UNCERTAIN DEPARTURE-Daily devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 & 3 John, Jude
UNCERTAIN DEPARTURE Wednesday, December 1, 2010
MEMORIZE: “But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;” (1 Cor. 7:29) READ: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 “Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain” (Ps. 89:47). Everyone is given time as a major resource for accomplishing the various assignments to be done on earth. The unfortunate thing about this is that we are not sure of the exact time we have on earth. If you have a million naira, you will know how to budget and spread it over your most important needs. But how can you spend an amount you do not know of? Ecclesiastes 9:12 says, “For man knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare: so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them”. When fishes swim in the river, none of them can tell the day they would end up in the cooking pot of a human being. In this situation, men are compared with fishes and birds of prey.  You do not know when your time will be up.  You may try to think it through but you may not be sure of the exact time except God reveals it specifically to you. Jacob thought getting his wife would require just seven years but it cost him double. Some people think they still have up to 20 years to live but they have even less than half of that time. There is so much uncertainty about this and that is where wisdom comes in. Since you are not sure of your time of departure from earth, prayerfully set your goals and draw up a planned timetable that will help you accomplish the set goals. Reduce everything wasting your time. Avoid fruitless efforts.  For instance, do not jump at any opening, opportunity or offer until you have sufficiently prayed about it and heard directly from God on the matter. Some people consider this a waste of time so they take their lives in their hands and plunge in only to discover later that they made a mistake. The time you spend waiting on the Lord is not wasted.  Rather, that will prevent you from wasting more time. Some people prefer to keep trying their hands in every career, job or business rather than wait on God for precise direction. If you will be wise, first hear from God before you act. It saves you time and other resources. Similarly, everyday must be lived in righteousness.  Settle all debts or restitutions. Release your offenders and ask for the forgiveness of those you offended. ACTION POINT: Some people leave the earth without achieving any goal God has set for them, while people like Paul accomplished all Heaven’s goals for him and he still had sometime to toy with. N.B  Support this dream and together let's make it a reality, go to www.10millionexercisebooks.com for more.