The Gift of Time

We have been given "time". When I say given, I mean, it's our's to do with as we see fit. A limited asset that has an expiration date. Each moment that goes by, means less "time", you have. We start off by thinking little about time. When young, we think about the future as a distant reality. Then we notice, as we get older, that time flies. We have all kinds of memories about the past. Though much of it we forget. Maybe that's why we look back and find it hard to believe it's gone so fast. It's then we begin to appreciate how little time we have left. Some use up their time productively, others don't.

The fleeting nature of time brings a certain challenge to our lives. For those who desire to please God and bcome all that He created us to be, understanding and utilizing time productively becomes even more significant. Here are a few biblical truths and principles to guide us in making the most of our time:

1. Recognize the Gift of Time

• Psalm 90:12: "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Recognizing that our days are numbered encourages us to live wisely and intentionally.

2. Seek God's Will Daily

• 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."   Redeeming time means making the most of every opportunity and aligning our actions with God's will.

3. Transform Through Renewing the Mind

• Romans 12:2: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Transformation through the renewal of the mind involves daily engagement with God's Word, prayer, and obedience to His guidance.

4. Live With an Eternal Perspective

• 2 Corinthians 4:17-18: "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."    Focusing on eternal things rather than temporal concerns helps us prioritize our time for what truly matters.

5. Serve with Your Gifts and Talents

• 1 Peter 4:10: "As every man hath received the gift, even so, minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."  Using our God-given gifts to serve others is a powerful way to honor God with our time.

6. Remain in Constant Communion with God

• John 15:4-5: "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."  Abiding in Christ ensures that our efforts are fruitful and aligned with God's purposes.

Practical Steps for Redeeming Time:

1. Prioritize Daily Devotion: Set aside time each day for prayer, reading the Bible, and seeking God's direction.
2. Set God-Centered Goals: Align your goals with God's will and purpose for your life.
3. Practice Mindfulness: Be present in each moment, fully engaging with the tasks and people God has placed in your path.
4. Eliminate Distractions: Identify and remove activities or habits that consume time without contributing to your spiritual growth.
5. Serve Others: Look for opportunities to minister and serve within your community, church, and family.

In living this way, believers can make the most of the time given to them, ensuring that each moment contributes to their growth in Christ and the advancement of God's Kingdom."By grace, through faith" is a profound truth that underscores the foundation of our salvation and walk with God. This phrase is rooted in Ephesians 2:8-9, which states:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast."

Understanding and applying this truth can greatly impact how we use our time and live out our calling in Christ. Here’s how this principle can be integrated into the concept of making the most of our time:

1. Foundation of Salvation, The Sacrifice of Christ

• Ephesians 2:8-9: Salvation is a gift from God, not something we can earn through our efforts. This truth should humble us and inspire gratitude, leading us to use our time to glorify God who saved us.

2. Living by Grace, the Lordship of Christ

• Titus 2:11-12: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."  Grace teaches us to live in a way that honors God, helping us to prioritize godliness in our daily lives.

3. Walking in Faith, All the Promises are in Christ

• Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  Walking by faith means trusting in God's promises and guidance even when we cannot see the outcome. This trust enables us to take bold steps in using our time for God's purposes.

4. Empowered by Grace

• 2 Corinthians 12:9: "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  God's grace empowers us to overcome our weaknesses and limitations, encouraging us to rely on His strength to accomplish His will.

5. Faith in Action

• James 2:17: "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."  Genuine faith results in action. By grace through faith, we are called to live out our faith in tangible ways, using our time to serve others and advance God's kingdom.

Practical Application:

1. Daily Dependence on Grace: Start each day by acknowledging your need for God's grace and asking for His guidance.
2. Acting in Faith: Take steps of faith, trusting God to lead you in how you spend your time and resources.
3. Serving with Grace: Use your gifts to serve others, reflecting God's grace in your interactions and endeavors.
4. Faithful Stewardship: Be a good steward of the time, talents, and treasures God has entrusted to you, recognizing that they are given by His grace.
5. Resting in Grace: Find rest in the assurance that God's grace covers your efforts, allowing you to live with peace and confidence.

Encouraging Others:

Encourage fellow believers by reminding them that their salvation and daily walk are grounded in God's grace. Share testimonies of how faith has guided your use of time and inspired you to live purposefully. Emphasize the importance of staying connected to Christ, who is the source of our grace and the perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

By continually returning to the truth that we are saved "by grace, through faith," we can approach each day with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper commitment to living out God's will, making the most of the precious time we have been given.

Knowledge?

WIKIPEDIA... 

Knowledge is a familiarity or awareness, of someone or something, such as facts (descriptive knowledge), skills (procedural knowledge), or objects (acquaintance knowledge) contributing to ones understanding. By most accounts, knowledge can be acquired in many different ways and from many sources, including but not limited to perception, reason, memory, testimony, scientific inquiry, education, and practice. The philosophical study of knowledge is called.. epistemology? 

"the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope. Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion."

