31

Jump Start # 359

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 359

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice!”

  Rejoice! What a wonderful sound that is. It is more than being happy. Happiness is based upon what “happens.” It is determined and maintained by circumstances. Rejoicing is a choice that a person makes. Paul, in prison, could tell the Philippians that they needed to rejoice in the Lord.

  A person can’t control what happens to them, but they can determine how it will affect them. Misery is optional. You wouldn’t think so the way some behave. Because your circumstances are miserable on the outside, does not mean that you have to be miserable on the inside. Some of our misery comes from misunderstanding of God and Scriptures. Some have concluded that God ought to be so happy to have us that He’d never let a cloudy day come in our life. We need to get over ourselves and realize that first, God never said anything like that and secondly, we ought to be blessed that God even offers us a second chance.

  Yes, there will be trials, troubles and trips to the hospital. There will be bad days, stormy nights and a bunch of “that’s not fair” in between. Take a look at our heroes in the Bible. They had mountains to climb, giants to face and incredible things against them. What kept them going was faith in God.

  Paul’s words to the Philippians are not, “be happy,” but rather, ‘rejoice in the Lord.” It’s the “in the Lord” part that makes all the difference. It’s in the Lord that we have hope. It’s in the Lord that we find salvation. It’s in the Lord that our strength comes. What gets us through the tough times is “in the Lord.” The emphasis is not in the rejoicing, but “in the Lord.” The more “in the Lord” you have, the more you have to be thankful for and more to rejoice in. We make it or we don’t make it based upon our attitude and choosing. There are some Christians who seem to always be miserable. Everything is bad. The day begins with gloom and doom and it goes down hill from there. Why? Tough life? No. They have chosen misery instead of rejoicing. They choose misery because they can’t see the Lord and they can’t get past themselves. Rejoice is a choice and what a wonderful choice it is.

  Let me share with you a wonderful experience I had recently. I was visiting someone in the hospital, in a cancer unit. It happened to be on a holiday. The parking lot was nearly empty. The staff working was small. There weren’t many visitors on the floor. It was pretty quiet. The room across from us was empty. A male custodian was cleaning it. He was in there a long time. He started to sing. He wasn’t very good. The people with me all noticed. We tried to figure out what song it was. He was singing louder and louder, sometimes, whistling. His singing got better. He was a happy guy. It made us all smile and some in our room sang along with him. I don’t think he ever heard, he was in his own world. But look at this picture. He had to work a holiday. He was cleaning toilets in a cancer ward of a hospital. His job is low on the rung of the ladder. And there he was just singing his heart away. I wonder how many of us would have done that? I wonder if I would have done that. Complain. Yeah, we’re good at that. Why do I have to work holidays…they better be paying me time and a half…why do patients make such a mess in their rooms…why do I have to do this…or, just do your job with a song in your heart and on your lips. We never know who is listening, including the Lord. That unknown custodian made my day. He understood that you choose how things will affect you.

  This makes you wonder about how we go about our jobs, housework, yard work and life itself. Do others hear us singing, or are we always complaining?

  Rejoice, Paul says. What do you say?

Roger

27

Jump Start # 358

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 358

1 Cor 11:25 “In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’” 

  Monday is Memorial Day, a day and a time to remember. Years ago, folks called it “Decoration Day.” It was a time that families went to the cemetery and put flowers on the graves of loved ones. They decorated the graves.  I remember doing that as a child. It was a time when the past connected with the present. It is good to remember. We often forget.

  Our passage today concerns remembering the death of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote this in his instructions to the Corinthians. They had problems with the Lord’s Supper. They abused it and were using it as an occasion to drive wedges of division among some of the members. The Lord’s Supper is a journey of faith. It’s hard to remember when there is nothing to remember.

  That empty tomb long ago changed our lives. It gives us hope and a reason to seek after God. We must never forget what happened on Calvary.

  Memory is an interesting thing. The older a person gets the fuzzier the memory becomes. We tend to forget dates, names and what actually happened. What often happens, as in our household, my wife remembers details better than I do. When I start to tell a story, I tend to butcher the facts, not on purpose, I just don’t remember, at least not the way she does. She supplies the facts and straightens out the details that I overlooked, sometimes not to my pleasure, but that’s what happens when we don’t remember well.

  We need to remember the death of Jesus. That is the anchor and central point of Christianity. It is what the O.T. pointed to and the N.T. highlights. A couple of thoughts about remembering Jesus’ death.

