17

Jump Start # 1956

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1956

Ecclesiastes 7:10 “Do not say, ‘Why is it that the former days were better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.”

 

Wow! That passage slaps us in the face! Don’t say the former days were better? The former days were not better than these? We are living in better times than the former days? Really?

 

This verse is found at the end of Solomon’s series of contrasts, in which he says one thing is better than another. Our verse is like that. We think the former days were better than these days. God says, “don’t say that.” What Solomon identifies as better is not what would make our list. The day of death is better than the day of birth. Most wouldn’t agree with that. Better to go to the house of mourning than the house of feasting. Not typically. We’d take the party over the funeral, any day. Sorrow better than laughter. Strike three, we’d say. We’d think that Solomon got this all mixed up. Then comes our warning, do not say that the former days were better than these. God is showing us the deeper spiritual values through these contrasts. What’s on the surface isn’t always the best. The easy way is not always the best way.

 

Here are a few thoughts:

 

First, the older a person becomes, the more “former days” he collects. I asked a Wednesday night class to raise their hands if they had been a Christian longer than a decade. Tons of hands went up. Twenty years, lots of hands. We did that all the way up to fifty years. Some could have gone past that. A Christian for more than half a century. That’s a lot of former days. The older one gets the more former days he has than future days.

 

Second, we tend to remember good things. Our memory can be colored and we can only see things a certain way. We tend to look with fondness to our childhood. Those simple days before mortgages, kids in braces, stressful deadlines and traffic that doesn’t move. Going to grandma’s house for Thanksgiving, playing with cousins, carefree and fun. Toys. Cookies. Naptime. Cartoons. That’s how we remember the former days.

 

Third, our passage is telling us not to think that the former days were better. I’m not sure what all Solomon had in mind, but let’s talk about our times. We eat better and smarter today. We live longer today. We can reach more and do more today with technology. I have a friend who had by-pass surgery. That wouldn’t have happened a hundred years ago. Cancer once was the death sentence. It’s not any more. The good ole’ days, before air bags, seat belts and cars that were safe. The good ole’ days when you slept with the windows open under a floor fan on a hot sweltering July night. The good ole’ days when paint had lead in it and buildings were stuffed with asbestos. The good ole’ days of hippies, rights that were not very civil, and the place on the bus was determined by your skin color. The good ole’ days of getting up in the middle of the night and walking out in the dark to the outhouse. The good ole’ days when parents worried about mumps, diapers were cloth and had to be rung out, and every dish had to be hand washed. Oh yeah, we say, ‘we forgot about that stuff.’ Memory will do that.

 

Are there pieces of the past that were better than today? Probably.

 

Fourth, there is no going back. We are a forward moving people. We are witnessing all around us the death of many major stores that have been around for a long time. Trends in shopping have changed. Folks like to stay in their jammies and shop on line at home. Saying the former days were better and yet realizing that we are not going back, will only make one sad and depressed. I don’t miss typing sermons on a electric typewriter. I don’t miss copy machines that never made the copy look like the original. Hard wooden pews. Long sermons. Hot church buildings. Preachers pointing to sheets with diagrams outlining their sermons. Those were the days we may say. But it’s onward that we move. We can reach more people today faster and easier than ever before. We are wealthier as a nation today than in days gone by. Our homes are larger. Our pantries are stuffed. Our closets are full.

 

In many ways our times are turning more secular. Sin is more popularized today. People are more vocal about wanting wrong today. But in contrast I see larger and stronger congregations today. I see more powerful congregations today. In the good ole’ days, you didn’t hear of very many churches that numbered over 200. Today, that’s common.

 

Fifth, God was with us in the former days and He is with us today. Our need for Him hasn’t changed. What He expects of us hasn’t changed. We continue to walk by faith, just as in the former days. We continue to reach out in prayer, just as in the former days. We still need the Gospel, just like the former days. Some things will never change. Some things we will never outgrow.

