31

Jump Start # 3100

Posted on May 31, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3100

James 1:3 “knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance”

Our verse today is a simple reminder of what we know in life. There are struggles, trials and uphill battles. Life can be hard. And, particularly to the child of God, there are unique troubles that only he will face. Our verse doesn’t deal with cancer, kids wrecking cars, teens losing their cell phones, toxic co-workers and obnoxious and nosey neighbors. Our verse stresses the testing of your faith. Our faith is only good if we use it and if can withstand what Satan throws at us. A dead faith, a useless faith, have already been tried and found lacking.

Some have a hard time with the testing of faith. They want to think that somewhere along the line they took a wrong turn or overlooked something. Why else are they being tested? If they were doing right then they would not be tested at all. But that is not what this passage states. Not only will our faith be tested, but our attitude ought to be joyous, not complaining. We ought to be looking for the betterment of self and not being jealous of others. It’s a good thing to have faith tested. It’s good, that is, if your faith produces endurance. Longsuffering is the ability to suffer long. That’s hard in our times. We don’t do well sitting in traffic. We run out of patience if we have to wait long at the doctor’s office. Endurance. Longsuffering. Patience. Trouble can appear over night, but often it takes a long time for things to clear up and get better.

Here are some thoughts to consider:

First, tests come and go and we may not even realize it. God doesn’t announce that your faith is now going through a test. That doesn’t happen. For us down here, it’s just life. It’s dealing with people. It’s things getting off schedule. It’s putting us in spots to pray, trust and seek the Lord. I think of that hymn, “Did you think to pray?” It says, “When sore trials came upon you, did you think to pray? When your head was bowed in sorrow, balm of Gilead did you borrow at the gates of day?” Thinking to pray. Does it come naturally? Does it become our default mode?

Second, the very idea of endurance involves waiting. God promised Abraham a child. He waited. He waited. Decades past. Abraham grew old. How long did the father of the prodigal wait for his son to return? How long have we waited to see someone obey the Gospel, apologize or simply step up and do what is right? Testing of faith produces endurance.

Third, some tests we do well with, others not so well. You remember, back in school, the many quizzes and tests you took. Some you were ready for. Some you did well with. Some you felt confident. Other tests left you with an uneasy feeling. Maybe you didn’t study. Maybe you studied the wrong things. Tests to get a driver’s license. Tests to pass boards, the bar examine, to sell real estate, investments, insurance. The passing of these tests enabled the person to do more and reach the next level in his career or life. When we pass the spiritual tests, it makes us stronger and more useful. We are able to help others because of what we have been through. We are able to trust God deeper because of what we have been through.

Fourth, these tests are intended to help us and not defeat us. They are not put into our lives to make us fail. Many will. Many do. Their faith was never strong and when these tests come into their hearts, they crumble. They forget to pray. They run from God. They avoid worship. They want no contact with God’s people. As a result, these trials become major road blocks in their lives. These trials crush and defeat them. And, rather than getting better, they become worse. Rather than turning to God, they turn away from God. And, so often, they get angry with God for these trials. God was trying to help them. God was trying to build endurance in their lives. God was wanting their faith to grow. But it didn’t. And, these trials became the very reason that they failed. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. God never intended it to be this way.

The testing of your faith…it will happen. It does happen. It’s an opportunity to grow closer to the Lord, stronger in your resolve and deeper in your connections with God’s people. What good is a faith that is never used? What good is a faith never tested?

Roger

27

Jump Start # 3099

Posted on May 27, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3099

Psalms 119:97 “O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day.”

NOTE: Monday is a holiday and there will not be a Jump Start that day.

The other day I was working on some projects at home and needed to look up some verses. I had left my preaching Bible at the church building. I had many other Bibles at home, but they weren’t in translation that I was wanting. So, I turned to my wife’s Bible. And, I found myself flipping through the pages, noticing what she had underlined, written in the margins and had recorded on the back pages of her Bible. What a wonderful journey that was. Beside some verses she had made a treble clef. The passages had nothing to do with music, but she, the musician at heart, used that symbol as something special and meaningful to her.

On my desk at the church house, I have three special Bibles. One, belonged to my grandma. A baptismal certificate was taped in the inside cover. Next to that Bible is my dad’s Bible. When I open it, it smells like his house. It is full of notes, underlined passages and pieces of paper with thoughts written on them. And, next to that Bible is my old red study Bible. It’s a mess these day. Pages literally fall out. It’s marked by me and I can find things so easily in that Bible. It’s my first choice and go to Bible when I want to really look at things.

