LAUGH 'N LEARN

An Encouragement Ministry of Verde Valley Christian Church
Of Cottonwood Arizona
http://www.vvchristianchurch.net/

Issue # 272,    January 6,  2008

LAUGH

Notes from hospital charts

(probably written by some sleepy intern or frazzled nurse):

• The patient refused autopsy.
• Patient has left white blood cells at another hospital.
• Note: Patient recovering from forehead cut. Patient became very angry when given an enema by mistake.
• Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.
• On the second day, the knee was better, and on the third day it disappeared.
• The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.
• The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.
• She is numb from her toes down.
• While in ER, she was examined, x-rated, and sent home.
• The skin was moist and dry.
• Occasional, constant, infrequent headaches.
• Patient was alert and unresponsive.
• Rectal examination revealed a normal size thyroid.
• She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life, until she got a divorce.
• I saw your patient today, who is still under our car for physical therapy.
• The lab test indicated abnormal lover function.
• Skin: Somewhat pale but present.
• Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities.

Jim’s Manuscript

January 6, 2008

“How To Make 2008 Great”

Text:  Mark 1:21-35

Focus:  Do first things first.

The Chairman of the Civil Service Appellate Tribunal gave a great example of avoiding the "Tyranny of the Urgent".  The Civil Service has their own court system, a complete separate court system than the rest of the country, for complaints in the Civil Service department.  The highest court of this civil Service court system is the Appellate Tribunal.   3 men sit on that tribunal and one is the chairman.  The Chairman is the top man of these three.  They hear all of the cases of the hundreds of thousands of cases with civil servants.  This Chairman found himself in a situation where they had a backlog of cases of more than a year and a half.  And it was increasing every week.  And this man was a Christian.    He was getting more behind every week.  I don't know how you would respond if you found yourself in this position. Perhaps you would try to get the government to fund more money to hire more clerks.  Perhaps, you would call the staff together and you would say "We are a year and a half behind and getting further behind by the week, I want all of you to put in 10 hour days until we get caught up."

            This Chairman didn't do that.  He knew God's law.  He did arise early.  He got up earlier than everyone else.  He did go into the office an hour before everyone else.  But he went into his office to pray.  Then he went into his fellow judges office and prayed for the work they would be doing that day, and to every work station in the department and pray for increased productivity, he prayed over the secretaries work station.  In eleven months they were current in their case load and were keeping current in the case load.  Now the man who told me this was an attorney and he knew this was significant.  In fact he was convinced in the supernatural nature of what happened.  It was the operation of God's law not man's law that was at work.

Now where did this man learn this secret?  From the Life of Jesus.

I.   Make 2008 Great by Making it Count

How do you make it count?   FOCUS ON THE SIGNIFICANT

II.  Significance Is Lasting

1 Corinthians 3:14   If any man's work . . . remains, he shall receive a reward

Significance is a time issue. What is forgotten in time is of little significance. What is remembered for eternity is of great significance. Paul wrote to Timothy: "Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness . . . since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:7, 8). If you want to increase your significance, focus your energies on significant activities: those which will remain for eternity.

Neil Anderson, Daily In Christ, (a portion of the devotional reading for June 2)

A.  Learn the difference between What is Urgent and what is Important

How many of you perceive a struggle with a shortage of time—too many things to do and not enough time to do it?  What we struggle with is not the shortage of time but our priorities.   Hummel wrote a little booklet back in 1967 entitled, “The Tyranny of the Urgent.”  It is a great little booklet.  A key quote from this book is this:  “Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important."

How many of you feel the weight of unfinished assignments or obligations? 

I want you to ponder something.  Jesus knows what the human pressure of limited time feels like!  He knows what it feels like to have  so much to do, and only a limited time to do it.

A Day in the Life of Jesus on the day of Rest (1:21-34)

(Mark 1:21-34 NIV)  "They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. {22} The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. {23} Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, {24} "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" {25} "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" {26} The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. {27} The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." {28} News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. {29} As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. {30} Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. {31} So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. {32} That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. {33} The whole town gathered at the door, {34} and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was."

What a busy day:

·         He spoke (I know how exhausting public speaking can be.)

·         He cast out a demon from a man who attended.  (That would sure wake you up in church wouldn't it?)

·         He healed Simon's mother in law.

·         That evening word got out, crowds-- the "whole town", "all the sick and demon possessed"--came to see Jesus, wanting his attention and healing touch.

·         Jesus was exhausted:  When you combine public speaking with casting out demons and healing sick people late into the night you have one exhausted person. 

Most people would have slept in the next morning.  I wouldn’t have been surprised at all if I read that the disciples woke Jesus up to tell him the crowds were back.  But they didn’t.  Jesus was already awake long before dawn.  

