22

Jump Start # 1650

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1650

Revelation 12:17 “So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”

 

I watched Donald Trump’s thunderous speech last night. He spoke to a friendly crowd that applauded, cheered and chanted many times. He made no pretense in declaring that we are at war with terrorist groups that want to destroy America. This war is different than other wars. The enemy isn’t from one country. They don’t wear uniforms and march, like soldiers of long ago did. The enemy isn’t distinguished by red coats like the British were long ago. They aren’t wearing a certain shaped helmet like the Germans of the first world war. Politicians and strategists will argue about what is the best way to deal with this threat. National security will be a huge topic in deciding which candidate is best suited to keep us safe.

 

But there is another war that you won’t hear the candidates talking about. It’s a spiritual war. It’s been going on for 2,000 years. It is even harder to detect this enemy than modern terrorists. Our passage today reminds us that the dragon, called Satan earlier in the chapter, is bent on making war with the people of God. He wants to destroy Christians. Satan will use disguises to accomplish this. He will use terrorist. He will use college professors who deny the existence of God and the inspiration of the Bible. He will use religious leaders who stray from God’s word and lead flocks of followers into the happy land of “la-la.” Satan will use the media and social media to twist the truth and create a fog around what is right. He will use the pressure of popularity to influence the fashion industry and Hollywood movies and the music industry. He will make wrong seem right. He will fill the air with violence and filthy language to such an extent that we become numb to those things. Satan will even use family members to soften our stance and move us away from Christ. Our enemy is smart. He has many weapons and many soldiers.

 

He will attack the family because that is the foundation of society and the image of our relationship with God. Divorce and the redefining of marriage are every day bombs that Satan lofts through the sky. He will use alcohol and drugs to deaden our senses and to weaken our stance with God.

 

He will attack our congregations because that is the source of encouragement and one connection we have with God. He will make a great discontent between what happens on Sunday and the rest of the week. He will turn worship into something that is not relevant or else transform it into a place where man is praised and happiness is the message. The modern church doesn’t even realize that Satan is using it to fool the masses into thinking that they are following God. He will use members to turn against members to keep the church away from it’s purpose and focus.

 

He will attack your soul with everything he has. He will use discouragement, temptation, worry, stress, and innocent things such as a full schedule and busy lives to keep you away from God. The less you pray, the less you open the Bible, the less you worship, the weaker you become. He knows that. He will pull the plug on your soul so that what faith you have slowly leaks out. It’s so gradual that you won’t notice it until it’s too late.

 

Across this country side, lies the carnage that Satan has caused. Broken homes. Broken vows. Broken hearts. Heretics. Apostates. False brethren. Shipwrecked faith. Divided churches. Weak congregations. Dead faith. And lives that are convinced that they are going to Heaven because they are “good” people, and Satan knows better.

 

It’s ugly out there. It’s hard to know who to trust. It’s hard to know what’s on the up and up and what’s just a disguise to confuse us and deceive us. If you are a Christian, Satan has you in his radar. He has been firing shots across your bow since the day you obeyed Christ. Some of us see this and are aware. Many have no clue. They do not realize that they have been traveling through lion country for a long time now. Every day, that lion, Satan, is seeking to devour. He’s patient. He’s watching. He’s waiting for a moment when we are not sharp. He’s looking for a moment when we are tired or alone. He’s looking for a moment when we are discouraged. He’s ready to pounce. He’s watching. Our enemy never goes to sleep. Our enemy never takes a day off. Before you get to the office, he is there. Before you reach your vacation destination, he is there. He’s waiting for you at home. He will not quit until he has destroyed your faith in Christ. Ignoring him is what he wants you to do. Pretend he isn’t there, and he will just smile.

