08

Jump Start # 2979

Posted on December 8, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2979

1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.”

Contentment isn’t about money. Contentment is an attitude, a state of the mind, that one chooses. Some with no money are content. Others are unhappy and always talking about needing more. Some with a lot of money are content, while others are not. And, the subject of contentment transcends money to how one views life. Words I would connect with contentment would be peace, calm, restful, joyful. Jealousy is not in the makeup of contentment.

One area that we don’t mention much is being content with God’s way of doing things. Content with the church as God designed it and gave it a mission. So many are wanting the church to do more. Content with the purpose of the church—seek and save the lost and honor God. So many want the church involved in community social agendas. In a recent sermon I discussed this idea. Is the church established or is it evolving? I was amazed at how many books are on the market that are titled “Redefining the church,” “Reshaping the church,” Reinventing the church” or “Reorganizing the church.” Authoring these books are those who do not understand nor appreciate Biblical authority and have little patience for the way the church looks. Simply put, they are not content. In all of these books what’s missing is, “Return to the Biblical example.” No one wants to return, they want to change it.

Now, under the surface lies two deadly spirits.

First, is the spirit that believes what we read about in the Bible doesn’t work today. That’s why everything needs to be redone. Do it over. Do it better. The first century world isn’t our world, so daycares, schools, social programs, the wholeness of man and the wellness of man ought to be emphasized. Missions that have nothing to do with preaching and teaching, are a major part of these redesigned and restructured churches. Bike missions. Cooking missions. Education missions. You won’t find those in the Bible, but restructured, redefined, and repurposed and repackaged, the modern church doesn’t look like what you read in the Bible. Worship becomes a show. Doctrine is out. Sin is not mentioned. Hell has evaporated. The leadership of the church looks more like a boardroom of a corporation than shepherds in the fields of Judea.

Second, is the spirit that is not satisfied nor content with what God has given to us. We don’t like it. It’s not enough. We want the church doing more than what God said. And when people are not satisfied, happy or content, they’ll change things to get where they want to be. When a person isn’t happy with the house they live in, he will move. When a person isn’t satisfied with the car he drives, off to the dealership he will go to find a better car. And, when writers, leaders and preachers are not happy with the church the way God made it, they will seek to “redefine it, reshape it, restructure it, reinvent it, or simply, reboot it.”

Content with what God has built and content with what God has given to us. God’s way worked. The N.T. proves that. Lives were changed, the kingdom grew and the impact changed the world. It worked then. It will work today. It is working today. The kingdom is growing. Lives are being changed. And, it’s being done the same ole’ way as always, preaching and teaching the saving message of Jesus Christ. “Go into all the world and preach,” is what the Lord told the apostles to do. And, when we settle on that, we find that works.

I wonder if there is another cause behind all of this “rewriting” of the church. Could it be that it’s easier to change the church than to change their ways? Rather than being what God wants me to be, I redefine what God wants. I take passages out of context, I add layers of psychology and modern issues and suddenly the church becomes more social than spiritual. It is changed to serve me rather than honor God. It becomes shaped around what I like rather than what God has delivered. It appeals to my emotions rather than to my soul. With that worship becomes an event that I am a spectator, just like a ballgame or a movie. Rather than participating and giving, which makes worship a verb, as it is in the N.T., worship entertains me. It better be good or I will go somewhere else or worse, I will just not come at all. The stakes are high. The pressure is great. Each week, the “show” must be better. Old timers used to say, “If you lure them in with hotdogs, you’ll have to give them hamburgers to keep them.” A consumer mentality is developed and a consumer mentality must be kept to sustain the crowds. And, in all of this, God is pushed to the background. What does God want? Why is it that God built the church and shaped worship the way He did? Does any of that matter today?

Content. We find in the longest Psalm, “Oh how I love your law.” For that writer, the law was the Law of Moses. No Gospels. No Philippians. No prophets. It was Leviticus. It was Numbers. That’s the Law that he had in mind. And, he LOVED it. He was satisfied with it. He was content with it. He wasn’t trying to rewrite it. He wasn’t wanting to change it. He was happy with what God had provided.

