Lesson 36
What is God Doing in the World?
Part 1
Times and Seasons
by Ruth Mahoney Swaim
There is always controversy when talking in terms of the present, past or future actions of God. To me, and indeed to the majority of those with whom I am in touch, there is no question about the fact that we are seeing the beginning of a great and mighty move of god in the world. It may be the last great move before His coming. And it may be a move that spans a long time in our finite way of thinking.
No one knows when He will return, but God tells us to be aware of His times and seasons.
Jesus spoke to both the believer and unbeliever regarding times and seasons.
1. Unbeliever
To the unbeliever (and this includes the pharisees and sadducees, some of the religious leaders of that day) he says in Matthew 16:1-4: The pharisees also with the sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, when it is evening, ye say, it will be fair weather; for the sky is red. And in the morning it will be foul weather today; for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them and departed.
Remember, it is only the pure in heart who see God. Matthew 5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
Hebrews 12:14: Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.
2. Believer
To the believers at Thesselonica he addresses the following: I Thess. 5:1: But of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
Why? Why didn't he need to write to them about the times and seasons?
It is because they were mature. Paul speaks in verses 4 and 5 about how they are children of the light, how they have walked in the light.
Then in I Thess. 1, Paul commends them for their faith, love and patience. They spread the word out into Macedonia, Achaia and many places. They already knew something of God's times and seasons with the stream of God's love. They had great outreach, spreading the Gospel and even were examples to other believers.
In Hebrews 5:14 the writer speaks of having 'your senses exercised to discern.' Mature leadership should be sensitive to times and seasons.
Three virtues which come with maturity are mentioned in I Thess 1:3: Faith, Love and Patience. These do not come automatically. We must grow in them. Let's take them in order.
a. Faith: There must be growth of faith. Mustard seed faith is mentioned in Matthew 13:31. But read the whole passage...the Kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in the field; which indeed is the least of all seeds. But when it is GROWN it becomes the greatest of all herbs and becometh a tree...
Mustard seed faith does not move mountains. Mature grown faith moves mountains. It is a period of growth, process. This means trials, time, experience.
b. Love: Here is another process growing in us. I Corinthians 13 is the measure by which we consider love. One of the first characteristics of love mentioned in this chapter says that love suffereth long...No shortcuts. Here is that process again.
c. Patience: James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath LONG patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Romans 5:3: And no only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
Once again, let me remind you that we are talking about a new move of God. In the old testament when God did a momentous act or gave a promise, or made a covenant, they built an altar or memorial on the spot. They didn't stay there, camp around it, live there. Nor did they talk against it or kick it down or desecrate it. They gave it respect, remembered it, but moved on.
I Thess 5:2-6: ...for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. But ye, brethren are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief (or sneak up on you.) Ye are children of light, and children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
The Lord wants us to have understanding of the times and seasons in which we live. One of the saddest scriptures I read is in Matthew 23:37, 38 and Luke 13:34, 35: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not! Your house is left unto you desolate.
Then in Luke 19:43, 44 he finishes the prophetic word of what would happen to their city and this same prophetic word applies to those who refuse to hear His voice for the time in which they live: For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side. And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
The bible speaks on the Sons of Issachar in I Chronicles 12:32. They were men that had understanding of the times.
3. Why pay attention to Times and Seasons? When the cloud moved in the wilderness the children of Israel moved with it. If they didn't, they not only were sitting in a great cloud of dry dust, but if they lagged behind, were stragglers, they were attacked by the Amalekites. Amalekites were the grandsons of Esau, a type of the flesh. We launch into our fleshly works and appetites when we refuse to move on with God and stay in our entrenched habits, traditions and forms.
Another reason we want to be aware of times and seasons is so we can work in synchronous relationship or cooperation to God's seasons. Like a farmer there is a time to plant, to water and to harvest.
It's Gods work and we need to know what He is doing and when He is doing it so we can do it WITH him. We are laborers together WITH Him. Not for Him. You see where God's going and you go WITH Him. I Corinthians 3:9.
4. God moves in Waves. Unfortunately, man feels the need to begin to camp around this recent truth or 'move' at which time he begins to lay down rules, clarification, restrictions and guidelines. Thus, a new denomination is formed, usually walling in a particular dogma, but walling God out. Someone has said "A denomination is a man-made club of which people of the same prejudices and opinions may fellowship and multiply."
As a new wave is building up, getting ready to move in, the old wave is going out. There is always resistance from the old wave. It may take a long time for the new wave to gather momentum, for the right wave to move in. There may be many other smaller waves which will look like the real thing but will not gain momentum. They can get us sidetracked. We often take methods/systems or small areas of truth and call them revival or moves of God.
But God holds his church in abeyance, looking expectantly for the next wave. Don't get on the wrong one or exhaust yourself by riding every little ripple that comes along. It's okay to appreciate smaller waves that come in to keep us from drying up, but don't try to camp on them. Wait patiently for Him. He will come. James 5:7.
5. What are signs of Gathering Revival? Usually there is a declension of the wave - the water is going out. Sort of a dry time. Things seem to be on hold. This does not mean that we don't have communion and great times of refreshing and results in our ministries. This can even be a period of great growth both personally and corporately in the church.
Rick Howard says that the last participants reject the new wave on the basis of the instruments through which renewal is coming. They also reject particular signs or evidences and they reject the new wave on the basis of those being added.
As of this writing I am finding this very true of many churches and ministries. In recent years there have been indications of mighty signs and wonders, and it's the wonders that the last participants of the wave or those traditionalists reject. Wonders such as laughter, gold, signs in meetings, etc.
Because it didn't happen in 'their day' it can't be of God.
In studying church history do we learn from it? History tells us that we don't. "If there's one thing we learn from history, it's that we don't learn from history." Herbert Luethy says "Consciousness of the past alone can make us understand the present."
Kennedy, author of The Torch of the Testimony says that someone has said 'the true church is to be found in those groups that have separated themselves from the historic church - at the moment of their separation.'
Often contempt and repression and persecution is the price when moving on with the new movement of truth God is attempting to establish. With every move of God there is a price - a commitment to make.
In the next lesson we will discuss the moves of God in history and how they have lead us to where we are now.
This lesson by Ruth Mahoney Swaim may be copied, distributed and used free of charge in any form.
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