07

Jump Start # 3593

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3593

Ezekiel 34:21 “Because you push with side and with shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns until you have scattered them abroad.”

Ezekiel 34—one of my favorite chapters. It is a must read for elders in God’s church today. A deep, deep dive into these powerful passages shows what shepherds ought and ought not to do. God was pulling the plug on the shepherds of Israel. They failed. The flock of God was diseased, scattered and prey to every beast of the field. Even when led to green pastures, these inept shepherds were trampeling through the fields and smashing the grass. When it came to water, they’d stick their dirty feet in the water and foul it up. Self-centered, these shepherds ought never to have been shepherds.

Our verse today, just another piece of evidence against them, pushing the weak sheep out of the way until they leave. And, that’s just how some are today. They’d rather a problem go to another congregation than have to deal with it themselves. In a college community, I heard a guy once say, “We don’t want college kids coming here.” Really? Can you believe that?

But as the chapter progresses, God takes care of His sheep. He feeds them. He helps them. Then, He appoints David to be the one true shepherd who will care for the flock. Historically, by the time of Ezekiel, David was dead. This is a prophecy about Christ. Jesus, the one true shepherd. The one who is compassionate. The one who listens. The one who makes a difference.

Some reminders for us:

First, being bothered should not bother us. That is the makeup of a servant of God. When people need us, it’s not on our timetable. The selfish won’t help. The self-centered never see the need. But, the heart of a servant will give up a Saturday or an evening or stay late after services, if good can be done.

The expression from our verse today, “Push with side and with shoulder and thrust at all the weak,” is nothing more than being a bully. They are not pushing the strong. Likely, because the strong won’t let them and the strong will keep that from happening. But the vulnerable and the weak, are easy to cast aside. Alone in a congregation, it’s hard for them to find a place. It’s hard for them to connect. Being weak, they do not attend as they ought to. Being weak, they cave in to temptation more than they should. Being weak, they need help. And, who is going to be there for them. They struggle because they are weak.

Second, when we complain and are bothered by others, it can have a lasting negative impact on some. Family members will remember. People will talk. The way we help each other can be one of the greatest evangelistic tools. Christ in action. Being the hands and feet of the kingdom opens doors and hearts that may have stayed closed. Every person matters. Every person counts. Every person has a place.

We sing, “There’s room in the kingdom,” but for Ezekiel’s shepherds, they would have doubted that.

Third, God has gifted us with talents, opened doors for us to serve and put us in places where we can let our lights shine and make a difference. Instead of helping the weak get strong, Ezekiel’s shepherds were driving them away. Weak and without guidance, those sheep had no chance. Help the weak by being there for them. Encourage them. Show them. Teach them. Don’t give up on them. Don’t drive them away.

Far too many elders today spend most of their time discussing the church building and budgets, while the flock may be dying right in the pews. It’s time to get back to shepherding. Get among the sheep. Know well the condition of your flock, Proverbs tells us.

What a blessing and what an advantage congregations have when gifted men are serving as true shepherds. There will always be issues, troubles and challenges. That’s life. But with compassionate servants at the helm, the ship will be guided carefully through the rough seas of a troubled culture and be headed safely home.

Roger

06

Jump Start # 3592

Posted on June 6, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3592

1 Thessalonians 4:18 “Comfort one another with these words.”

The news is sad and tragic no matter how one receives it. Years ago, it was through a letter. Today, it’s a phone call. Someone has died. The tears flow. Family and friends are notified. A call and appointments are made at the funeral home. The world turns upside down. Suddenly all that you were going to do, doesn’t really matter. I have worn those shoes more times than I’d like to remember.

Our verse comes from that setting. Someone has died. It was more than just a death, it was one of the brethren. A believer has died. There is one less light in the world, because a Christian has died. Someone has finished their journey and their reward with the Savior awaits.

As Paul, writes the young Thessalonian church about the death of one of their own, a believer, he reminds them to “comfort one another with these words.” I really like this verse. It has come to mean a lot to me personally. We search for ways to dry the tears of others. We send flowers. Some give wind chimes. A sympathy card is mailed. Those are all helpful. But nothing beats, “these words.”

