28

Jump Start # 2540

Posted on February 28, 2020 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2540

2 Kings 20:6 “And I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”

I thought this verse was very appropriate for today. Most times, today is the end of February. However, tomorrow is Leap Day, an extra day in the month. I’m not exactly sure what this is all about other than keeping the calendars in sync and our system of counting time. But, what it is for us is another day. I feel bad for those who are born on a leap day. For the babies born on tomorrow, in four years they will look like a four-year-old, but technically, they will only be one.

Our verse today is about extra time. It wasn’t an extra day, but 15 extra years were added to Hezekiah’s life. God had sent Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that he was about to die and that he best get his house in order. Before Isaiah left the palace, Hezekiah had prayed and God had responded. He had Isaiah turn around and deliver the message, which is our verse today.

Several lessons:

First, from the context, Jerusalem was facing an attack from Assyria. Already, several Judean cities had fallen. Israel had fallen. Things looked bad. God had promised that the city would not be taken. The Assyrians had sent messengers mocking Hezekiah and trying to turn the citizens away from the king. And, with all of this going on, Hezekiah becomes deathly ill. His death at this time would have been a real hardship on the nation. We know from Bible history, that Hezekiah’s son, who eventually rules, was worthless, ungodly and an idolater. Yet, even if Hezekiah had died, God would still accomplish what He had promised. God’s word and God’s promises are much larger than we are. He didn’t need a king, an apostle, a preacher, or even you or I to fulfill His will. The kingdom won’t fall apart without us.

Second, prayer works. We see that in this context. We see this in our own lives. We pray and in Hezekiah’s situation the response was immediate. It doesn’t take God long. Not all prayers will be answered this way. Some take a long time. It’s all about God. In His time, He moves and works and does things. We want immediate results. God doesn’t always do that. God often has lessons for you and I to learn as we journey through those long, dark valleys. But we must keep praying. We keep praying until something happens. “No,” is an answer. It may not be the answer we want, but it is an answer. God doesn’t come to serve us, but we are to serve Him. What we want and what we pray for may not be the best. It might ruin us spiritually. It might lead us away from Him. God knows.

Third, Hezekiah got what so many of us would love to have, more time. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time. The day often ends before our work does. The list of things to do seems to grow longer than we can keep up with. There are so many things to do. Hezekiah was given another 15 years. The rich man in Luke 16 would have loved to have just another 15 minutes. He didn’t get any more time.

I fear that if many were given more time, that they would only waste it like they have all the other time in their life. More time to watch TV. More time to play video games. More time to sleep. More time for self. Do we really need more time, if that’s what we were going to do with it? If a guy wastes $100, why give him another $100. He’s likely to waste that as well. It’s really not more time, it’s what would you do with it.

Paul told the Ephesians to “redeem the time, because the days are evil.” Make good use of your time. Find ways to work efficiently by being organized and doing things right the first time. Have a plan. Don’t allow distractions and interruptions to sidetrack you. Stay focused. Be intent. This works whether you are cleaning your house, washing the dog, doing your taxes, reading your Bible, or are at school or work.

At the end of Hezekiah’s fifteen years, he got a serious disease in his feet. Rather than turning to the wall and praying, as he did in our context, he trusted doctors. He left God out of the picture. That bothered God. That disappointed God. The disease killed Hezekiah. He didn’t end well. It’s not like Paul’s keeping the faith, finishing the course and fighting the battle.

Fourth, tomorrow is an extra day. An extra day in the month and an extra day in the year. It only happens every four years. It’ll be a Saturday. Lots of stuff to do. How about making this Saturday special? It’s an extra day, so find a way to connect with others, honor God and do something useful and helpful. Don’t waste it.

Finally, some day you are I will be out of days. God will call us to Him. There won’t be any more time on this side of the door for us. There may be things left undone. There may be things we had plans for but we won’t get to them. We don’t know when that last day for us will be. We assume it will be down the road when we are old. But it may not be. We assume we’ll have time to finish what we want to here. But we may not. So, be sure and get your house in order. First, spiritually. Don’t put off what you need to do. Be ready to meet your God. Live with one foot already in Heaven. Second, get your house in order financially. Don’t leave this place and hand a mess to your family. Do they know where important papers are? Do they know what your passwords are? Do they know about your insurance papers? Do you have a will? Get things in order. That includes you preachers. Far too many have died with no savings, no life insurance and left their families in dire straits. Shame on them for that. And, don’t leave the house with things unsaid. Don’t leave mad. Don’t leave without a hug and a kiss. Don’t leave thinking you can later on say what needs to be said. There may be no later on.

