An old expression–“Time is of the essence”–is certainly true in this time-oriented world of scheduled responsibilities. It is even more true in the spiritual realm. Every instant spent in ungodly endeavors is wasted time. The Lord commanded that we show our total love for Him by keeping His Words in our hearts. We are to speak about them when we sit in our house and when we walk in our way, when we rise up and when we lie down, when we go out and when we come in. The Lord’s Words are to dominate our lives to the extent that they will be like signs on our hands (guiding what we do) and frontlets between our eyes (guiding what we think). They are to be so dominant in our lives that it will seem that they are written on our door frames through which others enter our home (Deut. 6:5-9). THE WORD OF GOD MUST BE FIRST AND FOREMOST IN OUR LIVES NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE OR WHAT WE ARE DOING. We must never forget that everything we know about God we know only by what is written in His Holy Bible–His Truth (Jn. 17:17).

Another age-old adage states that “Work expands to fill the allotted time.” In other words, if one has all morning to do a one hour job, the job will take all morning. A similar phenomenon takes place in the spiritual world. Namely, that when one has free time that can be used for a Godly endeavor, something will invariably need to be done that keeps one from studying God’s Word, praying, etc. But not to worry, Satan whispers, there is always “later.” Later is always better than now to “get into the Bible” or “get before the Lord.” Tomorrow is always more convenient than today. Right now something else is more important. Satan has a number of “something elses.” His favorite ploy is to lure unsuspecting victims into his fantasy world of t.v. watching, reading, etc. The game, the program, etc. is happening now; God can wait. In the spirit of full transparency, I must confess to having operated on that same level in the past.

On a Monday night many years ago I sat in my living room trying to decide whether to watch a professional football game or to attend a home Bible study meeting at the home a newly-made friend. Admittedly, I agonized over the decision. I loved football. I loved sports, period. The pull to the tube was intense. However, there was this “voice” telling me to go to the meeting. I chose, reluctantly I must admit, to go to the meeting. It was during that meeting that the Lord set me on the spiritual path that I walk today. I shutter to think of how close I came to rejecting His call.

In man’s make-believe world he lives vicariously through the characters he is watching or reading about. Man prefers the world of make-believe over the real world because in his world he is in charge (or believes he is). In man’s world reality and truth are whatever he wants them to be. Man determines what scratches his itching ears and satisfies his titillation-craving flesh. If he does not like the entertainment fare on channel 3, he simply switches to channel 5 or 9 or …. MAN IS IN CHARGE OF HIS FANTASY WORLD BECAUSE HE CAN MANIPULATE IT TO SUIT HIS FANCY AT THE MOMENT. When his fancy changes, he simply changes his world. While man is engrossed in his make-believe universe God is little more than an afterthought, if He is considered at all. The Lord usually has to settle for a cursory prayer and, if He is lucky, a few verses dutifully read from His Word. This is the same Word Jesus said man must live by (Mat. 4:4).  Man gives God only what it takes to placate Him–usually at meal time and bed time. Consider that man lives physically by inhaling oxygen. Time-wasting man should try breathing only at meal time or bed time. He would become as physically dead as he is spiritually dead. To be continued. L.J.