31

Jump Start # 2749

Posted on December 31, 2020 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2749

1 Corinthians 15:24 “Then comes the end, when He  hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.”

New Year’s Eve. The last day of the year. There never will be a 2020 again. That thought makes many say, “Good,” because of how difficult the year has been. Our verse today, telling of the Lord’s return, begins with the expression, “then comes the end.”

I thought about that recently. Some day will be the last day. Some year will be the last year ever. Now, that doesn’t mean life ends. It will end here. Eternity takes over. Life as we know it, this planet as we know it, will be dissolved as God promised Peter. There won’t be any publications after that recapping the highlights of the year. Then comes the end—what a sobering thought.

Consider for a moment:

First, it will be the end of generations and family legacies. When the end comes, the family tree stops. Someone will be the last of their family. I’ve known some people that were the last branch on part of their family tree, but there were other branches. But when the end comes, there will be no more after that. No more children to be born. No more ancestors after that. It will be the end of the line of humanity that began with Adam, traced through Noah and continues through you and I. But, the end means the end of that.

Second, there will be no tomorrow, at least not on planet earth. What didn’t get done, didn’t get done. Plans stopped. Promises were left unfulfilled. Dreams were cancelled. Nothing here beyond that last day. Certain payments would not be received. Some packages would not be delivered. Some books in publication would never be read. Some songs that were in the process of being released would never be heard. Some weddings wouldn’t take place. Some babies would not be born. Just think about how invested we are already into the next year. Some have doctor’s appointments on those new calendars. Some have vacations planned, even hotels booked. Some have graduation plans. I’ve have several preaching plans already in the book for next year. But, if this was the final year, none of those things would come about. There would be some who would be disappointed. They would want another year. They’d want to be married, hold that baby, take that trip. There will be a lot of work that won’t get completed. Think about those in construction who are building large buildings, making ships, developing rockets, working on next year’s movies and plays. When the end comes, there will be things that will not be completed. When the end comes, all things will end.

Third, when the end comes, it will catch some procrastinators unprepared. They live putting things off. They put everything off as long as they can. That’s been their life. Staying up all night to finish a paper that is due in the morning. Putting off fixing things in the house. Putting off going to the doctor. And, in pace with their thinking, they’ve put off some essential things, such as apologizing, forgiving and seeking the Lord. Oh, they were going to do that. They’d get a round to it has been their theme song. Another time. Another day. Not now. But one day, will be the last day. And, for those who need tomorrow, they won’t have it. All they have is today. Then comes the end, and that’s it.

Fourth, then comes the end, and what matters at that time will be one’s walk with the Lord. It won’t matter if you got your house paid off before the end came. After that day, you won’t need your house and it will be gone. It won’t matter if you got the yard fertilized, taxes paid, dog groomed, and made the next dentist appointment. When the end comes, those things will no longer matter. What matters is you and the Lord. Do you know Him? Have you followed Him? Have you obeyed Him? Have you worshipped Him? So many things that we think are important, we will realize do not matter. There will be clothes you never picked up from the cleaners. There will be mail that you never got to go through. There will be books, movies and TV shows that you never finished. There will be food left in the frig. None of those things will matter. A lifetime of being busy, but missing the essential will haunt those who just couldn’t slow down for the Lord. A time will come and all will end. Then, it will be too late. It will be too late for sermons. Too late for repentance. Too late for apologies. Too late to make things right. It will be just too late.

What if today, was that day? What if today was the last day? Not just of the year, but of all years. What if as the day closed, eternity began with the coming of the Lord? What if everything on the books for tomorrow on out never happened? What if the last sermon I heard, was the last sermon? What if this day was it? Someday, that will be.

Then comes the end…

Roger

30

Jump Start # 2748

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

Jump Start # 2748

Acts 2:42 “And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

As we bring this year to a close and prepare to open up a brand new year, there comes excitement, uneasiness and hope that things will be better. This is especially true when we think about what we just went through. The year will bring happy moments as well as sad moments for most people. For me personally, I truly see this. The new year will bring us a new grandchild. Our prayers are for a healthy baby. The next year will also be the end of the journey of a couple of family members. We see it coming. Happiness and tears, births and deaths, that’s common for so many families. New faces and faces that will be missing. Beginnings and endings.

