31

Jump Start # 2274

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2274

Philippians 2:27 “For he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.”

 

I know several brethren throughout the country who are dealing with cancer. Prayers are going up for them daily. I know that, because I’m one of those who are lifting their names to Heaven. Long term illnesses are hard. It’s hard on the body, the finances, the family who takes care of the person, and it’s hard on our faith. Unlike the flu, cancer and heart disease doesn’t pass and get better after a few days in bed. It stays. It changes lifestyles and it makes us reschedule our schedule. Doctor appointments and treatments become a monthly, if not weekly routine. And, for the child of God, he misses services. That’s one of the hardest parts of dealing with long term illnesses.

 

Our verse today surrounds Epaphroditus, one of Paul’s dear preaching companions. He was sick. He was very sick. He was at the point of death. In that condition, he couldn’t travel for Paul. He couldn’t preach. He couldn’t do all the wonderful things that he had been doing. He likely was in bed. That’s not a stretch when you understand he was at the point of death. Weak. Sickly. And, rather than helping others, he was in need of help. Others had to come help him.

 

Epaphroditus got better. Prayers were answered. Paul’s words are, “God had mercy on him.” Paul attributed his recovery not to chicken soup or medicine, but God. My dear mother lingered for weeks before she finally passed through the door of death into the next room. She was ready. We were ready. It’s hard to watch a person just slowly slipping away but they hang on.

 

Here are some things I’d like to share with you:

 

First, God knows. God understands that you can’t be at services. Sometimes brethren don’t understand or even have a caring heart, but the Lord does. Which is better, sitting around a sick loved one, praying and reaching to Heaven, or sitting in a church building with your mind a thousand other places? Sometimes folks who have never been around cancer do not understand that it’s a journey, a long one. For some, there is recovery and remission. That’s a time for thanksgiving and praise to God. For others, the journey ends with Hospice and making funeral arrangements.

 

Second, looking backwards doesn’t help much. We always want to know why. Why did this person get cancer? For some, the answer is obvious. Take a guy who has smoked heavily his entire life. He gets lung cancer. That’s pretty obvious. But what about the guy who never smoked and he gets lung cancer? I know of such cases. What about the person who really was picky about what he ate, exercised regularly, yet still had by-pass surgery? Genetics may play a big role. Mostly, we live in a world that is broken and it doesn’t always makes sense. I suppose it gives us some rest in our minds if we knew the “why?” But usually we don’t. I doubt that Job ever knew.

 

Third, when people do not feel well, patience can run thin and feelings can become sharp. It’s hard on the family who for days after days sits and cares for the loved one who is ill. They get tired. They have to juggle being with the sick one and continuing on with the world. There are jobs that demand us. There are bills that must be paid. There are kids, church, and a zillion other things that go on, even though the world seems to have stopped for the one lying in bed. Things can be said that shouldn’t be, but weariness and stress can make us impatient and short with one another. Often with an aging parent, there is a child near by who has been there all along and a child who lives away comes in for a couple of days for a quick visit. A war among the siblings can take place because one feels the burden of the daily care and the other hasn’t been there. Those bad feelings only make matters worse.

 

Fourth, our privacy, pride and self-reliance makes it difficult for us to reach out to others for help, but we ought to. Especially, to the church. Have someone come and sit while you get out, run some errands and get a break. So often, folks at church want to do something, but they don’t know what. Be specific about what you need and what works. Not everyone can do this and you have to recognize this. Some talk loud and long and that can make the ill person even worse. Some don’t recognize how long they have stayed and they can make others weary because they stay and stay and stay. We have to appreciate the privacy of others. Some just do not want others doing their laundry. Respect that. Some are very picky when it comes to what they can eat. Respect that. When we do not respect that and we force our way into the lives of others, it can hurt them more than it helps them. Ask, first. Ask if you can clean the house for them. Ask, if you can bring some food. Ask, if you can run errands for them. Don’t be offended if they say “no.” Some people are very private.

