Seasons, Summer

 Youth, 

Hello. Welcome, today. If you joined us last week, you will know we are talking about seasons. We all get four seasons in nature and since we are natural beings, we get seasons in our lives as well. We read this from Ecclesiastes

" For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what 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;

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 seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silent, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace." Ecclesiastes 3:1-7

Today, we will be talking about summer. 

Summertime.

Oh yeah. I love summer. I remember as a kid, summertime was a fun time. We would go outside, yeah I know, it was a different time, but we would go outside from sunrise to sunset. We would spend our days in wonder, learning, and exploring. It truly was a time of magic and miracles.

In our lives, we have summertime too. We leave behind the spring, and we start to grow. We become adults and start to find our way in life. Get jobs, married, start our own families, and start planning for the future fall and winter to come. If you are wise you do this. We read things like this. 

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." 1 Corinthians 13:11

We must learn and grow. We must mature. However, this is the time we make stupid mistakes. The wise learn from them. The time we come to a great knowledge that there is more to life than cartoons and games. Responsibility is learned. Respect is earned. Knowledge is imparted through the greatest teacher you will ever have. Life itself.

This is also the time when most hear of the gospel for the first time. Oh, we may hear about the Bible, God, or Jesus when we are children, but the summertime in our lives is when we come to the age of accountability. When we should put away childish ways, and grow.

Now here is where it gets a little complicated, but also totally cool as well. Look what Jesus says here.

"Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." John 3:3-6

We just talked about last time, how it is when you are in the springtime of your life. You are a baby. Not knowing anything. Now if you do not hear, and or, do not accept the gospel, then you continue to live your life, enjoying the summer to the fullest ability you can. Contrary to what some very good meaning people may tell you if you do not accept Jesus, a lightning bolt is not going to strike you dead. The truth is, you will continue to live your life just fine in a world sense. You may even get blessed by the lord of this earth with money, fame, or whatever it is you crave. However, never forget, the fall is coming, then winter arrives.

Now if you do accept Jesus, you become born again. As a matter of fact, you kinda go back in time and become a baby.

"Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation"1 Peter 2:2

Like in life itself, you must grow beyond just milk.

"for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child." Hebrews 5:13

Yes, you must learn and grow in the world, but I have news for you. If you learn and grow in faith and the word?

"Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word is the good news that was preached to you. " 1 Peter 1:23

You do not have to worry about the coming storms.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds," James 1:2

You do not have to worry about the coming fall.

"Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." 1 Timothy 4:15-16

Again, if you do not accept Jesus, you will live on. You will work, pay bills, make lots of money or maybe not so much. Become famous, or not so famous. You may have a family and do good things. The only problem with this is that when the time comes, you WILL stand before God if you believe in Him or not, and you will have to give an account for all the things you did. All this stuff you have? Remember the barns?

"Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’  But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:15-21

Summertime is a good time to grow both in the flesh and in the Word. Spend your summertime, while you are young, enjoying the sun and the Son. Learn and grow. Both in faith and in life. Join your summers together. Start to look forward to the fall. It is coming. Are you ready?

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!