25 May HAPPY NEW YEAR! (ARE YOU ADDING ANOTHER YEAR TO YOUR LIFE, OR LIFE TO ANOTHER YEAR?): PART 10
Remember our key verse for this series from Ephesians 5:15-17:
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”
Let’s review…
The word “walk.” This is the Greek word “peripateo.” It is a Greek compound word that comes from “peri” which means “around” (we get our English word periscope from it) and “pateo” which means “path.” Put those words together and it means “to beat a path around” or to be preoccupied with something.
The word “circumspectly” is the Greek word “akribos” which means “diligently, exactly or straight.” The Greek word translated “fools” is “asophos” which means “one who has no wisdom.” Paul, by the Holy Spirit, is referring to unbelievers without Christ.
In verse 16, you find the word “redeeming” which is the Greek word “exagarazo” which means “to buy back, ransom or rescue from loss.”
The Greek word translated “time” is “Kairos.” There are two Greek words for time: one is “chronos” where we get our English word “chronology” from. This word describes normal time as we know it. However the word “Kairos” is a divine opportunity orchestrated by God.
The word translated “days” means “ages or time period” and is referring to the culture we now live in.
If you will allow me a little liberty, these verses could be paraphrased to mean this:
“See then that you are preoccupied with walking diligently in a straight line. Not like unwise unbelievers that don’t know Jesus, but as wise (people who see life from God’s perspective). Buying back all the Divine opportunities that you possibly can because this culture is evil. Because of that, don’t be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is!”
Over the last two months we began our series with the following “Three Plan Principles”:
- Acknowledge that God has a plan for your life (Jer. 29:11).
“Three Acknowledge Axioms”:
- God has a wonderful plan for your life…not a wonderful life for YOUR plan!
- Destiny is not to be decided. Destiny is to be discovered.
- What you were created for is connected to who you were created by.
- Accept God’s plan for your life (Mark 8:35).
“Eight Accept Axioms”:
- If we always do what we want to do, we may end up where we don’t want to be!
- If you get whatever you want now…you may not get what you really want later.
- Never trade in the ultimate for the immediate.
- Never trade in the valuable for the natural.
- When you get older, you will want the respect of your adult children.
- Will your children choose to be with you when they don’t have to be with you?
- No thing or fling is worth losing everything!
This week we wrap-up our “Eight Accept Axioms” with…
- God only wants something from you because He wants something for you!
When my lovely wife Anne was still in college, she was dating a fine young Christian man. Their relationship was solid and godly and they thought they would get married one day. However, deep in her heart she knew God was asking her to lay down their relationship at the foot of the cross. God was not trying to get something from Anne. God was trying to get something TO Anne…me!!
Remember this: In the kingdom of God, you have to give up to go up!
I remember when God called us to leave the comfort of our ministry in Knoxville, Tennessee to begin the church approximately 18 years ago. We sold our house and settled in Mount Juliet, Tennessee where we knew no one! We gave up a comfortable ministry, but we gained a very large, thriving church and ministry that is now ministering to thousands every single week!
Remember this: The “give up” comes up front…the “go up” comes out back!
Next month we will continue our series!