Jump Start # 762

1 Timothy 6:17 “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”

Our hope is in God. Our passage for today reminds us that wealth and riches cannot be trusted nor counted upon. What is here today may well be gone tomorrow. A sudden tornado, a violent hurricane can wipe out all the possessions a person has taken years to acquire. It is God who is our hope and our trust.

Many of us have heard lessons like this before. Our thoughts for today are focused upon the end of this passage. It is God who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. God wants us to enjoy things. Now we don’t hear that much. Sometimes we feel guilty if we have fun. We can be so serious and so concerned about so many things that we’ve just haven’t any room for fun or enjoyment in our lives. Serious sermons. Serious articles. Serious worship. Serious family time. Serious living. There’s a place for those things, but to journey this life without enjoying what God supplies is to miss things. It’s ok to smile, laugh, and feel good about things. God did not intend for this life to be drudgery and our only hope is to be Heaven. Just make it through this miserable life and then we’ll have some peace and joy. No, that’s not right. Jesus came to give the abundant life and that happens now.

We are into Duck Dynasty. Daddy Phil, on the show, says, “Happy, Happy, Happy.” I like that. There is much to rejoice about. In spite of the news, times are good. God has blessed us and we need to enjoy that.

Here’s my list of good things to enjoy:

1. Worship  with an incredible church family. The group I’m with are great people. They are generous, loving, connected, godly and doing things for the Lord. It’s amazing. Thinking about those people makes me happy.

2. Technology. I like buttons and gadgets and stuff like that. I don’t understand them and often have to have my kids help me out, but I love pushing a button and sending a copy of a sermon to someone across the world. I love keeping in touch with people that I probably wouldn’t if I had to write a letter to. I love being able to answer questions and do so much, such as writing this Jump Start while sitting in my favorite chair at home. Amazing!

3. Travel. Just this past year I preached in Memphis, TN, Detroit, MI, and in Phoenix, AZ. Those places are far from where I live. The trip is easy. It’s nothing to hop in a car and drive 4 or 5 hours to see someone. We can do that. Our world, especially this country, has gotten smaller because of our travel. And as we travel, we now have the comforts of music and movies to entertain us. I can’t imagine traveling in a buggy. It wouldn’t take much of that to wear a person out. Travel is amazing

4. Health. Medical research has given us longer lives and better lives. People are have procedures today that just a few years ago they could not. These are the best times for such things.

5. A Savior that wants us to want Him. Jesus loves us. This is one of the greatest joys of all. He knows you, warts and all. He knows everything about you. That’s enough to make us hide, yet He still loves us. We ought to enjoy our Christian life. It ought to be the best period of our life. We ought to be so glad that we are Christians. God loves us, accepts us and uses us. Amazing.

Enjoy. Rejoice. Be happy, happy, happy. God is good to us. We are going somewhere. We have a purpose, a plan and a mission. We are somebody…we are the people of God! Not all is gloom and doom. Not everything is going to pot. Not all is bad. No sir, there’s much to be happy about. Family, friends, brethren, the Bible, and the God above are enough to make any heart swell. When Abraham died, the Scriptures tell us that he was “satisfied with life” (Gen 25:8). A satisfied man is a happy man.

How about you?  Do you find yourself complaining more than you are rejoicing? Do you see more wrong than there is right? Do you find yourself being too serious about too many things?  Take a look at what God has given you. These are His presents to you. He wants you to enjoy them. He wants you to live that abundant life now.

So put that smile on your face and get about things today! Rejoice in the Lord! Be happy, happy, happy!

Roger