Do We Really Live In A Bubble?
James 1:22; Rom. 8:27-29
And Various Scriptures
Sept. 1 , 2024
Quacco Baptist Chruch
Savannah, Georgia
Lord of all power and might, the author
and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name;
increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in
us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
Introduction
James
1:22, now I’m taking this out of context but it is the main issue of the
message. “… be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive
themselves. …”. The other verse comes from Romans 8:27-29a … “27
And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the
Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know
that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who
are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also
predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,
The word “world” cosmos,
in the New Testament refers to the inhabited
earth, the people who live on the earth, which functions apart from God.
Satan is the ruler of this
"cosmos" John 12:31; Now is the
judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.; 16:11 concerning
judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.; 1 John 5:19, We know that we
are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
The world refers to a system ruled by Satan. Therefore one can
appreciate more Christ’s claims that believers are no longer of the world—we
are no longer bound by the principles of the world. And, we’re being changed
into the image of Christ, which should cause our interest in the things of the
world to become less and less as we continue to mature in Christ.
We
the believers in Christ are simply—physically present in the world —but we
aren’t a part of it, not of its values. In
John 17:14-15. 14 I have given them your word, and the
world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the
world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep
them from the evil one.
We should be set apart from the world. Being holy and
living a holy, righteous life—to be set apart. We are not to
engage in the sinful activities the world promotes, nor are we to retain the
insipid, corrupt mind that the world creates.
Instead we are to conform
ourselves and our minds to that of Jesus Christ, Romans 12:1-2. This is a 24/7 activity and commitment.
I
appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your
bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by
the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of
God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Listen, being in the world, but not
of it, is necessary if we’re to be a light to those who are
in spiritual darkness, haven’t heard the true Gospel.
We live in a way that those
outside the faith see our good deeds and our manner and know that there is
something “different” about us. Christians, who make every effort to live,
think and act like those who do not know Christ do Him a great disservice. Even the heathen knows that “by their
fruits you shall know them,” and as Christians, we should exhibit the fruit of
the Spirit within us.
We
can enjoy the things of the world, the beautiful creation God has given us, but
we ourselves are not to dive in what the world values.
Transition
The
past two and a half years I have become familiar with somethings that have
happened to personal friends of mine. With some of these occurring after we all
separated from high school and others it was during the time the and prior to
the time we were in school.
We
all know one, Tisia, who has given her testimony here and has shared it with
others. I’ve spoken of another dear friend who jokingly called herself Mary of
Magdala. Now, because of my friendship with her, I said to her, no you’re not
Mary Magdalene, you were more of the adulteress woman and the sinner who washed
Jesus’ feet with her tears.
Then
there’s one that the self-righteous considered a sin akin to blasphemy of the
Holy Spirit and kicked out of a Baptist church.
Listening
to these accounts, and the full story, I became aware that I was pretty much
living, like most, in a bubble. We aren’t aware of what is happening to people
because we, on purpose see our own faults and guilt, there by we close our eyes
and ears but, not our mouths, to criticize.
One
in particular, had gone through, beginning at around age 5, 6, to suffer sexual
and physical abuse. Her brother had suffered physical abuse. In high school I never
knew nor did I pick up any signals. She was and still is very good friends with
a mutual friend and classmate, another girl.
Who
amongst us knew or were aware I don’t know. This is two people in California;
we at Quacco personally know one here in Garden City; Two that were out in left
field, the other over the left field fence, and a third of whom I had known of
her situation back in 1969, and has since served 50 years in prison in Chino California.
Then
there is the one in Cordeirepolis, Sao Paulo Brazil, Tatiena Pinel. I would
occasionally read her posts on FB. You can tell by reading what someone writes,
and in this case she would post biblical verses from the Psalms that were, or
so it sounded to me, as someone sad and crying out to the Lord for help.
Well, I went ahead and asked. And she, like the others
had, opened up her life to me. She
and her brother lost their
mother 35 years ago, leaving 4 children, a one year old, a 7 year old, an 8
year old and a 12 year old, she had a stroke, the children went to live with
grandparents, 2 of them stayed with paternal grandparents and 2 with maternal
grandparents, then my father remarried, started another family, I continued
with my paternal grandmother, where she suffered a lot of physical and psychological
abuse, until she reached age 17, her brother with My father he too suffered a
lot, he had to leave school to work in the fields, a painful life without any
kind of affection.
She and
her brother were also friends, they supported each other. he got married at 18,
and she left with a 3-year-old daughter in my arms, and went to try life here
in Cordeirópolis, Sao Paulo.
Later her brother went there to start
a new life here. He lived with his wife for 11 years, had 2 children and then divorced,
in the meantime she got married, had 2 children and lived with her now my
ex-husband for 16 years, but still she and her brother always looked out for
each other. He got involved with woman who was the cause of his death, this
woman had an ex-husband who didn't accept the ending of his marriage but her
brother fell in love and that was the end of him, her brother.
