31

Jump Start # 466

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

Jump Start # 466

Matthew 14:26 “When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.”

  This evening is Halloween—how appropriate to consider a verse about “ghosts!” Superstitions, paranormal and the unusual occupy the minds of many people. There are ghost walks, and all kinds of shows about people having encounters with “spirits.” Many of those things may be entertaining and thrilling, they need to be considered spiritually.

  Our passage is taken from the time that Jesus told the disciples to cross over the sea of Galilee. He was not going to be with them. He went to the mountain to pray. As He was praying, a storm came up, and He saw the disciples struggling in their boat. Jesus walked on the water where they were. Seeing Jesus, in the midst of this storm, walking on the water, the disciples were at a lost as to what it could be. They were afraid—possibly more afraid of what they saw walking on water than the storm itself. People do not do that. They were at a lost as to what it could be. They cried in fear…not in faith…not in logic…but in fear, they said, “It is a ghost!”

  Because the disciples said that, does that mean ghosts exists? People claim to have seen aliens. Some claim Elvis is still alive. Some believe in zombies. The mere fact that someone believes something, or sees something that they cannot explain does not prove the existence of ghosts and such things.

  Ghosts are generally thought to be the spirits of people. I’m not into ghostology, if such a field of study exists, but we can stand confident with what the Bible teaches. God’s word is always right, no exceptions. God’s word can settle frightened hearts.

  • Death occurs when there is a separation of the body and spirit or soul (James 2:26).

 

  • At death the soul returns to God (Ecc 12:7). There are examples in our Bibles of this, such as: Jesus; the thief on the cross; the rich man and Lazarus.

 

  • The idea of the soul or spirit of someone hovering around after death doesn’t find proof in the Bible. The Jews were very superstitious. It was commonly thought among them that the soul hovered around the grave for a few days. There was no proof of this. Some suggest that this may have been one reason why Jesus purposely delayed raising Lazarus from the grave until the fourth day—long after their ideas would permit a soul to linger.

  What about those who claim things have moved in their house and no one was there? Or, what about those who sensed someone was in the room and turned quickly and saw the glimpse of a shadowy figure? Don’t know. The mind may take us places if we allow it and when we can’t explain things, as the disciples couldn’t, they reached for an explanation.

  If there were such things as ghosts, what are they supposed to be doing? Some say, warning us. Others, sending messages. Others, claim to be haunted by them. Those thoughts are troubling Biblically to us. God speaks to us through Jesus (Heb 1:1-2). He’s not sending messengers, especially in a ghost form, to warn or teach us. That is the purpose of the word of God.

  I fear that we put more stock into the wild stories of the paranormal than the plain teaching of the Bible. If you’re bothered by the thought of ghosts, I would suggest quit watching those shows and pick up your Bible and believe in what is substantial and proven.

  The disciples in the boat had many fears—first, the storm. Then the image walking toward them. Then, they were frightened that Jesus could calm the storm. He changed the weather instantly. No one can do that. They were beginning to see that Jesus was not like them. Their eyes were opening to see that Jesus is God on earth.

  Our fears can make us believe and think things that are just not so. Fear will do that. We look for some explanation. We search for the “why.” When we can’t find one, we settle for anything—even fables, myths and superstitions. Paul told the young preacher Timothy, not to get involved with such things. His words were, “avoid” them. We do well—because they simply aren’t true.

  Walking by faith does not mean that I have an answer for everything nor that I understand everything, but I trust the one I follow, and that is Jesus. He’ll never disappoint.

  Halloween is a good time for kids to dress up, eat candy, watch scary movies, but don’t take it any farther than that. The disciples thought it was a ghost…it was Jesus!

Roger

28

Jump Start # 465

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 465 

Psalm 100:3 “Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.”

This wonderful Psalm praises God for His goodness. It is delightful to read and easy to read, only five verses. Our verse recognizes ownership, possession and order. We belong to God. He made us. We are His people. This verse kicks evolution in the teeth. We didn’t evolve this way through natural forces and selection, we were made by God.

