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Jump Start # 975

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 975

 

1 Samuel 3:1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.

 

Jump Starts are back! I was delayed longer than I expected. The move, setting things up, getting the internet running, and then a few computer snafus got me off my schedule of writing. I missed it. I was thinking about our passage recently. The word from the Lord was rare and visions were infrequent. Rare and infrequent—we don’t think of those words in terms of God.

 

A very common thought today is that in the Bible days, God spoke just about every day and to just about everyone. That impression has led some to “look” for divine urges and pushes from God. Some even feel that things are not right unless there is something coming from God. Wise Bible students know better. What some classify as “divine urges” may be nothing more than what a person has been thinking about for a long time. Those urges are not divine, but human. They are not sent from Heaven down, but from the inside out of a person. There are long gaps of time between God speaking to people.

 

The Hebrew writer reminds us that in these last days, God speaks though His son, Jesus Christ. God is talking through Jesus, in a way similar to God talking to Moses. God spoke to Moses and Moses delivered the message to the nation. God has spoken through Jesus and Jesus delivered the message. This is why all things are to be done by the word of Christ, and, we will be judged by every word that Jesus spoke. The message for this age is the word of God. That Christ delivered message is the same here as it is in other places.

How did people get by when the word was rare and the visions were infrequent? They relied upon what God had already given them and they built their faith upon what they knew. Faith is not in the unknown, but the known. We can speculate and guess what God wants, but too often, we are wrong. God doesn’t think like we do. The parables are one illustration of how upside down the kingdom of God is to the way people would think. In the parable of the laborers going into the fields, no master would pay a man who worked one hour the same as those who worked all day long. That doesn’t make economic sense. In the parable of the 100 sheep, if a shepherd left the 99 sheep to go looking for the one lost sheep, he would return to find 99 missing. In the parable of the prodigal son, a father wouldn’t grant the inheritance before his death and he certainly wouldn’t celebrate the return of a reckless and irresponsible son. Those parables didn’t fit into the thinking of the first century world.

 

The audiences who first heard those parables could not anticipate nor predict how they turned out. All of this illustrates that when we try to fit our thinking, our world, our social causes into how God thinks, most often, we will be wrong. God is not politically correct today. Have you noticed those “Coexist” bumper stickers? They display the various religious symbols of: Islam, peace, Judaism, wicca, Confucianism and Christianity all together. Coexist. Accept each other. That is the flavor of the month these days. That isn’t what God says. Ephesians 4 says that there is One Lord, One God, One faith, One baptism, One Spirit, One hope, One body. Those “One” phrases toss out the coexist concept.

When we try to think for God we fail. When we get the idea that God likes what we like, we fail. Those that have redefined worship into a rock ‘n roll side show assume that because the congregation loves it, God does. Wrong. Remember Cain? God didn’t think so highly of his sacrifice. Those that want to restructure the church into a social platform fail. That’s not how God thinks.

 

The word was rare and visions were infrequent. Back then, as it is today, we must stick with what we have. Trying to update, modify or fit God into out thinking fails. It fails first because we are not satisfied with what God has given us. We want more, so we make it up. Second, it fails because it does not honor God. Third, it fails because it lacks trust in what God has said.

 

Give me the Bible, is an old hymn. It’s about time for some folks to dust that off and sing it again. It’s time we let God speak for Himself.

Roger

 

 

05

Jump Start # 974

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 974

 

Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

 

This verse has been on my mind recently. It is interesting how events in life will find connections to Bible verses. We are in the process of moving. This is the most unusual move for us in our marriage. If I counted right, this will be our 8th move in our marriage. Eight different houses. That amazes my dad. He’s one who has lived decades in the same place. Not us. Some of the moves were to different cities as I worked with churches. Several moves were of necessities because of a growing family. This move is different. I’m staying with the same congregation. All the kids but one are out of the house. It’s time to think about the next phase of our life and that includes grandkids. This move is more about that.

