Time is Money pt. 1

In this message, Pastor Josh kicks off the “Time is Money” series with a deeply honest and eye-opening look at how we use our time—and how easily we waste it.

We all think we understand time: we measure it in days, hours, and minutes, and we often feel like we never have enough of it. But what if the way we see time is just as important as how we spend it? In the opening of this four-week series, Pastor Josh lays a theological and practical foundation for viewing time not as a burden or a curse, but as a God-given gift. Drawing from Ephesians 5 and James 4, he reminds us that life is short and fleeting—like a mist—and that the Bible doesn’t just call us to be busy, but wise with the time we’ve been given.

Time Is a Gift—But It’s Limited

Time, unlike money, can’t be saved or earned back. Pastor Josh uses a powerful visual—a “life calendar” made up of tiny boxes representing months from birth to age 90—to show just how short life really is. And when you subtract sleep, work, chores, and screen time, the amount of truly free, usable time shrinks dramatically.

The point? Time is God’s creation. He exists outside of it, but we are subject to it. And once it passes, we can’t get it back. So how we view and steward our time directly affects whether our life becomes a blessing or a burden.

Why We Waste Time

Here are seven common traps that cause us to waste our lives:

1. Addiction to Quick Dopamine FixesScreen time, alcohol, shopping, or mindless entertainment can devour our hours. These things offer temporary relief from pain or boredom, but leave us emptier in the long run.
2. Living in the PastResentment, regret, or unresolved trauma from the past can cloud our present. If we constantly carry yesterday’s pain into today, we never live in the now.
3. Fear of the FutureWorry and pessimism can paralyse us. Rather than taking risks or stepping into God’s calling, we retreat and let fear decide how we live.
4. Chasing Success Without Eternal PerspectiveWe can pour our lives into career, achievement, or wealth—only to find they don’t satisfy. Like the rich fool in Luke 12, we may gain the world and lose our soul.
5. Waiting Until We ‘Feel Like It’Procrastination robs us. Waiting for the perfect mood or moment often means that day never comes. Growth and obedience begin when we act, not when we feel like acting.
6. Finding Value in Possessions, People, or PerformanceWe often measure our worth by what we have, who we know, or what we achieve. But real value comes from being loved by God—not what we accumulate.
7. Ignoring God’s WillThe most dangerous way to waste your life? Living it as if God has no say. Time is not neutral; it’s either spent in pursuit of God’s will or wasted in self-driven goals.

How to Redeem the Time

In contrast to wasting time, Pastor Josh points to the Ephesians 5 call to “make the most of every opportunity.” How? By being filled with the Holy Spirit. Just as drunkenness alters behavior, being filled with the Spirit reshapes our desires, decisions, and daily rhythms.

This kind of life is:

• Spirit-led – Choosing surrender over distraction
• Worshipful – Filled with songs, gratitude, and spiritual awareness
• Relational – Lived with “one another” in mind, not in isolation
• Intentional – Focused on God’s purposes, not just surviving the week

Pastor Josh highlights real-life examples, like young people in the church choosing missions, and couples sacrificing comfort to follow God’s call, to show that this isn’t theoretical—it’s possible.

Conclusion: Don’t Waste Your Life

This message isn’t meant to guilt you—it’s meant to wake you up. You may have already wasted months or even years. But the good news is: God gives you a new page today.

Time is fleeting, but it’s also full of potential—if surrendered to God.

So how will you spend your remaining time? Will you scroll it away? Fear it away? Regret it away?

Or will you let God fill it with purpose, joy, and bold obedience?

As Pastor Josh says: “Life is short. Eternity is long. Don’t waste your life.”