Then on December 20, 2022, as he was
leaving for work at 4:30 in the morning, there was set up a stakeout, her
brother was caught in an ambush, the killer shot him 7 times, when she arrived and
saw her brother lying on that floor lifeless, it was the worst pain she felt in
her life, it was a part of her that was taken away that day, they went through
everything, always, she said to me “…
I'm here wanting to cry, my chest is tight, everything comes to mind today I
don't have anyone that I can tell, …” So she moves on, her life children and the
good memories she had with her brother. She says her life is a book……
We live in a world that at this
particular time, there are approximately 8.2 billion people, and that’s a lot. Out
of those 8.2 billion I know the personal details of five. But of those five, as
I mentioned, only in the last two to three years did I became aware of what all
they had gone through.
But not just them; I think of the
other 8 billion people; People not known to us. I live in a bubble, nothing is
happening to me. I hear of things happening but it doesn’t affect me. It’s not
my problem. I’m a Christian I say, God will handle it. I can say like other
preachers, disrespectfully that that’s God’s problem He’ll handle it.
Yes He will. But He does it His way.
He has sent out people like Annie Armstrong, Lotie Moon and many others like
them to make disciples, to care for the poor, the homeless, and the fatherless.
Others are called to care for the
abused, the sexually abused and physically abused by family members. That
brings me to the conclusion
Conclusion
It has been over 57 years since I
had seen, let alone spoken to three of the girls, now women my age. One
happened to see a comment I made on a Monrovia California FB page. This was the first time I posted
anything. This was back in July. At the same time this one individual saw my
post and commented, asking if this is the same Pablo Pinel from Monrovia High
school … then wrote wow and a man of God. I answered and then the catch-up
began. Just like the others. Then the life history opened. This is the one when
a child was sexually, mentally and physically abused. She now works as a
counselor for children who are experiencing trauma. I’m reading a book she
recommended by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D. Titled, The Body Keeps Score.
Trauma
is a fact of life, he states.
Veterans & their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat: one in
five Americans… [now note that this is just here in the U.S., think of the
world]… has been molested; one in four
grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical
violence.
Trauma is a lifelong thing that
stays with one. Especially when dealing with both physical/sexual; and mental
abuse of a child. Even and adult.
Okay Paul what is your point? My
point to explain it or really teach it would be hard to do. So let me put it as
simply as I can. We all believe in coincidences, we all say it. The real smart
people instead of calling God, God will use the word Providence, alluding to
that “Providence” is God. I won’t dare try to give the full definition of the
word but Mark gave me John Piper’s 711 page book defining Providence.
Suffice
it to say that it means I’ll see to it, I’ll take care of it; Still not giving
a reason. We have in Eph.1:11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been
predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to
the counsel of his will, Isaiah 46:9-10 I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like
me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not
yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall
stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,
Tisia: Out of the blue we meet at Burger King when I
worked at Auto-zone. She has become a mentor to many young women where she
attends church. There’s Leslie Van Houten of whom I have not contacted since
she was released on parole.
One
day in 2004, I read The Long Prison Journey of Leslie Van Houten. I wrote to
the author who responded, and at the same time I’m writing to another high
school dear friend who was good friends with Leslie and wrote to her often,
that was my inroad to communicate with Leslie. In the few letters we exchanged
I was able to present the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to her; for
which I was vilified by a Baptist Pharisee.
Then there’s
Theresa aka Mary Magdalene who suffered a stroke a few years back and is
suffering from Spinocerebellar Ataxia affecting her speech, and ability to walk. But God who knows the
future and knew she would accept Christ “saw to it” and provided a husband, 15
years younger who takes care of her. And
last, the classmate who lived a life of abuse at a young age, was “kick-out” of
a Baptist Church, the Lord God, who
searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes
for the saints according to the
will of God. And we know that
God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those
who are called according to His purpose.
For those whom He foreknew,
He also predestined to become conformed
to the image of His Son, (Romans 8:27-29.
She works as a Licensed Master Social Worker therapist with
children young adults suffering from trauma which, if not treated will lead to
PTSD and only can last for a lifetime but affects the body and the brain.
Closing
So then what do we do? Yes, Jesus said we live in
this world but are not of this world so then are we to live inside a “Christian
bubble, a cocoon? Become hermits, go live in a monastery? Become monks, Nuns?
No, we are to pray.
Pray for what? We find ourselves at a loss for
words but thankfully, when we pray as Christians, we have a helper—the Holy Spirit—who
aids in our human weakness whenever words fall short: “For we do not know what
to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with
groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26, ESV),
or, as the KJV has it, “with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
The phrase “groaning’s that can’t be uttered” means
“indescribable, wordless groans” in the original Greek language. Other things
in the same passage also utter “wordless groans”: all creation now groans “as
in the pains of childbirth” (Romans 8:22),
and believers “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to son ship,
the redemption of our bodies”
While living in this world we don’t hide from the world
inside a big bubble wrap. We pray for ourselves, and we pray for those we don’t
know who are suffering. God may just throw you an opportunity to help someone.
I’ve learned these few months that there are people, young
and old that some have gone to Christ there are others who still need to hear.
How do you go about it. I’ll answer this way, don’t be surprised that one day
when you least expect it He will have you cross paths with someone.
Quacco Baptist, we may have a fellowship, if you believe in
numbers and size makes one a powerful church, but we have those we pray for for
here, California, Washington State, Monrovia Liberia.
We thank you Lord that we can pray for the 8.2 billion people
that that can come to you for salvation.
You, if you are empty inside, call on Christ, He is waiting
just for you. He will guide you and lead you, He will give you rest.
Amen.
