08

Jump Start # 2463

Posted on November 8, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2463

Psalms 34:8 “O taste and see tha the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”

 

I have a friend who owns a ‘vette. He’s been trying to convince me that I’d look nice in one. I agree, especially a red one. It would go well with my eyes. He thinks I ought to buy one for myself. That would be sweet, but it won’t happen. There are many reasons why it won’t happen. I don’t have a place to keep it. You don’t let a corvette sit outside through Indiana winters. That would be bad. And, then there is the cost factor. The money it would take needs to be in other places.

 

Thinking about that made me realize that there are many things that will not happen. I’m in my ‘60’s and reality tells you that certain goals, dreams, wishes are just not going to happen. I once had in my mind that I’d like to own a small farm, with a tractor. That’s not going to happen. I thought at one time I’d like to be a history teacher in a small college on the East Coast. That’s not going to happen either.

 

The end of our verse today is so helpful for a person who may feel like they haven’t done much in their life. We are in Jesus Christ and we are a people who are bound for Heaven. Nothing here touches that. Nothing here equals that. Instead of holding one’s head down and feeling sorry for yourself, one needs to see the rich blessings he has in the Lord.

 

Life is full of disappointments. They often start very early in life. You don’t get the birthday or Christmas present that you really wanted. What you got was nice, but it’s not what you were hoping for. Sometimes meal time is a disappointment, especially for kids. Leftovers! But the list of disappointments grows as one ages. You didn’t make the team. The girl you like doesn’t want to go out on a date with you. You don’t get the teacher that you wanted. Later on, the job you wanted, you didn’t get. The promotion you wanted, you didn’t get. The dream house is sold before you could buy it.

 

All of us have our own disappointments. Some seem much bigger than others. I have a friend who played professional baseball. His teams never made the World Series while he was on them. That’s a disappointment I will never have nor understand. I know a couple who tried and tried to have a baby. It never happened. That’s a sadness and a disappointment that is hard to understand. I know someone whose child is in the far country. He longed to see his child come back to the Lord before he died. That didn’t happen. I know another family who no longer talks to one of their grown children. They have never seen their own grandchildren. The holidays are painful as they see families getting together, but know that won’t happen in their home. What a huge disappointment.

 

What can we learn from disappointments in life?

 

First, disappointments can turn us bitter and against other people. Jealousy is real. It can happen among brethren and it can happen within the family. Some feel as if they have been cheated in life. They feel as if they did not get what they should have. That disappointment has left a chip on their shoulders. It’s a raw feeling and they are very sensitive about those things.

 

We can’t keep disappointments from happening to us, but what we can do is keep those disappointments from ruining us and destroying our faith in the Lord.

 

Second, from our verse today, we must realize how blessed we are. God loves us, forgives us, blesses us and includes us. This world is not our home. The things of this world really do not matter. You are loved and accepted by others. You are part of God’s eternal kingdom. You have a Heavenly home awaiting you. The rest of this stuff really doesn’t matter.

 

Put this all in the proper perspective. People are people and our natures are all pretty much the same. So, a poor famer living in the 1200’s in Europe, dreamed of having his own little farm. He dreamed of having a cow and a horse. He dreamed of being able to get by on his farm and not having to work for someone else. Well, that dream never came about for him. Plagues, hard times, famines, wars all kept that dream from coming about. But if he was a believer who walked with God, his name is in the book of life. That is what matters today. One hundred years from now, if God allows this world to go on, will it matter that you owed a ’vette, had a farm, sang in a band, or million other dreams that may not come about? It won’t matter. What will matter is whether or not our names are in the book of life.

 

Third, some dreams are selfish. Some dreams are vain. Some dreams are materialistic. Some dreams, if they did come true, might ruin us spiritually. We might lose our perspective and place. We might think too highly of ourselves. We might get too big for our britches, as my grandma used to say, and get to the point where we don’t even need God. Some dreams just do not need to come true. Some dreams need to change.

 

Finally, who among us can say that they are not blessed? We are all blessed. God has treated all of us better than we deserve. Even for crushed dreams and disappointments, we are blessed. Often, our Plan A is not God’s. Paul wanted to preach in Asia. God said “No.” God sent Paul to Macedonia. Great things happened there. God had another Plan A than what Paul did. The same can happen to us. A great lesson from this is to learn to bloom where we are planted. Life doesn’t always turn out as we expected. However, what do we do with where we are? Do we continue to walk with God, glorify our Lord and be faithful to Him, or do we use disappointments as an excuse for disobeying God and not keeping our promises with him?

