Jump Start # 3348

  Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

His name is Jimi and he has less than 35 days to live. Jimi is a Christian. Without any help from anyone, he read the Bible completely, cover to cover. He hates to admit this, but he read it because he was bored. The TV wasn’t working and he didn’t have anything else to do. As soon as Jimi finished reading, he started back and read the Bible through a second time. The words of God touched his heart. His sins were great and he understood that God was offering him grace through Jesus Christ. Jimi was baptized, immersed for the remission of his sins.

Jimi is unable to worship with any local congregation. Jimi has only 35 days to live. On July 20th, the state of Alabama is going to execute Jimi. Jimi sits on death row. He’s been there for a couple of decades. Around the year 2001, high on drugs and alcohol, Jimi hammered a woman to death. He knew her. He was dating the woman’s daughter. Jimi doesn’t remember a lot of the details. The broken TV, was in the prison. With nothing to do, Jimi started reading the Bible. No one prompted him and he knew it would not make any difference as to his outcome. So he read. And, he read. And, the pure word of God convicted him and changed him. He asked the prison officials to be baptized, immersed, and he was.

The granddaughter of the woman who was killed struggled with the horrific tragedy. She nearly ruined her life with substance abuse. Listening to a song on the radio about writing a letter, the granddaughter decided to write Jimi. She was tired of being angry. She was tired of thinking about the crime. She wrote Jimi to tell him that she forgave him. She was letting it go. The letter brought Jimi to his knees. He was expecting a cruel letter about him rotting in hell or deserving what he was soon to get. Instead, it was forgiveness. Jimi wrote the granddaughter back. Phone conversations took place between the two.

Later, some brethren from a small Alabama church made contact with Jimi and further Bible studies were made. In a recent study, the brethren could only speak to Jimi through the slot in the metal door where the food tray was placed. Jimi is in good spirits and when asked about the upcoming July 20th date, he says, “they can’t take Heaven away from me.”

The story of forgiveness was picked up by the Atlantic magazine in an article titled, “A Murder forgiven.” Word about Jimi was spread.  I learned about this from a shepherd who visited Jimi. He is one of our Jump Start readers and a fine example of sharing the gospel with prisoners.

This story has some wonderful lessons for us:

First, the Gospel is powerful. The Gospel still works. Without a preacher. Without any tracts, personal Bible studies or anything else, Jimi learned the truth of God’s word by just reading it. The power is still there. The word can be understood and it can be obeyed. Just read the words. Let the words sink in. An amazing God still changes lives.

Second, Grace is wonderful. God continues to allow second chances even after we have hurt many people and got ourselves into deep trouble. One wonders what Paul felt like the first time he returned to Jerusalem as a Christian. Before, he was there arresting Christians and casting his vote against them. But he changed. He was forgiven. He was now one of them. Would they accept him? And, one must wonder what the brethren thought about Paul. They may have had family members who were in prison because of Paul. Could they forgive? Would they forgive?

Third, forgiveness is hard. Letting go frees a prisoner and we find out that we were that prisoner. As long as we hold those dark thoughts within us, we seek to get even. Anger replaces joy. Our lives become gloomy and we age. This story of the granddaughter ought to humble us. We get upset and unable to forgive because we were not invited to a party or someone said something negative about us. What a great example for us. God can forgive. Can we? Anger, bitterness, resentment, wrath are what we find when we refuse to forgive. Forgiveness is a choice. It’s always the right choice. It’s a difficult choice. But the good that comes from that choice is amazing.

Fourth, Heaven is possible. Sometimes we may think it is out of our reach. Sometimes we may believe that we have done so much wrong that there is no way that God can forgive. But He can and He will. The pages of the N.T. are lined with people who made wrong choices. Sin dominated their lives and defined who they were. Yet, by the saving grace of Jesus and their faith in Him, they were saved. Cleansed. Justified. Redeemed. Sanctified. Powerful salvation words that illustrate that God hasn’t given up on us. We are not too far gone for God to reach. Jesus is all the difference.

I’ll be thinking about Jimi in the coming days. I wonder if on the 20th of the next month, if Jimi will meet the apostle Paul? What a conversation they could have. I expect Jimi will have tears in eyes when he sees the Lord. I expect I’ll have tears in my eyes when I see the Lord. God’s gracious love is amazing and marvelous.

Could you say a prayer for Jimi?