Leap Day– a wonderful time to honor God. A wonderful time to remember that each day is a gift of the Lord.

Roger

27

Jump Start # 2540a

Posted on February 27, 2020 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2540a

1 Corinthians 11:18 “For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it.”

Our verse today is taken from the instructional section of Corinthians about the Lord’s Supper. The Corinthians had really messed it up. The Lord’s Supper is intended to draw us together around the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. This is something that God wants us to remember. Somehow the Corinthians forgot to remember that. They were fussing and fighting and some were eating it like a common meal, being real hogs, and others, it seems, were not allowed to participate at all. This ill feeling that they had towards one another was ruining their worship. Instead of pulling together, they were pulling apart.

Three times the concept of “coming together” is found in this context. When you come together as a church, is how our verse says it.

There is something to remember when we come together:

First, not everyone feels the same way as I do. I may be on top of the world, excited to worship, and chipper like a little bird. Not everyone is like that. Among us are those who are carrying the weight of the world. There has been a death in the family. There is a prodigal that won’t come home. There’s trouble at work. Things at home are not as smooth as they ought to be. I come to praise and pour my heart out to the Lord. Others, may enter with an empty or even broken heart. They are looking for comfort. They are in need of answers. They sure could use some hope.

This reminds us that not everyone gathers for the same reason, nor does everyone get the same benefit. Worship is about God, always. But the God that is to be praised, is also the God that one looks to for hope, help and strength. Some are on the mountain top. Others are struggling in the valley.

Second, those that lead worship need to remember this. Forcing everyone to smile is painful and offensive to those who can’t smile at the moment. Expecting everyone to march around Jericho doesn’t work when some can’t. The choice of songs ought to be made with consideration with what is going on in the congregation. Simply leading my favorite songs isn’t always the best choice. Thought needs to go into the one who leads prayer. There are hurting folks in the audience. For some, the funeral was months ago and the rest of us have gotten back to life. Busy and crazy as ever. But for the family who is mourning, a couple of months is nothing. Now, the preacher needs to be mindful of this as well. Not everyone in the audience wants to be there. Not everyone fully understands the Bible stories. Not everyone knows Jesus. Don’t assume, Mr. Preacher.

Third, because some are struggling doesn’t necessarily mean that they are weak, faithless and not doing what they ought to be doing. Don’t go there. Don’t make those assumptions. Life is hard. Death is ugly. The righteous man Job, one God bragged about, struggled. His wife struggled. Husbands and wives will journey through troubles differently. Some get through those valleys faster than others. Don’t make the assumption that because you had very little trouble that others ought to be just like you. They are not. For some, it may be hard walking into that church building. For some, it may be hard talking to others. When we don’t understand this, our words and our actions can do a lot of harm. We can be the reason that some stay away.

Fourth, coming together is not only for the Lord but it is for us as well. We need the “coming together” part. Otherwise, why not just stay home, get out some grape juice and crackers and have the Lord’s Supper in bed. There is more to remembering Jesus’ death than just Jesus. There is that community of believers that we make up that is important. One of the very popular words now is the word “gather.” You see that stenciled on walls. You see that painted on barn wood. Gathering place—that’s how Paul is describing the church. We come together. We need each other. We remind each other. We encourage each other. We support each other. We pray for each other. Together, we remind ourselves that we are not alone. Together, we see that we are not the only family that has troubles. Together, with tears and smiles, we understand that we can get through things with each other’s help.

Coming together implies a few things. I feel that the Corinthians didn’t understand that. Coming together means being with each other. It means associating, talking, listening, smiling, hand shaking, hugging. It means light conversations and intense dialogue. It means caring. It means loving.

