1 00:00:10,830 --> 00:00:14,670 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We're glad to have you listening. 2 00:00:15,510 --> 00:00:19,860 Speaker 1: Today's topic is about being a good steward of your time. 3 00:00:20,860 --> 00:00:24,180 Speaker 1: We'll return with the devotional after a brief message from 4 00:00:24,260 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: one of our sponsors. Redeeming, Not Wasting Our Time Written 5 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:49,460 Speaker 1: and read by Emily Rose Massey Look carefully, then, how 6 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:54,540 Speaker 1: you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the 7 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: best use of the time, because the days are evil. 8 00:00:59,300 --> 00:01:07,060 Speaker 1: Ephesians 5, verses 15-16 As a millennial, I find myself 9 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,590 Speaker 1: reflecting upon a time before the technological boom we seem 10 00:01:10,610 --> 00:01:15,530 Speaker 1: to be facing, specifically before AI, smartphones, and social media. 11 00:01:16,490 --> 00:01:19,330 Speaker 1: I remember taking a walk or riding my bike after 12 00:01:19,410 --> 00:01:23,130 Speaker 1: school without the anxiety of accidentally leaving my phone at home. 13 00:01:24,170 --> 00:01:28,009 Speaker 1: I remember the excitement of turning in my disposable camera 14 00:01:28,050 --> 00:01:31,110 Speaker 1: from the school dance and then looking through my friend's 15 00:01:31,209 --> 00:01:33,750 Speaker 1: photo albums when I was hanging out at their house. 16 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 1: I remember soaking up the most mundane moments without feeling 17 00:01:39,410 --> 00:01:43,610 Speaker 1: the need to document them. Some of that could very 18 00:01:43,670 --> 00:01:46,490 Speaker 1: well be what it was like to be younger, but 19 00:01:46,530 --> 00:01:49,510 Speaker 1: I cannot ignore how much the simplicity of life has 20 00:01:49,570 --> 00:01:53,870 Speaker 1: become more complicated and distracted with these portable devices that 21 00:01:53,950 --> 00:01:57,930 Speaker 1: seem to control us and steal our time. About six 22 00:01:58,010 --> 00:02:01,550 Speaker 1: months ago, I became convicted of the lack of self-control 23 00:02:01,590 --> 00:02:04,930 Speaker 1: regarding my screen time with my phone. So I purchased 24 00:02:05,050 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 1: a little device that literally turns your phone into a 25 00:02:07,980 --> 00:02:11,980 Speaker 1: brick when your phone hovers over it, depending on how 26 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:16,279 Speaker 1: much you want to limit its functionality. You can customize 27 00:02:16,340 --> 00:02:20,170 Speaker 1: specific functions and apps that you want to limit, and 28 00:02:20,250 --> 00:02:24,209 Speaker 1: for me, it was quite simply shutting down my social 29 00:02:24,270 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 1: media usage. After six months of using this limiting device, 30 00:02:30,470 --> 00:02:33,510 Speaker 1: I can see how it has helped me create healthier 31 00:02:33,590 --> 00:02:37,770 Speaker 1: habits that have helped me prioritize my time more wisely. 32 00:02:38,610 --> 00:02:42,090 Speaker 1: Instead of my phone controlling me, I have been able 33 00:02:42,150 --> 00:02:45,930 Speaker 1: to start controlling it and using it as the tool 34 00:02:45,970 --> 00:02:49,900 Speaker 1: that it is. My prayer to the Lord is, I 35 00:02:50,020 --> 00:02:54,540 Speaker 1: want to be found faithful. I have asked him very 36 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:59,269 Speaker 1: frequently how I can use my time to glorify him 37 00:02:59,550 --> 00:03:04,570 Speaker 1: and be a fruitful disciple of Jesus. The Apostle Paul 38 00:03:04,870 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: lovingly warns the church at Ephesus, Look carefully, then, how 39 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:15,700 Speaker 1: you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the 40 00:03:15,820 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: best use of the time, because the days are evil. 41 00:03:20,300 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: Ephesians 5, verses 15-16 Intersecting Life and Faith If the 42 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:33,100 Speaker 1: days were evil during Paul's day, they most assuredly are 43 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:39,060 Speaker 1: evil today. Although our cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc. are 44 