23

Jump Start # 864

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 864

Job 1:20-21 “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Our passage today is the words of Job after Satan’s first assault. He was hit hard. He lost his livestock, his servants, and all his children. Satan attacked Job emotionally, financially, mentally with the hopes that it would destroy him spiritually. These are the first words spoken by Job after the death of all his children. Often, after a disaster, people are in shock and they may say things that later they regret or don’t really mean. Job seems to be in a clear state of mind.

There are several things we learn from these words of Job.

First, he worshiped God. The disaster wasn’t a reason to not worship God. Job had left ten fresh graves in the cemetery. Satan wanted Job to accuse God, blame God, curse God. Satan wanted Job to walk away from God. It’s easy to serve God in the sunshine, but how about dep in the night of life? How about those long journeys through the valley of death? We need God the most when we are hurting, broken, and nearly crushed. After the funeral, we need God. Sitting in the emergency room, we need God. There is a lesson for us here. We don’t want to be those who only worship God in the sunshine of life. We must wonder if we are proving Satan right by our actions when we are standing in Job’s shoes. Prayers are needed. Scriptures are needed. Brethren are needed.

Second, there is a truth to the statement, “naked I came,” and “naked  I shall return.” We came with nothing. No clothes, no ability to take care of ourselves, not even a name. Everything was given to us. We came needing things. We spend a lifetime accumulating stuff only to leave it all here. What we do take with us is our character, a record of our life and a relationship with the Lord. Between birth and death, that dash we find on every tombstone in the cemetery, that is our life. For some it is long. For others, it is short. That dash represents what we do. It is school, work, dating, marriage, babies, vacations, moving, friends, worship services, ballgames, parties, weddings, funerals, good days and bad days. All of us are making a dash between the coming and going of our lives.

Third, the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. The Lord is ultimately in charge of all things. The Lord is upon the throne. We like the Lord giving. We call that blessings. He sends the rain and the sunshine. He makes things grow. The Lord gives life. The Lord provides. Every good gift, James tells us, comes from the Lord. That is awesome and amazing. The Lord also takes away. We don’t like that. We want to hold on to things. We want to keep things. Job’s words referred to all that he lost, especially his ten children. The Lord took them away. Hebrews tells us that there is a time appointed for us to die and then the judgment. We don’t like that appointment. We do all we can to miss that appointment. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Job didn’t say, “the Lord gives and Satan takes away.” He said the “Lord gives and the Lord takes away.” He understood that all things are on loan from the Lord, including our family. They do not belong to us. It is hard loosing loved ones. That messes with our faith and scrambles our thinking. Some blame God. Some get angry. Some doubt. Some don’t want to let go. There comes a time when God takes. It belongs to Him. He has that right.

Fourth, blessed be the name of the Lord. Job blessed and praised God. He didn’t do what Satan expected. Without warning, Satan hit Job very hard. Job didn’t have time to say good-bye to his children. He didn’t have time to prepare. It happened. Quickly. It happens today. A tornado. A car accident. A mishap at work. A life that was so loved and precious is over. They are gone. The Lord has taken. Job worshipped and blessed the name of the Lord.

It is easy to be a back seat driver to other families as they go through trying times. It’s easy to judge what they ought to do. It’s a hard walk when it’s your turn. Most families have to go through something like this sooner or later. It is remarkable to see those who come through and still hold on to their love of the Lord and their desire to worship and follow God. They are examples for all of us.

Many families in Moore, OK are walking in these steps today. I know other families that are walking in these steps. Our hearts wish the best for them. We pray for them. Their journey is long and hard. The pain they experience doesn’t go away. The rest of us continue to walk in sunshine, while they seem to be stuck in a dark valley. Cheap clichés are not the answer. Just giving them a Bible verse won’t immediately bring the sunshine back. Patience. Continual love. Support is what they need.

Job is amazing. I wish I could say that I would do the same. I hope that I would. It’s easy in the sunshine to say what you would do. When the wind is blowing hard, and the flood is rising and the rain is crashing against the house, then you will see if you have faith to stand.

Thank you, Lord, for the sunny days of my life. Help me, help all of us, to build that foundation of faith in you, so that when the storms come, we can stand.

Roger

 

 

 

22

Jump Start # 863

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 863

Acts 18:25-26 “He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”

I recently taught a class about this passage. Apollos is impressive. He was smart, skilled and passionate. He knew the Bible. He was gifted and was using his talents to further the kingdom of God. The compliments that fill this passage are something that every teacher of God should aspire to, “Fervent in spirit,” “taught accurately the things concerning Jesus,” spoke “boldly.” Earlier in this section it says that he was “mighty in the Scriptures.” Those are amazing tools in the hands of the right person.

