14

Jump Start # 1038

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1038

Mark 5:25-26 “A woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse”

  Our verse today is about the woman with the issue of blood. She came to Jesus, and touched Him from behind and was instantly healed. Jesus revealed who had done this and instead of making her feel ashamed, He praised her great faith. All of this took place as Jesus is being escorted to Jairus’s home, an official of the synagogue, to save his dying daughter. We have a miracle taking place on the way to do another miracle. It’s a great lesson that is packed full of powerful thoughts to consider.

Today, I want to focus upon two thoughts about the woman with the issue of blood.

First, some people are in a truly hopeless situation. She was. She was broke, sick, tired, prodded, poked, discouraged, unclean by Jewish law, and not getting any better. In fact, she was getting worse. Nothing was working. She was out of answers. She was out of ideas. Her medical condition would have made her tired, weak and drained. Jesus was her last hope. Jesus was her only hope. This woman presents a challenge to me. I am an eternal optimist. I am type A. I thrive on finding solutions. Practical to the core, let’s find an answer is the way I operate. There are some things we cannot fix. There are some situations that we don’t have an answer. What do we say in those circumstances? “Cheer up, I know you’ll get better?” Really? Do you know that? False hope can be as bad as no hope.

 

My wife is an oncology nurse. A good day for her is when a patient has completed the treatments, the labs results are looking good and they are released from needing to come back. A bad day is when the patient is told that they need to call Hospice because nothing more can be done. That gets to her. I wouldn’t do well working there. I want to fix everyone and you can’t always do that.

 

Sometimes marriages get that way. There has been so many broken promises and trust has been shattered by unfaithfulness so many times, that restoring the marriage seems hopeless. It’s really bad when one doesn’t care and they want to end the marriage anyway. How can you fix things when the people involved are content to let things fall apart?

 

Sometimes relationships get like that. Recently, I’ve talked to two different people who have not talked to their grown children in years. Things happened. They moved on in separate directions. There seems to be no hope in building a bridge to connect them. Hopeless.

 

The feeling of hopelessness is what leads some to giving up and taking their life. I cannot imagine what that would feel like. I think about the people on the Titanic who realized that there was no hope for them. I think about coal miners trapped in a cave in, watching fellow miners die one by one, realizing there was no hope. What a dark and empty feeling hopelessness is.

 

Listen to Paul’s words describing Gentiles: “remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12). Without hope. Without God.

 

A person who has lived a lifetime, avoiding and ignoring God, suddenly realizes at the end of his life, that he is dying without hope. His death isn’t a sweet passage into a better world, but rather, terror fills his heart because he doesn’t know. He doesn’t know if God is real or not. He doesn’t know what is beyond death, if anything. He doesn’t know what will happen to him. He wants to think that he’ll go to Heaven. He hopes that he has been good enough, but he knows. He realizes that he doesn’t even know how to pray. He knows nothing about the Bible, God or things spiritual. He spent his life living for today and now he is just about out of todays. This is a man who lives without hope.

 

The death of Robert Ingersoll illustrates one without hope. Ingersoll lived a long time ago. He spent his life lecturing and writing in defense of atheism. He didn’t believe in God. He debated those who believed in God. His life was spent in academic pursuits of naturalism. He died. His funeral, according to newspaper reports, was oddly secular. It was strange, people reported. No hymns sung. No prayers offered. No reading of Scriptures. After the funeral, his wife and two daughters clung to his body weeping. They refused to turn his body over to the undertaker for burial. This went on for a few days. They couldn’t part with one that they knew they would never see again. His doctrines of hopelessness came to fulfillment. For them, there was nothing beyond death and death was the ultimate thief. Hopeless.

 

The other thought the woman with the issue of blood presents to us is that she found hope in Jesus. Man didn’t have the answers, but Jesus did. Jesus did what doctors could not. Jesus did what all of her money could not do. Jesus healed her, saved her and gave her hope. This woman shows us that in God all things are possible. With God there is hope.