I’ve found that just about everyone hates to move. I’m in that group as well. I don’t like things not in their place. I feel restless until everything is just right. It takes a while for the “just right” feeling to come. It’s amazing how much stuff that a person accumulates. I might lose my “man card” on this one, but I think I have more clothes than my wife does.

Moving. Abraham moved. That’s what our verse tells us. He wasn’t looking for a bigger house. In fact, he lived in tents. His tents where huge, nice and with rugs. Abraham’s move was called by God. The Lord wanted him out of Ur and the Lord had some plans for Abraham. God had promised Abraham a land. His descendants would occupy that land. What is fascinating about our verse is that Abraham wasn’t told exactly where he was going. The text says, “not knowing where he was going.” That’s the part most of us would struggle with. We could go if God told us. But, please tells us first, where we are going. God didn’t do that with Abraham. His journey was a journey of faith. God knew. Abraham didn’t.

You and I are also moving. Our move doesn’t involve boxes, painting, or lifting furniture. God has plans for us and is taking us places. Our journey with the Lord, like Abraham’s, is a journey of faith. The Lord opens doors, grants opportunities and moves hearts. He does all that to fulfill His will. That’s what was behind Abraham’s move. God has plans for us. His plans involve His will. Sometimes God leads us through the valleys, as David experienced in Psalms 23. Sometimes God leads to difficult places as Paul experienced. Prison was included in Paul’s journey, but that turned into something special as the household of Caesar was introduced to the Gospel.

Abraham’s journey involved faith. He didn’t know where he was going, but God did. He trusted God. He knew that God knew. We do well to have the same trust in the Lord. The ups and downs of life, the journeys, or “the adventures” as my wife likes to call them, are less toiling upon us when we trust in the Lord. There is a purpose greater than ours. There is a cause greater than our happiness. When we seek to please the Lord in all that we do, the journeys will have value and become productive. You can’t park your faith just because you are going through some tough times and you are very stressed at the moment. Faith continues on. Faith is needed in the sunny days as well as the stormy nights. Faith keeps our order in order. Faith reminds us to behave. Faith reminds us that we are Christians. Sometimes in doing the right thing, you feel like you get the short end of things. Some times it seems that some are taking advantage of you. Be nice, noble, honest and let your light shine. This is what God would want from you. This is what God expects.

 

It’s sad to see some park their faith because we are busy or are on vacation or grandma’s in the hospital or there is a big project at work. Don’t you need faith in those things? Could it be God is using you in those places.

Abraham moved. God told him. He went. He went believing. That makes all the difference in the world.

Just a note, this will be the last Jump Starts for the rest of this week. I will be transitioning from one place to another and discontinuing internet and starting up internet and until everything is running smooth again, I will hold off writing. I apologize. Look for us again on Monday.

Roger

 

04

Jump Start # 973

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 973

1 Corinthians 10:31-32 “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God”

 

I know a family that is about to breakup. The marriage is heading toward a divorce. It’s sad and very tragic. There are kids in that family and their lives will be forever changed. I’ve talked with this couple. I’ve begged them to work things out. Nothing seemed to work. The spark is gone they claim. They are very much into the spark business. I guess I’ve been too busy paying bills, raising children, trying to show people Jesus and being a decent person to concentrate so much upon sparks. I know that is important in marriage and that is often what draws two people together, but it seems to me that we have reduced a sacred relationship, made by God into something so trivial as sparks. If the spark is gone, the marriage is gone. Is that where we are today?

 

What happened years ago when parents arranged the marriage? There may never have been any sparks that made those young hearts skip a beat or two at the beginning. Yet, those young couples grew up and grew together and forged ahead and cut out a deep love like a river that continued to flow until death separated them. That would never fly today. It’s all about sparks and more than that it’s all about one’s personal spark. Marriage is being redefined by the courts and legislatures and in the process of all that, traditional marriage, and I hate that expression, has shifted to whatever a person can get out of it. Instead of focusing upon the care, needs and happiness of the other, marriage is about self. Marriage is about the spark business. When the spark is gone, the marriage is gone. Is it any wonder that so many have given up on even having a wedding. As long as the sparks are flying, live together. It won’t last and they know that, but for now, it’s fun. Vain. Self-centered. Selfish. WRONG. This is all starting off on the wrong foot.

