A Prosperous Life - Lesson 10 - His Season

Psalm 1:1-3, ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.’

God by his providence governs the world,
and has determined particular things
and operations to particular times.

In those times such things may be done with correctness and success;
but if we neglect the appointed seasons,
we sin against this providence,
and become the authors of our own distresses.


By the necessary change of times,
Our own vanity adds to our human travail.
Things have to happen in order.

Can we reap before we sow?
Can we rejoice before we struggle?
Can we die before we are born?


Ecclesiastes 3:1-4, ‘To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;’

How can these verses help us through those tough seasons,
And look forward to those more joyous seasons?





There are times when we lose our most precious possessions,
Either by God's providence,
Or by our own decisions or consequences.

There are also times when a man casts away our most prized possessions voluntarily,
As in a storm, to save the lives of our loved ones and ourselves,
Or out of love and obedience to God.

Ecclesiastes 3:5-8, ‘A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.’

Some seasons are very evident,
How do we know for sure which season it is?





What about when it appears God has abandoned us.
We pray for direction and see no path lit.
We pray for relief and none come.
We have repented all the sins we believe may be holding us back,
And know we are not under chastisement.

Psalm 22:2, ‘O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.’

David didn’t give up praying.
How long should we go on?





Practicing delayed gratification is tough,
I believe our perception of time gets clouded.
When we act like Christians are we doing it because we are supposed to,
With no hope of being acknowledged or rewarded?
Galatians 6:9, ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.’

Do you have any advice for us when we start to get tired?





The seasons of this world are short.
Our seasons of weather are only three months long,
With many breaks in between.

Hebrews 11:25, ‘Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;’

If the world has any "pleasure" to offer,
it is but "for a season."
If our spirituality bring with it "affliction,"
it too is but for a season;
whereas its "pleasures are for evermore."

We need relief from our affliction,
What advice would you give us so we go to the Lord,
Rather than our favorite sin?





Compared to eternity, how long is this season here on earth?

I believe we need to be afflicted;
when they have no trials we are apt to get careless,
and when we have secular prosperity we are likely to become worldly-minded.

It’s been said that,
"God, can neither trust us with health nor money;
therefore we are both poor and afflicted."
So as follower of Christ we should be very happy in our souls,
Though grievously afflicted in our bodies and in our homes.

1 Peter 1:6, ‘Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:’

manifold--many and of various kinds
temptations--"trials" testing your faith.
So we can feel the heaviness and still show rejoicing on the outside.

Some times I don’t feel like rejoicing.
Some times our struggles are such where they deserve mourning.
What is the proper amount of time to mourn?





To expect unchanging happiness
In a changing world, must end in disappointment.
To bring ourselves to our state in life,
Is our duty and wisdom in this world.

God's whole plan for the government of the world
will be found altogether wise, just, and good.
Then let us seize the favorable opportunity for every good purpose and work.

The time to leave this world is fast approaching,
As labor and sorrow fill the world.
It is assured us that we may always have something to do;
None were sent into the world to be idle.

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