04

Jump Start # 4068

Posted on May 4, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4068

 

Psalm 147:4 He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.

 

It was fascinating to follow the recent Artemis II space voyage around the moon. For those of my generation, it brought up memories of Apollo and the missions to the moon. Space is a fascinating study. My high school not only had an astronomy class, which I loved, but we had a planetarium.

 

Our verse today not only shows the wisdom of God but it reveals His greatness. Our Milky Way, where our solar system lies, contains between 100 billion and 400 billion stars. Astro physicists estimate that there are at least 200 billion galaxies, each containing at least 100 million stars. That would be 2 with 17 zeros following. And, that’s what we know at the present time. Our verse says that God has a name for all of the stars. There are only 170,000 words in the English language. That would not even cover the stars in the Milky Way, let alone the other 200 billion galaxies with all their stars. That is beyond our comprehension.

 

This shows us many things:

 

First, there is no end to creation. Why did the Lord make so many galaxies? We are seeing things now that no other humans have ever seen. Moses didn’t see what we can see. Abraham when he looked to the night sky never saw all that we can see today. Creation is a reflection of God. And, just as there is no end to creation, there is no end to our God. There is no end to His blessings. There is no end to His forgiveness. Our God is so big, the children sing in VBS. Maybe we adults ought to start singing that as well.

 

Second, I wonder what language God speaks. In one way, God speaks all languages. When He first spoke to Adam, was it Hebrew? To have a language that can name all the stars, billions upon billions of stars is something beyond us. And, with this vast and incredible knowledge, God can speak to us through His word in such a way that we can understand it. The Lord’s powerful sermon on the mount is not difficult to understand. One does not have to hold a Bible in one hand and a dictionary in the other to understand it. The difficulty is in applying and living up to those noble and grand words of our Lord.

 

Third, if the Lord allows the world to continue on, future generations will learn, see and know things that we do not. I sometimes wonder if the Lord is amazed at how long it took us to find and figure things out. We can think that we are pretty smart, but the future holds mysteries that are yet to be discovered.

 

Here is another interesting aspect of stars. When we look at them at night, what we are seeing is the light that is from the past. It takes a long time for the light to reach us. For instance, the nearest star beyond our sun is Proxima Centauri. It takes more than four years for the light from that star to reach earth. So we are seeing something from the past. Sirius, the brightest star in our sky, takes more than eight years for its light to reach us.

 

You and I sure seem insignificant and small when we consider space. Yet, it us that God has focused upon. We are the ones created in His image. Christ died for us. It is the Lord who notices the death of a small bird and numbers the very hairs on our head. The concentration of the Lord is upon humanity, not space. The promises He holds to involve us, not the stars. God sends the rains and the sunshine upon our world. God knows when you lie down (Ps 139). God hears our prayers. God is our strength.

 

A third grade school teacher was trying to teach her class about the size of the universe and space. She told the class to go out in their backyard at night and count the stars. The next day they were to report what they found. One boy said he counted 345 stars. Another said there were a thousand. The smartest kid claimed there were a million bizzon stars. One boy didn’t hold his hand up. When the teacher asked if he counted any stars, he said that he counted three. The teacher said, “Only three?” The boy replied that he had a small backyard.

 

I wonder if we have a small view of God.

 

Roger

 

01

Jump Start # 4067

Posted on May 1, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4067

 

Proverbs 24:16 “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity.”

 

Our verse today is one that grabs our hearts and makes us cheer on the good guy. Much like the Rocky movies, bloodied and busted, the champ continued to pull himself up off the mat and continue the fight. We love stories of victory and triumph.

 

One might wonder why the righteous man is falling so many times. Some would put all their focus on the failures of the righteous. Maybe he should have done this or that, they think. But, the contrast between the righteous and the wicked is that the righteous man keeps rising up. The wicked stumbles and seems to be defeated. He stays down for the count.