  Establishing that is important because it sets the tone for our relationship with God. We belong to Him…not He belongs to us. We can confuse the order and live as if God is ours instead of we are His. He does not owe us anything, nor does He have to come running at our every call.

  So why is it that when we pray and we not see a response, we get upset with God? Why is it that when things become difficult we blame God? Why is it that we even say, “Why, God?” Have we forgotten the order?

  Beyond those thoughts, there is something special about belonging to God. We are the sheep of His pasture, which reminds us of Ps 23, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” The concern of the shepherd was the wellbeing of the sheep. The shepherd had to know sheep, as well as grasses, and have an understanding of the dangers that lurked nearby. The sheep would eat wherever the shepherd led them. The best grasses were often in the hill country. To reach them meant going through canyons. This is where flash floods could happen in a flash. This is where many predators lurked in the shadows. The shepherd knew. He was watching. He was ready.

  We remember the story of David as he tries to convince King Saul that he is capable of fighting Goliath, he tells the king that he rescued sheep from lions and bears, even pulling the hair on the lion’s face to save a lamb. The work of shepherds was often dangerous. Shepherds also had to understand sheep. Sheep won’t eat if they are bothered by bugs, especially in their ears, or if there is tension within the flock. Shepherds have to deal with those things. Messy work.

  God is our shepherd. We are His sheep. We must trust where He leads us. When He wants us to pasture on His word, we should. When He wants us to gather to praise, we should. When He wants us to rest, reflect, and grow, we should. He knows what is best for us. He knows we need to stay very close to Him, otherwise we tend to lose sight of God and go off on our own.

  What a beautiful analogy that is drawn here. We are God’s sheep. He is our shepherd. Following Him will lead us home where we need to be.

  God understands you…He ought to, He made you. God knows what moves you, motivates you, hurts you, inspires you, and angers you. God knows you. What a comfort to know that someone really understands me. What a delight to know that He knows me and still loves me, wants me and cares for me.

  That is our God. Simply, amazing!

Roger

27

Jump Start # 464

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

Jump Start # 464

Numbers 13:30 “Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.” 

  We return with one more Caleb passage. He is such an incredible person and force for good. One day we will get to meet Caleb in Heaven—can you imagine!

  Our verse today comes from the time that the twelve spies returned from checking out the promise land. There were twelve spies, one from each tribe. They were gone for forty days. They saw that the land was plentiful, just as God had promised. They also saw who lived there. They lived in fortified cities and were strong. How could they move in and fight established armies? Israel had fled from Egypt. They did not have a real army. They had never fought before. The report from ten of the spies was discouraging. When Israel heard it, their hearts melted. What were they going to do now?

  Somehow in all of this they failed to connect what God did to get them out of Egypt and what God did to the Egyptian armies that were chasing them had any bearing now. They seemed to think that they were on their own.

  Bad news tends to spread among the nations, family or even church. Bad news shuts down hope and makes people believe that they have come to a dead end.

  Not all of the spies were like this—Joshua and Caleb were optimistic. It wasn’t so much that they were upbeat guys who saw a silver lining behind every cloud, it had to do with their faith. They believed God. They knew what God had done in the past. God had promised them that land so they knew it could be taken. God would be their help.

  Our passage says, “Caleb quieted the people.” I like that. We need people like that. People of reason in the midst of a storm. People who have a level head when the mob mentality takes over. People of faith. Caleb quieted the people. Now our study of this context shows that the ten spies gave a negative report and they won over the crowd. The people do what most do in those situations, they complain and wish things had been different. They wished they never left Egypt. Really? It was their cries that reached God. They wished that they had died in the wilderness. Really? Gloom and doom will do that every time. It makes people give up and become discouraged.

  • Maybe you are the Caleb in your family—quieting the family when bad news arrives. A voice of faith…a voice of reason…a voice that keeps people on course. That’s needed.

 

  • Maybe you are the Caleb in your congregation. We’d think the elders ought to be, but that’s not always the case. People start bailing out, giving up and thinking the worst, that voice that quiets everyone down is needed.

