INTRODUCTION

In an interview with Bill Gates, Warren Buffet said, “I can buy anything else, except time.” In the past, every second was measured by sand going through the hourglass. 

God has given each one of us a common gift, which is time. So how do we use the time given to us? Time is, perhaps, the most precious commodity we have. Do we waste time by “killing” it?  How are we investing our time?

As we begin this new year, we want to look at developing some good time management habits that will bear good fruit in our lives. The first and most important habit we need to begin the year with, is God Time. 20 minutes every day with God is the best investment we can make.  

DISCUSS

1. Looking back on life, what is one thing you remember doing that felt like a big waste of time? Is there any investment (time or resources) that you felt returned “void”?
2. Read Isaiah 55. The background of this passage is that the prophet Isaiah was preparing the Israelites for the end of their exile in Babylon and their return to Jerusalem. He began by saying, “Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins” (40:1-2). He relayed God’s promise, “Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (40:4-5). Chapters 40-55 are full of promise and call for a joyful response by the people.

   The following three thoughts can be derived from Isaiah 55:8-11.

   a. Thought #1: God’s Word spans Heaven and Earth (Isaiah 55:8-9, Psalms 131:1-2)

   (i) What kind of heart attitudes do we need to have in order to receive God’s thoughts and ways?
   
   (ii) Do these verses speak to you in your life right now? What is the one thing the Lord is reminding you of in these verses?
   
   b. Thought #2: God’s Word is the seed of Life (Isaiah 55:10-11, Isaiah 30:23, 2 Corinthians 9:10, Joshua 1:8)
   
   (i) God’s Word has been referred to as seeds. There is a germination process of the Word of God in our lives that takes time and cannot be avoided. What would help to allow His Word to take root in our hearts? 

   c. Thought #3; God’s Word will always succeed (Isaiah 55:11, Isaiah 40:8, Matthew 24:35)

   (i) What is one area of life where you need the comfort of knowing that God’s Word will not return empty?

3. Discuss your views on the following pictures/metaphors that the Bible uses to describe itself. Share from your personal experiences, how the Word of God based on these metaphors has impacted or transformed your life.

   a. Fire – God’s Word purifies us (Jeremiah 23:29)

   b. Hammer – God’s Word smashes the work of the enemy (Jeremiah 23:29)

   c. Light/Lamp – God’s Word gives us the insight to see the world. (Psalms 119:105)

   d. Mirror – A mirror gives a true reflection and revelation of what is inside. We never truly know ourselves until we read the Word of God (James 1:23)

   e. Anchor – God’s Word is an anchor to our souls (Hebrews 6:18-19)

   f. Milk- God’s Word nourishes us (1 Peter 2:2)

   g. Ruler- God’s Word has a standard (Revelations 11:1-2)

   h. Sword – God’s Word is like a sword (Hebrews 4:12)

   i. Water – God’s Word refreshes the soul (Ephesians 5:26)

   j. Star – God’s Word guides us (2 Peter 1:19)

WHAT WILL YOU DO

Spending time in God’s Word isn’t about gaining more knowledge. One thing we understand in this information age is how to absorb a set of facts, but our faith is more than a set of beliefs. It is about getting to know Someone as real as the person next to us and gaining His thoughts and perspectives that will shape our worldview, ultimately transforming us. 

We are challenged to spend at least 20 minutes every day with God reading His Word and praying. 20 minutes every day is the best investment you can make for your life. 

These 7 steps can guide you:

1. Fix a daily time and place 
2. Posture your heart
3. Read the passage slowly
4. Make observations of the text
5. Read the 30-day devotional
6. Ask yourself, what is the Holy Spirit saying?  
7. Respond in prayer & obedience

MEMORY VERSE

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. – Joshua 1:8 (ESV)