  First, God wants us to do that, and often. The taking of the Lord’s Supper is a memorial. The early Christians did it on Sunday (Acts 20:7). Sunday, just happened to be the day that Jesus was resurrected. A dead Jesus is no help to us. A resurrected Jesus reigns! Sunday is the Lord’s Day. Sunday is the day to take the Lord’s Supper, not Tuesday, not Saturday. Sunday is the example we find in the Bible. Some believe that if you take it every week it will lose it’s meaning. Their suggestion is to take it only a few times a year and make it special. I don’t see that in my Bible and we don’t do that with other things. Imagine a chocolate lover saying, ‘I’m only going to eat chocolate three times a year so it won’t lose it’s specialness.’ Really? I don’t think so. How about a parent who tells their child, I will only hug you four times a year so it will be really special to you? How about a die hard sports fan only watching his favorite team play once or twice a year? No, that won’t work. The problem is not the frequency, it’s what is running through the mind and the heart. Anything can be taken for granted if you let it. But if you don’t let it, then it can remain special.

  Secondly, how do we remember when we were not there? Good question. We remember by reading the Gospel accounts and through faith believing what happened. I can remember the events of Pearl Harbor even though I wasn’t born then. I can study what led up to it, I can look at maps of the attack, I can learn about the rescue attempts and I can truly remember it, though I wasn’t there. Civil War buffs do that all the time.

  And just what do I remember?

  • · I remember a Savior that loved me so much that He put Himself through all that pain to save me
  • · I remember how lonely it was. No one praying for Him. No one to help Him. Enemy surrendered Him, disciples forsook Him.
  • · I remember the seven statements He made upon the cross. Many about others, forgiveness for His killers and care for His mother
  • · I remember that this death was part of God’s plan. The prophets told about it. Jesus knew about it all along.
  • · I remember that the Romans didn’t really kill Jesus, He gave up His life. If He didn’t want to die, He could have prevented it. He died willingly.
  • · I remember that this death issued in the New Covenant, the law of Christ, the New Testament.
  • · I remember that it took His blood to purify me
  • · I remember that God didn’t give up on me
  • · I remember that the grave couldn’t hold him

I remember…do you?

Roger

26

Jump Start # 357

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 357

Luke 16:31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ “

  This chapter of Luke ends with the powerful scene that allows us to see what happens when a person dies. We are given two perspectives. From earth, there were funerals and trips to the cemetery. That’s the view we understand. The other view is what happened to the soul.

  Two men who were very different. One wealthy and selfish and full of opportunity. His name is not given to us. We know him only as “the rich man.” The other is Lazarus, a common name back then. He is hopeless. Someone, possibly his family, lays him at the gate of this rich man. The hopes are that the compassion of this rich man will help sick Lazarus. It didn’t work. The rich man ignores Lazarus. They both die. They are both cast into Hades, Lazarus in comfort and the rich man in torment.

  Hades is the place the soul goes until Jesus comes. It is not all bad. Jesus went to Hades, that’s what Peter said in Acts 2. On the cross He told one of the thieves, ‘you’ll be with me in paradise.’ That’s where Lazarus was.

  The rich man was in torment. He was miserable. He longed for the simplest thing, a drop of water on his tongue. That wouldn’t last long. That wouldn’t do much good. It illustrates how extreme his condition was.

  For the first time he thinks about someone other than himself. He is concerned about his five brothers. Even after death, he remembered. He knew he had five brothers and he knew the kind of people they were, most likely just like him. He knew that if they didn’t change, they’d be right with him in that terrible state. For the first time he is thinking of things other than self, money and pleasure. His thoughts are spiritual. He knows why he is there. He knows his five brothers will follow. Successful in life and a failure in death. Rich in stuff, but poor in God. That was the condition of that family. Many are following that same direction today.

 The rich man wants word sent to his brothers. He begs, “send Lazarus.” Interesting, he doesn’t suggest, “let me go and tell them.” He knows he is stuck and it’s by his own doing. He is sure that if someone from the dead would talk to them they will repent and avoid the pain that he is in. He is sure of that.

  Father Abraham says, “No.” The brothers are given the same chance he was. They have Moses, they have the prophets. If they ignore God’s word, then they will ignore a message from the dead. There are no special favors. Everyone gets the same opportunity.