 

The passage is not surrounding a boxing match. It involves calamity, that which often means trouble. Calamity comes in many colors and in many ways. Storms upon our hearts that keep us up at night. Financial troubles. Marriage troubles. Work troubles. Church problems. Feeling lost, helpless and alone is where calamity often takes us.

 

Now, notice a few things about the contrasts in this one verse.

 

First, both the righteous and the wicked are facing calamity. As the Lord ended His powerful sermon on the mount, he told about two men building upon two different foundations. To both men came storms, wind, rain and a flood of calamity. The foolish man’s house collapsed. The wise man weathered the storm. But, they both went through the storm as both men do in this Proverb.

 

In the wonderful Shepherd Psalm, Ps 23, following the shepherd took the sheep into valleys of shadows and death. It wasn’t a wrong turn that he took. It wasn’t that he wandered away from the shepherd. He was right with the shepherd and that journey took him to scary places.

 

Because trouble knocks on your front door does not mean that you have done something wrong.

 

Second, the righteous man fell. He fell a lot. He fell seven times. We are not told why. Too much calamity for him? Looking for an easy and quick exit away from his troubles. And, we don’t know what his falling looked like. Did he cuss? Did he turn to the bottle? Did he give up on God? Did he blame God? How bad was his fall? Was each fall worse than the previous one? We’d love to know the details.

 

It seems the emphasis is not upon the righteous falling, but instead, that he never gave up. He got up. He returned. He did this every time. He didn’t stay down. He didn’t throw in the towel and give up. The calamities shook him. But, he kept going. Seven times this happened.

 

It is hard for us to understand what some of our brethren have gone through. I’ve known far too many parents that have buried their children. I’ve know good men see their marriage fall apart. And, backseat driving and Monday morning quarterbacks have all the answers. He should have done this. Why didn’t he think of this verse? Everyone can master a grief except the one who has it, is something said long ago by a famed writer. What would we do in those circumstances? On a sunny day, when we are not facing those troubles, it’s easy to be bold, brave and courageous. It’s when the darkness of the storm surrounds us that we change our tune.

 

The righteous man fell.

 

Third, the righteous man rises. It is his righteousness and faith that pulls him up. He remained righteous. Our journey with the Lord is so different for each of us. Some have a smooth ride, while others bump and bounce along, struggling with life, people and issues.

 

He rises. He rises as our Lord arose from the grave. He rises as a new believer rises from the waters of baptism. He rises as one brushes off the criticism of others. He rises as a new day presents blessings, growth and challenges.

 

What a wonderful passage for us. You may have had all the spiritual wind knocked out of you. Disappointed, discouraged and nearly defeated, your brethren have let you down. Your family has let you down. Fearful and unsure, you keep turning to the Lord. As the woman with the issue of blood, broke, physically drained, emotionally tired, reached out to touch the Lord, so you do in faith. He is there. He is near. No one may help you but the Lord. And, out of faith, you push yourself to get back to services. You remind yourself that you are a child of God. A new fortitude arises within you. You will not be defeated nor destroyed by the calamity that Satan throws at you. You stand. You stand upon the promises of God. You stand upon the hope that is found in Christ Jesus. You carry scars. You have been bloodied. You hurt. But, you don’t give up. Back into the game of life. Back into the kingdom of Christ. Fallen but risen, you march ever onward with the Lord.

 

Fallen. Seven times. But, once again up and in the business of life.

 

Roger

 

30

Jump Start # 4066

Posted on April 30, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4066

 

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

 

Throwback Thursday: an article written from the past

 

Thoughts on Sermon Making

  Preachers do all kinds of things. They teach classes on Sunday. They write bulletin articles. They visit hospitals. They conduct weddings and funerals. They visit people in their homes. But of all the things that preachers do, they are most known for preaching sermons. A preacher who doesn’t preach isn’t much of a preacher.

