20

Jump Start # 3661

Posted on September 20, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3661

Hebrews 9:27 “And inasmuch as it is appointed for me to die once and after this comes judgment.”

How many times have we heard this passage. Used in sermons. Used at funerals. Used to remind. Used to warn. Used to bring a response. The appointment with death and the coming judgment—the two inescapable meetings with God.

Here are some thoughts:

First, it is God who makes this appointment. We don’t decide when that appointment with death will be. And, right there is one of the hardest aspects about God’s involvement in our lives. When? Just when do we keep that appointment with death?

For some, it’s a long, long time on this side of things. My mother passed through the door of death when she was 67. For my sweet dad, he was 95. Why are some taken so young, even before they barely had a chance to get going in life? These divine appointments are not passed by our eyes for our approval.

Can you imagine what it would be like if you had to decide when everyone in your dear family was to keep that appointment with death? Why was Stephen taken when he could have had more years to preach? His death caused the disciples to scatter and that expanded the boundaries of the kingdom. There are things that we don’t often see that are connected with the divine appointment with death.

Second, since we do not understand the when and the why of keeping this appointment with death, the fairness or unfairness is not really ours to declare. A baby dies. That sure seems unfair. A rebellious, drunken rock star lives eight decades. That doesn’t seem right. I think if we were running things, we’d have all the good people living a long life and all those who don’t care about anything or anyone but themselves, we’d put them on a fast track to keep that appointment with death. But God doesn’t do it that way. His ways, the prophet tells us, are higher than our ways. So godly people die young. Wicked people live on. And, some wicked die young and some godly live on. There are not statistics that can make sense of all of this. This is something known to God.

Third, we are to live for the Lord as if this was our last day. Some day, it will be. We are to stop kicking the can down the road of what we need to do. We must make a difference each day by shinning our light and living for Jesus.

I wrote earlier this week about the death of a friend named Lee. We are the same age. His journey here is finished. I’m still here. Why him and not me? Why me and not him? We can try to figure things out but most times we simply don’t know. Isaiah reminds us that the clay does not tell the potter what to do.

As one ages and begins to see those around him meeting that appointment with death, it makes one wonder, “Have I done anything worthwhile?” “Have I helped the kingdom in my time?” Whether a short time or a long time, our time needs to be devoted to the Lord.

It is appointed. You cannot miss that appointment. You cannot postpone that appointment. When the Lord declares, that appointment will be met. So, this ought to make us thankful for each day. This ought to compel us to find sunshine even in the storms. This ought to push us to think less of self and more of Him.

You and I have an appointment. It’s coming. We will be there. That can scare you. That can sadden you. That can make you angry. Or, by faith, ‘come Lord Jesus.’

Sobering thoughts to never forget. In all the things on your to do list today and all the appointments you have to keep, remember, God has one with your name on it.

Roger

19

Jump Start # 36609

Posted on September 19, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3660

Philemon 1-2 “Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved brother and fellow-worker, and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in your house”

Our verse today is how the book of Philemon opens. In reading this the other day, I learned something. I had always thought that this was a private letter to Philemon about the situation with the run-a-way Onesimus. Colossians, the companion letter was read to the church, and this letter was handed to Philemon and was something between him and Paul.

Our opening verse shows that isn’t the way it happened. There are four “to”s in this first sentence. The letter was TO Philemon, but also TO Apphia, likely his wife, and TO Arhippus, another Christian in that household, and TO the church. TO the church. Actually, there were TWO letters that came. One was Colossians and the other was Philemon, but both were to be read to the church.

This shows a shift in what took place. The situation between Onesimus and Philemon wasn’t just a personal or private matter. It wasn’t just about them. It included the church. As the letter reveals Paul’s heart and feelings about the situation and his thoughts are directed specifically towards Philemon, this is something that others would have known. The letter isn’t private from us and it wasn’t from the church back then.

This is a wonderful reminder to us that our journey isn’t private and our problems are not private.

  • Your fears and worries are not just about you
  • Your struggles are not just about you
  • Your behavior is not just about you
  • Your attitude is not just about you
  • Your battles are not just about you
  • Your sin is not just about you
  • Your relationship issues are not just about you
  • Your faith is not just about you
  • Your fellowship is not just about you
  • Your journey with Christ is not just about you
  • Your death is not just about you

A run-a-way slave and his master was not just something between the two of them. What would happen, affected the church and would impact their fellowship with everyone.