  Interestingly, there was a Lazarus who came back from the dead. Not the same Lazarus, but one in John 11 that Jesus resurrected. In the next chapter, the Jews set to kill Jesus and Lazarus. His return didn’t do anything. More than that, our Lord came back from the dead and is the first raised to never die again. He reigns in Heaven today. Do people listen? Do they repent of their sins?

  Our passage today reminds us that God has provided warning. God has told of His promises. They are there in the Bible. Read the Bible. Believe it, follow it. You don’t have to waste your life.

  What a contrast these two men make. While on earth, no one would want to be Lazarus. People envied the rich man. Wish he was my dad, wish I had what he owned…But in death, how everything was reversed. The rich man himself, longed to be Lazarus. His riches didn’t help him, in fact, they hurt him. He could have used them to help others, especially Lazarus. But he didn’t. He spent. He lived the way he wanted to. He ignored others. He ignored God.

  I wonder how many of us have “five brothers” who are walking in the steps of the rich man. They are good people, successful people, but God is not on their radar. There is no concern for the spiritual. This passage tells us what will happen. It’s no secret, nor a surprise to anyone. This passage also tells us that after we die, we can do no more. Now is the time to warn them. Now is the time to talk to them. Now is the time to open God’s word. Now is the time, because some day there simply won’t be any time.

  It is not God who sends someone to torment and then Hell, it is a person who chooses that by ignoring God. It’s time to start putting God in our life, every day. Spend time with His word. Be thankful to Him. Follow Him. If you do, He will take you to Heaven, that is where the journey ends. It’s hard not to see our selves in this passage. We are right there!

Roger

25

Jump Start # 356

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 356 

Mark 5:34 “And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.” 

  Our verse today is what the Lord said to the woman with an issue of blood. This is a fascinating story. It is found in one of the most action packed scenes in the Bible. At the end of Mark 4, Jesus crosses the Sea of Galilee. A violent storm takes place and the disciples believe that they are all going to die. Jesus rebukes the wind and the sea suddenly becomes calm. As soon as they reach shore, as Mark 5 begins, a demon possessed man races toward Jesus, screaming. He’s naked and has been dwelling in the tombs. The demons are cast into over 2,000 hogs, which turns them wild and they stampede off a cliff and drown. Jesus is not welcomed by the town so He gets back into the boat and crosses the sea again. As He reaches the shore and begins teaching, Jairus, a synagogue official begs Jesus to follow him to his house for his twelve year old daughter is dying. Jesus leaves with the official.

  As He is traveling to Jarius’ home, an unnamed woman comes up behind Jesus and touches Him. She has a hemorrhage, or an issue of blood. She’s had this for twelve years. Her condition would make her weak physically, unclean spiritually, embarrassed socially, and exhausted emotionally. Mark tells us that she spent all that she had on doctors and has only grown worse. Now she is broke, hopeless and desperate.

  She thinks that if she could get near Jesus and only touch Him that the powers about Him would heal her. She believed that. She doesn’t say anything to Jesus. She doesn’t want to draw attention. She wants to do this silently and secretively. She touches. Immediately her bleeding stops. Jesus knows. He asks who touched Him. The crowd is massive. The disciples proclaim that everyone is touching. Jesus knew that this wasn’t an accidental bump. He felt His powers going out.

  He confronts the woman. She tells her whole story. This takes time. I expect Jairus is frantic at this point. Jesus could come back and talk to this woman. Now is not the time. But He talks. Making sure that she does not feel guilty for what she has done, Jesus calls her “daughter,” and assures her that it was her faith that made her well. It wasn’t Jesus’ special garments, it was Jesus who healed her.

  News comes from Jairus’ home. The little girl has died. Jesus was too late. The messengers state, “don’t bother the teacher anymore.” They think that even Jesus can’t do anything now. If only He hadn’t stopped. If only that woman hadn’t touched. You can imagine the thoughts.

  Jesus goes with Jairus to his home. There He resurrects the girl.

  Great miracles. Great lessons.

First, Jesus knows. He knew the woman had touched Him. He wanted her to know. Second, the problems this woman faced were as important as the health of the synagogue official’s child. Notice the contrast. One is a man, the other a woman. One name is given to us, the other is not. One is an important official, the other unknown.

  Your life and your world is important to God. You do not have to be an important person to draw the attention of God. He loves each of us. More of us walk in the steps of this woman than we do the synagogue official. More of us are private about our problems. More of us would rather come up behind Jesus and not make a scene.

