14 Sep HAPPY NEW YEAR! (ARE YOU ADDING ANOTHER YEAR TO YOUR LIFE, OR LIFE TO ANOTHER YEAR?): PART 22

A few years ago I was in Florida to preach for a dear friend of mine.  When we arrived they took us to a beautiful restaurant down by the ocean.  While we were waiting to be seated, we walked out on a pier overlooking the ocean.  As I often do, I engaged in a conversation with another couple I had never met who were also walking on the pier.  They were a very nice couple but the wife had clearly had too much to drink.  

As we continued our conversation it was clear that God had orchestrated this moment.  They had just sent their daughter to Nashville for college and she was looking for a good church!  Problem solved!  We were able to recommend Joy Church!  Also this couple was also looking for a good church in their area.  Problem solved!  I was able to recommend my friend’s church!  

Two Sundays later the wife came to that church in Florida and gave her life to Jesus and has been serving in that church ever since!  As a matter of fact, she has served in a high level leadership role for years!  It’s amazing how Jesus can sober us up and turn our lives into something meaningful.  This was a divine opportunity that God had orchestrated.  All we needed to do was be available!

The Bible tells us in 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.”

Please allow me to break this verse down a little bit.  Notice 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!”

Join us this month as I continue in this series…