 

Sixth, it’s rather sad to be stuck in the past. Some are. Some fight change. Some fear change. I love to see senior citizens who are using smart phones, facetime and have learned to keep forward looking. Those that are in the past feel like the best days are behind us. It’s all down hill now. Nothing good. This thinking can make us bitter, ungrateful, and miserable. The best days, from the standpoint of a Christian, are yet to come. The best days are when we are with the Lord in Heaven. Nothing will beat that. We won’t look back and miss these days. We will be so thankful and happy that God has invited us to His home.

 

Do not say that the former days were better than these. We need these reminders. We can forget.

 

Roger

 

 

 

 

16

Jump Start # 1955

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1955

2 Corinthians 7:10 “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

 

“I’m sorry.” That seems to be in vogue these days. It’s good to recognize wrong and to be sorry for it. But, it seems too often, a commentator, comedian, politician or sports figure can say anything that they want, no matter how thoughtless, cruel or offensive it is, and then when they are called on the carpet for what they said, out comes, “I’m sorry.” Often the damage has been done. Would they have apologized had they not received such a backlash from the public? Are they truly sorry or only sorry that they got in trouble for what they said?

 

Saying, “I’m sorry,” doesn’t fix all things. It doesn’t repair broken trusts. Confidence in a marriage, the bond of friendship, the relationship between parents and their children can be shattered by poor decisions, careless words and actions without thinking. Just saying, “I’m sorry,” doesn’t magically restore and repair these strained relationships. One wonders why a person said what they said in the first place. And we are not just talking about what people say, but what they tweet, put on Facebook or text.

 

Saying, “I’m sorry,” doesn’t keep the consequences of wrong and sinful choices from coming. A kid, on a dare, chooses to shoplift a dvd from a store. He’s caught. Parents are called. The police are called. He’s in big trouble now. He says, “I’m sorry,” but there are consequences that he will have to face. A college student chooses to plagiarize. It’s a long paper. The professor won’t catch it. There are too many papers to read. It is found. And now there are consequences. The student says, “I’m sorry,” but that may not stop all the punishment he’s about to face. A wife finds out that her husband is having an affair. She confronts him. He says, “I’m sorry.” The marriage may be over. He’ll have to move out. How will he tell his parents? What happens when the church finds out? “I’m sorry,” doesn’t stop consequences.

 

Hiding our sins, like Adam and Eve hid from God, is a common human response. This is our default mode. We keep things hidden and hope that no one finds out. Cover-up. Cover our tracks. Make excuses. Denial. Dodge the questions. We’re pretty good at this stuff. When caught, we are quick to point fingers. It’s been a long day. I’m under a lot of pressure and stress. I haven’t been myself lately. But all of this smoke to cover what we really know is going on, never fools God. The Lord is not deceived. We can hide things from others. We can after awhile, start believing our own lies, but the Lord knew all along.

 

This is where our verse comes in. Godly sorrow is different than sorrow of the world. A person can be sorry for many reasons. He can be sorry that he got caught. He can be sorry that he lost his job or is kicked out of the house. He can be sorry that he is in jail. None of this points a finger back to his heart. Is he sorry that he even did or said what he did? Caught or not, is he sorry? Consequences or not, is he sorry?

 

Godly sorrow is based upon God. It’s not based upon what I did to others or the punishment I now receive because of my choices. One is sorry that he has shamed God. He is sorry that he has disappointed God. He is sorry that he did not bring glory and honor to God. This sorrow, is based upon the will of God. It’s Biblically based. It doesn’t come from the outcry of the public. It’s not the result of being suspended by the owner of the company. It comes from heart that wants to please God. When he has not, he is sorry, very sorry.

 

This godly sorrow leads to repentance. It leads to changes. Thought is given as to how I got myself into that situation. Thought is given to what should I have done differently. Prayers are sent Heavenward. Pleas for God’s mercy are beseeched. Lessons have been learned. Changes will take place. A heart is drawn even closer to the God of love and mercy. A renewed desire to walk closer to the Lord takes place.