Maybe it’s time we stopped dancing with wolves, flirting with the devil and tiptoeing through weeds of error and get back to the Bible and change our hearts and ways. Be content with what God has established. Be happy with what God has built. Toss those “reshaping” books in the trash and open up your Bible. Take a deep and long look at what God has done for you. He does not owe us salvation. He does not have to accept us. We were the ones who messed up, not God. He could have left us on our own to figure out what to do. He blesses us daily. He hears our prayers. And, yet, with all of that, some what to change what God has given to us. Shame on that type of thinking. Back to the Bible is where we need to be headed.

Tell me the old, old story…

Roger

07

Jump Start # 2978

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2978

2 Samuel 15:13 “Then a messenger came to David, saying, ‘The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.’”

David could kill giants but he could not control his family. Anger, jealousy and hatred filled the halls of the king’s palace. David appears to be out of touch with his kids. He could rule a nation but his lack of action at home created a dysfunctional environment that was unhealthy and destructive.

In our verse today, Absalom is actively trying to take over. He wins the hearts of the people. That’s the first step. He rallies the troops to his side, the second step. He marches into the city to take over, the final step. David flees. This is the first time since David became king that he runs. The capitol is at risk. Absalom gives the order to kill his father, the king. And, all of this is taking place among the people of God. And, all of this is within a family.

As the story unfolds, David’s men engage Absalom’s troops. A fierce battle takes place. Absalom is killed. The threat is over. Peace returns. David is broken. So many mistakes. So many times he was neglectful. Maybe he was gone too much. Maybe he didn’t want to deal with conflicts at home. His home was not a reflection of godliness. A great man with a terrible home.

Some lessons:

First, unhappy homes produce unhappy people and unhappy people produce unhappy homes. A home without guidance, instruction, rules and authority is ripe for selfishness. When more than one selfish person surrounds the table, the climate becomes negative, ugly and a battle ground. Some have in their minds that what works in math works in the home, two negatives will make a positive. That looks good on paper, but not in a family. Two negatives is all it takes for a declaration of war. The place to begin is with yourself. Then, the role of parents, that’s next. They set the tone for the family. If they are bitter, angry and selfish, so will the rest of the family.

Second, a lack of discipline leads to problems. One of David’s sons, Amnon, rapped David’s daughter, Tamar. Nothing was done. For two years, nothing was done. Absalom took matters into his own hand and killed Amnon. David remains silent. Absalom flees. Nothing from David. After a few years, he returns. He is in the same city as David and they do not speak. Was David afraid? Did he not care? Maybe David should have sent Amnon off to battle the Philistines before his passions got the best of him. He didn’t. Discipline is never fun. It’s usually not easy. But unless there is some accountability and responsibility, problems will only worsen. Some parents would rather be their child’s friend than parent. That’s not the role you play. Parenting involves instruction, guidance, examples and discipline.

Third, portraying the image of perfection denies reality and looses credibility. This is the stumbling point for many of us. We want our family to look normal like all the other families in church. We don’t want others to know that we have issues and problems. So, rather than seeking help, we put on masks. We pretend everything is great when it is not. And, when the truth comes out, and it usually does, our image is shot. Instead, we need to see things are they are. ALL families have issues, problems and struggles. They may not have them all the time, but they do. What we see for a couple of hours on Sunday often hides what happens behind the closed doors of home. Concerned more about the image is something that elders and preachers often struggle with. Rather than getting the help, they deny that there is anything wrong. The marriage may be rocky, but the preacher would never let anyone know that. The kids are addicted or kicked out of school or sexually active and unmarried, yet the image is what the family is concerned about. Where these people are with Jesus is not as essential as what everyone thinks about them. Keeping the image up, becomes a priority. Living a lie is what they are doing. It would be more helpful to be truthful and honest. It would be more beneficial to put the cards on the table and seek help. And, the image  of the preacher’s family and the elders’ family is something that no one else can live up to.  The perfect darlings are really demons in school and in the community. The king had trouble at home. Was admitting that a sign of weakness? Is it for us? Is it a sign that we have failed as parents? Maybe it’s time for some honest talk. Maybe that honesty would help others.

