02

Jump Start # 4170

Posted on October 2, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4170

Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”

 Contentment and satisfaction live side by side on the same street. Someone who is not satisfied is not content and one who is not content is not satisfied. Contentment is a state of the mind. It’s a choice one makes.

We have moved into a new city and a new home after more than a decade in our house in Southern Indiana. My wife has asked me several times if I like the new place. It’s different than the last place. The yard is real small. The area is busy with traffic and stores. The church is different. I no longer have an office at the church building. It’s a new chapter in our lives. And, like any book, if the next chapter is the same as the last chapter, then one of them didn’t have to be written. I do like the new place. It feels like home.

When we look at contentment in the Scriptures most times it surrounds wages, circumstances and external things. There is a greater contentment that is not talked about very much. It is being content with God. Satisfied with God. I’ve poured a lot of thought into this lately. I believe much of the unrest that some congregations are experiencing these days comes from those who are not content with God. They are not satisfied with the way God has said things. They want improvements. They want changes. They have a progressive spirit and feel that certain things ought to evolve and keep up with culture. And, the bottom line is a faith issue. It’s being satisfied with God and content with God.

Here are some thoughts:

First, contentment with God begins with the understanding that God has always given the best and cannot be improved upon. Run through a list in Bible history. Could Adam have made a better place to live than the Garden of Eden? Could Noah have built a better boat than the ark? Could Moses have designed a better Tabernacle than what God did? Could we find a better Savior than Jesus? Could we develop a better message than the Gospel? Could we have built a better arrangement than the church to grow, fellowship and honor the Lord?

This is the starting point. If we can’t agree to this, then Isaiah’s words that “God’s way is higher than our way,” really means nothing. So the issue with instrumental music in worship, can be fought on the grounds of what certain words mean, the history of music, the difference between the O.T. and the N.T., the intention of everyone praising God, or simply, being content with God.

Social aspects and educational things that many want to attach to the church can be argued on the purpose of the church, what’s found in the Scriptures or simply being content with God.

 

Second, contentment with God leads to the understanding that we cannot do “God” better than God can. We can’t judge better than God. We can’t save better than God. We can’t be as compassionate as God. Let God be God. He never abandons His throne so we can sit there. He doesn’t give us the position to run the universe. Our ideas about how things ought to be usually fail because God has already revealed what is good and right.

Third, contentment with God takes a lot of pressure off of us. We don’t have to create new things. We don’t have to develop new ways. God’s way works. God’s way of marriage works. God’s way of parenting works. God’s way of evangelism works. God’s way of leadership works. Our obligation is to learn, believe and be content with what God has given to us. The Lord hasn’t hidden His ways from us. We do not play ‘hide ‘n seek’ with God. Seek and you will find, is the message of the Lord. Head home and you’ll find the Lord running towards you with open arms.

This means the way we do things, the way we worship, the message we preach is going to be the same as the last generation. And, it will be the same as it was in the 1800’s. And, it will be the same as it was originally. The church in Thessalonica was praised because it imitated the churches in Judea. It was not boldly going where no man has gone before. It wasn’t breaking new ground. It happily and contently, followed what others had been doing.

Some today tire of the old ways. They label it traditionalism or legalism. They want to look forward and not backward. They want new, different and original. What they lack is a heart that is content with God.

Satisfied with God – are you there? And, to be satisfied with God means to be satisfied with His word, His way, and His purpose. Are you there?

Roge

01

Jump Start # 4169

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

Jump Start # 4169

Ecclesiastes 3:7 “A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; a time to be silent and a time to speak.”

 

Throwback Thursday: an article written from the past

 

Final Words 

 

The funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be laid to rest there. As I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I became lost and being a typical man did not stop for directions.

I finally arrived an hour late. I saw the backhoe and the crew, who was eating lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. I apologized to the workers for my tardiness, and stepped to the side of the open grave, where I saw the vault lid had already been put in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them long, but this was the proper thing to do.

The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch. I poured out my heart and soul. As I preached the workers began to say “Amen,” “Praise the Lord,” and “Glory Be.” I preached and I preached, like I’d never preached before: from Genesis all the way to Revelation.

I closed the service with a prayer and walked back to my car. I felt I had done my duty for the homeless man and that the crew would leave with a renewed sense of purpose and dedication, in spite of my tardiness.

As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I overheard one of the workers saying to another, “I ain’t never seen anything like this before . . . and I’ve been putting’ in these septic tanks for over twenty years.”

 

Roger

February, 2006

 

01

Jump Start # 4169

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

Jump Start # 4169

Ecclesiastes 3:7 “A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; a time to be silent and a time to speak.”

 

Throwback Thursday: an article written from the past

 

Final Words 

 

The funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be laid to rest there. As I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I became lost and being a typical man did not stop for directions.

I finally arrived an hour late. I saw the backhoe and the crew, who was eating lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. I apologized to the workers for my tardiness, and stepped to the side of the open grave, where I saw the vault lid had already been put in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them long, but this was the proper thing to do.

The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch. I poured out my heart and soul. As I preached the workers began to say “Amen,” “Praise the Lord,” and “Glory Be.” I preached and I preached, like I’d never preached before: from Genesis all the way to Revelation.

I closed the service with a prayer and walked back to my car. I felt I had done my duty for the homeless man and that the crew would leave with a renewed sense of purpose and dedication, in spite of my tardiness.

As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I overheard one of the workers saying to another, “I ain’t never seen anything like this before . . . and I’ve been putting’ in these septic tanks for over twenty years.”

 

Roger

February, 2006

 

30

Jump Start # 4168

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

Jump Start # 4168

Romans 12:12 “rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer.”

