31

Jump Start # 3300

Posted on March 31, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3300

Ecclesiastes 11:10 “So remove grief and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.”

There are “Three R’s” between the end of Ecclesiastes 11 and the starting of chapter 12 that apply to young people. Solomon says “Rejoice, young man…” (11:9). Our verse, “Remove grief and anger from your heart.” Chapter twelve begins, “Remember also your Creator  in the days of your youth.” REJOICE. REMOVE. REMEMBER. Three R’s—three R’s that can make a difference.

Our verse today, the middle of these R’s, tells us to remove grief and anger from the heart. We don’t normally associate sorry and grief with young people. Often their lives have been protected and sheltered. They have not seen the ugly things in life that many of us adults know so well. But, here Solomon reminds us that there is grief and anger among young people. Life can be hard no matter what age you are.

Now, some thoughts:

First, grief and anger can get the best of us. That’s one reason why they need to be removed. We become consumed with those things and we cannot think straight because of that. When one is mad, they don’t think right, nor act right. They lash out, often at the people that love them the most. Things are said that shouldn’t be said. And in our age, social media spreads that anger nationwide.

The idea of removing grief and anger means that those things are within our grasp. This is a choice that we make. I don’t have to be angry. I can remove anger. I can remove grief. I don’t have to keep focusing upon the wounds, the sorrows and the pains. The way some put it you’d think that there is no other option. They are angry and they can’t do anything about that. Solomon tells us otherwise. Things get you upset. Things are not right. Things bother you. Things hurt you. Still, it’s your choice whether you’ll be angry or not.

The Ephesians were told to deal with their anger quickly. Do not let the sun go down on your anger is what their text tells us. Our anger gives the devil a key and an invite to our hearts. I’ve seen the best people act in the worst ways when they were angry. Days gone by, there has been tales of brethren getting in fist fights in the parking lot, shouting at one another during worship, walking out, slamming doors, and threatening one another. That ole’ “Bless be the tie that binds our hearts,” quickly goes out the window when one is angry.

Remove anger, is what Solomon tells us.

Second, worse than an angry young person is an angry old grump. And, some have been angry and miserable all of their life. They have never known many moments of joy, peace and happiness. There may be many differences between the anger of a young person and the anger of an older person, but that anger will have the same impact upon them both. It will cripple them. People will not want to be around them. They tend to suck the joy out of the air and complain about anything that is good. Anger, like mold, seems to linger and stick around. It doesn’t just go away. Remove it, were Solomon’s words. That takes some effort and determination not to allow that spirit to take over my life and be the direction of my life.

Third, one misses so much in life when they walk with a chip on their shoulders. Always angry. Always upset. Always miserable. They can’t see the blessings because they are angry. They can’t see God because they are angry. They don’t enjoy fellowship with God’s people, because they are angry. Worship doesn’t help them, because they are angry.  They don’t enjoy quiet moments in thought and prayer. They don’t know contentment. God’s blessings are all around them, but they can’t see them. Anger has filled their eyes and heart and anger is all that drives them.

What can we do and what can parents do to help young people remove anger and grief from their hearts? This is not something that will just happen on it’s own. This is something that must be taught and worked on.  I’d suggest, when one is upset to have a conversation with someone who is wise and godly. Venting can be helpful. Sometimes we don’t see every perspective because anger has blinded us. Talking someone into calmer waters is important. Listen. You may not be able to fix what bothers them, but you can be one that they talk to. Sound judgment, experience and wisdom will help you to guide that young person away from making foolish choices.

It might be good just to ask someone, “Do you like being mad?” Most would say that they couldn’t help it. Something has made them mad. But our verse reminds them that they don’t have to be angry. That is their choice and it likely was not the best choice. Young people have to learn that they cannot fix the world, change others or even get everyone to like their opinions. We’d say, “That’s life.” But it’s hard to understand that, especially when on is young.

Have you noticed that so many of the mass shootings in this country are committed by people in their teens and mid-twenties? Why are they shooting others? Why are they so angry? Volumes of books will be written by expects with everything from the breakdown of the home, to drugs, to violent videos, to lack of role models. The list is long. But in the end, someone did not remove anger from their life. It stayed. It took over. It destroyed others.

Parents, your children see your anger. They see how you react to things. Be the example that shows them how to remove anger from their hearts.

Rejoice—Remove-Remember. Good words for us.

Roger

30

Jump Start #3299

Posted on March 30, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3299

Luke 15:18-19 “I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him ‘Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.’”

