When Jesus walked the dusty roads and fields of the Holy Land, He had just as much time as we do: twenty-four hours a day. One-hundred and sixty-eight hours a week. And fifty-two weeks each year. According to the New Testament accounts, He never seemed to be in a hurry. However, He was the Son of God on a very big mission. His life was saturated with people. He had family. Friends. Work, worship, and rest. What can we learn from Him about how we are to live our lives, not only successfully, but in a manner that pleases God? 

The Gospels show that connecting with His Father was of utmost importance to Christ. 

He spent time praying and studying the Scriptures, often during situations of concentrated ministry. He consulted God before He selected His ministry team—the twelve disciples. He prayed when carrying out assignments of His mission, including the feeding of five thousand famished people one afternoon. We observe the Lord praying as He primed for a trying time—whether in the throes of a crisis or before His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. He also withdrew to pray when ministry threatened to overwhelm Him.

Spending time communing with God to revitalize Himself was elevated to the top of His priority list—perhaps even written in bright, red permanent ink. He had hidden God’s Word in His heart. Even Satan coming against Him in the wilderness didn’t stand a chance. 

Jesus reflexively quoted Scripture from memory to combat the devil and His ploys. 

Is being in the presence of God—connecting through prayer and Bible study—of paramount significance to you? Does your schedule prove it? Or, are you content to check off a few quick prayer requests and do a little devo dance before busting into your day? Like waving to a high school friend in the hallway before first period, do you say, “Hey!” to Jesus in the morning but then totally ignore Him the rest of the day? I hate to admit that somedays my answer to this last question would be a big, fat yes. Sigh. 

Jesus had a packed agenda while on earth, peppered with both people and purpose: 

• At times His ministry involved preaching the good news to multitudes. He fed a hungry crowd or healed a woman who reached out to touch His robe amid a throng of others (Matthew 5:1–7:29; Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 5:24–35). 

He had family members that included not only His parents but His four half-brothers—James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon—and his cousin John the Baptist (Matthew 13:55; Luke 1:36). 

• He poured into a group of seventy-two, training them before they embarked on a harvest mission for the Kingdom (Luke 10:1–3).
• A great majority of the time, He hung out with the twelve disciples, showing them up close and personal, by His words and actions, how to live by example (Matthew 10:1–5; Mark 10:32–34). 
• And the Lord even had an inner circle of those who were closest to Him: Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17:1–3; Mark 14:32–34; Luke 8:51–52).

Strangers cheeredHim. Religious leaders criticized Him. Some even plotted to take His life. 

While Jesus had numerous people in His life, He also had a plan. Through it all, He never let the people deter Him from His main assignment. 

The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. 

—Luke 4:18–19

It fascinates me how Jesus stayed true to His mission but knew how to manage His interactions with people. He didn’t let the crowds overcome Him. He sometimes singled out individuals such as the woman at the well (John 4:1–26), the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:24–35), and the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18–23). He remained consistent in His calling and yet confident in His human interactions, knowing when to pour into others and when to withdraw to rest. 

Speaking of rest, Jesus was serious about the Sabbath, although He was not legalistic. He recognized our need to follow the pattern shown in creation of laboring six days and resting on the seventh. But He did take into account emergencies that might occur on the Sabbath day. He avowed that the Sabbath was made for man, not the other way around. So, if an animal needed rescuing, or an individual needed healing, He altered His normal routine and tended to them on the day of rest. 

He would not be categorized as idle or lazy. He did his work with gusto and efficiency. Just take a highlighter sometime and go through the Gospel of Mark, picking out every time you see the word immediately. 

Jesus was an on-purpose Person. 

He wasn’t a time waster. He was the epitome of the adage, “work smarter, not harder.” We don’t see Him allowing the expectations and wishes of others to deter Him from His mission or make Him emotionally exhausted. He toggled between work, people, and rest successfully, and in a way that pleased God. 

If we want to learn to be successful with both relating to our people and setting our own schedules, we first need to tackle a topic that Jesus lived out. Scads of blog posts have been written about it; scores of sermons preached about it. But do we really understand what it means to live by it? 

I’m talking about priorities.

(Bottom of the article: Excerpted with permission from When Making Others Happy Is Making You Miserable by Karen Ehman, copyright Karen Ehman.)

“At that time the Lord set a part the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, to stand before the Lord to serve him, and to pronounce blessings in his name, as it is today.

Deuteronomy 10:8 (CSB)

Aaron set a part to consecrate the most holy things

Amram’s sons: Aaron and Moses. Aaron, along with his descendants, was set a part forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense in the presence of the Lord, to minister to him, and to pronounce blessings in his name forever.

