17

Jump Start # 2802

Posted on March 17, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2802

Psalms 70:2 “Let those be ashamed and humiliated who seek my life; let those be turned back and dishonored who delight in my hurt.”

It’s hard for good people to understand evil people. It’s hard for those who have a kind heart to understand those who have no heart. And, in our verse today, there were those then, as there are those today, who delight in hurting others. It was David who was on the receiving end of the hurt. There were those who loved to see David squirm, cry and beg for uncle. It wasn’t sunrises, puppy dogs and cute quotes that made these folks happy. No, what they liked was to hurt the righteous.

There are some things that we need to understand here:

First, some people are wicked to the core. That is fundamentally hard for some of us to believe. There is that thought that deep down, every one is good. You just have to look deep enough. But I’m not sure that idea can be found in the Bible. Certainly we are all born innocent and pure, but as one makes the choices in life, some don’t tip toe into evil, they dive in head first. They surround themselves with wicked and evil people who take them even further down that ugly path. The movies they watch, are about evil. The music they listen to, is about evil. Some see goodness as weakness, and they never want to appear weak. Void of God, responsibilities, accountability, and any moral compass, they mock goodness and try to prevent anything worthwhile or good. They do not care if someone cries because of their senseless evil. They do not care if someone’s life is ruined by their selfish ways. They are wicked and bent on evil.

Second, people are that way by their own choices. No one is born that way. We are not born broken. Sin does that. I’ve known people who came from the worst backgrounds, with parents that easily could have ruined them, but they rose up and chose to be honest, decent and even godly. Their course was not predetermined nor set. Others, who grew up with all the best advantages, parents that loved them, taught them God’s way and included worship as a regular part of their lives, rejected all of that. They turned their backs on all the blessings given to them. They became radical rebels who despised their upbringing and did everything they could to hurt their parents. Why are some wicked and some not? Why do some delight in the Lord and others delight in hurting? It’s a matter of choice.

Third, a person can always change. That’s the grand hope in Jesus Christ. Forgiveness and hope are possible. One doesn’t have to stay on the dead-end street all the way to the end. One can turn around. Meanness eventually turns on each other. It is said that if a rattlesnake gets so agitated and can’t find anything to strike at, it will bite itself. Some people do the same thing. They will turn on their friends. They will be mean to all around them. There is always hope. Sometimes it takes feeding pigs, or a night in jail, or the death of a friend, or the loss of family to realize that the stubborn meanness is no ones fault but your own. And, when one realizes that there has been those who loved you even when you weren’t very loveable, especially the Lord, then one starts to think about turning around. Where has all the evil gotten you? What has all the meanness accomplished?

Fourth, for David, there were those who were seeking to kill him. They delighted in hurting him. David didn’t launch a counter attack. He didn’t sneak in at night and settle the score. He didn’t sabotage chariots. No, none of those things. What David did, from our passage, was pray to God. Let Heaven deal with this. Take the problem to the Lord. Open the flood gates of Heaven and there is no greater help. With one angel, God has sent armies running. Through the hands of Moses, God could part the sea and then close it up on the advancing Egyptians. So, you have some co-workers who are making life miserable for you? Pray to God. You have some family members who are just being real pills? Pray to God. As, Psalms 70 ends, David states, “You are my help and my deliverer.” God can do all things.

Some people are just mean. Some will get away with things that they shouldn’t. But someday all of us will stand before the Lord. Our time needs to be spent honoring the Lord and following His will. We can allow the wrong choices of others to change what we know is good and right.

Sure some things to consider in our troublesome times…

Roger

16

Jump Start # 2801

Posted on March 16, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2801

Nehemiah 9:38 “Now because of this we are making an agreement in writing; and on the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our priests.”

Our Sunday video study of Nehemiah has taken us recently through the great assembly and reading of God’s word found in chapter eight. Then followed the powerful prayer of confession in the ninth chapter. As that chapter ends, it leads to some action. Prayer should do just that. Saying, “Amen,” isn’t the end. It may cause us to open our eyes and raise our heads, but it’s not the end of the story. After “amen,” comes action, action on our part.

So, as this ninth chapter ends, the leaders put their names to a document. They are serious about the changes they are making and the commitment to God. Signing your name is official. A check isn’t good without a signature. You can’t buy a house or get a car without putting your name on some papers. This commitments you. This is your obligation. If you don’t keep up your end of the bargain, you could be taken to court and usually trouble follows.