Our verse today reminds us of new beginnings. Those very first disciples, Christians, worshipping together on a Sunday, rather than a Saturday. No longer needing a lamb for sacrifice, a priest to burn incense, or even a temple to meet in. How different and how strange that first Sunday worship may have been for those original Christians. The Lord’s Supper, not the Passover feast, was not celebrated weekly. Men and women together in worship and not separated by a courtyard.

Not on the same level as those first Christians, but we often experience several “firsts” on our journey.

  • A new church building will do that. The smell of fresh paint, the bright lights, the new pews, can seem so different from what one was used to.
  • A new face in the congregation can do that. Someone we don’t know much about. Someone that doesn’t know our story.
  • A new preacher will do that. He stands, often nervous on that first Sunday before the congregation hoping that he can connect and that he will be liked.

And, when things are new, there are some lessons to be be learned.

First, there is a tendency to make comparisons to the old and familiar ways. Some like the old church building better than the new one. The old building has so many memories. Some like the former preacher more than the new preacher. And, some just have to verbalize those comparisons. Most times, there is no going back. The old church building was sold or torn down. Can’t go back there. The former preacher has moved on and he’s not coming back. And, when we verbalize those unhappy feelings, it hurts those who were involved in creating the new things.

One has to wonder if among those first Christians, there were some who wanted to go back to the old ways. We know this was a problem in Galatians and Hebrews. Our minds have a way of glossing over the past and we tend to think that “the good ole’ days” were the best. And, we forget many of the struggles and challenges of the past. As a kid growing up, I never wore a bicycle helmet, sat in a car seat, or had a cell phone. Our TV was black and white. If you wanted to switch stations, you had to get up and turn the dial. There was no microwaves, on line ordering, or internet. Cancer was once a death sentence. Was the “good ole” days better than now? And, for those first Christians, going back meant returning to a period without the Messiah, forgiveness and the reality of God’s promises.

Second, given time, the new ways become familiar to us and even acceptable to us. That new church building, that new preacher, in time, become what we are accustomed to and even enjoy. It just takes time. There are always updates to our phones and tablets. Sometimes we don’t like new changes. Give it time. That new person in the congregation, given some time, will become very familiar to us. The learning curve, the newness factor changes with time.

Third, the new becomes a great source of thankfulness and joy. I see this especially with those first Christians. Sins forgiven. Grace extended. A new covenant. A new day to worship. A new way to worship. A better hope. The price paid. The sacrifice made. Satan defeated. The door of death, opened by the resurrection. Fear chased out. Doubt cleared up. Heaven drawn nearer and nearer to them. How thankful they must have been to live in a time when they got to see the reality of God’s blessings and promises.

Fourth, some around them never understood those new things in Christ. The first opposition to Christianity wasn’t from pagans and Romans, but from fellow Jews. Those that they once stood beside, worshipped with and built lives together, now turned against them. Those early Christians were hunted down. Some were forced to prison. Some were put to death. And, of all people to be leading the charge in this, fellow Jews. The minds of these Jews were closed. They didn’t want to discuss, they wanted to eliminate. They didn’t have time for debate. And, these new ways, brought tears of pain from those who had closed their minds and hearts. Jesus could have been theirs but they didn’t want that.

A new year is about here. It will be a bundle of joys, tears, laughter and sorrow. From that, we walk by faith, know that whatever happens in the year, the Lord will be with us.

Roger

29

Jump Start # 2747

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

Jump Start # 2747

Luke 15:18 “I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, ’Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and in your sight.’”

This week in our Jump Starts we are looking both backward over this past year with reflection and looking forward to next year with anticipation. This is the time when many people make resolutions for the new year. Some are personal, such as more exercise, weight loss, more saving money. Some are spiritual, such as reading the Bible more, praying on a regular basis. It is even good for congregations to make resolutions, such as being more dedicated, reaching more people, doing a better job connecting with the young people.

In our verse today, the words of the prodigal, he was making a resolution. This was not based upon the calendar and the end of a year. This was based upon the bottom dropping out of his life. He had left home with a pocket full of money. Now, he was staring at pigs. Everyone had left him. Alone. Down. Hopeless. He resolves to make a change. He resolves to go home. He resolves to confess to his father. His resolution came from the depth of his heart and not the start of a new year. Those can be some of the best resolutions and changes in a life.