Roger

Jump Start # 2850

Romans 1:16 ‘For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

  This verse is needed now more than ever. Our times preaches diversity, but they certainly do not practice it. Unless one agrees with the loudest voices, they are shamed, ridiculed, mocked and called all kinds of offensive names. The weak and the timid follow along meekly because they don’t want to called out. They don’t want to be different. It’s easier for them to hide their convictions and be accepted than to stand alone.

 I am not ashamed.

  I am not ashamed to be called a disciple of Jesus. I am not ashamed to admit that I follow the N.T. I am not ashamed that I draw a line in the sand where the Bible does. I am not ashamed to admit that I love the Lord. I am not ashamed for the what the Bible says. I am not ashamed to say, “No,” when saying “yes” causes me to disobey what God says. I am not ashamed of the congregation where I worship. I am not ashamed for the way we Biblically worship God. I am not ashamed to use the words that God does and not the words that our culture tells us to use.

  I will not change when those that disagree toss mean words my way. They may view me as narrow. They may view me as a legalist, even though most do not understand that word. They may think I am judgmental because I do not believe a person can do whatever they want and go to Heaven. Opponents may think that they are right because more people are with them. That doesn’t move me. Remember Noah?

  I am not ashamed to bow my head in restaurants and pray to the God I love. Some may stare. I am not ashamed to carry a Bible in the pubic and even read it on airplanes or other places. I do not try to blend in, fit in, or get along with those who are going as quickly as they can from God. I am not interested in who kissed who in Hollywood or what celebrities are dating and divorcing. I am interested in the people of God. These are my people. We have a kindred heart and a common hope. We are headed the same direction and we hold dear the same principles of God.

  I am not ashamed to admit that I follow the Bible. I am not ashamed that my life is shaped by God’s word. I am not ashamed of the life that has been built and reshaped because of God’s word. I am not ashamed to talk about God. I am not ashamed to give God the glory He deserves.

  I am not bent on trying to change God’s word. I am not interested in departing from God’s word. I am not in favor of picking and choosing what commands I will follow. I do not defend the sins nor the mistakes of brethren. My allegiance belongs to Christ. It is the Lord who will save us. My hope is not in the church where I belong to, but in the Lord who is merciful.

  More and more, we will be seeing modern churches caving in, selling out, and bowing down to the loud voices of our culture. Pressure, intimidation and fear are the tactics of bullies. And, modern churches that have very little convictions and no Biblical backbone, will do what ever culture tells them. And, when pressure arises to accept those that our culture demands we include and accept, I will as far as God does. Where God stops, I will stop. That will anger progressives. That will send those stuck in liberal theology into a tailspin. The fangs, claws and daggers will come out. For the Lord, they brought out whips and nails. The Lord didn’t bend. The Lord didn’t back down. He was kind to the core. He was gentle to all. But, he was uncompromising in His views. So must I be.

  Some will threaten lawsuits. See you in court. Some will spray paint the church building. Call a work party and clean it up. Some will trash talk on social media. But, I remain unashamed. I will not stoop to senseless name calling and spreading lies about others. I will not try to retaliate or hurt others. However, I will not stop speaking what I know is true.

  Unashamed of the Lord. Unashamed of His word. Unashamed of what He expects.

  These are the days for unashamed brethren to let their lights shine.

  Roger

Jump Start # 2767

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power unto salvation, for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.”

It was very late one night. In fact, it was actually well past midnight and in the early hours before sunrise. I was awake. I was sitting in a room, watching my dying father breathe. The breathes were shallow. Often there were long periods of time between each breath. I couldn’t sleep. I kept watching and listening to every breath. I decided to open up my dad’s Bible. I wanted to read but I also wanted to take a tour through that old book that meant so much to him.

And, what I found amazed me. It was a treasure chest. My dad, being the engineer as he was, loved to make charts. He did that on all kinds of things, from the weather, to the temperature of his oven, to gas mileage of his cars. But here, in this old Bible, pages stained and worn from decades of use, was stuffed all kinds of charts that he had hand made. Abraham’s family tree, the lineage of the Levites, the ages of the Patriarchs. His Bible was full of handwritten notes. On the table of contents page, he had written notes and dates. There was a list of Roman emperors. I turned to Genesis one. To my delight, the page was filled with underlined words, passages written in the margins, definitions of words, words highlighted. I could see the years of study and listening to sermons. I turned the page. Genesis two was just the same. Genesis three, more notes, more passages written in the margins, more words underlined. What I found was on almost every page of his Bible, he had written things that he wanted to remember. I found myself reading what he had written. Occasionally, he had penciled in a date at a top of a chapter. That must have been a reading schedule he was on. From those dates, I could see that he had read the Bible through several times.

