24

Jump Start # 718

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 718

Ecclesiastes 2:14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both.

 

The world Solomon saw didn’t look so great. He was the king and a son of a king. His father, David, was a national hero, well loved and respected. Solomon’s journal of life, we call Ecclesiastes, looks at life from mostly a secular viewpoint. “Life under the sun,” is a constant theme in his book.

One thing that didn’t make sense to Solomon was death. It seemed that death ruined everything. There was no advantage in life because of death. Solomon often referred to death as “one fate.” He saw that one fate happens to both man and beast (3:19). He also saw one fate happening to the righteous and the unrighteous (9:2). Our verse contrasts the wise and the fool. One fate befalls them both Solomon said.

This thoughts need to be considered. What is the difference between an animal and a person? In the end, both die. Why be wise and careful if in the end you die like a fool who lives for himself? Why be righteous if you die like the wicked? I suppose Solomon thought that wise and righteous living ought to somehow escape the same fate as those who were foolish and wicked.

 

Those same thoughts are disturbing for some today. Two men are neighbors. One is kind in heart, goes to worship and tries to do what God says. The other is a mean old cuss. He’s selfish, obnoxious and opinionated. Both die. It doesn’t seem right. And without a view from God’s perspective it isn’t right. God changes everything.

 

The journey doesn’t end at the cemetery, it ends with God. There is an advantage that man has over animals. There is an advantage that the righteous has over the wicked. That advantage is God. Without God in our lives, there is very little difference between the wicked and the righteous, the wise and the fool, the man and the animal.

There is an advantage to walking with God. Not just in the eternal but now. Solomon missed that. He didn’t see that. He had the 10 commandments but he didn’t see how God’s law not only governs man, it brings out the best for man. God knows what He is talking about. God is always right. The best marriage is when a man and woman are each walking with God. Today, because of Christ, the best life is one that follows Jesus. The best citizen is one who follows the precepts of the N.T. God’s word shapes our thinking and adjusts our attitudes. Grace, forgiveness, kindness and joy are the hallmarks of godly living. Those things make a difference, even now. They make home a safe haven. They soften rough edges and calms unsettled nerves. God’s word gives us a purpose and a place.

There is one fate that befalls all. There is also One God that makes all the difference. The discouraged often wonder what’s the use. Why keep trying? The answer lies with God. Walking away from God leaves one empty, alone and addicted to selfish living. Godly living is the difference. God is the one element that makes all the difference.

 

For a smart guy, sometimes Solomon seems rather dumb. Don’t forget God! God changes the discussion. The one fate looks differently when you remember God.

 

Roger

 

23

Jump Start # 717

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 717

Psalms 37:25 “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.”

This wonderful passage brings together two great concepts and thoughts—the voice of experience and the amazing goodness of God. Sometimes we don’t recognize the blessings of the Lord. We ought to, but we simply fail to see them. The busyness of life keeps us running so fast that we don’t see answered prayers, opened doors, and the comfort from the Lord. This is not good, because it can make us ungrateful when we should be thankful and it can make us wonder why God isn’t doing things, when He is.

The voice of experience: I have been young and now I am old. Experience teaches a person things that books cannot. There is no fast track to go from young to old…it’s just living a long time. I like older people, our senior citizens. I like hearing about things long ago. I like looking at old stuff, not that I’d want to go back and use them, I just like looking at those things. One of the terms God uses for the leaders of His people is, “elder,” meaning older or experienced. We understand that in our military. The generals are older men who have combat experience. The captains of sports teams are not the rookies, but people who have played the game for a while. Experience teaches. Experience reminds. Younger preachers seem to have more fire in their belly. Older preachers seem to have more reason and understanding in their heart.

Sometimes the conflict within churches is a generational thing—a battle between the young and the old. The young want to go. They want to change. They want new. The old often fear change. They have witnessed where change without thinking has led to departures. A lack of understanding and cooperation has led to divisions in the church. The younger folks can learn from the older ones and likewise the older ones can learn a thing or two from the younger folks. The fear of the unknown or what could happen has become an excuse for some to do nothing.