It was a busy Friday afternoon. Boy, I had a lot to do. I was trying to finish up things needed for Sunday. I had some correspondences that needed my attention. We were at the end of a quarter of classes and I needed to spend some time getting things ready for the next set of classes. I had sermons that I needed to go through in preparation for an upcoming meeting in a week. I was not just burning the candle on both ends, I think it was burning in the middle as well. Swamped is how I felt. There was so much to do.

The doorbell rang at the church building. A guy in his 30’s, wearing a hat and a sleeveless shirt was standing there. I figured he probably wanted money. He asked if I was the preacher, and most times after that comes a sad story about out of job and out of money. It didn’t happen this time. He wanted to know if I would say a prayer for him. I looked at him and he was crying. One doesn’t see that often, especially among young men and even more so among strangers.

I invited him in. We sat. He was on his way to detox. His life was a mess. Alcohol had a hold of him and he couldn’t break free. He had been arrested multiple times for public intoxication. The more he told this story, the harder he cried. We talked about making changes in his life. He had to get off this merry-go-round of going to detox and falling off the wagon. It had happened so many times. I gave him a Bible. I told him to read Luke 15, where our passage today comes from. Broken, hopeless and lost was the prodigal and so was this man sitting with me. We prayed. He fell on my shoulder, wetting my shirt with his tears. I told him unless God gets in his life, he’ll always fight and always lose these battles. Jericho. Goliath. Victories that came about only from the Lord. God was greater than his problem.

As he left, I told him that I wanted to see him again. I told him that I would be there for him. He needed someone in his corner and now he was going to have God and me. He drove away. I went back to my long stack of things to do, but now all I could think about was this broken man. I hope I said the right things to him. I prayed again for him. All of a sudden, classes, deadlines and all this work that was pressing on me didn’t seem to matter. I am thankful he stopped. I am thankful how honest he was.

The world we live in is broken. Our culture is good at wearing masks that cover up the pain that it carries. All around us, at work, in the neighborhood, in stores, are people looking but not finding what they truly need. God needs us to be there. The world needs us, whether it realizes that or not.

The demons of drugs and alcohol are so powerful. It’s hard for those who have never stepped into that world to realize just how dangerous and destructive they are. I saw just the night before on Facebook an ad proclaiming “Fifteen healthy reasons to drink whisky.” It wasn’t a joke. I would love for the person who posted that to have sat with me this afternoon and seen how broken, tired and miserable this man was who I was talking with. Alcohol was destroying him.

The choices and the influences in our lives make all the difference. Young people are wanting to break free and run to the world of sin, little do they see how much danger they are headed to. Our fellowship reminds us of how powerful worship is. Our fellowship strengths us. Our bond that we have in Christ helps us.

When a person is coming to their senses, as the prodigal did, it is not a time for lectures, sermons or “I told you so.” Compassion is needed. Listening is foremost. Tender care and gentleness are the need of the hour.

His name is Chad. I do not know how his story will end. I do not know if I will ever see him again. But he turned to Jesus. That’s the best choice he’s made in a long while.

If you get a moment today, will you lift his name to God and pray that the Lord help him in this long battle he’s facing. May he have the heart of the prodigal. May he find God’s people and may we be the help that he needs.

A busy day that reminded me of what is really important and what my true work is.

Roger

29

Jump Start # 3298

Posted on March 29, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3298

Matthew 25:8 “And the foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’”

Our verse today comes from the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. It is the Lord’s illustration of being prepared. One does not know the day nor the hour when the Lord comes. The setting is a wedding. Ten girls are going to be in this wedding. You can imagine the giggles, the hair being brushed, makeup ready, and the nervous silly talk that takes place before a wedding.

Unlike our American weddings, in which we not only announce the day, but we post the actual time the event begins, these ten did not know what hour it would be. The weddings customarily took place at the home of the groom’s parents. A feast would be prepared. That takes time. And, while everyone is working furiously at the groom’s place, the girls are getting sleepy. It’s getting late. Surely by now, the wedding ought to be starting. The conversations get quieter. Yawns replace laughter. One by one, the girls fall asleep. Their lamps are burning. They are just waiting.

The text says, “At midnight, there is a shout. The bridegroom!” This late? Who has a wedding after midnight? The groom and a host of people march through the streets, banging drums and making noise. They go to get the girls.

The girls awaken, rubbing their eyes. They likely are grabbing hair brushes and trying to straighten out their dresses. It’s dark. The lamps are turned up and suddenly, half of them realize they don’t have enough oil. Their lamps are going out. How will they see through the streets? Our verse tells us that they ask the wise or prudent ones to borrow some of their oil. But there’s not enough to share. The groom is coming and in desperation the foolish hurry off to find some oil. I doubt there is a 24 hour store open for them. I don’t know where they are off to, but they have to try. While they are gone, the groom and the five wise girls head to the wedding. The others arrive late. The door is shut. They are not allowed in. They have missed what they had been wanting to be a part of. Sad. Disappointed. Angry with themselves. They must go home with nothing.

