Genesis 8:22
“While the earth remains, Seed time and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”
INSIGHT
-Time in Hebrew is defined using three words; eth which means occasion, zeman meaning appointed time & yowm which defines the time of day, year, season, human cycles and events that occasion them. We find numerous citations of the word time in the Bible including; the Abrahamic covenant was fulfilled when Sarah bore a son at the set time (Gen 17:21), which is evidence that nothing is too hard for the Lord for God always fulfills His purpose at the appointed time (Gen 18:14). Abimelech and Phichol, the commander realized that God was with Abraham in all that he did (Gen 21:22). Leah expected to be loved by Jacob after she bore him a third son; Levi (Gen 29:34). It came a time when Jacob had a dream that the sun, moon and eleven stars would bow down to Him (Gen 37:9). When the king of Egypt died; the Israelites groaned because of bondage (Exo 2:23), and Pharaoh hardened his heart and hindered them from leaving (Exo 8:32), and it came a time when God sent His plague to Egypt (Exodus 9:14), and Pharaoh came to repentance in realization that the Lord is righteous and his people wicked (Exo 9:27). The Lord commanded the Israelites to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread at the time appointed in the month of Abib (Exo 23:15) and the Passover at its appointed time (Num 9:2-3). God also commanded us to work for six days and rest on the seventh day (Exo 34:21). The Lord promised Joshua deliverance from the enemy (Jos 11:6). We are reminded to rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him (Psa 37:7). The sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do (1 Chr 12:32). There is a time and season for every purpose under heaven (Ecc 3:1-8) and God makes everything beautiful at its time (Ecc 3:10-11). From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mat 4:17). Jesus told Peter that forgiveness should be up to seventy times seven (Mat 18:21-22) and that he would deny Him before the rooster crowed three times (Mat 26:34). No one knows the Day or Hour; not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father, we are therefore called to take heed, watch and pray; for we do not know the time when Jesus will return (Mk 13:32-33). After the devil had tempted Jesus, he departed from Him until another opportune time (Lk 4:13). For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for us (Rom 5:6-8). In an acceptable time Christ has heard us, and in the day of salvation helped us, for now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2). We are called to walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil (Eph 5:15-18) etc.
-Gods’ sovereignty is continuously revealed on the earth through His magnificent creation, times and seasons. We see that while the earth remains there is a time to plant seed and a time to harvest the produce according to the seasons of cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night. God in His marvelous wonder created all seasons and time, heaven and earth according to His own wisdom and commanded us to work for six days and rest on the seventh (Exo 34:21). God has often reminded us of His faithfulness each new day, every changing season and calls us to take charge of our domain through work and prayer. We are reminded to plant good seeds in due time through our work, to water them and receive nutrients and sunlight, and harvest bountifully in its season. God’s faithful remembrance is seen in His present provision, future preservation and everlasting salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. The food we eat, clothes we wear and shelter that cover our heads should remind us that He is a faithful God who provides for all our needs and will continue to sustain us unto everlasting life through His grace.
PRAYER
We thank You Lord our Father for Your merciful love upon us and everlasting wonders upon the earth. You are worthy of all glory and praise. Cover us with Your precious blood blood Lord and shepherd us in everything through out the week. Thank You Abba Father for Your provision upon our lives, families and nation, have mercy on those who are dying of drought and hunger. Thank You for assuring us future preservation through Your new covenant and granting us everlasting salvation through Your Son Jesus Christ. Bless the work of our hands and grant us the wisdom do everything according to Your will as creation awaits the revelation of Your sons, merciful Father. We pray this believing and trusting in Jesus name. Amen
Genesis 18:14
Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
INSIGHT
-Time in Greek is defined using two words Kairos & Chronos. The former means the right/ critical opportune moment or season eg. harvest time while the later means chronological/ sequential time eg. 24 hours in a day. Time can also be described as a moment in eternity with measure for a particular purpose to be fulfilled. God created time & put men to live in it but He is not confined by it for He is eternal.