Have you ever taken a look at another person’s Bible? I have a friend in our congregation whose Bible is filled with the names of preachers. Every time a preacher visits, he has him sign his Bible. What a treasure chest that is. Have you ever just flipped through your spouse’s Bible? That might be a good thing to do. It might give you some insights as to what helps them and what they value. How about flipping through your child’s Bible?

A Bible that creaks and pops as you open it hasn’t been used very much. But a well worn Bible belongs to someone who has spent a lot of time with the Lord and His word. Their lives will reflect what they have read. They have sermon notes that were meaningful to them and they never wanted to forget.

And, I know I’m old and old fashioned to boot, but you can’t do those things on your phone or tablet. Electronic versions of the Bible are here to stay and they are so convenient and easy to use, but what’s missing is the feel of the Bible in your hand, the writing of notes in the margins, the key points of a sermon that you wanted to remember, and those quotes that were so impactful to you. And, what I feel is missing in our electronic age, is the passing down of an old Bible from one generation to the next.

Our verse today reminds us of the value of God’s word. As one thinks about it, that word will shape his heart which will influence his choices. Attitudes, emotions and even our words run through the filter of the Bible. The more the Bible is in our hearts and our lives the more it will shape our character into the righteous person that God wants us to be.

Some thoughts for us:

First, make your Bible truly yours. I’m not talking so much about the covers and the stickers that some may place on the cover, but what you do to the insides of it. Mark it. Underline it. Highlight it. Write words and definitions in it. No one else has to understand these markings but you. The more familiar you become with the Bible, the more confident you’ll be and the more likely that you’ll use it over and over.

Second, get a Bible that’s readable to you. Small print. Regular size print. Giant print. Jumbo print. It doesn’t matter. If you have a Bible and it hurts your eyes to read it, then you won’t read it. If you have a translation and you struggle to understand it, then you won’t use it. Get one that fits you and you’ll use.

Third, learn some basic ways that your Bible is printed. Marginal notes, those little numbers by words, abbreviations such as “ms” or “mss” all can help you in your study. Reading the introduction to your Bible, will explain what the publishers do with those symbols and notes. This will make things helpful to you.

Fourth, wear the Bible out. Just use it, use it, use it. Read it often. Bring it to services. Read it at home. The more that the Bible is in us, the less that the world will be. Find out about how the English Bible came to be. Understand the differences in the translations. Then understand how each book of the Bible fits in with the overall picture that God is showing us. Don’t just read your favorite sections. Read the whole story, cover to cover. Go on a journey and look for things. Find repeated words. Look for questions and the answers to those questions. Reading is an adventure and one never tires of reading the amazing word of God.

Looking in someone else’s Bible…that can be a real insight into that person.

Roger

26

Jump Start # 3098

Posted on May 26, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3098

Matthew 20:15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?”

Our passage today comes as the explanation of the Laborers in the Vineyard parable. That parable causes many people difficulty. Far too many think it is about death bed repentance, even though no one dies in the story. We actually have a Jump Start book on this parable. If you’d like one, contact me and we’ll put one in the mail for you.

The master in this story is generous. He paid the man who worked one hour the same as those who worked all day long. This is not about equality. This is not about what is right, fair or, the proper thing to do. It was the Master’s vineyard. It was the Master’s money. He had an agreement with those who worked all day long. He kept his word and paid them exactly what he promised. The rest didn’t know. Most likely they would not be paid the same. However the Master turned that upside down by demonstrating how generous he was. In the real world, such a business plan would be headed for serious financial trouble. This is the kingdom of God. It doesn’t run by business practices.

Our focus is upon the generosity of God, and to be specific, how generous God’s disciples are. Times are tough financially. Gas is at an all time high. The stock market is at a year low. It’s hard to get supplies. It’s been a while since this country has had to tighten the belt, say no to some luxuries and hold on because the way things are. More than 60% of the country is living paycheck to paycheck.

That’s the dark side of things. Now, how do you determine what to contribute on Sunday? You probably didn’t see that coming in this Jump Start. It’s been a while since I have preached a sermon about giving. It’s been a while since someone asked me, “How much do you think I ought to give?” And, in a season of hard times, one would think giving ought to be one of the last things we talk about. Why? Shouldn’t we talk about this anytime and all the time. The money doesn’t go to God. We don’t wire funds to Heaven. The money is to be used by the church to do the things churches are supposed to do. There are many things that take money these days, from paying preachers, to the upkeep of buildings, to sending the message out.

So, just how does a person decide how much to give?

