04

Jump Start # 3671

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

Jump Start # 3671

Job 2:9-10 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Our verse today illustrates the differences in faith and dealing with troubles that often exists within a marriage. Much too often, we assume that the husband and wife are at the same place spiritually. We assume that they go through life seeing the same things and being on the same page with about everything. And, what a major assumption and mistake that is.

It is easy to forget that Job’s wife also suffered. She was the one who bore those ten children that all died. It was her lifestyle that was dramatically turned upside down by raids, attacks and theft. And, now her husband’s health was failing. After this rebuke from Job, we don’t hear anymore about her until the last chapter when she again has another ten children. I’ve been asked if I think that she is the same wife as in the beginning? In our times, bearing twenty children is unheard of. There is nothing in the text to make me think that she walked away or that she died and Job remarried. Those assumptions cannot be proven Biblically.

The words of Job’s wife, “Curse God and die,” seems to indicate that Satan got to her. This is what Satan was wanting Job to do. It worked with Job’s wife. With worthless friends, dead children, and now your companion in life tosses in the towel, the picture given to us is that Job was all alone. Who could he talk to? Who would encourage him? Who would comfort him?

Now, some lessons we ought to see here:

First, a husband and a wife do not suffer nor grieve the same. This tends to be the way we are wired. Women, in general, like talking and sharing with other women. We guys keep things to ourselves. When with other men, we talk sports, politics and fun things to do. We don’t open up very often. Maybe we should. Maybe we need to. And, because of that, many men have only superficial friendships. There is nothing very deep, because we don’t go deep. We keep an image and a wall around us.

So, in comforting a family that has gone through some tragedy, remember that the man and the woman deal with those things differently. The man may say, “we are fine,” meaning, “I’m fine.” This is why shepherds, in helping a family through a crisis, needs to talk to both the man and the woman and they may need to talk to each of them separately.

Second, our verse reminds us that Job and his wife were not at the same place spiritually. Mrs. Job was done. She had enough. She was calling “surrender.” Her faith was not as strong as his faith. Interestingly, neither Job’s friends, nor God talk to Job’s wife. All the conversations focus upon Job.

So, this reminds us, that two people sitting beside each other on a pew Sunday morning, do not have the same faith. One may be bored and the mind wandering. The other may be engaged and connecting deeply with the passages and praise to the Lord.

Job’s reply to his wife is that she was speaking not as a believer. He said, you speak as a foolish woman. Foolish, as one who says there is no God. Foolish, as one who no longer believes that God is in control. Foolish, as one who thinks our problems are greater than God. Foolish, as one who thinks God cannot do something. Foolish, as one who happily accepts the blessings of God, but not the adversity from God.

Our verse ends with this tag, “In all of this Job did not sin with his lips.” I wonder if we are to assume that Job’s wife did sin with her lips.

Third, husbands and wives need to help each other in this journey of life. There are times when discouragement may get the best of one of us. The other is to be there to encourage, remind and help. Many, many of us preachers would have punched the lights out of some thoughtless brother, had it not been the words of our wives calming us down and reminding us of Jesus. That marriage vow of in sickness and health, richer or poorer, is more than just a definition of life’s journey, it is a plan and a pattern that we will be there for each other. Physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally, there is a need for encouragement, warnings, help, and support that helps each other through the moments we call life.

Job’s words to his wife are blunt. He was grieving, hurting and trying to figure things out. His words were a stern reminder to his wife that God has always been there for them. This was not the time to give up. This was not a Titanic moment.

Together, they should have prayed. Together, they should have gone to Scripture. Together, they should have cried and reminded each other that they still have each other. That’s the way they started, and that’s where they were at that moment. Not knowing if they would ever see blessings again. Not understanding why all of this happened and so quickly. More questions than absolutes, it is those moments that will pull a couple together or it will be the scissors that severs the marriage forever. I’ve seen it both ways.

Standing across the body of a sixteen year old, as a sheet was pulled over his head, parents on the other side sobbing, I told them, this will draw you closer or this will pull you apart. Within a few months, they divorced.

It is important for husbands and wives to understand that we are wired differently and to understand each other. What works for me may not work for my wife. Men need to shepherd their families and this begins by understanding them and what works.

Job and his wife…interesting study.