 

Under the banner of Christ, broken lives can be forgiven, restored and given a second chance. Marriages that are doomed to crash, can be salvaged through Christ. Those who have lived for today, can have the hope of Heaven when they bow their knees to Christ.

 

This woman found that Jesus was the answer. That must be our message. The answer is not the church. The answer is not in what we know. The answer is in Jesus. Follow Jesus. Obey Jesus. Listen to Jesus. Learn. Change. Become.

 

A broke, suffering and hopeless woman was called “daughter,” by Jesus. Her faith made her well. It didn’t happen at home. It was more than just a thought. She found Jesus. She worked her way through a massive crowd. She reached out and touched Jesus. It took courage and faith to do that.  Will you do that? Will you search for Jesus? Will you reach out to Jesus? Will you overcome fears and doubts to find the one who can change your life? Isn’t it time for you to come back to where you belong? Isn’t it time to fill your life with real hope?

 

This unnamed woman is a hero for showing us that someone who has no hope can find hope in Jesus.

 

How about you?

 

Roger

 

13

Jump Start # 1037

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1037

Job 16:1 “I have heard many such things; sorry comforters are you all.”

  Yesterday in our Jump Start, we noticed that Job’s friends gathered to comfort Job. They came from a distance. They sat seven days in silence. Job experienced the depth of despair. All of his children died. His livestock and flocks were stolen. His servants murdered. Then Job lost his health. Job was hurting about every way a person can. His friends didn’t even recognize him when they arrived. For seven days these four men sat in silence. Job broke the silence with despair and thoughts that come from the depth of pain. One by one, the friends felt compelled to answer. They argued with Job. They accused Job. They pointed fingers at Job. They found blame with Job. They even said that Job deserved what he was getting. They found fault with Job’s dead children. They would not back off. They kept pounding and pounding guilt into Job. They were not even close. They were so wrong. They made Job feel worse. They were no help at all.

Chapter two reveals that Job’s friends came together to “sympathize with him and comfort him” (2:11). Our verse today, found in the midst of the dialogue between Job and his friends, expresses Job’s feelings. He says, “Sorry comforters are you all.” Other translations state, “miserable comforters.” What the friends gathered for, they failed to do. They came to comfort. They made Job worse.

Consider some things from Job’s friends:

  • Never once did they offer to pray for Job. They may have disagreed about things, but they could have prayed. They didn’t.
  • Never once did they say, “I’m sorry for what you are going through.”
  • They accused Job without knowing all the facts
  • They thought they had all the answers and knew why everything happened. They didn’t.
  • They used sarcasm and ridicule with one they differed with
  • They did not listen to what Job was saying.
  • They never asked Job to come home with them
  • They distorted the real image of God and how He works
  • They were so caught up in their theories that they failed to understand what it was like to walk in another person’s shoes
  • After their visit with Job, they made him feel more miserable
  • They didn’t do anything to help Job. All they did was talk and argue.
  • They really didn’t seem to care very much about Job, nor showed to be true friends.

 

When a person comes to comfort and sympathize, they ought to make sure that they do that. Too often, we use occasions such as funerals, or hospital visits, to talk about ourselves, to gripe about the things that bother us, and rally comfort to us. We are not the one hurting. Some folks simply don’t get it. I’m getting more and more convinced that there ought to be a mandatory class on visiting hospitals and funeral homes 101. Some are so loud. Some talk too long. Some don’t know when to leave. And the worse thing you can do to a hurting soul is to be a miserable comforter. We read often in our Bibles about people putting on sackcloth and ashes. They did this when bad news was received. Sackcloth was very scratchy and uncomfortable. No one would wear that by choice. It was put on to demonstrate the fact that a person felt miserable on the inside and now he was feeling the same on the outside. Some of us are like modern sackcloth. We tend to be coarse, scratchy, uncomfortable and miserable around others. If we can’t do better, then we ought to just stay home.

