24

Jump Start # 3193

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

Jump Start # 3193

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”

This is one of the most popular verses in Philippians. Everyone loves this verse. You find it posted on Facebook, cross stitched on pillows and printed in greeting cards. However, many get this verse wrong. The apostle is not saying, “be happy.” Just be happy, is the creed of our culture. Do whatever it takes to be happy, just be happy. That thought, just be happy, has led many to walk away from marriages, it is used to justify immoral behavior and has caused far too many to feel safe and secure because they are happy.

Paul says, “rejoice,” and it’s not open ended. I can rejoice if someone puts a box of chocolate on my desk. I’d rejoice if my Dodgers were playing in the World Series this year, but they are not. Rejoice, not be happy. And, it’s not just rejoice, but “rejoice in the Lord.” This is a spiritual connection. Chocolates have nothing to do with the Lord. Playing a baseball game is not “in the Lord.”

The rejoicing in the Lord is built upon our salvation through Jesus. Rejoicing in the Lord is not about paychecks, vacations, ballgames on TV, but kingdom, righteousness, hope and promises in Jesus. That’s the point of the rejoicing.

The life of Paul fully illustrates this concept.

First, Paul kept a heavenly view of life. In the first chapter of Philippians, he understood that it was far better for him to depart and be with the Lord. To “depart” would mean “to die.” Being with Jesus and that heavenly view, kept Paul focused upon what is really important and what really matters. Set your mind on things above is what Paul told the Colossians. The heavenly mindset will keep one going and focused even in the worst of circumstances, such as jail, as Paul experienced.

Second, Paul included godly people in his life. This is paramount to our rejoicing. The world can pull our spirits down. The world is negative and toxic. Surrounding our day with such people will only hurt our souls. There was Paul and Barnabas, the encourager. There was Paul and Timothy, his son in the faith. There was Paul and Titus, the refresher of his soul. Quality people. Righteous people. It’s a lot easier to rejoice when you have the right people in your life. It’s a lot easier to stay on course when you are receiving encouragement, instruction and hope from those who are also Heaven bound.

Third, Paul did not let the past destroy him. He had a past. We all do. And, with all of us, it’s not pretty. There were things said, that should never have been said. There were things done that we wish we could undo. For Paul, he sat out to destroy Christianity. He chased down brethren and had them locked up in prison. His past forgiven, he still carried the scars and the memories. And, that’s enough for some to sit on the sidelines of life and declare that they are not worthy of anything good. Paul was not like that. His passion that was once against Christ, turned and was for Christ. He did not allow the past to destroy him.

Fourth, Paul was set to finish his spiritual journey. We remember well in Timothy, “I have fought…I have kept…I have finished.” There isn’t much rejoicing for the one who quit. There isn’t much to feel good about when one has dropped the ball, turned his back, and let others down. Paul stayed with it. Paul could rejoice. Even in a prison, he could tell those on the outside, “rejoice in the Lord.”

Now, there is so much doom and gloom these days. Prices are high. Shelves are empty. The country seems to be crazy at the moment. In so many places, the church is struggling and even dwindling. One could sure get the impression that Satan is winning these days. In some sections, especially in many larger cities, it looks like the church is drifting into the dark ages. How easy we could conclude, “just not much to rejoice about these days.” That’s true when you look around us. There are many things that are wrong.

However, when you look to the Lord, there is much to rejoice. God hasn’t abandoned us. God hasn’t changed his promises. God hasn’t given up on us. Heaven is still there and God is still on the throne. Kingdoms come and go, but God is still there. Hard times pass, and God is still there. Sin becomes popular but God is still there.

Rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord always. This world is not our home. Someday, before long, we will be in the land where the roses never fade.

Hold you head up…get down to the church building to worship…and REJOICE.

Roger

21

Jump Start # 3192

Posted on October 21, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3192

Genesis 19:17 ”And it came about when they had brought them outside, that one said, ‘Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, lest you be swept away.”