I’ve seen folks that come in late and leave early. They don’t talk to anyone. They don’t connect with anyone. When there is a problem, they don’t even think about reaching out to anyone in the church family because they don’t have any friendships or even real fellowship. For years and years they continue this practice. They are not engaged with the people. They don’t associate with any of the church family. They never send a card. They don’t ever bring food to a hurting family. They don’t even know the members, aside from one or two, and that’s very distant.

Coming together as a church—what a positive thought. Something to look forward to. Something to give thought to. How can I make my “coming together” better? Could I try to talk to someone in a different generation than my age? Could I try sitting some where different? Could I ask someone to go out to eat with me? Could I look for someone new and welcome them? Could I give some positive encouragement to a young mother? How about saying something kind to one of the shepherds?

Don’t come looking only for what you can get from gathering together. Come with the intention of what you can give. Give to the Lord. Give to others. And, the best thing you can give is your heart.

When you come together…what a special time that is.

Roger

26

Jump Start # 2539

Posted on February 26, 2020 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2539

Proverbs 31:28 “Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her.”

In the past several weeks I have had the honor and the opportunity to speak at the funerals of several godly women. I knew all of them. Great faith. Great families. Great legacy. And, as I was driving today, this verse came to my mind.

There is too often an odd thing that takes place. The children who grow up in godly homes, fight that. They resist the teachings, the examples and the wonderful life that was shown to them. As these kids turn teens and into their twenties, they become rebels. They run as fast as they can from the Lord and His people. They embrace a culture of worldliness and ungodliness. It seems the bottom drops out of their lives. They ruin relationships. They ruin their health. They ruin their peace of mind.

But then, another very odd thing happens. And, I see this all the time. Some have grown up with terrible examples. Their parents were as mean as a snake. Verbal abuse and put downs were an every day occurrence. They never had prayers in the home. They never went to worship services. They grew up witnessing mom and dad fighting, drinking and sadly, even doing drugs. They saw the breakup of their home. Different people shuffled in and out of their lives as their parents bounced from lover to lover. Yet, with this terrible and sad background, some of these people find their way to the Lord. They find goodness, acceptance and love among God’s people. They are so happy to be a Christian. They commit and they stay with it all of their lives.

So strange to me. You’d think those who grew up with great godly examples would be the ones who shine. But often it’s not. Even Biblically we see this. Hezekiah was an incredible man of prayer and faith. His son, Manasseh, was a disaster. David was a great man of faith. Solomon was a disaster. Even in the Lord’s parable of the prodigal son, that boy grew up with a great father and example. Yet, he chose to live without rules, guidance and love. His life became a disaster. Pigs were his only company at the end.

Psychologists love to study things like this. Some would say that the godly homes were too strict and didn’t allow freedom of thought and expression. Some would say it’s a matter of freewill and individual choice. But it’s a marvel why good kids gravitate towards wrong things and why kids from terrible homes gravitate towards right things. You see this even doctrinally. Kids who have come from denominations, where anything and everything goes. Where play is in and the Bible is out. Where feelings are more important than Scriptures. Some of these folks learn the truth of God’s word and they stay with it. They see how superficial, phony, and shallow denominational and mega churches are. There is nothing there. Yet, kids who, as we say, grow up in the church, they are wanting to be like all the denominations around them. They want less structure. They want anyone in the pulpit and in the leadership. They want more social activities. They want less preaching and more playtime. They want to run from traditions and introduce everything that they couldn’t have as a young person.

Our verse, taken from what we call the virtuous woman shows us some things:

First, the children of this woman recognized what a wonderful blessing she was. Faithful, industrious, caring, committed and true—they saw those characteristics. They were raised with those examples. And, not at her funeral, but to her while she is alive, they bless her. They are not cursing her. They are not threatening to leave and never come back. They are not complaining about how unfair life is. They are not wishing to be like others around them. In their home was a godly example. They saw it and they appreciated it.

Second, we see the ingredients of a healthy home and relationships. The children, the husband, they speak well of each other. You can just see the love, joy and acceptance in that home. That doesn’t just happen. It’s not once a year at Mother’s Day. This was a home in which the foundation was God. Grace, forgiveness, patience and compassion are built upon that foundation. Was this mother perfect? No. Did she have bad days? Certainly. Did she ever get upset? Most likely. Did she and her husband ever disagree? I expect so. That’s life. That’s living with someone other than yourself. But it’s not a reason to call each other names, slam doors, shout and want to leave. Humbleness, gentleness, kindness and loving each other works through difficult times and differences.