As the tenth chapter of Nehemiah begins, we find 27 verses of names. Lots of names. More than 80 names. Nehemiah is the first. He heads the list. But these names are making that commitment to keep the promises that they have learned through the reading of God’s word and have confessed in prayer.

There are several things that we ought to see here:

First, this showed how serious these leaders were with what they were doing. Talk is often shallow, cheap and easy to break. Putting your name on a document puts more weight to what you are doing. I’ve heard of folks coming to the Lord, but no sooner do they come, they leave. Little commitment. No dedication. No worshipping regularly. No connecting to the church family. I wonder if they think they have checked off a box and now they are ok. I wonder if they think that’s all there is. Imagine someone going through all the preparation of a wedding, but as soon as the ceremony is over, the groom hops in his car, by himself and zooms away. People would rightly question how serious he was about getting married. Here in Nehemiah’s day, names were put on paper.

Second, we see the value of Nehemiah’s name at the top of the list. Leaders are to lead. Every time a person picked up that pen to write his name, there at the top, first name visible, was the leader, Nehemiah. It’s hard to get others to do things if the leaders won’t. In our times, shepherds are to be examples to the flock. If the leaders are expecting the members to do certain things, the members need to see the shepherds doing them first. Follow the leader is the idea. If the leader won’t put his name on the paper, why should anyone else? It’s easy to be bossy. But showing people and leading them by example, that’s always God’s way.

Third, there was a sense of accountability with names on the paper. That’s the way it works when we sign legal documents. We are now legally bound to what we signed. We are committing to pay a loan back. And, God has preserved these individual names for us. How easily the Spirit could have lumped these all together and said, the priests and Levites signed. That would have been true. But with the names on this inspired word, generations later, people would have made connections. After the passing of my father, I inherited two very large pictures of my great-great grandparents. They were N.T. Christians. Their pictures hang in my home office. I look at them and am reminded of a legacy of faithfulness. Names on a paper would do the same thing.

Also, after the days of this signed document, had one started to drift from his commitment, others could remind him. Others could point out that his name was on the document. Others could show him that he was in the company of more than eighty that had made that promise to follow the Lord. Maybe that would be just the very thing to encourage one to draw closer to the Lord.

Fourth, I wonder how many of us would be willing to put our names on a document committing to faithfulness to the Lord? Would you sign a pledge, a promise to follow the Lord? This would not be a statement of what we believe. That’s a creed. We don’t need a creed when we have the word of God. Anything more than the Bible is too much and anything less than the Bible is too little and anything just like the Bible is not necessary. I promise to keep my commitment to the Lord. Would you put your name to that? Would that help you stay true? Would that help us be accountable?

Names on a paper…signed and sealed.

Roger

15

Jump Start # 2800

Posted on March 15, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2800

Matthew 4:11 “Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.”

Before we get to our thoughts today, we have reached yet another milestone. Today is Jump Start # 2800 which is hard for me to believe. I never thought when this little journey began that it would continue this long. Our readership continues to grow and I am hearing from so many of you that it touches my heart. I know that the past several Jump Starts have dealt heavily with the subject of death. I have been in a long season of death recently. I hope it has not been too wearisome for you. Just a couple of reminders, we now have 26 Jump Start books on a variety of topics. They are always free. Just reach out to me. Second, you help us by sharing these with others. Word of mouth is how we have always grown our Jump Starts. And, one important final thought, thank you. If you were not reading these, I would stop writing them. I hope in some small way these have helped you on your journey with the Lord. We are blessed!

Our verse today comes at the end of Jesus’ temptation. For forty days the Lord was alone with Satan. The devil tried a number of attacks upon Jesus. His goal was to get Jesus to sin. The sinless sacrifice would be lost had Jesus caved in to the appeals of Satan. But Jesus didn’t. He was tempted, but He never sinned.

And, here, in this verse we find a contrast. The devil left and the angels came. Temptations ceased and help arrived. Within this passage we find this interesting concept, that the angels ministered to Him. The Common English says, “angels came and took care of Him.” I like that. Jesus was hungry. He was tired. He was alone. Angels came and helped. We are not told what the angels did, but they were Heaven’s help.

