Balanced Living

Balanced Living

I am excited about this year's Stewardship series which is focusing on the Total U. I would like to talk to you about managing/maximizing your time to live a spiritually balanced life. Many Christian believers often find it a struggle to live a life that is both spiritual and practical. They are either practical at the expense of being spiritual or spiritual at the expense of being practical. Spending time fulfilling the needs of our natural man while starving the spirit man. Or so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. In order to be an effective Christian, we must manage our time so that we are living a balanced life were we are investing in both our spirit and natural man. In Ephesians 5:15-16, the amplified bible says it like this : Look carefully then how you walk. Live purposefully, and worthily, and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as the wise (sensible, intelligent people). Making the most of the time, (buying up each opportunity), because the days are evil. If we are not careful, we will become consumed with our daily activities, meeting the demands on our jobs, taking on the responsibilities of raising a family, partying like it's 1999, that an entire day has passed and we have not spent any time strengthening our walk with Christ. There are three principle I believe will help a Christian live a spiritually balanced life. Placing God first, Family Second and Work/Rest third.

Placing GOD FIRST. God created man to worship him, to have an intimate relationship with Him. God is not concerned about our works, singing in the choir, serving on the usher board, working in this ministry or that ministry, his desire is for a relationship. He states in the 43rd chapter of Isaiah, I have chosen you that you may know me and believe me. The only way we can get to know God is to spend time with Him in prayer and reading His Word. You know what it is like when you meet that special person. You spend every idle moment either talking to them or thinking about them. Making plans on when you can spend some time together get to know one another, The more you spend time with them the more you know and the more you know, the more you want to spend with that person. Well, that's what it is like when you spend time developing your relationship with Christ. You may start off with praying for 10 minutes in the morning, or reading your bible during you lunch break. The more time you spend with God, the more he reveals himself to you, pouring out His spirit upon you and showering you with His blessings. Soon your relationship with Christ is so important to you that you can't wait to spend time with the lover of your soul.

The next principle is placing FAMILY SECOND. God's desire for the family is to have a home where husband and wife, parents and children live in love and peace together for the Lord and each other. I am reminded of a story of a man who had three sons. When two of them began to stutter, he took them to a speech therapist. After the evaluation the counselor spoke to the man and bluntly told him that it was his own neglect that was responsible for the speech defect. See the man was so consumed with his career, he never spent any quality time with his family. When he did find time to spend with his family, there was constant conflict about work, school, or harsh words about getting things done. There was no time for fun and laughter, or love and compassion. Whatever success we seek are empty without the