Times and Seasons

[0:00] A Pastor's Reflections, Times, and Seasons. Genesis 23, 2-4 And Sarah died in Kirjath-ar-Abbah, the same as Hebron in the land of Canaan.

[0:13] And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Hath, saying, I am a stranger and a sojourner with you.

[0:24] Give me a possession of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. Ecclesiastes 3, 1-2 To everything there is a season and a time, to every purpose that is under heaven, a time.

[0:42] 1 Thessalonians 5, 1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. For over 100 years, Abraham and Sarah have walked together through the challenges, trials, joys, and triumphs of life.

[0:59] For 50 of those years, they have supported each other in the great adventure of God's call to faith. Through all of Abraham's lapses and failures, Sarah has been there. And every altar built, and every valley traversed, Sarah has been there.

[1:14] And now she is gone. The emptiness in Abraham's life must have been overwhelming. Appropriately, Abraham spends a season in mourning for his soulmate and companion.

[1:28] However, Abraham does not stay there. He arises from his season of mourning and turns his eyes to the next season that God has for him. While he may not be able to fathom what a season without Sarah will be like, he does know that he still has his God.

[1:45] And that for every season, that is one constant that will never change. Abraham came to mourn. Abraham stood up. Abraham turned his eyes away.

[1:57] In each season of Abraham's life, there was a moment where faith was needed to be exercised to move from his current season and into the next.

[2:08] Abraham knew the season he was in, and he also knew when it was time to move from that season and into a new one. As the church of God living in the last days, it is important to know the season we are in.

[2:23] It does no good pretending things are different or trying to live in a season that has passed. We must, like Abraham, exercise our faith, rise up, and look forward to the season ahead of us.

[2:36] By God's grace, we will not be found unfruitful in whatever season God has for us. 2 Timothy 4, 2-3 Be instant in season, out of season, for the time will come when they will not endure.

[2:53] Don't be surprised when the world around you, and possibly even those who call themselves believers, refuse to acknowledge the season we are living in. There are many who would rather hold on to a season that has passed than face the one before them with faith.

[3:08] Only God knows what season is before you in your personal walk with him, but no matter what it is, face it in faith. John 15, 16 You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit in every season, and that your fruit should remain through every season.

[3:35] Father, thank you for the bright hope of tomorrow. Thank you that Jesus is even now at the door, and will soon return for his bride. Thank you that through every season you are always there.

[3:46] No matter what earthly companions we lose along the way, our heavenly guide and friend is always by our side. Give us the faith to rise up and look forward to all that is in front of us.

[3:59] Amen. Amen.

[4:10] Amen. Amen. Daniel, thank you. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[4:20] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[4:31] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Americans. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you.

[5:06] Thank you.