The darkness and sin of Sodom was about to come crashing down by the judgment of God. The Lord had enough. Angels were sent to rescue Lot and his family. There was no saving Sodom. Ten righteous people could not be found in that place. It was time for the few righteous to flee. In this process, Lot’s wife died because she would not listen and obey what the divine message was. Before the chapter ends, Lot’s daughters get their father drunk and have sexual relations with him which in time became the nations of Moab and Ammon.

There are layers of powerful lessons here for us:

First, there comes a time when the righteous must leave Sodom. Today, we do not have angelic messengers pulling us by the hand to get us out. We must have open eyes and a heart that recognizes that it’s time to leave. One might argue, that Lot needed to be there to be the light into the world and be a positive influence to the citizens of Sodom. God thought it was time to leave. There comes a time when we must recognize that it’s time to leave.

  • That may be true of where one works. There are many places hiring today, but finding a good paying job to support a family may be difficult. However, the constant belittling, mocking, and toxic environment of many work places can chip away at our faith. Do we stay because it’s a good job? Does staying weaken my faith? Do I become more like Sodom by staying? There comes a time when a person needs to recognize when that time is.
  • There comes a time when a child may need to switch schools. That’s hard. But because of bullies, bad influences and a constant negative attack, parents my have to do that very thing. This is true of elementary school, as well as high school, as well as college. Switching schools may be costly. Many may not understand or even agree with your decision. But you must do what you have to in order to keep your child safe and Heaven bound.
  • There comes a time when you may have to move out of the neighborhood. Selling a house and finding a another one is never easy. But when the atmosphere in the neighborhood becomes so ungodly, that it is impacting you and your family, it’s time to move.
  • And, yes, there comes a time when a person may have to find another congregation to worship with. If you feel that you are not growing, and the culture at church is not what the Lord would want, then you may have to find another place. This is not about simply disagreeing with some judgmental choices. This is about fitting in. This is about never being accepted as part of the spiritual family. This is about trying to survive in a judgmental and negative atmosphere. This is about coming home from worship feeling worse than when you went.

I wonder if Lot would have ever left Sodom had the angels not been sent. Would he have remained on until all his family was lost? Often, one has to give up the green pastures and what seems to be the best place to live, because it’s not the best place spiritually. While Lot’s cattle seemed to flourish in the green pastures around Sodom, the soul of Lot was “vexed” everyday Peter tells us. He was tormented. He was in agony.

Translating that for us, what looks good for the 401 may not be good for my soul. What looks good in positon and climbing the corporate ladder, may not be good for my spiritual wellbeing. What looks good in the way of scholarships, full rides, perks, real estate may not be good for me spiritually. What good is it to have green pastures for the cattle, but lose your family spiritually?

Do we have the eyes to recognize these things? Do we understand when we need to pull the plug and leave? Do we see what is happening to our children? Do we recognize what it is doing to our spouse? Do we see a drop in spiritual interests? Do we see accepting questionable things? Do we find ourselves hanging with the people of Sodom more than the people of God? How many families live the heartache of having grown children who have nothing to do with the Lord? Could things have been different had they left?

It is hard. I understand that. More than once, our family moved multiple states away and the main reason was for the sake of our children. There were great sacrifices that we had to make. It wasn’t easy. But one must recognize when it’s time to leave. We sing, “This world is not our home,” yet, in many ways we act as if it were. I’ve talked to so many people through the years who were so discouraged about where they worshipped. They were barely hanging on. I suggested driving to another congregation. That idea was immediately shot down. I suggested moving. “No,” was the answer. And, so they stay, and their faith slowly dies. They are attached to a piece of property or a job or a family so strongly, that they’d rather stay in Sodom and hope for the best. There was no hope for Sodom. It was time to leave.

No place. No house. No school. No job. No climate. No friends. No church. And, not even any family, is worth losing your soul over. If you must leave, leave. If staying means becoming spiritually indifferent and weak, then leave. If staying means, your children grow up not following the Lord, leave.

There comes a time to leave Sodom…do you recognize it?

Roger

20

Jump Start # 3191

Posted on October 20, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3191

Proverbs 27:5 “Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed.”