 

Disappointments…they will happen. What do you do with them and what do they do to you?

 

Roger

 

07

Jump Start # 2462

Posted on November 7, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2462

John 8:48 “The Jews answered and said to Him, ‘Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon.”

 

For a long time now, it is a tradition for a sports team that won the championship to visit the White House. This is true both in collegiate and professional sports. Recently, the Nationals won baseball’s World Series. The team was invited to the White House, where the president would greet them and honor their achievements. One of the Nationals players wore a red “Make America Great Again” hat that is associated with President Trump. That player has been thrashed severely on social media. Some have said that they will never be a fan of that team and of that player ever again. The ridicule has been harsh.

 

We live in times in which civil disagreement does not exist. Two cannot discuss their differences and remain kind and friendly. That doesn’t happen. If we disagree, especially politically, then name calling, character attacks, and a total disregard and disdain for that person fills the air, especially on social media.

 

What many forget is that this climate of hatred is nothing new. When Lincoln became president, he was so disrespected and hated, that most of the southern states pulled out of the union and formed their own country.

 

But way before that, we come to our verse today. The Jews hated Jesus. They twisted His words. They would not believe what He said. They tried to trip Him up and trap Him in difficult fabricated scenarios. They made up stuff. They ridiculed the followers of Jesus. And, in our verse today, they discredited Jesus by name calling.

 

Our verse today identifies two harsh and painful things said to Jesus. They said He had a demon, which implied that He was controlled by Satan and not God. He couldn’t be trusted, because He had a demon. He would likely do anything. In Mark 5, the demon possessed man was chained in a cemetery. He broke the chains and was a frightful terror to everyone. This is the likes that they put Jesus with. They didn’t see any good that He was doing. They didn’t see any truth to what He was saying. He was possessed.

 

But the most powerful and prejudicial attack was calling Jesus a “Samaritan.” That word was extremely racial. Samaritans weren’t true Jews. The Jews would have nothing to do with Samaritans. History tells us that most times, Jews would go around Samaria and not through it. If Jesus were a Samaritan, then the prophecies would not be about Him. If He was a Samaritan, He didn’t belong in Jerusalem. He ought to go back to “his people” and live in Samaria. There is no way the Messiah would be a Samaritan.

 

Maybe this was said because Jesus actually went to Samaria. While there He talked to the woman at the well. Jesus made a Samaritan the hero of one of the parables. We call it “The Parable of the Good Samaritan.” But likely, this is not where the Jews were reaching to call Jesus this term. They understood how just mentioning that word would set others off. They knew it was a “flame thrower” expression. We have certain racial words like that. They should never be said, under any circumstances. And, when they are, especially by public officials, it’s the death of their career. Calling Jesus a Samaritan was the same thing. They hoped it would be the end of “His career.” They hoped that people would walk away from Him.

 

Here are some thoughts:

 

First, name calling and belittling someone is cheap and childish. I have attended debates before where I sided more with the guy that I disagreed with doctrinally because the man speaking the truth was name calling, attacking the character and ridiculing the person as a means to score points. It didn’t work for me. You can say Jesus was a Samaritan, but that is not factual. His mother was a Jew. His step father was a Jew. His true Father is God. He was not born in Samaria. He did not grow up in Samaria. His disciples were not from Samaria. Throwing darts without any evidence, proof or support eventually makes you look bad.

 

Second, our spirit, language, tone and attitude has a lot to do with whether the discussion becomes heated or calm. Differences ought to be discussed. No one holds the market on truth other than God. It takes two people to have an argument. If someone is getting louder and meaner, then it is a good time to break up the conversation until everyone can calm down. Look at facts. Don’t quote what others have said. Do your homework. Truth has nothing to fear.

 

Third, there is a time to be silent. Before Herod, Jesus was silent. Many times before Pilate, Jesus was silent. There are times when someone is not wanting to hear what you say. There are times when every word you say will be twisted and taken out of context. It is in those settings, that it is best to be quiet. Peter tells us that Jesus left us an example of how to suffer. He didn’t respond to everything said about Him. He didn’t throw darts back. The following verse Jesus said, “I do not have a demon and I honor My Father. You dishonor Me.”

