What Season Is It???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #247

As we think about times and seasons, many around us are counting that to mean ‘heat’!  It’s one of those really hot Oklahoma summers, and we praise God for the A/C and try to do what we can when it’s the cooler part of the day; which for a ‘scheduler’ like me it has turned my ‘schedule’ upside-down!  But I’m learning to adapt to getting up earlier to walk first thing in the morning, not the late afternoon; to get the outside watering done early as well; and more of it to keep my flowering plants alive through this heat wave!  But I want us to think of a different kind of seasons, and while we all deal with the changing seasons of the year, unique seasonal changes on the outside, yet we also face different and unique seasons of life.

That is what I want us to think about today; to remember that while God created the earthly seasons, He also sets our times and seasons of life; and when we learn to trust Him with our life seasons, it makes for a sweeter walk through this journey of life.  When we walk with God, we can be assured that He has us in His hand, and as a preacher friend says, “God never says, ‘ooops’!”   His timing is perfect!

“The LORD is the portion

of mine inheritance

and of my cup:

thou maintainest my lot.

6 The lines are fallen unto me

in pleasant places;

yea, I have a goodly heritage.

7 I will bless the LORD,

who hath given me counsel:

my reins also

instruct me in the night seasons.

8 I have set the LORD always before me:

because he is at my right hand,

I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad,

and my glory rejoiceth:

my flesh also shall rest in hope.”  Psalm 16:5-9

Our hope is in Jesus our Lord and God The Father; we can trust Him to care for us, to direct our steps and show us the way, if we will but draw near to Him, feed on His Word, and communicate with Him in prayer continually.  That’s what Paul meant when he called us to “pray without ceasing” (See 1 Thessalonians 5:17.)  For prayer is the lifeline of the believer, not just a rote request that God would “give us this day…”, or a quick “forgive us our trespasses” before we go to sleep.  Prayer without ceasing means keeping a mindset of dependence on God to direct our every step—every day—all the way!  After all He is the creator of all—the ruler of all—our soon coming King; Daniel proclaimed His character in one of the most concise prayers of praise in all of scripture; may we heed its truth and beauty today—every day.

“Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel

in a night vision.

Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel answered and said,

Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:

for wisdom and might are his:

21 And he changeth the times and the seasons:

he removeth kings,

and setteth up kings:

he giveth wisdom

unto the wise,

and knowledge

to them that know understanding:

22 He revealeth

the deep and secret things:

he knoweth

what is in the darkness,

and the light

dwelleth with him.

23 I thank thee,

and praise thee,

O thou God of my fathers,

who hast given me wisdom and might,

and hast made known unto me now

what we desired of thee:

for thou hast now made known unto us

the king’s matter.”  Daniel 2:19-23

God heard and answered Daniel’s prayer (along with his friends who joined him in the prayer vigil), and He will do the same for us when our hearts are set on God rather than set on doing our own thing, our own way; and when God begins to reorder our lives, our abilities, our surroundings, our times and seasons of life, we often balk, pout, stomp, cry and demand that God give us our ________ back (you fill in the blank).  And for many people my age (senior citizens) it’s hard not to want to be able to do what we used to do, to go where we used to go, to have the people, places and things that we used to have!  But the season has changed for us, and probably for many of you reading this post; but the test is, what we will do with the change: get mad, pout and drop out?  Or will we look up, stand fast, and press on with whatever ability, resources and time that God has given us? God hasn’t asked us to do the impossible, but to trust Him to lead us, use us and provide for us as we are faithful stewards of whatever time and season we may enter—be it temporary or permanent, Paul said it best.

“For he that soweth to his flesh

shall of the flesh reap corruption;

but he that soweth to the Spirit

shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing:

for in due season we shall reap,

if we faint not.

10 As we have therefore opportunity,

let us do good unto all men,

especially unto them

who are of the household of faith.”  Galatians 6:8-10

May we remember that Jesus is the One who leads us to those opportunities—sometimes as the giver, and at other times, as gracious receivers!  We will reap what we sow, and God keeps accurate accounts.

“When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh,

what will he do unto those husbandmen?

41 They say unto him,

He will miserably destroy

those wicked men,

and will let out his vineyard

unto other husbandmen,

which shall render him

the fruits in their seasons.”  Matthew 21:40-41

God is faithful to provide that which we need, yet there are those times when Jesus says, “Not now!”, or “Wait!” or as He told His disciples, some things are to be done “by faith without knowing the particular times and seasons”—we are to walk by faith in His timing not our own.  The power, times and seasons belong to Jesus, we are called to Go forth scattering the truth of the Gospel!

“When they therefore were come together,

they asked of him, saying,

Lord, wilt thou at this time

restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them,

It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,

which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power,

after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:

and ye shall be witnesses unto me

both in Jerusalem,

and in all Judaea,

and in Samaria,

and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

9 And when he had spoken these things,

while they beheld,

he was taken up;

and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stedfastly

toward heaven as he went up,

behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said,

Ye men of Galilee,

why stand ye gazing up into heaven?

this same Jesus,

which is taken up from you into heaven,

shall so come in like manner

as ye have seen him go into heaven.

12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem

from the mount called Olivet,

which is from Jerusalem

a sabbath day’s journey.”  Acts 1:6-12

And one last passage that reminds us that we have a great task, for our Lord will return and He will call us unto Himself!  Will we be found faithful to the season that Jesus has brought us to?  Are we paying attention to the world around us, and sharing the truth of Jesus’ salvation as we are given opportunity?  Or are we running after the past?  A different future?  A different present?  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test.

“But of the times and the seasons, brethren,

ye have no need that I write unto you.

2 For yourselves know perfectly

that the day of the Lord so cometh

as a thief in the night.

3 For when they shall say,

Peace and safety;

then sudden destruction cometh upon them,

as travail upon a woman with child;

and they shall not escape.

4 But ye, brethren,

are not in darkness,

that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5 Ye are all the children of light,

and the children of the day:

we are not of the night,

nor of darkness.

6 Therefore let us not sleep,

as do others;

but let us watch

and be sober.

7 For they that sleep

sleep in the night;

and they that be drunken

are drunken in the night.

8 But let us, who are of the day,

be sober,

putting on the breastplate

of faith and love;

and for an helmet,

the hope of salvation.

9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath,

but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

10 Who died for us,

that, whether we wake or sleep,

we should live together with him.

11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together,

and edify one another,

even as also ye do.”  1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Walking with Jesus, we can have peace, joy and comfort knowing that our Lord is in charge—and He has our times and seasons in His hands—both the times and seasons of eternity and our personal times and seasons.  Give it all to Jesus—He knows; He loves you and He has your journey mapped out; so trust Him with it today, and each day!!!

Amen and Amen!!!

God is still God; God is still good; and I still trust HIM! And You?