Correction is challenging. It’s not easy at home. It’s not easy among brethren. It’s not easy among friends. And, because it is not easy, many shy away from it. They see things that are not right. They notice things that could be done better, but they kept quiet. They look the other way. They observe the “Passover” on this.  Sometimes a person can soothe a conscience that is telling him to say something by thinking it’s not our place. Or, we think, someone else will do it. Or, maybe someone already has and the person is working on changing.

Throughout Proverbs and multiple places in the N.T. we read of the call to correct. David would have likely died in his sins, taking a secret with him, had Nathan the prophet not approached him to correct him.

Here are some thoughts:

First, the closer the relationship and the stronger the friendship, the more likely we will say something. The purpose of rebuke is not so we look better than others. It is not to preform our duties as kingdom police. The drive, the motive, the purpose is because one cares. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t say anything. Because you want the person to do better and you want the person to go to Heaven, you speak in kindness to help correct something that is right with the Lord.

Be careful that you do not become a nit-picker whose only words are critical, correcting and rebuking. When we do that, people won’t want to be around you. There is a difference between rebuking because behavior is not right with the Lord and pointing something out just because it doesn’t set well with us. As a young preacher it bothered me that some folks sat in the back row. I know at a ballgame or a show they’d want to sit up closer. So, why so far in the back during worship? But it dawned on me that a person can go to Heaven from the back row as easily as he can go from the front row. It’s not where you are sitting, but rather what you are doing. Can you worship God from the back? Sure can.

Second, as hard as it is to give rebuke, receiving it is even harder. Told we are not doing something right, and it just makes the fur stand up. Proverbs shows us that major contrast between the kisses of an enemy and the rebuke of a friend. We love to hear how great we are. We love compliments. Sometimes, like candy, we love compliments too much. I always have a jar of M & M’s on my desk. I do at the church house and I do at home. But too many of those M & M’s and one gets a belly ache. Correction, given kindly and with love will help us much more than walking through life with a swelled head, thinking we can walk on water.

The first and most natural thing one does when correction comes our way is to put up a defense. We look for excuses. We want to know who is behind the rebuke. We start looking for faults in the person who is correcting us. And, all of this makes it even harder for someone to come and try to help us. They know if they try, we’ll attack them verbally. We’ll throw daggers at them. The heat is turned up and the situation often turns ugly. And, this is why some never say a word. All they want to do is to help someone, but the counter attack is launched and relationships are hurt because the one receiving didn’t receive it well.

Some like to play the victim. They will say others are ganging up on them. Everyone is against them. The tears come. And, rather than helping someone with an attitude or behavior that isn’t correct with the Lord, you feel ashamed for even bringing it up. Friends rally around them. And, you are viewed as the bad guy and all you wanted to do was to help someone walk closer to the Lord.

We preachers must watch this. We can preach some hard lessons, but when it comes to taking some correction, some don’t do so well. We are not invincible. Even when we are on top of the game, we can and do make mistakes. We can do this doctrinally. We can do this in our attitudes. We can do this in the way we treat others. Don’t put yourself in a place where others are afraid to talk to you or point things out to you. Don’t be quick with a response. Listen. Often, the good brethren are right. I know. I’ve been helped by others.

Third, our passage is making two contrasts. First, rebuke is contrasted with love. Given the choice, we’d take love. Love makes us feel good. Rebuke often makes us feel guilty. The other contrast is open verses concealed. The love is concealed. The rebuke is open. Open, meaning open. Open, meaning in the public. Open meaning others may know it or others may hear it. We are quick to point out Matthew 18, where Jesus says go in private and reprove a brother. Contextually, that is dealing with a personal and private matter. Many translations will footnote or add, “if your brother sins against you.” Does this mean that all rebuke must be private? Does this make the Proverb passage void? Is it all one way or all the other way?

It seems that the private conversation Jesus has in mind involves something just between two people. No one else knows. No one else is involved. Between the two of them, they can settle this and then it’s over and no one ever has to know about. The Proverb passage, our verse today, seems to deal with a generic situation and is showing that one receives more improvement when he is rebuked openly than loved privately. There is a place for open rebuke. It should be handled with gentleness, love and kindness.

