Lesson #20. TIME MANAGEMENT WORKSHEET.

AIM: To effectively manage our time in order to reach our fullest potential for God.

I. PRINCIPLES:

1. TIME IS A GIFT FROM GOD:
   1. GOD CONTROLS EVERY PERSON’S LIFE: ‘In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.’ (Job 12;10)
   2. WE MUST USE EVERY DAY TO PLEASE GOD: ‘This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it’ (Psalm 118:24)
   3. WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT OUR LIFE IS PASSING: ‘Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to 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.’ (James 4:13-14).
2. WE HAVE TIME TO DO WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO:
   1. GOD SAVED US TO SERVE HIM; ‘For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.’ (Eph 2:10)
   2. LIVING FOR THE LORD IS WHAT COUNTS: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.’ (2 Timothy 4:7)
   3. JESUS FULFILLED GOD’S PLAN TO THE END: ‘I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave Me to do.’ (John 17:4)
   4. JESUS KEPT A BALANCE IN HIS LIFE: ‘But now even more the report about Him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their infirmities. But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray.’ (Luke 5:15-16)
3. WE ARE CALLED TO BE GOOD MANAGERS OF TIME:
   1. WE MUST SEE LIFE FROM GOD’S POINT OF VIEW: ‘So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom’ (Psalm 90:12)
   2. WE SHOULD USE & MAKE TIME FOR GOOD NOT EVIL: ‘Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.’ (Ephesians 5:15-17)
   3. DOES THE WAY WE USE OUR TIME PLEASE GOD?: We often want to do everything or just focus on selfish pleasure, which results in us not making effective use of our time.

II. COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS:

1. Work is bad and pleasure is good.
2. “Where has all the time gone?” = I have planned poorly!
3. “I don’t have time” = This is not a high enough priority.
4. I can always say yes and handle all the demands on my time – You cannot bite off more than you can chew.
5. Planning is a waste of time – Effective planning of time will help you save time.

III. PUTTING PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE:

1. Confess past failures to God (1 John 1:9)
2. Make Jesus the Lord of your time (1Thessalonians 2:4, Psalm 143:10)
3. Useful planning tools.

Activity Time Analysis and Assessment:

In the first column write down the number of hours you spent in each activity in the last seven days. In the second column, rate your time usage: WTM – way too much, TM – too much, AR – about right, NE – not enough, WNE – way too little.

Weekly Schedule

1. Map your typical week as it currently looks by writing in your activities.
2. Check your Personal/Family/Ministry balance.
3. Use a separate sheet to plan how you would like your week to look.

o Written by Lou George – lougeorge@outlook.com.au