30

Jump Start # 2708

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2708

Proverbs 16:27 A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire.

Our mothers taught us that sticks and stones will break our bones, but words will never hurt us. That little saying was help to get us through school. Kids can be cruel and they can say mean things. Bullies like to pick on others and intimidate. However, we found out later that broken bones can mend much faster than a broken heart. Things that were said about us stuck to us and for some that altered and even reformed the way they thought about themselves. As we became adults, we put aside mom’s saying but we sure found out that people can be mean. Co-workers can belittle, gossip and just be cruel. Even among brethren, some can be so judgmental, critical and condescending. Some leave worship services worse than they were coming in. And, some dread going to worship, fearing having to face and hear the stuff that ought never to be said.

Hurt feelings. It happens. It happens all the time. It’s enough for some young preachers to quit, and they have. It’s enough for some brethren to look for another congregation, and they do. And, those that love to be the big bullies at church create a spirit that often takes decades to overcome. Sometimes it even takes a few trips to the cemetery before things will change. And, worse, especially among brethren, is that this is allowed. People put up with it because they fear the bully.

It is easy to tell someone, ‘just get some tough skin. Don’t let those things bother you.’ But they do bother us. What are we to do when feelings have been hurt?

First, don’t you be the source of this trouble. It starts there. It’s easy for one to turn into what he is against. One bully creates another bully. Turning your cheek, loving your enemy, not taking into an account a wrong suffered, are all the powerful principles that ought to drive us as disciples of Jesus. We know better and we ought to do better. There is no place for bullies at church. But we know that they are there. They can derail all the good that a congregation is doing. They can kill plans and create at atmosphere of negativism. Just make sure that you are not this way.

Second, remember Jesus never treated you this way. Allowing a bully to drive you away from the Lord is wrong. The bully is wrong, not the Lord. Don’t blame Jesus for irresponsible people who claim to be His followers. God is good. He is good to you.

Third, when something unkind has been said to you, don’t respond at the moment. If you do, likely you’ll regret what you say. Anger is a natural reaction and that only makes things worse. Go home, cool down, think it out, pray it out. Maybe in a backward and offensive way, what was said was true. Maybe you need to do some adjusting to your attitude and behavior. There is a possibility that the person was wrong. They may be jealous. They may have a motive to hurt you somehow. They may simply not like you. You know where you are with things. As long as the Lord is pleased with you, it doesn’t matter. He may not like you. That’s his problem. You continue to do what is right and what the Lord wants you to do.

Fourth, it likely won’t do much good, but try to talk to the bully. Don’t do it before a crowd. One on one, and set up a time to do that. You may find out that he never intended it to be hurtful. If he has any heart, he’ll apologize and you may have a new friend. If not, you have tried to make matters right. Put some distance between you and him. If it continues, then it may be necessary to take it to the shepherds and get them involved.

The current culture we are in allows a person to be offensive, crude and hurtful until lines are crossed and then a simple, “I’m sorry,” is supposed to take care of everything. That may be the culture we live in, but as disciples we must walk according to Jesus and not modern culture. Many a visitor to worship has been run off by off hand comments that should never have been said. The golden rule ought to come to our mind before we say anything.

The scorching fire, from our passage will burn shrubs, trees and even houses. It will not pay attention to the value of things nor how destructive it is. A scorching fire may be put out quickly, but the damage left may take a long time to recover. And, with a scorching fire, resources and attention must be poured that way and other things tend to stop.

The Corinthians had trouble with these things. So heated were they that lawsuits were being drawn up. The joyful book of Philippians reminds us of two sisters that Paul named and told them to live in harmony. Get along with each other. We can push the limits of our relationships and even strain them nearly to the breaking point. Understanding that someone may be different than I am, yet pleasing the Lord is something to remember. He may use a different translation than I do. He may sit in a different place in the building than I do. He may arrive at a different time than I do. And, I can dress him down and give him my mind in order to get him to straighten up and yet, it just may be that I am the one who needs to be straightened up, especially in my attitude and my words. Look at the people around Jesus: former demon possessed people, lepers, Samaritans, Roman soldiers, Gentiles, women. For the Jewish heart, this looked like the island of misfit toys. Yet, loved by God, these folks were walking with the Lord.

Relationships can be hard. We can bump and bruise each other and be a bit touchy with one another. Yet, if we have the mindset of being the people of God, all of us, then we can learn to get along, help one another and be the mighty kingdom that Jesus wants.

Roger

29

Jump Start # 2707

Posted on October 29, 2020 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2707

Acts 3:1 “Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer.”

