Seasons - What Is God Up To? 2

Subject: Understanding The Seasons In Our Lives

By Rick Welborne

Ecclesiastes 3:1-14 (NKJV) 
1 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: 
2 A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; 
5 A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
8 A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace. 
9 What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? 
10 I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
12 I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives,
13 and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor--it is the gift of God.
14 I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him.
–Last week I had the privilege of sharing God’s Word about the seasons and God’s timing in our lives.
–With God’s help I will continue with those thoughts as Holy Spirit leads me.
–My goal today is to help us understand that God is working in our lives to will and to do of His good pleasure.
–Our responsibility is to discern what God is up to or to trust Him even in those times when we have no idea what His plan is.
–Solomon tells us in our text that to everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.
–He also tells us that God has made everything beautiful in its time. We struggle with this because we do not see the whole picture. Listen to Matthew Henry:
1. We must wait with patience for the full discovery of that which to us seems intricate and perplexed, acknowledging that we cannot find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end, and therefore must not judge anything before its time.
2. We are to believe that God has made all beautiful. Everything is done well, as in creation, so in providence, and we shall see it when the end comes, but till then we are incompetent judges of it.
3. While the picture is a drawing, and the house in building, we see not the beauty of either; but when the artist has put his last hand to them, and given them their finishing strokes, then all appears very good.
4. We see the middle of God’s works, not from the beginning of them (then we should see how admirably the plan was laid in the divine counsels), nor to the end of them, which crowns the action (then we should see the product to be glorious), but we must wait till the veil be rent, and not arraign God’s proceedings nor pretend to pass judgment on them.
5. Secret things belong not to us.
Romans 8:28 (NIV) 
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
–So how do we reconcile this need or perceived need that God has to show up this instance and how do we deal with this process we Americans hate called waiting?
–Dutch Sheets says there are two NT words for time...chronos (the general process of time) and kairos (the opportune or strategic time...what he calls the now time).
1. We must see that God does not bypass the general process of time to get us to the strategic time...He simply uses the process to do in us what His will is.
–Remember - what God does in us is more important than what He does for us.
–This does not negate the fact that He will do things for us as we submit to His process He has chosen for us.
–He simply takes us thru or walks us thru the process as we are faithful and persevere believing that He will eventually show up.
–Let me say here...when the time is right God will bring the shift of the process of time into the now time...Pastor, do you have a verse for this? Yes!
Galatians 6:9-10 (NKJV) 
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
–This should be an encouragement to us...maybe we are in a time that nothing exciting or substantial is happening. You may even feel that you are going backwards in the process.
–It may be a time of tedious plowing, standing, believing, praying...you must understand as Matthew Henry said...this is all part of the big picture.
–You must get this...however frustrating this waiting is (the general process of time)...it is not without significance. Your attitude here is key!
–If you press on doing what is good in these general times...the season of reaping will eventually come...we reap if we do not lose heart. Gal.6:9
–Everything fits together...God works all things together...Example of my mom’s biscuits ...Flour...Yuk. Lard...Yuk! Eggs...Yuk! Put all of that together...yum! I want more!
–A lot of life seems yucky and tasteless but when God puts it all together...He makes all things beautiful.
–Life is a series of changes...seasons...blessings, tests, revival, process. Remember, between the promise and the prize there is always a process. Resolve to enjoy the ride!
–It is important to know that our actions and attitudes during the waiting times are what determine whether or not God can move us into the now times...the strategic times.
–During the waiting times God is adding the necessary ingredients to our lives that prepare us for the strategic time when He links the old with the new...the promise with the prize.
–The new does not come in spite of the old...it comes because of what we have been doing during the old...it is called sowing and reaping.
–Understanding this will help us to not grow weary or lose heart as we wait.
Luke 18:1 (NKJV) 
1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart...
–As we go thru this difficult time a mind set can come that says things will never change...we have prayed so long...plowed so long...believed so long...
–We can get to the place where we say "so long" to God’s promises or our dreams...
Disillusionment sets in and faith is gone...we begin to lose hope.
–God wants to change our mentality of being discouraged during these times to a realization that He is working during this season...Joseph waited 22 years.
Key - We are not losing or wasting time...we are investing it and if we will continue to be faithful...the change will come.
–Realizing that we are co-operating with God and submitting our lives to Him...we can rejoice over, rather than, despise small beginnings.
–We will get to the now time if we do not lose heart...stop thinking your present efforts are fruitless and keep standing on God’s Word! Keep sowing...the harvest is coming!
2. Elzeard Bouffier, a sheep herder in France, lived in the French Alps in 1913. He is an example of sowing and reaping and never giving up!
–Bouffier witnessed the careless deforestation of the beautiful mountains around Provence, France.
–The land was barren, streams had dried up, villages were deserted, and there was much wind damage.
–A mountain climber by the name of Giono finds the hut where Bouffier lived on the side of the mountain...he watches him that night count out 100 acorns.
–Giono finds out that Bouffier has planted 100,000 acorns over a three year period and that approximately 20,000 have sprouted.
–In 1939 (26 years later) Giono returns and finds the old shepherd still planting and witnessed a total transformation of the mountains around Provence.
–Beautiful trees, flowing streams, people resettling...all of Bouffier’s effort paid off.
–We are all spiritual foresters...digging sometimes in rocky soil and planting seeds of life...We will reap in due season if we do not quit. Keep digging and planting for those prodigals.
–Though we endure for so long...we keep planting and one day God’s gives us a "suddenly" and almost overnight it seems, God gives total transformation of our situation.
–Remember, you may be sowing for the next generation...those who come after you!
3. We must be expecting and be prepared to move when God brings forth the "now time" in our lives.
–Abraham received the promise of a son...if he is like us he expected the son in about nine months...After the promise there was still 24 years of persevering and walking by faith.
–When the time is right...get the nursery ready...baby is coming home...Isaac was born.
–In our church Matt and Shannon had 15 minutes to decide if they wanted their new baby...I would say that is a right now moment.
–When the twelve spies went in to spy out the land, two came back with the report that now is time to go in and possess what God has positioned us to take.
–The ten did not recognize their time and were not prepared to move when God said move. Sadly, when we miss God’s time for us it has a direct effect on others.
–Sadly this sounds like so many in the church...they miss God’s time and end up wandering around in the desert (a dry place) for long periods of time.
Luke 19:42-44 (NKJV) 
42 saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side,
44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation." 
–Stay with me...when Joshua came into leadership God spoke to him and said that in three days you will be entering the promised land...it was God’s time...things can change quickly.
–If you have been waiting for what seems like a very long time get prepared to move with God when He brings forth the change.
–When that prodigal comes to Jesus you need to be prepared to minister to him or her so they can grow in their faith...You getting prepared shows God your faith!
–We must continue to be faithful...not become weary in well doing because we will...we will reap in due season...when the season is right.
Last example: June 12, 1987 President Ronald Reagan’s speech:
–After decades of Soviet oppression, after years of the gospel not reaching millions who needed it, after US president after another tried to reason with the Russians...
–God did a miracle and in 1989 the wall came down...Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!
–If God can do this on the national stage and do it for the sake of the gospel...how much more can He order our steps and show how loves you and me?
Galatians 6:9-10 (NKJV) 
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.