The Busy Servant Theme in Mark

Christ the tireless servant is a prominent theme in Mark. Jesus life is portrayed as full of good deeds.  He is so sought after His prayer time was interrupted, 1:35-37.  He is constantly shown as a man who needs to seek time out in a solitary place. 

Mark 1:45 (NIV) ⁴⁵ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

In Chapter 2 Jesus comes home, the people quickly find out and crowd the house.  Jesus sometimes had no time to eat, 3:20. Because he yielded to perpetual calls for service, his friends said he was unbalanced, 3:21.  He leaves the crowd and is so tired he falls asleep and a storm that is bad enough to scare tough fishermen doesn't wake him, 4:37-38.  He was pursued by the crowd when he sought rest, 6:31-34 (three references to a remote, quiet, and solitary place, [wilderness theme] just before the miraculous bread giving sets us up to see the parallel to the wilderness giving of Manna).  Here again he hadn't had a chance to eat. Afterward, He leaves to go to the mountainside to pray.   As soon as he gets across the lake the crowds press again.

Later, He tries to find some solitude, purposely trying to keep his presence secret but has his solitude intruded upon, 7:24.  9:30 shows another time he wanted a private time to teach his disciples.  His Servant role is modeled, and the role of the servant leader is explicitly taught (9:35; 10:42- 45).

(Mark 1:45 NIV)  "Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere."

(Mark 3:20 NIV)  "Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat."

(Mark 4:37-38 NIV)  "A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. {38} Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?""

(Mark 6:31-34 NIV)  "Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." {32} So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. {33} But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. {34} When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things."(Mark 7:24 NIV)  "Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret."

(Mark 9:30 NIV)  "They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were,"

{45} For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.""

B.  The Most Significant thing we can do is make an Eternal Difference

What makes something significant?  The test of time.  Does the significance last?  Anything eternal then is significant.  Making an eternal difference is hugely significant.

Brian was a pastor of a small church who attended one of my classes at the seminary. He was in his mid-thirties and married when he found out he had cancer. The doctors gave him less than two years to live.

One day Brian came to talk to me. "Ten years ago somebody gave a prophecy about me in church," he began. "They said I was going to do a great work for God. I've led a few hundred people to Christ, but I haven't had a great work for God yet. Do you think God is going to heal me so the prophecy can be fulfilled?"

My mouth dropped open in shock. "You've led a few hundred people to Christ and don't think you have accomplished a great work for God? Brian, I know some big-name pastors in large churches who can't make that claim. I know some great theologians who have probably never led anyone to Christ. If a few hundred people are believers today because of you, and they have influenced who knows how many other people for Christ, I'd call that a great work for God." (Brian is now with the Lord, having completed his significant ministry of reaching hundreds for Christ.)

As children of God, we are in the significant business of collecting treasures for eternity. What we do and say for Christ, no matter how insignificant it seems in this world, will last forever. There are no insignificant children of God, because our life is eternal.

Prayer:

Lord, I desire to use wisely the time You have allotted to me. May my life count for gold, silver and precious jewels, not wood, hay and stubble.

Neil Anderson, Daily In Christ, (devotional reading for June 2)

C.  How to Gain Control over what is Important

Christ led a very busy life during his public ministry.  He never neglected what was important, to do what was urgent.  He demonstrated how to do this.  But I’ll warn you up front, you won’t be impressed until you see how it was lived out in context.  Here is the hidden key:

(Mark 1:35 NIV)  "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."

III.  Jesus Demonstrated how to maintain the solitary place of Prayer (1:35)

This is the secret to How to Gain Control of your Time and Your Life

A.  Prayer REVEALS what is Important

Prayer helps us keep God’s perspective in view.  It is a reaffirmation of “Not my will but Your will be done”.   God’s priorities are what we press into when we pray.  Prayer is more than handing God our shopping list.  It is seeking his heart, humbling ourselves, emptying ourselves, so that we can be filled with the presence of God again.  In that process God often clarifies our own heart.  He reveals to us what is really important.  He gives his insight to those who humble themselves before him and seek him.

Learn the Difference between what is urgent and what is important

The crowds pressed Jesus with urgency.  But Jesus new the difference between what is urgent versus what was more lastingly important. 

If you want a life of significance then live for that which lasts.  Jesus made some decisions to work for that which is eternal.  As good as it is to help people, Jesus knew that helping them enter the kingdom for eternity was more significant than helping them feel comfortable and healthy now.

Object lesson:  Jar, Potatoes, Walnuts, Rice.    A large jar half filled with rice, 1/3 filled with unshelled walnuts, then overflowing with potatoes, stacked up above the mouth of the Jar.

A look at a busy day is much like looking at a busy life.  How you fill your day, is a snapshot of what you do with your whole life.

