time is the most precious commodity that we have however unlike other Commodities time is something that we all want more of but it's also something that we have no ability to acquire we can't negotiate our way to having more time we can't set up accounts that accumulate the interest of time we can't establish businesses or give ourselves to a job to acquire more time time owns US not the other way around we cannot control time time controls us time restricts us even and as a result most of us have uttered the words if I only
had more time I'm sure we've all said these words at some point if only we had more time to complete this or that task if only we had more time to invest in this or that relationship if only we had more time we would do this if only we had more time we would learn a new language travel more spend more time with family invest in our friendships not worry so much about work and money invest more in our relationship with God or do more for the cause of Christ if only I had more time
we have all uttered these statements at one time or another the tragedy is that many people come to this realization late in life and for some it'll be far too late when they realize how precious time is too many people realize the importance of time when they're in a desperate situation it's the man on his deathbed or the woman who's been diagnosed with an illness that truly appreciates time several biblical authors knew of this human tendency to feel like we have more time than we do Proverbs tells us do not boast about tomorrow for you
do not know what a day may bring James 4:13 to15 says come now you who say today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring what is your life for you are a Mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes instead you ought to say if the Lord Wills we will live and do this or that we must not presume that we have more time or put off developing our relationship with
God because tomorrow is not promised and time could come to an end at any time Jesus implores not to be in a mind state of getting ready but being ready in other words we should always be ready we should always be working on improving our relationship with Christ and on utilizing our gifts for his glory if we are always in a state of Readiness we will not have to worry about time so dear brothers and sisters use the time that you have wisely invest in the things of the Lord invest in your relationship with the
Lord time is precious have you ever really searched for something important if you lose something that you need what do you do you retrace your steps or you go to the last place you remember seeing it and if you can't find whatever you're searching for you end up looking anywhere and everywhere but it's different when you're searching for answers whether you're a scholar an academic a scientist a detective or a doctor if you're searching for answers you don't just look anywh and everywhere you're particular about where you look you're particular about who you listen to
everything concerning your search for answers is very specific it's measured you filter out any sources that aren't credible it's interesting when you look at the lengths that we as humans will go to in search of answers now in the Bible there's a man who had a request that God would search him he wanted God to search every part of him from his mind to his heart to his emotions he wanted God to uncover everything and remove anything that was Unholy and impure Psalm 139: 23- 24 says search me oh God and know my heart try
me and know my thoughts and see if there be any Grievous way in me and Lead Me in the way Everlasting David had six requests the Lord the first was God search me then it was know my heart find out everything hidden in my heart the third request was God try me put me to the test number four was know my anxieties in other words know my thoughts the fifth request was that God would see if there is any wicked way in me meaning identify or reveal the sin that's in my life and finally David
said Lead Me Lead Me In Your Way in a way that pleases you I'm fascinated that David wanted God to search him so thoroughly because truth be told a lot of us hide things or at least we think we're hiding things from God but let me tell you Saints nothing is hidden from the sight of God so I encourage you have a desire to be purified by God have a desire for him to to search you and if he finds any hate within you ask him to remove it ask God to search you and if
he finds any bitterness within you ask him to remove it too many times we're holding on to things that hurt us when in reality we should be saying Lord search me search my motives my mind search my being know my heart remove all of the impurities the unforgiveness the hurt try me test me God because it is through the testing of our faith that we grow stronger that we develop and that we mature as Christians pray that God would be the focus of your thoughts and perhaps the most important place to begin is for God
to see if there be any wicked way with you may he reveal that hidden sin the thing that we make excuses for when in reality it really is just sin once God reveals it then pray that he may take your hand and Lead You In His will now let us pray King Jesus your word in James 4:8 says draw near to God and He will draw near to you cleanse your hands you Sinners and purify your hearts you double-minded I've made a choice Lord I want to draw near to you you I desire to draw
near to you because you've promised to draw near to me and so I pray that you would search me and know my heart make me clean Lord let sin be absent from my life father God you are the strength of my salvation and I give thanks to your Holy Name dear Lord I desire to draw closer to you and I begin by repenting father father forgive me for my sins forgive me for all that I've done wrong I know that it's sin that Separates Me from you so I pray that your blood would wash me
clean may I live a life that's consecrated in you may the Holy Spirit strengthen and convict me to separate myself from the world because your word says that I should not be conformed to this world but I should be transformed by the renewing of my mind forgive me and wash my conscience clean help me to keep my eyes looking unto Jesus who is the author and finisher of my faith in you Lord is everything I want and in you Lord is everything I can ever need Lord Jesus I desire to draw close to you because
1 John 4: 19 says we love because he first loved us God you loved me before I ever knew you and I thank you for that I thank you because your word even says in Jeremiah 1 verse 5 before I formed you in the womb I knew you before you were born I set you apart I appointed you as a prophet to the Nations God I thank you for such a deep love father I thank you for such an everlasting and eternal love that knows no bounds I desire to draw close to you because when
I read Psalm 27: 1 to5 I'm filled with confidence I'm filled with hope and peace because your word says the Lord is my light and my salvation Whom Shall I Fear the Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid when evil doers assail me to eat up my flesh my adversaries and foes it is they who stumble in all though an army encamp against me my heart shall not fear though War rise against me yet I will be confident one thing have I asked of the Lord that will I seek
after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple for he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble he will conceal me under the cover of his tent he will lift me high upon a rock I bless your name Lord and I thank you for being the strength of my life I pray that just like David I may have only one desire and that is to dwell in the house of the
Lord all the days of my life because if I abide in you I am kept safe and well I am hidden in your Pavilion and set high upon a rock Holy Spirit spirit I pray that you would birth an appetite for the word of God in my life birth a hunger in me which will draw me closer to God birth in me an appetite for prayer and worship I come to you Lord Jesus and recognition of your great might and Power in recognition of your love and your mercy I'm seeking a closer relationship with you
a relationship that yields good fruit Within Me a relationship that I know will bring peace and protection to my life I worship your Holy Name Lord I Adore You Lord Jesus your blood is living and it's powerful and I pray that it will transform me daily I pray that it will transform me totally do not let me stumble oh Lord help me to overcome in the name of Jesus you oh God are full of compassion and I Surrender my life I Surrender my family into your caring hands may your name be blessed and worshiped forever
thank you for hearing my prayer in Jesus name I pray [Music] amen come now you who say today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring what is your life for you are a Mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes instead you ought to say if the Lord Wills we will live and do this or that search me oh God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and
see if there be any Grievous way in me and Lead Me in the way [Music] Everlasting the Lord is my light and my salvation Whom Shall I Fear the Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid when evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh my adversaries and foes it is they who stumble and fall though an army encamp against me my heart heart shall not fear though War rise against me yet I will be confident one thing have I asked of the Lord that will I seek after that I
may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple for he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble he will conceal me under the cover of his tent he will lift me high upon a rock fck [Music]