 

Fifth, be careful about asking too many questions. It was announced that someone was having surgery. After services the poor soul must have told the same thing over and over and over. I felt sorry for the person. It made me weary just watching. I know people mean well. And, people care. And, people want to pray. But our curiosity can get the best of us. We want to know what it is you have, what doctor you are seeing, what treatment plans you are following, how long you have known about this. We mean well, but I wonder if a person ought to just bring in his medical charts and spread them out on the Lord’s Supper table so everyone can go around and analyze them. Be careful about being too noisy and be respectful of the person. Remember the golden rule. How would you want others to treat you?

 

Sixth, our verse takes us back to God, where we always need to be. Years ago we had a sister in the congregation who was going to have a serious brain surgery. I remember preaching a lesson about that and then having a special prayer service just for her. It was a serious operation. The Lord had mercy on her. Doctors, tests and labs are limited. God is not. There is only so much that the medical staff can see and treat. Not God. So, first, always and last, prayers must be offered. Sometimes a family struggles spiritually. They have questions. Sometimes their faith slips because they have missed so many services being with the sick family member. Do some special things that will help their faith. Maybe some folks can come by and sing some hymns. Maybe a personal Bible study. Maybe sitting with the sick one so the family can go to worship. Maybe bringing some of the class papers from a Bible study and keeping them up with what’s going on. Sharing a bulletin so they don’t feel so out of touch. If the congregation has video streaming, help them get that set up. Many do not know how to do that. Letting the family know that you are thinking of them and praying for them is wonderful.

 

I remember my dear mom keeping every one of her cards that were mailed to her. She’d have me go through and count for her. She received over a thousand cards. I know that because I counted them over and over for her. I read and re-read many of those cards to her. She’d just look at the pictures on the cards and those little acts of kindness touched her heart so much. Remember that. You don’t have to write much. It’s the thought, the effort and the heart behind all of this that matters. Those cards meant a lot to me. It reminded me that there were a whole army of family and brethren who were behind us and hoping the best for us. Knowing you are not alone means so much.

 

Epaphroditus was sick to the point of death. God had mercy on him.

 

Roger

 

30

Jump Start # 2273

Posted on January 30, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2273

2 Peter 3:15-16 “and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,  as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.”

Our verse today contains layers and layers of lessons. Great lessons. Lessons that we need to learn and take to heart. But our attention is drawn to the little expression, “the rest of the Scriptures.”

In the original language, the word scripture simply means writings. It comes from a word where we get the concept of “graphics.” However, this word ‘Scripture’ has a limited and specific use in the Bible. It is used exclusively of God’s writings, the Bible. So, when Paul said, “All scripture is inspired of God…” he was not talking about all the writings in the world, but only God’s writings. The Bible mentions poets and the book of Jashar. Those writings were not from God. They are not “scripture.” The questions that the Corinthians sent to Paul were not from God. They were not “scripture.” Scripture is what God inspired and the Holy Spirit revealed.

Critics of the Bible like to claim that the Bible is an edited version of common myths and stories that were floating around long ago. They like to point out that many cultures have a flood story. So, what’s in our Bibles, they tell us, was just collected, cleaned up, edited and nothing more than the fictitious stories of ancient man. Further, critics love to claim that there were several ancient books written around the same time. A council of scholars, many years later, after much debate, voted upon which books ought to be in the Bible and which ones shouldn’t. From this, they conclude that the church produced the Bible and the only reason some books are in there is because of a vote.

When faced with these claims, many believers shudder. They don’t know what to say, nor how to answer such charges. If the Bible is not from God, the next thought is, how do we know there is a God? Critics are ready to sweep both the Bible and God out of modern thought and modern lives. They feel we would be much better off without such foolishness. And, as former Beatle John Lennon sang, “Imagine there is no Heaven, above us only sky.” That is the wish of secular fools.

So, let’s dive into this. Heavy stuff for a Jump Start, but I hope useful, practical and faith building.