Third, these children realized what they had before it was too late. The expression, from our verse today, “her children rise up and bless her,” implies the kids are still at home. They were in bed. They got up. And, what was it that they did? They blessed her. They were thankful to wake up and know that they had such a wonderful mom and dad. Sometimes, it’s not until the funeral that we get this. Sometimes, too late, we wish we could rise up and bless the godly examples that we had. But take this a step more. How many of us recognize the godly examples among us. Every Sunday we are gathering together and do we see the wonderful blessing of having godly shepherds to care for us? Do we see among us, men and women, who have dedicated their lives to the Lord. They love the Lord. Again, too often, and too late, we say these things at a funeral. When you get up this Sunday morning, think about the godly ones who will be among you. Be thankful for them. Bless them.

Fourth, we see here the powerful illustration of example. These children saw something in their mother. They got up and blessed her. Why? Because they saw all the things that she had been doing for them. They got up and mamma was already up. She was likely up making their breakfast. She was up and already thinking of her little ones. The power of example is greater than an verbal lesson. The other day I was walking down the hallway of the church building. There was a small piece of paper on the floor. My mind was swirling with thoughts about people, classes and sermons. I saw it and walked right over it. But I stopped. A thought came to my mind. And old friend, Jim Babcock, who is on the other side of the door now, would stop and pick up trash in a parking lot. I’ve seen him do that many times. That example made me turn around and look at that little piece of paper on the ground. I picked it up and put it in the trash. As I did that, I gladly said to myself, “Thanks, Jim.” The power of an example.

I witnessed an incredible event recently. It was at one of the funerals I did. The funeral was over. The audience had gone out. It was just the immediate family and me. The casket was still open. The family had said their final “see you later” (because there is never a “goodbye” among believers). They were just standing around in one large circle, arms around each other, all looking at the casket. And, one of them started to sing. It was a hymn. The entire group, with tears in their eyes, but smiles on their faces, were singing. Sad, but joyful. A life well lived was remembered. Children were blessing a godly mother and a Heavenly Father who made all of that possible. It was a moment that I wish all could see.

Moms and dads, keeping doing what is right. Don’t stop. Don’t get weary. Pray for those who want to run away from what is right. Pray for those who are trying to find their way back to what is right. Pray that others see good in us.

Her children rise up and bless her…

Roger

25

Jump Start # 2538

Posted on February 25, 2020 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2538

Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”

There has been a lot of reports recently about UFO’s and pilots sighting fast moving unusual objects. Now, a group of scientists are claiming that they not only believe that aliens have visited earth, but that some are among us right now and we don’t realize it. If you had visited my high school class years ago, you might agree. There were some odd people, but they weren’t aliens.

There is a growing and growing segment of society that believes more in the existence of aliens than they do in God. They think God is a myth, but creatures from outer space is very plausible. And, that brings us to our verse today.

Paul was writing to the Roman church. The first chapter addresses the state of the Gentiles. They were living like animals. Decency and rightness was completely missing from their lives. The Gentiles did not have Moses, the Ten Commandments, the promise land, the temple or the prophecies about the coming Messiah. However, as our verse states, they were not left out in the dark. God revealed Himself, not just to the sons of Jacob, but to the whole creation. And, this wasn’t something new. This revelation has been ongoing since the creation. Since day one, God has been showing proof that He is.

Now, some thoughts:

First, the visible points us to the invisible. What has been made shows us God’s power, His nature and His attributes. Those attributes are “invisible.” However, they are known through what was made. The created world is the proof. What a large world we live in. What a complex world we live in. There are so many systems that interact with each other. Weather and soil and farming. Weather, our bodies, and how we feel. What is grown is eaten and that gives us the nourishment to thrive. In school, we learned about the food chain. Disney has a song about the circle of life. All of this points to God. Colors. Textures. Sounds. Smells. Tastes. So diverse. So complex. So much God.

