How do I Spend my Time?

617.  "How do I Spend my Time?  
September 28, 2012
1 John 3-Part 6     (verses 17-20)
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
  1 John 3:18 KJV
Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
NLT


LET IT GLOW

It's time to evaluate how I spend my time. It is needful every now and then. Will you join me?
Do I spend enough of it with my husband like he would like me to?
Am I playing with my granddaughter enough, giving her one-on-one time that would make her happy?
 Do I stop and listen long enough to a family member or a friend so they know how important they are to me?
Or is the television or computer taking away my time?
Is my time well spent?
Are my opportunities passing me by, to do good and show love to others?
How often do I use the word wait, or put off an act of love or kindness?
Are projects or things more important to me than people?
Who do I need to start spending more time with?
What do I need to cut back on so it is possible?
What sacrifices do I need to make? Time is passing me by so quickly.

The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now. (Rick Warren)
 
What is the most precious gift I can give someone? Time is because I am giving a portion of my life that I will never get back.
How can I measure the importance of things? It is by how much time I am willing to invest in them. The more time I give to something, the more I reveal its importance and value to me. If I want to know a person's priorities, just look at how they use their time.
Am I proving that relationships are important by investing time in them? Relationships take time and effort. How is the best way to spell love? T-I-M-E
Does my family want my eyes, ears, time, attention, presence, focus-my time, instead ot things money can buy? Nothing can take its place.
It's when we make a sacrifice, giving of time, that I show I value someone.
You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.
Love means giving up-yielding my preferences, comfort, goals, security, money, energy, or time for the benefit of someone else.
[Refererence: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren]

Galatians 5:6b says: The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

How am I expressing my faith? Is it through showing love to others, giving of my time to them?

LET IT GROW

How does John say that I am to show the love of Jesus to others?
I am to:

• give up my life for my brothers and sisters in the faith. (verse 16)
• show compassion when I see them in need of food, clothing, shelter, sick, poor, unable to provide for their own needs and those of their family (verse 17)
• show and tell of our love. (verse 18)
• let my actions show that I belong to Jesus, the Truth. (verse 19)

Here are some good things Clarke's Bible Commentary has to say:

Here's the test of love:If we don't divide our bread with the hungry, we certainly wouldn't lay down our life for him.

Whatever love we may pretend to mankind, if we aren't charitable and benevolent, we give the lie to our profession.

If we shut up our bowels against the poor, we shut Christ out of our hearts.

Hardheartedness and God's love never meet together, much less can they be associated.
 

Faith gives Christ to me; love flowing from faith gives me to my neighbor. (Jameison, Fausset, Brown )

God calls us to lay down our lives piece by piece, little by little in small, but important ways every day. (Guzik)

Am I willingly and cheerfully helping others? Or do I pick and choose who I show love to, or share with?

Jesus gave all He had for us. Should we do no less?


LET IT GO

Don't just be a hearer of the Word, be a doer also.

Express love by giving my time to others.

Show and tell of Jesus' love today.

Give, give, give.