First, it is true that a Catholic council voted upon what books ought to be included in the Bible. No denying what happened in history. But, what is not told, nor mentioned is our verse. Long before the fourth century councils, current writings were classified as “Scripture.” That special word that is used only of God’s writings. Our verse links Paul’s writings with “the rest of the Scriptures.” Paul’s writings were considered Scriptures. This is long before the councils held their vote. The councils didn’t give us the Bible, God did. The church didn’t produce the Bible, God did. Peter told his readers that Paul’s letters were Scripture. Paul’s letters were God’s writings. Even before the first century came to a end, that designation and classification was made. It was made without a vote. It was made without the decisions of man. It was made as soon as the ink was put on the paper.

On the road of Emmaus, Jesus explained His mission using the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. Those were considered God’s words. When the Sadducees tested Jesus with a hypothetical situation about marriage and resurrection, Jesus said, “You are mistaken not understanding the Scriptures…” There is that word again. Jesus then quotes from Exodus, which He used as Scripture. Exodus was God’s writings. When the Pharisees questioned Jesus about divorce, Jesus said, “Have you not read,” and then He quotes from Genesis. That was considered Scripture. When tempted by Satan, Jesus three times said, “It is written,” and then quotes Deuteronomy.

It seems as the Bible was being written, it was understood and accepted as being from God.

Second, because there are many flood stories in different cultures does not mean the Bible story is the final edited version of all of those. It may have been just the opposite. Because there really was a flood, as man spread out, the story was carried from place to place.

Third, critics stumble with an answer as to how the Bible is accurate with sciences before those discoveries were known and with geography and history. And just how is it that the Bible has such a power over people. We have Bible apps on our phone. We stay up late at night to read the Bible. We read the Bible every day. People have changed their lives because of the words found in the Bible. It has given hope when all hope was lost. It has led to forgiveness and reconciliation when all other efforts failed. It has brought prodigals home and dried tears after a funeral. No other book sells as much as the Bible does. No other book has had such an impact upon the history of the world as the Bible has. If the Bible is a collection of man’s writings, why are there no other books that even come close to what the Bible is like?

It’s old, but it’s practical and relevant to our times and this culture. It’s understandable. It’s enjoyable. It’s useful. It never changes. It worked for the folks in the medieval ages. It worked during the dark days of Hitler. It comforted us on 9-11. It will be there for us tomorrow.

Critics would love to have every page removed from our reading, but that will never happen. God won’t allow that. There was a time when few people could read the Bible. It was translated into the common languages of the day. There was a time when the Bible was forbidden, yet people produced it. Some gave their lives to translate, circulate and produce the Bible.

Scriptures—a powerful word. A word and a concept that we must demand be found in our sermons. A word and a concept that must be found in our homes. A word and a concept that must dwell in our hearts.

God’s writings. From Heaven to you, that’s what the Bible is.

Roger

29

Jump Start # 2272

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2272

1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.”

 

Peter’s words in our verse is a good reminder to us that we don’t fit in here and that folks do things differently than we do. But this is nothing new. It’s always been that with the people of God. For instance:

 

  • In Egyptian culture, the river, moon and harvest represented gods that were worshipped. The leaders of society buried with them treasures that they believed they could use in the next life. All of this was different from the culture of Israel’s one God.

 

  • In Babylonian culture, public worship of idols was required and laws were written that put the people of God in difficult situations.

 

  • In Roman culture, the dead emperors were worshipped as gods and later on, even some of the living ones claimed to be gods.

 

And, today, in our culture, sexual immorality is accepted as normal. Climate changers are predicting the end of life within a few years. Tolerance of all things radical and extreme is expected and the acceptance of the Bible as the inspired word of God is flatly denied and renounced. Evolution is in and mocking Christian values is standard.

 

Our times are not that much different than others. The fact that God’s people do not fit in is nothing new. The very definition of “Holy” means to be separate or set apart. Separate from what? From what is around us.

 

So, there are some lessons for us:

 

First, we ought to find great help and examples as we read about the people of God during these difficult times. We see that some suffered. We see that they stood their ground. These examples ought to inspire us, help us and encourage us to stand with God.

 

Second, what the people of God did during those difficult times was to continue to be faithful to God and try to show others the better way. You don’t read about written campaigns, protest marches, running for office or demanding that their voice be heard. When Peter was told that he could no longer preach Jesus, his reply was that we can’t but help preaching and teaching Jesus. He didn’t run to the courts. He didn’t file lawsuits. He didn’t play the victim. He simply continued to preach Jesus. When Paul was dragged literally out of a town and then stoned nearly to death, he got up and went back into that town. The people of God didn’t make a lot of noise, they simply continued to worship God as the Lord directed them.