Our simple verse today shows so much. The Jews had set hours to pray. Here, it was the ninth hour, or 3 PM for us. Peter and John knew that. They would have once been part of that praying crowd at 3 PM. They knew Jews would be at the Temple and it would provide a great audience to preach.

I find it interesting that they had a set hour to pray. Three in the afternoon, most of us are busy working away. Papers stacked up on the desk, mountains of emails to deal with, out and about in our cars. Kids wrapping up a school day and heading home. That time of day is busy for most of us. Unless we have an appointment, the clock can spin past three and we don’t even notice. Just the other day we were doing some podcast recording, planning and as left the studio room and looked up at a clock, it was already four in the afternoon. Missed three o’clock completely.

There is something special about have a regular time to pray. I like that ninth hour prayer time. In causes a person to put a halt on this busy life and remember the Lord and it invites the Lord into our day. Praying at specific hours has a way of keeping our perspective and vision clear.

Long ago, brethren met on Wednesday evening, not so much for Bible class, but for pray. It was called a prayer meeting. Ever Wednesday evening the church was praying and it wasn’t just a quick opening and closing prayer. They prayed. The emphasis of that gathering was praying. More time was spent talking to God than talking to each other. A praying church is a good thing.

Sometimes it seems when we pray, we have to run through a whole list of things, making sure we check off all the items for it to be an acceptable prayer. Maybe praying daily and at a regular time would allow us to focus more on fewer things. I’ve often wondered if simply mentioning an item is the same as praying for that thing. Maybe it would be better to focus on fewer things and really talk to God than to run quickly through a whole list, fearful that we might miss something.

What’s on your heart? What bothers you? What are you truly joyful and thankful for? Talk to God about those things. Open up and spend some time on them. I’ve had some tell me that it is easier for them to pray about others than it is to pray about themselves. That might be a sign of humility, they care about others more. Or, it could indicate that they are struggling with things and they haven’t got totally transparent with God about that. Confessing sins isn’t high on the list of things we look forward to doing. However, that is necessary and important.

I’ve yet to meet the Christian who is happy and satisfied with his prayer life. I think we all feel about the same way when it comes to praying. Just don’t pray enough. Just not praying deeply. Just find myself saying the same things over and over. It’s easier to talk about God than it is to talk to God. If you feel this way, you are not alone. In fact, you are with most of us. Bible classes on prayer takes us through the basics, which we know. Special prayer sessions remind us of the many different kinds of prayers.

Ninth hour praying was part of the structure of the Jews. They were taught to do that. We haven’t. We’ve been taught that you need to pray and you ought to pray, but then it is left up to us. And, what typically happens is that life gets busy, there are so many things racing through our minds that prayer is forgotten. It’s not that we do not want to pray, we do. It’s just that we get so busy that we forget to pray.

So, as a suggestion, try the “Ninth hour” approach. And, if it works better for you to pick another time of the day, do so. But for a week, every day, when that clock hits three o’clock, you stop what you are doing, and pray. It doesn’t have to be a long prayer. You’ve gotten through most of the day, things to be thankful for, things to confess, things to ask for help. Every day. Every day at three o’clock. Make it like a doctor’s appointment. In the middle of a phone call, excuse yourself and end the call. You don’t have to be in any particular place to do this. You can do this while driving, but please keep your eyes open and on the road. Try to eliminate distractions and noise. Your praying can be silent, but heartfelt.

Everyday—same time. Give it a try. The first few days will be awkward. But a rhythm gets established. You can build upon one prayer to the next. You’ll find yourself in a better place when you finish. You’ll get to the point that you look forward to your “ninth hour.” And, I expect in time, you’ll find yourself praying about more and more things.

It was the ninth hour—the hour of prayer. Sure something to try.

Roger

28

Jump Start # 2706

Posted on October 28, 2020 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2706

1 Samuel 17:40 “He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.”

Our verse today surrounds the courageous, brave and trusting young David. He was off to fight a giant, a literal giant. A warrior. One who stood over nine feet tall. For more than a month, this giant had been taunting Israel. King Saul and his troops hunkered down in fear. They had no plans and there was no way to get around this Philistine. Young David, while taking food to his brothers, hears the blasphemous Philistines. David’s blood boils. How dare anyone say such things about his God. Why won’t anyone go and fight? David, just a shepherd, not a soldier, takes it upon himself to fight this wicked Philistine.

David doesn’t have a sword, armor or even a spear. His weapon of choice is his sling. David has never killed a person before. He’s killed a lion and a bear, but never a person, and never anything so large and experienced as Goliath was. David stops at a brook and picks out five smooth stones. David knows what he is doing. He knows the kind of rocks he needs. And, off he runs, literally running, to meet Goliath in battle.