One is better than the other—that’s what our passage is saying. What we’d like, isn’t what’s always the best. Getting a soul aligned with God, even if it takes some nights with pigs, or open rebuke is far better than living a life of delusion that hides the error in one’s heart.

Better is open rebuke…

Roger

19

Jump Start # 3190

Posted on October 19, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3190

1 Peter 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeing someone to devour.”

Recently I was preaching in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. Great church. The area is rich in restoration history. I went through many old, old church buildings, talked to a lot of people and even tracked through a field filled with briars and thorns, taller than me just to find some old gravestones from long ago.

One evening during the meeting a children’s song, “I’ve been redeemed,” was led. It was new to me. The audience sang it well. I really liked the second verse of that song:

“Now the devil and me we disagree…now the devil and me we disagree…Now the devil and me we disagree…I hate him and he hates me…all my sins are washed away…I’ve been redeemed.”

That’s a powerful statement. It is so true. It’s something that we adults need to not only be singing, but to wrap our hearts around strongly.

First, we disagree with the devil. Whatever the devil calls good, is bad. Whatever the devil likes, we don’t. Whatever the devil wants, I don’t. There is nothing good attributed to the devil in the Bible. When he quoted Scriptures either he added words or he misapplied it.

The devil will work through friends and family. The devil will push his agenda through politicians. The devil will get culture on his side. But none of those things matter. We disagree. We disagree. We disagree.

Second, the devil hates me. The devil hates you. He has plans for you and it’s not nice. He’d love to see the tears coming down your eyes as he wrecks your marriage. He’d love to see your congregation split and divide or dwindle down so small that the doors have to close for good. He’d love to see you overwhelmed with sorrow, fear and worry. He thinks it’s a great day when you are discouraged. He wants you to get angry and say things that you shouldn’t. He’ll try to make you envious of others. He will fill your eyes with lust and materialism. He hates you. He wants you to walk away from Jesus. And, if you do, he won’t be there to comfort you. He won’t be there to be your friend. He is a thief. He comes to kill and steal.

There is no greater enemy in your life than the devil. He won’t leave you alone until you leave this planet. You can resist him and he’ll go away, but he always comes back. Always. He’ll attack you. He’ll scare you. He’ll bait you. He’ll confuse you. He’ll try compromise. He’ll use error. He’ll use fame and fortune. He doesn’t play by the rules and he doesn’t care that he breaks the rules. His destiny is set. There is no salvation for the devil. Hell bound he is and Hell bound he knows. He won’t be in charge of Hell, God is. He’ll be tormented forever in Hell.

The devil hates you.

Third, I hate the devil. You hate the devil. Think of all the carnage that this evil one has caused. Wars. Death. Destruction. Children seeing mom and dad divorce. A young person slipping into eternity because of drugs. A person headed off to prison for crimes that he committed. Violence in the streets. Angry mobs demanding things. Scandals. Corruption. Evil. Wickedness. None of these things come from Christ. These are the outcome from following Satan. No marriage has been made stronger because of the devil. No church is walking closer to the Lord because of the devil. There is a long, long trail of pain and sorrow that began in the garden and will end when the Lord comes. The holy and beautiful name of our Lord, blasphemed daily. Multitudes confused and led by counterfeit religion.

You and I have never know a time when Satan wasn’t around. We’ve never see the world without Satan. His ugliness has ruined everything good. Our world has always had a dark side to it as long as we have been here. Evil, wickedness and sin have been a part of our world for as long as we have been alive.

But a day is coming, oh, it’s coming. A day is coming when we are out of this place and we will enter the home of our Lord. Satan won’t be there. Nothing bad will be there. Nothing corrupt will be there. Perfection as we have never seen. Oh, won’t it be wonderful there!

Do you hate the devil? Some might say, ‘We shouldn’t hate anyone.” God hates. The devil certainly hates. And we ought to hate. We ought to hate things that are wrong. We ought to hate error. We ought to hate the father of lies. We ought to hate the devil.

And, maybe that’s the problem. We’ve never gotten to the point that we hate the devil. We dislike what he does. We wish he’d do better. But we just can’t put a stake in his heart and say, “Be gone, Satan!” Kindness, which is part of our character as disciples, doesn’t mean turning our eye to wrong and being nice to the one that wants to destroy you.