 

In this spiritual battle, we don’t have a candidate that we can vote for that will keep us safe. It’s up to us. This is why the Bible uses military words such as: be alert. Be sober. Be watchful. Be diligent. Be on guard. Asleep at the post is surely the moment the enemy has been waiting for. Not paying attention is his dream come true. It can happen anywhere. Sitting in a college class and never realizing that the professor is chipping away at your faith. It can happen at a family reunion and the temptation to do wrong is disguised as a family member. All around us Satan is trying to get you to take your foot off the accelerator. He wants you to slow down with Jesus. He wants you to back off with the Lord. He wants you to think that you’ve done enough. Stop helping others. Stop shinning your light. Stop being so good. Stop teaching. Stop believing. Stop. Stop. Stop. That’s what Satan wants. He is at war with you.

 

Can you win? Is there any hope? The Corinthians were told, “Thanks be to God who gives us the victory.” The key word in Revelation is “overcome.” James said, “resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Jesus said to pray that you enter not into temptation.

 

Yes, you can win this war. It won’t be by your smarts or your strength, but with God’s help. God must be with you at all times. God must guide you. God must help you. God must forgive you. God is there, but you must invite Him into your day. You must include Him, listen to Him and follow Him. As Joshua understood, “The battle belongs to the Lord.”

 

So, as the children sing in VBS, “be careful little eyes what you see…” There is a war going on. The political candidates of today do not see it. This war is worse than anything the terrorists can do. Fear not the one who can kill the body and do no more. Fear the one who can kill the body and the soul.

 

Lion country—be careful. The lion is watching you. Be smart. Be spiritual. Be alert.

 

Roger

 

21

Jump Start # 1649

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1649

Proverbs 12:5 “The thoughts of the righteous are just, but the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.”

 The thoughts of the righteous…that’s a great verse and a great concept. Just what do righteous people think about? Paul told the Philippians to let their minds dwell upon things that are pure, right, lovely and of good repute.

 

What we think about becomes the basis of our conversations. What we think about forms our choices and our actions. The thoughts of the righteous. Last evening I had dinner with a group of righteous people. My wife was there. A visiting preacher was there. Two of our shepherds were there. It was a great conversation. We got to know each other better. We talked about our past. We shared ideas. We talked about how our shepherds did things. We laughed. We listened. We shared. We benefited. The thoughts of the righteous…what a wonderful idea that is.

 

Here are a few ideas that come from “the thoughts of the righteous.”

 

First, spend some time with righteous people. They are not all stuffy as you might think. They are kind, thoughtful, fun, and encouraging. Including them as a part of your support group will help you so much. Ask the righteous questions. Ask them for advice. Seek their counsel. We are not in competition with each other as individuals or as congregations. We want the righteous every where to do well. We want all congregations growing and thriving in the Lord. Let’s not be jealous, but rather be helpful. Be encouraging.

 

Second, talk openly and freely about what works and what doesn’t work and what are your concerns. Sharing ideas, like sharing recipes, is helpful and good. Learn from each other. What makes a strong Christian strong? What are the concerns of a preacher? The thoughts of the righteous…

 

Third, Share tips that you have found that helps you spiritually. Share insights that you have learned in your studies. Share your time. Share your self. Help the next guy out.

 

Fourth, the conversations and thoughts of the righteous reveal what’s on their hearts. The more we surrounded our selves with righteous people and engaged in conversations with righteous people the better we become. The righteous are not going to talk about others in a gossipy way. The righteous are not going to put others down. The righteous are not going to insult or embarrass others. The righteous are not going to  brag about themselves. The thoughts and the conversations of the righteous are going to be spiritual, wholesome and helpful. These thoughts are going to remind us of our purpose and our place. These thoughts will take us back to Christ. These thoughts will leave us better. Noble thoughts. Deep thoughts. Observations. Insights. Truth.

 

We live in times of shallow thinking and superficial conversations. Too many are interested only in appearance and what’s on the outside while there seems to be nothing going on inside. The thoughts of the righteous are going to take one back to Scriptures, even familiar Scriptures. Those thoughts will see applications and depth to the Scriptures. Those thoughts will cause one to dig deeper into the Scriptures. They will see things that others do not. They will explore ways to apply those Scriptures. They will find ways to improve self.

 

The thoughts of the righteous are where hope and the future come from. Plans are formed. Decisions are made when righteous thoughts are developed.