When I got to the final pages, those blank white sheets in the back of your Bible, his were filled. Every sheet, front and back. Lists. Timetables. Definitions. Passages. Here in my hands was the evidence of a man who walked by faith. He knew the Lord. He understood the Lord’s way. He didn’t just have a Bible, he had used that Bible and worn that book out by decades and decades of reading, thinking, and writing. I showed that old Bible to my preaching son, Jordan. And, as I watched him flip, oh so carefully through my dad’s Bible, it looked like he was holding the original Declaration of Independence. My eyes teared as his eyes teared. We were beholding the most precious thing my dad owned, his old Bible. It was that very Bible that taught my dad how to walk with the Lord. It was that very Bible that comforted dad when my mom passed away. And, it was that very Bible that gave him hope and assurance when it came time for him to pass through that doorway of death. It was that very Bible that opened his eyes to what Heaven would be like.

My dad’s old Bible is a great reminder to all of us:

First, make your Bible yours. Put things in it that will help you. Others my not like it, but it’s not for them. Some like the tabs to find the different individual books. If you like that, do it. Some tape clippings of poems and sayings that help encourage them. Be careful what kind of pen you use to write in your Bible. Some will “bleed” through to the next pages. Some highlighters will do the same. In my Bible, I have a photograph of Jordan, me and Dad. It is a wonderful memory of a time when we were preaching and dad was in the audience. It’s also a reminder to me of a generation before and a generation that follows. Each loved and important to me.

Second, there are informational things that you learn through the years that are useful to remember. The difference between a Pharisee and a Sadducee, is hard for some to identify. Write down some thoughts that will help you to know. Certain passages are important to build our faith and establish authority and doctrine. Jot those down in your Bible. Often in a class or a sermon, you will hear the definition of a Bible word that you did not know. Write that definition beside the passage.

Third, it helps putting things in a chronological order. Write dates at the top of a chapter. When was this kingdom? When was that kingdom? When did the walls come down? When did the walls go back up? Have a hard time keeping those things straight? Write down some dates in your Bible.

Fourth, you’ll come across passages that really touch your heart. You want to remember where those verses are. Write those references on those white pages of your Bible. They will be easy for you to find that way.

Fifth, the more comfortable the Bible is in your hands, the more you will feel confident and assured with it. This is the advantage of a printed Bible over an electronic Bible. The ability to have that “feel” in your hand is  priceless. The means to “stuff” your Bible with important things that you never want to forget.

It’s been said that if you carry the Bible when you are young, it will carry you when you are old. Flipping through another person’s Bible, especially one with a deep faith and who has walked with the Lord for a long time, is like stepping into that person’s heart and seeing their faith.

My dad’s old Bible, a reflection of a man’s faith. What would one find if they flipped through your Bible? Something to think about isn’t it?

Roger

Jump Start # 1677

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

  God’s word is powerful. It is able to cut through false ideas, excuses, and doubts. It is powerful enough to change a person. The word for “power” is from the same root word for dynamite. Explosive. We know this, but then we don’t. It seems that God’s word is powerful when it comes to Romans, but not so powerful when it comes to Corinthians.

Here is what I mean. In 1 Cor. 6, Paul states that fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunks, revilers, swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God. He then reveals, “such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” This list of sins involve serious problems. Yet it seems that the word of God was capable of changing the minds and hearts of those Corinthians. How did they overcome and break free from homosexuality without exit counseling? How did they handle the addiction to alcohol without a 12-step program?

It seems that today, we are quick to send someone to counseling to deal with these very things that the Corinthians dealt with. Sexual sins, addictions, twisted thinking—we race a person off to the counselor to get straightened out and turned around. I’m sure there is much that is productive and helpful from good counselors, but I also wonder if we have given up on the power of God’s word and feel that these problems are too complex and too delicate for any of us to handle. How could Corinthians get turned around without trained help? It didn’t exist back then. How did the common believer get help in the 13th century? He was poor, many couldn’t read, and they lived in small villages that didn’t have the resources that we do today. Was it possible for a person who grew up without God and accustomed to some of the very things that the Corinthians were engaged in, to flee those things and be pleasing to God? That villager didn’t have experts in addictions to help him. How did he do it?