When you go to comfort, do just that. Before you leave your house, put yourself up on the shelf and leave it there. Do not go to talk about your life, your grandkids, your plans, your vacations, your friends, you…you…you—Leave you out of it. It’s time to listen. It’s time to hold a hand. It’s time to dry a tear. It’s time to offer a prayer. It’s time to share a passage. It’s time to notice what you can do to help. There is a time and a place for long discussions. Realize where those places are. The pain of grief will often make a person search for answers to questions. Grief can turn to anger and blame. Don’t follow a hurting person down that path. Later on is the time for that study and discussion.

 

There is a contrast between Job’s friends and Titus in the N.T. Paul was discouraged. God sent Titus to him. Paul told the Corinthians that his spirit was refreshed by the coming of Titus. Paul’s Titus didn’t act like Job’s friends.

 

You and I have that option. We can be miserable comforters or that refreshing spirit. The miserable comforters quickly get a bad reputation. People will dread seeing them come because they know they come bearing guilt, shame and blame—three unwelcomed and unwanted gifts. On the other hand, those who are known as that refreshing spirit will be sought out. Hurting people will ask for them. They want them around. There is a goodness, helpfulness and a connection to Heaven with them.

 

There are so many folks going through very difficult times. What do you say to a person who has advanced cancer? How do you comfort a family that has buried a child? What do you say to a tearful mother whose son is heading to prison? What do you say to the unwed mother who comes to church services? When you look into weeping eyes at the funeral home, how do you comfort? We need to give thought to these things. Just showing up and saying whatever we feel like isn’t helping. In fact, some of the things said, has driven people away. Some things sound mean and hateful. Some things were said at the wrong time and in the wrong way. We can be mighty judgmental to a fragile heart that is breaking because of grief.

 

It would help us all to speak less and comfort more. To demonstrate concern by actions and deeds and not just shallow words. To be there. To sit in silence. To offer a prayer. To let them know that you indeed care and you love them. Say those words. Mean those words.

 

I, for too long, have heard far too many horror stories about a wounded soul being stomped upon by brethren who felt compelled to “tell them the truth” and then leave them in such a wounded, guilty, and ashamed state that they gave up on God. They simply quit. Their spirit was destroyed. In a scene from the gospel of John, too many have tossed a guilty soul before Jesus and demanded that rocks be thrown. I’ve even heard some proudly boast, “I told him that he was not welcome to come to this church.” Are you serious? We should NEVER, EVER say that to anyone. PERIOD. Is that how God wants us to treat the hurting and lost? Our assemblies ought to be filled with folks who are looking for Jesus. They may have all kinds of problems and issues. They may have multiple marriages, addictions, and false ideas. Yet, they ought to be welcomed. As they stand before the Holy Jesus, they will be uncomfortable and that will lead them to repentance. But barring the door, and declaring that certain ones are not welcome is as dumb and wrong as they come. God forgive such wrong attitudes!

 

Miserable comforters or refreshing spirits? Which are you going to be? Each time you visit the hospital, the nursing home, the funeral home, or the home of a wounded soul, you have the choice to make. You can leave the person worse because of your presence or you can leave them the better because of your presence. What you say, what you do, makes all the difference. We are surrounded by so many hurting people. You see them at work. You see them in the stores. You see them in the church services. There are so many. Some suffer because of poor choices. That doesn’t lessen their pain. Others are innocent. Look around, you see them. People with marriages that are falling apart. Kids that are shuffled between divorced parents. People who must make the decision to put their parent in a nursing home. People who have overspent and now they are in deep trouble. People whose grown kids want nothing to do with them. People who have been hurt by abusive churches. People, so many. Just looking for someone to care. Looking for some comfort. Looking for Heaven.

 

Miserable comforters or refreshing spirits…

 

 

Roger

 

12

Jump Start # 1036

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1036

Job 2:13 “Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.”

The friends of Job—what a great lesson for all of us. There are times when we have the opportunity to sit with those who are hurting. For some, it’s literal pain. They have been through surgery, they don’t feel well and things are not going well. Others suffer greatly from emotional pain. There is a prodigal in the family who will not come home. There has been a divorce. There has been a death. The tears won’t stop flowing. The heartache steals sleep and appetite. It is a nightmare that has no end.