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:42,820 Speaker 1: not evil, I do believe we need to be cautious 45 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: as to how much time we are devoting to them. 46 00:03:46,900 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: We need to be aware of where we are directing 47 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,780 Speaker 1: our focus. We need to be attentive to what is 48 00:03:52,870 --> 00:03:57,150 Speaker 1: capturing our attention. that may be causing us to make 49 00:03:57,390 --> 00:04:03,330 Speaker 1: unwise choices. For me, the distraction from my phone was 50 00:04:03,460 --> 00:04:08,700 Speaker 1: keeping me from intentional time with my sons and causing 51 00:04:08,740 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 1: me to become captured by covetousness and discontentment with the 52 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:20,070 Speaker 1: swath of influencers pushing product after product. As we live 53 00:04:20,130 --> 00:04:24,930 Speaker 1: in the great information age, We are bombarded with opportunities 54 00:04:25,010 --> 00:04:27,789 Speaker 1: to fill our time and our minds with so many 55 00:04:27,870 --> 00:04:32,299 Speaker 1: things that can so easily replace our time of fellowship 56 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: with the Lord, as well as distract us from the 57 00:04:35,380 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 1: very thing he has called us to do, make disciples. 58 00:04:40,540 --> 00:04:44,580 Speaker 1: Perhaps you may not have an issue with technology distracting 59 00:04:44,620 --> 00:04:49,490 Speaker 1: you from the Lord. Praise God. Stay strong and be 60 00:04:49,630 --> 00:04:53,070 Speaker 1: an accountability partner for those around you who are easily 61 00:04:53,110 --> 00:04:55,910 Speaker 1: pulled away from the things of God because of the 62 00:04:56,110 --> 00:05:00,590 Speaker 1: ever-increasing information age and the age of social media influencers 63 00:05:00,710 --> 00:05:05,150 Speaker 1: promoting materialism and vanity. But if you are like me, 64 00:05:05,170 --> 00:05:10,510 Speaker 1: a stay-at-home, work-from-home mom, and you are finding yourself with 65 00:05:10,730 --> 00:05:14,330 Speaker 1: limited time to spend with Jesus in prayer and the Word, 66 00:05:14,610 --> 00:05:17,789 Speaker 1: I challenge you to ask the Lord if there is 67 00:05:17,890 --> 00:05:21,870 Speaker 1: something you can arrange in your schedule to allow better 68 00:05:22,029 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: time management. Also, ask him if he would like for 69 00:05:27,620 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: you to fast, technology that is, something that could be 70 00:05:31,860 --> 00:05:37,900 Speaker 1: causing division between you and him. Devote specific time every 71 00:05:37,940 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: day to spend some quiet time in fellowship with God 72 00:05:41,380 --> 00:05:45,350 Speaker 1: and reading your Bible without your cell phone or iPad 73 00:05:45,410 --> 00:05:50,260 Speaker 1: within reach. Turn them off during the time and perhaps 74 00:05:50,339 --> 00:05:53,660 Speaker 1: put a timer on the most used apps that you 75 00:05:53,900 --> 00:05:57,980 Speaker 1: access throughout your day. You might just need extra help 76 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: with self-control, like me. Be thankful for the benefits of 77 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:07,729 Speaker 1: the tools and global connections that technology brings us. But 78 00:06:07,810 --> 00:06:11,130 Speaker 1: don't allow technology to rob you of your connection to 79 00:06:11,190 --> 00:06:15,110 Speaker 1: Jesus or distract you from all the blessings He has 80 00:06:15,190 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: put right in front of you We have been given 81 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:21,789 Speaker 1: the precious gift of time here on this earth. Let's 82 00:06:21,850 --> 00:06:26,310 Speaker 1: not waste our time, but redeem it all for God's glory. 83 00:06:27,730 --> 00:06:33,909 Speaker 1: Further reading, Matthew chapter 6 verses 33, Hebrews chapter 12 84 00:06:33,910 --> 00:06:37,589 Speaker 1: verses 1 through 2. 85 00:06:40,029 --> 00:06:43,010 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what 86 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 2: you heard today, we want to make sure you know 87 00:06:45,180 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 2: about our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer. 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