 

This is seen in the story of the prodigal. Life got so desperate for that rebellious kid that he desired what the pigs were eating. He came to his senses. Godly sorrow. He decided to go home and apologize. Repentance. He said, “…I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight.” No excuses. No fingers pointing to anyone else. A broken heart that wants to be loved and mended by God. His father accepted him. There was a celebration. A feast. Music and dancing were heard coming from the house. But what about the next day? The party was over. The food was eaten. Now what? The obnoxious brother was still obnoxious. The father wasn’t changing any of the rules to keep the prodigal home. What was expected of the prodigal didn’t change. One thing changed. The heart of the prodigal. He was different. He had repented. He saw things differently now. He was a new person.

 

Had he come home with a “I’m sorry,” but no change in his heart, it would only be a matter of time until he hit the road again. What changed was his view of things. What changed was his view of self. Godly sorrow leads one to God.

 

In a perfect world, we would never do anything wrong. The world is not perfect and neither are we. We sin. Hiding the fact, blaming others, and waiting for someone to demand an apology, is what the world does. Their sorrow leads to death. The death is the death of their heart and soul. Judas seemed to be sorry that he betrayed Jesus. He returned the money. His sorrow did not lead him closer to God. He took his life. Sorrow of the world leads to death—physically, emotionally and especially spiritually.

 

It’s great to recognize that you have done wrong. It’s important to understand that others have been hurt by you. Now, when you say, “I’m sorry,” what are you doing with that? Are you making changes? Are you better because of this? Are you closer to God? Are you showing that you mean what you say? Or, is this just a quick band aid to cover up a deeper problem? Is this being said, only to keep the job, the marriage, and to hold off any embarrassment or consequences that may come your way?

 

I’m sorry—are you? What are you going to do with that now?

 

Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow—they can say the exact same words, “I’m sorry.” But the intent, purpose and aftermath is totally different. One is driven by the need to be right with God, the other is driven by the fact that one wants to save face. One is more concerned about God than anything else. The other is concerned about self more than anything else.

 

I’m sorry…give that some thought!

 

Roger

 

13

Jump Start # 1954

Posted on October 13, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1954

Psalms 37:23 “The steps of a man are established by the Lord; and He delights in his ways.”

 

The King James Version adds a word in this passage. I believe the word is necessary and defines an important thought for us. In the KJV, the passage reads, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…” It’s not any man or every man, but a good man. The ending of this verse helps us to see that. There it says, “He delights in his ways.” He and his. It’s important to know who the He is and who the his is. He is God. His, is the good man. God delights in the steps of a good man. God doesn’t delight in the steps of every man. Some steps are in sin. Some steps are in the opposite direction of the Lord. God delights in righteousness. The steps of a good man are the steps laid out by the Lord. They are “established,” or, “ordered,” by the Lord.

 

Many powerful thoughts for us:

 

First, there is a way that God wants us to walk in. There are steps to be taken. This journey is illustrated throughout the Bible. We are to walk by faith. We are to walk in the light. We are to imitate God. We are to be perfect as He is perfect. We are forgive as He has forgiven us. We are conformed to the image of Jesus. He leads us to green pastures and calm waters. He leads, we follow. God has not left us on our own to find Him. We probably couldn’t do it on our own. The life that God wants us to live is not fluid, changing and evolving. It’s not different for each person. It’s not different for each generation. The steps of a good man are established by the Lord. They are set. God has determined this way. I am the Way, Jesus said. It’s a matter of following the Lord. It comes down to obeying the Lord. My form of Christianity shouldn’t be any different than yours. Saying, “I believe differently than you do,” is no ok. It’s not my way nor your way. It’s not how I see it or how you see it. It’s not how I think it ought to be, nor, how you think it ought to be. God has established a path and we are to follow that. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. They are established. The path has been made. God made it. We are not trail blazers for the Lord. We are not cutting new roads in the wilderness, as the pioneers did. We are following what is already there. We are following the Lord.

 

Second, the basis of being good is following the Lord. We miss that today. We call anyone who is nice to us, “good.” He’s a good neighbor. He’s a good friend. He’s a good person. Our definition of goodness is kindness, niceness and has very little to do with faith and God. People are called “good,” who never go to worship. And, so, in their thinking, How could God send good people to Hell? That’s troubling for them. It doesn’t make sense to them. But they have begun with an assumption that doesn’t stand. They are calling people “good” who are not following the Lord. They are not walking in the way that God has established. We call them “good,” but does God? As our verse ends, does God delight in those who are lawless or indifferent to Him. They may want to worship God, but it’s the way that they want to worship. They may want to do things that God doesn’t like. They are not content to walk on the path that God established. Goodness is for those who bring God delight. This is done by walking in the way God has established. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.