Oh, the sermons and classes that we have sat through about this story. So many angles and so many layers of things to see. The fear of leaders. The inexperience, yet the courage of youth. The power of God. The victory that belongs to the Lord.

I have always been amazed that David chose five stones. Why five? I don’t think David loaded all five rocks in the sling at the same time. One rock at a time is how slings worked. This wasn’t a machine gun. It was a singe shot sling. So, why five?

Some might wonder and even say aloud, if David truly trusted the Lord all he needed was one stone. Picking up the other four showed a weakness on David’s part. The other stones showed that he wasn’t sure if God would come through or not?

Interestingly, the text does not tell us why David chose five. Why not three? Why not eight? It sure is a stretch and a judgmental spirit to question David’s faith because he picked up five stones and not just one. God doesn’t seem to rebuke David for taking that many rocks. Had David just ran up to the giant without any stones, believing that God would see him through would be just pure foolishness and even testing God. No, David picked up five.

David is just a teen. Maybe he might drop one. Maybe he might miss the giant. Maybe one stone wouldn’t be enough to bring down such a large warrior. Maybe he would have to send one stone to Goliath’s armor bearer. Maybe other Philistines might attack. If he had only one stone and then he was out, he could be in trouble. Five stones. Having more would keep David prepared. He was ready for anything.

Now, don’t you think that we can learn some lessons from all of this. We are not facing a giant, but we are facing uncertain times, pandemics, life out of normal, and a host of things that we do not like.

  • I hear some say, “Just trust the Lord.” Some have even ignored local guidelines about safety, masks, social distancing because “we trust in the Lord.” That kind of thinking would have David jumping over the brook and running to the battle lines with nothing. Why do I need a rock? I trust in the Lord? Where is your faith? Why do you need a rock?

Trusting God doesn’t mean you park common sense. And, the problem with common sense is that these days it’s just not very common. Folks run to extremes and they believe the sky is falling all around them. God will get us through, but we also need to stop by a brook and pick up a few rocks. It’s not God alone, nor is it us alone. We partner with God. He’ll do His part, He always does. The question is, will we do our part?

  • Anticipation and planning and preparation are woven into those five smooth stones. Kill the giant, and whose to say that his armor bearer won’t charge you? Whose to say that the Philistine line won’t attack? You can say that there was an agreement, whoever is killed becomes the servants of the victor. That’s true, but would you trust the words of Philistines? Five stones. Anticipating. Being prepared. Ready.

So how do we prepare for another pandemic? What have we learned? How do we do things better than what we were doing in the past? Is getting back to normal the best we can do? What have we seen through all of this? Five stones. One for a giant and four others, just in case. Do you have a “just in case” discussion or plan? How many stones are necessary?

  • David changed the norm for battle. No soldier would have done what David did. No helmet. No shield. Not even a sword. He had to use Goliath’s sword to cut the giant’s head off. David didn’t have his own sword. Five smooth stones. He changed battle thinking. A young teenager with a bag of rocks and a heart full of God was more powerful that all the weaponry of Israel. And, maybe after all this year, we will look at what works and it may not be what we always thought nor what we have always done. How we do classes, special meetings, evangelism, and keeping people informed may have a whole new look. Five stones. Not helmets, shields and swords.

Some will let this current season pass and be none the different and none the better because of it. Some will just return to the way things were and hope that everyone forgets this year. But for a few, they will have the vision, forethought and insight to see things better, to learn great lessons and to come through this stronger, closer and more practical than ever before.

Five smooth stones…if you had to pick out five things that would have helped you before this pandemic began, what would they have been?

Roger

27

Jump Start # 2705

Posted on October 27, 2020 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2705

Ecclesiastes 9:5 “For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.”

  I was watching some videos about history the other day. On this one episode, the host was taking us to a forgotten and abandoned graveyard. It was overgrown with weeds and trees. Most of the markers were gone. The few that were there were broken and unreadable. Each of those graves housed a life. A life that was marked with laughter and tears. A life of joys and trials. A life of love, worry, stress and hope. And, long ago, folks gathered to bury that beloved person. A life had ended and a soul was now in eternity. It was a touching show and remarkably, the narrator made a profound statement. As the short show ended, he said, “About three or four generations later a person is forgotten. We need to be working towards eternity.” How true that is.

And, how close that is to our verse today. Long ago Solomon wrote that the “memory of them is forgotten.” I was really thinking about that all night. I will use myself as an example. I am one generation. My sweet dad is a second generation. My grandfather, Otto, who was sixty when I was born, now on the other side of eternity, is a third generation. My four children are yet another generation, fourth. My grandchildren, all ten of them, are yet another generation, five. That’s probably confusing, but I hope not.