Our passage brings us to an interesting intersection, he didn’t know about the baptism of Jesus. He was right, but he was wrong. He was good, but… Then we meet Priscilla and Aquila who taught him more accurately. There are two parallel themes running between these people.

First Apollos. Serious teachers of God’s word want to be accurate. What good is it for people to be amazed at the teacher but mistaken about the subject? Accuracy with what is taught is first and foremost for all Bible teachers. Study time, meditation, chasing down ideas, hitting the books are the keys to being accurate. To know that you missed it somewhere eats at the heart of someone like Apollos. He’d rather be dull and accurate, than sharp and wrong. Finding out that he was wrong and didn’t know about the baptism of Jesus was a big deal. Baptism of Jesus is how one is saved. Christ commanded baptism. The apostles had been preaching that everywhere. How did he miss that? He was not finishing the story without telling of Jesus’ baptism. Once he realized this, that must have really bothered him. He must of thought of all those people who he did not tell the complete story to. Horror, fear and disappointment would fill the heart of someone who wanted to be accurate. Finding out that you had not been accurate is enough for some to quit. Embarrassment and shame would make some hide. Apollos didn’t do that. He listened to Priscilla and Aquila. He learned. He grasped the idea. He accepted. He continued to teach, but now he taught the complete story. Pride didn’t offer excuses. Pride didn’t keep him from learning. Apollos, many of us can learn from him. Most preachers have had an Apollos moment. After a sermon, someone explains something that you left off, missed or didn’t understand. What you do then determines what you are made of. Do you dig the heels in and make a big fuss about someone correcting the preacher or are you thankful, prayerful and open to learning, like Apollos was.

Priscilla and Aquila. They heard Apollos preach. They heard him fail to mention baptism in Jesus. They knew something was missing. They could have gone home and done nothing. They could have found the apostle Paul and told him and made a big deal out of it. They could have told others to shun Apollos because he wasn’t right. Or, they could have, as they did, talk to him. They took him aside, privately. They took time. They were kind. They were not trying to destroy Apollos, but inform, instruct and teach him. They wanted Apollos to continue on. Their manner, attitude and approach had a lot to do with what Apollos would do next. Had they been harsh, condemning, name calling, labeling and exposing a false teacher, Apollos would most likely have quit. They would have ruined and destroyed a good teacher. Many would rejoice with that kind of approach, thinking that there would be one less false teacher hanging around. Instead, this couple, spent time and helped Apollos.

All of this is useful for us. We often sit in both seats, the seat of Apollos—someone who says something that is not accurate; and the seat of Priscilla and Aquila– someone who hears something that is not accurate. Our attitudes and how we approach things often determine whether someone continues with a greater understanding or they are driven away. Is our attitude one of driving out and destroying or reaching out and saving? I am impressed that Priscilla and Aquila went directly to Apollos. That doesn’t happen much today. Usually it hits the gossip circuit before an Apollos ever finds out about it.

These things work at home as well as with brethren. When kids say wrong things, do we help them or destroy them? When your spouse says something incorrect, do you help him/her or do you embarrass them and shame them? Some seem to thrive in finding fault with others. That seems to be their life mission. When they find faults, they make a big deal about it and wound the wrong party. They think they are doing good. They are not. They think that they are just telling the truth. Some think that presenting faults in others is an occasion to be mean, rude and unkind. That’s not what Priscilla and Aquila did. That’s not what Jesus did.

How we deal with mistakes—our own and those of others, says a lot about what we are made of. Character and truth are not opposites. They go together.

We need to be thankful for the Apollos’ out there who are trying their best. We need to be thankful for the Priscilla and Aquila’s who are helping the Apollos’ be accurate in a kind, private and helpful manner. Shouting is not the approach. Threatening is not the right way. Helpful. Kind. Practicing the golden rule. That’s what was done in Acts 18.

Roger

 

21

Jump Start # 862

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 862

Luke 13:4 ” Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem?”

The newscasts yesterday covered the devastation and death from the Moore, OK tornados. Many were killed, including children. Many homes were obliterated. What happened will scar those residents for the rest of their lives. It will take a long time for that community to recover. A year ago, a tornado cut a path of destruction not far from where I live, Henryville, IN.

 

It seems every so often our common days are interrupted by news of disaster, some natural, like tornados, others, not natural, such as plane crashes, explosions, or the attack of terrorists.   These disruptions scare us, makes us wonder about things and they cause some to doubt. They wonder about a God that allows tornados. They question is power and goodness when children die. The reason we do that is because it doesn’t seem fair.

Our passage today, reminds us of several interesting facts.

1. Jesus was aware of current events. He knew about the tower in Siloam falling. He knew how many died. Jesus wasn’t a stuffy intellectual that didn’t have a clue what was going on around Him. He did. Does that help you? It ought to. Jesus knows what is going on around us.

