07

Jump Start # 3735

Posted on January 7, 2025 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3735

 

Proverbs 24:30-32 “I passed by the field of the sluggard and by the vineyard of the man lacking sense, and behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles; Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction.”

 

Our passage borrowed from the pages of wisdom tells the story of an neglected field. Driving about in the country, I’ve seen this image many times. Weathered barns ready to fall down. Fields full of weeds. Junk and rusty cars sitting in fields. I see pictures on Facebook of abandoned schools and church buildings. Once useful, now, sitting empty and deteriorating with time.

 

The field that our passage refers to is not abandoned. It is not ownerless or up for sale. It belongs to someone. He is a sluggard, or simply put, lazy. He doesn’t have the passion, the energy or the want-to, to take care of the place. The weeds grow and they grow rapidly. By doing nothing, the fields turn to weeds.

 

And, built within this passage is a three step principle for the wise and the mature. It’s found here. It’s found in life. It’s a wonderful way of entering a study of the Bible. Notice the last sentence of our verse: “When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction.”

 

First, I saw. There was a field that was overgrown with weeds and the wise man noticed. Jesus used this same principle when showing us how to deal with worry and anxious moments. In the great sermon on the mount, our Lord said:

 

  • Look at the birds (Mt 6:26). Have you noticed how geese fly in a V formation? Look at the birds.
  • Then Jesus says, “And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow…” (Mt 5:28). Look.

 

When you are out and about, open your eyes and see things. When you turn the pages of the Bible, look.

 

Second, I reflected. That comes from the last sentence of our passage today. It’s more than just seeing. Many people see, but they fail to reflect. This carries the idea of observing and introspection. Reflecting bring the idea of some insights.

 

We do this with life. We do this with the Scriptures.

 

Third, I learned. The language from our verse is, “…and received instruction.” Where did the wise man learn these lessons? The fields do not talk. The lazy man did not speak. He learned because he was observant. He learned because his spiritual radar was on. He learned because he was always thinking, looking and seeing things spiritually.

 

A neglected field, and lessons were learned. What do you think he learned? Here are some thoughts:

 

First, doing nothing is easy. I guarantee you that I can take any college class in any university and flunk. It’s easy. Don’t show up. Don’t take notes. Don’t study. Don’t try. Easy to do. I guarantee you that I could get fired from just about any job. That’s easy. Don’t show up. Break the rules. Don’t care. I guarantee you that I could easily be broke. Just spend without caring. Don’t follow a budget. Don’t set aside an emergency fund. Don’t invest or save. Flunking out is easy. Getting fired is easy. Going broke is easy.

 

It’s hard getting A’s. It’s hard getting promoted. It’s hard building a nest egg. The same could be said spiritually. It’s easy to lose your soul. It’s easy to go to Hell. Don’t do anything. Don’t care about the Lord. Don’t try to live righteously. Don’t believe. Do nothing, and you’ll lose your soul.

 

A field full of weeds teaches that.

 

Second, things could be turned around for the better. The wise man looking at that field, might have thought, ‘man, if this was my place, I’d start pulling those weeds, building up that broken wall. Then, I’d plant some wheat.” His mind may have been turning over all the positive things that would turn that place around. It’d take some work. It’d be hard at first, but it could be done.

 

We see similar things today. Someone will buy a broken down house. They’ll get in there and rip out carpet, put in new sinks and cabinets. New paint on the wall. The landscaping is shaped up. And, then the owner will sell it for a nice profit.

 

And, can’t the same be said spiritually. A life twisted by negative thoughts. A heart controlled by hatred. An addiction. Weeds everywhere in that life. But it’s not too far gone. Pour in the pure Gospel message, get around God’s people. Start connecting with others, begin to do things for others, and purpose and hope begin to come alive. That sour, grumpy, skin-flint, can become the most encouraging and generous person you know. It’ll take some work. It won’t happen in a week. But set a plan and see what the Lord can do.

 

The difference between a wish and a goal is that a wish is just words. I wish I could lose weight, someone announces. I wish I knew the Bible like you do. I wish I had some money. And, those wishes will never come true because they are just empty words. A goal has a plan, steps and a strategy built behind it. A goal has definite steps. Want to lose weight? Wishing or a goal? Want to save money? Wishing or a goal? Wanting to know the Bible? Wishing or a goal?