Here’s why “these words” help:

First, in a series of bold statements, Paul tells the brethren what will happen. The righteous are not “gone.” They are not “forgotten.” They will be raised (14). Jesus is coming (16). The righteous will be with the Lord forever (17).  Be informed, is how this section begins. There are so many wild ideas about death and what happens afterwards. Stick with Scriptures. Stick with absolutes. These words also bring hope. And, hope is one of the greatest ways to try tears. Death isn’t the end and Satan doesn’t get the final word. The resurrected Christ proves that.

Second, sometimes in sorrow, we forget. The emotion of grief gets the best of us. Some throw out everything they know because of the sorrow they feel. “These words,” were to be shared with others. Remind them. Hope is an anchor, Hebrews tells us. It holds us. It keeps us from drifting into the rocks of despair and doubt.

Third, there is the promise of being with the departed righteous again. Time and again, I’m asked, ‘Will we know each other in Heaven?’ Yes. Look at this context. Paul says, ‘we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds.’ We are those who are still alive when Jesus comes. The ‘them’ are the righteous Thessalonians who have fallen asleep or died. Now, how will we know if we are with them if we don’t know who they are? There is implied the thought that we will recognize them. We will know them. The alternative is to spend eternity with a bunch of strangers. That doesn’t sound very comforting.

These words in Thessalonians are not to be God’s complete discourse on death and the end of times. The apostle is writing for a specific purpose and directing this to a specific target group, the righteous Thessalonians who have died. There are two types of grief found in verse thirteen. A grief without hope and a grief with hope. Without hope comes from a life without Christ. Oh, so many want to ignore God and do as they please, but when they died, their family wants them in Heaven. The other grief is according to hope. These are the righteous. They have walked and loved the Lord all of their lives.

It is sad when a Christian dies. But the sadness is temporary. It’s never good-bye, but only ‘see you later on.’ That’s the hope we have in Christ. So many dear friends and Christians, believers, that I know have passed through that doorway of death to the other side. They await in God’s other room. Won’t it be wonderful to see them once again. My mother has been on the other side for 29 years. I can just hear her saying, “What took you so long getting here?”

These words. Know them. Believe them. Use them. Share them. That’s the way the apostle intended.

Roger

05

Jump Start # 3591

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3591

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

Our verse today begins Solomon’s grand portrait that we call “the seasons of life.” There is a time for everything, he says. And, what follows are a series of couplets, opposites. Solomon lists fourteen of them. Big things such as birth and death. Important things such as war and peace. Keeping and throwing away, we think about that as we stand in front of a cluttered closet.

The key expression running through these verses is “time.” There is a time. The important factor before us is knowing what time it is. When is it time to speak and when is it time to be silent? When do we keep looking and when do we stop the search and count it lost? What time is it?

And, a classic example of this is the wealthy farmer in our Lord’s parable found in Luke 12. He was planning to tear down barns and build larger barns. He had plans. He had thought things out. He felt that now was the time.

There are three mistakes this farmer made. He simply didn’t know what time it was.

First, he thought it was time to take his ease. It wasn’t. He’d die that very night. He’d die rich in farmland and crops but bankrupt in faith. What time it really was, was the time to get serious about his faith. It was time he moved himself out of the picture and put the Lord as the central place in his heart.

Second, he thought he had many years still ahead of him. He didn’t. Had he known what time it was, he would not have wasted the energy making plans about bigger barns. He didn’t have another day ahead of him. Before the night was over, he was on the other side. He simply did not know what time it was.

Third, he thought he had control of the future. This is what I will do, so he thought. So, he planned. He didn’t know what time it was and he didn’t realize that God has a divine appointment for each of us.

Now, what are we to take-away from such lessons? Is it wrong to make future plans? Is it wrong to dream? These passages are not throwing water on vision, goals and planning. If that were the case, there would be no ambition or improvement. No one would plan to go to college or start a family. God had plans and dreams. He saw a childless Abraham as having more descendants than the stars in the sky. Through the voice of the prophets, God saw a kingdom that would become the chief of the mountains or so powerful that it would crush all the other kingdoms.

The farmer’s mistake was living and then dying without God. He was never thankful to God for sending the rain and the sun that made his fields so plentiful that he needed larger barns. He never thanked God for the knowledge and ability he had to be a wise farmer. Had he kept God before his eyes, he would have known what time it was.