Five generations of my family I have known, two ahead of me and two behind me. My kids never knew my grandfather. One of my sons carries his middle name as his middle name. To my grandchildren, who are still too young to get any of this, my grandfather is just a name among names of our family history. Yet, just sixty years ago, my grandfather was my age today. Fast forward, if the Lord allows this world to carry on, in sixty years my grandkids will remember me, but for the most part my name will just be one of many in a line of descendants on the family tree. The memory of them is forgotten.

There are some things to consider:

First, God always remembers us. He won’t forget you. In Genesis eight, the chapter begins with “God remembered Noah…in the ark.” God had not forgotten Noah. He knew where Noah was all the time. It is more important that God knows us than people here on earth. I’ve got an old, old picture of my great-great grandfather. He was in the Civil War. He was a Christian. I’ve been to his grave. But do I know him? There is no one around that knew him. And, even if I could find diaries, letters and a trunk of old stuff, which doesn’t exist, that would be neat, but how would it change my day? We must not look in the rear view mirror of life, but straight ahead where we are going. God remembers. God knows. I must pour my energies into the eternal.

Second, the most important thing our families can remember about us is our walk with God. Footprints leading to Heaven is the greatest gift you can give your family. They may wish you had a stash of cash, but much too often that is more of a curse than a help. Knowing that you were a person of God and that you strove hard to please the Lord is the greatest thing you can do. I have traced my family religious history and that is much more fascinating to me. Some of the early Christians in Indiana were direct descendants. In their tiny log cabins they established a pathway back to the N.T. They worshipped, worked and loved the Lord. That legacy, that faith, those footprints mean much more to me than what they looked like.

Third, Heaven will be made up of many, many thousands of simple, common believers. It’s not the noble, famous and powerful that walk the streets of Heaven. It is just everyday people like you and me. We lived, loved and tried our best to walk with the Lord. We brought our families up to know Jesus. We strived to keep congregations strong, unified and growing. In the turmoil of our world, we have held on to hope and we have tried to develop the heart of Jesus within us. I like to think that some how when we get to Heaven we will know everyone—people that it is impossible for us to know today. Those in the middle ages that lived in small villages in Europe, that loved the Lord and followed Him with all their hearts. Those early martyrs who gave their very lives because they would not deny the Lord. Those on the other side of the planet even in this generation who walk humbly with the Lord. Thousands and thousands, just like you, who put the Lord first in their lives. I don’t see a massive crowd of strangers, but fellow believers. I see smiles. I see hearts leaping with joy. I see a common connection running through all of us. And, somehow, I want to think that we will know each other as if we have always known them. How can that be, especially if we have never met? The Lord can do mighty things. He can part seas, cause the sun to stand still, open tombs, and bring life to the lifeless. Nothing is too hard for the Lord.

I have been to massive crowds before. Thousands and thousands in attendance. I’ve been to the Indy 500, the Rose Bowl, even saw Paul McCartney in concert two times. Stadiums were packed. Standing room only. Thousands and thousands of strangers. Nothing in common with those people other than we came to see the same thing. Is that Heaven? The difference is that the crowd in Heaven will have more in common. We are related through the blood of Jesus. We are family in Christ. I hope and I believe that we will know everyone.

Finally, to what the host of the show I watched said, we need to be thinking and working for the eternal. We will spend more time on that side of life than on this side. Whether my family after me remembers me is not nearly as important as the choices I make this day about the Lord.

Years and years ago, an old guy wanted to take me to see this abandoned cemetery. We drove for a long time in his old pickup. We pulled into a field and drove through the grass, which I thought we’d be in trouble for. The grass was nearly knee high. He stopped the truck. There was nothing in sight. No fences. No houses. Nothing. He got out and walked a bit and stooped down and there was a tombstone. I joined him. We were in the midst of an old cemetery. One would never know that it was even there. I remember pulling the grass around one grave. At the bottom, under the name and dates it said, “Gone, but not forgotten.” I looked around at where we were and thought, “Yeah, I think they forgot you.”  Someday that may be you and that may be me, but it’s ok if we are with the Lord. That’s all that matters.

Live for the Lord, not your name, your family or even your legacy.

Roger

26

Jump Start # 2704

Posted on October 26, 2020 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2704

2 Chronicles 28:27 “So Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel; and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.”