 

Third, there is a lot of hype and noise that some make but there isn’t much substance to what they are saying. One must wonder if some of this is a stunt to keep their name before the public eye. Screaming at someone doesn’t put proof on your side. Evidence lacking, fear rising, some will go to extreme measures simply because they have nothing else that they can do. The people of God have always had God behind them. Their proof is God. Their evidence is the Scriptures. We don’t have to have a PhD in biology to understand that evolution is false. Soft tissue found in recently discovered dinosaur bones is causing the evolutionary time table to crash. Soft tissue cannot last millions and millions of years. Back to the drawing board and new twists are being developed to justify evolution and soft tissue.

 

Fourth, the people of God are governed by rules and laws made by godless people. It’s always been that way. The Pharaohs, the kings of Babylon, the Caesars, even down to our political system, will continue to make laws that are difficult for the people of God. Pharaoh killed the babies in Moses’ time. Herod killed the babies in Jesus’ days. The Babylonian king ruled against praying. The Roman and Jewish leaders ruled against preaching the Gospel. Things can be tough, but the people of God always carry on serving the Lord.

 

We must understand that we are different. Things are different here. I remember being in a restaurant in Germany. It was a cold, rainy day. People came in with their dogs. It wasn’t seeing eye dogs nor service animals. These were just plain ole’ pets. We were trying to eat and the smell of wet dog filled the air. I remember thinking right then, “Boy, they do things differently here. We don’t do those things where we are from.” And, that’s it exactly. We don’t do those things where we are from because we are not from here.

 

The song, “This world is not my home,” is not just a pleasant thought, it’s the truth to our passage today. We are strangers and aliens here. This isn’t home. We are not citizens here. We don’t belong here. So, it shouldn’t shock us how crazy and nuts this world becomes. More and more people are showing that they belong here. This world is their home. And, sadly, for some, this is as close to Heaven as they will ever see. And, what they are seeing is a distorted and blurred picture. But for the people of God, this world is as much of Hell as they will ever see.

 

Our focus must be upon the eternal. For Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, all she had to do was click those ruby slippers three times and say, “there’s no place like home.” It took her back to her black and white Kansas farm house. For us, there is no magical clicking of our shoes. For us, it’s walking by faith, trusting the Lord and longing for that Heavenly home.

 

This world is not our home. Aren’t you glad? Can you imagine this is all that there is? Can you imagine this is as good as it gets? Craziness. Darkness. No purpose. No direction. And, for most, no God.

 

But thanks be to God for the incredible gift. The gift of salvation! Believe it. Live it. Share it. Don’t hide it.

 

Roger

 

28

Jump Start # 2271

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2271

Proverbs 12:18 “There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

I’ve been reading a book about the reformer Martin Luther. I have a whole collection of books about him. He understood the use of the printed word and his courage before a powerful political and religious system, the Catholic church, is impressive knowing that his literal life could be taken. Those who were labeled heretics before him were burned at the stake and their stories so twisted that few would remember them afterwards. This is what Luther faced. He knew once he crossed the verbal bridge of condemning the pope and the councils authority, there was no going back. He would have to face come what may and most likely it wouldn’t be pretty.

 

Courage built upon faith is what enabled Elijah to stand before the prophets of Baal and Jezebel. It’s the same that allowed our Lord to face Calvary. It’s the same that allowed Paul to face Agrippa. And, without realizing it, it becomes the same for you and I.

 

Our verse today surrounds several contrasts.

 

First, there is one who is speaking rashly as opposed to one who is thinking before he speaks. The rash speaking is compared to the thrusts of a sword. This seems to be our culture today. Saying anything and then apologizing later. Saying things that are not true. Jumping to conclusions before the facts are gathered. Saying offensive things. Speaking rashly, emotionally, putting the heart before the brain, hurts.