 

Our verse today helps us get our thinking back into focus. “Whatever you do,” the apostle wrote, “do all to the glory of God.” Would marriage fit into that? YES. Married for the glory of God. That’s a novel idea these days. Who does that? We get married because the other person makes us happy, warm, secure, laugh, feel good, and sparky. Married to glorify God? Yes. Staying married to glorify God? Yes.

 

Satan loves for you to trash your marriage. Nothing good comes from broken homes. There are tears, anger and sorrow. Most often, a house has to be sold, finances split and deep debt is incurred. With kids, “every other weekend,” becomes the new standard. Kids don’t understand. Grandparents don’t understand. God doesn’t understand. Satan does. He’s the master of selfishness. He wants us to focus upon sparks, and not what is right. He wants us to think about self and not God or others. He wants us to feel cheated, neglected and wasting our time. He wants you to think that you deserve sparks. He wants you to think that everyone you know has sparks in their relationship but you. He wants you to believe that you will go through this life without any sparks and what a tragedy that would be. How shallow Satan thinks we are. And, we are. How fickle Satan thinks we are. And we are. How vain. And we are. How easily we will end a marriage because freedom seems so appealing. The grass looks so much greener on the other side. We fail to realize that the grass has to be mowed as well. Satan gets you discouraged. Satan gets you to thinking of only yourself. Everyone around you is happy and you are miserable. Sparks. Don’t forget the sparks. So before long, you think, I’m trapped. I’m stuck. This marriage isn’t fun any longer. Out. End it. Escape. Leave. Go. We chew on that awhile. We let that thought grow and grow until it dominates our mind and masters our will. Then one day we announce to the world that I want a divorce. I am no longer happy. There isn’t any spark in the relationship. Done. Finished. It’s over we sing. The kids are stunned. Grandparents cry. Friends are sad. Other selfish people will congratulate you for being such a “brave” person. Such friends are just as shallow as we are. Their encouragement is worthless. They fail to mention that the decision was selfish, cruel, and sinful. They fail to realize that you have trashed your vows. Once, you promised until death do us part. We might as well quit playing games and start vowing to remain together until the spark is gone. A promise broken. A home destroyed. A God disappointed. Do those things cross our minds? Never. All we think about is finding a nice apartment, who gets what stuff we have accumulated through the years, how much child support will be, and of course, the most important of all, finding new spark. It’s all about the spark.

 

It never dawns upon us that if we destroy a marriage because we ran out of spark, then what will keep that from happening again? The spark generally evaporates faster in second and third marriages than the first.

Maybe then it will hit us that it is not up to someone else to provide the spark in me. Maybe it’s something internal, not external, such as how amazing someone looks. Maybe I’ll learn that there is a flame that does not die out when it is based upon God first, and my mate second. Maybe, just maybe, when I was complaining to myself about not feeling any spark, that my mate still felt spark. Maybe I will learn that the foundation of a relationship is not based upon sparks, feelings, happiness, or self. Maybe there is something deeper, richer and more lasting than all of that. Maybe I will see that in the eyes of a couple who after 50 years together, still smile at each other and hold hands as they walk down the road together. Sparks? Absolutely, but something much greater and deeper than sparks, genuine love, concern, commitment, trust and joy in the other person. Those in the spark business rarely understand that. They are too busy thinking about self to ever think about others, especially God.

 

I protest that we think so little of the wonderful relationship God blessed us and invited us to called marriage. A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I celebrated our 33rd anniversary. What did we do? Take a cruise? Hot date night? Nope. We ate leftovers and packed boxes. We are in the process of moving. Boring some would say. I say otherwise. When love is long and deep, time together is special. Leftovers and boxes with my sweetie is delightful.

 

God’s people must get beyond self. It’s killing our marriages and our churches. The first step of discipleship is to deny self. Some never did that. They didn’t do it when they became a Christian and they certainly didn’t do it when they got married. Self has always been a problem. It will trip us and it will bug us and it will mess up everything good and noble, including marriage.

