Jump Start # 1006

Proverbs 25:25 “Like cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a distant land.”

  Today is the last day of the year. New Year’s eve—a time for reflection of the past and resolutions and hope for the future. How does a person measure what kind of year it has been? Has it been good? Has it been average? Has it been a bad year?

We might measure it in terms of finances. Major corporations do that. At the end of the year, if the profits are up, then it has been a successful year. We might do the same. Are we better off financially at the end of the year? The stock market has been setting near records and if a person has been invested then he is worth more now that he has been. Does that mean it’s a good year? Gotten out of debt? That’s great. Does that mean it’s been a good year?

We might measure the success of a year in terms of how many bad things avoided us. We know of several families who spent part of the year in the hospital and had long recoveries from surgeries and injuries. We know other families that had to bury loved ones this year. Some friends of mine passed away this year. For those families, the year has been long and hard. They have had to figure things out, and move on with someone significant in their life missing. Others did not have that. They escaped the year without any major car accidents, health issues, or trips to the funeral home. Is the measurement of a year based upon how many bad things we avoided?

We might measure the success of a year in whether or not we kept and completed our goals for the year. Some were on programs to read the Bible through in a year, lose weight, read new books, finish school, complete the repairs on the house. If those things that you wanted to get done got crossed off your list then you might feel that it was a good year. If you quit things, then you might view the year as a failure. You didn’t do what you wanted to.

How do you measure the success of a year? There are some internal things that are hard to measure. Spiritual strength, walking closer to the Lord, developing the heart of a servant—there are some visible signs, but most of this is internal. A change takes place. This is more than a feeling or an emotion. A person’s thoughts are more spiritual than physical. The eternal fills a bigger place in shaping decisions. A person becomes less concerned about stuff and more concerned about people. You find yourself praying more and deeper and longer. You find yourself referring to God’s word for answers. You see definite lines between right and wrong. You sense the spiritual battle that is going on, especially in the media. Your soul is more refreshed, calmer, trusting and confident. Some success are hard to measure, especially the internal ones.

Our passage today, from Proverbs, illustrates the value of good news from a distant land. There was a time, not all that long ago, when it took weeks to receive news about something. Long before our instant news, 24 hours a day, letters written, received, and answered took weeks. Mothers, whose anxious hearts, longed to know whether their sons were safe in far away battles. They waited and prayed. News came. For some, their hearts swelled with thanksgiving. All was safe. Others, fell to the floor in tears, as the news confirmed their fears, their sons died on the battle field. This Proverb, written in a world before Jesus, makes us think of the coming of Christ. The Gospel, by very definition, means, ‘good news.’ This Gospel was the best news from a distant land, Heaven. This Gospel showed God had reached out to sinful man and was willing to forgive and save. This Gospel was a message of hope. This Gospel was good news.

As we turn the page on this year, throw away our old calendars and open up the new ones, what do you plan to do differently this coming year? What do you plan to do better this coming year? Without a plan, we tend to wander all over the course. Without a goal, we lose drive and motivation. Without specific plans, we do not know if we are on course or off. Congregations need specific goals. Individuals need specific goals.

Plans – physically, financially, family, spiritually. Make them. Modify them. Write them down. Follow them.

Consider a few ideas for plans:

1. Make a list the books that you want to read this year. My goal is three a month—that’s 36 books read in a year. Today, I will map out which books I want to read and in what order. Reading expands the mind and increases learning. Read worthwhile things. Read things that will help you. Many bestsellers are worthless. Be picky. Read quality. It will help you.

2. Pray more. Have a prayer plan. Pray for others. Pray, naming names. Pray often.

3. Read the Bible. Read it carefully. Read it with a pen and paper near by. Find a reading plan and stay with it.

4. Get to services. Don’t miss a single service in a month. Try that. See what that does for you.

5. Start thinking about who in the church you want to invite over to your home. Some do this all the time. For others, it has never been done. Give it a try. Hospitality is a mark of Christianity. Don’t stress about what the house looks like. Clean it up. Invite a couple of families. Cook some food. Share. Laugh. Connect. It will bring your closer to others. Imagine every family in a congregation doing this?

The new year will be the same as all the others unless we make some changes. We must step out. We must push ourselves. Grow stronger and closer to the Lord. You will regret this if you don’t. You’ll benefit if you do.

Good news from a distant land…take advantage of it. Use it. Benefit from it.

Roger

Jump Start # 508 

Proverbs 25:25 “Like cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a distant land.”

NOTE: Like last week, with the holiday, our Jump Starts tries to follow the schedule of most businesses. We will not have a Jump Start on Monday but will be back on Tuesday.

  The thought in our passage is easy to understand and the image is very vivid. The weary soul, the thirsty soul is revived by cold water. You see this during time outs of a ball game. The players gather around the coach and they each drink some liquids to keep them going. That is what good news does. It lifts the spirit, it encourages the heart and it builds confidence that there is yet hope. Good news has been received. I think of time many years ago, when young men went off to war. Communication was through letters and only letters. Folks back home would hear about intense battles. They huddled in their homes and church buildings to pray for their young men. Letters arrived. All was well. Rejoicing took place. Good news from a distant land.

  Our news today travels rapidly. We get instant traffic updates on our cell phones. We have weather alerts that pop up on our computer screens. Email, facebook. Twitter all make the world a very small place. God has given us the opportunity that other generations would never dream of, to spread good news into distant lands, rapidly and without leaving our homes. What a blessing and opportunity that is. Much good can be done.

  Many congregations are actively engaged in this. They put forth material, sermons and studies to remote places that were closed by ignorance. The sharing of good news is something that can even be done on the individual level. Many of you are doing that with these Jump Starts. You send them to people that you know and in many ways you are part of sending good news from a distant land.