 

I saw. I reflected. I learned.

 

Roger

 

06

Jump Start # 3735

Posted on January 6, 2025 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3734

 

2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”

 

Recently I was reading some articles from the 1929 Gospel Advocate. I ran across this little paragraph:

 

“When a church seeks a preacher, they often want the strength of an eagle, the grace of a swan, the gentleness of a dove, the friendliness of a sparrow, and the night hours of an owl; and when they catch that bird, they expect him to live on the food of a canary.”

 

  I laughed when I first read that and thought it sounds like they are wanting a birdbrain in the pulpit. It is amazing to hear what folks want in a preacher. Many congregations are looking right now. You’d think folks are looking at options on a car, rather than a man to teach God’s word.

 

Some want a young man, but not too young. They want him to be married and have children, but not too many children. They want him to have a college degree, but not too many degrees. And, the trying out process as we often call it really needs to be looked at long and hard. For years, the standard practice was to bring a preacher in for a meet and greet with the elders on a Saturday night. Then he is to teach the class and preach on Sunday morning. A pitch-in, or potluck, takes place in the afternoon for the church to see and talk to the preacher. He again preaches Sunday evening. Before he leaves town, the elders ask how much money he needs to move there. By Wednesday the preacher receives a phone call either with an offer to move there or a rejection. There’s a lot of pressure, tension and nervousness that fills that weekend. The thought of moving, finding a place to live, schools for the children, and a million other things races through the mind of the preacher’s wife.

 

Sometimes this works well. Sometimes it is a disaster. Could a better way of doing things be found?

 

Here are some thoughts:

 

First, the shepherds ought to have many phone conversations and even meet with the preacher many times before the thought of “trying out” takes place. What are the shepherds expecting out of the preacher? What is his work ethic? What our his goals? Why does he want to leave where he is currently at? Are the shepherds and the preacher on the same page doctrinally? Do they see passages the same? This may be as far as the relationship goes. Not seeing eye to eye or having an uncomfortable feeling about each other can be the beginning of a long nightmare.

 

With technology today, a lot of sermons can be listened to without ever bringing someone to your pulpit. Go through a variety of sermons.

 

Second, trying to get a preacher as cheap as you can, sets a bad message. If you find someone that you think will fit, then everything possible needs to be done to keep him. Things are expensive and raising a family is hard these days. Shepherds need to think beyond the paycheck. What about benefits? Insurance? Retirement? The food of an canary doesn’t appeal to anyone and you tend to get what you pay for.

 

Third, congregations need to realize that they are trying out as well as the preacher. If the grounds, the building look like a dump, that may be an indication of how those folks take care of God’s work. You want the preacher to bring his best, then you best, put on your best. Polish the place up. Get folks there early to meet the preacher. Be friendly.

 

It’s very similar to dating. The girl wants to find a great match. She’s looking for the best. She, needs to put something worthwhile on the plate as well. She needs to be her best.

 

When a preacher and congregation come to an agreement, I always advise, putting things in writing and having the shepherds and the preacher sign copies. Each needs to keep a copy of the signed papers. There is a business side to preaching and it keeps everyone from forgetting how many vacations did we agree to or how many meetings did we say you could hold. Then, every couple of years, those papers need to be looked at, adjustments made if necessary and resigned. There have been many horror stories of broken promises that could not be verified. This eliminates all of that.

 

One of the biggest stress levels for a congregation is finding a new preacher. Everyone has in mind what they want. Rarely is everyone in complete agreement. Don’t be looking for a bird. Birds tend to fly away. Look for a man of God who is dedicated, committed and faithful to the Lord.

 

Roger

 

03

Jump Start # 3733

Posted on January 3, 2025 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3733

 

Nehemiah 8:7-8  “Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. 8 They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.”

 

His name was Henry Ficklin. He preached. He spent most of his time preaching in small communities in Kentucky. Henry was born in 1883 and died in 1974. Most have never heard of Henry. I have a couple of books that belonged to him and a ledger from 1912 of the places he preached and one of his original sermons.

