SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4, Acts 1:6,7

The Bible encourages us to “Know the Lord.” There are a great many aspects of His character and nature to which that statement applies. We know Him as Savior, Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, Healer, Deliverer, Provider, and Protector. But do we know Him as the Author of Times and Seasons? When it comes to knowing the Lord through the times and seasons – He shares what He is about to do. To build the proper foundation, we begin by analyzing whether we are operating out of a pre-Holy Spirit mentality or a post-Holy Spirit mentality. If we are operating out of a pre-Holy Spirit mentality, then Acts 1:6,7 rules our thinking. It says, “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” Something happened that dramatically changed this view, when the Holy Spirit came. All those who operate with a pre-Holy Spirit mentality believe that the key ruling passage basically says that the Father holds many things and does not reveal them until they come. According to this mindset, we must wait for it to unfold. 1 Thessalonians reveals a post-Holy Spirit mentality, which is far different. That post-Holy Spirit mentality declares that the reason the Holy Spirit came is to show us things to come and to lead us into all the truth. If this is true, we have a biblical, covenantal right to the revelation of what is coming so that we can prepare our generation. This was certainly the mentality of Jesus and the Twelve, and should be ours also. If we are walking with the Holy Spirit in the full measure of what is available, then what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians is certainly true of us. The real question is, how many church leaders are actually operating in this and therefore, how many congregations have been introduced to this dimension of walking with the Holy Spirit? Where do we stand? Have we allowed the Holy Spirit to show us things to come? If not, we should!