Now, some lessons for us:

First, each day is a gift. We make plans months and even years into the future, but we must remember the time. These things will be if God so allows. Each day is brand new. Each day can be better than the last one.  Each day has the opportunity to honor and glorify God. Today is a gift from Heaven. Be thankful.

Second, one day will be our last day here. The rich farmer thought his last day was still a long way off. He never realized that it was that night. There is a strong possibility that most of us won’t know when our last day is. It may come suddenly upon us, as it did the farmer. As I write these words in my office at the church building, I look around at all the books, framed pictures and collectibles that fill this room. It’s definitely me. But one day, all these books will be boxed and the room will be cleared out. They have served me well. They have been my tools and helps for a long time. A final day here comes, but it won’t be our last day. We will move to the eternal and things like barns, farming equipment, and for me, a room full of books and stuff will be left to someone else to deal with. These things ought not to define us. They help us for a moment, but they are not us. Who we are, goes with us to the other side.

Third, knowing what time it is, helps us from being wasteful. When you kill time, there is no resurrection of that lost time. It’s gone and gone for good. So, make the most of your time. Surround yourself with the things that will build faith and encourage others. Continue learning. Continue growing. Continue serving.

What time is it? The farmer didn’t know. Do you? It’s not what the hands of the clock tell you. It’s what your faith tells you.

Roger

04

Jump Start # 3590

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3590

Hebrews 4:2 “For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not untied by faith in those who heard it.”

Years ago, I read a book titled, “Stop dating God.” Love the title and the premise. The book was so-so. Two people dating, they like each other. They like spending time together and doing things together. There is a lot of fun being with each other. But at the end of the day, they go their separate ways. When the guy wants to hang with the boys, he just tells his girlfriend that he is busy. When she wants a weekend with the girls, it’s the same thing. Always a phone call away but no real commitment. They are just dating.

And, in many ways, that concept may define our relationship with the Lord. He’s always there. He’s just a prayer away. We like being with Him. We enjoy His company. But, when we want to do something else, we just say, “Can’t, I’m busy.” No real commitments. No real accountability. Be at worship unless there are more pressing matters. At work, just too busy to think about God. At the ballgame, not the time for God. We want a dating relationship—not too many demands and we can come and go as we want.

Such a spirit towards God dominates the religious landscape. They’ll follow God in matters that they want to. But, the moment God says something they don’t like, they ignore it as if He never said it.

Dating God—close, but not too close. Always nearby to enjoy His company, but no promises and no commitments. Just a dating relationship.  Love to be with Him, but don’t want to be smothered by Him. Still want the freedom to come and go as one pleases. Want the liberty to be able to do what I want to do.

Just dating God…

First, this is not the way God describes His relationship with Him. Nor, is this the way that God treats us. Dating has a purpose and in time it leads to the next level of a relationship, which is marriage. To be dating for decades and decades is not good in earthly relationships and terrible spiritually with God. All in, is the best way to describe what God wants. No longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, the apostle told the Galatians. The Ephesians were told to have the word of God richly dwelling within them. Walking by faith and not by sight and seeking first the kingdom as our Lord presented it, are concepts far beyond the casualness of dating.

Second, the dating God syndrome results in a very weak and very selfish faith. We want the preacher and his Bible when mama dies. But, a week later, those same people don’t have a need for the Bible nor that preacher. The ole’ expression, “I’ll be there, Lord willing and the creek doesn’t rise,” has two possible meanings. First, if it is intended to be a creek with water, then get a boat. I’ll be there. Second, others have said it refers to the Creek Indians. If they were rising up and one couldn’t travel, then do your best and keep God in the forefront.

Having God nearby, but not too close, allows us to call the terms and is very selfish. It makes one wonder, who is God, the Lord or us?

Third, dating God is not enough to really change your life. You go to church. You know a few things. Just enough guilt to go, but not enough faith to change. Such results in shallow and empty lives. God doesn’t make a real impact upon such a person. They are likely to act like the world, talk like the world, be entertained by the world and die like the world, because God has never been much of their lives.

