Much like the four seasons of the calendar year, I believe there are spiritual cycles that mark our lives.
For me, a season of spiritual renewal and new beginnings often starts around Rosh haShanah (September 16 this year). So in addition to it coinciding with the lunar calendar and marking the Jewish New Year, it usually is a prophetic time in my life bringing closure to past issues and excitement for new opportunities.
A few friends have indicated that they feel like September will do the same for them. In light of that, I'd like to share the following spiritual direction that my father and Linda Rios Brook gave several weeks ago:
This past Sunday morning Pastor Benz said that he believed he had heard the Spirit say to him that September would be a month when we could expect to see a number of things come to pass such as: resolutions to problems, restoration of relationships, answers coming from places we did not expect, provision, promises and prophecies fulfilled, surprises so extraordinary that as Scripture says, "we would not have believed even if it were told to us."
What Pastor did not know is that in the summer of 2007 when Larry and I were preparing to move to Florida full time, I was praying about what and why the Lord was planning by calling us to CCI as staff members. I believe I heard the Spirit say that something significant would happen sometime between 2009 and October, 2012.
Over the years since, I have watched the ups and downs we have all been through - including Pastor's illness, the extent of which no one could have anticipated - but have never felt that "it" had been revealed or happened yet. I wondered if it might have been the charter school, again something no one would have guessed about 5 years ago, and indeed, that may be part of it, but only part. Something else is coming and when it manifests, it will be beyond what we thought or imagined could happen. I believe it will have individual application in the lives of CCI people as well as corporately as together we move from being one kind of church to another kind.
So, between now and October we want to encourage you to pray with new fervor and expectation into your dreams and hopes because we do not know through whom great blessing will come. It is a law of the universe that if one thing changes, everything else changes as well. Likewise, if one of us prospers we all prosper. Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
I don't know the issues of your life for which you need closure but I do believe that now is the appointed time to believe for fresh and new things to spring forth in your life.
I recommend writing those things down--both issues of closure and new beginnings. I'm doing the same for me and those connected to me.
Now is the time. A new season is about to begin.