The same scientists that wants us to believe that aliens are walking among us, deny the existence of God and would say time and chance has produced this complex system that we call life. There is no evidence of aliens, especially on earth. The evidence of God is everywhere. Open your eyes and see. The fact that there is a today, is proof of God. Each day is a gift, a gift given by God.

Second, these attributes of God can be understood. They can be understood without a book, without a classroom. They are understood by seeing what was made. The nature of God– holy, eternal, righteous, good, merciful. One can understand that. The power of God, one can understand that. The attributes of God, one can understand that. God is not hidden. God is not playing hide and seek with us. God is not unknown. I can know what God is like. He wants me to know Him.

Third, the world is without excuse. It’s not for a lack of evidence that folks do not know God. The problem is not with God, but with us. There is no desire to know God. Folks aren’t looking for Him. They have the wrong idea about God. Some think God is out to get them. They ought to look around at the goodness of creation and realize that comes from a good God. If there is a God, and He made us, which is all true, then you and I are accountable to Him. We don’t get away with doing whatever we want. We must answer to Him. And, if His nature is revealed through the creation, His will is revealed through His word. That means we need to read our Bibles. We need to know what God is saying.

And, again, from the passage, we are without excuse. In these days, not having a Bible is a matter of choice. It is not an availability issue. God’s word is not locked securely in a vault. Nearly every tablet and every phone can have multiple versions of the Bible, if one wants that. The Bible is recorded and one can listened to it, if that is your choice. Every size, every color, so many translations, so many options. The Bible is affordable, available, and readable. It’s in nearly every known language on the planet. We are without excuse. Too busy to read. Too tired to read. Got “more important” things to do. And, the word of God rings loudly and clearly, “You are Without excuse.”

Aliens or God? Where’s the proof? Where’s the evidence? Some folks can be so smart that they are actually dumb. Right before their noses is all kinds of reasons to believe in God. They will ignore that and spend a lifetime chasing the idea that aliens exist. And, what if they did? Aliens can’t save us. Aliens don’t have the answers to life. Aliens didn’t create us. Aliens won’t take us to Heaven. I don’t believe in aliens. I don’t believe in flying saucers. I do believe in God. I do believe He has left a trail of evidence everywhere. I do believe He wants me to know Him, trust Him, and follow Him.

How about you? Aliens or God? Speculation or proof? The words of scientists or the words of Heaven? What you believe becomes the basis of your choices. Your outlook on life is based upon what you believe. Selfishness and sin are common when one does not believe in God. Respect, decency, and goodness follows those who believe in God.

Your choices in life are wrapped around your belief system. No God? No problem, except this is it. Except we are on our own. Except this is as good as it will ever get. Except there is no hope and no redeemer. Except there is no Heaven.

Believe in God. The reasons are all around you every day.

Roger

24

Jump Start # 2537

Posted on February 24, 2020 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2537

Matthew 13:9 “He who has ears, let him hear.”

Later this week I will be with a group of young preachers talking to them about preaching. I often feel like I still need someone to tell me what to do, but because of age, and years of doing this, I am the one sharing with the younger guys. One of the sessions we will have is devoted to writing sermons. How do you write a sermon? As I was thinking about that, it occurred to me that equally important is knowing how to listen to a sermon.

This is where our verse comes in today. At the end of the parable of the sower Jesus said, “He who has ears, let him hear.” That thought is repeated often in Revelation, especially to each of the seven churches. You got ears? Listen up!

How to listen to a sermon? You don’t hear much about that these days. We expect the preacher to keep my attention, move along quickly, make it relevant, practical, and good. Each sermon ought to be a home run. We don’t like it when the preacher strikes out in the pulpit. And, most preachers are aware of all of this. They stack tons of pressure upon themselves to do an outstanding job. The audience often shuffles in, nearly late, or always late, tired, stressed, preoccupied, worried, doubting, troubled, upset, and often wishing to be a million other places than sitting in a pew staring at Mr. Preacher. And, the pitiful preacher must begin with that and try to create a never to be forgotten lesson that will change hearts and lives forever. It’s no wonder that so many get discouraged and quit. We often blame the preacher, and sometimes it is his fault, but I wonder how much of this is our fault for not knowing how to listen to a sermon. The preacher is prepared, but are we as the audience prepared.

