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SCRIPTURE – ECCLESIASTES 3:1                                                                                                                                                   FEBRUARY, 2024

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

SUBJECT – NOW IS THE TIME [2]

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When I left off last month, I had just finished with verse 3 of 8 verses in the passage of scripture following our subject verse.

Verse 4. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Since the conditions addressed in this verse are closely related, I will address them at the same time.

There are, and will be times in our lives, where events will so disrupt our lives, that we will enter the realm of mourning[and weeping].

This is usually because of the loss of a loved one, a child, a spouse, a parent, a sibling, or some other person who is very close to us.

It is during these times that we will cease to function as we usually do, because the pain is so great!! When we are in this position, we become weak, and vulnerable. It is during these times that some people will see an opportunity to take advantage of us.

Some times, the loss of a loved one, may be the one thing that will have us considering to end our own lives.

This is usually because we see no reason to carry on. That, which was most important to us, has left us, and we see nothing in the future, to replace them.

However, as this verse says, it is only a time[season].

The Bible tells us, Weeping may endure for the night, BUT, joy cometh in the morning. [Psa. 30:5b]

What we are being told is, just as day turns in to night, so too will night turn back in to day. Why?? Because God made it that way.

When you are in the dark, you can't see anything. You can't see any way out. You are stumbling over things that you don't know are there. You are essentially, blind. There is no vision [light], to show you how to navigate through that space, and find a way out.

However, someone comes in and turns a light on, and you can see your way around and out of that situation.

What is your response?? Joy, laughter, and maybe dancing a jig!!!

Not to make it sound like you are forgetting what you lost, but, you are realizing that life goes on, and there are bigger and better things in store for you.

You might lose every earthly thing that you have, BUT, as long as you have Christ, that is all you really need.

Verse 5. A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

In this verse, we see the word stones.

This has 2 different meanings.

The first is 'stones' as what is used in 'warfare!' The second is 'stones' as in gem stones like diamonds, rubies and such.

In the case of the first one, if there is the possibility of someone being attacked by an enemy, then that person needs to begin preparing for battle.

As Jesus said, Lk. 14:31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

When you have to do battle, it is a wise thing to make sure you are armed as much as is necessary.

When the time presents itself, where there is no further threat, then, as a sign of making peace with a former foe, you would usually get rid of those 'stones/weapons!'

Now, as far as the gem 'stones', that is a sign of wealth.

Wealth is something that many people strive for, but few achieve.

However, wealth can be a curse, as well as a blessing.

Wealth can put you in the position of being able to be a blessing to others. Or, it can put you in the position of being targeted by others.

When you seek wealth, there are many different ways to achieve it. If, in order to achieve it, you are engaging in behavior that is not supported by God, then, you are being led by the Devil. And, if that is the case, then you need to get rid of it, because it is cursed.

This leads in to the other part of verse 5, when it talks about embracing.

Embracing means to grab, and hold on to.

If you embrace something like a lifestyle, religion, or philosophy, then that essentially means that you identify with it, and it has become a part of you.

You become the walking, talking and acting personification of that belief.

There is nothing wrong with embracing any of these, as long as they don't put you in a position of coming in to conflict with God. If it does, then, the best thing for you to do, is separate yourself from it. The quicker, the better.

Verse 6. A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

This verse is akin to verses 5, in that it speaks of you obtaining something, and then at some time later, letting it go because you no longer need it.

All of these things, are things that we all seek in some form or another.

However, they must be weighed in light of the Word of God.

Verse 7. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

The first part of this verse calls for us to rip up, shred, tear up, or destroy things that we wear, that might be representative of the lifestyle that we no longer are part of.

Now, why do I mention clothing???

If you look at the wording, we see the words 'rend' and 'sew!' If the word used was 'sow', then that would mean something else entirely different, like planting something, as was mentioned earlier.

There is a familiar saying 'the clothes, make the man/woman!'

A lot of people are judged, sometimes unfairly, by the clothing that they wear.

People affiliated with certain 'religions', wear certain outfits that are testimony to their faith in that religion.

If a person is supposed to be representing Christ, then, you don't want to go around dressed like a hustler, pimp, prostitute or some loose woman.