There are several interesting things to see here:

First, there was a time when all ten were ready. All ten of them had oil at the start of the story. It’s not that the foolish never had any. They did. There was a time when they were ready. However, the foolish did not stay ready. They ran out. And, could it be that our faith runs out. Paul tells us that he finished the course. Some don’t make it to the end. They fall short. Suffering can knock the stuffin’ out of our faith if we are not careful. Worry can cripple our faith. Problems seem too big to deal with. We start our journey with the Lord with great intentions, but we fall short. We run out of faith. We are left on the wrong side of the door.

Second, when the foolish fell asleep they thought they were ready. Had they believed that they didn’t have enough oil, they likely would have done something then. But they didn’t. They thought there was enough. They miscalculated. They never thought he’d come so late. They now were no longer ready. Miscalculating cant be very costly. That’s true in cutting boards, parallel parking, hair cuts and our walk with the Lord. Coming up short is not where we want to be. For some, our journey with the Lord will last decades and decades. The ole’ river of life flows on. Things happen. We get busy. And, if we are not watchful and careful, we run short.

Third, there are some things in life that cannot be borrowed. The foolish wanted the wise to share their oil. Had they done that, all of them would have been left out. It may seem unkind in our culture today for the wise not to share, but one must first take care of themselves before he can help someone else. Get yourself right with the Lord, first, then help someone else. Get the beam out of your eye first, then help someone with the speck in their eye. You cannot borrow the faith of someone else. You cannot borrow the character of someone else. You cannot get credit for something you didn’t do. Sitting beside a saint doesn’t make you a saint. Being married to an angel doesn’t mean you are an angel.

Fourth, there are some doors that are shut and cannot be opened again. The door to the ark was shut. It wasn’t opened until the flood washed away a sinful world. And, for those five foolish virgins from our text, they missed the wedding. They missed the food. They missed the music. They missed the joys and happiness. They were left out.

The wise had enough oil. Why didn’t the foolish? The wise were ready. The foolish only thought they were ready.

Jesus wants us to know this. He wants us to see ourselves in this story. He is coming. Are you ready?

Roger

28

Jump Start # 3297

Posted on March 28, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3297

Ecclesiastes 9:18 “Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.”

Solomon loves to talk about wisdom. The first several chapters of Proverbs are about wisdom. Sprinkled all throughout Ecclesiastes are thoughts and insights to wisdom. Wisdom isn’t the top of the mountain. Even with wisdom, death is not avoided. Even with wisdom, time and chance happens. Even with wisdom, one cannot see all the works of God. And, fewer people were in the position to understand this better than Solomon. When given a choice of anything he wanted from God, he chose wisdom. One can only imagine what the Lord sent him. People came from a long distance to hear of Solomon’s wisdom.

Our verse today, expresses two contrasting thoughts.

First, wisdom is better than war, the weapons of war. War kills. War destroys the landscape. War divides. War hurts. Whether we talk about ancient wars in Solomon’s days or modern wars with laser missiles and drones that fire rockets, the outcome is the same, death and destruction. Somebody always dies in war. Wisdom is better. Wisdom finds ways to come to the peace table. Wisdom looks for a solution to the differences and hostilities. War divides people. Wisdom brings people together. War in a marriage leads to divorce. War in a congregation leads to a split. War among nations leads to death. But, wisdom in a marriage brings grace and forgiveness. Wisdom in a congregation brings peace and understanding. Wisdom among nations brings the handshakes of unity.

Wisdom wins.

Second, one sinner destroys much good. That’s how our verse ends and how this chapter ends. It doesn’t take an army to do harm. Just one sinner. It doesn’t take a mob to turn things upside down. Just one sinner. One sinner with loose lips and a loud mouth can destroy the reputation of a good person or a good congregation. One sees that on Facebook. One sinner can get a peaceful and united congregation mad at each other. One sinner can cause a riff between a husband and wife.

A month of good sermons can be destroyed because of the work of one sinner. It can take a long time to fix the trouble that one sinner has caused. Hurt feelings. Misunderstandings. Jealousy. Gossip. Evil suspicions. And, Satan will use one sinner to turn good upside down. Satan used Peter against the Lord. Satan may use your family, your friends, your preacher, your shepherds, your best friend, or even you, to accomplish turmoil, trouble and heartache. If he can get us to turn our attention to each other, rather than the world, he will be successful.

Wisdom wins. One sinner is dangerous.

So, in this contrast found in Ecclesiastes, what are we to do?