Where I worship, we now that two preachers. So I am sitting in the pew often. I’m experiencing what others have with me for years. I have had to learn how to listen to a sermon.

Here are a few things:

First, listen Biblically. Read the passages as the preacher reads them. See what God is saying. Open your eyes. Look. Learn. There are so many golden truths in every sermon. They will help you grow. Come to understand passages. It takes a ready mind to do that.

Second, listen personally. Think about how the lesson can help you. Don’t be thinking of others who need this. Think of yourself who needs this. Think about how you can use this in your life. What would this lesson look like in your home? At work? Before others in the congregation? Listen with the hope of changing. Enter every lesson with the hope of leaving better and stronger than what you were.

Third, listen to use. Think about how you can share what you have learned with others. Think about how you can put into action what you learned. Put some flesh on that lesson and now go and live it. Lessons about forgiveness, being a servant, being humble, evangelism, opens our eyes and our hearts to ways we can help others. If nothing becomes of the sermon other than we like it, what’s the point? Paul said, “We persuade men.” Sermons are not infomercials. They are not lectures. They are life changing. If sermons aren’t touching us and moving us, then maybe we are not listening as we ought to. A sermon on the good Samaritan is going to take our minds to all the people we know. We are going to think about how we can be that Samaritan. We are going to remember times we were like the priest and the Levite. A listening hear often will feel uncomfortable during a sermon because the shine has been knocked off this shoes and his soul has been blistered by the powerful word of God. Sermons ought to drive us to become better people. There will be moments when you feel guilty, ashamed and even wrong. That’s God’s word working on your heart. Right there and right then you can determine to do better. That neglectful father can hear a lesson about dads and realize that he’s not been doing what he should. Touched, pricked, and bothered, he can leave that church building with the determination to do better at home. His ears were listening.

In all of this there are a few ways not to listen well.

Don’t listen to catch mistakes. Have you ever tried public speaking? It looks a lot easier than what it is. Sure the preacher will stumble now and then, but be kind. No one picks up more of his mistakes than he does and his wife. He doesn’t need more critics. He needs listening ears. He’s not perfect. He may get his numbers mixed up when referring to a passage. He may use the wrong word or even mispronounce a word. Don’t we all. Stand in front of a church full of people with everyone staring at you. Encourage, don’t discourage.

Stop listening as a preacher. I had to do that. As a preacher, I’d listen to introduction, main points, sub points, transitions, and be outlining in my mind what I was listening to. And, in doing that, I failed to listen the proper ways. I failed to grow because I was being the speech critic and not a learner of God’s word. We preachers need to be preached to as much as anyone else.

Preaching is a funny thing. I have finished some sermons thinking that was one of the worst ever, only to have people leave saying it was one of the best sermons they ever heard. Funny how that works. Most times, those compliments come from folks who learned how to hear a sermon. They skipped right over the mistakes and focused upon the intent of the lesson. They gained even though I felt like I had failed.

It helps taking notes. It helps bringing your own Bible. It helps writing textual things in your Bible, so that you won’t forget them. It helps thinking and talking about the sermon with others. So often in our assemblies, we pray for the preacher to have ready recollection. That’s a good thing. As I get older, my recollector doesn’t seem to work some days. But, have we ever prayed for the audience? He who has ears, let him hear, is what Jesus said. Maybe that ought to be a regular part of our worship as well.

The audience and the preacher. The spoken word and the listening ear. It takes both to accomplish what God wants. If each did the best that they could, then great things will happen. Staying up too late on Saturday nights doesn’t help the listening ear. Being distracted, bothered and worried doesn’t help. Get yourself prepared just as we want the preacher to be prepared. We’d have a fit if the preacher stood in the pulpit and announced that he had a long week and just didn’t have time to put anything together. And rambling and rambling, we quickly see that is the case. However, the audience gets a pass. Tired. Bothered. Bored. Stressed. We come to worship God, not with our best, but with whatever is left over after a long week.

Sure makes one wonder, doesn’t it? How to listen to a sermon…

Roger