Fourth, the failure to repair broken relationships can create a wound that will never heal. For some, there is no communication between siblings or parents and grown children. Words were said. Choices were made. And, now there is such a breech in the relationship that it will never be healed. I see this with David and Absalom. I see this with David and Amnon. Without a foundation of love, grace and forgiveness, the separation becomes permanent. I’ve known some who didn’t even attend their own parents funeral. No love lost. No feeling. Nothing. David seems to have cried more after Absalom died than he ever did while his son was alive. Tears never seen and love never felt. Lost tears.

There is a lot of turmoil in families these days. Problems do not work themselves out and problems do not go away. Ignore them and they will grow and multiple. Deal with them, as painful and hard as that may be, and some positive solutions can be found.

The man who was after God’s heart, had a home that wasn’t. What a shame. What a loss. May we learn and may we do better.

Roger

06

Jump Start # 2977

Posted on December 6, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2977

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

Let’s start with some administrative notes. From time to time, one of our readers will contact me and inform me that they are not receiving the daily Jump Starts. I tell them to check their spam folder and so forth. You have to understand, I love using technology, but I do not understand it. In this congregation we are pushing the envelope as far as we can with publishing things such as sermons, classes, blogs, podcasts and livestream. Our website adds information daily. We also have a major Facebook presence. People ask me what software we are using for this or that and I really don’t have a clue. So, this week, me, the writer of Jump Starts, is not receiving the Jump Starts. They are not in my spam folder. They are no where.

When this happens, go to the Jump Start website (www.jumpstartsdaily.com) and sign up again. You can always find them on that site, our congregation’s website (www.charlestownroad.org) and most times on our Facebook page. I wish I could tell you why this happens, but I don’t understand it.

And, all of this leads to our verse today. I was thinking about this as I was looking for the Jump Start this morning. I am the author. It comes from me. I am the one who sends it out and yet, it wasn’t sent to me. In a much more grave situation, Paul reminds us that being an apostle wasn’t a sure ticket to Heaven. He had to do what you and I have to do and that is faithfully follow the Lord. Having saved others, there was the possibility that Paul could have been lost. Imagine that very thought. There could be people in Heaven as a direct result of Paul’s preaching, but they couldn’t find Paul in Heaven because he became disqualified.

From this some thoughts:

First, as we teach and preach to others, we must listen to what we are saying. It quickly becomes a double standard when we expect others to follow God’s word closely, but we are not as careful and even playing tag with the Devil. We preachers, teachers and shepherds must take this to heart. If Paul could be disqualified, so could we.

Second, there is one standard, one path and we must all follow it. There is not an exemption clause for some. It’s the same today as it was in 1900. It’s the same today as it was in the 12th century. It’s the same today as it was for those very first disciples. Our world is different, but what God expects of us isn’t. Times have changed, but what God expects of you hasn’t. The world is smaller and moves much faster today, but what God expects hasn’t change.

Third, disqualified is such a sickening thought. It’s one thing to give your all and lose the game or the battle, but to be disqualified carries the idea of cheating, breaking the rules. To lose fairly is one thing, but to be tossed out because you were disqualified is something else. Every Olympic season complicated drug testing must take place because of cheating. Some spend more effort and time trying to bend the rules than they do making the games. Every sport, every game, has rules. Breaking those rules, makes one disqualified. To be disqualified spiritually reveals a serious faith issue. Either the person isn’t committed or somehow he thinks he is above the rules. Our Lord followed the rules. He was obedient in all things. He was tempted but without sin.

Fourth, the declaration of disqualification most likely would happen at the judgment. One can spend a life living with double standards, bending the rules, doing as they feel like, but at the judgment they will find out how wrong they were. It is at the judgment that all the cards are put on the table. It is at the judgment that God reveals all. And, it is at the judgment that opportunity and time to change and be right with the Lord is gone. There is no repenting after the judgment. There is no second chances after the judgment. Disqualified and now unable to receive the greatest crown of victory, eternal life with the Lord.