 

Third, the steps of a good man, one who is walking with the Lord, leaves footprints for others to follow. This is important to me. You and I are leaving impressions, examples and footprints for others. I knew a man who left one congregation for another one. He had worshipped at the first congregation for several years. He left. He wasn’t happy. Knowing this person and knowing that church, I ask, “What good did he do while he was there?” What impressions did he leave? How did he help the church? And the answer to those questions are “nothing.” He brought nothing. He added nothing. He did nothing. He never got involved. He never had folks in his home. He never invited others. He came once in a while when he felt like it. He never got close or connected to others. His leaving wasn’t a surprise, and what’s worse, his departure wasn’t felt. He, like the one talent man in Matthew 25, did nothing.

 

That is concerning and disturbing to me. One doesn’t have to do public things to leave footprints of encouragement, hope and love. One ought to be missed when they are no longer there. Some have the concept of worship, like going to a movie. I pay to go to a movie. I hope no one sits next to me. When I’m done, I leave and I don’t talk to anyone. I’m there just for the movie. I have been to some movies where I am the only one in the entire room. That’s not the way worship should be. That’s not our view of church. We connect. We give. We share. We serve. We help. We leave footprints. We leave examples.

 

The good man who has been walking with the Lord not only brings delight to God, as our passage says, but he has left footprints for others to follow. People will know that a good man has been here. Some can just light up a congregation by their warm and infectious smiles and hugs. Some are that solid rock. They are calm when everyone else is unsure. They always seem to know the right passage and say it in the right way. Others lead. They are very visible. Some are the backbone. Steady. Sure. Faithful. But all of these folks, are walking in the ways of the Lord. All of them have mastered that concept of being a servant. All of them are leaving footprints. One could tell that a good man has been here.

 

That brings us to us. Am I living that way? Do I have the connections, the influence and the heart that others see the footprints I am leaving? Or, is it possible, I could leave and someone would ask, “What did he ever do for the church?”

 

Finally, the steps of a good man brings joy to God. Here is a man who sees through the clutter of the world and the call to be unique, different and selfish, and he simply follows the steps of the Lord. Where the steps of the Lord take him, is where he will go. He follows the Lord. His steps are established. His steps are ordered. This journey not only pleases God, but it adds value and hope to a broken world. This journey ends not at death, but in the presence of God. Here is a person who the Lord says, “Well, done.” Here is one, like Paul, who finishes the course and keeps the faith. More money could have been made had he been dishonest. But he chose to walk with the Lord. He could have spent his Sundays on the golf course or out boating, but he chose to spend it with God’s people in worship of the Lord. He has not promoted himself. He has not closed his heart to others. He has opened his home, his wallet, his schedule and his heart for others. He has put the kingdom before himself. He has followed the Lord. His life has not been perfect nor without mistakes and sins. But he tries with all that is in him to please the Lord. More than anything else, he wants to be in Heaven with God.

 

God delights in such a good man. He has decided to follow the Lord. What a wonderful life that has been. He has been blessed. And, when he leaves this place, his departure will be noticed and felt by other good people. The ways of the Lord are right and he has given his life to please the Lord.

 

The steps of a good man…

 

Roger

 

12

Jump Start # 1953

Posted on October 12, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1953

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

This week we have been talking about balance. We understand this in other areas of our life. When our tires are out of balance, it sure makes the journey bumpy. We balance our checkbooks. We try to have a balanced diet. We juggle and balance our schedules, running kids to practice, the dog to the vet and picking up a few groceries on the way home. Balance is important in life.

 

There are areas of spiritual balance that are important. Let me share a few with you.