I wonder if in modern times, with all the rehabs, counseling, and “experts” that are available, if we have short changed the power of God’s word. I wonder if we feel that God’s word can’t do the trick and that these trained professionals are needed. Or, in the worst situation possible, maybe we want the experts to deal with these messy situations because we don’t want to get involved.

God’s word is powerful enough to change a person. That’s the beginning point. Believe this.

God’s word is powerful enough to set before a person the life that God wants them to live. It is possible for a person to stop addictions. It is possible for a person to “become” what God wants them to be. Be holy, is more than a stop into a church service on Sunday morning. It is what a person is. They have become that. They have changed. They are now holy. How? Just how does that work? Hate sin. Turn to Christ. Learn. Grow. Fight. Desire to be what God wants you to be.

Is this to say that we should forget modern counseling? No. Is this to say that we should shun outside help? No. What it is saying is that do not view these external help as the savior nor the solution. The help is in God. These external counselors can reinforce and help what God’s word is already doing. The hope is in the word of God. The power is in the word of God.

For centuries, God’s people have been able to help one another by using the word of God. This will continue and always be the best available tool to fight the sin in our lives. Nothing beats the word of God. Maybe it’s time we plugged the word of God back in. Maybe it’s time we see how lives were changed through the preaching and dedication to the word of God. Maybe it’s time we took a look at the power of God’s word.

Are you currently going to counseling to get some help? Good. Keep going. But fill your heart with the word of God. See what God wants from you. Learn to become. Don’t view counseling as an alternative to God’s word. Don’t see it as a choice between counseling or the Bible. Combine the two. Use them both. The power is in God’s word. Commitment. Loyalty. Dedication. These virtues will help you. Some battles people face are lifelong. Some of these battles are very hard. We can sure get ourselves into all kinds of messes. In my area, heroin addiction is off the charts. Lives are being consumed by this dangerous drug. I don’t get it. I don’t understand why someone would even start. The death grip that this drug has on people is unbelievable. Simply sharing a verse doesn’t fix the problem. As intense as therapy must be, so must the teaching of God’s word must be. Accountability is a must. Change the person’s environment. End some friendships. Start godly habits. Turn this thing around before it’s too late.

Our hope in saving marriages, breaking free from addictions, conquering debt, overcome phobias, dealing with our past, must be in Christ. It is Jesus who is our Savior and our hope. Use tools to help but understand the power is in the word of God. Counseling without Christ, will leave a person empty. The demons may be drained out, but nothing will be there to replace them. The person is empty. The Gospel fills a person with purpose, reason, hope and power. I can do all things through Christ. Those were the words of Paul. Do you think, through Christ, he could have overcome addictions? Self-esteem issues? Fear? Worry? Homosexuality? Dependence upon alcohol?

There is power in the blood. Let’s not short change what God’s word can do. Let’s transfer the power source back to the Bible. Let’s put the hope in the word of God. Let’s get the proper order about things.

The victory, even over death, is in Christ Jesus.

Roger

Jump Start # 1252

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

  The Gospel of Jesus Christ– that saving message that changes the world. There are four great thoughts found in this simple sentence.

First, the Gospel is good news. That’s what the word actually means. It’s good news from Heaven. The good news is that we are not hopelessly lost. God has a plan and God has a way for us to find Him, please Him and spend forever with Him. It’s amazing news. It’s the best news. Somehow, this great news comes across negative sometimes. It doesn’t sound very good the way some want to tell it. They missed the point. They missed what it is all about. God loves us and wants to redeem us.

Second, this great news is for everyone. That is good news. It’s not just for the best among us. It’s not just for the elite, the intellectual, the successful or the good. It’s for everyone. That includes the woman caught in adultery in John 8. That includes the woman at the well, in John 4, who had multiple marriages and was living with someone she wasn’t married to. It includes little Zacchaeus who no one liked. This good news is for those in prison. It is for those who have made terrible mistakes in their lives. It’s for the American as well as the non-American. Paul said, “to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” It was for those living in Jerusalem as well as those living in Rome. Few things, if anything other than the Gospel, is for all people. Scholarships are not for all people. Awards are not for all people. Country clubs are not open for all people. Not all people can qualify to buy a house. Not all people have the money or the grades to enter college. Not all people are qualified to serve in the military. Not everyone can fly a plane. Not everyone gets into medical school. We live in a world that offers things for some but not everyone. The Gospel is not that way. It’s for everyone. It’s for the king as well as the servant of the king. It’s for the guy riding in the limo as well as the driver of that limo. It’s for the guy living in the high rise as well as the guy who sleeps on the park bench. There is a common thread that cuts through all of our differences and that is we are sinners who need Jesus. All of us. The best among us as well as the worst among us. The preacher, the politician and the prostitute—they all need Jesus.