Some make yearly resolutions and by the second month they are forgotten and they have accomplished nothing. Sometimes making resolutions is a result of getting caught up with the spirit of others. Everyone around you is making a resolution so you feel guilty if you do not come up with something. But, such a person is not really serious about keeping that resolution.

Here are the components of resolutions that will make a difference in your life:

First, it begins with not being satisfied with the way things are. If a person is content with the way they look, then they won’t “resolve” to make any changes. This is true financially as well as spiritually. The greatest motivator for personal change is the bathroom mirror and the monthly bank statement. Those two things are bluntly true. When a person is tired of living the way that they are living then there will be a great incentive to change. This is where we see the prodigal. He was fed up with his life. Low living had not brought the joys that he expected. He was not happy, content, nor wanted to spend another day feeding pigs.

Second, the person must believe that change is possible and within reach. This is where small, tiny goals are very helpful in making and keeping resolutions. If what you want is completely out of reach, then you’ll be so discouraged that you will never attempt to change. Baby steps are the key. Just a few pounds. Just a few minutes of exercise. Just a few dollars saved up. It’s like a drop in the bucket. At first and for a while, those little drops do not seem like much. But if a person stays with it, before long the bottom of that bucket is covered. Keep with it. Don’t quit. In time, the bucket is a third filled. Then half way filled. Then it’s at the top. Then the water is spilling over. Drop by drop. Consistently and constantly.

Third, there will always need to be adjustments. Things happen. We call that life. Your schedule will get off schedule. And, that is often the crash of most resolutions. What was started now stops. What began ends. And, back to the old ways we go. We must want the change more than we want to stay the way things are. So, readjust the schedule. Catch up on things. Get back on track.

Fourth, in time you will start to see some positive results. These small victories will encourage you and help you even more. For some, keeping a written record of their goals is a key part of this. If that works, do it. For others, just seeing the results is enough to keep them going and reaching forward for a bigger goal.

That’s it! It seems so simple. Now, put these thoughts into spiritual goals. Losing weight, saving money, finishing a degree are all great, but not nearly as great as reaching real spiritual goals in your journey with the Lord.

Here are a few ideas. Think them out and then create your own list. Spiritual resolutions. Spiritual goals.

  • Better attendance. As I write this, things are still sketchy in many places. But, before long the threat of the pandemic will lessen. Things will open up again. Congregations will fire the engines once again and the doors will be open for multiple times during the week to worship. Some haven’t done real well here. Some have allowed this pandemic to cool their desire for attending. Make that one of your resolutions. Begin, by attending every worship service that your congregation offers for a month. Every single one. Don’t miss one. Then, make your goal a quarter of the year. Now, you might miss a service because you didn’t feel well one day. Don’t go back to your old ways. Get back in there and keep attending. You’ll be amazed at all the other positive things that come from this.
  • Better Bible knowledge. This is something we all can work on. Start small. Do you know the books of the Bible in order? If not, start with the N.T. Start with a few at a time. Write them out on a 3×5 card. Keep it with you. Say them as you drive along. Keep adding more and more to the list. You’ll get it. For those who know this, work on memorizing how many chapters are in each book. How many chapters are in Genesis? Then Exodus. This will help you find things better in your Bible. From that, bring a pen and notebook to services. Take notes, just like you were in college. Write down things the preacher says. Put notes in your Bible. Underline words. Notice repeated words. From that, start focusing upon when things happened in the life of Christ. Get an understanding of what each book of the Bible is about. Knowing the purpose will help you understand the message more. Dig and dig and lower your net deeper and deeper.
  • Better Prayer life. It’s easy to get in the habit of praying for the same things over and over. Make a schedule that works for you. On Monday, pray for those in the congregation. On Tuesday, pray for those in your family that are not Christians. On Wednesday, pray for insight and opportunity to help others. On Thursday, pray for young families. On Friday, pray for elders and preachers. On Saturday, pray for yourself. And, on Sunday, use your prayers to thank the Lord. Come up with your own system. Print it out so you won’t forget. Better prayers. Deeper prayers. More prayers.
  • Better Connection with God’s people. It’s easy to only see each other when we are in the church building. Make it a goal to contact every family this year. If necessary, start with the names that begin with “A” and work through the congregation. Drop them a card. Give them a call. Do something special for them. When the situation allows, go out to eat or have someone in your home, so you can spend some great time with them. This will enhance your fellowship, worship and love for the congregation.