 

One of the remarkable things about Henry is that he was one of the last surviving students of the legendary teacher and preacher J.W. McGarvey. McGarvey was one of the best scholars among the Restoration churches. Taught by Alexander Campbell, McGarvey later became president of The College of the Bible, which in the early days was part of Kentucky University. Near the end of McGarvey’s life, a massive progressive spirit filled the hearts of many disciples. Modernism led many to question the inspiration of the Bible. The introduction of the organ in many congregations was causing a civil war among brethren. McGarvey opposed the instrument, but didn’t think it was necessary to draw lines of fellowship over this. He often preached in congregations that used the instrument.

 

In 1929, commemorating the one hundredth year of McGarvey’s birth, many on the progressive side were using the occasion to celebrate the contributions of this masterful scholar. The progressives made it seem like McGarvey was one of them. Henry Ficklin wrote an article in the Gospel Advocate reminding readers that  McGarvey did not think instrumental music was Biblical.

 

Years later, in 1959, Ficklin wrote a series of articles about McGarvey in the Gospel Guardian. He reminisced about the four years he was a student under McGarvey at the College of the Bible in Lexington, KY.

 

A couple of quotes from McGarvey via Ficklin:

 

  • Preachers who do not have strong convictions do not really have anything to say.

 

  • It is a bad sign if a man is frequently misunderstood. When preachers are often misunderstood, it is an indication that they have been practicing double-talk, and are guilty of equivocation. They say things that are to be understood one way in one crowd, and another way in another crowd. But when a man, or a preacher, stands absolutely for the right, knows what he believes, and is not afraid to speak boldly, he is rarely misunderstood.

 

Our passage today reflects what McGarvey was saying. They read from the law, translating it to give sense so that they understood. We are to preach our convictions, not our doubts. We are to place exclamation marks, not question marks in the hearts of those that hear us.

 

When the Ethiopian asked the preacher Philip who Isaiah was talking about, he was told. The passage was pointing to Jesus. Philip did not say, “I’m not sure.” He not only was sure, but he was absolute in telling the Ethiopian.

 

Here are some thoughts for us:

 

First, in a time of confusion, questions and doubts, God’s people need to stand with conviction and absolutes. Gender dysphoria. Origins. Authority. Purpose. Function of the church. Salvation. Worship. Everyone has an opinion. What does the Lord say? To do this, we must first understand what the Bible says. It’s not what the church says, but what God says. Then, one must believe that. One can be bold and kind. One can be absolute without being obnoxious. But standing with God comes with consequences. Some walked away from the Lord. Some persecuted the apostles. McGarvey was ridiculed and seen as out of touch by younger progressives. Family and co-workers may not like what God says. They might take it out on you.

 

Second, Jesus tells us that we can know the truth and that truth will make us free (John 8). The idea fills the air today that no two people can see the Bible eye to eye. Everyone has their own take on what God says. If that be true, then that indicts God as a terrible author. We can understand micro biology. We can understand Shakespeare. We can understand the laws of the land. But somehow we cannot understand God’s word? Second, this makes Jesus a liar. The Lord said we can know the truth. If we all walk away from the Bible with different ideas, then Jesus didn’t know what He was talking about. And, if the Lord is wrong about truth, is He right about salvation? How about worship? Can anything in the Bible be trusted?

 

Third, it is those who fear the crowd more than they fear the Lord that present question marks and doubts in their preaching. When preachers are more concerned about paychecks from the church than approval from the Lord, they will tickle ears, bend the truth, and look the other way. Such men do not belong in the pulpit. A man of conviction is what the church needs. A man that knows the word of God and will die defending it, is what the church needs today. Using the pulpit because it appears to be an easy job hurts the church and does more harm than good.

 

Henry Ficklin understood this. Of all the students that J.W. McGarvey taught in the College of the Bible, few, very few, did not ride the popular wave of the progressives. Henry was one of the few that remained true to the N.T. pattern.

 

Lessons for all of us…

 

Roger

 

02

Jump Start # 3732

Posted on January 2, 2025 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3732

 

  Proverbs 24:32 “When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked and received instruction.”

 

In our verse today, the wise man passed by the field of a lazy person. The fields and vineyard was overgrown with weeds. A stone wall was toppled over. It probably looked abandoned, but it wasn’t. It belonged to someone who was lazy. Having seen that, the wise man reflected. He learned some things. Without diligence, things go bad. This is true of our health, our finances, our homes, and our spiritual life. I reflected upon it and received instruction.