From this, some thoughts for us:

First, the more we try to keep aspects of our life private and secret, the more we hurt ourselves. The nature of the kingdom, is that the church is a loving and helpful community of like believers. Alone, we suffer. Alone, we run out of ideas. Alone, all we see is our perspective. With one another, we welcome the voices of experience, wisdom and the helping hands of those who love us.

It’s hard to pull the curtain back and be honest and open about our need for help. Such openness leaves us vulnerable and it is risky. It reveals that we do not have all the answers and that we need the help of each other. It is much easier to wear the masks of denial and pretend everything is fine when it is not.

Second, most times one will find out that others have journeyed the same path that we are now on. We feel embarrassed. We think that people will question our faith. But when love is expressed, we learn that we are not the only one to suffer this way. Listening to others who have already made it through those long dark valleys is helpful. They can tell you what works and what doesn’t work. It is helpful to see that there is sunshine on the other side of the valley. The nights can seem so long, when one tries to carry the troubles alone.

Third, there is a level of accountability that comes with revealing what is going on in our life. Had the church not also read the letter to Philemon, they may not have known about Onesimus’ conversion and how helpful he was to Paul. When others know, they can offer help. They can check in and see if we are making progress. They help us stay in the lane of faith.

To the church…it’s not just about me.

Roger

18

Jump Start # 3659

Posted on September 18, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3659

John 18:38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and *said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.”

Our verse today comes from the spineless Roman puppet ruler, Pilate. He faced a major problem. The Jews were demanding the execution of Jesus. The charges brought against Jesus were flimsy, and without evidence. Pilate questioned Jesus. He saw nothing worth taking a person’s life over. This was a Jewish squabble and he didn’t want to get involved, especially be in the middle of it. But the Jews pulled Pilate into this mess. They threatened, either give us what we want, and that was the execution of Jesus, or we’ll report you to Rome and Caesar will deal with you.

To save face, Pilate suggested an exchange. Jesus or Barabbas. Now, that just wasn’t any random name pulled from the prison role. He was a murderer. He was trouble. No one would want him on the streets. No one was safe if he was allowed to roam free. Jesus or Barabbas. No choice at all. Keep the bad guy behind bars. Shockingly, the people asked for the murderer to be released. Jesus was to be executed. The hatred of Jesus blinded their eyes to what they were doing.

In this atmosphere, Jesus to Pilate, says, “Every one who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate shoots back, “What is truth?”

And, that very question from that Roman official is often asked today. Just what is truth? And, before one can begin an honest journey with the Lord, that question must be asked and answered. If it is not, “why should I,” and, “Do I have to,” will be raised over and over and over.

Consider:

First, truth is determined by an outside source. You don’t walk into a store to buy something and lay down a twenty dollar bill and tell the clerk, to me, this is a fifty. The clerk will remind you, “it says, twenty.” And, you say, “I know. But twenty means fifty.” And, about that time, security will be escorting you to the front doors.

Why is 12 inches, 12 inches? Why is up, up? Why is red, red? Why is out of bounds, out of bounds? Why is right, right and left, left? Why is wrong, wrong? Those things have been determined and established long ago. We use those standards all the time. Speed limits. Road signs. Cooking instructions. All of these standards have been established. One can’t change them just because they want to. One can’t declare that “up is now down.” That doesn’t work.

We understand this when going to a hardware store to buy a specific length of board. But, somehow culture doesn’t get this when it comes to religion or gender.

Second, truth, by it’s very nature is exclusive, not inclusive. One and one are two, we teach the little ones. That’s it. Now, one and three aren’t two. One and four aren’t two. And, on and on we can go. The number of wrong answers are without limit. There is one right answer. The right answer is narrow, specific and exclusive.

Isn’t this the nature of Ephesians four? One God. One Lord. One faith. One baptism. One hope. One body. One, one, one. Not two, two, two. So, God declares what is right, what is truth. We may not see it His way, but His way is the right way.

Third, my dislike of the truth or even my rejection of truth, doesn’t change what is true. I was preaching recently in Arkansas. There are stretches of the highway where the speed limit is 75 MPH. I know of no place in Indiana where the speed limit is 75. I may not like driving 55. I may wish the law changed. But if I’m driving 75 in Indiana and get pulled over, my defense can’t be, “I don’t like the speed limit.”