But right here is a powerful thought that too often we don’t see. Jesus, the chief shepherd, the high priest, needed help. We tend to think that Jesus never needed anything from anyone. But He was served by angels. God sent the angels to minister to Him. Now, if there were times that Jesus needed to be served and ministered, what about our shepherds today? Who takes care of the shepherds? Who shepherds the shepherds? Or, who takes care of them?

First, it is easy to assume that since the shepherds are qualified, experienced, knowledgeable leaders, that they do not need any help. It’s easy to think that they never have a bad day. It’s easy to assume that they are always zealous, passionate and encouraged. It’s easy to believe that they are there to help others, but they do not need any help themselves. And, with these false assumptions, many shepherds suffer. They don’t know who to go to. They don’t know who can help them. Discouraged and feeling alone, many step down and away from the work of leading God’s people.

The work of shepherding is not about paying bills and making decisions about what color to paint the church building. Those that are doing that are not engaged in the right work. If that is their concern, they ought to serve as deacons and not shepherds. The role of elders is to lead, guide and protect the people of God. Their concern is the welfare of the people. And, people can be problems. We can be stubborn. We can refuse to listen. We can be weak, worldly and opinionated. We divorce. We divide. We dance with the devil, and drink from the cup of error. The church sometimes looks like a house full of teenagers. There must be nights when the shepherds wonder, “will they ever grow up?” Or, “Is anyone really trying?” The toll can be heavy. The problems many. And, feeling the burdens, the shepherds can be crushed by the responsibilities before them. Don’t assume they don’t need help.

Second, because of the sensitive nature of working with people, shepherds cannot really tell others what is going on in their hearts. They carry these secrets. Even among their own family, they say little. They do this to protect the people they are trying to help. They also do this to protect their own families. They do not want to discourage them. So, much of what the shepherd does is not known outside the eldership.

One might conclude then, that they are on their own. They signed up for this and this is what comes with it. But, that just doesn’t fit with the rest of the nature of the N.T. where we help, encourage and bear one another’s burdens. I do not find that shepherds are excluded from those passages. They need help. If angels ministered to Jesus, then who will minister the shepherds?

Here are a few of my thoughts:

  • The shepherds need to have a close relationship with the Lord. This is a given for what they do, but it is something that is so important. Look at David when chased about the country by Saul and later when his own men turned on him. It was during this period that so many of the powerful Psalms were written. He is reaching out to God. This must be first. You are not alone in your work. You have help and you have the best help. God sent angels to Jesus, He didn’t send Peter, James and John. God can help in ways that no one else can. Spend some time in deep reading of the Psalms and some deep prayer. It will help you to see clearly and it will help your heart.
  • The shepherds need to have a close relationship among themselves. No one knows as much as they do and no one understands all that is at stake as much as they do. Their relationship ought to be close. Among each other they ought to be transparent, open and rely upon each other. The eldership as a unit or a whole is to shepherd the individual elder. They are there to help him as much as they would anyone else in the congregation. Some may feel that if they express some concerns, fears, or troubles, that their qualifications and place in the eldership may be questioned. It shouldn’t. We all face trials and turmoil. No one is perfect and the only Perfect One, Jesus, had help from angels. I’ve seen elders get so tired and weary that they resign on the spot and no one else had a clue. Help each other. The stronger you make the eldership, the better it will be. If one of the shepherds cannot come to the other elders, how is it that a member will come?
  • As a congregation, we need to be more of a help than a burden to the shepherds. We can complain too much. We can pick apart their decisions and all we do is make matters worse. Pray for those men who lead you. Let them know that you love them and support them. And, without revealing any details, they need to have someone to talk to. Everyone needs that. Preachers need that. We need to be able to talk openly without fear of being judged or ridiculed. It may be that the shepherd needs to reach out to a friend in another congregation.
  • Shepherds need to be willing to listen to what they tell others. The same advice is good for them. Don’t let image, pride or fear keep you from getting help when you need it.

Shepherding the shepherd—that’s a great thought. It ought to be as normal as anything else in our walk with the Lord.