Resolutions—making them is easy. Keeping them is the key. Put some thought into this and then get busy.

Roger

28

Jump Start # 2746

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

Jump Start # 2746

Philippians 1:3 “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.” 

 

  This is the final week of the year. And, I can just hear a collective, “good,” coming from so many people. It’s been a tough year. It’s been tough on the country. It’s been tough economically. It’s been tough on businesses. It’s been tough on churches. It’s been tough on schools. It’s been tough on families. And, it’s been tough personally. We know simply flipping a calendar from one month to the next or from one year to the next, doesn’t mean all troubles will end. It doesn’t mean that things automatically get better. We know that. We are smarter than that.

 

  As we get ready to wind this year up and move on, I thought it would be good to take a look backward as well as forward. We will do that this week with our Jump Starts. The backward look can help us prepare and plan for the forward look. The two views may look very different, yet the reflection can help us as we walk with the Lord.

 

  When Paul remembered the Philippians, it made him thankful.

 

  Here are a few things I’ve seen over the past year:

 

  • Many folks have worked harder than they ever have. The work to produce videos, zoom classes and livestream has taxed many congregations, but somehow, likely with the Lord’s help, we’ve managed not to just survive, but more than that, we have excelled. We’ve had to learn new technology. We’ve had to work through problems and bugs that interfered with sound and visual presentations. We’ve learned shortcuts and have gotten pretty adapted at what we were doing. It’s amazing what can be done.

 

  • We’ve learned patience with each other as those early videos were nothing to write home about. We understood that our preachers and teachers were doing the best that they could at the moment. The lessons dealt with faith, storms, trials, courage and the very things that we needed during this troublesome time.

 

  • We saw that although not everyone agreed nor were on the same page about how services ought to be conducted during the pandemic, with masks, social distancing and times no in-person meetings, we understood that worship had to go on. Some didn’t see eye to eye but by in large we understood the greater picture and that was the wellbeing of the entire congregation and the honor of the Lord.

 

  • We witnessed the struggle that many elderships went through in trying to make the right call on these things. The conversations and prayers were often long. Many elderships were torn about what the right decision ought to be. These men were going down roads that no one in modern times have traveled before. There was no example from the past that could guide them. The toll on these great hearts has been great. Their love for the congregation has been demonstrated in ways never before seen.

 

  • We have found the power of connection through emails, texts and sending cards. Apart, we have remained close and our expressions of thankfulness and love have been felt by the genuine care of so many.

 

  • We have stayed close to the Lord, maybe even closer than in times past. Our needs, concerns and fears have been expressed to Heaven and the Lord has blessed us in so many ways.

 

  • Although we have had to juggle reshaping services, helping those who could not get out, our focus upon the truth and our love for the lost has never been lost. We’ve found unique ways to teach, reach and connect others to the Bible. We’ve had funerals that were difficult because of the restrictions yet, we found ways to make things work. We’ve been exhausted, but we haven’t given up. We’ve had to cancel some plans, but we kept moving forward. The catalog of sermons produced through this pandemic has been some of the best preaching in years. Our ears have been especially open to lessons that seemed so timely, helpful and practical during this season of storms. Our hearts and our faith has grown.

 

  Was this past year a complete failure? Absolutely not. Was it just moving through the motions? No. Much good came from those who chose to find good in it. For many, it was one of the best years of building faith and using their talents. And, what we found is that difficulties do just that. It causes all of us to get off the sidelines of life and to become engaged in the great struggle for faith and hope.

 

  And, one of the greatest lessons we’ve learned from this year is that we can do it. Battered, a bit weary, but we are not down and we are never out. We’ve got through this and that has given us hope that we can face anything. We long for better times, but even if they don’t come, we know that we can carry on.

 

  Before you jump upon the bandwagon of those who proclaim this year as nothing but gloom and doom, take a long, long look. Much good has come that may never have happened under normal times. And, on the other side of this storm, we’ll be a stronger, closer and better group of disciples.