Roger

03

Jump Start # 3670

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

Jump Start # 3670

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’”

  CalTech physicist, David Goodstein, wrote a collegiate textbook on thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, called “States of Matter.” The introduction begins this way: “Ludwig Boltzmann, who spent much of his life studying statistical mechanics, died in 1906, by his own hand. Paul Ehrenfest, carrying on this work, died similarly in 1933. Now it is our turn to study statistical mechanics.”

NOW IT IS OUR TURN?? The outcome of Boltzmann and Ehrenfest didn’t turn out well. I can only imagine a college student reading this and thinking, “What have I gotten myself into?” It would be hard to read beyond this page. Goodstein is considered at the top of his field in this study, but he doesn’t know how to write. It was not necessary to tell how the earlier scholars died.

This is a great example and reminder to us about how we approach talking to people and the function of the Gospel. By very definition, the word ‘Gospel,’ means, “Good news.” Yet, some have a way of turning good news into bad news. Scaring people into the baptistery isn’t the same as making disciples of Jesus. Getting baptized so one doesn’t go to Hell, isn’t the same as believing in Jesus as the Christ.

Here are some thoughts:

First, faith and trust in God’s word is the starting point. Use verses. Show people in their own Bible what God says. Too many opinions, articles, even Jump Starts, can get in the way of simply reading the Bible. This is where faith comes from. Our Lord said, “Blessed are those who did not see, and yet believed.” How would they believe? They would believe from the eyewitnesses. They would believe because the message is true. They would believe because the reliability of the Bible.

I’m hearing stories of more and more places that are using less and less Bible. Personal stories have replaced the divine sent message. Philosophy, humor and long, long stories fill sermons and Bible classes. Hearts are touched. Tears roll down cheeks. People laugh. It’s a wonderful time, but very little insight and very little digging into God’s word takes place. That rock that withstands the storms, is the word of God.

Second, softening what God says isn’t the answer either. God opened up the earth and swallowed some. The angel of death killed thousands. Hell is real. We know there is a Hell because there is a Heaven. Without one, the other does not exist. Jesus puts them together in the same sentence in the judgment scenes of Matthew. Some don’t want to talk about doctrine, judgment, wrath, and punishment. They’ve turned God into a heavenly Mr. Rogers and in his neighborhood, everyone is nice and gets along with each other. The first Christians to die, was not at the hands of persecutors. Acts 5, God strikes down two dishonest lying Christians.

The warnings of Heaven are not to scare us but rather to keep us safe. They allow us to stay in the lane that we are supposed to travel in. It’s the love of Christ that makes us come home to Him. It’s not being afraid of pigs and filth, but it’s knowing that God made us for better things. We can do better.

Our words need to be balanced. Not everything is rainbows. There are storm clouds. The words of the Lord to the churches in Revelation were a cold reality check for many of them. Loveless. Lifeless. Lukewarm. That’s the truth. That’s the way they were. Yet, within each of those admonitions, the Lord offered hope. Repent. The Lord believed that they could change.

Third, even in correction, God places the words of gentleness as the means which this is to be done. Smacking someone with the sword likely won’t bring a positive change. Be honest. Be truthful. But, do it kindly. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Remember the golden rule. The goal is not to destroy someone, win an argument, or to say, ‘I told him so.’ The goal is the salvation of his soul.

The ole’ story of a parent telling his child before he spanks him, “this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you,” ought to run through our minds as we try to reach others who are not walking with the Lord. Mean, smug, self righteous spirits crush souls and leave a path of destruction.

Now it is our turn…I think he should have ran that statement by the English department. A little editing might have been necessary. And, when we think before we speak, a little editing often takes place in our minds.

Roger

02

Jump Start # 3669

Posted on October 2, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3669

Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

And, to those verses, we say, “AMEN.” What I really want to pull from these passages is the idea and concept that God equips us in ever good thing to do His will. And, not just that, but that God is working in us, with us and through us. Similar to the Ephesian 4 section which also tells us that God provided teachers to equip us for the work of service.

Some thoughts for us:

First, God provides what we need. God understands the work. God knows how it must be accomplished and it is God, through His divine word, that gets us to the place to do that work. This is important to understand. I was talking to a young college girl who was attending Harding University. I asked her about what classes she was taking. The history of women ministries; organizing ministry models for today; ministering through changing cultures—and classes like that. And, that reflects the spirit and tone of many today. Business practices, models and emerging paradigms, the stuff of so many books, introduced into the church omits one key factor, God is doing the equipping. Run through the list of business books on Amazon, and the list is exhausting. Church growth. Church leadership. Church functions. Before long, the line between the business world and God’s kingdom becomes very fuzzy and things begin to be introduced that work well in the office space but not in the congregation.