  Like Caleb, the people around you may not listen. There may be more people delivering bad news than good. Still speak out. Still quiet people down. Still believe in the word of God. That’s what’s needed. Fear and panic run together, like a couple of dogs. Where one goes, the other goes. Loss of job, failing health, unsafe schools, neighbors that are not decent nor kind, church that is losing it’s young people, those are all reasons to be scared. Fortified cities and strong inhabitants—Caleb saw them, just as the ten spies saw them. They had no solution. Caleb did, let’s take it. Some only see problems. They talk about problems. They tell others of problems but they rarely see solutions.

  Caleb did. His hope was in God. When the 10 spies were looking down at the fortified cities, Caleb had his eyes on the God of Heaven and earth. With God on your side, you can do anything. Faith conquers, fear defeats.

  Each of us have our own fortified cities that we are looking at—problems. They can be huge. Fear and panic will arrive with the sunrise. We can walk by faith or live in fear.

  Caleb quieted the people…

Roger

26

Jump Start # 463

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

Jump Start # 463

Numbers 14:24 “But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.” 

  Today, we look at another passage about Caleb. Yesterday we saw, at the age of 85, he declared that he wanted the “hill country” – even though that meant challenges. In our verse today, God is telling Israel who will enter the land He promised. For most, nearly all, they would not get to go in, their children would. God had Israel march around the desert for forty years—basically getting the next generation ready. Israel had been grumbling, and faithless and God wouldn’t have anything to do with it. The nation that left Egypt would not be the people that entered the new land—it would be their grown kids—that is, except for Joshua and Caleb.

  God tells us why Caleb gets to enter in—he has a different spirit and has followed God fully. Today, I want to talk about “the different spirit.”

  Different—I guess in many ways, even though we’d hate to admit it, we are all different in our own ways. Many of us have unusual and odd ways of combining foods, such as pickles and peanut butter, mustard and potato chips, or putting ketchup on just about everything. We are different in that way.

  Some dress differently and look differently—especially from their parents. Spiked hair, pierced lips, funky clothes—they definitely won’t be confused with their parents. Some listen to different music—it’s called, “alternative.”  Some excuse wrong behavior by saying, “I’m different.” That doesn’t cut it with God.

  There are many ways people are different. Caleb was none of those. He was different in a spiritual way, a godly way. When most of the nation was gripping to God, Caleb wasn’t. When most of the nation was fearful, Caleb was trusting God. When the nation wanted to return back to Egypt, Caleb wasn’t caught up in that. He was different. He thought for himself and above all things, he was spiritual. He loved the Lord.

  In the N.T. Paul told the Romans to “not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Be different, but not for the sake of getting attention, nor use that to promote some protest or agenda, those are not the reasons. Be different because you walk with God. You don’t laugh at sin. You don’t make fun of others. You don’t complain, rather you praise. You don’t go negative, you stay positive. You don’t blame God, you defend God. Different—in a godly way.

  You love Sunday’s—not because it’s the day to shop, sleep in or big sports day, but because you get to worship. You read your Bible during the week—not to earn a “get out of Hell” card, but, believe it or, you enjoy reading it. You like to think deep. You like to be challenged spiritually. You trust in the promises of God. That’s different.

  It will show in your attitudes and language. You will be refreshing to others. People will like to be around you because you are “different.” You don’t gossip about others. You don’t lie, you don’t flirt with anyone other than your mate. Your work is honest and you honestly work. You care. You pray. You have a drive about you. Perfect? No, not close. But godly. Righteous. Holy. Different. You are a Christian. You walk with Jesus Christ. It will be noticed. There are times you walk away from conversations, because they are not healthy nor nice. There are times you turn the TV off, because there is nothing DECENT on and you mean decent! You are different. You simply try to walk with Jesus, that makes you different.

  This is hard when you are younger – because fitting in and blending is what you seek. You don’t want to stand out different. Maturity and especially, godliness, teaches us that I can’t be me, a Christian and fit in with some. Not going to happen.

  Often, it’s our very family that thinks we are different. They might use a different word—”weird.” They say, “You go to church all the time, you’re weird.” It hurts. They don’t understand. They are missing out. Caleb remained true. God noticed. That’s the most important thing—He’ll notice.