 

There are all kinds of sermons. In the past year I preached 121 sermons. Making sermons isn’t easy. Ask some of the men who preach when I’m gone. There is a lot of thinking that goes into making a sermon. Verses must be looked up and studied. Often, individual words will be looked at. Dictionaries of English and Greek words will be opened when making a sermon. Background studies, commentaries, other versions of the Bible, and history books will be looked at to make a sermon. Rough drafts, outlines and the final copy must be made. Many words are written down that will later get crossed out. Trying to find just the right thing to say in just the right way is hard. A great sermon can be killed because it went on and on. A great idea can be wasted because it was not expressed clearly. What makes sermon preparation harder is when the preacher is tired, moody, cranky, stressed, mentally blocked or just doesn’t feel like writing a sermon, when he has to.

 

People have asked, “Where do you get all your ideas for sermons?” And the answer I give is, “Everywhere.” I’m also asked, “How long does it take to make a sermon?” Under normal conditions I have only one week to make two sermons and that is how long it takes.

 

Now there is something interesting about sermons. Many of you have heard me preach for some time now. You have heard dozens and dozens of sermons. Some you remember, many you don’t. Some were really good, and others were duds. Some of the sermons helped you. Some of the sermons had no effect upon you. Every week the process starts all over. The preacher finds some interesting idea, explores it, develops it, writes about it, makes a sermon, and then preaches it. All those sermons are then filed away, most to never be preached again. Sometimes that makes this preacher sad. A lot of time, work and heart went into making a sermon that lasted thirty minutes and then it’s over and won’t be used again.

 

God has always used preachers. Old Noah was called a “preacher of righteousness.” We remember the prophets who God called, rising up early in the morning to go preach His message. John the baptist and our Lord were preachers. The apostles were preachers. Preaching is God’s chosen way of getting His divine message proclaimed. Paul stated that preaching “persuades men.”

 

Very few sermons are ever collected and published in a book. Other than preachers, not too many are interested in those things. Sermons are not given awards like a “Gold Record.” And the honest preacher realizes that some people will have forgotten everything that was said, before they take that first bite of Sunday lunch. So why do it? It sure is a lot of work for such a little amount of time and it is so quickly forgotten. Good preachers continue to write sermons because they know that this is what God wants. They also know that people are being influenced, taught and motivated. We may not remember every meal we ate last month, but those meals nourished us and helped us. The same is true with sermons. We may not remember them very long, but if they help us and nourish us and bring us closer to the Lord then they have served their purpose.

 

Thank you for letting me share this with you. Some weeks, the sermon ideas flow easily. Other weeks, it is a real struggle and the preacher feels like he didn’t do a good enough job. You make preaching a pleasure and this preacher feels honored to stand before you.

 

Roger

February, 2003

 

29

Jump Start # 4065

Posted on April 29, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4065

 

1 Timothy 1:18 “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight.”

 

Twice in this first letter to Timothy, the aged apostle tells the young preacher to “fight the good fight.” It’s stated in the opening words as well as the closing words in chapter six. In the second letter to Timothy, Paul would acknowledge that he had fought the good fight, finished the course and kept the faith.

 

In these times today, most don’t like talk about fighting. Fighting in the home, the streets, on the field of sports or nations engaged in conflict, fighting most often doesn’t leave a pleasant taste in our hearts and mouths. Yet, twice, this young Timothy is told to fight the good fight.

 

There are some lessons for us:

 

First, there is an enemy to our faith and our convictions. At the top of the list is Satan. He hates all things that deal with Jesus. He will try to spread discord in our fellowship, anger in our homes and discourage our hearts so we will stop walking with the Lord.

 

The young preacher Timothy was told to fight the good fight. Not all fights are good. Some fights are not worth engaging in. Some amount to nothing more than nit-picking and tearing each other down. What makes this fight “good,” is that it was in the defense of the Gospel. There are many who are critical deniers of God’s word. They say things that are not true. Fight the good fight, is our calling.

 

Second, the fight becomes a “good” fight in the manner and way that it is fought. Slinging mud and name calling is not what we’d call good. There is a Nigerian proverb that says, “When two elephants fight, the grass suffers.” Stick with the issue at hand and show through the word of God that what you do is right. There is nothing to fear when you have the word of God on your side.

