Fulfilling an ExtraOrdinary life of purpose requires many dimensions:

Relationship with God; relationships with people

Understanding and developing your unique giftings

A growing mastery of money, and a growing mastery of time.

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
- Ephesians 5:15-17

How to make the most of your time:

1. Understand the value of time.

Look exactly at how you are spending your time.  It’s easy to fool ourselves with our intentions.

Family, career, having a great marriage, losing weight or getting fit: We have intentions for these things - But until we spend time on them, they remain intention only.

Look at your hours as dollar bills.  Everyone in this room is given 24 dollar bills to spend every day.  168 in a week; 720 in a month; 8760 in a year.

Time has a tendency to want to get away from us. It requires a choice to spend time.

2. Establish the compass before you set the clock.

Before you can know how to spend your hours, you have to know how you want to spend your life.

Two different Greek words for time:  Chronos time - the everyday tick-tock of the clock.  Kairos time - defining moments that set the course for the everyday. We need both at work to fulfill the purpose of God for our lives

Kairos moments are moments of awakening; a word; a window of opportunity. Moses at the burning bush; Paul on the road to Damascus; Peter having the vision of the unclean animals.

Kairos moments set the direction for how I spend my chronos time. I spend my time on chronos walking in the light of kairos.  At the same time, kairos moments arise out of well-spent chronos moments.

3. Discern Your Season

Life has its cycles and seasons. The best use of our time comes when we cooperate with God in the season He has us in.

Instead of trying to re-create seasons of the past - or trying to live in a season you have not reached yet - learn to discern the season God has you in now.

There is a grace from God for the season He has you in. Instead of focusing on what God isn’t doing – focus on what He is doing.

Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.   – Hebrews 4:16

Some of us are carrying attitudes and habits, self portraits that belong to another season of our life.  You’re saved now; you’re in a new season!  And a new season requires a different ordering of time.

When awareness increases, behavior changes.

Read through Ephesians 5:3-14, and notice all of the references to light and darkness.  “Light” is a revelation.  It’s God turning the lights on.

We don’t figure God out.  He reveals Himself.  He shines the light.

And here is the thing worth noting:  when the lights are on – when the revelation comes from God – things can’t stay the same.

Once the lights come on that the favor of the Lord surrounds us like a shield, our behavior changes.  Once the lights come on that Jesus bore stripes for our healing, our behavior changes.  Once the lights come on that God gives us peace beyond understanding, our behavior changes.

When the lights come on, two things happen:

1. We get a revelation of the positive – that God is huge, powerful, and loving.
2. We get a revelation of the negative thing to be dealt with.

Aren’t you grateful that God doesn’t shine the light on everything in our lives at once?  He exposes our sin to help us grow!  Let’s not pull away to the dark corners.  Let the light shine!

When the lights are on, gratitude increases.

“Though some tongues just love the taste of gossip, Christians have better uses for language than that.  Don’t talk dirty or silly.  That kind of talk doesn’t fit our style.  Thanksgiving is our dialect.” –Ephesians 5:4

There are three things that reveal our hearts:  where we spend our time, where we spend our money, and what we talk about.

Our mouths speak what’s in our hearts.  We could be complaining, gossiping, wasting words.  Or, we could be giving thanks!  “Thanksgiving is our dialect.”

“be filled with the Spirit… always giving thanks for all things…” –Ephesians 5:18-20

One of the evidences of the Holy Spirit working in our lives is always giving thanks for all things.

When the lights are off, we slow down, or even stop moving.  We complain and gossip.  But when the lights are on, we can locate the positives in our world, and show appreciation!

We are walking together through the book of Ephesians – discovering the extraordinary life that’s available to us in Christ.  Dive in with us as we start chapter five!

Good models lift our lives.

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” –Ephesians 5:1 (NASB)

“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents.” –Ephesians 5:1 (MSG)

In a day when originality is revered – and rightly so – let’s not lose the value of learning from good models.  Good qualities, good behaviors, good attitudes, good thinking.  Imitating good models is a good thing!

Sometimes we need a model – an example – a word made flesh – to show us the possibilities.

“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” –Hebrews 13:7 (NASB)

“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” -1 Corinthians 11:1 (NASB)

Great leadership, great pastoring, and great parenting are all models being presented in order to be imitated.  What you’re doing – or not doing – is making a huge impression.

Learn to love by learning to be loved.

“Mostly what God does is love you.  Keep company with him and learn a life of love.  Observe how Christ loved us.  His love was not cautious but extravagant.  He didn’t love in order to get something from us, but to give everything of himself to us.  Love like that.” –Ephesians 5:2 (MSG)

You are loved by God.  His beloved child.

Don’t skip over it.  It’s not just a cliché.  God has chosen a posture of love toward you.  He could have chosen a distant posture, or a strict posture, or an angry posture, but He chose love!

So be loved.  And to love others by learning to be loved.

Love people the way Christ loved you:  not cautious but extravagant, not to get something but to give everything.  Love like that!

Don’t allow love to turn into something it isn’t.

“Don’t allow love to turn into lust, setting off a downhill slide into sexual promiscuity, filthy practices, or bullying greed.” –Ephesians 5:3

There are feelings that go along with love, but love is not a feeling.  Love is a choice.  And feelings follow choices.

When we think love is only a feeling, we bail when the feeling fails.  We leave marriages, churches, jobs, and friendships – all because of a feeling!

But love is strong.  It’s a commitment.  Love lays itself down for another.  Love doesn’t look for what it can get.  It looks for what it can give.  Love is acceptance.  It’s unconditional.

Love embraces us like we ware, but it’s also a belief that who we are not isn’t all we can be.  I’m so grateful that when God chose to show me has love at 18 years old, that he didn’t let me stay just like I was!  His love changed me, and keeps changing me.

God modeled the ultimate love for us.  Let’s love like that!