Roger

12

Jump Start # 2799

Posted on March 12, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2799

Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”

It’s the “Big Mo,” and it’s really important. Without the “Big Mo,” businesses drift, teams lose and candidates are defeated. The “Big Mo” is important spiritually and it’s up to leaders to keep that “Big Mo” going. And, just what is the “Big Mo?” It’s momentum. Other words would be zeal, passion, involvement. Here in our verse Paul says to “Keep standing firm.” Keep on keeping on is what preachers often say.

A great illustration of momentum is seen at the airport. Giant airlines parked are held in place by small blocks that are placed by the wheels. Those blocks keeps the planes in place. A plane couldn’t move over those blocks. Yet, you see a plane coming in to land. It’s moving very, very fast. It could plow through a brick wall. Momentum. It’s often hard to get it started and once it’s going, it needs to keep going.

There are many things that drains our momentum. After a week at Disney, back home to the daily grind, it’s hard to get up and get going. I see this when church has a special series of lessons with a visiting preacher. There is a lot of excitement leading up to it. The building gets a polish. Friends are invited. There is a lot of talk, prayers and hope surrounding these special events. I’ve seen it. The special series of lessons ends. The visiting preacher flies home. The next Sunday feels like the air has leaked out of a balloon. Seen it. Felt it.

And, here is why these thoughts are important to us. Many, many places are starting back up with in person worship services. Some are starting up with various classes again. It’s been a long time. Folks are excited about seeing each other. Preachers are thrilled to put the camera and tripods up. Face to face, is always the best way to connect, teach and help one another. It’ll be exciting, at least for a while. But, as with anything new or different, the momentum fades, the zeal wanes, and interest tends to shift to other things.

Some thoughts for us:

First, some in trying to find ways to keep the “Big Mo” around turn to artificial means that are often questionable or even unbiblical. Worship is not a circus, now does it complete with TV, stand up comics or the fast paced entertainment world. It’s not designed for that. Yet, adjusting the schedule some and plugging in some special singings, classes or unique ways to bring video and discussion together is something to put some thought to. Great things happen when there is a lot of passion and zeal. That needs to be tapped into and used in positive and constructive ways for the Lord.

Second, much of our momentum, is personal and individual. Too many rely upon others, even the church, to keep them pumped up and going. Our passion and zeal are wrapped around our faith. The greater our faith, the more we will be zealous for the Lord. This is why within one congregation, one person could be on fire for the Lord and the other person nearly lifeless. They hear the same sermons. They sing the same songs. So it is not the exterior things, but what is within them. What we do outside the building has much more to do than what happens within the church building about our walk, faith and passion for the Lord.

Third, leaders cannot ignore the value of momentum. When it is lacking, discouragement, depression and doubt arises. Some start dropping out. And, like mold on the wall, discouragement doesn’t go away, it generally spreads. One family, then two, then several. It spreads to the point that no one wants to teach classes. No one wants to come to special meetings. No one wants to do anything. Lifeless, listless, and dead. I’ve seen it. And, I’ve seen church leaders who didn’t understand why people weren’t doing better in their walk with the Lord. That’s an easy answer—they lack zeal, passion and the “big Mo,” has left them. It’s hard to do what you do not feel like doing. And, generally a lecture and a warning is all that they get and that doesn’t change things much. The Thessalonians were told to encourage the fainthearted. Rather than pointing fingers, they need an open hand of help and compassion. But, just as discouragement spreads, so does encouragement. One log that is burning will start a fire in the log next to it. That’s the way encouragement works. Leaders will see that. They will put those who are lacking momentum around those who have it.

Holidays end. Vacations end. The roller coaster ride ends. But being passionate and zealous doesn’t have to. One doesn’t have to have special days to keep the fire burning brightly within him. His love for the Lord and his faith in what the Scriptures teach is all that he needs. He’s Heaven Bound. Things are only going to get better. What a joyous way to keep strong and going in the Lord.

Roger

11

Jump Start # 2798

Posted on March 11, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2798

Joshua 1:2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.”

I’ve heard it said that this verse contains the shortest funeral address of all time. Five words—Moses My servant is dead. This wasn’t actually a funeral. The end of Deuteronomy shows that the nation mourned and wept over Moses for thirty days. God is making a declaration here. There is a change taking place. For many years Joshua was being groomed for this very day. His time with Moses was a learning experience. The work of God is much greater than any of us. Moses would die, but the nation, the promises and the plans of God would continue.