First, percentages are not fair to use across the board. To say that we are to give 10%, everyone give 10%, makes that a requirement and not everyone can do that. Some can do more. Everyone has a unique situation.

Is it possible to give too much? Sure. A person can put himself in the category of being needy because he has given too much to the kingdom. And, it’s hard to be a good Samaritan if I no longer have any money to help someone.

Second, using the O.T. standard of giving is really never used in the N.T. I’ve heard folks say that the Jews gave 10% and that was without Christ, so we ought to give at least 10%. First, that 10% stuff is faulty. Consider all the animal sacrifices they gave. That costs. The farmers were to keep the corners of the fields unharvested so the poor could have something. That costs. And, if we use the baseline of 10%, aren’t we again making a requirement. The determining factor is not the love and faith in the heart, but a number pulled from the O.T. That turns giving into a taxation. And, that quickly becomes grudgingly.

Third, God is generous. He’s been generous with you and He has been generous with me. My giving ought to reflect a generous heart. I need to be like the Lord. What does it take for you to be considered generous? That’s what you need to give. And, remember, there are numerous other ways to be helpful, supportive and generous beyond the check we give on Sunday morning. What about sending a gift card to a college student who is away from home. What about buying a young preacher a few books. What about having some families in your home and feeding them. What about sending some flowers to a new mom. What about sending some money to a foreign preacher. What about buying a new Bible for the person who was recently baptized.

Generous—a heart of generosity. That’s how we determine how much to give. It is based upon a heart that has been touched by the generous God in Heaven.

Roger

25

Jump Start # 3097

Posted on May 25, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3097

2 Samuel 19:29 “So the king said to him, Why do you still speak of your affairs? I have decided, ‘You and Ziba shall divide the land.’”

Our verse today takes place after the death of Absalom, David’s son. Absalom did all he could to steal the throne. He won the hearts of the people. He embarrassed his dad. Then he agreed to put David to death. During this time David left Jerusalem. David ran. He never ran from a giant. He didn’t run from the Philistines. He didn’t run from lions and bears. But now, he flees. A massive battle takes place between David’s men and Absalom’s men. Twenty thousand are killed. Joab, David’s commander, thrust three spears into Absalom as he dangles from a tree as he was trying to escape. Absalom is killed and the threat is over. Now, one by one, different people are lining up with David as he returns back home to Jerusalem.

Mephibosheth was one of those throwing support to David. His story is unique. He was the grandson of Saul, and the son of Jonathan. As a child, he was dropped and became crippled. Years later, out of respect for his dear friend Jonathan, David learns about Mephibosheth. He brings him to the palace and invites him to eat daily at the king’s table. An act of grace, forgiveness and love.

David asks Mephibosheth why he didn’t come with him when he fled from Absalom. The crippled man tells of his servant deceiving him and then slandering him before David. Then Mephibosheth says, “My father’s household was nothing but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who at at your own table. What right do I have that I should complain anymore to the king?”

It is here where our verse comes in. David says, “You don’t need to talk any more about this” (CEB). Textually, David is probably talking about the problem Mephibosheth had with his servant. David was going to take care of it. But on a grander scale, why are you still talking about your family and how I took care of you? You don’t need to keep talking about this.

There are some things we need to learn from this:

First, some can never stop talking about the way some have treated them. The hurt, the pain, the suffering lingers on and on because they continue to bring it up and continue to talk about it. This is true of church problems and splits. I’ve been in some places where that’s all the people could talk about. You’d think the problems and the split just happened last week but you learn all of this took place decades ago, and they are still talking about it. WHY? Why are you still talking about this?

And, one of the answers to why is because forgiveness has never been extended. The wounds are kept fresh and not allowed to heal. Every new face is told the same horror stories over and over. Children grow up hearing how bad some treated their family. They don’t know all the story, just enough to know that they will have nothing to do with “them.”

The words of David are loudly heard, “Why are you still talking about this?”

Second, then there are those who will not forgive themselves. They continue to believe that they are second class citizens and not deserving of any forgiveness or grace. Even though the promise of God tells us that the Lord forgives, they won’t let it go. They continue to beat themselves up for making a poor choice, a bad decision and will not move on. They doubt their salvation and walk though life with very little spiritual confidence. This is a faith issue. They need to realize that none of us are deserving of grace or kindness from the Lord. But He has extended that to us and we need to take hold of that.

Can you imagine what it was like for Paul to preach before brethren in Jerusalem? Just a short time before he was aggressively rounding up Christians and putting them in jail. Some were put to death. Imagine that man preaching in church and you knowing that it was your parents that he injured. Could you forgive and could he forgive himself? Paul didn’t go hide in a corner the rest of his life. He didn’t turn down God’s role for him because of what he once did. Part of his usefulness was based upon forgiving himself.