The friends of Job presents to us some lessons to be learned. They did some great things as well as enormous blunders.

1. They came. The friends of Job came from different places and they stayed. Nothing beats presence. I have walked into a surgery waiting room and seen a family sitting downcast and they looked up and color returned to their faces and the joy of presence lifted them. Phone calls are great. Cards have their place. But nothing beats being there. It’s hard with our schedules, but to a hurting family, it showed that you cared enough to come. I’m impressed that these friends of Job stayed for so long. Seven days and seven nights and this is before all the long debates began.

2. They sat in silence. That’s the hard part. In fact, had Job’s friends remained silent, he probably would have gotten along much better. We don’t like silence. Many only experience silence when they are asleep. They wake up to the clock radio playing music. The TV is on all day. The radio in the car is never turned off. There is noise and chatter at work. Silence. It’s hard for many of us. These four sat together and no one said anything—not for a moment. Not even for an hour, but for seven days and seven nights. Silence. So often we feel compelled to say something and in awkward situations, what we say generally comes out sideways and doesn’t help much. The classic ones are at the funeral home. We don’t know what to say, but feel like we must say something. Here is a list of actual things I’ve heard people say to a widow standing next to the casket containing her husband:

  • “Did you have insurance?”
  • “Do you think you’ll remarry?”
  • “Can you afford to stay in the home?”
  • “What did he say at the end?”
  • “How much insurance did he leave you with?”
  • “You’re lucky, at least you have insurance?”
  • “How much did this funeral cost?”
  • “That looks like an expensive casket. How much was it?”
  • “Did he hurt at the end?”
  • “Why are you crying? Wasn’t he a Christian? You ought to be happy.”
  • “You probably don’t need anything, do you?”
  • “Do you think you’ll be at church tomorrow?”
  • “Hi, how are you doing?”

 

Really? It’s even worse at the death of a child. I’ve heard folks say, “Well, at least you have other children.” Most meant well. Most didn’t really think about what they said. It’s gotten so bad in recent times, I will prep a family before the visitation. I will tell the widow to just pat the hand of the person speaking, smile and say, “Thank you for coming.” Don’t answer the insane questions. Many are inappropriate, personal and none of their business.

 

Instead, what we ought to say, if we must say anything, “I’m sorry,” or, “You’re in my thoughts and prayers.” Give a hug and go sit down. Job’s friends sat for a week. Open your eyes, be useful. The box of tissues may run low, go find some. The family may need a bottle of water, go get it. Work in silence. Just be there. That is so important.

 

Then there is one other powerful thing you can do in your silence—PRAY. Pray that the grieving family finds comfort. Pray for their strength. Pray that you won’t say something dumb (that’s one I pray a lot). Pray that you can be a servant that helps. Then that’s it. Don’t toot your horn by telling the family all the things you did. Don’t hang around to get noticed. No, that ruins all the good you do. If you stay until the end, offer to bring the cars up for the family. Don’t smoother them. Grieving is very personal and you must allow them to be with just themselves. Don’t force your way into private conversations. Don’t be nosey.

 

Jesus understood the value of presence. Have you noticed how many times he went. He invited Himself into the home of Zaccheus. When the synagogue official’s daughter died, Jesus went. There is something about presence. You came. That says more than any words can.

 

Tomorrow we will look at the blunders of Job’s friends. The good that they did was ruined by these other things. That happens. It happens to us. We must learn. These things will help us to help others.

 

The Romans were told to “weep with those who weep.” We remember that Jesus’ wept. There is no shame in tears. It is not a lack of faith to cry. It is not a moment of weakness. To not cry makes one wonder if they even cared. Heartless people don’t cry. They have no emotions. Jesus wasn’t like that. We shouldn’t be like that either.  There is great comfort in knowing one does not journey alone. There is relief in knowing that others care. That’s the role you can play. It does make a difference.

 

Some day there will be no more tears…death…the first things will be done away!

 

Roger

 

11

Jump Starts # 1035

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1035

Philippians 4:2 “I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.”