 

Second, there is the wounds of the rashly speaking in contrasts to the healing words of things that are thought out. The end of a conversation with someone speaking rashly results in one who is upset, hurt, angry and ready to roll up the sleeves in a fight. The end of a conversation with healing words results in hugs, handshakes, hearts that are together, friendships built. One leaves talking to a rash person feeling worse. One leaves talking with someone who offers healing words feeling better.

 

Third, there is the contrast between the wise and the fool. The word fool is not specifically stated, but it is definitely in the air and implied. The tongue of the wise brings healing. What is the tongue of the rash? What are the thrusts of swords? Those come from a fool. He doesn’t think. He just speaks his mind. He doesn’t understand that some things should not be said. He doesn’t know how to say tough things in a kind way. He lets the chips fly and what a mess he creates. He is a fool because he doesn’t think. He doesn’t use restraints. He doesn’t consider how his words might be received. He doesn’t realize that he could offend.

 

Fourth, there is the contrasts in purpose. The wise wants to make things better. He brings words of healing. Sometimes to heal, involves pain. Sometimes a surgery is necessary to get better. The surgery hurts, but it brings healing. The wise isn’t hiding the truth. The wise isn’t saying things just to make the other person feel better. The wise isn’t saying what the other wants to hear. He is speaking words that will heal. The fool doesn’t think about the other person. He just talks. He speaks his empty mind and shallow heart and gives no consideration to influence, truth or how his words may be received.

 

There are times when courage must stand upon faith and speak. This verse tempers us. It reminds us that we are not going to thrust our swords in the air. But with careful thought, prayerful choice of words, we will speak. To be silent, Lincoln once said, is to be a coward.

 

The wise person considers the settings, the circumstances and the nature of the person he is trying to heal. It doesn’t do much good to get into an argument with a fool. You will accomplish very little and it only raises your blood pressure.

 

The wise person doesn’t invite himself where he is not welcome. Some arguments and debates do not include us. You do not have to attend every disagreement that you are invited to.

 

The wise person not only is thinking about how he can help the situation, that’s where the healing comes in, but he also considers what this will do to him personally. Will this upset him so much that he becomes shaken, set back and filled with anxiety? Will it harm him spiritually?

 

All of this leads to a new arena of discussions, the internet. Someone sends you a post to read. You decide to read some of the comments. You have just walked into a war. Idiots, fools, unprincipled people, vulgar minds fill the comment boxes. Back and forth these exchanges go. Blasphemous things are said about the Lord. The Bible is ridiculed. After a few of those comments, you are ready to pick up your sword and enter the battle. You are going to set these people straight. You are going to defend the truth. With a few quick strokes of your keyboard, you have now been pulled into a battle that finds people making fun of you, cursing you and calling you names. The sword swipes are numerous. And now you wish you never entered but feel you can’t leave. This exchange makes you weary and angry. It leaves you disappointed and disillusioned in your fellow man. You find hatred, racism, arrogance, and ignorance all together and all aimed at you.

 

Solomon tells us that there is at time to speak and a time to be silent. Knowing the audience. Knowing how honest people are in asking questions. Knowing how profitable and helpful a discussion would be makes all the difference.

 

I love Luther and I love courage standing upon faith. However, there are times and there are places where fools speak rashly and thrust swords that wound. The fool speaks more than he listens. The fool isn’t interested in hearing what you say. The fool is impatient. And, in those settings, much like our Lord before His accusers, there is a time simply to be silent.

 

Find ways to use your words today to heal. Taking people to Jesus is always the best thing to do.

 

Roger

 

25

Jump Start # 2270

Posted on January 25, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2270

John 6:38 “For I have come down from Heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”

I have a great friend named Steve. He’s a concrete guy. Big as a bear but the heart of child. Kind, generous, friendly and he sure adores me as a preacher. We both love sports. We don’t like any of the same teams. In baseball, he’s a St. Louis fan. I’m Dodger blue. In basketball, he’s IU. I’m Purdue. But we both have a love of the game and we enjoy going to games. Every basketball season we go to one IU game together. I have two preacher friends from out of state who come in just for this. We have a tradition. We love it. We start by going to a steak house in Bloomington. We eat like there is no tomorrow. Sirloin for two is one of the menu items and me and one of my preacher friends inhale that until there’s nothing left but to lick the plate. Then on to the campus bookstore to look for shirts and gear. On to the game and on the way home we hit a small all night donut shop in Salem. Steaks, basketball and donuts—and we are like little kids on Christmas morning. Just the four of us and it’s one of our greatest highlights of the year.

