Pastor Larry Gatlin - "Knowing the seasons"

Pastor Larry Gatlin, S. Oregon

Knowing the season

A season is a particular time that God purposes for something to happen. Actually there may be many things happening during a particular season. Let's take a lesson from nature. We are now in the season called spring. There may times here in the North West that we get, rain, wind, sleet, snow, as well as sunshine and warm temperatures. But it is still the season of spring.

God gives us seasons and we must discern them. I believe that we are living in a season that will usher in the return of Christ. During this season we may experience many different mini-seasons. I want to present to you for your consideration that we are now experiencing three mini-seasons with in the season of Christ' return.

Season number one is that we are the generation that will see His return. Some years ago I felt that the Father showed me something extremely interesting. The book of Acts was never officially closed. So as I study this book I begin to see that The Church of the Acts is supposed to be the same Church today. Everything that the Early Church experienced is to experienced today. That means spiritually we are the same generation.

If the Early Church was expecting the return of Christ how much more should we be expecting His return? But too often we allow our desire for His return to interfere with His Commission. We get so caught up in His return that we forget He said "Go YE". We get comfortable with His soon return and get lazy in reaching the lost. This should never happen. We are called to occupy until He comes. To occupy is a military term which means to posses a strategic location. We are to be going in and pushing back the darkness and occupying the territory that the enemy had control of. As well as going to the lost and bringing them to Salvation in Jesus' name.

Our season is now! We are to bring the Good News to the lost. Remember it isn't the late news, the so-so news, the bad news, or the almost news. It is the Good News that Jesus Saves, Heals, and Delivers men from their sins.

2 Cor 6:22 NKJ For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Second we are in a season of Signs, Wonders, and Miracles. Often as we travel especially on a road that we have never been on before we need signs. There are many people today who have never traveled on Gods road and aren't experienced in His marvelous works. The truth is, they need signs. So Father sends them in order to bring them into a deeper understanding of all He desires to do for them and that He desires to equip them to do. If I never intend to do anything for the Kingdom I don't need signs. But if I do, I'll need signs in order to keep me on the right road.

When we become Believers we become heirs to all that God has done, is doing and has yet to do. But many become confortable with yesterdays experiences and never step out. Signs, Wonders, and Miracles come to ignite a new fire in them for all God desires to do.

Jesus was certain that we were to do Greater works. So we aare now living in a season of "Greater Works."

John 14:12-18
12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
13 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
(NKJ)

The third season is the season of True Worship. Where we worship in, Liberty, Intimacy, Power, and His presence.
John 4:22-24
22 "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
(NKJ)

Freedom is an amazing thing. We often take it for granted, but we should honor and revere the freedom we have in Chris to worship God. Many today miss this freedom because of the traditions of man and wrong teaching. God desires those who'll worship Him to do so in Spirit and in truth.

One of the definitions for the word truth is to ba naked. Now don't try to build a strange doctrine around this definition. It means tha we are to worship the Lord with and open heart and in hinesty. Allowing him to examine us and change anything He feels he needs to change in our lives. It means, nothing hidden from the Holy Spirit. Never trying to hixde anything. Wow, He's God. How could we ever hide anything from Him in the first place? He knows everything about us to begin with. So we must openly worship Him. To worship in Spirit means to let my spirit unite in worship with the Holy Spirit. This allows me to draw closer to the Lord than I ever could just standing or setting and practicing a form of religious exercise that we sometimes call worship.

Let me close with these few thoughts. We have a role to play in recognizing and enjoying the season or seasons that we are currently envolved in.

First I must maintain an attitude that is positive about the Kingdom of God and all that Father has for me. I must realize that I have a dual residence. I am first and foremost a resident of the Kingdom of God. Second I live here on earth and my directive from God is to bring the Kingdom of God into the kingdoms of this world.

Second, I must maintain a strong committment to walking in faith and not doubt. I must remain a believer and never allow myself to become an unbeliever. There are those who claim to be believers yet because of their lack of faith they are really unbelieving. To become unbelieving is to be an unbeliever. We must always believe. Regardless of what our natural man might try to tell us. I must always believe the Word of God and my heart.

Third, I must be willing to receive all that Father has for me. He can only give me what I am willing to receive. We all have various capcities for the things of God. We must determine to allow the Holy Spirit to give us a greater capcity for the things of the Kingdom. Why would anyone ever want to do without the blessings of the Father on their lives?

Finally, the promises are "yea and amen to those who'll receive them. They are yes and so be it to every one who desires to receive all that Father has for them.

Recently I experienced a part of that while I was attending the Leadership Advance at Bethel Church in Redding California. I was prayed for by people who were gathered around praying for oneanother. As they prayed for me (I felt a tingle and heat in my right knee. Suddenly I realized that I was healed. This past week end I played eighteen holes of golf and at the end of the day I walked without limping for the first time in over nine months. Praise the Lord!!! He has an awesome KINGDOM.

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