  Harmony—we appreciate it in music, we expect it among kids, we wish more countries would embrace it, and among brethren, it’s something that shouldn’t have to be said. But it does. Euodia and Syntyche are known through the ages as two in the Philippian church that didn’t get along. I’ve wondered what it must have been like to have this letter read before the entire church, and to hear your name read and not in a positive manner. Paul wasn’t praising these two. Their differences now involved the apostle and it included the church.

Consider some thoughts here:

First, Paul does not tell us what the problem was. Who started it and who was at fault. He didn’t take sides. He told them both to live in harmony. He “urged” them both. We’d love to know what the problem was. Could it have been something shallow and simple? Was it something shameful? Who knows. Doesn’t matter. Get along are the words of Paul. We can spend far too much time getting into things that are not our business. We want to know details, when often we shouldn’t. We want to be able to point fingers and assign blame. In doing all of this, we find ourselves pulled into the mess and before we know it, we too, are a part of the problem. Get along. Work it out. Settle things. Live in harmony. That doesn’t mean move away. That doesn’t mean ignore what happened. It does mean to live in peace.

 

Second, our minor skirmishes often lead to major battles. That happened in the Civil War. That happens in churches. Stubbornness, pride and ego refuses to let little things pass. Too much of self tends to escalate things. Some problems have exploded into such a major issue that the parties involved can’t even remember what started it all. Some hold ill feelings for a long time until they explode and what a mess it is then.

 

Third, sometimes we need help to find the harmony among each other. Paul’s purpose in naming these two was to bring attention to the church and to solicit help from them. Job complained to God that there was no umpire between he and the Lord. Often, we need an umpire to listen, to advise, and to help get things going the right way. The problem with outside help is that if the independent, third party, doesn’t side with me, then I’m not interested in listening to him. We tend to only want a third party if they sway the problem in our favor. That’s not seeking harmony, that’s seeking my way.

 

Fourth, we need to be reminded, sometimes by others, that forgiveness and grace are the marks of Christianity. We do bump and bruise and hurt each other. We may not realize it. Other times, we know, but still we say and do what we do. Our nature is to either fight back, or run. Neither of those are the best solutions. Live in harmony is what God wants. Can that be accomplished? Yes, if we walk with Christ. In most battles among church members, Christ is left out of the discussion. We get heated, loud and threatening and leave on the sidelines, peace, harmony, grace and forgiveness. We don’t want an apology, we want vengeance. We don’t want grace, we want blood. We start thinking, “I have a right…” and the moment we do that, we have forgotten Christ. Jesus suffered and uttered no threats in return. Remember? Jesus said, “Turn the other cheek,” remember? Jesus said to love one another. We forget those things when we are upset because of another. Our thoughts are not in working things out, but in getting justice for our side. The way of the Lord is to forgive, be at peace and to work together in harmony.

 

We need each other. When there are disputes in the home or in the church, it is felt, it is known, and it causes progress to suffer. Disputes are prime time for gossip and hatred to rise to the surface. The good that we do is set back because we can’t get along. Others notice. It’s hard to worship when people are taking sides, thinking bad, and forming plans to hurt others.

 

These words need to be spoken to preachers and elders: Live in harmony. These words need to be spoken to those who are jealous of each other: live in harmony. These words need to be spoken to those who have five talents and those who have one talent: live in harmony. The young and the old: live in harmony. Those who grew up in the church and those who did not: live in harmony. Those who are new at things and those who have been around for a long time: live in harmony.

 

What a beautiful sound harmony is. When a piano is tuned properly—beautiful. When two voices are singing in harmony—wonderful. When two people are getting along—powerful. Live in harmony. That means, I won’t always get my way. That means I must look and see what’s best for all, not just me. That means I must be a team player. That means I must apologize when wrong and accept apologies when I’ve been wronged. It means I keep my lips closed and not make things worse by gossiping. It means I give others time to think things out and work through things. It means honesty must be foremost. It means we must all fly the banner of Christ above us.

