31

Jump Start # 3625

Posted on July 31, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3625

Daniel 3:18 “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Around here schools are starting up. Another school year. The big yellow busses will roll through the neighborhoods picking kids up in the mornings. Stores are stocked with back to school supplies Vacations are over and now it’s time to settle into the routine of a new school year.

Recently, I presented a lesson pointed this direction. I want to share some of those thoughts in this writing.

Another school year presents opportunities, challenges and choices, for the child as well as for the parents. For some families, going to school will be a new adventure for some homes. Some will be off to new schools this year. Some off to universities.

As a believer, young or old, at school, at work, or on social media, there will be three things we face:

First, your convictions will be assaulted. Unfair, unkind and untrue things will be said. It happened to Jesus. It happened to the first Christians. It will happen today. Hiding your faith is not an option. But neither is getting into a dog fight with someone who just wants to make you look bad.

Second, your values will be challenged. The devil used verses to tempt Jesus. There will be those who claim to know the Bible who really do not. Some will twist, bend and distort the Bible to their own purposes. You will be considered narrow, bigoted and judgmental and some will not have anything to do with you because of that.

Third, you will be influenced to do wrong. Satan always provides both an opportunity to do wrong and a crowd to encourage you on. Doing right often finds you standing alone. Doing wrong, always finds a crowd.

This is why having a solid faith is important. Learning to see through things is important. Having a positive spiritual support system is important. When your child is young, you just tell him what to do. As he grows, you must teach him to think, reason and consider. With those tools, he’ll learn to ask the right questions before jumping into things. He’ll place God’s word as the guiding compass in his life.

Current stats show that 50-80% of college students lose their faith by the time they graduate. They come home with a degree and no belief in the Lord. Homes and congregations need to strengthen the faith of our young people through studies of evidences and answer the common questions that are going to cross their paths. Keeping the college students strong and engaged during those years is essential.

Don’t hide from those difficult questions that students hear and wonder about. Don’t give childlike answers to their complex questions. Our world has changed. People are wondering about  changing genders, traditions and the “what’s wrong with,” stuff that some have shied away from because they are controversial, sensitive, and difficult.

When Paul walked the streets of Athens, he saw their idols. That’s what he talked about. That was their world. And, we must notice our world today and those are the things that we need to be looking at through the pages of the Bible.

Kids are smart. They know when we don’t know. They know when we are blowing smoke, dodging a topic and afraid to say things. Believe me, they are hearing the other side of these topics from the world. And, what they hear is unfiltered, raw, and blunt. And, as we delicately tiptoe around things, they are bombarded with reasons not to believe. From the classroom, to videos they watch, from the lips of their friends, they hear all the time why wrong is right and right is wrong.

Our kids need to know more than just reciting the books of the Bible in order. They need to be able to stand as Shadrach and his two friends did in a hostile, pagan environment. For them, it was Babylon. For our kids, it may be the university here in America.

It’s time to lower the nets into depth and get our children to think. A weak and shallow faith has no hope of survival in today’s universities. Let’s strap on the helmets, put on the boots and get to action. The souls of our children deserve it. “Just because,” isn’t an answer. It’s an excuse. If moms and dads don’t know the answers to todays challenging questions, then let’s find the answers.

In a foreign land, to the most powerful world leader at that time, Shadrach and this two friends, stood with faith, confidence and assurance. They would not be intimidated. They would not be scared off. They would not be beaten down. And, because of that faith, the king honored the Lord.

Those that survive, will do well.

Roger

30

Jump Start # 3624

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3624

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

It is something that everyone is looking for. It is something that inspires poems, songs and movies. It is something that is hard to describe, define and put on piece of paper. What I’m talking about is L-O-V-E. Everyone needs love, from the smallest baby, who cries just because she wants to be held, to the aged person in the nursing home who checks her mail slot two or three times a day, hoping to hear from someone. Love.

Love fuels the grand commands of God, from loving each other, to loving your enemy. When asked what the greatest command was, Jesus said, “love.” Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul. The second greatest command also involved love. Love your neighbors, as yourself, the Lord said.

When it comes to the love of God, God’s love towards us, most do not understand it. And, there is good reason for that, God’s love for us doesn’t make a lot of sense. We were the ones who broke His law. We were the ones who ignored Him and acted as if He never existed. We were the ones who made a real mess of things. Had it not been for God rescuing us, we’d still be in a mess.