 

What all this comes down to is “what are you thinking about?” The thoughts of the righteous are just. The thoughts of the righteous are built upon trust in the Lord. Worry, fear, doubt loom on the horizon. The uncertainty of the future, the bad news of the day, can fill our thoughts and take over our lives. This is why so many live hopeless and fearful lives. Their thoughts are formed by others. The newscast, the conversations of family and friends, all shape their thinking and that is too often dark, negative and shallow thinking.

 

The righteous control their own thoughts. They do not let the darkness of the present hour to shape their thinking. Their minds are set on things above. They put their hope in the Lord. They control their thoughts. When everyone else believes that the sky is falling, the righteous sail through this day with hope, confidence and peace. The Lord is at the helm of the righteous. The Lord IS the shepherd of the righteous. Silly and useless stuff such as who kissed who in Hollywood doesn’t occupy the mind of the righteous. Their thoughts are on greater things. Their thoughts are on how they can improve themselves and others. They think about how to introduce the Gospel to more people. They think about how they can make Bible classes richer and better. They think about how to help those who are struggling in their faith. They think about Heaven.

 

The thoughts of the righteous…

 

What are you thinking about?

 

 

Roger

 

 

 

20

Jump Start # 1648

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1648

2 Samuel 12:14 “However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”

 

Our verse today is part of the sad consequences of David’s sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. The lust that filled David’s eyes and heart blinded him to the ugliness of his sin and the depth that he would fall to try to hide this sin from others. God knew. God always knows. The prophet Nathan confronts David and reveals a series of devastating punishments that would follow David for years. One of the first of these punishments was that the baby born out of this adulterous sin would die. That baby would not be heir to the throne. That baby, innocent as it was, would not be allowed to live.

 

In our verse, we find this powerful statement, “by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.” David never realized that his choices were aiding the enemy. The enemy, whether within Israel or outside of Israel, would learn of David’s murderous plan to kill one of his greatest soldiers. In battle, the day that Uriah was killed, orders were given for Israel to pull back and allow Uriah to die. Other soldiers died. The enemy rejoiced to defeat Israel that day. Israel retreated. They never did that under David’s reign. From an outsider’s perspective, it seemed as if the enemy had now defeated the army of David’s God. It appeared that David’s God could not save Israel. Occasion to blaspheme  – aiding the enemy. Helping the wrong side.

 

Those expressions stick with a person. It makes one wonder if we do the same? Are we sometimes helping the wrong side by our choices? Are we giving the enemy reason to blaspheme? Here are some ways this may happen:

 

1. When we silently allow others to trash talk God, His word or His people. We can convince ourselves that we don’t like to engage in controversy or even worse, it’s not our battle or our place to say anything, so we sit in silence, giving what appears to be consent. God’s word is mocked in a college class. God’s church is ridiculed by those who do not understand. God is blasphemed by those who have no faith. And where are we? And what are we doing? Sitting silently. “These are my friends, and I didn’t want to say anything?” Really? Isn’t God your friend? If that’s the way your friends act, it’s time to shop for new friends. I saw on Facebook a supporter of the democratic presidential candidate giving a speech on a street. She was standing on the American flag. Standing on the flag. I’m glad I wasn’t there. I would have said something. You don’t stand on the flag. To be silent is to be a coward.

 

2. I aid the enemy when I am doing what the enemy is doing. We, as Christians are to be lights into the world. We, as Christians, are to not be conformed to the world. We are to be different. The wrong choices of the world is not the choices of a Christian. Paul warned the Ephesians, “There must be no filthiness and silly talk or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks” (Eph 5:4). Some things are not “fitting” or proper for a Christian. PERIOD. The partying atmosphere on college campuses, which is filled with loose talk, immodest dress and rivers of alcohol doesn’t fit a Christian. The office teasing and joking that crosses the line of what is proper and decent, doesn’t fit a Christian. Prejudicial attitudes, hateful language does not reflect a heart that a Christian is to have. When we are at places like this, when we engage in activities that are not fitting for a Christian, we are aiding the enemy. The enemy will not think of doing right in those occasions. The enemy isn’t thinking about church, God or holiness in those occasions. Our participation darkens our light and silences our message to be like Christ. Why be like Christ, when the world sees us as one of them? If this is not right, why are you here Christian? Fair question to ask. Hard question for the Christian to answer. The world is flowing downstream. Christians must swim upstream. When we go with the flow, we are doing what the enemy is doing. Certain movies, some concerts, some social activities ought to be off limits to the person serious about Heaven. Those places will have an impact upon our hearts and worse they kill any positive effect we ought to have on others. Aiding the enemy, that is a characteristic of a traitor. A traitor wears one uniform but his actions are for the other side. He works to help the other side. We must decide which side are we on?