Do we believe that God has provided what we need? Do we feel that the Scriptures equip us? Is the Bible sufficient to carry out and complete the work that God has intended? Has God’s equipping grown old? Have we outgrown the need for the Bible?

The church is a flock of God’s people. It’s not a corporation. God’s leaders answer to God, not a board of executives.

Second, we must not give up on God’s plan. It works. It worked then and it will work now. Preachers need to be quoting Scripture more than they are quoting the thoughts of others. I’ve sat through sermons and heard this guy quoted and that guy quoted and this book referred to and that book referred to, and I wondered if I was sitting in a college psychology class or in the house of God that was supposed to be praising the Lord. It’s God’s word that builds faith. It’s God’s word that will change lives. It’s God’s word that will equip us to do His work.

Third, we start to get wiggly when we leave God’s way of doing things for what we think is a better way. The history of the church in America is littered with the ideas and attempts to bring changes that were not part of God’s equipping. Ideas that looked great on paper, led to departures, division and trouble because they were not based upon God’s word.

God doesn’t just point to a shovel and tell us to dig a hole. Our passages remind us that God is working in us. It’s not all Him. Nor, is it all us. But a partnership, a fellowship. Together, the divine and the human. The perfect and the imperfect. His power and His plan with our energy and our efforts, together, accomplishing His will. God won’t do it alone, nor can we try it on our own. But, in this divine partnership, incredible, amazing and wonderful things can happen. Doors that we cannot open, God can. Connections that we do not understand, God does.

When we get this and understand this, we first will thank the Lord. Thank the Lord for having such trust to include us and work with us. Then, we will see amazing things taking place. Lives change. Congregations grow. The word touches hearts and nothing is impossible.

Working in us…equipping us. God’s not done with us yet. He’s got plans and those plans include doing us working with Him.

Roger

01

Jump Start # 3668

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Starts # 3668

1 Timothy 3:5 “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a faith without hypocrisy.”

Our verse today reminds us of a purpose, a goal. There was an intention behind what was being taught. They were not teaching and preaching because it was their jobs. They weren’t doing those things just because it’s Sunday and we are supposed to have a sermon. There was something behind all of that. They were looking to change hearts. The goal was love and faith. Love that came from a pure heart and a faith that was genuine.

There is a challenge behind preaching and the key is knowing your audience. On any given Sunday, assembled are some who have read that Bible dozens and dozens of times. They know the word of God. There are also assembled those who are new at all of this. They have never read the Bible completely. They are unfamiliar with words and concepts that those have known for decades. Also gathered on any given Sunday, are those who are distracted by the problems and pains in their lives. Some are journeying through grief. Some have prodigals in the family. Some are scared. Some have big medical procedures awaiting them. It’s hard for them to stay focused with all these things running through their lives. Then, you also have those who came because they were told to come. They don’t want to be there. They are bored and not interested in Jesus.

What a mixture of people! Like grandma’s ole’ vegetable soup, stir all those ingredients together and the preacher stares at the computer screen wondering what in the world to preach on next Sunday. He must not bore those with great Bible knowledge, yet, he doesn’t want to be so deep that others become confused and lost at what he is talking about. There is a challenge in preaching.

Here are some thoughts:

First, the preacher must never forget the basics. The first principles need to be taught to every generation. Those with depth will find something and for those who hear it for the first time, it will be a learning process for them. When a team is losing game after game, the coach will often go back to the basics. That is the foundation upon which other things will stand.

Second, the preacher must not be afraid to launch out into the deep. If he does this carefully, it becomes a great learning experience for all. Be careful of assuming that everyone knows certain things. In today’s world many do not. Explain. Lead. Show. Prove. This is how faith will be built.

Third, application is essential. What good are facts if I don’t know what to do with them? Our verse shows the practical end of teaching and preaching. It is disciples who love and have faith. How to live on a Tuesday afternoon is as important as what we do in the church building on a Sunday morning. Faith that can endure storms and a love that will forgive comes from changed lives that have been touched by the Gospel.

Those of us that have been around for a while must not groan when the topic of the sermon is baptism. Yes, we’ve heard that preached hundreds of times. But there may be that soul in the audience who has never heard that before. Be patient. Be helpful.