 

Getting along. It’s not easy. We would do things differently. It seems everyone loves sitting in the critics chair. The back seat driver, the arm chair quarterback—we all think we know how we’d do it and it’s certainly not the way it’s being done now. I wonder how many worship services are ruined in some hearts because we butcher the song leader, groan at the sermon, and miss connecting with Jesus? It’s easy to be the critic. One of the early lessons young preachers must learn is to have thick skin. Each Sunday, the preacher is critiqued. It begins with his outfit, his hair, his manner in which he walks to the pulpit, his topic for a lesson, his delivery, the length of the lesson, his illustrations, what he left out, what he should have left out and sometimes all of that comes just from his wife. Poor guy. We all need some adjusting and could do things better, but constant criticism from brethren is one of the main reasons young preachers quit. They can’t take it. The pressure is too much. Each week they feel like they have failed. People who have never given a sermon in their life, acting like experts in something they have no idea about, can destroy a heart that just wanted to teach the Gospel. I know, I have been on the receiving end and it nearly drove me nuts. I had friends who got out of preaching because they couldn’t handle the “brethren” each week. I’ve seen it nearly destroy too many talented young preachers. There was one, many years ago who was just letting me have it at the door as he was leaving. Standing in line with others, he proudly announced what a failure I was. It must have made him feel good. I’m sure his dinner went down easy that day. Mine didn’t. It still hurts, all these years later. He never apologized. He never toned down. He proudly felt that he told me the truth. What a cruel and hurtful manner he walked in. I nearly quit. There never was any harmony there. There never was any church helping resolve things. It was an old bully who got away with abuse. It ruined our relationship. Those things should never have been allowed.

 

It’s so easy to tear down. We can do it with just a look. Young mothers who are trying so hard, can leave feeling defeated, not because of all the trouble with the little ones, but because of the stares of the older women. Teenagers can be made to feel that they are not welcomed. Those who look different. Those who come from a different background. It’s easy to rip others to shreds. Living in harmony is hard. It takes all that we have to not just get along, but to make things better. Harmony involves love and acceptance. Harmony means you are welcomed here.

 

You have a lot to do with keeping the harmony. Are you doing your part? Deny self, take up the cross and follow Jesus—that’s the spirit of harmony. Let’s work harder at it.

 

Roger

 

10

Jump Start # 1034

Posted on February 10, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1034

Genesis 4:7 “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

  The words of our verse today are what God spoke to Cain. Cain was smoking mad. He had reason to be mad, but his anger was out of control and directed to the wrong sources. Cain and Abel—the first children born on earth; Adam and Eve’s first children. They were grown. They offered sacrifices to God. Abel, a shepherd, offered a lamb. Cain, a farmer, offered crops. Abel’s sacrifice was a true sacrifice. For a lamb, there was no coming back from a sacrifice. Once a lamb was offered it was finished. Cain, offering vegetables, was a gift, but not a sacrifice. The plant that produced tomatoes, would continue to produce more throughout that season. The offering of Cain and Abel is discussed in the New Testament. In Hebrews, the writer tells us that it was by faith that Abel offered a better sacrifice. Faith, not meaning attitude, but rather, according to what God directed. God has never left worship up to us. He has never said surprise me. Liberal commentators want us to believe that God would have accepted Cain’s offering, had he a kinder or better attitude about it. They miss it all together. The type of sacrifice was directed by God. After the flood, Noah offered an animal sacrifice. Abraham offered animal sacrifices. The shedding of blood, connecting to what God Himself would later offer through Jesus, is the pattern we find in the Bible. After Adam’s sin, God covered the first couple with animal skins. The shedding of blood was necessary for the coving of sin. John refers to Cain’s act in his letters. There he says what Cain did was evil.

 

God accepted Abel and his sacrifice. God rejected Cain’s. Cain messed up. He was wrong. God doesn’t accept anything we do in worship. Oh, if the modern church could get that lesson. The entertainment styled churches are wooing crowds and making God frown. We can’t ignore what God says and think He’ll be happy with it. Cain’s sacrifice was rejected. He got mad. Real mad. And, maybe he should have. His sacrifice didn’t really cost him anything. It was easy and it wasn’t much of a sacrifice at all. He should have kicked himself. He messed up. It wasn’t God’s fault. It certainly wasn’t Abel’s fault. Abel did what God wanted. Abel pleased the Lord. Now, Cain was smoking mad.