Recently I preached a lesson about Hezekiah’s powerful revival. What he accomplished was impressive. He was young, inexperienced and didn’t have a good role model in his life. His father, Ahaz was a real spiritual dud. He not only locked the doors to the temple, but he built idols in every Judean city. As one translation puts it, “he was utterly unfaithful to the Lord.” And, along comes his son, Hezekiah, and he is about as good as they come. He restored the worship, consecrated the priests, trashed all the idols, and opened the doors to the temple. He tried to erase everything his evil dad had done.

In this there are some great lessons for us.

First, one doesn’t have to hang their hat on the same nail as one’s parents. Ahaz was empty of God. Hezekiah loved the Lord. Ahaz built idols. Hezekiah tore idols down. Ahaz locked the doors to the temple. Hezekiah unlocked those doors. Right there we ought to see that one becomes what he wants to be. Hiding in the shadows of our parents doesn’t work after a while. You are what you have chosen to be. You can be as influential, dynamic, and powerful of a Christian as you want to be.

I have heard for far too long, brethren, especially men, hiding behind what their fathers were. It goes something like this: Dad, wasn’t one to apologize much and I guess I’m that way too. Or, Dad wasn’t one to show affection and I get that from him. Wrong. Dad was that way because he chose to be. You are the same because you have followed his steps. Being different and being right takes courage, risks and an understanding that I don’t want the same life as dad had. I want to walk with the Lord. I want to please Jesus. Ahaz was a spiritual bomb. Hezekiah was a spiritual giant. Apples may not fall far from the trees, but people are not apples. They make their own decisions and shape their own lives. We need to stop excusing bad behavior and weak faith because of our parents. It’s time to grow up and take ownership of our lives and make the right choices.

Second, thinking for yourself can put you at odds with your family. Ahaz gave up on Jehovah. He was hoping that the gods of other nations would help him win battles. Each step he took, led the nation deeper into the spiritual weeds of error. Sometimes people can get so deep into those weeds that they can’t find their way out. Hezekiah didn’t think the same way as his dad did. He didn’t have a place for those worthless idols in his kingdom. Over the walls, and down into the Kidron valley, the city dump, is where those idols went. In our families, an aggressive and loud spirit can intimidate everyone into lining up as one wants. Booze at weddings, going to the river boats to gamble, sleeping in every Sunday, crude jokes, offensive behavior, that’s the norm for families without Christ. Many grow up thinking this is how it is supposed to be. They grow up thinking this is what everyone does. But once in a while, a Hezekiah comes along. He wants to do what the Bible says. He doesn’t want booze at his wedding. The family is in a state of shock at such news. No gambling at the boats. No coarse talking. No sleeping in on Sundays. It’s time to get up and get to the church house. These modern Hezekiah’s have a different path that they want to follow. They want to pray before the food is eaten. They want to have deep conversations about meaningful things. They want to do things for others. And, as time passes, the family finds very little in common with these Hezekiahs. Things are said. Many things are not understood.

For the Bible’s Hezekiah, did his mother go along with Ahaz? Was the rest of the family in step with the direction that Ahaz was taking them? Was Hezekiah the lone spirit that wanted to follow the Lord? Not sure about those things. Don’t know if Hezekiah had family support or if he stood alone, either way he was all in with the Lord.

Third, recognizing that your parents were wrong is a difficult conclusion to come to. Hezekiah wasn’t the first to realize this. For Cain and Able, growing up outside of the garden was a reminder of the mistakes that their parents had made.

We need to understand that every parent has made mistakes and has sins in his life. None of us are perfect. As a grown child, we can so focus upon those mistakes that we never see any good in their lives. But, we can also, so love our parents that we refuse to admit that they ever did anything wrong. For Hezekiah, his dad was not even close to what God expected. There have been many, many parents who poured their hearts into their children and gave them decent homes, yet many never included God. That’s a major failure and mistake. Today, we can look at that and be bitter because of that or we can simply make sure that we try to do better with our children.

Ahaz never even tried to do what was right. His heart belong to other gods. Someday our children will look at our lives and they will have to make choices based upon whether they thought we walked in the right direction or not. We may be remembered for our flaws and failures. But if we are, we hope that helps our children to do even better.

Fourth, Hezekiah is a perfect illustration of someone doing right even though he had incredible odds against him. And, if Hezekiah could do that, certainly we can do what is right. None of us have a dad that is the king and none of us have a dad that locked the doors to worship and built idols in every city. That’s a tough one to overcome, yet Hezekiah did. Your parents may have been spiritual duds. You may have had no encouragement at home. You may have witnessed all kinds of ugly sins. But now, on your own, you can set your sails in the right direction and follow the path of the Lord. Your experiences can be an encouragement to others. Your story can give hope to others. You overcame and so can others.

Hezekiah—he was one of the good ones.

Roger