Third, the basis of receiving this saving Gospel is belief. Any one can believe. It’s not an athlete completion in which you must be able to throw a football at least fifty yards. That would eliminate many of us. It’s not a contest in which you must sing in pitch. That would drop off many of us. No, what God wants is something that we all can do, and that is believe. Believe that Gospel. Believe it to be true. Believe it to be right. Trust God. Believe what He is saying is for your best. Believe that He wants you to be saved. Believing can be very hard. We must drop the baggage that we’ve picked up in liberal colleges and dysfunctional churches and prejudiced homes. We must drop atheism, evolution, humanism and believe in the Gospel. We must believe that Jesus is real and that He really died and rose again. We must toss aside that faith is for weak women and scared men. We must put Freud on a one way train out of our mind. We must believe that God knows more than we do. We must believe that God knows us. He knows what we’ve done and He knows what we must do to be saved. Believe. It’s not believe in fairy tales. It’s believing in the true message of the Bible. Without belief we cannot be saved. The good news becomes no news if we do not believe. God doesn’t save us kicking and screaming, like a child. God doesn’t save us against our will. God doesn’t force us to be saved. Some religious doctrines teach that. They teach that God cannot be resisted. Yes, He can. “Everyone who believes,” implies that some won’t believe. Why? They don’t want to. They haven’t tried it. They haven’t given it a fair shake. They don’t want to be told that they are wrong. They don’t want to leave the land of sin. They are happy where they are and they don’t like anyone, even God, telling them what to do. They believe it’s their life to do what they want. And what they want is nothing to do with God. So the believing part is the action we must take. That belief does something to us. Noah believed that God was going to send a flood, so he obeyed God and built the ark. Our belief will lead us to changing our lives. We will repent if we believe. Out with the wrong and in with the right. We strive to walk with Jesus. We learn Jesus. Compassion, goodness, kindness, forgiveness, grace and generosity define us and become part of our DNA. Out goes selfishness, pride, indifference, and attitudes that hurt others. Believing leads us to being baptized into Christ. Why? Jesus tells us to do that. The apostles preached that everywhere. Why? Do I have to? You will if you believe. If Jesus said you must learn a foreign language to please God, then we’d start practicing. If Jesus said to climb a mountain, we’d buy the ropes and find a climbing wall and start practicing. If Jesus said be baptized, then we’ll do it. Why? Because we believe. Because Jesus said so. If Jesus said worship God, we’ll worship God. Belief leads us to doing whatever Jesus said. Resisting and fighting Jesus are signs that I haven’t truly given my heart over to Him. Deny self is what Jesus said. Believe.

Finally, Paul was not ashamed of this Gospel. He was happy to be a messenger of this good news. Not embarrassed, not ashamed, not hiding the fact that he was a part of this. Some times we act as if we are ashamed. We apologize for what God wants us to do. “I’m sorry, I would love to come to your party, but I have to go to church,” that sounds like someone who would rather be at the party than worshipping God. It sounds like someone who is forced to go to church. It sounds like someone who is ashamed of God, worship and assembling with the saints. “I’m sorry, I can’t drink, I’m a Christian,” sounds like an apology. Not ashamed. Not ashamed of what the Gospel message says about worship, marriage, divorce, righteousness, parenting, finances, commitment, fellowship. No apologies. Not ashamed. Not ashamed to live it. Not ashamed to teach it. Not ashamed to be known by others that I believe it. Not ashamed to read the Bible in public. Not ashamed to pray in public. Not ashamed to live righteously. Not ashamed to walk away from gossip. Not ashamed to turn the channel on indecent shows. Not ashamed to dress modestly, even if in a wedding. Not ashamed to defend my Jesus. Not ashamed to tell a professor that his facts are wrong about the Bible. Not ashamed. Not at all.

One simple sentence. Powerful. Profound. Life changing.

God did His part. He sent Jesus and then the message about Jesus, the Gospel. Now, it’s our turn. Do we believe? Do we follow? Are we ashamed?

Stand up, Stand up for Jesus is more than an old hymn, it’s a way of life. It’s that way for believers. Believe , first. Then share with others.

Roger