First, we must not allow even one sinner to have free range of our hearts, our families or our congregations.  It can take years to fix what one sinner causes. The sinner isn’t interested in following the ways of the Lord. The sinner has his own agenda and most times it surrounds him somehow.

God has developed a powerful defense system to help us be safe. One of the first lines of defense are God’s shepherds. They need their eyes open to what even one sinner might do. They need to guard, protect and keep the church safe. Fighting lions and bears, as the young shepherd David did, is what God’s shepherds do today.

Another line of defense are dads. That’s our role to protect our family. We too are shepherds. It is our jobs to watch, nourish and keep our family safe. Our flock is our family. Dads need to be able to say “No.” No to certain movies. No to certain songs. No to certain outfits. No to certain friends. All of this is done to protect and keep safe.

And, yet there is still another powerful line of defense given to us from Heaven. That is God’s word. We need to know it, use it and follow it. When we do, we will recognize sin. We will see through the smoke of Satan and understand what he is truly after. We are not ignorant of his schemes, the Corinthians were told. Standing between the world and our hearts is the Word of God. It is powerful. It can put down anything Satan throws at us.

Yes, one sinner can do much damage. But, through the grace and power of our Lord, we can be protected, safe and strong.

Roger

27

Jump Start # 3296

Posted on March 27, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3296

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able; but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”

Temptation—the apostle mentions it three times in this one sentence. Temptation is not sin. Jesus was tempted, but Jesus never sinned. Temptation is the devil knocking on the door of our hearts. When we get up and open that door and invite the devil in, that’s when trouble begins. Temptation comes in many forms. And, temptation changes as a person changes. There are youthful lusts. But there are also temptations that older folks battle. There are temptations of the mind and there are temptations of the flesh. Some of our struggles against temptation may be obvious and visible to others. But many times, no one knows what we are going through and what we face.

Three things are said about temptation in this verse. First, what we face is what others have faced. It is common to man. No one faces something totally unique to mankind. It might be new to you, but it is not to the world. Second, God puts limits on the temptation. Satan is not more powerful than God. There are restrictions to Satan and God will not break your back with these temptations that you face. Third, with the temptation, comes a way out. It is a door of escape that is provided by God. The Lord doesn’t leave us on our own. He doesn’t cross His fingers and just hope we’ll make it through safely. Not at all. God is providing escape hatches for us. There are other options. There are other choices. We don’t have to open the door to temptation.

Some thoughts for us as we think about “the way of escape”:

First, the way of escape may not be easy. It may be hard because everyone around us are encouraging us to do wrong. It may be hard because it requires us saying, “No,” and some just can’t seem to say that. It may be hard because it means being different and even going a different direction than others are traveling. There is a way of escape, it just may not be easy.

Second, the way of escape may not be what we are wanting. This is why temptation is called ‘temptation.’ It looks good. It sounds good. Others tell us it is good. And, we really want it. Satan pulls on the strings of our hearts. We stop thinking and we start feeling and it may just be hard to find that way of escape because it’s not what we are wanting. It’s a conflict between the soul and the flesh, the mind and the heart, the inside and the outside of us.

Third, the way of escape is always the right way to go because it is provided by God. This is the direction that the Lord wants you to go. Satan and his ugly sisters are always cheering us on to do wrong. We must always go the direction of God. Where is the Lord standing? That’s where we need to be.

Once a person has gone through that door of escape and has a moment to look back, he will understand what a right choice that was. At the moment, his eyes were spinning and he was mixed up about what he wanted to do, but once he finds that path out of there, there is such a great confident feeling. Satan lost that battle. God helped you. God got you through that. It may have been close. Satan may have been right at your heels, but you saw the way out and you took it.

Finally, God will not take us by the hand and force us out. We must look for that escape route. We must find where God is. The other day I ran across some old escape routes someone made for our  church building in case of a fire or disaster. You see similar things on the back of hotel doors and in schools. In a moment of leaving rapidly, one needs to know which direction to go. The same is true for us spiritually.

Now, there is a great lesson for us here. One can’t wait until a hallway is filled with smoke to try to find the best way out. It might be too late. Even before movies begin at the theatre, there is an announcement about locating the nearest exit. They tell you similar things on airplanes. Knowing how to get out is essential to our safety.

There are times our lack of sense can invite temptation. A married man should not be alone with a woman he is not married to unless it’s his mother or sister. The innocent chit-chatting over lunch or after work between a man and a woman can be the first step that leads to infidelity.

Having just one person count the money collected at church on Sunday can be a real temptation. No one else sees the numbers. How easy it is to embezzle. Have a pair or more of men involved and some real accountability in place. This just keeps Satan from knocking on the doors of our heart.

Ways of escape…do you know your plan spiritually?

Roger