  Here we find our Savior saying, “It’s ok.” Don’t be afraid. Don’t be ashamed. When hope has run out, we turn to Jesus. He alone understands. He alone can help. He alone will treat us kindly.

  What a beautiful story in our Bibles. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to meet this woman some day in Heaven? Wouldn’t it be more wonderful to meet the Savior in Heaven. He wants you there. Don’t give up. Don’t give up trying. Don’t give up on God. Don’t give up on your marriage. Don’t give up doing right. You may be weary. You may have run out of options. You may have tried everything, now it’s time to find Jesus.

  If you haven’t read this story in your Bible, give it a try today. Mark 5 will show you how much God cares.

Roger

24

Jump Start # 355

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 355

Revelation 21:1 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” 

  In our Jump Start yesterday we looked at the verses that follow this, where John shows that in Heaven there will be no crying, mourning or death. One of our Jump Start readers asked me to explain the “new heaven and the new earth.”

  This expression is found in 2 Peter where Peter is describing the coming of the Lord and what will happen. Peter states, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up…but according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (3:10,13)

  Both John and Peter understood that a new heaven and a new earth were to come. Now our question before us is what did they mean by that? Here are some ideas:

1. A new literal heaven and earth. Some hold this thought. They think God is going to do it all over again in some way. There are different twists to this. Some feel that the righteous or a part of the righteous will dwell in the new heaven and the rest will dwell on the new earth. I don’t see this fitting in with the rest of what God says about Heaven. There is not a separation in Heaven. There will not be some in one place and some in another place. The image, especially from Revelation is that the righteous are around the throne (Rev 7:9).

2. Another thought that some have is that the new Heaven will be for the righteous and the new earth for the wicked. That takes care of the separation problem. However, the wicked are never said to spend eternity “on earth.” It is the lake of fire, the second death, Hell where the wicked are assigned to.

3. Instead of a literal heaven and earth, both Peter and John may be describing a new order of things. In Revelation, John is describing Heaven. He is telling us what it will be like. As we saw yesterday in our Jump Start, there will be none of the things that causes us sorrow, especially spiritually. Satan will be dealt with, temptation will not be a problem. That is different than now. The word “New” in the Bible is used two ways. One, as we often use it, to describe something new. A new tie means you did not have that before, it is new. The other way is to define a different order of things. This is how John is using that word. Heaven will not be like earth. This morning the sky turned from dark to light. It won’t do that in Heaven. I was asleep and I woke up. Soon, I plan to eat breakfast. As the day progresses, we will get out life. By night fall, we will be weary and ready for bed. That’s not happening in Heaven. There is no night there. We won’t be weary. Heaven is not just living forever, it’s living differently. It is a new way, a different way, a new heaven and earth. Here we age. Just look in the mirror. Here things break, fall apart and have to be replaced. Here we are very material. Heaven is not like that. It is different.

   Peter uses the expression, “new heaven and new earth” in the context of the coming judgment. Peter identifies three heavens and earth. The first was what God made at creation. It was different than what we have today. When you read Genesis 1 God says the water was gathered in one place and land was in one place. It’s not that way today. We have the “seven seas.” Land is separated by water. Also, in the first world, animals didn’t eat each other, not at first. Peter says in verse 6, “the world at that time was destroyed.” He is referring to the flood. We are living on the earth after the flood. Life expectancy was shortened after the flood. The continents have been formed as we know them now. God allows man to eat animals. That came after the flood. In many ways we are living in the “second heaven and earth.” Peter tells us that this “second” heaven and earth will be destroyed, not by water but by fire. After that, comes the new heaven and earth—the eternal one.

  I see both Peter and John using the expression “new heaven and new earth” to illustrate to us that life will be different in the eternal. So many folks have a worldly and material concept of Heaven. They think they will go fishing in Heaven, eat chocolate in Heaven and just have all the fun that they want. No, it’s a new heaven and a new earth. We are not taking the things of this world up there. There’s no fishing in Heaven. And to my regret, no chocolate. Heaven is about God, not us. It’s not an amusement park for us to have all the fun we want—you don’t get that from the Bible. It’s being with God. It’s a perfect world. We will be done with pills, bills, worry, conflict, tornados, old age, time, temptation, sin, guilt and Satan. It’s a new heaven and a new earth.

  I look forward to the new way. I look forward to being with God. I’m ready to part with much of the stuff of this life that bogs us down and hurts our hearts. I’m ready to see God. How about you?

Roger