Justified belief?

The Great Deception.

It's not one lie, it's many. They come from every direction. Don't focus on the lies! There are to many to comprehend.

Know Truth Himself, you'll see the lie every time...

Proverbs 29:18 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

Eschatology... Hmm.

Experience and knowledge compared to Wisdom and understanding.

One does not mean you have the other. Experience and knowledge is a function of our ability to remember. Wisdom and understanding is a function of our ability to anticipate and reason. The problem is that knowledge puffs up, and pride is a stumbling block to wisdom.

Humility is the first step a wise man will make. A teachable heart is the path to understanding.

Who am I?

Who I think I am is brought into focus by the interpretation of my perception (5 Senses) which results from my perspective of what exists. This perspective is informed by truth or lies...

What is the source of your information? Is your perspective of reality interpreted from your limited perception, then you have reasons to be uncertain about anything you decide, or do you rely on information from a perspective high above your own? A perception that is not limited to the "Here and Now"?

Lets do some investigation...

I started an online course from Stanford on Artificial Intelligence. There's a free version available.

It seems that AI research has come up with “Reasons of Uncertainty” as they investigate “What to do when you don’t know what to do”. Here are the reasons for uncertainty...

• Sensor limits. Don’t see it all.
• Stochastic environment. Unlimited variables.
• Adversaries. An enemy dedicated to you failing.
• Laziness. Not being thorough in your investigation
• Ignorance. Not knowing and not caring.

Oh, crap! Christian, does this sound familiar?

Choices. The distraction.

Choices. The distraction.

Memory and reason are the foundation of an observer's ability to choose. It presupposses a comprehension of tensed facts created by previous choices. The truth condemns and choice proves to be my down fall. Why? I was not designed to rely only on my memory and ability to reason.

Two things make it more complicated. The accuser,  and the tense facts that I created.

It seems I am unable to foresee and comprehend the ramification of my choice and it's effect on the continuum.

"Now" is where I become.

Now is where I am. Where I am changes and that change is beyond my control, mostly. Try to stop the moment from passing by. Can you? It is just like your choices. Can you stop making choices? Try it...

See what I mean, you've just experienced the determinism created by the interaction of mass and energy.

Tensed facts are created in the the continuum of reality that I call "Now". In their creation they become unalterable. They are created by the temporal, dynamic cause and effect interaction of mass and energy.

The observer, you and me, are confronted by reason and memory. We remember the way things were and we anticipate how things could be. I say "could" because memory and reason give us the ability to make a choice. This, not that. It is the power to over-ride the determinism of the continuum.

All of us are becoming... what? It's up to us to choose. We can't stop making choices but we can decide what we will choose.

We can't stop making choices but our choices determine who we become. The dynamic cause and effect interaction of mass and energy can be overcome by choice. Our choices determine our destiny... or do they?

All of us are becoming.

Now is where I am. Where I am changes and that change is beyond my control, mostly. Try to stop the moment from passing by. Can you? It is just like your choices. Can you stop making choices?

Tensed facts are created in the now of the continuum of reality. In their creation they become unalterable. They are created by the temporal, dynamic cause and effect interaction of mass and energy.

The observer, you and me, are confronted by reason and memory. We remember the way things were and we anticipate how things could be. I say "could" because memory and reason give us the ability to make a choice. This, not that. It is the power to over-ride the determinism of the continuum.

All of us are becoming... what? It's up to us to choose. We can't stop making choices but we can decide what we will choose.

Presentism vs Eternalism

What exists resides in the now. What exists is temporal because it is dynamic and constantly changes and the change is tensed because cause and effect produces the change.

What exists in the now creates tensed facts that are unalterable.

The change is deterministic outside of the observer's ability to choose. The ability to choose comes from the capacity to remember what things were like and the ability to anticipate what things will be like. Memory and reason.

Choice creates the potential to break the bonds of determinism.

Once the choice is made it becomes unalterable.

The now is eternal. Divide infinity in half, what do you have? Calculate how many moments eternity holds?....

The truth is always simple.

The Illusion of Time and the "Now" of reality.

Understanding that time is an illusion brought about because of my ability to remember my observation of things when they were different, I am now able to consider "Now".

Past, present, future are words we use to make sense of the "eternal temporality" of God that we exist in. God is temporal therefore His creation is temporal. The now is what exists. It is dynamic and temporal. Dynamic in that change is constant, temporal in that the movement is tensed. Our mind is just like God's mind. The difference, He is not limited by location. God experiences temporality like we do but for Him duration is flexible because he is not limited to an inertial frame. (A day is like a thousand years...) For us duration is the observed rate of change in a given inertial frame. Duration is subjective to the observer. Variations in the rate of change are undetectable for an observer in a given inertial frame.

Without the mind's memory and reason time has no meaning.

"we experience a piece of music as a whole with the help of memory and anticipation"

Wolfhart Pannenber.      

The illusion of time helps us make sense of reality. It brings cohesion to existence and our place in the "eternal temporality" of God.