The Six Seasons of the Christian's Heart

The Different Seasons that Every Christian Experiences

Selected Scriptures

DATE: 16 Jan, 2000   PM         PLACE: BBC Blarney

 

I.         Introduction (Eccl 3:1)

 

A.      Seasons and Cycles, and Patterns in life are many times very confusing

B.       Most people ignore the seasons of life, and have no day of rest in a week; have no time just with God; have no regular sleeping patterns; have no job or season of work; have no regular season of eating - always helter-skelter

C.       God made seasons, and cycles, and expects us to know about them, and understand them.

 

II.       Background

 

A.      Seasons are all about changes - called cycles - they affect us

 

1.        The sun is cycling - every 11 years - and changing

2.        The human body is changing, and going through seasons

3.        The heart does the same

 

B.       Seasons are normal (Gen 1:14; 2 Kgs 4:16,17) - don't be ashamed

C.       Seasons are NOT forever (Gen 40:4; Josh 24:7)

D.      Seasons are subject to change (Dan 2:21)

E.       Some things are NOT to be affected by seasons

 

1.        Right Judgment (Ex 18:26)

2.        Right Preaching (1 Tim 4:2)

3.        Soul-winning (Acts 1:7,8)

4.        Right Living (Act 20:18)

 

F.       Some seasons never come (Acts 24:25)

 

III.     Message - The Six Seasons of the Christian's Heart (Selected Scriptures)

 

A.      Begins with the Season of Testing, Temptation - the Night Season (Ps 16:7; Luke 4:1-13).

 

1.        This is where most people are - it is where all of the seasons bring you back through to if you are not careful!

2.        It is the time when it gets dark (Ex 5:1-23)

3.        There are two paths

 

a.       You can either give in to the testing - results in Sin (Heb 11:25)

 

1)       Results in another season - the season of Chastening (Heb 12:6; Acts 13:9-11)

2)       If chastening does not work, then your next stop is Home (Jam 1:14,15; Rom 6:23; 1 Cor 11:28-32)

3)       But, if chastening does its job - or rather you respond to its work on you, then you go to the next season (Heb 12:11)

 

b.       Endure hardness (Jam 1:12; 1 Pet 1:6; 2 Tim 2:3)

 

4.        Every event in your life has only two paths - period! You have to choose one on the other, and then deal with the consequences.

5.        The best thing is to know that the hardest path is worth it all

 

B.       The Season of Rest (Rev 6:11; Jer 6:16; Mt 11:29).

 

1.        This is the time in your life when nothing is happening - this is when you just need to rest, and have patience (Ps 27:14), and trust in the Lord to do things in His way, in His time!

2.        Two paths again:

 

a.       Patience (James 5:8; Heb 10:36) - Wait on the Lord, just stay on track. You find rest when you trust the Lord, and just stay following Him, and obeying Him, and waiting on HIS timing.

b.       Get impatient - You will go be back in the season of temptation, and darkness (James 5:9)

 

3.        This period of time can be long or short - you just have to sometimes wait it out (i.e., Joseph in prison - didn't complain or get impatient).

 

C.       The Season of Fruitfulness (Ezek 34:26; Ps 1:3; Josh 1:8). Two paths

 

1.        This is a time in your life when everything starts paying off - all your faith, your obedience, all your prayers, and time in the Bible, and soul-winning (Isa 55:11) - it paid off in Joseph's life didn't it?

2.        It is a season where you watch God bring the increase (1Cor 3:6). Sowing is not in here yet, because we need some grain FIRST to start sowing, and God will GIVE you what you need to start sowing, so that you can reap more later.

3.        Two paths:

 

a.       Start labouring to reap the results of your walk with Christ - almost want to bottle it up for the later days - Joseph started working everybody in Egypt for the NEXT season that God had said was coming up!

b.       Ignore the need to bring in the sheaves (Pr 27:23,24) - just think it will always be there - die like the people of Noah's day!

 

4.        Everyone has a season of fruitfulness - of accomplishment - we just don't stop and smell the roses, and take note of the little things, because we always want so much more than we have!

 

D.      The Season of Reaping - Harvest Time - Time of Joy (Ps 126:5,6; Gal 3:9; 1Cor 15:58)

 

1.        This season is considered before sowing because for the Christian it is more important right now - was it not in the garden (Gen 2:5)?

2.        Two paths:

 

a.       Re-investing the fruit of your labours - tithe, and planning for the next planting - investing in the future

b.       Neglect the harvest (John 4:35)

 

E.       The Season of Sowing - Planting - Investing in the Future

 

1.        There is a time for sowing, and planting, and investing - but you only can do so much - the rest has to be left up to the Lord (Prov 3:5,6)

2.        You do not reap right away - there are three seasons you have to go through before you can start reaping from your Christian walk with Christ

3.        Two paths:

 

a.       Diligently plant and plant, and plant as much as you can, and then wait in patience (James 5:7,8; Heb 4:9,10; 2Cor 9:6), knowing again that God will bring the increase!

b.       Be lazy (Prov 20:4) Slack off in your Christian walk and get attracted by something you think is more important!

 

IV.    Conclusion -