GETTING THE WORK DONEThe members, and especially the leaders, of assemblies meeting in homes have many activities and responsibilities. So, how can they find the time and energy to do all that is required? Following are some suggestions to find time and energy to get the work done.
1. TIME: * Record Time Used: Keep a record for two weeks or longer of your use of time. If it is not possible to do it yourself, have your wife keep the record for the evenings and week-ends, and your secretary for the work week. Everyone who does this is amazed at how they have used their time. * Eliminate Unnecessary Activities: Ask of all activities in the time record, "What would happen if this was not done at all." If the answer is "Nothing will happen," then the conclusion is to stop doing it. Example: Watching television is of little value to people doing God's work. People who say they watch very little TV will find that they will have an extra 20 or more hours per week when it is thrown out. * Delegate: The next question to ask is "Which of the activities on my time log could be done by someone else just as well, if not better?" This is not to push your responsibilities on to someone else. But God's work requires team work, so don't try to do it all yourself. * Daily Devotions: People who give a tithe of their money back to God find that they are financially better off when they title. The same works for time. Those who give a tithe of their time back to God in prayer, Bible reading, Scripture memorization and meditation find they have more time and get more done than when they did not tithe their time. * Focus on Contribution: Human nature is concerned about one's authority and what the organization can do for him. We become preoccupied with efforts rather than with results. This attitude will result in being ineffective. Rather, the servant of God is concerned with his contribution in meeting the needs of others. He asks, "What can I contribute that will significantly affect the performance and results of the work done for Christ." Put your emphesis on responsibility not authority. * Be Accountable: Be accountable to your Elders. They should be asking you about your use of time, "How much television have you watched this week"' "Are you having daily devotions?" "Is your church work interfering with your family activities?"
2. ENERGY: * Be Forgiving: Forgive those who fail you. Anger and grief will sap you of great amounts of energy. Turn the situation over to God and let Him deal with it. Give your expectations to God and He will see you through. * Know Yourself: Know your spiritual gift and what God's will is for you. Never try to be like someone else. Let God make you into the person He wants you to be. Know the "marks" God has branded you with and think Him for them. Also, understand that God will use your area of weakness to show His power. * Use God's Power: Recognize and reject self-effort. Lack of energy is a symptom of doing God's work with your own energy and abilities rather than working in the power and might of the Holy Spirit. * Have a Personal Vision: Focus on the desire God places in your heart and He will bring it to pass. God wants all His children to be servants, but each servant has a different function to perform. Trying to do someone else's work requires greater energy then doing the work God assigns you. * Schedule: Make the most of your time by scheduling and over lapping events. Ask God for insights and wisdom. Look at your schedule from new angles. Schedule creatively. * Multiply Yourself: People learn by doing. All believers have a God given responsibility and work to perform. The leaders must train those they lead and as they direct them in practical management of time and priorities their own ministry will be enlarged. * Instruction: Instruct your flock to be energy givers. Avoid people who are energy takers. Be an energy giver and you will have more energy given you. Sow energy to reap energy. Being lazy is fatiguing.
* Memorize and Meditate on Scriptures on Endurance: "Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don't give up." Galatians 6:9. "Have you not known? have you not heard? The everlasting God, Yahweh, the Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn't faint, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding. He gives power to the faint; and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:28-31. "Looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don't grow weary, fainting in your souls." Hebrews 12:2,3 "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." Romans 15:4. See also Psalm 37 and Hebrews 10:35-39.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 WEB)
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