So, someone declares, “I don’t like baptism, especially immersion. I am going to believe that you don’t have to be baptized.” Guess what? That doesn’t change the Lord’s command to be baptized. “I don’t like getting up and going to the church house on Sunday morning. I want to stay in bed.” Guess what? That doesn’t change what God says about assembling with the saints. “I don’t want to apologize.” “I don’t want to forgive.” The word of God is not a salad bar where you pick what you want and can skip the things you don’t like.

Truth stands and remains, whether I like it, embrace it, or ignore it. But, if I ignore it, there are consequences. And, if I abide in the truth, there are blessings. God knows us. He knows what we need.

What is truth? Do you know?

Roger

17

Jump Start # 3658

Posted on September 17, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3658

Job 1:8 “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the face of the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.’”

This fall I have been teaching the book of Job in several places that have invited me to speak. Job is a unique, fascinating and complex dive into the mental, emotional and spiritual insides of a man that is hurting. Job is one of the oldest, if not the oldest books of the Bible. Job is not about suffering. If it were, what a huge failure the book becomes. Job doesn’t know why he is suffering. We do. Job is not told what to do when suffering. We know. Job has no comfort. His friends are worthless. His wife gives up. And, God is mostly silent through the majority of the book. The book gives us little help for suffering.

What Job is about is faith. Satan got it when he asked, “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Does Job trust God because God is God? What if all the blessings were taken away? What if Job could not sing, “I’m happy today, O, I’m happy today”? In other words, has God bought Job’s faith?

And, of course, we cannot look at that and wonder about ourselves? Is this true of us? What if life slapped me in the face? What if there was little to smile about? Is God worthy to be worshipped and praised because He is God or does He have to entice my faith by sending goodies my way. Do I like God because He is God, or do I like God because He’s been good to me? Suffering happens to be the test tube in which this experiment was to take place.

I’ve heard people say, “My life is like Job.” No, it’s not. It’s not even close. You have an amazing fellowship of brethren worldwide. Job didn’t. He didn’t have his friends, his wife or a church to pray for him. You have the entire N.T. Job didn’t. You have a resurrected Savior. Job didn’t know about that. You have the book of Revelation that tells the end of the story and the defeat of Satan. Job didn’t. You even have the book of Job. Job didn’t have that. So, while your life may be hard, it’s so much better than Job.

Our verse today, the word of God, His description of Job to Satan. This reminds us that Job wasn’t randomly drawn from a list of names. God picked Job out. Job was not only one of the best, he was the best. The words, “no one like him on the earth,” uniquely shows how faithful, dedicated and special Job was. If God had a trophy case, Job would have been front and center in that display.

God didn’t present someone struggling in their faith. God didn’t choose a weak believer. Like the story of the big, bad wolf, Satan would just huff and puff and that weak believer would have fallen over. No, God chose the best. And, Satan hit him hard. All fastballs, right down the middle.

Now, some thoughts:

First, I wonder if God looks over the planet today and says “there is no one like him on the face of the earth”? I tend to doubt that. Across this land in so many congregations, there are blameless and upright men serving as shepherds of God’s flock. Godly men and women assemble every Sunday to praise and exalt the God that they love dearly. Great sacrifices are being made to help people walk righteously. Daily blogs, podcasts and deep studies in God’s word are broadcast throughout the world. I am honored to know some of the most amazing preachers of our times. Men who will not bend or compromise. Men who passionately speak with love and conviction. Men who walk closely with the Lord.

No one else like him on the earth…I’m thankful that the army of God is so massive, with living examples among us.

Second, the disciples of Jesus got into arguments about which one was the greatest among them. The very idea that they were discussing this shows that none of them were the greatest. When we start thinking, “I’m better than you,” we best just stop talking. We are heading down a road that the Lord doesn’t want us to go down. That step into pride, like stepping into mud, is hard to get out of and it will just stain our insides.

Did Job know that there was no one like him on the earth? I doubt it. Did he know that God saw him that way? I doubt it. He just lived and walked with the Lord every day. He was doing what he was supposed to do. Everyone should have been just like him. He excelled.

Third, both the Lord and Satan took note of Job. God thought Job would do well. Satan believed he could crush Job’s faith. And, the Lord and Satan take notice of you. God is helping you. Satan wants to trip you. God is forgiving. Satan wants to focus upon your failures. And, in the end, our choices, our faith, determines who we will be with.

