Giving Our Time-Part Two
Scripture
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Matthew 25:35-36
'For I was hungry, and you gave Me
something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and
you invited Me in; [36] naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited
Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
Matthew 25:40-43
"… 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' [41] "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; [42] for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; [43] I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'
Jesus had some strong words about not helping those who are in need. If the Lord puts it on your heart to visit someone in need, He is not going to accept the excuse of “I did not have time to visit them”.
1 Peter 4:10
As each one has
received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of
the manifold grace of God.
Each of us has been given different gifts (abilities) and we are to use
them for others. If we are too busy, we are not good stewards of the
gifts/talents he has given us.
Romans 12:10-13
Be devoted to one
another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; [11] not
lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; [12] rejoicing
in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, [13] contributing to
the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
If we are too busy to pray, to help others, to open our hearts and homes, to be fervent for the Lord, then we are TOO BUSY.
2 Tim. 2:4
No soldier in active
service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may
please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.
What has control of our time? Does God, or the things of this world?
Rev. 2:19
‘I know your deeds,
and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of
late are greater than at first.’
For many Christians their service and deeds have become less than when they
first became Christians. That is not the will of God.
Acts 20:35
"In everything I
showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and
remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed
to give than to receive.'
Many Christians go to church each week to get, get, and get; and they never give.
Ephes. 4:11-12
And He gave some as
apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors
and teachers, [12] for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to
the building up of the body of Christ;
Why are we equipped? For the
work of service. This applies to every Christian.
1 Cor. 6:19-20
Or do you not know
that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from
God, and that you are not your own? [20] For you have been bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body.
This verse makes it clear that we were bought with a price. Our body, time,
money, possessions,-everything, belongs to God, none of it is ours.
In our next nugget we will look at the reasons people use
for not giving more time for ministry.
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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations used are from the New American Standard Version (NASB).