  As a Christian, you are swimming upstream in a downstream society. It’s hard. God is counting on you to do it. You are different—you love the Lord! Aren’t you glad! Noah was different. Lot was different. Paul was different. Daniel was different. Our Lord was different. It’s fine company to be in to be different spiritually. God notices!

Roger

25

Jump Start # 462

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

Jump Start # 462 

Joshua 14:10b-12 “I am eighty-five years old today…I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in. Now then, give me this hill country about which the LORD spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the LORD will be with me, and I will drive them out as the LORD has spoken.”

  There has been many sermons based upon this statement of Caleb, “Give me this mountain.”  Caleb and Joshua were a pair. They were part of the 12 spies sent to look into the promise land. Ten of the spies came back frightened and with a negative report. Caleb and Joshua trusted the Lord and knew the land would become Israel’s. He followed God all the days of his life. He is know as having a “different spirit.”

  Our passage comes near the end of his life. He is an old man. Instead of taking the easy way, he wanted the hill country for his inheritance. The hill country was fortified with enemies. It meant yet another battle. He wouldn’t have the whole nation with him, but he had the Lord.

  Eighty five year old Caleb, full of energy, life and vision. Best step out of his way, because he’s coming through. A person’s got to love that spirit.

  One thought from this: the easy way is not always the best way. Sometimes, I fear, that too many want to took for whatever is easy. They don’t want the hill country, because that’s a lot of work. We’d be happy for someone to give us the hill country, after all the enemies are driven out, the homes built and all the work is done, but to start from scratch, naw, not for many of us.

  • It’s hard going back to school—especially when you’re married, have a job and trying to raise a family. The easy way is to fall asleep on the couch each night watching TV. It’s hard dragging an already tired body to night classes, getting up extra early to read and study. But the hill country will be worth it.

 

  • It’s hard having folks over to your home for a meal. It means you have to clean, cook and cleanup. Too much trouble some think…but the hill country is worth it. The relationships you build, the spiritual ties you form…the encouragement that is shared—well worth it.

 

  • It’s hard teaching a Bible class—kids or adult. It means reading, going over material, thinking of fresh ways to present things, anticipating questions. There is a lot of work to become an effective teacher. Too much trouble for some, they won’t do it. But the hill country is worth it—it’s a great experience sharing God’s message. The teacher always learns so much more.

 

  • It’s hard to get a Bible study or invite someone to services. It can be scary. They may object. But the hill country is worth it—you may be the one person who starts the process. They attend. They return. Bible studies are set up. They name Christ as their Savior. It all came about because you decided to take the hill country.

  Easy is not always the best. Easy can be a polite way of saying “lazy.” Late in life Caleb took on a great challenge. It meant trusting the Lord. How about you? Any real spiritual challenges? Try learning Greek, the language of the N.T.? Are you kidding? No! How about hooking up with someone and going overseas to teach the gospel? I’d have to use a vacation to do that? So, do it. How about getting a car load and driving an hour to a gospel meeting? How about having the teenagers from church over to your house on Friday night? How about getting some folks to go to the nursing home to sing on Sunday afternoon? How about sending the Jump Starts to a family member who is not connected to Jesus? How about telling the elders that you’d like to teach? 

  Easy is not always the best. Give me the hill country. We want to be part of an awesome church, but are willing to climb the mountain to help make it awesome? We want a close and friendly church, but are we willing to go to the hill country to make it close? Often we want others to do all the work and then we sit back and enjoy it. That’s not the spirit of Caleb. It’s not the spirit of a servant, which Jesus wants all of us to have.

  I expect each of us has a hill country in our life. A spiritual challenge we can engage ourselves in. It won’t be easy. It may cost. It involves trusting the Lord…

  Some of us have been hill climbers all of our lives. It’s natural for us to go from one challenge to another. The hill before us is to not quit. We get tired, we get weary. We sometimes thing, ‘it’s time for the younger people to do this.’ Eighty five year old Caleb didn’t think so—give me the hill country!

  Think about your spiritual hill today. Give it some thought. Talk to the Lord about it. What needs to be done so you can climb that hill?

  Give me the hill country…

Roger