Leadership is vital to success and it’s lacking in so many places today. It’s missing in politics. It’s missing in the home. It’s missing in the church. Among us are Moses’ and they die and there is no one to step up and take their places. And when that happens, the work flounders and falters.

I write these words on a Saturday evening. In the morning, one of our shepherds is no longer going to be serving in that capacity. He is moving out of state and new chapters of opportunities await him. For him, I am excited. I wish him well and want the best for him. He was one of the three shepherds years ago that allowed me to come and work with this church. And as we have transitioned, changed, and found a better focus, he was in the forefront of leading us. His insights are amazing. His kindness set the standard for the rest of us. We will miss him and I know that I will miss him.

Through my preaching years I have seen elders come and go. Sometimes the going part isn’t pleasant. But not this time. All is well. He has brought us to a great place and has helped us in ways that will be felt for generations. He truly understood the concept of shepherding. He will be a great help to another congregation, but he will be missed.

Here are some thoughts:

First, it’s easy to take our leaders for granted. They are always there. Every Sunday. Sometimes we cause them headaches, and that’s usually our fault. But Moses wasn’t always going to be there. I believe this passage is more than a transition from the Law to the History section of the Bible. I believe it’s more than simply showing us how the nation finally got into the promise land. Here, before our eyes is a change in leadership. Joshua wasn’t given ninety days to prove himself. There wasn’t a committee formed to search for the next leader. Joshua had been trained. He had seen Moses in action. More than that, he has seen God in action. I wonder if we complain about our leaders more than we thank the Lord for them. I wonder if we stand in their way more than we support them. This past year has been dreadful for most congregations. Masks or no masks. When do we come back together. What will that look like. Godly men have searched their hearts to find the right decision, knowing that some will not agree with them. It’s time to be thankful.

Second, congregations cannot wait until there is an exit in the leadership to start looking for replacements. The role of mentoring began long before Moses went up to the mountain for the last time. Who is on the horizon to be a leader? What is being done to develop them?

Third, when the work is done well, there are wonderful footprints and examples left for others to follow. Much too often men are appointed to the eldership simply because they meet the qualifications. Nothing is said about leadership. Many do not know what they are expected to do. Here is a sobering thought for us to consider: there are three qualifications to be President of the United States. One must be at least 35 years old, a natural born citizen and had lived here for the past fourteen years. That’s it. That’s the qualifications. So, a 35 year-old, unemployed man, who never graduated from high school, who lives in his mamma’s basement and plays video games all day long, technically is qualified to be the President. Now, you and I know there is much more to it than that. And, what happens too often is that men are selected to be elders and they don’t know what they are expected to do. Other than being nice guys, with decent families, they are put in the position of leading when they are not sure where they are going.

So, it would do well to spend some time talking about leading. It begins in the home. It would do well to look at the many shepherd passages in the Bible. It would do well to have some classes before names are ever selected. Do the people know what they are getting themselves into?

Fourth, we all know the horror stories of leading. We’ve seen them and heard them. Moses had his share. The sons of Korah. Aaron’s golden calf. His sister rebelling. The nation wanting to go back to Egypt. The complaints. God wanting to wipe the nation out and start over. And, when one only hears the horror stories, no one will ever want to step up and serve. Those that serve now, must paint a true picture, but they must not forget the joys and the blessings of serving such as seeing lives turn around for the Lord. Seeing young men grow and develop and step up to different roles in the congregation. To see the good that the church does worldwide. I’m certain every shepherd has moments when he wonders ‘Why am I doing this?’ And, forgive us when we are the cause of those thoughts. However, there are many, many more bright spots. Being able to leave a place better than you found it is one of the greatest blessings. A church that is growing, healthy, united, strong, engaged and making an impact worldwide is a great accomplishment of leadership. A church that honors the Lord before all things. A church that stands solid upon the word of God. A church that is Biblically strong, yet at the same time compassionate and helpful. It is said that the followers never exceed the leaders. And, when godly men are leading well, there is such peace among us.

And among us for nearly twenty years has been one such shepherd. The words “Thank you,” do not seem strong enough nor deep enough for the tender and careful leadership we’ve had and continue to have.

Thank you, Lee. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May your kind be found through God’s kingdom. You have made a difference and we are the better for it. Thank you!

Roger