"See then that you walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

God has provided us with the precious gift of time. It is this gift that allows us to complete the work of ministry that He has assigned to each one of us. How we spend this gift of time will ultimately determine whether we fulfill our ministries. Our sojourn here on earth is limited to the time allotted to each of us. Howe we use our time is a good indication of the level of our faith. Each day, it seems, the enemy produces more enticements for us to waste our time. The list of gadgets, entertainment, and meaningless activities goes on and on. There seems to be an endless supply of time waster that push their way into the lives of those who are not vigilant.

"The sentiment is that we ought to be solicitous to improve our time to some useful purpose because there are, in an evil world, so many temptations to waste it." - Albert Barnes

Time is at the heart of Satan's manipulations, for if he can control how we use our time, he can control how we live our lives. In these last days, he seems to have re-doubled his efforts to distract God's people from the important work that needs to be done to reach the lost. The distractions of this life will cause us to spend money today on things that we did not even know existed yesterday and to spend our time with people, things, and activities that add nothing to the completion of the Great Commission.

Our text today gives us a loving "heads up". We are being told: walk carefully, don't be fools, you are living in evil times; don't allow your time to be squandered on things that bring no glory to God nor advance the mission of reaching the world with the message of Jesus Christ and His eternal truth. As the enemy works hard to control time, let us be even more diligent in focusing on the Creator of time All our time belongs to Him; let us give Him what He deserves - our faithfulness.

-- Pastor Tim