 

  Roger

 

24

Jump Start # 2745

Posted on December 24, 2020 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2745

Psalms 133:3 “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.”

NOTE: Tomorrow is Christmas holiday. There will be no Jump Start tomorrow. Enjoy the day with your family and the Lord.

 

  Christmas Eve—that’s today. It has always been one of my favorite days of the year. You hope all the UPS deliveries have arrived, everything is wrapped and now you wait for the coming morning. There is always an excitement in the air. It’s great when you still have little ones in the home. The day awakens early with joyful anticipation. And for parents, seeing the joy in their children’s eyes is priceless.

 

  Our home is pretty quiet these days. The kids have all grown and now have their own families. But when they come, the energy level peaks and the fun begins. Nothing like little ones. The curiosity, fun, adventure and joy they bring is better than any vacation.

 

  And, I thought on this day, borrowing from our passage about children, I would reflect upon some of the great joys that children bring to our lives. We need to be reminded of that. Raising little ones can be very stressful, scary and expensive. Sometimes all a parent sees are the battles about going to bed, cleaning up the room, not making messes. That’s part of parenting. It’s necessary. But the wonderful joys certainly ease those tough times. And, in all families, there are days of tears. Shots at the doctor’s offices, death of pets, broken hearts, disappointments and hurt feelings are the mountains that we climb with our children. Life lessons are learned through those moments. However, the wonderful, wonderful memories that are etched upon your heart is something that can never be taken away.

 

 Here are a few things that came to my mind this day:

 

  • The innocence of love. That sweet little hand that reaches up and takes your hand, nothing like that. Those little crayon drawn hearts, and dandelion bouquets mean more to you than anything a florist can make. Those little eyes that look up to you and smiles can drive the worst of days away.

 

  • The joy of togetherness. I believe this is one of the greatest gifts of family and fellowship. Toys are nice and kids love them, but give them a box and you for an afternoon and you’ll have the best time. Children like to be near you. When my four were little, I often would be working on a sermon at home. I’d have a laptop, open Bible and a pad of paper spread out on my lap and one of them would climb up on top of all of that with one of their little books and suddenly the world and all of it’s problems seemed to go away. We’d go off on an adventure that the book took us to. And, one of the crushing outcomes of this pandemic has been the loneliness and isolation, especially among the elderly.

 

  • The inquisitive fascination with learning. Kids love to learn. And, often, it’s not from text books, but just from seeing the big people doing things. They’ll ask thousands of questions and want to give it a try themselves, often when they shouldn’t. Talking a walk with a little one and they’ll stop to stare at a bug, ask you about butterflies, pick flowers and want to throw rocks into a puddle. Their little hearts are exploding with adventure and wanting to know things.

 

  • The wondrous trust that they put in you. As long as you are near by, everything is ok. When scared, they are looking for you. Sitting on your lap or cuddled up beside you, they can fall asleep knowing that you’ll make all things right for them. There is such trust. They don’t see dangers like we do. They don’t know the world like we do. You are the bravest, strongest and best person in the world to them.

 

  And, when I look over these four qualities found between children and their parents, shouldn’t it be the same for us towards God. An innocent love; the joy of togetherness; the inquisitive fascination with learning, and the wondrous trust that we have in the Lord. Maybe this is one reason why Jesus used a child as an example of what He wanted in His disciples. And, maybe, just maybe, we have gotten to big for those things with God. And, when that happens, the sense of awe, joy and love is missing. We turn our faith into facts and intellectual truths that are believed. Worship becomes a matter of duty and not joy. And, unlike a little child, our faith becomes hollow and lifeless.

 

  I was watching a picture my daughter sent of her little girls at the zoo. Just looking at them bent down looking into the eyes of a giant turtle reminded me of what I saw years ago in their mother. Just joy, curiosity, and enjoyment. Life is good as a child.

 

  I hope as you spend some time with your family tomorrow, that these points will become evident and help you in your love for them and in your walk with the Lord. The Lord has given me so many gifts in my life. He has treated me much better than I ever deserved. The gift of life and salvation tops the list. He has given me ability and opportunity that has helped me so much. He has given me a wonderful wife to journey through life with. And, high on my list of Heaven’s gifts are four that are named: Nathan, Sarah, Jordan and Joel.

 

  Count your blessings…they are numerous.

 

  Roger