No one like him on the earth. Can you imagine meeting Job in Heaven? Can you imagine Job asking you, “Tell me your story.” We know Job’s. We might feel intimidated. We might want to walk away. But, we’d run into Noah. Then, Timothy. Then, Shadrach. Then, Rahab. Then, Abraham. Then, Paul. And, we might think, what are we doing here? We may feel out of place. But, the Lord will tell you that you are here because He invited you. He wants you here. And, your story doesn’t matter much. It’s HIS story that opened the door for us. And, it is HIS story that made all the difference.

No one like him on the earth. Not really Job’s story, but it is the Lord’s story. Immanuel, God among us. Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word.

Roger

16

Jump Start # 3657

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3657

Acts 13:36 “For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers, and underwent decay.”

His name was Lee, and he was my friend. He was one of three shepherds that invited me to come and work with the people of God in New Albany more than sixteen years ago.  He was a businessman. He was a gifted leader. He was a friend of God. Multiple times, he opened up his home for gatherings. Always learning, he brought a fresh perspective to the eldership. He led a group of men in a mentoring program that he paid for out of his own pocket. The family sold the business that he and his brothers operated for decades. And because of that, he had the two elements that most people long for in life—time and money.

Oh, the things we’d like to do, if we only had the time. Life can be so busy. Places we’d like to go, books we’d like to read, things we’d like to do, but there are too many other things requiring our time. Some, have the time, but they do not have the resources. Tight budgets limits what they can do. To have both the time and the money, wouldn’t that be nice!

Lee had them both. Retired, he now had the time. Selling the family business, he now had the resources. Instead of spending his days in a boat fishing or on a golf course, or even jet setting around the world, he decided to go back to school. He earned an MBA. Not just any MBA, but an MBA in entrepreneurship. When I heard that I wondered a loud to him, “Why? You are already an entrepreneur.” But, he had plans. He had a dream and a goal.

He went to a small college in Florida and started teaching business classes. He spent his time touching hearts and shaping young minds to enter the complex business world with godliness and righteousness. His days were spent teaching demanding college classes, writing lesson plans, grading papers, studying, research, sitting in meetings and listening to the complaints and excuses of young people. Most would run from that. His example touched more lives than his actual teaching. He didn’t need to teach. He didn’t need the money. He had spent a lifetime working. Most would say, it’s time to slow down, catch your breath and do what you want to do. He was doing just that, what he wanted to do.

I’ve come to believe that it’s in the DNA of that family. His parents impacted so many lives through their years of godly living. One of his brothers, who also retired with him, took up preaching. Not an life of leisure nor the dream that many retirees would want.

A few days ago, the Lord called Lee home. It was quick, unexpected and shocking to all that knew him. His family and friends gathered to remember a life well lived. A school paused to honor a dedicated servant. A church saw the steps of a good man.

It was said that his heart went bad, but we know better. His heart, in many ways, was so much better than ours. Medically, there was a problem. But, spiritually, there was such an amazing example. How many of us reach retirement age,  and decide to spend the rest of our time playing and doing what we feel like doing? With time, talent, opportunity and often, resources, how much of a gift senior saints could be to a home congregation. But the problem is, they are rarely home. They on the road, sightseeing and having fun.

Our verse today reminds us that David served the purpose of God in his generation. Maybe we don’t have the energy we once did. Maybe we can’t do all that we once did. However, when I think about my friend, Lee, and the choices he made, it sure makes one wonder if we have just laid down the sword and given the kingdom to others. There are a lot of congregations that could sure use the wisdom of older Christians. There are a lot of places that need godly shepherds. Can’t do it, some say. Gotta run to the beach. Then, gotta visit a few parks. Then gotta see the grandkids. Then gotta watch some TV.

Most would say, why? However, my Lee saw it as a grand opportunity to teach young hearts the Biblical way of navigating in today’s business environment. Paul told the Philippians, “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near” (4:5). Those that got in the vicinity of Lee were made better because of his gentle spirit.

I am so thankful that I worked with him and beside him for so many years. I loved his ideas that he brought to the table. I loved his tender heart and compassionate way of helping people. I was strengthened to see him stand with the Lord.

Finding ways to help others. That’s what this is all about. Help guide young preachers. Help those newly married couples. Help those young parents. Help in leading God’s people. The rest that God promises follows a labor that we have been committed to. I wonder if some need no rest, because they have so rarely labored in the kingdom. Oh, they’ve been busy, just busy doing what they felt like and what they wanted to do.

Selfless, serving, committed—that’s the way Jesus was. That’s the way I’ll always remember Lee as.

Our lives intersected, and I was made the better.

Thank you, Lord.

Roger