I heard it recently in a prayer. Just a simple statement, but how bold, profound and amazing. The brother prayed, “Lord, put us where You want us to be.” I don’t think I have ever heard that before in a prayer. Put us where You want us to be.

Most times we are thinking where we want to be. We want to be somewhere safe. We want the land of easy and comfort. We want things to go our way. But, instead, the prayer asked, “Lord, put us where You want us to be.”

Our walk through Bible history shows that there are times and places where God’s people may not want to be, but it brought about faith in their hearts and glory to the Lord.

Consider:

  • Do you think Israel wanted to be squeezed in with Pharoah’s advancing army on one side and an impassable sea on the other side? They were where God wanted them to be. It allowed God to show His majesty and power.

 

  • Do you think the three Jewish men wanted to be tossed into a fiery furnace in Babylon. The men who put them in the fire died because of the intense heart. God didn’t rescue them BEFORE the furnace, but while IN the furnace. They were where God wanted them to be.

 

  • Do you think Paul wanted to be in a prison, hurting from a recent beating? By praying and singing that led to the conversion of the Philippian jailer. That likely would not have happened had they not been where God wanted them to be.

 

And, for us, how many would love to work at a place where the day began with a prayer, where Bibles were found on desks and everyone loved and respected each other. Instead, for many, it’s a gossipy, toxic situation where their faith is constantly challenged. We may wish away the day, hoping we could be somewhere better, but it may be that the Lord has you right where He wants you to be so you could shine your light.

 

Others may wish that they had a family where everyone went to worship together, loved each other and followed the Lord. Instead, foul language fills the air. Every meal has alcohol at the table. The talk is cheap and offensive. How we long for a better family. Maybe the Lord has you right where He wants you to be to help those people.

Here are a few thoughts for us:

First, we may not see nor understand why the Lord has us where we are. We see things through our feelings and our perspective. God sees the whole world. Pleasures and ease sound wonderful. The beach is more appealing than a dense thicket of brush. But the Lord knows what is best. Trust in the Lord.

Second, in many of the difficult situations we find God’s people in throughout the Bible, there seems to be glorious hope at the end. Through faith they made those difficult situations better. By staying with the Lord, others saw. It is upon the anvil of life that our character is forged and shaped. We learn. We trust. We follow. The darkness of the night and the terror of storms can do more for our faith and character than a month of sunny days. Our faith is only good if we use it.

Third, eventually, where God wants us to be is with Him. We wants us walking with Him now and spending forever with Him in His home. It is a journey with twists and turns and decisions that can be challenging. By faith we keep going. By faith we keep with the Lord.

 

A simple thought in a prayer: Lord, put us where you want us to be. Can you pray that?

Roger

29

Jump Start # 4167

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

Jump Start # 4167

 

Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

 

In the little prophetic book of Zephaniah, we find a fascinating statement about the Lord. As announcement of glorious days under the Messiah take place, shouts of joy and feasting celebrations happen. God is among His people. And, three declarations are made: He will rejoice over you; He will quiet you; He will exult over you. Gladness, love and loud singing are the way that the Lord will accomplish this.

 

And, right there, so easy to miss, is the statement that God will “exult over you with loud singing.” God singing! Happiness brings joy to our hearts and a song to our lips. And, here, the Lord is happily singing to His people.

 

We often focus upon we singing to God. We have singing workshops. We learn new hymns. We pour a lot of attention and effort into our singing. But, have you ever thought about the Lord singing to His people? God has used music in the sound of song birds and the sound of the wind blowing through trees, and the sound of a babbling creek. Nature has a song. But, in this setting, God is singing. Not the wind. Not the birds. But, the Lord Himself.

 

I wonder what the voice of the Lord in a song sounds like? I wonder what song He would sing? I expect it would be a song like we have never heard before. And, as in all things God does, it would be perfect.

 

Here are a few thoughts:

 

First, there are very few things that you and I can do that the Lord does. We can’t create. We can’t call the morning to come. We can’t count, let alone, name all the stars. Miracles are beyond us. Reading the minds of others is not something we can do. We can calm storms. But, we can sing. From the tiny ones to the great big ones, we can all sing and singing is something that God does.

 

More than once, I have seen the former Beatle Paul McCartney in concert. In some of his songs, he asks the audience to sing with him. Singing with one of the Beatles. Amazing. What would be more amazing would be to sing with the Lord.

 

Second, the background to God’s singing is the joy He has in His people. This is a good time. God is happy with His people. And, the emotion of singing is one of the great ways happiness is expressed. I feel that sometimes many view God with an eternal frown on His face. Never pleased. Never happy. Thinking His people ought to do more.

 

The parable of the talents reminds us that the Master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” He was pleased with what He saw. Sometimes I wonder if we enjoy our faith. We may feel more like it’s a duty rather than a passion and a love. I hear some saying “I can’t…” or, “I have to…” and that sounds like the language of duty rather than joy. Joy says, “I get to,” or, “I want to.”

 

You can put a smile on the face of God. Amazing.

 

Third, of all the songs we may hear in our lives, the song of Heaven will be the best. It’s the best because it is sung by the best, our Lord. It is best because it was authored in Heaven. It is the best because it reflects the true concept of fellowship with the Lord.

 

There are several songs in the O.T. The song of Moses. Deborah had a song. There was a song of lament with the passing of kings. Jesus sang a song before He went to the garden and was arrested. Paul and Silas sang praises to God from a Philippian jail. The book of Revelation echoes the chorus of Holy, Holy, Holy. But, of all these songs, God’s song has to be the best.

 

God singing…what a marvelous thought!

 

Roger