 

3. I aid the enemy when I like, post and copy things on social media that are not Christ-like. People are sending me things all the time on social media. Some of the things shared involve immoral activities, immodest dress and false teaching. Here is a great article some suggests. A few paragraphs into the article, I find it laced with profanity or it’s saying unbiblical things. “A great article?” Really? It’s poison to the soul. Don’t aid the enemy. Don’t help the devil.

 

4. I aid the enemy when I am not with God’s people. When I ought to be at worship, but I’m not, I am certainly not encouraging God’s people. I am certainly not feeding my soul. I am certainly not praising God. On vacation, great time to skip church. Why? Does God take a vacation? Does Satan take a vacation? Find a church in the area and get there to worship God. You have much to be thankful for. You live in a country, have a job and have the means where you can take a vacation. That alone is amazing. You meet some new people in God’s family. You bring home ideas to help your congregation. Don’t skip because you are out of town. Don’t skip because you are traveling for work. Don’t skip. Don’t aid the enemy. Don’t skip when you are home. Let your neighbors see you getting in your car with Bible in hand. Let them see you heading down to the church house. They may ask, “Are you that bad that you have to go to church so much?” You say, “God is that good, that’s why we go. How about coming with us?”

 

David didn’t intend to help the enemy. He was only thinking of self. That’s the sad part of this story. We can become so absorbed in our own world that we simply don’t think about others. We don’t realize that others are watching and listening. We don’t realize that we are leaving impressions upon others. We don’t realize that by our choices, some may get closer to the Lord or by our poor choices some may never get close to the Lord. Poor David only thought about himself. His decisions helped the enemy. He would never do that intentionally. But it happened. And the same can happen to us.

 

Whose side are you on? There is an old story about a deaf man who went to church every Sunday. They didn’t have anyone to sign for him. He sat there in silence. But he went. Someone wrote a note that asked, why do you come when you can’t hear what is going on? He wrote back, I want God to know whose side I’m on.

 

Are you helping God or helping the enemy?

 

Roger

 

19

Jump Start # 1647

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1647

2 Corinthians 3:2 “You are our letter written in our hearts, known and read by all men”

  There is a hymn that is often sung, “We are the world’s Bible.” There is getting to be more and more truth to that everyday. For many people, their own connection to God is what they see in a Christian. The life of a Christian is the only Bible that they will ever see. So many modern churches have moved past what the Bible teaches. Many have replaced the gospel message with a simpler message of goodness. Just be good. Be a good neighbor. Be a good friend. Be a good person. The message of goodness doesn’t involve Christ, commitment or righteous living. The message of goodness changes from person to person. The common answer for most today, when asked, “What is a Christian?” it is a good person. The world today needs living examples of what a Christian is like.

 

This falls upon us who are Christians. This is tough. The world is watching. The world is testing you. The world wants to see if you are genuine. The world wants to see what works.

 

This is hard because many of us are dealing with our own issues. Stress, worries and the pressures of work and home can sour our attitudes and leave us weary, worn out and joyless. Miserable Christians are not a good example that the world needs to see. Complaining Christians send negative messages to the world. Why be like them, is what the world wonders. I have enough pressure and problems.

 

This is hard because we must work through our own temptations. We are not perfect. The world is ready to point that out to us. The world thinks that we believe that, but we don’t. The world has little patience and no forgiveness for a Christian that sins. How we deal with our sins can go a long way in showing the world what Jesus is all about.

