Four Seasons of Life - Loneliness

Opening

Many times in my life I ask myself. How many lives will I live in a life time?

Over some decades, I wore different hats.

I’ve been a Janitor

a Recycling Agent

a Bartender

an Airplane & Helicopter Pilot

a Disc Jockey (spinning records)

a Business Owner (Dance Club, Computer & Cellphone Store, Restaurant, Construction Firm)

a Teacher (computer instructor @ STI)

a Community Organizer

a Public Servant

and then I became a Politician

until the Lord had called me and became a Pastor (a servant leader of Christ)

Only after the Lord reeled me back to Him that I realized two very important things:

That we will only live 2 lives in a lifetime,

one is with the world

and the better one is with God

2 Corinthians 5:17 NCV

If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new!

2 Corinthians 5:17 NCV

If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new!

That we will go through many and different seasons in our lives

2 Corinthians 5:17 NCV

If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new!

That we will go through many and different seasons in our lives

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NCV

There is a time for everything, and everything on earth has its special season.

Before we proceed to explore together The 4 Seasons of Life, let us first go over with...

The 5 Facts of the Seasons of Life

Beyond Our Control

Daniel 2:21 GNB

He controls the times and the seasons; he makes and unmakes kings; it is he who gives wisdom and understanding.

Grief

Loss

Waiting

Often Confusing

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NCV

God has given them a desire to know the future. He does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what he is doing.

Ecclesiastes 3:9 NCV

Do people really gain anything from their work?

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NCV

God has given them a desire to know the future. He does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what he is doing.

What is happening to me?

We understand after they are over

Looking back gives you perspective

In our recent trip to the City of Niagara Falls, we had a free tour of NYPA

In one of their video presentation, they said that the building of Niagara Power Project (Dam) started during the “ice age”

They suggested that it was thousands of years in the making

That thought made me look back in the timeline of creation

Although the Bible did not clearly mentioned “ice age” (related to Pleistocene Epoch), Bible Scholars has all the reasons enough for us to believe that “ice age” occured sometime after the “great flood” around 6,000 - 7,000 B.C.

One clarifying fact that I’ve found out was, during the ice age, the entire earth is NOT totally covered with ice, in fact not more than a third of earth was covered with ice, only Northeastern Canada which eventually swept down to North America which are now known as Wisconsin and New York

That means that there are human civilizations down the lower latitudes of the earth, such as in Egypt and Babylonia

We all know that God scattered the people when they started to build the tower in Babylon

Their language were confused by the Lord and they were scattered all over the earth

Because of climate changes and many other factors, some animals were extinct after the great flood, and animal extinction are still true today.

Now, here are two very interesting points for you to look at:

According to archaeologist, Stone tools called “Acheulean” are found in Europe, Asia and Africa that dates back 2.5 million years ago, then on the latter part of the “ice age” they found lots of similar tools called “Mousterian”. If the evolutionists are correct on their suggestion that “ice age” lasted for about 2.5 million of years ago, suggesting that humans evolved from monkeys, that scenario is equivalent to 50,000 human generations before us. This scenario is not fitting the ingenuity of human beings that God created after His very own image (cellphone technology)

Acheulean are found in Europe, Asia and Africa. If the evolutionist is correct on their suggestion that “ice age” was 2.5 million of years ago suggesting that humans evolved from monkeys, that scenario is equivalent to 50,000 human generations before us.

The biggest dinosaur discovered in 2014 is 65 feet tall, they fit in Noah’s Ark which is 75 feet in height. Contrary to what evolutionists are saying that Dinosaurs are million years in the past, based on biblical evidences, they are actually just some thousands of years ago after the great flood. Go visit the “Creation & Earth History Museum” in Santee

Does God owe us explanation?

No, God does not owe us explanation

We live by faith, not by explanation

If you understand all, then you’ll be God

God has a Purpose

Romans 8:28 NCV

We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. They are the people he called, because that was his plan.

This is not a promise to everybody

Everything that happens in the lives of those who are called are filtered by the Father

God is not the author of evil

He does not plan the bad things for your life, it’s your bad decisions that leads to you to bad things

Includes both Good and Bad Times

Ecclesiastes 3:2–8 NCV

2 There is a time to be born and a time to die. There is a time to plant and a time to pull up plants. 3 There is a time to kill and a time to heal. There is a time to destroy and a time to build. 4 There is a time to cry and a time to laugh. There is a time to be sad and a time to dance. 5 There is a time to throw away stones and a time to gather them. There is a time to hug and a time not to hug. 6 There is a time to look for something and a time to stop looking for it. There is a time to keep things and a time to throw things away. 7 There is a time to tear apart and a time to sew together. There is a time to be silent and a time to speak. 8 There is a time to love and a time to hate. There is a time for war and a time for peace.