 

Big Steve knows the IU arena. We have followed him through the depths of that place, me, not having a clue where we are going. We’ll walk up to closed doors, and Steve will just open them up and in we go. There have been times when security men are blocking the way, and Steve walks right past them. One time he said, “I’ve got my preachers with me,” as he pointed to us. On one of our first trips with Steve, we walked down a hallway, past security guards, turned a corner, and there we were on the basketball floor. We were standing on the floor as the teams were warming up. I thought, “we are getting kicked out of this place so fast,” but never did. There is no way I could have found the way down there and there is definitely no way I could have gotten through the crowd of people to make it to the floor. Steve did. He knows people. He knows the way. And, he just goes. I follow Steve very closely.

 

Now all of this takes us to our verse today. Jesus said, “For I have come down from Heaven.” Do you see that? That alone is one reason why we ought to follow Christ. He knows the way. He’s from there. Heaven is His home. And, that alone should put an end to all the stuff people claim about going to Heaven. They’ve never been there. They are not from there. They are not sure which way to go. They very well may be leading us down dead-end roads. Jesus knows. Heaven is His home. He’s from there.

 

So when it comes to purity, righteousness and holiness, who better understands these things than Jesus. We ought to listen to Him. This helps us to understand better why the Bible pleads for us to be like Jesus.

  • Be Holy as He is (1 Pet 1:16)
  • Be conformed to His image (Rom 8:29)
  • Forgive as He forgives (Eph 4:32)
  • Love just as Christ loved you (Eph 5:2)
  • Imitate Christ (1 Cor 11:1)
  • Have the mind of Christ in you (Phil 2:5)
  • Suffer righteously as Christ did (1 Pet 2:21)

 

Jesus knows. He’s from Heaven.

 

We start walking down hallways of life that we have never been before and we think we have all this figured out. Be good. Be kind. Once in a while volunteer somewhere. Give a few dollars to the less fortunate. All in all, you’ll be fine. Don’t gossip very much. Stay away from drugs. Love your kids. And, we think, such a good person ought to have his ticket punched for Heaven. That’s the kind of folks that will be in Heaven, we believe. Good people. No one is perfect, but we are all pretty good. It’s the child molesters, the monsters, the terrorists, they are the ones who aren’t going to make it. But the rest of us, we’d be surprised if we are not there.

 

Now, that’s how most folks see things. They walk down this hallway and then that hallway, not really knowing where they are going and just believing that sooner or later they will find the basketball court of Heaven. But truth be told, they don’t know where they are going, and worse, they don’t have a clue what they are doing. They have accepted the premise that good people go to Heaven. That’s the first wrong turn that they made. The second is that they are not following Jesus. They are trying to find their way on their own. You can’t do that with Heaven. Given enough time, you might find the basketball court at IU, but Heaven’s not like that. You’ll never make it on your own.

 

It’s not good people, but forgiven believers who make it to Heaven. Those that have given up on trying to find their own way and they simply keep close to Jesus. That’s the only hope that they have. Without Jesus, they know that they are lost and don’t know which way to turn. Jesus is from Heaven. That’s why we follow Him.

 

So, who are we going to listen to when it comes to defining success? Someone who describes it by the square footage of your house, the size of your 401, the brands and labels you wear, the places you vacation, or by the Jesus, who defines it by faith, obedience and good deeds?

 

Jesus is from Heaven. We want to go to Heaven. It makes sense that we ought to stay close to the Lord and follow Him. And one day, we’ll turn the corner and there we will be, in Heaven. We won’t say, “I knew I’d find it sooner or later.” Nope. What we’ll say is, “I couldn’t have made it without Jesus.”

 

We will be in Heaven because of Jesus.

 

Roger