1 Chronicles 23:13 (CSB)

Jeremiah chose, set apart, and appointed by God

I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah 1:5 (CSB)

Barnabas and Saul called to service

As they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Acts 13:2 (CSB)

Paul set apart for for the Gospel

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and set a part for the gospel of God—

Romans 1:1 (CSB)

Paul, an apostle—not from men or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead—

Galatians 1:1 (CSB)

Anyone who purified himself will be set apart for Good Works

So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

2 Timothy 2:21 (CSB)

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…his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.

The result of delight and meditation on the Word of God:

³ He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams^[a]
that bears its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Psalm 1:3 CSB

There is an occasion for everything,
and a time for every activity under heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1 CSB

⁵ The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure. ⁶ For every activity there is a right time and procedure, even though a person’s troubles are heavy on him.

Ecclesiastes 8:5-6 CSB

There are set times for some events:

⁶ For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:6 CSB

⁶ Jesus told them, “My time has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand. ⁷ The world cannot hate you, but it does hate me because I testify about it—that its works are evil. ⁸ Go up to the festival yourselves. I’m not going up to this festival,^{[Other mss add yet]} because my time has not yet fully come.” 

John 7:6-8 CSB

“⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.”

Acts 1:7 CSB

¹¹ Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness ¹² as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming.^[a] Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. ¹³ But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

¹⁴ Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found without spot or blemish in his sight, at peace.

Checklist for Celebration

From Dr. David Jeremiah’s book, Forward, Chapter 10 “Celebrate: Turn Your Forward Into Forever” Outline

1. LOOK FORWARD TO A ROUSING WELCOME
2. LOOK FORWARD TO A RICH REWARD
3. LOOK FORWARD TO A RESURRECTED BODY
4. LOOK FORWARD TO A RENEWED ASSIGNMENT
5. LOOK FORWARD TO A ROYAL THRONE
6. LOOK FORWARD TO A RAPTUROUS REUNION
7. LOOK FORWARD TO A RISEN SAVIOR

³⁴ “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work,” Jesus told them.

Checklist for Finishing

From Dr. David Jeremiah’s book, Forward, Chapter 8 “Finish: You’re Not Done Until You’re Done” Outline

1. STAY FOCUSED TILL YOU’RE FINISHED
2. STAY RESILIENT ABOUT RETIREMENT
3. STAY CONNECTED TO YOUR CALLING
4. STAY VIGILANT AFTER YOUR VICTORIES
5. STAY READY FOR REDEPLOYMENT

¹⁹ “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures^{[Or valuables]} on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Checklist for Investing

From Dr. David Jeremiah’s book, Forward, Chapter 8 “Invest: Outlive Your Life” Outline

1. INVEST IN GOD’S WORD
   1. Study His Word
   2. Spread His Word
2. INVEST IN GOD’S WORK
   1. Develop a Personal Ministry
   2. Devote Yourself to a Local Church
3. INVEST IN GOD’S WEALTH

¹³ I am able to do all things through him^{[Other mss read Christ]} who strengthens me.

Checklist for Belief

From Dr. David Jeremiah’s book, Forward, Chapter 4 “Believe: Get Your Mind Right” Outline

1. BE POSITIVE ABOUT GOD’S LOVE FOR YOU
   1. Be Positive About God’s Love for You
   2. Be Positive About God’s Plan for You
2. BE POSITIVE IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS
   1. Speak Positively to Yourself
   2. Speak Positively to Others
3. BE POSITIVE IN YOUR CRISES
4. BE POSITIVE IN YOUR COUNTENANCE

…The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the devil’s works.

Checklist for Pursuit

From Dr. David Jeremiah’s book, Forward, Chapter 4 “Pursue: Chase Your Dream” Outline

1. PRESENT YOURSELF TOTALLY TO GOD
2. UNDERSTAND YOUR UNIQUENESS
3. REALIZE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
4. PURSUE GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE
5. OBEY ORDERS FROM GOD’S WORD
6. SERVE OTHERS SELFLESSLY
7. EXPERIENCE ETERNAL LIFE

…If I perish, I perish.

Checklist for Living with Risk

From Dr. David Jeremiah’s book, Forward, Chapter 4 “Risk: Get Out of Your Safe Zone” Outline

1. HOW TO LIVE IN THE SAFE ZONE
   1. Maximize the Opposition
   2. Minimize the Opportunities
   3. Jeopardize the Objective
2. HOW TO RISK LIFE IN THE FAITH ZONE
   1. Risk-Takers Stay Exuberant About Their Lives
   2. Risk-Takers Stay Excited About Their Futures
   3. Risk-Takers Stay Enthusiastic About Their Assignment
   4. Risk-Takers Stay Energized About Their God