 

Fourth, how people handle disagreements says a lot about their character. Some don’t do well. They get mad. They toss every word they can think of. Some will stoop to cussing, trash talking and even doing mean and violent acts against the one they disagree with. The people of God must be different. There will always be disagreements. Husbands and wives disagree. Listen to the conversations going out the church door on Sunday morning. “Where do you want to go to eat?” A suggestion is made. The other one says, “I don’t want to go there.” Parents and teens disagree. Brethren disagree. Neighbors disagree. Politically we disagree. There are disagreements about spiritual matters. About the only way to avoid disagreements is to live by yourself in a cave. The issue is not how to avoid disagreements, but rather, how to disagree in a way that still honors God and does not disrespect the other person. Remember the person you disagree with is loved by God and Jesus died for that person.

 

You are a Samaritan. That’s about the same as saying you are a worthless idiot. That doesn’t make you right. In fact what it does is show poor judgment on your part. We are in the season of political ads on TV. Some of them are blunt, nasty and name calling. One after another and the person at home watching all of these ads has no idea if any of them are telling the truth. It leaves a sour taste in our mouth and it opens the door for us to treat others the same way.

 

No one is killed by thunder. Volume, name calling and character attacks do not prove one is right. Truth, like lightning, is precise and speaks for itself. Leave the shouting for the ballgames. Toss the ugly name calling. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

 

This ought to be true politically, religiously, and domestically.

 

Roger

 

06

Jump Start # 2461

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2461

Revelation 3:8 “I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”

Our verse today describes the church at Philadelphia. There are many things about this church we’d like to know, but we are not given those details and obviously to the Lord, those things do not matter. Who preached there? How large were they? What was their contribution? Those are the things that we ask about. The Lord saw a wonderful future for them. An open door which no one can shut, ought to be a dream for every congregation. An open door to spread the Gospel. An open door to teach and encourage others. An open door to glorify God and show the saving message of Jesus Christ.

 

Closed doors stop us. If you go to a store after closing hours, you’ll find the doors closed and locked. You can’t get in. It means you have to go home. It was a wasted trip. God closed the door to the ark. Those on the outside didn’t make it. In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, the door was closed and those foolish virgins who showed up too late were not allowed in.

 

I read a couple of statistics the other day, unrelated to each other but it caused me to wonder if we are closing the doors ourselves to the future. I saw that the average size congregation of churches of Christ is 55. Average of course means, 50% are higher than that and 50% are lower than that. But 55 is much smaller than I would have guessed. I would have thought the average would be close to 100. The other stat I saw was about the astronomical amount of student loan that college grads carry. Many are burdened for decades paying off these loans. Connected to that was the fact that 1 in 4, or 25% of those student loans was behind in payments. In comparison, less than 5% of home mortgages are behind in payment.

 

Now, connect the dots. Half the congregations number 55 or less. A large percentage of young families are tied down with student loans. What does that future look like? Small congregations with little money. That’s a closed door. No money to spread the Gospel. No money to bring preachers in. Fewer people to be teachers, fewer to develop to be shepherds. And the truth be, for some of these small congregations, every funeral makes folks wonder about the future. What does ten years look like? Who is going to be around? Who will keep the doors open? Who will be gifted enough to make wise decisions and remain true to the Lord?

 

There is nothing wrong with a small congregation. But we shouldn’t want to stay small. We should work to grow in all areas, spiritually and numerically. In some small congregations, it’s like the ole’ one room school house for Bible classes, simply because there are not enough teachers or kids. It’s easier to get weary in a small congregation because there are so few to do things, that you must always teach, or lead singing, or clean the place.

 

What’s the answer, if there is one? Here’s a few thoughts:

 

First, every congregation, big and small, ought to take a serious down the road look at themselves. We do that at home, it’s called finances. If we live paycheck to paycheck and never consider what happens the day we no longer can work, we will be in trouble. Retirement planning starts early in your career. It’s necessary. Congregations need to think about who will be the next elders. They need to look at who can be developed into being teachers and leaders in the congregation. Ten years seems to go by quickly. Just carrying on week to week, will find you in those ten years, unprepared. Good leadership and great planning looks often at that ten year projection. Adjustments will be made. Special classes will be taught. All of that is to prepare, develop and keep things going in the right direction.

