Times and Seasons
The world’s atmosphere is swirling with supernatural demonic and angelic activity like never before; there is an increase in the heavenlies because the time is short. You may not see it... but it is there. The earth is groaning. It is groaning because the end of things is near. Chapter 3 of 2nd Timothy refers to the perilous times we are in; there is a shopping list of symptoms the world is experiencing.... “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good...” This is not even the entire list!
The last phrase “despisers of those that are good...” caught my attention. There seems to be a turning of the tables in which “evil is being called good” and “good is being called evil.” There is an attack on traditional values and it has caused many people to become quiet and pull back from fear. This has also been predicted by scriptures. “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”
It is tumultuous times we are living in. It is easy to be discouraged and filled with fear when we look all around us to see what is happening in the natural world; however, I was encouraged as I was reading through the book of Acts this morning. “The apostles performed many signs, wonders and miracles among the people. Many times, they were arrested, beaten and put in prison (some were martyred), yet they continued to preach the good news. Acts 5:42 says, “Nothing stopped them! They kept preaching every day in the temple courts and went from house to house, preaching the gospel of Jesus, God’s Anointed One!” Dear friends, things may feel like they are spinning out of control but I took heart as read this true account of the apostles many years ago. They encountered similar challenges to their faith as we are today. We can take comfort and courage from this promise: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” God wants us to be on the cutting edge of what He is doing. He doesn’t want us to bury our head in the sand and pretend we don’t see what is happening around us. He wants us to be “strong and courageous” for He has placed us here “for such a time as this.” He wants us to be aware of the times and seasons we are living in so we can do what He’s called us to do, be who He’s called us to be and go where He’s called us to go! We can know the scriptures in our head but do we know His divine timing for the season we are in? We can miss what He is doing if we are not sensitive to Holy Spirit and listening to what He is saying in this day and hour.
God’s Calendar does not cater to our calendar. He expects us to align our life with what He is doing. There are significant events happening every day that we will miss if we don’t stay in faith. Let’s get in step with the Spirit and discern the times and seasons.