 

This is hard because there are days that we don’t want people to be watching us. Leave me alone, can be a wonderful thought, but it never happens to the Christian. You are the light of the world. You must shine, even in dark places. The world judges the Christian. The world often uses double standards, expecting the Christian to be perfect, while they are far from it. The world cannot tolerate a Christian who judges.

 

Have you ever noticed the pressure placed upon Jesus. The Gospels tell us that they asked Jesus questions to “test Him.” They were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath. They were questioning among themselves about Jesus. This intense scrutiny was constant with Jesus. He was always watched. Every word was analyzed. He was in the radar all the time.

 

This is the tough side of being a Christian. The upside is that the world gets to see what genuine love, care and grace is all about. A caring Samaritan who went out of his way, took a risk, and used his own money to help someone that he didn’t even know. A father who gave his reckless son a second chance. A God who allowed one who murdered His own people, to be forgiven and to be one of the apostles. These images, these stories, these messages are the things that the world does not understand. It makes no sense to them. Forgiveness in the home. Grace in the work place. Hope in a dark world. In a time of terror and prejudice, to see that the color of skin doesn’t matter. All are loved, and all are wanted by God’s people, is something that the world doesn’t see.

 

The upside of Christianity is showing the world marriages that thrive and last for decades. With Hollywood marriages that are measured in mere hours, the people of God demonstrate what makes a relationship work.

 

The upside of Christianity is showing the world hope and optimism when everything looks gloom and doom. The hope is not in a candidate, but in God. To walk through this life with a sparkle in your heart and a twinkle in your eye because you know and you believe that Heaven is you home some day is something that the world can’t get. Why are you so happy? Because God loves me and I love Him. That doesn’t make sense to the world, but they see it and many wish they could have it.

 

The upside of Christianity is knowing that death isn’t the end of our story. There is no “The End” to our story. It is to believe with all of our heart that death takes us to God. Death is not dreaded, feared or whispered about. There is nothing to fear. Christians walk with a hope that is  beyond this world. The hope lies with God.

 

The upside of Christianity is walking with confidence in a world that is certainly unsure. The world doesn’t know what to believe. The world is waiting for someone to tell them what to think next. Not the child of God. His confidence is in the word of God. He is sure because the Bible is true. Topics such as creation, definition of marriage, concept of success, the purpose of life, are all understood by the child of God. He is sure. He walks with life with confidence. He is not fazed by those who want to change definitions, who change theories, who are doing everything except looking in the Bible. He knows what is right. He is not moved by the finger pointing of others who claim that he is narrow or judgmental. The Christian stands with the Lord. He loves what God loves and he hates what God hates. He is sure because of the confidence found within the word of God.

 

The upside of Christianity is a noble life that honors God first. It is a life that is spiritually based. Choices and decisions are made in view of what God says about things. He is concerned about influence. He prays for others. He tries to help others. The upside is that the Christian makes the world better than what it really is. The Christian adds peace, love and hope to this place. The Christian is thoughtful and helpful.

 

The upside of Christianity is that the world gets to see what pure worship was like from the very beginning. Christians don’t change what God has given us. Christians are content with what God says. You won’t find people wondering, “Is it a school? Is it a restaurant? Is it a rock concert? Or, is it a church?” That doesn’t happen with N.T. Christianity. God is honored. God is praised. Worship is enjoyed. It’s not a matter of “I have to go to church on Sunday.” Rather, “I get to go to worship.” What a privilege. What an honor. What joy there is in seeing other Christians. What encouragement in singing, praying and studying God’s word. The world scoffs at such things. The world declares such things to be old fashioned, out of date and boring. The same world that says that, is drinking itself to death, can’t stay married and is miserable and angry.

 

The upside of Christianity is that we notice small pieces of Heaven on earth. Without the Christian, the world would look like Hell will be. No hope. No love. No joy. No God. No future. It is the Christian that opens the shade and allows the light of the Gospel into the world.

 

We are the light of the world…It’s time to shine brightly!

 

Roger

 

18

Jump Start # 1646

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1646

Ecclesiastes 7:1 “A good name is better than a good ointment, and the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.”

