MAY 29, 2019

MID-WEEK BIBLE TEACHER: SIS. CESS CHAVEZ

SUB-THEME: BREAKING FREE FROM BARRIERS OF PRODUCTIVITY
TEXT: PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14

10 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY IN GOD'S KINGDOM

Productivity is not busyness.

The Bible makes it clear that God expects His servants to be productive in serving Him and to
continue growing spiritually.

Psalm 1:3 – “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit
in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

An unproductive christian life is a tragedy. A tree that doesn't produce fruit doesn't fulfill its
reason for being, and is therefore worthless to God and man.

God has planned for you to fulfill important purposes during your lifetime, and you don’t know
how long you have to do so. Each new day is a valuable opportunity from God to do more of the
work he has uniquely called you to do in his kingdom.
Too many people waste precious time and energy on pursuits that don’t reflect God’s values
and don’t really matter from an eternal perspective. Starting now, you can make sure that you’re
as productive as possible, so you can leave the kind of legacy God intends.
Here are 10 ways to maximize your productivity in God’s kingdom:

BE ABOUT YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER'S BUSINESS. Devote yourself to using your time and
energy in the best way possible: pursuing God’s purposes for your life. Respond to God’s love
for you by expressing your love for him, committing to faithfully being as productive as possible
every day of your life from now on. Live in one-day segments of faithful obedience, doing the
best you can each new day to do whatever you sense God calling you to do during that time.
Then renew your commitment to serve God when you wake up to another fresh day.

REDEEM YOUR TIME. Manage your time well, keeping in mind that time is your most valuable
resource. Once a moment is gone, it’s gone forever, so avoid time wasters such
as misdirection (doing the wrong things), laziness (being overcome by lethargy),
and entertainment (being addicted to diversions). Seek to wisely use every moment that God
gives you to help accomplish God’s redemptive purposes in some way. Ask the Holy Spirit to
give you the wisdom you need to do so. Trust that there will always be enough work for the days
God has given you, and exactly enough days for the work he has assigned. Use your time for
what matters most from an eternal perspective, because ultimately, only what you do for God
will last. Activities that are truly important include: praying, studying the Bible, reading, thinking,
building closer relationships with friends and family, taking care of your health (such as by
eating well, exercising, and resting), and working on the major projects that will establish the
legacy God is leading you to leave on Earth. Use the small fragments of free time that come to
you throughout each day to be productive in some way: from saying a prayer or writing a thank-
you note to filing some papers or washing some dishes.
Organize your life. God is organized, and he built the concept of organization into the fabric of
creation. As someone made in God’s image, you should also be organized. Don’t settle for the
chaos and confusion of a disorganized life. Pray for the help you need to organize every aspect
of your life, such as your finances, car, home, and desk at work. Declutter your living spaces,
find a place for everything, and put everything in its place going forward. Make lists to help you
remember whatever is weighing on your mind: thoughts, ideas, tasks, obligations, etc. At the
end of each day, ask yourself how much of your day was spent reacting to random events as
they occurred rather than pressing ahead with an intentional agenda. Try to be purposeful in
every situation you encounter.

MAXIMIZE YOUR MORNING. Use your each new morning that God gives you well; if you do,
you can be productive throughout the day. If your schedule allows even just 15 minutes to
spend with God for morning devotions regularly, meet with your Creator for that daily
appointment. Use the time for reading the Bible, praying, and planning your day according to
how God leads you through his Spirit. Invite the Holy Spirit to renew your mind during your
morning devotions so you can approach the rest of your day from the right perspective.

GET THE REST YOU NEED. Guard against physical breakdowns and emotional burnout by
getting enough rest every day and night. Incorporate time for solitude, silent reflection, and
sleep into your schedule. Take a weekly Sabbath day off of work, and enjoy vacations as well.
Free yourself up to focus your time and energy on the tasks that only you alone can do by
delegating other tasks to other people and letting go of unnecessary tasks.

OPERATE ON YOURSELF. Whenever you’re battling infected thoughts or inflamed passions,

operate on yourself by asking Jesus, the Great Physician, to heal your soul as you remind
yourself of his truths in the Bible. Perform soul surgery whenever God leads you to, such as
correcting a bad habit, steering away from a negative direction, or recovering from a potential
mistake.

LIVE "AS IF." Act by faith even when your emotions aren’t ready. If you choose to do what’s
right even when you don’t feel like doing so, your emotions will eventually catch up with your
actions. So choose positive attitudes and productive behaviors every day no matter what, and
after a while, you’ll find yourself naturally wanting to think positively and act productively.

EXPERIENCE BIBLICAL JOY. Pursue the “joy of the Lord” that transcends any kind of
circumstances because it’s based on God’s complete and unconditional love for you, which
never changes. Rejoice in the reality of that deep and reliable love that’s always available to
strengthen you as you aim to live productively.

PRACTICE THE POWER OF PERSISTENCE. By being productive in life’s small increments

persistently over time, you can accomplish major tasks and achieve significant results in God’s
kingdom. So do your work one task at a time, not discounting small tasks while trusting that God
will eventually accomplish something big through your efforts.

RELY ON THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVING INSIDE YOU TO ACHIEVE SIGNIFICANCE. Keep in
mind that successfully fulfilling God’s significant purposes for your life isn’t about what you’re
doing for God, but instead it’s about what God is doing through you. Stay closely connected to
Jesus, and when you do, the Holy Spirit will work through you to make you productive and bring
about significant results from your efforts.
Being a productive Christian is not about doing a lot of just anything, it is about properly doing
the right things. We need to recognize what is important – spiritual things, serving the Lord, a
home in heaven – and devote the attention, time, and energy necessary to please the Lord.