 

Second, there may come a time when a congregation must seriously look at merging with another. Two congregations sized around 50 each can become one congregation of 100. But it’s more than that. It means having one church building, rather than two to heat and cool. It means having one preacher rather than two. It means having more people to help out. It means more talent.

 

Now, there are all kinds of serious things that need to be ironed about before one congregation merges with another. First, which building will be kept. This is enough to kill most congregations coming together. Many are in favor of merging, but they want you to come to where they are. Pride, history, ancestry must be tossed aside in favor of what’s best for the Lord’s work and best for the kingdom. When two congregations merge, you don’t won’t a congregation within a congregation. You want them blended together. So, you don’t want everyone from one congregation sitting together and those from the other congregation all sitting together. You want everyone to be one. The folks that are coming in must be accepted, loved and used.

 

So often, when two congregations merge, it’s like forcing a square peg into a round hole, and it doesn’t go well. Feeling get hurt. There never seems to be a smooth transition and after a few months, people leave. Many, many discussions need to take place. Many wrinkles need to be ironed out. With planning, and leadership it can go well. But with pride, stubbornness and anger, it will fall apart. The glory of the Lord must be kept before all people. The work is the Lord’s, not ours.

 

Third, parents need to help guide their teens into right decisions about college and debt. Helping your child from starting his career in a big financial hole is parenting. Advice them. Show them numbers. They do not have to be like everyone else their age. Guiding them into a study that has job potential is important. Helping them to understand that they are to be useful to God’s kingdom by supporting it and using their talents is part of parenting. I’ve talked to some college students and what some of them are studying as a major is odd to me. There isn’t a huge demand for degrees in ancient Roman history. I’m sure that’s fascinating but will it bring in a paycheck? And, what kind of paycheck? Or, will that person be working at Hobby Lobby and trying to pay off a student loan for the next 25 years of their life?

 

It’s time to put some thought into where we are at and where we are headed. Let’s not close doors because we have failed to look down the road.

 

Roger

 

04

Jump Start # 2459

Posted on November 4, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2459

1 Corinthians 9:27 “But I buffet my body and make it my slave, less possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.”

 

Paul’s words in our verse today are about finishing strong. He borrows illustrations from the world of sports, particularly boxing and track and field. Run in such a way, the apostle tells us twice in this context. In our verse he tells us why he does these things. These are not just lessons for others, but for himself. He was not exempt, or better than others. He had to do what we have to do. He understood, that he too, could possibly be disqualified.

 

Disqualified—not a happy word one wants to hear. Some do not qualify for a loan. Their credit score is not very good. And, that often means that they cannot buy the car or the house that they had their eyes set on. They did not qualify. In auto racing, if a car does not qualify, it is not in the race. In last year’s Kentucky Derby, the horse that crossed the finish line first was disqualified for blocking other horses. A winner in the Derby being disqualified had never happened before. Lawsuits followed. Many folks got upset.

 

But there is always another year. There is always another house. There is always another race. What Paul has in mind is missing Heaven. A person doesn’t get a second shot at that. There isn’t the expression, “There’s always next year,” for those who don’t make Heaven. It is the most important thing. All attention, all energy and all effort must be placed in making this first in our lives. This is why Paul “beat” his body. This is why he made himself the “boss” of his body.

 

A couple of thoughts:

 

First, if it was possible for Paul to miss Heaven, then it is possible for us to miss it as well. Paul was not guaranteed a free ticket to Heaven. He wasn’t a sure pick. He had to walk by faith, as we do. He had to resist temptation, as we do. He had to invite Christ into his heart, as we do. Preaching doesn’t mean you get a fast pass to the front of the line. Being an apostle did not mean that one was above sin and could do whatever he wanted.

 

One of the major reasons for the start of the reformation movement in Europe in the 1500’s was because of the scandals and abuses of the Catholic church. The reformers came from within the Catholic church. They were Catholic. Popes were fathering children. The hierarchy was corrupt. Bribes were being offered. Positions of authority were being offered for a certain price. There was very little “holiness” to it. The leaders were acting as if they were above the law and untouchable. Power seemed more important than godliness. And, that started a culture of reform that led to the protestant movement.

 

For us, elders, preachers, any of us or all of us, are to walk the same path and abide by the same principles as everyone else. No one gets a pass. No one gets to bend the rules because of who they are, how much they give, or what position they hold. If Paul could be disqualified, we could to.

