Cbgrace’s Weblog

This past Sunday, while I was getting ready for church (yes, we usually attend on Saturday night but this week our church hosted a movie night for couples – Valentines- and we all watched Fireproof – good movie but another post) I was tuning into the live service at Covenant Church in Carrollton, TX (http://www.covenantchurch.org/).  Usually, I watch the 11 a.m. service but I had to be somewhere at 11 (Promiseland San Marcos) so I tuned in early.

I love to hear the senior pastor, Mike Hayes,  he reminds me of Bishop Phillips with all the Greek and Hebrew thrown in.  He’s good.

This week the message was about coming out of the desert season into seasons of refreshing.  Acts 3:19 says, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord”.  The word used for “times of” can also be translated as “season”.  (Don’t ask me what the word is…my Greek is rusty). 

So often we get stuck in that desert.  Pastor Hayes said several years ago he was speaking at a conference for preachers and he had been going through a terribly dry season.  He didn’t feel that God gave him a specific message for this group of ministers so his message was “Lessons I’ve learned in the Desert” (I wish I could get my hands on that message).  He went on to say that the reaction to this message was profound because most ministers never admit their tough, dry seasons….they just smile and wonder through.  He said that many of these pastors and ministry leaders began to weep.  We all have dry, dead seasons.  From the greatest among us to the least, every Christian experiences seasons of dryness and even death.  (It’s okay for us to share with each other when we are in a desert.  We do not have to put on a smile and just trudge through these times.  We need each other’s prayers. You do not have to “fake it till you make it”.  You are not alone.)

What we can do in that season is, cry out to Jesus.  In Acts 3, Peter said, “Repent therefore and be converted…that times (seasons) of refreshing may come…”  We can participate in the changing of the season. 

Pastor Hayes went on to say that this is a repentance of change.  These seasons are indicative that change; real heart changes needs to take place in our lives.  Some change only God Himself can perform; no matter how hard we try, we simply cannot change on our own will power. 

He challenged his congregation to make a list of the things they are repentive of that they need God’s help in changing and pray about those things. 

As I contemplate seasons I cannot help but think I have been in a season of some watering but I haven’t seen the fruit I expect.  Fruit cannot grow without a seed.  The Universal law of sowing and reaping applies.  It does not matter how much water is applied if the seed hasn’t been sown, nothing will grow.  

So what is on my list?

1. My heart; I want God’s heart for His church; His people.
2. Communication Skills; I would like to communicate more effectively.
3. Communicate Correctly; I would like to complain less and experience more contentment.
4. Faithfulness; I would like to be more faithful to the calling and visions God has given me.  Including but not limited to creating a culture of Prayer wherever I am; being a good wife (encouraging, loving, kind, etc); being a better friend. I am reminded again of the scripture in Matthew 25:21, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord”.  Everyone wants the big leadership roles but no one wants to do the work.  At this point, I want to faithful to the things placed in my hands.

What season are you in?  Are you ready to change in order to experience a new season?