A Christian brother of mine, had a situation, where a woman came in to the church he pastor's, dressed in what was clearly, men's clothing. I mean a man's suit, tie, shirt with cuff links, the whole 9 yards.

After the service, he had one of the ushers ask the woman if she had a moment, to talk to him in his office.

When she got in there, he asked her, that if she was going to come back to his church, to please dress appropriately.

Well, as far as I know, she never went back.

The thing is, He didn't embarrass her in front of the whole church, by calling her out. He did it the way Christ says it should be done, one-on- one, [Mat. 18:15]

The reason for this is two-fold.

First, she is a distraction in the church, in that people that are familiar with lesbians, would see her and be tempted to gossip among themselves.

Next, if the pastor has prepared a message on the LGBTQ lifestyle, and this woman walked in to the service, she might think that he had intentionally chosen to pick on her because of what she was.

Neither of these things, does any good for the purposes of promoting Holiness, and Sanctification.

The obvious opposite of this is, to make, or purchase clothing that promotes what you claim to be. Let it be something that brings Glory to Christ!!

The last part of that verse says, There is a time to be silent, and a time to speak!!

I could go for days on this.

What we are essentially being told here is, there are times when, in order to learn something, that we need to 'listen.'

It is quite obvious that you can't listen and talk, at the same time.

A majority of the problems we face in this world, come from people who, are so busy spouting off their opinions of what they heard someone say, when in reality, they only heard a small part of it, and ran off half-cocked, and started spreading something that wasn't true.

The Bible tells us, Jas. 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK, slow to wrath:

Notice the order of the words 'hearing' and speaking!'

Hearing is first, meaning you need to be quiet, so you can listen.

I have seen too many people, get in to fights, hating each other, and getting killed, all because someone didn't like what they thought they heard, and got angry over something that, had they listened to the whole statement, would not have been in that position.

It also doesn't do any good if the speaker keeps getting interrupted by someone who refuses to let them finish what they are saying, and they get angry. Then what you have is one big mess.

If you are going to disagree with something someone says, let it be after they have finished their point. Then speak!!

Verse 8. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

This verse, capsulizes the full range of human emotions. Love, hate, war, peace.

It is interesting how that many people think that as a Christian, we are to love everyone. And, if we hate someone, then that indicates that we aren't following Christian teachings.

What they don't understand is that what is being talked about here, mostly has to do with hating what the person is doing, and not necessarily them.

Jesus set the example of unconditional Love, in that He came here, suffered and died on the cross, for all mankind, because He Loves all of us.

However, even this Jesus, had instances where He was angered by things that most of those that claimed to be His ministers, were doing.

It was this loving Jesus, that went in to the temple, and chased those that were doing business in there, out, with a whip. He told them that they were turning 'My Father's House, in to a den of thieves!!!'[Mk. 11:15-17, Lk. 19:45-46]

It was this same Jesus, that essentially 'cursed out', the religious leaders and the politicians of His day. [Mat. 23:23-36].

In these and other places, you will see God's anger being poured out on people because of what they were doing, and not so much because He hated them.

However, there are times when God will essentially determine that a person has come to a place where they are no longer deserving of His Grace and Mercy. It is at this time that, even though He loves them, He will destroy them, in Hell.

If you can't believe that, I would suggest you read [Rev. 2:1 – 3:22].

What you will find is that, in the end, if the Churches aren't in Line with Him, He will, for all intents and purposes, cast them in to Hell, as well.

The whole notion that God is so loving, that He will overlook our transgressions[sin], without our repenting, and take us in to Heaven, regardless, is a fantasy, concocted by the Devil.

That is why we see things like abortion, gay rights/marriage, separation of Church and state, and other demon inspired lifestyles and practices being readily accepted in most Churches. They are listening to the Devil, rather than Christ!!!

As a result, if you choose to do that, then when he is cast in to the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, those that follow him, will be cast in there as well.

So, as you can see, there is a time/season for everything under the sun.

And as such, as the apostle Paul put it, there was a time when he was a child, but the time came when he had to put away childish/foolish things.[1Cor. 13:11]

I will finish this next month, God Willing!!