 

Second, what would it be like to be disqualified, especially from Paul’s perspective? What would it be like if you lost your soul? What would it be like to be cast eternally from God’s presence? What is Hell like? Those are the questions that come from the thoughts of being disqualified. God help us that this never happens to us. We need God’s help.

 

There would be people who expected us to be in Heaven, but we wouldn’t be there. Now, this always brings up the idea of grandma who didn’t make it and there won’t be tears in Heaven and how is that all going to work? I don’t know. If God can say some words and create this massive universe, He can see to it that I will not be crying in Heaven. But there are people right now, who are expecting you and I to be in Heaven. What a disappointment if we were not there.

 

The choices and sins that kept us from Heaven would haunt us for an eternity. A moment’s pleasure darkens the heart, and unrepentant and unmoved and unchanged and lacking remorse, we happily dance through life until we stand before the judgment of God. Lost. “I never knew you.” “Depart from Me.” Those words would sting forever. Why did we do what we did? Why were we so dumb? We knew better. Why did we not stop? Why did we not repent? Why did we not seek the grace of God? And, now, forever, we dwell among humanity who lived without God. We knew better. Punished. Suffering. No pleas to be answered. No prayers to be heard. No hope of things getting better. No end in sight. The wages of sin is death. A death that never ends. A death that has no happy ending. A death that we didn’t have to die.

 

Disqualified. Banished. Lost. Guilty. An apostle in Hell. Paul understood it could happen. It did happen. Look at Judas. And, if an apostle could be in Hell, so could a preacher. So could an elder. So could you. So could me. Nothing could be so terrible as being disqualified by God. One minute in Hell, and you’d offer everything you ever owned to have another chance. All your tears, all your begging, all your promises would fall upon the ground.

 

More and more folks are moving away from the concept of Hell. Modern preachers never mention that word in sermons. It’s not talked about and people don’t fear it. And, because of that, sin doesn’t seem to be such a bad choice. What’s the worst that can happen, some say, not living on in Heaven. So what? I’m having a blast here. But you can’t remove Hell without removing Heaven. They are linked together by Jesus in the same sentence. No hell means no Heaven. If there is a Heaven, then there is a Hell. You can’t have one and not have the other. It’s not a matter of missing out on Heaven. It’s Hell. You will either be in one or the other. There is no third option. There is no just ceasing to exist.

 

Disqualified. Failed. Lost. Hell bound. You won’t find any hymns about Hell. You won’t find any pleasant thoughts about Hell in the Bible. Hell was designed by God for the devil. We are not supposed to be there. It wasn’t made for us. We are supposed to be in Heaven. But some will be disqualified. Some won’t make it.

 

We need to put Hell back into our preaching and the fear of God back into our hearts. Paul said, it could happen, even to him. Because of that, he ran in such a way as to win. He buffeted his body to make it his slave. He didn’t serve his passions and emotions. They served him. He was in control. He was making the right choices to please God.

 

What would it be like if you didn’t make it? Have you ever thought about that?

 

Roger

 

01

Jump Start # 2460

Posted on November 1, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2460

Ecclesiastes 12:12 “But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.”

 

Books, are a lot like the topic of history. It seems either people love them or they don’t. I’m definitely in the “love ‘em” category. I grew up in a family which made reading books a high priority. I’m surrounded with books, at home, and definitely in my office. Old books. New books. Great books. Some that were not so great. Rare books. Very popular books. I’ve got ‘em and I have a lot of them.

 

All of this came up recently because a friend asked about books. He wanted my recommendations on some reference books. We met in my office so I could show him. On the last pages of inspiration that Paul wrote, he asked Timothy to bring books. I’d love to see what books Paul had. I have been to some extremely rare libraries. I saw the signature of Martin Luther, the reformer in a copy of one of his German translations of the Bible. I saw Isaac Newton’s signature in a very old book about astronomy. I’ve seen parts of the Dead Sea scrolls. And, I think one reason I like books is because God does. He wrote a book, the Bible. Of all the avenues of communication and ways to preserve His message, God chose writing a book. A large percentage of the books I own have outlived the authors. That’s the unique thing about writing. It can go places we can’t and it can last longer than we can.