I know some preachers in their 80’s who are still preaching fresh and practical sermons, who have embraced modern technology, and who are very effective in what they are doing. It is an honor to listen to such men. They have something to say. The years have made them kind, spiritual and approachable. Their knowledge of the Bible is so enormous that when they speak you’d think that they actually walked with Jesus, and in a spiritual way, they have! It is a blessing to see churches using men like this and not casting them out because they are old.

Walking with God for many years does something to a person. He sees the promises of God, the goodness of God and numerous times God has helped him. In the midst of a crisis, fear fills our hearts and we don’t know how we are going to get through it. God helps His people. He always does. The years pass and we forget about the crisis. Others have come and gone. In time, we have layers and layers of experience with God. Our prayers become richer and more thankful as the years pass by. God has been good to us.

 

I have been young and now I am old—is a blessing in itself. Not all could say that. Some don’t make it to that point. Those that do, ought to be better because of God.

I have been young and now I am old and I have not seen the righteous forsaken…here is a person who has witnessed the righteous for a long time. Some don’t do that, either. He has seen how God has been to His people. They have not been abandoned. When in the wilderness, God fed them. When facing enemies, God protected them. In famines, God provided for them. God’s will has never been overthrown. God’s enemies have never triumphed for long. God’s people have never been forgotten.

 

I know many, many people who started their walk with God when they were young. Now they are old. They are still walking with Him. This past year I have conducted the funeral of several Christians that fit this description. They were Christians for more than 50 years. I wonder how many sermons they heard…how many hymns they sung…how many Bibles they wore out…how many times they took the Lord’s Supper…how many prayers… They were young and then they were old, and they continued walking with the Lord.

Do you know some older Christians? Have you given them a hug recently and simply told them, “thank you.” Many of us are in congregations and worship in church buildings and are singing from song books that Christians have made available to us. A younger generation is enjoying the fruits of what an older generation has provided for us. Now it’s our time. If the Lord allows, we will be old someday. There are others coming behind us. We must secure the way for them, giving our time and our energy to make things right for them.

I was young and now I am old…

Roger

 

22

Jump Start # 716

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 716

Romans 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

 

I have a son that preaches in Tennessee. We are always talking about preaching and such things. We have a code phrase we use to describe baptizing someone. We call it, “getting our sleeves wet.” He will call me and say, “I got my sleeves wet,” which immediately tells me that he just baptized someone. Last evening I got to tell him, “I got my sleeves wet.” In fact, lately, there has been a lot of wet sleeves at our congregation. It’s exciting to see people coming to the Lord and making a promise and commitment to him.

 

Our verse today, familiar to so many in our fellowship, describes two important aspects of coming to Christ.

 

First, there is a death and burial. There is a realization that the path you are currently on isn’t working and it’s headed to a dead end road. It’s taken you away from God and it has ruined your soul. When a person realizes that, they are ready to turn to God. They are through with Hollywood thinking, keeping up with their friends, doing what everyone else is doing, being cool, or being popular. They are ready for God. They are ready for God as a teenager. They are ready for God as a newly married couple. They are ready for God as a middle aged person. They are ready for God as a senior citizen. Repentance and baptism are part of this process. Don’t fight baptism. It is part of God’s plan. He wants you to be baptized. He wants you to be baptized for the right reason. It’s not to join a church or show others that you have done something internal, it is a result of believing that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. It is how we contact the blood of Christ. It is for the forgiveness of sins. The apostles said that numerous times. It is an immersion, a burial. The burial is the ending of one life. A life that didn’t work. A life that failed. We bury that life and leave it in an unmarked grave. We don’t want to return there again. That life brought shame and guilt. That life hurt. That life was headed to Hell.

