SEASONS

Seasons

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV)

In the proper season, crops can be harvested and fruits picked. If we try to bring in the harvest or pick fruit when it is not the right season, we will come up empty or have fruit that is too immature or too ripe.

We must plow, plant and harvest in the proper seasons that God has ordained.

We must also move in the proper seasons of our lives!

For example, a college student is in the season of learning. Normally, he or she should not be buying a house, traveling the world or binge watching TV. He must focus on learning and work hard at it. A college student should not be overly discouraged if he is not making a huge salary at that time or volunteering at the local homeless shelter. That will come in another season.

Perhaps a person has been obligated by circumstance to be the caregiver for a sick relative. This can be a very demanding task. The caregiver should not be dismayed or feel guilty if he or she cannot partake in many other activities or responsibilities. It is the season of caregiving.

If we can learn to discern the seasons of our lives, we can also learn to focus on what is required in that season!

Queen Esther was in a position to ask the king for favor for her people. Her Uncle Mordecai helped her to see the importance of her opportunity:

For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. AND WHO KNOWS WHETHER YOU HAVE NOT COME TO THE KINGDOM FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS?”

Esther 4:14 (ESV, capitalization added)

Esther was given the time, place, season and opportunity to act Her intervention resulted in saving many of her people - the Jews!

There are only twenty four hours in a day. We are limited by time, energy and resources.

Let us ask God to give us wisdom regarding what time, place, season and opportunity he has given us. Then we can focus on that and not be overly concerned about the rest!

GUARANTEED SALVATION!

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

Ephesians 1:13 (ESV)

When we receive Christ, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit!

He dwells in us and we become partakers of His Divine Nature! (2 Peter 1:3-5)

Christ in us is the hope of glory! We are in Him and He in us! (Colossians 1:27)*

* We must not confuse this powerful theological fact with the new age concept that God is in all of us.    

  Nor does this mean that we can ever be in any way equal to God! Many great books have already been written to clarify the differences. But it is critical that we do understand this important distinction!

To be sealed is to be stamped or marked - similar to the mark of a signet ring used by ancient kings to seal a document as a proof of its authenticity. We have been stamped or marked by The Holy Spirit's Himself dwelling within us.

How significant is this sealing mark? 

The very next verse tells us:

14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:14 (ESV)

The Holy Spirit Himself is our GUARANTEE - the DOWN PAYMENT on our inheritance!

God has put a down payment on our salvation. It is inconceivable that He will not return to claim His own.

UNTIL...

Vs. 14 tells us that our further inheritance is still yet to come! And again, He has personally guaranteed it. There is no small print or "legalese" - the kind man includes in his contracts and guarantees.

Yes we already have an inheritance. But there is a further, greater inheritance to come.

And it has been GUARANTEED by the Creator and Ruler of the Universe - the ONE, TRUE, LIVING GOD!

If you have the Holy Spirit in you through the new birth - your salvation is guaranteed and you have eternal life!

11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 WHOEVER HAS THE SON HAS LIFE; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (capitalization added)

1 John 5:11-12 (ESV)