 

There is a lot you can tell about a person by the books he reads. And, in our current culture, books are dying. People are not reading much these days. Bookstores are closing. The percentage of college grads who never read a book the rest of their lives is staggering. We are in a Youtube, video, bullet point, TV age and the printed page is being ignored. Newspapers are dying because you can catch the news on TV or get the highlights on your phone.

 

For a guy who writes this blog every day of the week, there are a few things about writing and books I want to share.

 

First, some people prefer electronic versions of the Bible. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s still the word of God. I have the Bible on my phone and tablet but I prefer the printed version. I like to write in my Bible. I like to underline words and I have things taped on those blank pages in the back. But I must be careful not to look down at those who prefer electronic versions of the Bible. I must not think that I am better or that I am more spiritual than the electronic crowd. Not so. There is a convenience with electronic versions of the Bible. You don’t have to carry around a big book. You’re likely not to forget it. You have access to multiple translations in an instant. So don’t frown upon a person for not having the Bible when he does, it’s on his phone.

 

Second, reading is learning and learning is growing. Education doesn’t stop when we are finished with school. A person who is a life long reader will have great insights, understandings and knowledge because he has opened his mind to reading. It has been said that each of us will be just as we are in five years except for the books we read and the people we associate with. So, if I include quality books and quality people in my life, then I will continue to grow. Now, the choice of books is important. There is a place for fiction, but that’s not likely to move me to the next level in development. Character studies, biographies, histories, religious material can be of great value. Be sure to read with a careful eye. What is written by man, is just that, written by man. Much of what is found in religious books is wrong. Discernment will catch that and not be hurt by that. There can still be good thoughts and material in such books. Have balance in your reading. Don’t read just from one author or one slant. Don’t read just fiction. Don’t read just religious material. And, like the Bereans, search the Scriptures to see if what you read is true.

 

Third, reading, as music, as movies, as people, influences us and with an open heart can change us. This is the power of God’s word. When read with an honest heart, it will move you. It will challenge you. It will change you. Be careful of what books you recommend. Not everyone has a discerning eye. Not everyone can recognize error. Authors that honor God, respect inspiration, and seem to get the big picture of what the Bible is about can truly be an asset to your life. The right books can be wonderful tools to help you teach classes and prepare lessons. But books are like people, everyone has different tastes. Books that some like, I don’t. And, the books that have meant a lot to me, others have not liked. So, it will take time for you to find the type of books and authors that you like. My writings these Jump Starts have been a direct result of some authors that I drank deeply from years ago. Some of those authors had very little in common with what I believe, but they were amazing writers. They had a way of saying things in which a person would think. They had me looking at things in verses that I had read right over and thought nothing about. Now, I have learned to see things myself. For instance, with the story of the bent over woman, Luke tells us that “Jesus saw her.” Of course, He did. No big deal. But wait. He really saw her. How many others looked at her, but never saw her. Jesus calls her to come to Him and heals her. Just from that little expression, how many people do I not see on a Sunday morning. A mother who is tired from being up all night with a sick child. A man who is worried about losing his job. A couple who have to make a decision about an aging parent. A young lady who broke up with a boyfriend because he’s trying to lead her away from the Lord. An elderly person who wonders if their money is going to run out. A shepherd who has spent a week trying to get someone to make up his mind if he wants to follow Christ or not. Jesus saw her. WOW. And, it was amazing authors who I spent time with in their books who opened my eyes and now I see.

 

Fourth, Solomon, in our verse is warning about excessive books. There is no end to writing books. That was then. Just think about today. And, too much devotion to books can weary the body. I’ve noticed something in many scholarly books, everyone wants to quote some old dead guy. I guess that gives more punch to what they are trying to say. I’d rather quote someone who is alive, like GOD. Because someone wrote it and because it’s in a book doesn’t change the price of coffee. Just about anyone can write, especially these day. Self publishing is inexpensive and one can hang a shingle out that they are an author. Great. Now what? Stand in line, there are so many authors. No book equals the Bible. We can read books about the Bible, but it’s better to just read the Bible. Given the choice between these Jump Starts and the Bible, I’d point you to the Bible.

 

Want some good reading material? Ask one of the shepherds or your preacher. A great conversation piece to ask is, “What are you reading these days?”

 

Books—they have a place, but they are not life. Books– can help you or hurt you, be wise. Books—make great gifts, great friends, and great adventure. Surround yourself with great books.

 

Roger