-God promised Abraham that he would be a father of many nations. In the same wavelength, God made it clear that Sarah would have a son according to the time of life i.e 9 months (Chronos). Initially, Sarah doubted it & laughed maybe because she was barren & old. Gods reassurance that nothing was too hard for Him increased her faith & gave her strength to conceive as evidenced in Genesis 21:2.
-The Lord makes everything beautiful in its time & has put eternity in our hearts (Ecc 3:10-11). Sometimes we may feel forgotten, rejected, abandoned but the Lord says nothing is too hard for Him. Jesus calls us with our heavy burdens, to cast them unto Him for He cares for us. He promises us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We are called to rejoice in the Lord always despite our shortcomings for His love for us endures forever.
PRAYER
We thanks You Father for the gift of life & what You are doing into our lives. We cast all our burdens unto You, for You care for us. We believe & trust in You, Father our Lord & King. We rest secure in You for our lives belong to You. We thank, praise & honour You always. Amen
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.
INSIGHT
-King Solomon reveals that there is a set time; that everything on earth shall come into being for a particular purpose to be fulfilled. Time comes with responsibility which he describes as vanity & recognises that judgement shall fall on both the wicked & the righteous in due time. In his conclusion, he recognises the fear of God & keeping His commandments as man’s duty on earth (Ecc 12:13). Apostle Paul advices in Heb 4:16, that we should boldly go to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy & find grace to help in time of need.
PRAYER
Fill us Holy Spirit with Your love so that we may obtain grace, wisdom & strength in due seasons to fulfill every purpose under heaven. Forgive us our trespasses, lead our walk in life to fear You & keep Your commandments. Reveal Your purposes for us & help us to accomplish them. We praise You & exult Your name. Amen
Ephesians 5:15-17
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
INSIGHT
-Time is a very valuable resource & proper use determines one’s direction of purpose. Life is worth living for as time goes by, we age & the body depreciates. Thus, time utility is key & opportunities should be captured as they come; for we can never rewind time. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all (Ecc 9:11).
-Apostle Paul also adds that, we should not be drunk with wine which is dissipation (wastage of time, energy & money) but be filled with the Holy Spirit. He advices that we should speak to one another in psalms & give thanks to God always.
-The sons of Issachar understood the times & knew what Israel ought to do (1 Chron 12:32). God grants us wisdom when we fear Him & seek Him first for progressive benefits. When we know His will & take firm hold of it, we redeem time.
PRAYER
We worship You Father & give You thanks for Your abundant love & mercy upon us. Train our thoughts & hearts in Your will that we may not depart from it. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit & help us to use our time wisely. Present to us the right opportunities & bless the work of our hands. We love You & honour You. Amen
Matthew 25:15-19
And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
INSIGHT
-Jesus explained the kingdom of heaven using the parable of the talents. The parable teaches on work & responsibility, where everyone is given gifts/ talents according to their ability. Risk & reward is viewed as a test of faith where the risk takers doubled their minas while the risk averse never invested. The master judged the servants according to their diligence where the first two were rewarded while the last one was punished. Proper investment of time & resources is tested where God guides us in the right direction.
PRAYER
We bless You Abba Father for what You have bestowed upon us. Help us to invest our time & resources wisely that we may be fruitful in our work. Give us direction of purpose that we may walk in Your way. Amen
John 17:1-5
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
INSIGHT
-Jesus often prayed for His followers, the world & Himself. His appointed time had come that He may redeem the world & give us eternal life. Part of His mission was to return the Lords glory as it was before the earth was defiled by sin. His resurrection concluded His work on earth that He may be glorified in us by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
SUMMARY
God created the sun, moon & galaxy to define time. He gave us a duty to subdue, multiply & fill the earth basically work in the family unit, employment or businesses & relations with Him & those around us. He created everything from the beginning to the end. Time & season were placed for every purpose in our lifetime under heaven. There are many ups & down in life which come in seasons. Just like Sarah who was old & barren, God has not abandoned us even when we feel forgotten & rejected. God calls us to the throne of grace where mercy abounds even in the time of need. Time and chance happen to everyone as Jesus explains in the parable of the talents. Every human being is assigned talents & gifts in line with their abilities which are seeds sown in our hearts. It is the responsibility of each one of us to make the seeds grow through exploration of ones potential & make a difference on earth. Lastly, since time wasted can never be recovered, it is necessary to maximize its utility by making wise decisions. This can only be envisioned when we call on the Lord our Father & give thanks to Him always.