  Now, if good news from distant land is refreshing, what would bad news be? Defeating? Heartbreaking? Hurtful? This tells us of the importance and responsibility we have on things like facebook. It can be the avenue for good news or the sharing of bad news. It seems that some private things ought to remain private and not be aired for all to see and read. Also, gossip isn’t always verbal. It can be just as deadly and just as wrong in written form and in the form of social media.

  The best news from distant land is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It came, He came, from Heaven. The word “Gospel” means “good news,” and what good news it is. It shows that God hasn’t given up on us even though we sinned and don’t deserve another chance. It shows that God believes that we are worth saving. We’re not junk as Satan wants us to believe. God knows that we can change, that’s why He sent the Gospel. It’s not a message of the impossible, but the probable. We can be His disciples. We can walk in righteousness. We can be holy as He is holy. We can go to Heaven. Now that’s good news!

  As we end the year and we look to a new one, remember the good news of God. Many families are struggling today. The economy is shaky. Many have issues in their hearts and homes that are not resolved. Strained marriages, prodigals that refuse to come home, dysfunctional congregations make our souls weary and beaten down. We often wonder if we can go on. The stress is hard. Those not walking in those shoes, have a hard time understanding all this. They add to the weariness. The new year is looked upon with hope and change, and I hope it does for you. The good news is simply that—it’s good news. It reminds us that God is with us, even in the storms. The apostles learned that lesson. It reminds us that our problems stay in this life, they do not go with us to Heaven. It reminds us that God cares, He always has.

  The hope for the new year is the Gospel. That is the best news we could ever receive. Maybe more time in prayer, more time in Bible would help all of us, but knowing God is ever for us and with us, is the best news ever. We want our problems to go away. God often uses them to mold us and teach us. There are things we see in night that we never see in the day. There are things we see in problems that we never see in the good times.

  May each of our readers realize that we are blessed by the God of Heaven and earth. I pray that we all have a great coming year and that God’s news, the good news, will bring us closer to Him, even in ways we can’t dream or imagine.

Roger

Jump Start # 419 

Proverbs 25:25 “Like cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a distant land.” 

  Good news—everyone likes that. This passage takes us back to a time when good news traveled slowly, as all news did. The messenger riding the horse, going from village to village, telling the citizens news from the king. Waiting for good news is rarely done anymore and a younger generation doesn’t understand the anxious moments while one waited.

  I think of the families that had a son overseas fighting in a war. They awaited a letter from him, assuring them that he was fine. I think of student away from home and he awaited a letter from his folks. Today, we send information instantly. There isn’t much waiting time.

  Something special happened to those people who were waiting for good news from a distant land. While they waited, they prayed. They hoped. Often whole congregations prayed for the well being of their young men in battle. Hope was anticipated. At night, fervent prayers were offered. In the day, they looked for the mailman or the messenger coming with news. Each day waiting. Until finally, news came. Prayers had been answered. All is well. Hope becomes a reality.

  You can also see the father of the prodigal son here. His son was in a far country. He wasn’t doing well. You know the father was hoping for the best. Finally, he sees the son coming home and he rushes out to embrace him. Hope realized.

  Good news is worth sharing. Today, we facebook about engagements, weddings and babies born. Photos are taken. Happiness spreads. Good news fills the heart.

  It’s interesting that the word “gospel” means “good news.” What better news from a distant land, than God loves you and hasn’t given up on you and wants you to know His Son, Jesus Christ. The good news is that God has been thinking about you every day since you were born. Now, we haven’t always thought of God, have we? Sometimes we were out chasing fun and doing things that we shouldn’t have done, yet God didn’t give up on us. Good news came. Salvation from our sins. God wants us home with Him. That’s the gospel message.

  Now here’s a weird thing, some preachers almost apologize for telling you good news. Some how they twist the good news to be bad news. Some leave church, feeling beat up and emotional spanked by the preacher. There are some serious things that need to be preached. It’s hard to talk about Hell with a smile on your face, unless you are twisted on the inside. But the message over all is good news– good news from a distant land.

  I can see families gathered at a village when a rider comes in. He immediately shares his news with them. The families jump up and down with excitement. Smiles abound. Hugs are everywhere.

  I can see when news reaches Heaven that a weary and lost soul has found Jesus, the angels jumping up and down. Smiles abound. Hugs everywhere. Luke 15 tells us that the angels in Heaven rejoice when a sinner comes home to God. Good news from a distant land.

  Think about our days, there’s not a lot of good news. Wars overseas. Economic gloom. Scandals. People being bad and hurting others. That happens locally. It happens worldwide. The paper tells the sad stories. The newscast fills the airwaves of the dark details. Bad news…bad news…bad news. Bad news is a lot like wearing three day old socks. It feels different and there is a smell. If you haven’t experienced that, go look under the bed of your middle school boy, I’m sure you’ll experience what I’m talking about. With bad news all around us, it wears on us. We don’t smile much. There seems to be a burden we all are carrying. We look tired.

  Good news does just the opposite. It lifts our eyes up. We hold our heads up. We walk faster and more lively with good news in our hearts.

  Wish I had some good news, don’t you. We do! Just open up your New Testaments and read a page from the “good news” or Gospels. See Jesus in action. See His compassion. See His power. See His love. See Him not be tricked by those who won’t believe Him. See Him reach out and touch lepers and heal them. See Him offer Himself on the cross. See Him come out of that grave. See Him reigning in Heaven. Now, that’s good news!

  Good news from a distant land—be a messenger of that as you invite others to church. Tell others of Jesus and you are bringing good news from a far away place. It’ll do you good as well.

Roger