 

A person comes to Christ and is buried with Him. As Jesus was buried, we are buried. He was buried in a tomb. We are buried in a watery tomb, we call baptism. It doesn’t end there.

 

Christ arose. We sing, ‘Up from the grave He arose…’. So, we too, arise from the grave. Not to just go about doing whatever we want. No. We, like Jesus, are risen to a new life. It is a better life. It is a life that follows Christ. It is a life of hope and direction and purpose. It is a life that connects one to other believers. It is a life of worship and fellowship. It is becoming a light in the world. It is being a worker in God’s kingdom. It is to grow and continue to become what God wants of each of us.

 

Being a Christian is much more than just going to church on Sunday. It’s about a new life. A great life in Christ. A life not lived with regrets and shame. It’s about making a difference in the lives of others. It is about helping others find Christ. It is about being spiritual.

 

Have you ever thought where you would be if you were not a Christian? The majority of my friends I would not know if it were not for Christ. A person has to wonder, if it wasn’t for Jesus, would I now be in jail? Or, addicted to something bad? Or, even dead? Christ changes a person from the inside out. Their thinking changes. The basis of decisions and choices changes. They have an anchor in the sand, called the Bible. It defines them. It sets the boundaries. It governs them. It gives them peace. It assures them of Heaven. It keeps them on course.

 

How wonderful it is being a Christian!

It all begins with wet sleeves…

Roger

 

19

Jump Start # 715

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 715

Hebrews 6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,

This week in our Jump Starts we have taken a look at the subject of worry and trouble. It is only fitting that we end the week by saying a few words about hope. Our verse is a great illustration of what Biblical hope is. Two great words are found in this sentence: sure and steadfast. Biblical hope is sure. It is certain. It will be because God said so. That is unlike how we typically use the word hope. We often use the word hope more like a wish. We say, “I hope things get better,” but we are not sure that they will. A student says, “I hope I get an A in this class.” They mean, I wish I get an A.

Biblical hope is based upon God’s promises which are based upon God. God is faithful. He keeps His promises. In that way, hope is sure. It is also steadfast. The example given here is an anchor. You don’t have to know much about boating to know that an anchor is heavy and when dropped in the water, it will keep a boat from floating away. The anchor holds the boat stationary. Hope is our anchor. It keeps us from drifting and it keeps us stationary with God.

 

The assurance of our hope is the word of God. It is not trying to guess what God’s up to, nor what God might do, rather it is built upon the assurance of His word. The word is clear and precise.

Sometimes we can be guilty of offering uncertain hope to others. A family goes through hard times and someone says, “I just know things will get better.” Do you? You know that? Or, is that your wish and your prayer? “I just know your mama will pull through this health issue…” “I just know you won’t lose your house…” “I just know you’ll pass the course…” “I just know you’ll find a job…” “I just know your marriage will work out.” Hope and wish are not the same.   There are many things that we would like to see come about, but we don’t know that they will.

  • God promises forgiveness if we trust Him and obey Him. That is certain.
  • God promises a home with Him if we stay with Him. That is certain.
  • God promises to never forsake us. That is certain.
  • God promises to equip us through His word. That is certain.

 

Trouble and worry can diminish our trust in God’s promises. The bigger God is to us the smaller our problems seem to be.

Paul was so sure of this hope that he knew there was a crown awaiting him. God had promised. It was certain. There was no crossing his fingers, wishing upon a star or any of those kinds of things. His confidence was in what God had said.

 

Late in the book of Acts, as Paul is being taken to Rome as a prisoner, a violent storm engulfs their ship. Things looked bad. For days they were hopeless. The cargo was thrown overboard. An angel appeared to Paul to assure him that no one would die. Paul told others of the vision and said, “It will turn out exactly as I have been told.” That’s hope. That’s confidence.  The same concept is with us. We have God’s word. It will turn out exactly as we have been told. We know how the world will end. We have been told. We know what happens after death. We have been told. Wild theories and scary movies can fill hearts with all kinds of ideas, most are not Biblical. We know. We have been told. Hope holds us to what is sure and true.