 

This day marks a couple of significant memorials for me personally. It was thirty years ago today that my mom passed away. So much has happened in the world and in the family in that time. I was living in Indiana back then. Since then, I spent a decade in Kansas City and now have been back in Indiana for almost two decades. I still miss her. I don’t know if the Lord shares things that we say to Him with those who are with Him. I asked the Lord to tell my mom that I’m doing well and I miss her.

 

The other significant event happened fifteen years ago. That is when we first introduced these Jump Starts. It was a little devotional written to our church family that I anticipated lasting only thirty days. Now, fifteen years later and over 3700 articles, here we are still writing away. I never thought that this would be such a big part of what I do. I have met so many of our readers and have been encouraged by your kindness. I don’t envision myself as a writer. I realize that I often break the rules of grammar and I write like I talk and talk like I write. Jump Starts take about 30 minutes of my morning routine. I write as thoughts come to my mind and then put it to bed and move on to other pressing matters.

 

I am extremely grateful to a congregation that allows me to do this. There are people behind the scenes doing things that I do not understand that makes all of this possible. There is a cost involved that this congregation happily supports so that you can receive these every morning.

 

In the course of these 3700+ Jump Starts, there have been some that I really liked. There have been a few that have been very hard to write. Some, I remember, with tears literally rolling down my cheeks as I typed away. Some were so-so. Some were not very good at all. Writing every day takes both time and ideas. Some days it is every easy. Some days it is very hard. Some days it seems the well is dry and nothing worthwhile comes to my mind. I’ve borrowed ideas from my sermons and classes and some of the Jump Starts have become of sermons.

 

I want to share some thoughts with you about this journey.

 

First, don’t be afraid to try something you have never done before. I’ve written articles and edited church bulletins for a long time. But that’s not the same as writing every day. It is helpful when a congregation has enough trust in their preacher to encourage him to sail that little boat past the horizon. It’s hard to know what talent one has until he tries. I didn’t know if this would catch on or be a big flop. The fear of failure keeps most boats tied up at the dock. Fifteen years ago, not many were writing blogs. Now, lots of my fellow preachers are doing this. I’m glad. I do not have a corner on the market. Each one seems to bring a unique perspective and are helpful for those that want to learn.

 

Second, define and understand a purpose of doing things. The goal behind Jump Starts is just that. It is intended to help Jump Start your day by thinking about the Lord, His word and give you some thoughts that are encouraging. It was never intended to be a deep dive into the explanation of passages. It is not a replacement for word studies or commentaries. It will not and cannot answer all the questions that cross our minds and plague our times. I also understood that no one would be converted by reading a Jump Start. If it could be a bridge for more conversations and open Bible studies, then that was good. Never was this an instrument to promote me. The past few years, Jump Starts have seen more like a diary of my life. I’ve talked about going to concerts, my travels, my experiences. But, I hope you could see that I was using those events as stepping stones to talk about something spiritual.

 

A funny story happened in the early years of Jump Start. Someone forwarded one of the Jump Starts to me, not knowing that I was the author. He thought I ought to read this and that I would enjoy getting on the mail list. I must admit, at first, I thought about emailing this person back and proclaiming that whoever is writing these things is AMAZING. Brilliant writing. Best we’ve seen in generations. But, I didn’t. To his embarrassment, I confessed that I was the person behind these.

 

Third, one day, Jump Starts will end. I do not expect that they will live on much past my time here. I hope it has helped God’s people in this generation. There was a time, not too long ago, when our fellowship abounded in what many call “brotherhood papers.” I am an avid collector of those things. There was a wealth of good things taught through that medium. Many of us learned so much that way. The day of the papers has gone. And, in many ways, silence fills the air. I’m glad that Jump Starts is something that has crossed into your homes and your heart. My prayer is that it has helped you in some way.

 

As technology changes, there will be other ways of teaching God’s word in the future. I hope the men of God at that point will do what they can to help further the kingdom of God.

 

I saw…I reflected…I learned.

 

Thank you. What a journey it has been thus far.

