EXPRESS IMAGE GLORY MINISTRIES
THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 2, No. 50 – Monday, 11th December, 2017
(Eccl.3:1, Eccl.9:9-12)
THE ESSENCE OF TIME
What any one is today is a function of how his/her time was expended hours before today; the hours of today fuse to determine what we will be tomorrow. Good or bad use of time is the summary of any life. Time has no tangible edges by which one may take hold of it.
Nonetheless, intangibility does not deny the existence of time. Time exists in its essence. The essence of time is experienced by its reality, its substance and empirical impacts.
The combined texts of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 1 and chapter 9 verses 9-12, especially chapter 3 verse 1 and chapter 9 verses 11-12 explicitly informs about inculcating an essential character of life and time without which success and the maximisation of opportunities are not guaranteed.
The eternal lessons from these combined verses stretch beyond mere moralistic philosophies pronouncing the importance of time management to include the pertinence of realising that overspending of time is nothing else but time wastage turned inside-out and semantically coined in a different sense.
These verses contained in the text of Ecclesiastes chapter 3:1 and chapter 9:9-12 state as follows:
Chapter 3:
‘1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven’.
Chapter 9:
‘9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which He hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest.
11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them’.
These eternal verses resonate a number of deep mysteries and astounding wisdom in relation to the essence of time. For one, anticipatory preparation ahead of any day, event or even any time is the surest antidote to avert disasters and surprises of life.
2017 is today an old year, fast running out of existence to be confined to the waste bin of history. Its departure signals a further message of preparation for the incoming new year, 2018. I challenge us that if the preparation style for 2017 is the same for 2018, then the old year will repeat itself in the new year.
How did you prepare for the present year? How are you preparing for the new year? In the same style and fashion or no style at all? Any one who has no recollection of history and foresight for the future is bound to have that history repeated.
Have you begun to pray ahead of the new year? It is no wisdom to wait until the watch night hours on the eve of January 1 2018 before starting to pray, fast and prepare. It is a task that wisdom says should have commenced even before today. Beginning today however is not too late.
IN THE END, SETTING GOALS FAR AHEAD OF THE TIME OF ATTAINMENT OF THOSE GOALS OR EVEN PRIOR TO OBTAINING THE FIRST COIN FOR THE EXECUTION OF THOSE GOALS IS THE SUREST PREPARATORY PATHS TO ACHIEVEMENT OF THOSE GOALS.
Altar call: Backslidden – living in sin – needing fresh recommitment (say):
Christ Jesus, You are the Anointed One of the Most High. I come to you today as I am. In your mercy, help me out of my situation. Heal my soul, my spirit, my body, my life and my destiny. I acknowledge you as the only true lover of my soul. Please, deliver me on every side and save me through and through. I promise from the depth of my soul to be yours from henceforth, in Jesus name. Help me now O God. Be my Lord, my Saviour and my all in all from this day. Thank you Lord (read Psalm 54 in closing and pray more).
Hymn: Grace Greater Than Sin
Pray now:
- Thank the Lord for the outgoing year.
- Praise the Lord for the incoming year.
- Think ahead of time and list out your plans and expectations and talk to the Lord about them.
Pastor Mike