You’ll have your winnings and loses

Hills and valleys

There’s a time to wait, and a time to let go

You lose some friends, you win more friends

Story from the our Niagara Falls trip with James & Shelly, Ric & Luisa, Paul & Patricia and Rita

Text Message from Pastor Ric: Thanks for the memories. Much love and blessings. What are the odds that four ministers from different  parts of the country would plan the same trip & end up on the same tour of the Falls? I believe the spirit of the Lord was with us. I thank Him for his love and favor. May he continue to grant you traveling mercies on your way home. Rick Obuma

You will reap in Season, what you sow in another

Galatians 6:9 ESV

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Plant in spring and harvest in fall

You don’t harvest from your tithing instantaneously

My typewriting lessons story with my father

Remember these facts about the seasons of our lives:

Beyond our Control

Often Confusing

God has a Purpose

Includes both Good & Bad times

You will reap in season, what you sow in another

Remember the Discipline we Learned from every Season

Deuteronomy 11:2 GW

Remember today the discipline you learned from the Lord your God. (⌊I’m not talking⌋ to your children. They didn’t see or experience any of this.) You saw and experienced his great power—his mighty hand and powerful arm.

The problem with the Israelites is that, they forget. So the couple of weeks journey through the wilderness dragged to 40 years

I highly recommend for everybody to use a journal where you can log the things that you need to remember

3 Things that We must Remember from every Season:

What you learned from it

What you enjoyed about it

How can you use the lessons your learned going forward

In the month of September, we will look into four seasons of our lives:

The Season of Loneliness

The Season of Insecurity

The Season of Financial Stress

And the Season of Enjoyment

Text

Psalm 34:18 NCV

18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed.

Let us look at the life of apostle Paul and how he handled his loneliness

Paul was born somewhere between 9-14 AD

A student Gamaliel () and became a member of the Sanhedrin (Highest Jewish Council presided over by the High Priest)

He persecuted christians prior to his conversion when he was on his way to Damascus

After his conversion, he wrote half of the New Testament. 13 Epistles or 14 if we are to include Hebrews

He did 3 missionary journeys substantiated by the records in the Bible. 4 if we are to include Spain

He was the greatest christian that has ever lived next to Jesus

And he was “lonely”...

2 Timothy 4:9–18 CEV

9 Come to see me as soon as you can. 10 Demas loves the things of this world so much that he left me and went to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke has stayed with me. Mark can be very helpful to me, so please find him and bring him with you. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the coat I left at Troas with Carpus. Don’t forget to bring the scrolls, especially the ones made of leather. 14 Alexander, the metalworker, has hurt me in many ways. But the Lord will pay him back for what he has done. 15 Alexander opposes what we preach. You had better watch out for him. 16 When I was first put on trial, no one helped me. In fact, everyone deserted me. I hope it won’t be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood beside me. He gave me the strength to tell his full message, so that all Gentiles would hear it. And I was kept safe from hungry lions. 18 The Lord will always keep me from being harmed by evil, and he will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. Praise him forever and ever! Amen.

2 Timothy 4:9-18

Causes of Loneliness:

Transition

Separation (v.10)

Opposition (v.15)

Rejection (v. 16)

26% of Americans move every year

As they transition, they are separated from the families and friends

Being “independent” became and American Tradition

But the price tag of “independence” is “loneliness”

People have the strong tendencies to fight “loneliness” in defeating manner

Materialism

Workaholism

Sexual escape

Fantasy

These are proven not effective, but instead, led a lot of people to state of depression

What do you do in your season of loneliness?

Let’s learn from Apostle Paul

Utilize My Time

2 Timothy 4:13 CEV

13 When you come, bring the coat I left at Troas with Carpus. Don’t forget to bring the scrolls, especially the ones made of leather.

He tried to make himself comfortable

He utilized his time writing epistles

Minimize My Hurt

2 Timothy 4:16 CEV

16 When I was first put on trial, no one helped me. In fact, everyone deserted me. I hope it won’t be held against them.

Despite of his loneliness caused by his hurting, he still hoped that it will not be held against those who hurt him

Recognize God’s Presence

2 Timothy 4:17 CEV

17 But the Lord stood beside me. He gave me the strength to tell his full message, so that all Gentiles would hear it. And I was kept safe from hungry lions.

In every season of Paul’s life, he never failed to recognize God’s presence

Even in his most lonely seasons

Emphasize Other’s Needs

2 Timothy 4:15

2 Timothy 4:15 CEV

15 Alexander opposes what we preach. You had better watch out for him.

He always had other’s needs, concerns and welfare in his mind

Join a ministry

Or maybe you can start a “care calling” ministry

Socialize with My Life Group

Romans 12:10 NCV

10 Love each other like brothers and sisters. Give each other more honor than you want for yourselves.

Romans 12:15 NCV

15 Be happy with those who are happy, and be sad with those who are sad.

15

Prayer

Church, shall we pray for each other today?… Lay your right hand to the person on your right and either loudly by your lips, or quietly in the privacy of your hearts, let’s say these prayers.. shall we?

Oh most heavenly comforting Father

You are our compassionate God

You bring joy to those who are lonely

You bring happiness to those are in grief

You bring cheers to those who feel so lowly

You bring togetherness to those who feel loneliness

Forgive us our sins Father

And make us worthy of our prayers

Let Your Spirit of Comfort be upon those who are lonely

Let the fruits of Your Spirit be upon us

So that we may bring comfort to those who are hurting

In times of our loneliness, teach us to utilize our time

Help us to minimize our hurt

Manifest in us, to recognize Your presence

Guide us to emphasize other’s needs

Inspire us to socialize with our Life Group

Lord Jesus, hear our prayers… Amen!