 

2. Jesus knew that disasters and accidents happen. A tower in Siloam fell. Why? We are not told. Was the blame in the construction or the maintenance of the tower? Were there too many people on the tower at one time? Was there an earthquake? Dozens of ideas could be presented. Towers fall. Planes crash. Cars break down. Humans make mistakes. Those mistakes sometimes take lives. When those lives are our loved ones, we just have a hard time accepting those things.

3. Jesus did not believe that the deaths from the tower falling were the result of punishment from God. Not every accident, not every disaster is to be considered punishment from God.  The eighteen men who died in the tower disaster were not worse off morally and spiritually than the rest of the residents of Jerusalem. That was Jesus’ point. If the tower falling was the hand of God against sinners, why did He spare the rest of Jerusalem. They were just as bad. They were deserving punishment as well.

4. This passage reminds us that we often have opinions about why things happened but our thoughts can be wrong. Very wrong. This discussion began with someone telling Jesus about the murder of some Galileans by Pilate. The news was shocking. Jesus, being a Galilean, may have even known some of those who died. Finger pointing and blame is only profitable if things can be improved or others have been guilty of crimes. Finding fault doesn’t change the situation. If it could have been proved that the tower in Siloam was poorly built, the next tower could be made stronger. But for those eighteen families who had a loved one die, that wouldn’t help them. Folks are quick to find fault and blame.

5. This world is not Heaven. It never will be. There is sin, mistakes, disasters and death. That is our world. There are young people that get cancer. There are mean people that hurt the innocent. There are bad people who have evil in their hearts. We want this place to be Heaven. We want everyone to be nice. They won’t. We want everything to work out. It doesn’t. We want peace. Often there is turmoil. We want everyone to be a team player. Some are selfish. We want all to care. Some never will. We want no pain. There is pain. We have a hymn, “This world is not my home…” I’m glad. This world is broken. Heaven is the place to be. Heaven is the world of no sin, pain, sorry, or death. No one in Heaven will be getting cancer. There will be no tornados in Heaven. No need for medicine in Heaven. We are shaken by these terrible things but must realize that these are a part of this world.

6. Our hope is in God. Faith lies with God. Even God’s people get cancer, die in car accidents and can be killed in falling towers. We can stay in bed all day with the covers over our head. We can walk in fear all the time. Or, we can pray. Pray for safety. Pray for strength. Pray that God will be with us. We can know that even if bad comes upon us, it is not an indication that God no longer loves us. Some day we will pass through the door of death and all this will be over.

Our prayers are for the families in Moore, OK who have been touched by this latest tornado. We pray that they will find comfort. We pray that they will get healed. We pray that they will not turn away from God. They need Him especially now.

Can you say a prayer, even now, for those families?

Roger

 

20

Jump Start # 861

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 861

Proverbs 24:1-2 Do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them; for their minds devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble.

It is hard to understand some people. It seems that some have no heart. More accurately, it seems that they have no conscience. Our passage helps explain the inner thinking of evil. The Proverb writer explains that their minds devise violence.

We have a common expression for that today, “premeditated.” Premeditated murder is a crime that is thought out, planned and then enacted. Many acts of violence are premeditated. The Boston bombings were planned. The attacks on 911 were planned. Most bank robberies are planned. There was a period of time when evil people thought up these violent acts. They thought about them. They meditated upon them. They considered options, escape routes, personal and the type of weapons needed. They thought and thought about this. When they became convinced in their mind that this would work, they started gathering material, people and checking out the places where their evil deeds would be carried out.

All of this began in their minds. They “devise violence.” Corrupt minds thing of corruption. All of this reminds us of those passages that  emphasizes the need to think properly.

  • Set your minds on the things above
  • Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you
  • Be renewed in your mind
  • Have this mind in you that first existed in Christ Jesus
  • Whatsoever is pure…let your mind dwell upon these things
  • The wise man meditates day and night upon the word

Most of us do not sit around thinking how to hurt someone else. Yet we can think of lustful things, mean things to say to someone, selfish things, unwholesome things. Our minds are the engines that drive our behavior. Thinking godly, goodly, righteously is something that we choose to do. The more we are engaged in the right kind of thinking, the more right we will do.

There is a hymn we often sing, “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.” The beauty of Jesus. The goodness, kindness, helpfulness, truthfulness of Jesus. That is where we need to be. It all begins with being thankful, prayer and acknowledging God every day.

This is a great day to do that. Mondays can be long and hard for many of us. Mondays can be dreaded because it’s back to school or work. The very word “Monday,” is enough to put some in a bad mood. That is a choice. It doesn’t have to be like that. You don’t have to fall into the trap of complaining like everyone else. Monday can be just as enjoyable if we look to see how we are blessed.