 

Third, the fight is “good” because the weapons of defense is the word of God. It’s not slick debating tactics. It’s not out smarting someone, but sticking with the message of God. Many are inconsistent and talk in circles when pressed to defend what they claim.

 

Solomon reminds us that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak. Our Lord was silent before His accusers. Knowing the audience and the temperament of those making challenges to your faith will help you. Some are not interested in listening. Some just want to upset you. Then there are others who have not thought out the conclusions of what they think is right. They’ve jumped on the bandwagon of others and have not truly seen the outcome of where these beliefs lead to.

 

There is no reason to get loud, ugly and mean in fighting the fight. Most times, you’ll lose the attention because of your behavior. Stay calm. Drive the word of God deep into the discussion. Don’t give up or give in.

 

Understand you do not have to attend every argument that you are invited to. Some are just looking for a platform of attention. It takes courage and faith to engage in spiritual battles. Many times, especially in settings like school or work, some will like to intimidate you before others. That is not the right setting to fight the good fight of faith. After everyone has disappeared, go to the person and ask him if he wants to seriously talk about what was said. Be happy to show you what the Bible says about that. Don’t be surprised if they are not interested. They wanted to show off and make you look silly. “I can answer everything you said,” is not what they are interested in. They want a crowd and a following.

 

When you don’t know how to answer someone, get help. Do your homework. Look and find the answers.

 

If we don’t fight the good fight, who will?

 

Roger

 

28

Jump Start # 4064

Posted on April 28, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4064

 

1 John 2:4 “The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ an does not keep His commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him.’”

 

In this section of John’s letter, there are a lot of comparisons and descriptive work about who is in and who is out with the Lord. That thought concerns many. Often those who are ‘in’ want to push out and keep out those who are ‘out.’

 

John is giving the identifying marks of fellowship. It involves more than just who shows up. The attitude towards one another, the behavior and the walk with the Lord in His commandments are all factors to be considered.

 

Just verses later John writes:

  • The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now (2:9)

 

  • The one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walk in the darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes (2:11)

 

  • They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they are not of us (2:19)

 

Now, why does any of this matter?

 

First, there is more to being a Christian than just saying that you are one. Your heart and your direction indicates where you are with the Lord. Just going to church services does not make one a Christian. And, what John is showing us here is that it is more than being nice to one another. Keeping commandments, staying with the direction that God wants us to go is equally important.

 

Layered under this is the concept that saying you are saved, does not mean that one is.

 

Second, there is a need for plain talk. John doesn’t sugarcoat his words. He calls these people liars and says the truth is not in them. Sometimes we are afraid to be plain spoken with others. And, in doing that we can leave the impression that all is fine, when it is not. In darkness, lacking truth, liars, is how John saw them. They needed to change and follow the Lord. John is writing to the church so that they would not be turned inside out by those who were fakes.

 

Third, it is the word of God, not our opinion, that determines who is with the Lord and who is not. We do not sit on the same seat with God. It is His word that draws the lines of fellowship. It is His word that determines who is saved and who is not. It is His word that is final.

 

We all have our thoughts and those thoughts can become what we believe is the truth. It is the word of God that determines right and wrong. It is the word of God that determines who is in fellowship with Him and who is not. What we want, and how we think things ought to be is not the means to go by.

 

There is only one way to know God and that is through His word. He reveals Himself and His heart through the Scriptures. The more of the Bible that we can consume, the more that we will know Him.

 

John’s words here won’t set well with today’s religious community. It is contrary to how most think these days. So, we must decide whether to stay with what John wrote or cave in to the pressures of a religious community that simply does what it wants to do. There are some these days that are calling for another testament. Little do they realize that to have another testament, someone has to die. Christ died for the new covenant. No one can equal that or change that.

 

Some do not get it because they do not want to get it. Serious matters for serious times.

 

Roger