differently (Revelation 22:12); each one according to one’s production in the Gospel.
After salvation the Lord expects something from you. Seeing how much He paid for us to be saved; ridicule, humiliation and unthinkable pain, would you feel justified just to sit idle in apathy and contribute nothing in the Gospel as you wait for the return of the Lord?
The servant who was given one talent was slothful (Mathew 25:14-30). He took the talent and hid it. He felt justified to sit and do nothing for his master. This is the attitude of many Christians; to give back to the Lord the least possible.
How to redeem time in the work of the Gospel.
- Identify your gift from the Holy Spirit.
- Think in terms of production/outcome. At the beginning of the year sit down and plan your target for the year.
- Identify the obstacles and distractions to avoid.
- Keep a journal for your work.
- Avoid procrastination and time wastage.

DO NOT GET DRUNK WITH WINE ( Ephesians 5:18)

Wine is the juice that comes out when grapes are pressed. This is just a soft drink like juice/ soda, like fanta, coca cola e.t.c. This is the type of wine that Jesus made at Cana (John 2:1-12)
When molasses are added to wine it’s kept in barrels to ferment over some time it becomes alcoholic- which can make one drunk or intoxicated.
The chosen great servants of God in the Old Testament (Nazarites) were not supposed to drink any alcoholic drink as the Holy Spirit would fill them, all their lives, e.g, Samson, Samuel and John the Baptist (Numbers 6:1-20).
One can not be filled with wine/alcohol and also be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ came to raise the level of godliness in the Old Testament to a higher level.
If the selected servants of God in the Old Testament were not to take wine, the New Testament spirit – filled believer should not.
The Bible tells us to be sober. You can not be drunk with alcohol and also be sober (1 Peter 5:8)
All satanic altars of worship involve alcohol.

Some verses that speak against wine/alcohol:-

Proverbs 20:1; Wine and beer is a mocker, whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Proverbs 23:20-21, do not join those who drink.
Proverbs 23:31, do not gaze at wine when it is red.
Isaiah 5:11, Woe to those who rise up early in the morning to run after their drinks.
Romans 13:13, let us behave decently, not in drunkenness.
Proverbs 31:4-5, It is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget that has been decreed.

Some examples of drunkenness from the Bible:-

Noah drunk fermented wine/alcohol and ended up cursing his grandson (Genesis 9:24-25).
Lot’s daughter gave their father alcohol and ended doing incest with Noah.

CONCLUSION