It didn’t take very long after Joshua’s days for the nation of Israel to start bowing down to idols. Error, like mold on a wall, spreads quickly and before long, faith and love have been replaced with selfishness and feelings. If it feels good, then it has to be right. That’s the thought today.

How that all changes is through consistent and constant teaching of God’s word. Teach it publicly. Teach it in homes. Teach it using every form of social media and technology available. There is a goal and a purpose.  One can tell which lives have been touched by the gospel. It’s obvious. There is a kindness and gentle spirit about them. They have walked with the Savior and it has made a difference.

God’s avenue to get us to know Him and His will is teaching. How blessed we are to have so many gifted ones around us. Tap into their knowledge. Ask them questions. See their examples.

Roger

30

Jump Start # 3667

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

Jump Start # 3667

Revelation 3:4 “But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white; for they are worthy.”

The troubled church at Sardis could well be a reflection of many places today. A history. A name. A reputation. The thought was that they were alive. But, they were not. God declared them to be dead. A lifeless church. Yet, among them and in this lack of life, energy and passion, our verse is found. There were a few, a faithful few, who were alive. Their garments were clean. They were declared worthy.

And, today, the sad report of lifelessness still lingers. Preachers that do as little as possible, sometimes preaching old sermons on Sunday and spending the rest of the week playing. Deacons who are not spiritual and some do not even attend very often. Shepherds who are out of touch with the flock and would rather talk about ballgames than the spiritual wellbeing of the flock. And, members who are so worldly one is shocked to find out that they are supposed to be believers. Yes, after all these years, and after great lessons and warnings such as found in the text, some continue the same practices that lead to spiritual death. However, when one dies physically, you can be sure, that the family wants the preacher to tell everyone that he was a good member and preach him into Heaven.

Lets focus on that “few” in Sardis. The life in the sea of death. There are lessons to be learned.

First, they were not following the crowd. Most were dead. They were not. Whatever took life, these few were making sure that they were adding life. And, in this, we find hope for us. Rather than waiting for a savior to arise to turn the direction of the ship, do what you can to keep yourself close to the Lord and being alive spiritually. Few attend. You attend. Few pray. You pray. Few invite people into their home. You invite. Few encourage the visitors. You encourage. Few engage in Bible study. You engage by participating, taking notes and learning. Few send cards. You send cards.

You are not following what others are doing. You are doing what you know is right, helpful and encouraging.

Second, it is easy for the few to become discouraged and likewise die. Why try, the few  might say. Who cares, the few cry. But you know the Lord does. You know those who have spiritual life do. It’s hard to be life when all around you is death. It’s one thing if the dead were of the world and just didn’t care or know any better. But at Sardis, the dead were supposed to be disciples. They should have known better. They should have done better. It’s easy to complain about the lifeless members who do not seem to care. But in focusing upon that, it is easy to become what you complain about.

In a dead church, your encouragement will come from Scriptures, not those who are lifeless. It will come from other alive members. It will come from the Lord. It will come from disciples from other places. Keeping yourself going is important. One of the best ways of doing that is staying active and busy in the kingdom. If it’s not there, look beyond to other places. So many of our readers are sending these Jump Starts to others. Many have gotten our Jump Start books and have sent them overseas and to folks in prisons. Doing what you can is essential. As long as water moves, it will not become green and stagnate. The same goes for our spirits.

Third, through all of this, the apostle never suggested looking for another place to worship. Leaving the dead can seem very appealing. They don’t care, so why should I care about them, is a place we do not want to go. Keep praying for those who have lost their passion and focus. Keep doing what you have been doing. Stay with the truth and stay with the Lord.

You and your family may have to have special devotions in your home to keep yourself well fed spiritually. There are so many wonderful tools these days. A person can listen or watch a sermon every day of the week. Blogs, podcasts and many, many ways to keep yourself where the Lord wants you to be.

There was a few in Sardis. How easy it is for us to use broad generalities and declare that there is nothing good in Sardis. That’s not accurate. There were those few. I have found in a recent congregation of about a dozen people, some of the kindest, sweetest and dedicated hearts I’ve seen in a long time. Don’t judge a congregation by the size. Don’t judge the whole by the example of a few.

I wonder if the Lord were still sending letters today, if he would consider you and I to be among that faithful few or would He shake His head in disappointment because we died spiritually a long time ago.

The few—God bless them and keep the fires going.

Roger