 

A person doesn’t think straight, logically, and certainly not Biblically, when they are all worked up. We tend to say and do things that we later regret. Without any self control, some punch holes in walls, others punch someone’s nose. Anger leads to threats, bad words, and dumb conclusions. The Ephesians were told “do not let the sun go down upon your anger and do not give the devil an opportunity.” Anger is an invitation for Satan to come on in and mess things up. He’ll take you up on the invitation every time.

 

God recognized Cain’s anger. It should have been God who was angry. Cain was wrong. His sacrifice insulted the Holy God of Heaven. He was cheap and thoughtless in what He did. God should have walked away from Cain. He didn’t. God’s not like that. God spoke to Cain, as He did Adam. Anger leads to worse things. God saw that. He saw that Cain wasn’t finished. Worse things were about to happen.

 

God gave Cain the eternal words that helps all of us when we are at a crossroads and especially when anger is driving our emotions. Do well. Do well and all will be well. If you don’t do well, sin will get you. What a masterful description God gives us. Sin is crouching at your door…it sounds like Peter’s words centuries later, “The devil prowls about like a roaring lion…” Lions crouch. They are patient. They lay in the tall grass watching. They wait for the right moment. And in an instant, the pounce upon the prey and destroy it. This is how God describes sin. It’s at the door. It’s crouching. It’s watching you, Cain. It wants you, Cain.

 

Notice what God adds…He says, “you must master it.” You don’t have to become a victim. You are destined to be eaten. There is a way out. You can beat this. You can overcome. You must master it. Did God know? Did God know what was brewing in Cain’s anger? Did He see that anger was quickly turning to hatred? Did He see that anger was contemplating murder? Did He see the bottom falling out of Cain’s heart? Master it, Cain. Master it!

 

Cain failed. He lost. He didn’t master sin. Sin mastered him. He found an opportunity to be alone with Abel and he killed him. When God asked about the whereabouts of Abel, Cain gave that famous line, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” He lied. He knew. God knew. Sin won. His anger got the best of him.

 

Our passage reminds all of us that sin is often just outside the door waiting for us. We don’t have to do wrong. We can master it. When a person says, “I couldn’t help it,” he is denying Scripture. You can help it. When a person states, “I was born this way,” they are stating that I’m doing wrong and it’s not my fault. I’m not responsible, because I was made this way. WRONG. Sin is at the door. Sin wants you. You must master it. You can do what is right.

 

God is telling Cain that you control your destiny. The choice you make is your choice. It’s the same for us. Addictions come from wrong choices. Sin comes from wrong choices. There are things that can encourage wrong choices and there are things that can encourage right choices. We can feed our faith or feed our temptations. We can help our self, or hurt our self. A person doesn’t have to be governed by their feelings. Anger can be controlled. Self control, the control of self, is one of the virtues found in Peter. We are not animals. We are not running on instincts. Saying, “I can’t help it,” doesn’t fly. You can help it. You can do right. You can please God. You can master sin. You can, because God says so and He is never wrong.

 

Sin is crouching outside the door. It’s watching you. Do you see it? It’s waiting for the right moment. A time when you are alone…a time when you are stressed and bothered…a time when you are angry. It’ll wait. It’ll wait all day on you. It never gets tired. It won’t go home. It’ll just sit there, hiding, and waiting. James tells us to “resist the devil and he will flee from you.” That’s the answer. Open your eyes and recognized danger. Fight it. Flee from it. Resist it. It’ll leave, for a moment. But it’ll come back.

Some day this fight will be over. Some day there will no longer be sin crouching at the door. Some day God will toss Satan where he belongs. Some day temptations will cease. Come, Lord Jesus.

We are one day closer to Heaven.

Roger