Third, Mephibosheth may have been in the state of mind to continually thank David for his generosity. David could have fed Mephibosheth one meal at the king’s table and then sent him on his way. That was much more than most ever received. But David didn’t do that. Mephibosheth was a regular at David’s table. He was treated as one of the sons. David was going to take care of him the rest of his life. Thankful, grateful, appreciative, some never stop thanking. That is a wonderful spirit, but I can see David saying, “enough.” “You don’t have to bring this up all the time. You don’t have to keep talking about this.”

Throughout our lives, there will be people who do wonderful things for us. Our first home that we bought came through the generous and benevolent heart of a wonderful Christian man who helped out this poor preacher. The Lord has blessed, forgiven and open doors for me all of my life. Thankful, like Mephibosheth is what we ought to be. But when we were the one who helped another, we ought not to remind them of what we did over and over and expect a thankfulness every time we see them. You don’t have to keep talking about this, were the words of David.

Interesting thought from the idea of “enough said.”

Roger

24

Jump Start # 3096

Posted on May 24, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3096

Ephesians 4:3 “Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

We are a divided country. We may refer to our land as the United States, but truth be, there isn’t much unity these days. There is division over politics, the direction of the country, economy, role of police, abortion, global warming, the move to electronic cars, booster shots, masks, what the minimum wage ought to be, and a zillion other topics. This isn’t new. People have always been divided. Back in Jesus’ day, Jew/Gentile differences. Even among the Jews, there were Pharisees, Essenes, Sadducees, and the radical zealots. They didn’t see eye to eye on things.

The history of different religions and churches reveals a conservative and progressive spirit among all of them. And, nearly every one has split, divided and splintered over issues that could not be agreed upon.

But there is something different about our differences today. They have taken on a much sharper, critical and mean spirit. The old expression about disagreeing without being disagreeable is no longer around. Disagreeable has taken over. Shouting, violence, riots, name calling, ridicule has filled the streets, the air waves and social media. If one disagrees today, you are very likely to be hurt, insulted and have your name trashed publicly.

These are the times we live in. They are not good times. They are not showing the best side of us. And this spirit in the streets and in our culture always has a way of finding a place among disciples. It shouldn’t, but it does. So, we need to be reminded of the value and importance of unity among us. A divided church is a weak church. A divided church does not have one mind nor one voice. A divided church is confusing and sends mixed messages.

Satan loves to pick us apart and accent our differences. Different backgrounds. Different baggage we carry. Different ideas. Different dreams. But through Christ, we learn to put ourselves on the back burner and seek what is best for others. A selfish heart ruins unity.

Our verse today echoes three powerful principles:

First, being diligent. Don’t let this slide by. Don’t put this off. Work hard at this. Work now at this. Diligence makes the difference. Diligence will be quick to apologize, quick to forgive and quick to extend grace. That’s just the way diligence works.

Second, preserve unity. Keep unity. Don’t push each other’s buttons. Don’t irritate. Don’t be so quick with your opinions. Don’t be judgmental and always pointing a finger at someone. Preserve it. Don’t engage in every skirmish. Don’t delay in doing what is right. A united church is a blessing. Don’t come in and try to change things to suit you. Don’t upset others.

Third, the bond of peace. Peace and unity go together. One can’t have unity if there isn’t peace. Hard to think the best when one is upset with someone. Hard to work together when you’d rather not be around that person. We must first have peace with God. That comes through discipleship and the forgiveness found in Christ Jesus. Then we must have peace with ourselves. We must forgive ourselves as God has. We must find our talent and use it for the kingdom. From that, then we launch out to have peace with each other. We have a common denominator, Jesus Christ. We have a common destination, Heaven. We have a common purpose, being disciples that want to honor the Lord. Those things are dear. Hold to them and treasure them.

It’s easy to look at how we are different. Instead, look at what we have in common. Build upon the good things. Encourage. Lift up. Honor one another.

The division in our country is going to be hard to solve. Unity can’t be forced. It’s like sitting in the back seat of the car with your sister on a long road trip. The car hasn’t even left the neighborhood before “she touched me,” starts. Politics won’t do it. Forcing people to accept what they don’t want isn’t the answer. It may be this way for a long, long time, until we get the idea that we all need Jesus.

Be diligent…preserve the unity…in the bond of peace. It works in a church. It works in the home. It works with God.

Roger