 

Balance in preaching. This is important for us preachers to get. Some do better than others with this. First, there is the balance with what we preach and teach. Not just negative and positive, which is important but the very topics we bring to the pulpit. We need to preach what is needed for that audience. Jesus always did that. It’s easy to spend 26 weeks preaching about the family. But there’s more to our journey than just family. There are some folks in the pews who have no family. Talking about the church is essential, but not all the time. We need Jesus, that’s for certain, but there are still other things. Explain the text. Answer common questions. Persuade men. Balance in what you are preaching. Make it useful, practical, relevant and helpful. Sermons are more than college lectures. They are faith building. They are leading people to a better understanding about Christ. You are moving people to be closer to the Lord.

 

Second, with preachers, is the balance between studying and being with people. That’s a hard one. This one brings grief and guilt to most of us. Too much time in the books and we don’t know the people and our lessons may be out of touch with what is going on in their lives. Too much time with the people and our sermons suffer. They lack substance and depth. It’s a balance. Being with people and being with the Word of God. Some like to study more than they like being with people. For others, it’s just the opposite. It’s not a choice, it’s a balance.

 

Balance among shepherds. Paul told the elders at Ephesus to “be on guard for yourselves and for the flock…” Be on guard. For yourselves and for the flock—there is a balance concept found in that. Shepherds have to balance their work. All planning for the future may miss some things that need their attention right now. Only working with problems will miss those that do not have problems but still need to be fed, led and encouraged. Balance in their approach with the flock. They don’t want to come across as the mean and bad guys. They are shepherds who are to be loved, trusted and followed.

 

Balance in our work as a church. It’s easy to focus only on evangelism. Seek and save the lost. Very important. But if the new Christian isn’t developed and taught, he may immediately return back to the world. Encouragement is important. It’s one way we strengthen one another. But encouragement only, will not save the lost. They need to be taught. Balance. Balance in what we do. Balance in our time. Balance in our focus.

 

It would be wonderful if the Lord just gave us weekly schedules. Pray for these people on Monday. On Tuesday do this. Preacher, here is your topic for Sunday. Elders, here is what you need to do this week. Oh, life would be simple if we just had it all printed out, nice and neat. But life isn’t like that. Things happen. Some things need attention immediately. Some problems pull all of our resources and energy. The key to balance is to always be looking at what you are doing. Make adjustments, just like you do when you are driving down the highway. Your car drifts a little to the right, so you turn your steering wheel a bit to the left. Too much, and you must make adjustments the other way. We do this because we are always looking at the road. Our eyes are on the road. It’s the distracted driver that drifts across the center line and has a crash. So, you are I are always looking at what we are doing. Maybe, Mr. Preacher, you have been out too many nights lately and you need to spend some time with the family at home. Adjustment. Maybe you’ve been preaching a lot on problems. Working on those things pretty hard. Maybe it’s time for an adjustment. Elders will look at what has been taught. Maybe a lot of topics lately and we need to get back to some textual studies. Adjustments.

 

Balance—we need this in our lives. We can tell when we feel like we are drifting from God or each other. It’s time for some adjustments. We know when we feel a bit distant from our spouse. Adjustment time. We know when we feel a bit out of touch with the church. Adjustments. A little to the left and a little to right to keep us going in the right direction. Our work is not just in one sphere. Our efforts are not just in one place. Balance. It’s hard to keep that balance.

 

This is a life long endeavor. The more hats you wear and the more you take on, the harder it is to keep balanced. It can be done, it just takes some effort.

 

Keep your eyes on the road. See where you are going. Make adjustments to keep you going in the right direction.

 

Roger

 

11

Jump Start # 1952

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1952

James 2:14 “What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has not works? Can that faith save him?

Balance—that’s what we have been looking at this week. Balance in our thinking about who we are. Balance in what we know and what we do. Continuing with that we come to one of the largest discussions involving balance and that is faith and works.

 

The very mention of works, to some is like finding a snake in your yard. They run screaming. Since the days of the reformation when theologians were combatting the Catholic concept of doing good deeds to earn a right into Heaven, they turned the other way and went too far. From those reforms came a belief that one can be saved solely on faith and that anything done, anything, would be considered works. This idea caught hold and is believed to this day. It is believed that faith only is the way a person is saved. So, troublesome was James 2, a chapter about works, that some questioned whether it really belonged in the Bible.