And, the best part of that book was the title: Stop Dating God. Time to get serious. Time to know Him. Time to be devoted to Him. All in with the Lord. The Devil can fool us into thinking we are doing right, when we are nothing more than just keeping God at arm’s length. Get God off of speed dial and put Him in your heart and in your life. Your words, your choices, your friends, your attitudes will all reflect a righteous life when God becomes the center of your life.

Jesus said that he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy. God must be first. God must be the center.

Stop Dating and become committed to God.

Roger

03

Jump Start # 3589

Posted on June 3, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3589

Acts 6:15 “And fixing their gaze upon him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.”

Our verse today is about Stephen. He was one of the seven chosen to help the neglected widows at the front end of this chapter. He was preforming miracles and preaching boldly. The section states that the Jews were “unable to cope with the wisdom and spirit which he was speaking.” Stirring the crowd up, they forcibly pulled Stephen away and dragged him before the Jewish Council. Now, he was really in trouble. It is in the next chapter, chapter seven, that Stephen gives a grand overview of the Old Testament, ending with Jesus. Covering their hands over their ears, like a three-year-old, they rushed him out of the city and without any formal trial or Roman permission, they took matters into their own hands and executed him right there.

Before Stephen gave his final speech, the Council saw his face like the face of an angel. Now, we shouldn’t have the image of the chubby baby figurines that are found in gift stores. Nor, is the picture of long flowing hair and wings and halos what we find in the Bible. I doubt most, if not all, in that Council had ever seen an angel. So, how did they know what the face of an angel looked like?

Here are some thoughts:

First, standing alone in a hostile crowd, Stephen was not begging for mercy, apologizing, compromising or stating that he had been misunderstood. The flow of the Scriptures brings us the conclusion that Stephen was confident. He wasn’t afraid. He knew what was right and he was standing upon what was right. Truth cannot be shaped to fit circumstances. The pressure from others can cause one to soften the message and often even change the message.

There is a blessed assurance that comes from standing upon the word of God. The Psalmist declared that he was wiser than his teachers, because of the Word of God. When one has the truth, he doesn’t fear being questioned. When one has the truth, he doesn’t have to stoop to psychological games and tricks to make his point. Stephen’s walk through the Old Testament shows he understood the plan of God. He saw how prophecy pointed to Jesus. He was sure. He was confident.

Stephen had the face of an angel.

Second,  as the audience collapsed around him in anger, Stephen fixed his gaze intently into Heaven. What a contrast. Our verse states that the Council fixed their gaze upon Stephen. They were looking at him and he was looking at Heaven. Maybe it’s that kind of faith that gave him the face of an angel. Maybe, it’s the very thing that can get us through dark and tough days. While everyone is looking at us, we are looking at Heaven. Fixing your eyes upon Jesus, is what Hebrews tells us. Set your mind on things above is what the Colossians knew.

There didn’t seem to be a friend for Stephen in that audience. As the atmosphere quickly turned from anger, to violence, Stephen remained faithful. They argued with Stephen (6:9). They told lies about Stephen (6:11). They were violent towards him (6:12). They made false accusations supported by people who claimed they witnessed him saying those things (6:13). Toxic. Hostile. Mean. Those words describe many work settings and define many family get togethers.

What Stephen doesn’t do is talk about himself. He doesn’t get into a “No I didn’t,” verses a “Yes, you did,” exchange. It wasn’t about him. He talked about God’s Messiah.

This can be a tactic of those who want to hurt you and embarrass you. Rather than talking about what you believe, they switch the topic to talking about you. You lied. You are not right. And, false witnesses rise up who claim that they have proof that you lied. And, suddenly the focus switches to defending yourself.

Stephen didn’t fall into that trap. He kept himself out of the discussion. It wasn’t about him. It was about the people and God.

Stephen had the face of an angel.

Third, the way Stephen conducted himself, left an impression upon those who were there. They claimed he had the face of an angel. That is what they saw. And, how we conduct ourselves when people are upset with what you believe can be as important as what you say. When we get into the mud and start throwing dirt back, we’ve pretty much shut down any profitable discussions. Watch your anger. Be careful with the words you speak. Your tone and your volume matter.

Remember, Jesus, when reviled, uttered no threats in return. Jesus left us an example to follow when standing before critics, crucifiers, and complainers. Proverbs tells us not to answer a fool according to his folly.

Stephen had the face of an angel. That is something for us to think about.

Roger