He is, as our verse says, a lion who is set on eating you for lunch. He wants to devour you. He doesn’t want to just scare you the other way. He doesn’t want to just lightly scratch you. Given the chance, he will destroy you. And, he doesn’t care who he hurts. He doesn’t care that people need you. He doesn’t care that you are trying so hard. He doesn’t care that you are a new Christian. He doesn’t care that he has already tempted today. If he can catch you off guard, he’ll pounce on you and destroy you.

I hate him and he hates me. That’s the one thing and the only thing that the devil and I agree upon.

Roger

 

18

Jump Start # 3189

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3189

Revelation 22:21 “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen.”

Our verse today is how the Bible ends. After these eleven words, two sentences, God closes His message for mankind. Everything we need is found in that book. There wasn’t a need for an update. No Bible 2.1 was necessary. Though there has been a lot of changes since John penned those final two sentences, nothing more was needed to get us to Heaven. The European, the African, the American—same message, same book, same will of God. Culture has changed, same book. Governments have come and gone, same book. Wars. Epidemics. Political turmoil. Depressions. Corruption. Good times. Hard times. Bad times. And, still, the same book. It worked then and it still works today. It’s alive and powerful and changes lives through Jesus Christ.

Our focus is upon the last word, Amen. We say that nearly all the time when we end a prayer. It’s “in Jesus’ name, amen.” Amen simply means “so be it,” or, “I agree.” And, here, God ends His holy message with, “Amen.” Sometimes in a sermon, one will hear, “Amen,” being spoken from the audience. Some even call for an amen, by saying, “Do I have an amen for that?”

I want to think about “Amen” at the end of our prayers. Prayer reminds us that we are not alone. We are inviting the greatest help, the greatest power, the greatest friend into our lives by taking things to God. No one understands you better than God does. No one knows your situation better than God does. And, when we pray, we are praising the Lord, thanking the Lord and asking the Lord for His divine help. All of this puts a focus upon the spiritual and it helps get our priorities in the right order.

But what happens after the “amen?” We’ve prayed to God, the prayer ends, and we say, “Amen.” Is that it? Have we done our duty? Is it all up to God now? Is it out of our hands? I often wonder if that’s how some see it. For instance:

  • I want my children to grow up to be godly, so I pray about it and say, Amen.
  • I want the church to grow, so I pray about it and say, Amen.
  • I want to be strong spiritually, so I pray about it and say, Amen.
  • I want the sick to get better, so I pray about it and say, Amen.
  • I want a family member to know Jesus, so I pray about and say, Amen.

Is that it? Am I now free to go about my business? Am I done with these things? Now, do I just watch the Lord take care of these things?

If that’s our concept, then we have things a bit out of line. Our work, our obligation, our involvement doesn’t end with the AMEN. In fact, in many ways it just begins. By praying, I am partnering with God on these things. It’s not all up to me, nor is it all up to God. But together, working through us, God can bring about what we have prayed about.

So, this is what this looks like:

  • I want my children to be godly. I will certainly pray for that daily. But I will also set before them an example of what a righteous and godly person looks like. I will put them in an environment where they can excel spiritually. I will talk to them about the Lord. I will take them to worship. If I pray, and then spend the rest of my time in front of the TV, it will certainly look like I really didn’t mean what I prayed. God will help me, but He won’t do what I ought to do.
  • The same goes for the church to grow. I pray for that. But I will encourage, invite, teach and do all that I can by being an example of one who is centrally focused upon the Lord.
  • I want the sick to get better. I will pray for that. But I will also call them, take food to them and do what I can to help them.

And, what we see from this is that my work doesn’t stop with AMEN. It just begins. I must and should pray to the Lord but I must do my part. We are working with the Lord. I do not do His work and He does not do my work.

A partnership with the Divine. We become the eyes, the hands and the feet of the Lord. We invite Heaven’s help through prayer, and we do all that we can down here to show that we are truly interested in these things.

Together with God—what a wonderful concept. AMEN.

Roger