Without that hope, we would be a scared group of people. With it, we are confident and sure.

 

This hope we have…

Roger

 

18

Jump Start # 714

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 714

Matthew 6:25 “For this reason I say to you, ‘do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?’”

 

Our verse today comes from the great sermon on the mount—the greatest sermon given by the greatest preacher, Jesus Christ. This passage begins a section about worry or being anxious. The Lord is very direct about these things. Three times (25, 31, 34) Jesus says, “Do not worry.” He also says, “Why are you worried” (28) and can “worry” change things? (27).

 

Jesus reminds us that worry blinds us to our blessings. This is why He tells the disciples to “look at the birds,” (26) and “observe the lilies” (28). Look…observe…count your blessings!

Jesus tells them that worry is faithless. Worry is characteristic of the gentiles who do not know God (32). The bigger the faith the less the worry!

 

Worry is a problem. It’s a problem among believers. We struggle with this. The unknown and not being in control of things drives us batty. Worry invites fear and doubt into our hearts. We know that we shouldn’t worry, but we do. We worry about the upcoming election, gas prices, kids braces, our jobs, our houses, retirement, and our health. Worry can steal our sleep and ruin our appetites. We get edgy and nervous because we are worried.

 

There is a question in our verse today. “Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” Disciples know the answer to that question. It is an obvious YES. Life is more than food. There is a growing segment of our society who do not know that answer anymore. They are becoming more and more secular and materialistic to the point that the spiritual barely exists. Their thoughts, desires, words, attitudes and hopes surround the here and the now. They know nothing of the Bible. They live for today and only today. They have reduced themselves, without realizing it, to the life of an animal, who eats, sleeps and lives for today. As a result, worry and fear are major threats to their everyday existence. They spend so much time, money on the outside and completely ignore the inside. Hollywood has been the classic example of the shinny showroom with nothing in the storehouse. Expensive clothing, hours of makeup, the image, the style and yet the character is cheap, shallow and selfish. Vanity is the theme of the worldly mindset. Looking good on the outside while rotten to the core on the inside. Sorry attitudes, mean spirited, gossipy, hateful are the common things that are found in hearts that have ignored the spiritual.

Disciples ought to be different. We must be different. If Jesus has any impact in our lives, it will be demonstrated in how we view life. Poverty of the soul, neglect of the heart is unacceptable to the Lord. Our lives are not defined by what we eat, wear, or how many square feet are in our house. The brands on your clothing do not mean you are somebody, the school you attended doesn’t mean you’ve made it—all of that is worldly thinking.

Your life is more than these things. It is living for Jesus. It is defined by holiness and godliness. It is seeking the kingdom of God. You life is defined by inviting Jesus to be the Lord of your life and your heart. As a result, your character, your hope, your dreams are defined by Jesus. You are a changed person and a better person.

Do not be worried…God will take care of you. Do not be worried…the things that impress us in store windows and catalogs do not impress God. Don’t lose sleep over those things. Don’t be consumed with those things. Don’t get upset over those things.

 

A few times in the Gospels Jesus marveled. It wasn’t about what people were wearing or the size of their house, it was always about faith. God is impressed about faith. He isn’t impressed with the size of our church buildings. He isn’t impressed that we have the latest gadgets, the newest song books, the best landscaping, the coolest website, the amazing flashing signs out front…he is impressed with the faith of the people worshipping Him.

 

We can put so much attention of the package that we forget to put anything inside the package. Our attention needs to be more on the inside than the outside, upon the things that matter rather than the things that do not matter and the things that last rather than the things that do not last.

 

Why are you worried, Jesus asked. Good question. It would be hard to answer Him. Maybe it’s about time that we stopped all this worry business and got about God’s business.

Roger