God’s love is not a feeling, an emotion, or based upon how cute we think we are. God loves us not because we were good. We weren’t. His love is a choice. He chose to love us when we were not loveable. And, that is beyond understanding. That doesn’t make sense. Our love tends to be reactionary and based upon how another person treats us. You are nice to me, I’ll be nice to you. You are mean to me, I’ll ignore you and walk away from you. That’s generally how we operate. Not God.

There are three aspects of God’s love that we need to appreciate:

First, God’s love is wide enough to include all people. All people. People like us and people not like us. People we like and people we don’t like. Good people and bad people. God loves us and “them.” God loves the tax-collector, the Samaritan, the Pharisee, the Roman soldiers, as well as the apostles and the woman who anointed his feet. God loves His friends and God loves His enemies. God loves Peter and God loves Judas.

There are people who would like to see this country fall. There are people who would like to see you suffer. While we may be thinking missiles, attack drones and trouble upon them, God loves them. How can God love those who want to hurt His children? The answer is that His love is wide enough to include all people.

Second, God’s love is deep enough to forgive all sins. Those terrible, terrible sins that ruined lives and brought destruction upon the land. God can forgive the one that takes life. God can forgive the one who blasphemed. God can forgive the one who tried to subvert His word. God can forgive the lies that wreck nations and families. God can forgive the sins that sank a marriage. God can do that because God loves.

There have been things done to us that we struggle with letting go. We have a hard time forgiving. I think about Paul  standing before the Christians in Jerusalem after he became a believer in Christ. Men and women had been put in prison because of him. Children were left to others because parents were taken away. Some were killed. He was responsible for all of that. He was behind all of that. And, now Paul was one of them and among them. Could they forgive? Would they forgive? Why should they? And, there is just one answer. Because God had.

Third, God’s love is long enough to use all people. God used people who once had demons controlling their hearts. God used people that took advantage of others. God used people that were once bitter. God used people who were arrogant. God used people that were selfish.

One of the hymns of days gone by is, “There is room in the kingdom for you.” And, that is true. We don’t all need to be preachers. We don’t’ all need to be shepherds. We don’t all need to be public servants. But “there is a work that we all can do.” The work of encouraging. The work of connecting. The work of inviting. The work of being strong for the Lord.

All of us have had to change. Some a little bit and some a whole lot. But those things do not matter. God loves us and can use all of us.

God’s love…wide enough…deep enough…long enough. And, of course, enduring enough to get us through the darkest nights and carry us through until we are safely home.

Sure is hard to understand why God loves us. But, I’m so glad that He does.

Roger

29

Jump Start # 3623

Posted on July 29, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3623

Jude 4 “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Recently I was preaching a lesson called, “Developing the eyes to see.” It was built around the Lord’s explanation for using so many parables. He said, “Blessed are your eyes because they see.” That’s the kind of eyes we need. We need to see.

From that, we looked at being able to see the threats that keep us from doing our best. Those threats included five schemes of the devil: (1) delivers a diluted message; (2) keeps you at a safe and comfortable distance; (3) distracts you with life; (4) assures you that you are different; (5) deceives you with the people you have surrounded yourself with.

Our eyes also need to see the blessings of working in the kingdom, as well as, seeing the invisible, as described in 2 Corinthians 4:18. Blessed are your eyes because they see…

Our verse today is one that I used in that lesson. Certain people crept in unnoticed. To the Galatians, Paul said, “But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus” (2:4). The Corinthians were warned about “deceitful workers disguising themselves as apostles of Christ” (2 Cor 11:13). The elders at Ephesus were told that wolves will come in among you (Acts 20:29).

Crept in. Sneaked in. Disguising themselves. Wolves. This sounds like an international spy operation. They weren’t seeking the truth. They wanted to harm and destroy brethren. This could make us suspicious, scared and even not wanting to trust others.

Some things we need to remember:

First, although this was a stealth plan, Paul knew. And, of course, God knew. There is no fooling God. Paul was telling the brethren about this secretive attempt to destroy what was good and right. He knew. This is one of the key factors for shepherds, to watch and protect the flock. Eyes opened. Ears to the ground. The shepherds of today must notice what people are talking about. What are they liking on social media? Who are they listening to?

Jude’s expression, “crept in unnoticed,” is something that we must notice. The text describes these people as “ungodly” and twisters of God’s grace and word. How is it that they were not noticed? Did someone fall asleep at the helm? Did someone get a pass because he was family? It is our responsibility to notice. Crept in unnoticed is not a good thing to be said.