Feeling the spark dwindle? What are you going to do about it? Sit around until you can pronounce to the world, “I fell out of love, there just isn’t any spark in it for me” or, are you going to rekindle that fire. God told a church in Revelation that lost their love to repeat what they did at first. That’s a great idea. Repeat what you did at first. Talk. Look in each other’s eyes. Write notes. Turn the TV off. Listen. Hold hands. Date. Something happened long ago that made you say “yes.” Maybe it was sparks back then. Maybe it’s time to build a relationship on the right things, deeper things, God’s things.

 

Glorify God in all you do. IN ALL YOU DO. That just about says it.

Roger

 

01

Jump Start # 972

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 972

John 10:11-12 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, see the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep  and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.”

 

Any study about elders or shepherds in God’s church must take us to John 10 where we find illustrated the good shepherd. Too  many discussions about elderships are limited to a detailed examination of the qualifications required as found in Timothy and Titus. There is value in knowing and understanding who can serve as a bishop in God’s church, but the qualifications alone do not tell us everything about what they are to do. Consider this: there are three qualifications required to be the President of the United States. A person must be a natural born citizen, at least 35 years old, and has lived in this country for the past 14 years. That’s it. That’s who can be President. From that list, a 40 year-old who lives in his mom’s basement and plays video games all day long is qualified to be the president. Really? The qualifications are necessary, but they do not tell us the whole story.

 

This week we have been looking at the nature of God’s leaders, the heart of a shepherd. Our passage today is taken from that wonderful section on the good shepherd, who is Jesus Christ.  We notice a contrast between the good shepherd and the hired hand. The way they view the sheep is different. The way they treat the sheep is different. What they put into the work is different.

 

For the hired hand, sheep watching was a job. It was a means to a pay check. He didn’t do it because he liked sheep, he did it because it was a job that would pay. We’ve seen that thinking in other fields. There is the school teacher that loves children and loves to teach and then there is the teacher who views it as a job. The same is found in nursing. The same is found even among preachers. Although most elders do not get paid for their work in the church, the attitude of the hired hand can be found among them.

The hired hand doesn’t really care about the sheep. He won’t go out of his way for the sheep and when things are tough, the hired hand looks out for himself first. His survival comes before the sheep. Jesus paints a very troubling picture here. A wolf shows up. He is the dreaded enemy of sheep. The sheep have no protection from the wolf. They cannot defend themselves. They cannot out run the wolf. They are helpless. They need a shepherd. The hired hand sees the risk with wolves. It’s dangerous and he could get hurt. Instead of protecting the sheep, he takes off. I’ve known elders who have stepped down and resigned in the middle of a church problem stating that they did not need the stress. They ran. They left the sheep to the wolves. Can’t handle stress? What do you think shepherding is? Lounging at the pool, sipping ice tea? It’s out in the fields with the sheep. It’s staying with the sheep when it’s cool, rainy and muddy. It’s staying with the sheep during the night. It’s staying with the sheep when everyone else are in their warm homes. It’s fighting wolves. It’s taking care of the sheep. That’s shepherding. Don’t sign up if you can’t do it.

The hired hand didn’t care about the sheep. He cared about himself. He saved his neck but not the sheep. He would manufacture a lame excuse to tell the owner about wolves coming and he escaped. The hired hand is a coward and lacks the heart to do what he is supposed to do. The hired hand isn’t committed to his work. If a better job came along, this hired hand would jump ship and go do that. The hired hand is constantly asking himself, “Why am I doing this?” or, “What’s in this for me?” That is how the hired hand thinks.

The good shepherd is just the opposite. His concern is the well being of the sheep. The shepherd is so committed that he would fight to the death to save the sheep. If it meant a hand to hand struggle against the wolf, the shepherd would be there. His heart is for the sheep. If it meant losing his very life to save the sheep, the shepherd would do that. The Good Shepherd DID do that!

 

Good shepherd or hired hand? Both watching sheep, but two different approaches. If you were the sheep, which would you want watching you?

Roger