SEASONS

[Donn Jibben]

“SEASONS”

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven”, Ecclesiastes. 3:1

Solomon shares some great insight into the truth that God truly is sovereign and has plans, purposes and activities for every person that he has created.  Those sovereign plans are not to harm us but are plans of hope and a future, Jer. 29:10-11.

We must realize however that those plans will include different seasons that we will have to face in life.  These seasons will certainly not all look the same and will have significantly different flavors to them.  Some of these seasons will be far more productive then some of the others. Some of these seasons may also be difficult ones.  One thing is clear however about these season’s and that is that God does not want anyone of them to be unproductive in any way. Our seasons must always bear good fruit.

For the seasons that God brings are way to be productive, we must follow some guidelines that will greatly aid us to be productive and bear the fruit that the Lord is desiring for us to bear, John 15:5.  Here are four simple guidelines to follow.

1.You must have a consistent time of personal reflection.  This time of reflection should include a “spiritual audit.”   You might ask yourself about your spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, worship etc. and see if you are truly walking intimately, obediently and closely with the Lord, 2 Cor. 13:5; Col. 1:23.

2.You must also allow the Holy Spirit to do some soul searching to see if you are truly in the Lords will for your life.  If there are seasonal changes and there are, then it is possible that the former season you were in has passed and it is time to move on to the next sovereign assignment that the Lord has for you.  There is nothing better than knowing you are in the Lord’s perfect will for your life, Matt. 6:10; 1 John 2:17.

3. Naturally, to know you are in the Lords perfect will and season for your life you must spend time listening to the shepherds voice.  Jesus, our great shepherd stated it like this, “My sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me” John 10:27.

4. Last, we must obey what the Lord tells us to do.  Jesus stated that if you love me, obey me.  Listening and hearing the Lords voice always includes walking it out in obedience.

No matter what season you find yourself in today you can always live productive lives for the Lord. We must keep in mind that in the Fathers sovereign plans and seasonal changes in our lives that He might be more interested in doing a unique work of transformation in us than thru us. Be encouraged if this is the season that you are in today.  As you yield to the Holy Spirits work you are being productive!

 One thing is for certain, as believers we will always live productive lives no matter the season we are in if we allow the Holy Spirit of God to fill us with the Fathers love so we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves, Rom. 5:5; Matt. 22:37-40.

WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT THIS TEACHING!

In Christ’s love

Pastor Donn Jibben

Phil. 3:10