Second, not everyone who claims to be a Christian, is. Some are using brethren to get what they want. Some are dishonest. And, as Jude puts it, some are ungodly. Helpful or hurtful? Submissive or demanding their way? Kind or arrogant? Jesus told the disciples, “you will know them by their fruit.” What are you noticing? Someone who is a team player or someone who is always stirring things up? Someone whose talk and walk match and they match Jesus, or someone who sells a good story but their actions betray them.

Third, error, trouble and workers of Satan always hide in the shadows of life. They are not upfront with their plans. They spread lies, create rumors, challenge authority, question direction, and always are wanting to push the envelope and consider things outside the box. They work in secret. Their tools are deception. Nothing upfront. No transparency. Creeping. Secretive. Sneaking. Spying. That’s not the trademark of God’s people. But that’s where the devil dwells. That’s where error works. Twisting. Suggesting. Questioning. Doubting. All the marks of someone who is not walking very closely with the Savior.

Be upfront with things. Truth has nothing to hide. Truth thrives in the light of the daytime.

Blessed are your eyes because they see…

Roger

26

Jump Start # 3622

Posted on July 26, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3622

1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”

Every July and August, for the past several years, our congregation runs a summer series on Wednesday evenings. We bring in preachers from all across the country to come and speak on a themed topic. We pick out a hymn and use the various lines within the hymn to be the topics preached on. Every Wednesday, we sing that hymn. By the end of the summer, that hymn has become special to us and more meaningful since we have worked through the sentences in it.

This year we’ve chosen “Exalted,” by Matt Basford. We are a third of the way into our series and it has been great. It is amazing to see how the different preachers approach their topics. They have brought great insight and depth to these series. Each year, many will say, “this has been the best yet.”

In one of our recent lessons, “Seen in future days,” Josh Welch took us through how we see Jesus now through faith and how we will see Him literally in Heaven. Powerful lesson. One of his thoughts really stuck with me. He said we see Jesus in the lives of His followers.

This is what our verse today is expressing. There were many, especially in the far reaches of that first century world, that never saw Jesus. I doubt many in Corinth, the city our verse is addressed to, ever saw Jesus. Paul did. The apostles did. And, as Paul walked those Roman streets in those Gentile cities, he was leaving footprints of Jesus.

In a very real sense, I have seen Jesus. I have seen Him in the kindness of His disciples. I have seen Jesus in the love others have shown. I have seen Jesus in the grace, forgiveness and second chances that others have been given. I have seen Jesus in the generosity of others.  I have seen Jesus in the way some have remained calm in heated discussions. I have seen Jesus in how some have responded to mean and hurtful things said about them. I have seen Jesus. And, you have, too. You’ve seen Jesus in a smile. You’ve seen Jesus in a heartfelt discussion. You have seen Jesus in the open doors some have offered you. You have seen Jesus by the way some have gone above and beyond the call of duty for you. You have seen Jesus in the way some have hugged you, with tears in their eyes, as you apologized for wrongs that you have done.

I watched a movie the other day called “The Jesus Revolution.” It’s a true story about a dying California church in the 1960s. The minister met a hippie and allowed him to come and worship. Before long, the place was packed with hippies. Some old timers couldn’t take it and left. Now, there are layers of theological, doctrinal, social and even psychological issues with what took place, but it illustrated how closed doors to people who were different were opened. It was something to think about.

I have seen Jesus…

First, people who see you make three judgments. Right or wrong, they do that. First, they make a judgment about your faith. Are you honest? Are you kind? Are you cruel? Are you selfish? By the way you conduct yourself, people make a determination. Second, because of you, they make a judgment about the congregation you are a part of. Again, right or wrong, people tend to lump everyone into the same basket and generalize. This is why hypocrites do more damage than they realize. Seeing you, people assume that everyone in the church is like you. That can be very positive or it can be extremely negative. How often have we heard, “I worked with a guy that went to your church…” And, what follows is some sad story about someone who was nothing like Jesus. Thirdly, through you, people will make a judgment about Jesus, the Bible and the whole system of Christianity. Where do people get the idea that “Christians are judgmental”? That comes from interaction with judgmental Christians.

Do people see Jesus because of you?

