Weather today-
They say men have 4 Santa seasons in their lives: First, they believe. Second, they don’t believe; Third, they become Santa. And fourth, they resemble Santa.
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes theme is that all of human life is futile without God in it.
As the seasons of nature are inevitable, so are the seasons of life.
Country – Church – personal lives
- All of life is a determined cycle.
No matter the season, God works for good
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.
1 Peter 1:20
20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake
- Blessings of change!
- Fight our natural resistance to change. It is going to happen!
- We resist change because it means we are moving in and out of our comfort zones.
- Serenity prayer - God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.
- God uses the seasons of change for our growth and His glory.
- James 5:7
- Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.
- James 5:7
Disciples example – not ready for Jesus’ death,
not wanting His kingdom the way He wanted it,
not ready until after he left to realize what their own true mission was – the spreading of the gospel
- Changes will cause us to seek God’s guidance.
- Proverbs 3: 5-6
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
- Changes will cause us to be totally dependent on God
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
- Preparing for the Seasons – change is inevitable.
- We need to know what we are sowing.
Sow righteousness for yourselves,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes
and showers his righteousness on you.
- No matter the seasons, we need to be prepared.
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction
- Know what doesn’t change, and hang onto that.
- Hebrews 13: 8
- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Isaiah 55: 10-11
- As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Be content in the season we are in. Paul
Philippians 4: 11-13
- I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength