Times and Seasons

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22

     Seedtime and harvest. Day and night. Winter and summer. God is faithful every single day, and there are analogies to be made between the times of our lives and the seasons of the year. Seeds are planted in the ground, as well as in the womb, in the environments God has created and designed.

     Summer follows spring, winter follows fall, year after year, just as our lives go through seasons of their own. Through the spring of our lives, we begin weak and helpless, relying on the environment around us in order to thrive and to grow. Our almost two-year-old grandson amazes us with his ability to soak in so much as he continues to learn new words, new skills with more dexterity every single day.

     There is promise and hope in these years of our lives. It is spring.

     Summer finds us when the sun is high, as we are filled with energy, with strong bodies and the promise of careers, maybe a spouse and children. There is warmth and light. Everything is in full bloom, long days, warm sunshine. There will be days of rain and darkness, as with any season of life, but these years are the second quarter of our lives.

     We reach our potential with strength and vitality. It is summer.

     Through the third quarter of our lives, we find true beauty and grace. Wisdom grows. Reflection sets in. Our purpose is defined. Some of our outer beauty begins to fade and some parts of us fall apart and fall down! Weakness creeps into our joints, but true beauty from within shines, just as we witness the glorious colors surrounding us in this season of creation.

     Just before winter sets in, these years find us in reflection of the past and renewed strength to face the years ahead. It is fall.

     As we move into winter, it is time to prepare. Gathering to find warmth. Filling our pantries to prepare for the cold. Remember, winter is a busy time from within. Creation is preparing its roots for the next spring. The nutrients inside will develop into the seeds of tomorrow.

     We prepare for our eternal home. It is winter.

     Our spiritual life deepens as we prepare for the next season, the season that will never end. The winters of our lives can be the most beautiful of all. Even though the trees of winter look desolate and the skies may be gray, God is working, just as He will continue to work in us and through us. Our souls continue to shine and thrive. Winter deepens our appreciation for Jesus. He is in control of the seasons surrounding us and the seasons of our lives.

He made the moon to mark the seasons and the sun knows when to go down. Psalm 104:19

Lord,

We celebrate the seasons of Your creation and the seasons of our lives. Your miraculous ways keep us in awe of You.

Amen

Times and Seasons

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

     This weekend in Minnesota gave us warm sunshine and the breathtaking beauty of fall. The seasons and times of our lives, just as the minutes on the clock, and the seasons of the year, move on, one after the other, year after year.

     God’s timing for the seasons of our lives and for the seasons of creation, are filled with His purpose. I pray that gives you hope today. Relax in His presence and appreciate the season of life you are experiencing right now. Time will keep moving, and each day He gives us is one in which to rejoice. The words of Solomon remind us that eternity is still to come and that beauty is all around us as we wait.

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. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor-it is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 3:11-13

     Enjoy this precious day God has given you. Rejoice and do good!  God’s purposes will stand and our heavenly home will be waiting.

Father,

Thank You for these precious words of Yours today. We rejoice in Your timing and purpose and in the beauty that surrounds us. Give us time to enjoy this life and to praise You in all we see and do.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Patience of God

     The seeds of our faith grow over time. We build trust in Jesus. He upholds us through the difficult times, comforts us, rejoices with us, gives us strength when we don’t know how to take another step, and always encourages us with hope. We witness the hope and belief of other brothers and sisters, using their example when we need to make use of their experience. It takes time. It takes patience. It takes a life time.

     Never will we reach perfection, but God’s work will continue, never giving up. Jesus is in no hurry. He will watch us fumble, fret and fall down time and time again.

     His patience never wears thin. His love and His faithfulness never end. He never grows weary. And because of that, we continue to grow in our faith. And we are blessed. His mercies and grace are everlasting.

But You, O’ Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness and truth. Psalm 86:15

     God will never let us go. He wants all of us to come to an understanding of Jesus  

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wanting for any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

Lord,

There are days we don’t understand. There are times we don’t feel Your presence. But You remain faithful, kind and patient with us, never giving up and You continue to love us no matter what. Thank You for sticking with us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Are You Ready?

     Once we ask Jesus into our lives, the journey begins. At this “older” age of mine, God has given me the privilege of witnessing a wide variety of believers, those He calls His children. The brothers and sisters in our amazing faith, each one of us, is just as unique and valuable as another.

     Some have met Jesus as children and have been by His side for their entire lives, never doubting, always trusting. I have envied those that have had such an intimate relationship over their entire life. But Jesus does not want us to compare, compete and contrast our lives with others.

     Remember, His timing is perfect. He knows us so well and knows when each of us will be ready to meet Him and accept His wonderful gift. He plants seeds over a lifetime, through other believers, through television or radio, through “coincidences,” through our consciences, through His love.

     Those seeds begin to grow in us in miraculous ways. One day, we realize we need Him. We want to meet Him and never live another day without Him. And His mighty work begins. Has He been searching for You? Are you beginning to believe in His existence?

     Jesus may overwhelm us in an instant. He may find us in childhood. It may take some of us until we lie on our death bed to understand. What is your story? Never give up on a loved one or an acquaintance. God is ready and willing to step in and to meet us where we are. He hears our prayers. Jesus’ friends, Mary and Martha spent time with Him and He knew they were ready.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son od God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:25-27

     Are you ready? Jesus is. Maybe you have heard about Him from others. He is the Savior. He is the One. He will come into your heart and save you. Do you believe this?

Jesus,

Thank You for understanding us, for meeting each one of us in such a variety of ways. You see us and know when we will be ready. We pray for those who do not yet know You, that they may believe that You are the one to save us.

Amen

Instant Gratification

     Things have changed over the years. As our culture continues to move swiftly along, our needs and wants are seemingly met in a split second. We have microwaves, fast-food restaurants, groceries delivered to our cars, and immediate connections with friends and family through texts and social media, ready at a minute’s notice within easy reach. Whew! It is hard to keep up. The changes we have witnessed as the baby boom generation are astronomical and sometimes puzzling.

     Jesus does offer instant gratification, too. When we believe He exists, when we place our trust in Him as Savior, when we ask for forgiveness, and ask Him into our lives, there is an instant transformation. Oh, we may not feel it at the time, but the transformation is very real.

     In that moment of time, we are instantly given Christ’s righteousness. We are instantly guaranteed an eternal home. We are instantly forgiven, now and forevermore. Jesus promises us a new life, a changed life, a life lived with Him. He is ours now and forever. Talk about instant gratification!

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. John 5:13

For it is by faith you have been saved through grace, and this is not from yourselves. It is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8

     There is nothing we can do to earn this instantaneous gift. It is a gift from God. It is an immediate, life-changing, faith-inspired, sacrificial gift. Put aside the cultural amenities we now believe we need. Forget about our worldly needs and desires. This is the most important decision of our lives. This is Jesus.

Lord,

You change us in just a minute of belief. Change hearts to see what You offer us. You give us eternity. You give us hope. You change our darkness into light. You transform and enlighten.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Confidence in Christ

     I pray your confidence in our Savior has grown this week. His plan for your life is pleasing and perfect. He will work for the good even when we can’t perceive it. His love is astronomical. As one of my favorite authors Max Lucado wrote, “If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.”

     You are His precious child. You are His workmanship. God’s plan for you is intimate and personal. He longs for a relationship with You, all day, every day. Your future looks bright in His mighty hands.

“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.” Jeremiah 29:11

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

     God has a hope and a future for you, plans for you to do His good works that will bless you and bless others. We were created with certain gifts unlike anyone else! You are His handiwork, His piece of art, His love.   

     How do we know what that plan is? What do we do? Where should we go? Will we miss out? No, never!  God's work always continues even when we don’t notice. His hand is upon us day and night. He will provide opportunities when we least expect them. When we study His word and participate in our relationship with Him, through prayer, through fellowship, through Bible discussions, we get to know Him just as intimately as He knows us and we will grow more and more into our love for Him. We are a separate entity from the rest of this crazy world. We belong to Jesus.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-His good, perfect and pleasing will. Romans 12:2

     Let’s test and approve what is pleasing to Him and continue on in His confidence and in His love and protection. These verses will give us some instruction for today and for each day ahead, as we live with the confidence and blessings of Jesus.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:9-12

Confidence in Christ

     One of the greatest gifts we can offer another or that can be bestowed upon us, is the gift of unconditional love. Maybe you were blessed to grow up in a family that gave and received love. You knew, no matter what, no matter the mistakes made on either side of the relationship, love remained.

     When we are loved unconditionally, our confidence grows. Our confidence in ourselves as people worthy to be loved and confidence enough to trust others, to allow oursevles to offer genuine and loyal relationships.

     Jesus offers us unconditional, everlasting love. His love is beyond even our greatest and most love-filled relationships on earth. Jesus can fill the gaps suffered from unloving relationships. He can fill our hearts with His love, until we grow in the confidence we need to live out the rest of our lives, filled with contentment and filled with joy.

     As believers, we will have Jesus forever. Nothing you can do will pull you away from His grasp. You belong to Him. We can conquer anything with His kind of love. Here are a few more of my many, many favorite verses.  Place them in your hearts and be filled today.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39

Jesus,

Your love is so deep and wide, so sacrificial and so overwhelming, it is hard for us to accept. Thank You for loving us. Let Your Holy Spirit wash over us and lavish us with the much-needed love today and every day. May we never forget.

Amen