 

Roger

 

31

Jump Start # 3731

Posted on December 31, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3731

 

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.“

 

NOTE: Tomorrow is a holiday. There will be no Jump Starts posted.

 

In 1892, J.G. Dailey  (1854-1927), published the hymn “He loved me so.” The first line of the hymn, “Why did my Savior come to earth,” is answered by the title and chorus, He loved me so. Sometimes, that answer seems too simplistic for us. We need a reason to love. We love, because someone is nice to us. We love, because someone went out of their way for us. We love, because someone has been a tried and true friend that has stood by us for years. We love, because there is a reason to love.

 

God’s love for us baffles us. There’s really no reason for God to love us. Sure, we are created in His image, but we sure haven’t acted like we know Him. We’ve ignored God. We’ve broken God’s law. We’ve shamed God. We’ve blasphemed God. From a moral and spiritual aspect, there isn’t much for us to brag about. Broken is the best description of us.

 

Our verse today reminds us that God not only loves us, but demonstrated or proved that love, while we were still sinners. It wasn’t after we apologized and stopped our bad behavior that God started to look our way. He loved us when we ran from Him. He loved us when we were astray and spent time in the wilderness.

 

I sang this hymn recently when I was in a meeting in Texas. It occurred to me that changing one word in that hymn really makes the message more powerful and meaningful. As written, the chorus reads, “He loved me so, He loved me so; He gave His precious life for me, for me, because He loved me so.”

 

The way I now sing it is, “He love me, too. He loved me, too. He gave His precious life for me, for me, because He loved me, too.” I change the “so” to “too.” I don’t sing the “too” part loud. I don’t want the song leader to think that I’m on the wrong song. But, it is much more meaningful to me that way.

 

First, it makes the hymn much more personal. I know myself. I know things that no one else knows. I know my thoughts that I never put into words and say. I know my feelings and motives. And, knowing these things, I am amazed that the Lord would still love me. But He does. He loves me, too.

 

Second, saying “too,” instead of “so,” humbles the heart. There are so many amazing Christians around us. They have done remarkable things. Their faith is so strong. They are courageous. They never seen to have a bad day. And, standing next to them, it is easy to feel inferior. It’s easy to think all I have ever done is ride the bench for the Lord. My accomplishments are few. My mistakes are great. Just run through the list in Hebrews 11. Try putting your name in there. Can’t do that. It’s easy to believe that God shouldn’t waste His time on someone like me. It’s easy to think that there are others who are much more important than I will ever be. Yet, ’He loves me, too.’ The simple. The common. The everyday. The plain vanilla. The unknown. But, that’s not how the Lord sees us. The unknown servant girl who got word to leprous Naaman about Israel’s prophet who heals. The unknown widow who put a couple of copper pennies into the temple treasury. The unknown woman with an issue of blood, who reached out to the Lord in faith. Known only to Heaven, and common as they may be, God loves. He loves me, too.

 

Third, it also reminds me that God includes me and thinks about me. He loves me, too. I think of the days of picking out players for a game of basketball. The tallest and best were always chosen first. The choosing goes back and forth, until there is one lonely boy left standing by himself. Embarrassed. A bit ashamed. Finally, one of the captains tells the other team, “you can have him.” Discarded. Unwanted. Banished to the island of misfit toys. That’s how life makes us feel. Unless you are young, pretty, successful, and popular, no one cares. No one cares what you think. No one notices you. No one wants you. Work can make you feel that way. School can really make you feel that way. Sadly, even church can make you feel that way. Loneliness has been described as the modern leprosy. Hundreds of friends on your phone and Facebook page, but no one who thinks about you. No one reaches out to you. One can feel alone even sitting in a crowd.

 

He loves me, too. We can feel like the kid sitting at the lunch table all by himself, while all the popular kids are laughing, having fun and crowded around each other. But to our amazement, Jesus comes and sits besides us. We don’t have much to offer. There isn’t anything for us to talk about. But, there is the smiling Jesus, asking “How are you doing today?” He loves me, too.

 

I can understand why Jesus loves others. But why does He love me? And, the answer is not in trying to find some self value or worth within us. The answer is because that’s Jesus. He doesn’t need a reason. That’s His nature.

 

He loves me, too.

 

Roger