PRAYER
Kindle in our hearts the fire of Your love hearts; Oh Holy Spirit that we may walk in Your wisdom, all for Your glory. Help us to use our time, talents & resources wisely that Your will may be done on earth as it in heaven. Increase our faith in You & help us when we are weak & downcast. Answer our prayers & petitions. We glorify You & give You thanks always. Amen
Ephesians 5:15-18
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit
INSIGHT
-God has a purpose for each one of us; where some are different and others complement each other. He directs us individually through dreams, visions and His word; in commensurate with His divine wisdom so that we may walk circumspectly not as fools but wise redeeming time. Through the help of the Holy Spirit Who guides our walk in holiness and truth; we are aligned to His divine purposes; each one through their gifts, talents, abilities and capabilities. Time management is key in order to effectively utilize once potential, goals and objectives, avoiding time wasting activities, relationships and friendships that pose as a snag to our progress. The sons of Issachar understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel ought to do (1 Chr 12:32). They were skilled in the intercalation of months and years, analyzing the celestial to detect signs that they might show Israel what to do; and their teachers were two hundred chiefs of the Sanhedrin; and all their brethren excelled in the words of the law. Ones life is equated by the the number of years lived which is a factor of time; and an analysis is done when one passes on. Time wasted can be deemed as life un-utilised or lost. God is just as He direct us in His way and truth; that our lives focused on Him, we may achieve that which He has ordained for each one of us.
PRAYER
Lord You knew us before the foundations of this world and have created us to serve You in all our coming in and going out, have mercy on us. You have set our purposes from old Lord, graciously guide us on the way we should go. Many times we face opposition in our lives but we put all our trust in You Lord knowing that You will never leave us nor forsake us. Guide us Holy Spirit and help us to set our priorities right; walking circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming time, and give us the wisdom, knowledge and understanding that we may be focused only on Your will for our lives. Prune our life dear Father like the vine tree that we may bear much fruit and achieve that which You have placed into our hearts. Amen
Psalm 37:7
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
INSIGHT
-Often times we pray for particular matters which sometimes take longer than we expect. Other times we are tempted to look around in comparison; only to discover that some of our age-mates, school-mates, class-mates, neighbours etc have gone ahead of us in certain aspects of life. Upon discovery; some have gained financial, economic, relational, social, political & other forms of success through corruption; and others rightfully through Gods’ grace. The Lord reminds us not be fret or panic because of those who prosper in their own ways, through their wicked schemes, for these are fleeting. But to wait patiently upon Him Who gracious gives us all good gifts, and to give thanks in all things. God makes everything beautiful at its time and has put eternity in our hearts, and no one can find out His works from beginning to end (Ecc 3:10-11). We have been called to remain patient and perseverant; rest in the Lord who renews our strength and grants us all good gifts in our lives, families, societies and nation at His appointed time; for the glory of His name.
