Time & Seasons

What are we doing with our time??

—Ecclesiastes 3:1,2,4

—1.To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

—2. A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant; and a time to pluck what is planted;

—4. A time to weep; and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

—What is time?

—In Greek word zeman (zem-awn) --  means time or season

—So when I say, “What are we doing with our time?”…. I am also saying “What are we doing with our season?”

             What does a season look like?

—God gives us seasons-- Seasons for growth, rest, work, school, learning, teaching etc.

—Every season we experience has a beginning and an end.  Exp. Finals week.

—Some seasons are reoccurring, while others you experience once and that’s it. Exp. Summer and Winter/  Being 5 yrs old.

—Some seasons are very long, while others are very short.  3 months vs. 1 day or hr.

 

Being “In season”….

—Being “in season” in the Greek means that we are in our opportune time.

—Exp. Season of organization and time management.

- Special anointing, providing efficiency

            What does it mean to be efficient?

To be efficient means:

A.  Acting or producing effectively with a minimum of waste, expense, or unnecessary effort.

B. Exhibiting a high ratio of output to input

—Explanation--So with God’s anointing we can:

1. accomplish his goals with ease.. You don’t have to think about it.

                Efficiency Cont.

2. God has given you access to all the tools you need to accomplish his goals... Spiritual tools as well as Natural tools. Exp. Diligence (spirit)/ Academic Coach (natural)

3. Operating in this season is not really costing me anything… I’m mainly gaining.

—Cost:  some free time

—Gain: Organization, Peace of Mind, Better Grades, Perfection in another Divine quality of Christ! –will explain.

—God has a focus for every season!

—God has a purpose for every season.

— There is not a season that you experience that does not work for his glory when you are in Christ.

—Romans 8:28 -And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

—If God felt that a particular season or goal would keep your from your destiny or push you outside of his will, he wouldn’t allow you to go through it….

—So when we experience different seasons and trials when we are in Christ his goal is to use them to perfect us in the divine qualities of Christ.

Glory to Glory

—When we move from one season to the next we are supposed to be moving from one perfection to the next  a.k.a glory to glory.

—In Greek Glory means Doxa... the word Doxa itself has multiple definitions but the one that we are going to use today is " an especially divine quality“

—In seeking to be like Christ we are seeking to develop ALL of his divine qualities... To become perfect in every area of our lives.

Perfection

—Matthew 5:48 - be ye therefore perfect, even as your father which is in heaven is perfect.

—What does it mean to be perfect?

—The word perfect in Greek is referred to as Teleios.

—Teleios in short definition literally means perfect or full-grown... In its long definition it means perfect, complete in all its parts, full grown, of full age,  or complete in Christian character (aka complete in the characteristics of Christ).

— So stop saying nobody is perfect… Or you will never be perfect--- Because you are speaking death over yourself if you do! – Instead speak Life!

—How do we speak life instead of death? Exp.

“Out of Season”

— In Greek “out of season” means akairos meaning out of due season, inopportunely, or untimely.

         —What happens when we try to do things “out of season”?

— You move outside of God’s anointing and will.

—Characteristics of moving out of God’s will a.k.a. operating outside of its due season:

More input than output. Extreme effort little to no results. Exp. Working hard to be in a relationship but its not working out for you. - didn’t happen, wasn’t what you wanted, no one is in agreement with you.

Keep facing obstacles. Exp. 1 - Moses delivered the Israelites from Egypt, still Pharaoh pursued them (bible). Exp. 2 - 13 yr. old trying to work.

You experience a different result then what was intended… Exps. Divorce, Quit, You sin.

You become overwhelmed. – You feel like you are doing to many things at one time…  Playing catch up!  - now the furnace is hotter.

—Isaiah 48:10- behold I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

—Refined  means purified or made perfect.

—Affliction means suffering or pain.

—What happens “Out of Season” cont.

5. You become stagnant. You try to stay in this season or God keeps you in a season.. Not moving forward.

—Stagnant means you are not moving or flowing.

—1 Corinthians 3:2 - I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal.

—Carnal in Greek means fleshly or worldly.... So to be carnal means to be of the world or like those in the world who still act on their sinful nature (or ways). Exp… moving from flesh to spirit/ law to love.

—Sometimes when you are acting out in disobedience towards Gods divine will.. He may not allow you to move or flow into another season until you have…

1. mastered the one you are in. Exp.  Achieving discipline/ Singleness

2. have been obedient to the tasks he has set out for you to do and accomplish. Exp. Follower who wants to be a Leader.

       SO! How do we know what season God wants us to be in?

—If you can hear the lords voice you should be asking him to tell you what he wants you to focus on or what season you should be in… Focus on trusting what you hear!

—If you can’t hear God’s voice you should be praying that he would direct your steps and send you wise Godly counsel  to help you along the way until you can…. Have Faith that he will begin to speak to you!

—Season – Trust & Faith.

             Take your Seasons Seriously!

—Our seasons should be very precious to us and should not be taken lightly....

—We should be starting and finishing our seasons with excitement, endurance, and diligence (while relying on the Holy Spirit to help us every step of the way)...

—So that  at the end of every season we may receive our prize of even greater perfection and glory. – becoming more & more like Christ.

—1 Corinthians 9:24 - Do you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

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Time and Season Activity

Before Teaching

Pass out a note card to everyone

Ask everybody to think about what they feel G-d calling them to do in this season…in this moment/timing of their lives

a.     It can be personal, spiritual, academically

  Have them keep their note cards at their seats
  Tell everyone as we talk tonight to edit and make additions to the note cards.

After Teaching

Explain that we are going to intentionally celebrate the great things that G-d is doing this semester.  Tell everyone that as G-d does great things for them, we encourage them to share it! As they write it on a post-it-note (it can be anonymous), we will add it to a poster board and celebrate all that G-d has done at the end of the semester!

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—Ashley Wilson – aw79907@gulls.salisbury.edu