  A good name. Solomon is reminding us of the value of our reputation. Our parents picked out a name for us. Some are named after someone in the family. Some are named after someone famous. Some have unique names. Some have common names. That’s how we all start. The name of our family can open doors for us. It can help us get a start. But after a while, it’s what we do that determines whether or not we have a good name. Our character, behavior, honesty builds and keeps a good name.

 

All through life we have witnessed what this means. In school, there were certain teachers that were dreaded. They had a reputation of being tough. There were certain neighbors that you stayed away from because they were known to be mean. There were others who were known to be nice.

 

Reputation is an odd thing. A person can have years of good behind him and then mess up, just one time, and he is forever known and identified as the guy who left his wife, or the guy who was arrested, or the guy who got into trouble at work. All the good can go away so quickly, by one careless act.

 

A good name takes a long time to develop. It take being good to have a good name. It takes being dependable, trustworthy and honest. There are things that can help or hurt a good name.

 

  • Hanging out with shady people who are known to not have a good name will tarnish your name. The crowd you run with can help or hurt your name.

 

  • Involvement in questionable activities can mess up a good name.

 

  • The attitude you carry though life can help or hurt your name.

 

  • How well you keep promises will help or hurt your name.

 

  • Your history of returning what you borrow will help or hurt your name. The condition you return things in will either help or hurt your name.

 

  • How honest you are will help or hurt your name.

 

  • Whether or not you can keep secrets can help or hurt your name.

 

  • How you handle money and how generous you are can help or hurt your name.

 

As important as our name is, there is another name that is even greater in value and that is the Lord’s. We must never do anything that makes some question the Lord. Folks will judge the Lord by our actions. They will say, “You are a Christian,” and from that they judge your faith, your church and your God by what you say and do. Those judgments might not be fair. That may be a lot for one person to carry, but that’s the way it is when we become a follower of Jesus. “Let them see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.” By your works, the world makes a conclusion about God.

 

Our actions, attitudes and choices are much greater than we are. We must always think about what impression these things will have upon others. How will they see Christ in these things? Some things may not be wrong at all, but the impressions that they leave are not worth going after because it may make someone have the wrong image of Christ. We must always try to protect the name of Christ. We don’t want to give anyone the wrong idea about Christ. I told a group of young preachers recently that I’d love to have a bright red, convertible Porsche. I never will. Imagine the preacher pulling in the church parking lot with that. The first thought many would have, “Well, we must be paying him too much.” “I don’t have a car like that. Guess, I ought to take up preaching.” While nothing is wrong with having a Porsche, the baggage it brings to one who preaches isn’t worth it. Immediately, some folks would have the image of those wealthy TV preachers who seem to rip the congregation off. It would be hard for some to ever see past that. Something innocent like that, is not worth the troubles it could bring. We must think beyond ourselves and consider the impact of what we do upon others. Thinking this way, will lead a Christian to not going to some social events, because it just doesn’t look right. It will make him think more of others and Christ than himself.

 

Paul told the Corinthians that if eating meats offended others, he would never eat meat again. Was eating meats wrong? No. But Paul, had the big picture in his mind. He was more concerned about the image of Christ and what his choices would do for others, than himself. He could, but he wouldn’t if it hurt someone’s faith.

 

A good name is important, but more important is the name of Christ. If we could only thought about others and what impact our choices have upon others then we be better off. You hear folks using the expression, “He brought reproach upon the church.” That expression is not found in the Bible, but that concept is what we are talking about today. The name of the church is greater than my name. And the name of Christ is greater than the name of the church. When folks forget this, they will give no thought to their actions. They will do things that may take away decades of good that a church has done. We must think beyond ourselves.

 

There are some who have so messed up the name of a church that years after that person has died, the church still carried that reputation. It’s like having a ghost hanging around. It will take decades to regain a good name in that community.

 

Christ first. Church second. Then, comes me. If I could only think this way. What I do must be measured by Christ first, the church second, and me last. I have a right to, does not change the order of Christ first, church second and me last.

 

A good name—you help Christ and the church have a good name when you remember, Christ first, church second and me last

 

Roger