If the evil man is thinking of violence in his mind, what do you think the righteous man is thinking? He is planning good things. His mind is busy but it is in the positive direction. Planning good. Planning to help. Planning ways to bless others. Plans that include God.

It’s Monday. Make it a great day.

Roger

 

17

Jump Start # 860

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 860

Proverbs 4:1 “Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding.”

Special Note One: This Jump Start is unlike any I have written before. It is very personal. It is my thoughts to my daughter on her wedding day. I share this with you as we conclude our series on weddings and marriage.

Dear Sarah,

Today is your wedding day! Wow! What amazing words, “Your wedding day.” It’s finally here. Your mom has been busy for months getting things ready so this day will be so special for you. I think the folks at Hobby Lobby know us by name because we have been there nearly every day. But a long time ago, when you were still a little girl, I thought of this day. I knew that if God allowed me life, that I would walk you down the aisle on your wedding day. I have played that scene out in my mind dozens of times. And now, in a few hours, we actually get to do this.

Your mom and I watched “Father of the bride,” the other day. There is a scene in that movie that I fear may happen to us. The father never got a moment alone with his daughter on her wedding day. This evening, there will be so many friends and family and pictures and smiles and cakes and people wanting to wish you well, that I can see that happening to us. This is why I am writing this for you. This is my moment with you. I am so proud of you. Take a moment to take all of this in. This is an amazing day. It will go quickly.

You have always been my sweet princess. God blessed with me with four wonderful children. You were the only girl. You grew up with a house full of brothers and you learned to hold your own. I still remember picking you up after morning kindergartner. You’d show me the pictures that you drew that day and you would be so full of life and excitement. I loved all of your achievements, singing in choirs and watching you destroy a team with your razor serve in volleyball. You always knew I was in the stands because you could hear me cheering you on, often to your embarrassment. There was that special 4th of July when you asked me to baptize you into Jesus. I was so proud of you. As you grew, you became beautiful inside and out. Of all the kids, you scared us the most. Your car accident in Kansas City, when you were life lined to Research Hospital and your mom and I raced to see you. I was hoping that you were still alive. Prayers were answered. Then in New Albany, when you worked as a  bank teller and a robber pointed his gun at your head, I was so scared for you. God has kept you alive. God has had plans for you. He wasn’t finished with you!

One of my constant prayers has been that you would meet an incredible Christian man to marry. You dated several guys. I wondered what God was doing with some of them. I was hoping better for my princess. Then you met Jared, your prince. He is amazing. The two of you together will have an a great journey with the Lord. With Jared at your side, you both, will be able to do wonderful things for the Lord.

Sarah, you have a lot of me in you. I see that. You have a heart that cares. God gave you a greater dose of that than He did me. That is what defines you and makes you so special. You care. You always have. You are passionate and spirited, like me. That has to be channeled and when it is, nothing will stop you. People will disappoint you and frustrate you. They do me. But with that spirit and your hard work ethic, you will continue on. Nothing will stop you. You are driven, and much like me, when we get our mind on something, get out of the way, because here we come. Use those talents in positive ways.

Jared adores you. I see that. Please, don’t take that for granted. There are thousands of people who would love to be in your shoes today, not just to get married, but to find someone who truly loves you and cares for you, as you are. You have filled an empty spot in his heart and you have given him an energy that he hasn’t seen before. Treasure that. Bless him often. Thank God daily for him. There will be some common, plain and uneventful days of your journey. Remember, to get to the mountains, you must drive through Kansas. There’s not much to Kansas. But it’s worth it to get to the mountains. Some days will be stressful. Some days you will feel pulled in many directions. Just remember how special it is to come home to someone who loves you and cherishes you. Do the same toward him.

Continue to grow together in the Lord. Talk about lessons together. Pray together. Read the Bible together. The more “together” you can put into this the better it will be.

I am so happy for you. I am glad that you have someone who you can trust, love and cherish. I am glad that there is someone who can share life with you and go with you further down the road. You have found someone who wants the best for you. He wants you to go to Heaven. He will help you, guide you and be your best friend. In many ways, when I walk you down the aisle, I am giving Jared the keys to your heart, something that has been very special to me for a long time. I have tried to protect your heart, mold your heart and guide your heart. And now I give Jared the keys to your heart. I trust him with those keys. He will be able to do things and help you in ways I cannot. As John the Baptist said of his work, he must decrease and Jesus must increase, so it is with our relationship. I’ve taken you as far as I can. I am thankful that someone so kind, wise, and thoughtful can now go with you. God bless you both on your special day and on this incredible journey you begin together in life.

You will always be my sweet, sweet princess.

Love,

Dad

Special Note Two: Well, I did it again. I did even intend to this time. I have written 10 articles about weddings and marriage. I will be putting these in a booklet. I did plan to do this, but it just worked that way. If you would like one of these drop me an email at: Rogshouse@aol.com