 

Notice some faith-works thoughts from James 2:

 

  • Faith if it has no deeds is dead (17)
  • Faith without deeds is useless (20)
  • Man is justified by deeds and not by faith alone (24)
  • Faith without works is dead (26)

 

Our verse asks, can faith without works save a person? James asks, “show me your faith without your works?” That can’t be done. Live a good moral life, you have just shown works. Worship God, you have shown works. Talk honestly and decently? You have just shown works. Faith by it’s very definition is meant to lead to action. If I believe, I will obey. Noah believed that there was going to be a flood. His faith moved him to obey God and build the ark. Hebrews 11 says, “by faith Noah…prepared the ark.” Noah’s faith led to actions. The same is true of all the Hebrew 11 heroes. Faith leads to doing what God says.

 

To say a person believes, but his life is not changed, improved nor obedient to God, really brings question about his belief. The greatest balance concept in the N.T. is faith and works. Both are needed. Works without faith doesn’t exist. Why would someone do what God says unless he first believes? But to have faith without works gives us a person who is unchanged by the Gospel message.

 

Which is more important, faith or works? Both are equal. It starts with faith. Faith is first. From that faith, a person becomes what God wants. Because of that faith a person obeys, worships, and is busy in the kingdom. God wants His people busy in the kingdom. The kingdom grows because of God’s people who are busy doing what He says. A full church house on Sunday is great. But if that large crowd is unwilling to take what they learn and use it, what good is that? Faith needs works. Works is nothing more than faith in action.

 

The greater our faith, the more we will put the kingdom first in our lives. The greater the faith the more we will be involved and engaged in teaching, encouraging and helping others. When people ask, “How much should I give on Sunday?” The answer is based upon faith. The greater the faith, the more you will want to give. The more you believe the more you want to back what is being done. This is true of many aspects of our Christian life. How often should I attend worship? The greater the faith, the more a person will do all that he can to be at every service. He sees the value of worship. He understands that it’s not just a time to praise God, but it’s a moment to encourage each other, strengthen that faith and fellowship like believers. How often should I pray? The answer is based upon faith. The more you believe, the more you want to talk to God. The more you believe the more you will include God in your life. As your faith grows, you will be more thankful. As your faith increases, you’ll seek God’s help more and more in your life.

 

All of these things grow out of our faith. But to have a faith and it doesn’t change me, or move me closer to God is not really a faith at all. It might be knowledge or understanding, but not real faith. James repeatedly says, faith without works is dead. Our verse, can faith without works save a person? What would that look like? Here is a guy who says he believes, he claims he has faith. Look at his life. That’s what James is asking us to do. What do you see? He doesn’t worship with God’s people. His habits and lifestyle is sinful. He is not pure, righteous, nor walking by faith. He never prays. He doesn’t read the Bible. His language is crude and offensive. He is selfish, mean spirited and worldly. Spiritual thoughts never cross his mind. He never thinks about the church. His life hasn’t improved at all. Jesus doesn’t mean much to him. But when he dies, his family will insist that he was a believer and that he is in Heaven. They’ll find a preacher that agrees. James simply asks, “can that faith save him?” I’d take it a step further and wonder, did he even believe? What would be the evidence? Where’s the proof?

 

It’s similar to a man who claims he loves his wife, but he runs around on her. He is unfaithful. He embarrasses her. He never does what she wants. He insults her. Now, he may say he loves her, but his actions do not show that. This is what James is driving at. Balance. Do our actions show that we believe? Preachers used to say, “Does your walk match your talk?”

 

If I have faith, it will do something to me. We walk by faith. We walk in the light. We walk in love. All of those principles are born from a heart that believes. Balance. Will a person go to Heaven because he worships, is kind and watches what he says? No. A person is saved by faith. It is faith that saves us. That faith will lead to changes. Just as the reformers parked at faith only, we can park at works only. Both are wrong. Balance. Drop the “only” part. Faith and works. I am saved by faith. My faith is known and illustrated by what I do. Why I do what I do, is because of what I believe and who I am.

 

Faith and works…together and in the proper order!

 

Roger