None of us are too big, too good, too important, too busy, to not possibly be disqualified. It doesn’t matter if you started the church in that location. It doesn’t matter if you have been with that congregation for decades. What matter is are you qualified? What matters is are you being honest with yourself and your walk with the Lord.

I was preaching about Heaven a while back and made the observation that we might be surprised who is in Heaven and who is not in Heaven. That call is made by God, not us. God makes that call based upon one’s faith and walk with the Lord. Some are pretty good at wearing masks and pretending to be what they are not. Others stumble along, but they have a sweet and honest heart. The obvious may not be the one who is in Heaven.

Disqualified…don’t let that happen to you.

Roger

03

Jump Start # 2976

Posted on December 3, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2976

1 Corinthians 11:24 “and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’”

We have a saying around here, “Sunday is the best day of the week.” Hardly a week goes by and that is not said. Most of our folks know this. What makes Sunday so special? Why is it a better day than Friday night or Saturday morning? Why Sunday?

Here’s why:

First, it’s the day that creation started. When people say “It’s wrong to work on Sunday,” they forget that God did.

Second, it’s the day that Jesus rose from the grave. That was the crowning event in the N.T. That was the crushing blow to Satan. The darkness of the tomb must have seemed like a victory to the devil, but, ‘up from the grave He arose.’ And, He didn’t just come back to life, He was raised to never die again. NEVER. We  live after death, because He did.

Third, Sunday is the day that the gospel was first preached. That saving message of Jesus Christ was echoed in and around Jerusalem, not once but that message has circled the planet. Salvation is in Christ. There is no other name that saves.

Fourth, Sunday is the day that saints gathered. They came together on the first day of the week. They came to worship. They came to honor the resurrected Christ.

Fifth, Sunday is the day that Christians remember. We remember that death. We remember how He died. We remember why He died. We remember what that death did.

And, this is where our verse takes off of today. Paul is instructing the Corinthians about the Supper which is to remember Christ. Somehow things got sideways and the purpose was missed by the pride and pomp of some of the Corinthians. Instead of remembering, they were hogging it all and keeping others from participating. Something that should have brought them together, was used to pull them apart.

Jesus took some bread, gave thanks and then broke it. A question surfaced recently. Most congregations are now using the disposable cups with the bread on one side and the juice on the other side. This is healthier and in this pandemic, it makes sense. But how is the bread broken, if no one actually breaks it? A good thought. There are several things about that Corinthian statement that we just don’t know. For instance, did Jesus break the loaf in two giant pieces? Did He break it into twelve pieces, one for each of the apostles? Was it broken evenly? Was it cut in half or did the Lord just tear it with His hands? Did Jesus do this with His right hand or His left hand? Is it necessary for another person to touch the bread that I will put in my mouth? Was there just “one loaf” that Jesus started with? Lots of places and questions we could go to and in the midst, we could miss the main point, that is remembering the sinless body that was sacrificed for us.

I don’t believe Heaven shakes a finger in disgust at me because no one “broke” the bread as I took it out of my disposable container. Jesus was making it convenient for the disciples. The emphasis should not be on the tearing of the bread, but on the body that had no broken bones, but the side was pierced. Some might fuss about the posture of Jesus when He broke the bread. The text tells us that He was reclining. If we must break the bread literally, I suppose the one who does that needs to be reclining as Jesus was. Once it was broken in two, or three, or twelve, which piece was handed out first? One could get all the logistics right and miss the main point. Jesus died for us. That bread is a reminder. That bread without leaven, is like His body without sin.

If someone is so inclined to break their little piece in two, or twelve, that’s fine. Now, don’t expect, demand, or force others to do the same. Don’t be requiring what God has not. There are as many unknowns here as there are what we do know.

What makes Sunday great—It’s the Lord’s Day. I’ve known several brethren who passed through the door of death on a Sunday. My dad was one of them. If I was given a choice, I’d sure pick a Sunday, the best day of the week, to put this old world behind us and to pass into the arms of our Savior.

The best day of the week is Sunday!

Roger

02

Jump Start # 2975

Posted on December 2, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2975

  Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under Heaven.”