PRAYER
We thank You Abba Father for this far that You have brought us, it is not by our power nor our might but by Your Spirit Lord. You have made all things beautiful at its time Jesus, we believe and trust in You. We present our prayers, petitions, hearts desires and thanksgiving in our hearts that You may answer us faithful Father. We believe that whatever we ask in Your name; we will receive it Jesus according to Your word. Lord You are good and Your mercies endure forever, water our land and grant us peace. You have promised us Your children many good gifts, give us patience and faith to faithfully wait on You Lord. You are worthy of all glory and praise Jesus, we glorify Your name now and forever. Amen
Romans 11:5-6
Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
INSIGHT
-We have been saved by grace and not by works, qualified as remnants through the blood of Christ on the cross. Through this realization, we have been coaxed to put on Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill it’s lusts demonstrated through revelry, drunkenness, lewdness, anger, hatred etc, but to cast out all works of darkness by put on the armor of light. To awake from sleep for now on is the time of salvation and take up our areas of dominion as God has called us. To seek Gods’ direction as we utilize our time properly and to seek Gods’ purpose which will always prevail.
PRAYER
Thank You Father for Your love upon us, we love You for You loved us first. You have called us Your sons through Your election of grace, we praise Your name Jesus. Help us to take charge of our areas of domain through Your mercy and power, and enable us to achieve all that You have called us to achieve according to our books of destiny. Our Father who at in heaven; hallowed be Your name; Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread & forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptations but deliver us from evil; for thine is the Kingdom the power & the glory; forever & ever. Amen
Matthew 21:34
Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.
INSIGHT
-Jesus describes of the importance of fruitfulness and accountability through the parable of wicked vine-dressers. The vine-dressers having the privilege of working under lease on a well furnished vineyard; with a fenced plantation of vine trees, a wine press and tower. When the vintage time came, they were not willing to return their fruit to the master but mistreated his servants and killed his son with the evil intentions of keeping the inheritance. The vineyard is a picture of the earth, land Owner is God our Father, the servants are His prophets, priests and apostles, the son is Jesus Christ and the vine-dressers represent the religious leaders who rejected Jesus and eventually killed Him. How then do we respond to the authority of Christ and react when confronted with the truth through His word; in preparation for the vintage time, when He will come again. God has given us the opportunity to work in His vineyard with integrity, diligence and love holding fast faith in Him so that we can bear much fruit; until Christ returns at the end of time.
SUMMARY
God is transcendent over time. He is the Beginning and the End; the First and the Last, and He is not bounded by time. He existed before the beginning of time and He will be there at the end of time. God is in control and is never late to answer our prayers even though sometimes we feel discouraged when we pray for a matter that the response takes longer than expected. God has a great plan for our lives and His purpose will always prevail. We have been called to believe and rest secure in Him during both; times of joy and seasons of hardship for His love for us will never fail. He created each one of us for a reason and has placed us where we are for a purpose. God has made us His children through His grace and enables us to take dominion on the earth for we are kings and priests; accountable to Him and have been given victory to reign. Like the master who entrusted the vineyard to the vine-dressers, we have been empowered to be fruitful, subdue and fill the earth through our various gifts, talents and potentials through the help of the Holy Spirit. Like the master who gave His servants talents and traveled to a far country (Mat 25:15-19), to one he gave five talents, to another two and the other one according to their abilities and required them to trade for a profit. We have been granted various talents according to our abilities, and those who are trusted with little will be given more responsibilities but those who are unfaithful with little will be cast-out into the outer darkness. Time is a valuable gift and should be utilized wisely as the Holy Spirit leads us; so that we may work hard in our areas of domain and multiply bearing good fruits through faith in Christ Who is the Vine, and we are His branches; until He comes back.
PRAYER
Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus You are Lord, we bow down before You Lord. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords Jesus, the Almighty Father, the First and the Last, we thank You for the rains and this far that You have brought us. We humbly ask You Holy Spirit to increase us in faith, love, wisdom, knowledge and understanding; that we may know and walk in Your divine purpose for our lives. You are Vine Jesus and we are Your branches, help us to manage our time properly Lord and always bear much fruit. You are the Corner Stone of our lives Jesus, take control of our lives, families, churches, children, societies and nation according to Your great mercy. We desire to be in Your presence always Lord, draw us near to You and fill our hearts with Your love. Amen