Second, although we will never be perfect, we can give a good impression of Jesus. People have seen hatred. They need to see forgiveness. They have seen abusive and dysfunctional marriages. They need to see marriages that thrive. They have seen successful people who were corrupt and dishonest. They need to see successful people who are generous, kind and honest. People know lying. They need to see people who have integrity and truthfulness at their core.

Getting the verses off the pages and into our lives is what we are supposed to do. People have seen churches that closed the door to prodigals and rolled their eyes at those who looked different. They need to see open doors that welcome all to worship God. Stop the thirty questions that makes someone uncomfortable, and begin inviting them out to lunch after services. And, by the way, since you invited, pay their bill. Put down the radar gun and put on a smile.

Third, once you have seen Jesus in the lives of others, it elevates you and inspires you to do better. Someone has shared with you, so you want to share with others. Someone has been generous with you so you want to be generous with others. Seeing Jesus, just makes us want to do better.

I have seen Jesus…have you?

Roger

25

Jump Start # 3621

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3621

Philemon 15 “For perhaps he as for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever.”

It’s a simple word, but it is powerful in how it is found and used. The word is “perhaps.” Here in this short letter to a master named, Philemon, a member of the Colossian church, Paul sends not only his words and wishes, but he also sends a run-a-way slave.

Onesimus ran a way from Philemon. We are not told why. Was it for the sake of freedom? Was it to get away from an oppressive situation? It really doesn’t matter, and we, don’t know. The slave finds his way to Rome, the largest city in the Empire. How easy to hide and get lost in such a place. Somehow he connects with the apostle. He is converted. He is changed. He becomes useful and helpful to Paul. In many ways, he now serves Paul.

But, something isn’t right. He doesn’t belong to Paul. Finders-keepers, loser-weepers is not in the character of a Christian. He needs to return to Philemon. That’s the rightful thing. What will Philemon do? Will he teach him a lesson through violence? Will he use him as an example, so others won’t run? This is why Paul has written this letter.

The run-a-way, much like the prodigal in Luke 15, is returning different. He’s changed. He is now a Christian. Christian to Christian—it’s time for grace, forgiveness and trust. Interestingly, as the Colossian letter is read before the church, there are sections about the master and slave relationship. How personal this would have been.

But in our verse today, the word, ‘perhaps,’ is used. Perhaps all of this happened on purpose. Perhaps this was designed by God. Perhaps God intended the slave to return home as a saint. But, Paul says, “perhaps.” He perhaps it because he doesn’t know. Much like Mordecai telling Esther, that she may been put in the position of a queen for such a time as this. Perhaps. Don’t know for sure.

What’s missing these days is the “perhaps” aspect. People declare God did this, God intended this, God wanted this, as if there was some private communication between them and God. Did God spare the former president from being assassinated? Perhaps. Perhaps, God wasn’t involved. We don’t know for sure.

Some thoughts for us:

First, we must understand all that we know of God is what He has revealed to us. No one knows the mind of a person, Paul told the Corinthians, except it be revealed. No one knows what God is thinking or doing, except what He has revealed. There are so many events that we must use the word “perhaps.”

Jonah: the storm…the fish…God designed. We know that because He told us.

A man born blind…for the glory of God. He tells us that in John 9.

Hezekiah being given 15 more years to live after he was declared a dead man. God was behind that. We know because of what Scriptures tell us.

What about Russia invading Ukraine—plan of God? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

What about a destructive storm—plan of God? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

What about a disease—plan of God? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

Second, perhaps sits in the middle of the scales of balance. Perhaps yes. Perhaps no. We simply do not know. We can guess. We can build a theology around it. But at the end of the day, it remains perhaps. We build our faith upon what we know and not suppositions, ideas and perhaps. We stand upon the Scriptures, not feelings, emotions or perhaps. What remains and what doesn’t change is the word of God. Perhaps is an idea, a suggestion, a perspective. Perhaps is based upon how we see things. Our perhaps can be totally off base. Stand with with what we know, and that’s the word of God.

Third, whether it’s from the Lord or not, we know what we ought to do. We must glorify His name and busy ourselves in His kingdom. That’s what we find in Philemon. Whether God was involved with this or not, we must still honor the Lord by doing His will.

We do better, when we speak with certain what is absolute in the Scriptures. The guessing, speculations and assumptions fall under the category of perhaps. Speak as the Bible speaks, was the motto of the ole’ Restoration Movement. It would be good to dust that off and start believing it again.

Perhaps…but even if it isn’t, we must do what is right.

Roger