Stats: 

In his book Bowling Alone, Robert Putman says the following statistics are indicators of the decline in community life in America over the past 25 years:

Attending club meetings: down 58%
Family dinners: down 33%
Having friends over: down 45%

Alan Wilson, Nyon, Switzerland; source: Robert Putman, Bowling Alone (Simon and Schuster, 2000)

In a lifetime, the average American will spend: 

   --Six months sitting at stoplights 

   --Eight months opening junk mail 

   --One year looking for misplaced objects 

   --Two years unsuccessfully returning phone calls 

   --Five years waiting in line. [1]

What are the “little things” that take a lot of your time, and adds very little value to your life?  Those things that you don’t really plan, but they happen every day… That’s the rice.  (Dump the rice into the jar).

            Email forwards

            TV

            Cell phone texting

            Internet browsing

            What other little things are part of the day that just take time…Here are important things, Walnuts….

            Eating

            Sleeping

Driving

Exercise

Leisure

What are the big important things you don’t want to forget…  (potatoes)

            Time for significant relationships

            Work / school

            Time for making a difference… making life count…

Demonstrate how when you do this in the wrong order there isn’t room for the potatoes!

B.  Choose the Big Potatoes First (1:36-38)

Have you ever wished you had more time?  Do you really think a thirty-hour day would help?  Surely this extra time would relieve the tremendous pressure under which we live.  Our lives leave a trail of unfinished business, Unanswered letters, unvisited friends, unread books, unfinished projects.  Jesus only had 24 hours in each of His days.  Jesus who had the weight of the world on his shoulders accomplished everything he needed to accomplish in his short lifetime because He always sorted out the important things and did them.  We must learn from him. 

Jesus Chose What GOOD things NOT to Do

Mark 1:36-38 (NIV)  ³⁶ Simon and his companions went to look for him,  ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"  ³⁸ Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come."

• Identify your Big Potatoes
• Jesus knew his purpose and stuck with it
• Choose the Important over the Urgent
• Jesus Neglected the Urgent before he Neglected the Important

                                    He Came to Preach

ACTION STEPS:  Go to where the Key Is Hidden—the solitary place of Prayer (1:35)

Jesus Got up Early, before light (the next day)

Some of you aren't morning people.  The alarm goes off and you say "Good Lord, morning." When you begin to meet the Lord though on a regular basis, your alarm will go off and you will be saying "Good Morning Lord" I love you.  What are you up to today?  Can I be a part of it?  Jesus knew that time alone in prayer would do him greater good than a couple more hours of bodily rest. 

The one who faced hunger by saying "Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God", also knew that man's rest does not come by sleep alone.  There must be rest in the Father.  I am absolutely convinced from my own experience that things go much better when I maintain a daily personal appointment of alone time with God in a place of solitude.  Are you convinced of this?

Notice where Jesus goes to pray

The Deserted Place.  Literally the wilderness place.  He turns from the pressure to please the crowd.  They want to make him King-Earthly-Political-Messiah.  He renews his determination to fulfill his mission.  Prayer and solitude was his compass in the storm of daily pressure.

C.  Then Act on the Small Stuff

Jesus never separated words and actions.  Notice Jesus gets up from his knees.  Prayer doesn't do the work for us it ‘preprayers” us to do the work God wants us to do.  It is not done because it is stated.   One can buy the best possible books best possible desk, and chair, and office equipment, then lay your head down on that desk and sleep.  One can buy a health club membership and never exercise.  One who can preach but can’t reach is like that.

Jesus’ solitude makes Him A Servant.  There is a connection between prayer and Action!

P.T. Forsyth said “The worst sin is prayerlessness.”  We usually think of murder, or adultery, or stealing as among the worst sins.  But the root of all sin is self-sufficiency—independence from God our creator.  When we fail to pray we are saying , we do not need God. 

• Prayer Opens the TRUTHS OF THE BIBLE about GOD, and OURSELVES and helps us link these truths to our life.

HOW TO MAKE 2008 GREAT:

Recap.

(Mark 1:35 NIV)  "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."

A HEART FOR GOD:  This week, or today, or sometime soon, will you consider taking your bible, and a notebook and pencil, and leaving the house, and going off to a solitary place for a while.  Maybe you could go off to Mingus Mountain and overlook the valley and pray.  Maybe you will go off to Oak Creek Canyon and sit by the murmuring water, maybe to Dead Horse state park up on the trail somewhere on the mesa, or to some little known spot of quietness and reflection. 

Make sure your time with God is the big potato of EVERYDAY,  FIT EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND GOD, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

A HEART FOR ONE ANOTHER:  People are eternal.  Relationships can be eternal.  Perhaps you can make a renewed effort to invest in relationships.  Invite a guest to your house.  Give a gift of time to developing significant relationships.

A HEART FOR THE WORLD:  Invest in the lives of someone who needs God.