The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas seems to fly. Families are so busy. Special events. Visiting other family members. So much to do, that the fun and joy of the holidays can become stressful. You’d think with all of our technology we have today, that we would be more relaxed than ever. Our grandmas and great-grandmas couldn’t throw a load of laundry into the washer, fill the dishwasher up, program the Roomba and go off to other places. Not back then. They had to stay and ring out the clothes and hang them on a clothes line. Dishes were washed by hand. The room was swept by a broom or vacuum. We can do so much more. Shopping on-line, ordering food before we reach the store, banking via our phones, we’ve found ways to do things without literally being in a store. And, yet, here we are as busy, tired and stressed as ever. And Solomon’s words seem to haunt us. He says, “there is a time for every event under Heaven,” and we wonder about that. We keep telling ourselves that there simply isn’t enough time.

Here are some suggestions that might help:

First, learn to say “No.” You need to say this kindly to others. You can’t go everywhere. You can’t keep running. Your body needs rest. Interestingly, God built in the Jewish system a day of rest, and now in the New Testament age we live as if we never need that. Stay home. Put on some holiday movies. Leave your phone in another room. We also need to say “no,” to ourselves. You don’t have to make every cookie in the inventory of holiday cookies. For me this year is the battle with leaves. I’ve already spent more than three different days getting the leaves out and yet, my yard still needs more attention. It hit me the other night, I live with a woods behind my yard. I’m going to have leaves in my yard. I’ll get to it when I can.

Second, find time to think and pray. This is a great thing to do when you go to bed or just wake up. Get organized and get a plan. Run it through your mind. Put some prayers on that plan and then attack it. Being disorganized is not only a waste of time and energy, it leaves one feeling overwhelmed and defeated. Make lists. Put things in order. Before companies launch a new product lots of meetings and thoughts go into that decision. Before sports teams execute a play, they have talked about that play and practiced that over and over.

Third, remember that little ones get tired, bored easily and need time to rest and play. The little ones can’t keep up with your schedule and they will melt down first. When that happens, your stress level escalates. Keep that in mind as you hurry about this holiday season.

Fourth, don’t cut God short. Don’t skip Bible readings. Don’t rush through quiet times. Don’t skip a day because there is too much to do. That only sprinkles guilt upon your stress and makes you feel worse. Not everything will get done, but most won’t know that. Your house may not look like the cover of a magazine, but that’s ok. Someday, those little ones will be grown up and moved out. When they think back about the holiday times what do you want them to remember? Mom and dad shouting at each other? How stressed the parents were and how everyone had to walk on egg shells because of the tensions of getting everything done perfectly? Is that a great memory? How about the fun and the joy of being with mom and dad. How about the games you played together? How about the sing-a-longs? How about the trips to the grandparents?

In Solomon’s grand picture of life, we refer to as the seasons of life, ‘there is a time for everything.’ His list involves the big things in life, some of which we have no control over. We don’t decide when a death will take place. That’s not our call. And a death wrecks schedules and plans. And, death happens, even during the holiday period.

The Psalmist said to “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps 46:1). There is a difference between being still and being idle. The idle is in neutral because he has nothing to do or doesn’t want to do anything. Being still is a choice. It’s medicine for the body, soul and mind. I tend to think that worship is that way. For us preachers, it’s very busy with all the things we must do, but even in that, once the worship begins, the mind, the body, the heart settles into a sweet fellowship with the Lord. A tired soul can feel rested during worship. I don’t view worship as yet another thing on the list that has to be done today. Instead, it’s a choice. It’s good for me and it’s good for the Lord. And, that period of worship can shake things up on the inside and I can realize that I don’t have to do everything that was on my list. What is important is family, love and one another with the Lord.

When the Revelation writer mentions, “rest from their labors,” (Rev 14:13) it wasn’t holiday shopping and plans that he had in mind. The labors contextually was connected to what they were enduring. They were being faithful in the midst of an oppressive environment. There was a battle going on. There was a work that they were doing. This rest is connected not to Christmas but to the spiritual journey they were on.

Take a breath. You’ll be fine. Remember the big picture. Put a smile on your face and remember who you are and where you are headed…

Rests for the hurried soul—something we do need to think about in these times.

Roger