Let’s talk Turkey……..

Ah November is here.  The leaves and temperatures are falling.  The preparations are being made against the onslaught of the cold winter months.  Thanksgiving is around the corner.  Feasting and Family!  Football and Shopping!  Daylight Savings Time!  All these point to a changing of the seasons.
The wise writer of Ecclesiastes stated in chapter 3:1To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.  He goes on to describe many different “seasons” of life. The writer is challenging and instructing us.  What season are we in?  Who controls the seasons?  This applies personally as well as to the church as a whole, and to the world itself.

The Bible declares in Genesis that the light controls the seasons.  Gen 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.  In nature when the days get shorter it signals the mating season has come to the deer.  The light controls the seasons.

And the Bible states Daniel 2:21: “And he (God) changes the times and the seasons…….” Thus God, who is light, is the author of the seasons.

Are we prepared for the “new season?”  I dropped something off at one of our member’s house recently and found them outside changing the tires on the vehicle in preparation of the coming winter driving conditions. There is a two-step process here. First we recognize the season then we prepare for it.

What season are you as an individual, family, couple entering?  What season are we in as a church?  We are in a birthing season.  New things are coming!  God has placed us in this season.  We are seeking Him for instruction and understanding.

Here it comes! Are we ready?  Ready or not!

Lord Prepare me………

Pastor

Connecting to the Times……..

The cool winds of autumn are blowing, the leaves are turning colors, and the fields of grain are beginning to be harvested. All pointing toward the Fall season alerting us to the winding down of another year. As the days get noticeably shorter I am reminded of the scripture:

“Mark 13:20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.”

Many believe that the Lord has indeed “shortened” the days. It feels like the minutes are only 30 seconds long and days only 20 hours. Never enough time to get things done even with all the time saving devices we now have.

The question that comes as I ponder this scripture is, “Why do the days need to be shortened?” Jesus began this discourse as he was leaving the temple, stating that the temple would be destroyed. Later, seated on a vantage point that overlooked the city the disciples asked, “When shall these things be and what is the sign of them happening?” What follows is the description of events before His coming.

Based on the intensity of the times Jesus promises to “shorten” the days for the elect’s sake.” Is it time for the church to begin to repeat the words of John as He hears Jesus say “Even so I come quickly?” John’s reply: “Even so come.”

I encourage you to pray to be connected to the times that we live in! The time-clock of Jesus! Time is running out! The Day of the Lord is at hand.

Our theme of the year is “Connect to Bless.” Let’s connect ourselves and others to the times we are living in so that all will be blessed. Pray that we are so connected to Jesus that we can with excitement say, “even so come.”

Behold He comes…….

Pastor