"Do you know what you call the little plastic thing on the end of your shoe string? Chances are you call it “the little plastic thing on the end of your shoe string.” But it’s actually called an aglet.
You might never need to know that information, but you do need to know how to manage your time. One way to get that information is to become a continual student of time management. Today there are more good books and tapes than ever available on managing time from both Christian and secular sources. Why not take time today to avail yourself of some of them. If you are on a tight budget, check an internet auction site where you can sometimes get a $100 tape series for about $15.
Also, don’t overlook the main instruction book on time management- the Bible. God is the one who created time. Following His instruction is always the best way to redeem the time.
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"An African parable teaches us a valuable lesson about motivation.
Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows that it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows that it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
So it doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up you had better be running.
Well, lots of Christians go through life with the attitude that time is just not that important. They don’t even seem to have as much motivation as an African beast when it comes to using their energy to be the best they can be for the Lord.
God teaches us many lessons through nature. These animals teach us that we must use all our energies to serve the Lord. Let’s take this as a valuable reminder to redeem the time.
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"Adoniram Judson was a pioneer missionary to Burma who was greatly used of God. While still a young man he made the following journal entry one New Year’s Eve.
“[Think] of how much real happiness we cheat our souls by preferring a trifle to God! We have a general intention of living religion but we intend to begin tomorrow or next year. The present moment we prefer giving to the world. ‘A little more sleep, a little more slumber.’ Well, a little more sleep, and we shall sleep in the grave. A few days, and our work will be done. And when it is once done, it is done for all eternity. A life once spent is irrevocable. It will remain to be contemplated through eternity. If it be marked with sins, the marks will be indelible. If it has been a useless life, it can never be improved. Such it will stand forever and ever.
Adoniram Judson was greatly used of God because he purposed to redeem the time.
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"Can you find the word “adolescent” anywhere in Scripture? The Bible speaks of children, young men and old men. But never does it mention adolescence, because adolescence is not a Biblical concept.
Adolescence as we practice it today, is a time when a young person is old enough to make their own choices and pretty much operate independently of parents, yet they’re not required to work or make any material contribution to the family.
Adolescence is an unnatural, man made concept that says young people deserve privilege without responsibility. It says, to be a good parent you have to buy a car for their 16th birthday and pay the gas, repairs and insurance on it until they finish college 6 years later.
Adolescence is a very damaging concept because it creates a false system of having our needs met without having to work. The longer the period of adolescence, the more difficult it will be to train a young person to redeem the time.
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