10

Jump Start # 2862

Posted on June 10, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2862

Psalms 94:19 “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.”

When one reads history, it is hard to fully understand why people did what they did. We see the results and the actions taken, but much too often we do not know what people were thinking. And, as our verse today reveals, we do not know the anxious thoughts that were building up inside of a person. Those anxious thoughts can lead to desperate choices and even tragic consequences.

I was reading the records of an old country church in Indiana. In 1905, the wife of one of the elders in that church committed suicide by cutting her throat with a razor. Her death was attributed to melancholy. When I read that I thought our verse today. Anxious thoughts can pile up inside us. The walls can close in. And, for this one troubled sou a long time agol, named Pauline, taking her life was the choice she chose.

Rather than picking up a razor many choose a bottle of alcohol. Others simply walk away from the Lord. They see no connection between Sunday and what is going on in their lives. The cheerfulness of worship doesn’t cover the darkness of the world they live in. Anxious thoughts mount. Bills. Health issues. Worries about children. Relationship issues. Troubles in the nation. Fear. Doubt. Guilt. One on top of another on top of another and with each passing day, there seems to be more added. They multiply. And, as these troubles increase, they squeeze the joy out of our lives. The smiles are replaced with a worried look. Life becomes a burden. The days seem long. And, there seems to be no end to these troubles.

Our verse helps. Our verse is important. Our verse needs to be burned upon our hearts.

First, God is aware of those anxious thoughts. It is the Lord who inspired this passage. It is the Lord who sees these mounting fears growing within us. One often feels alone. One often thinks no one understands. But God does. He knows.

Second, God is our help. That’s the thought behind this passage. The anxious thoughts increase, but God is our delight. God is ever present. God is upon the throne. God can do things that no one else can. Troubles come and go, but God remains. Most of us couldn’t remember what troubled us five years ago. We tossed and turned. We prayed. We had anxious moments. But they passed. That’s the way trouble works. Trouble comes and it bothers us for a while. Then something happens and it goes away. Troubles come and go but God remains.

Third, faith plays a major, major role in all of this. Our faith can be greater than those anxious moments. Our faith is not in ourselves, nor in the belief that things will just magically get better. Our faith is in the Lord. The Lord who has rescued His people time and time again. Fiery furnaces, lion’s dens, prison walls, rushing armies, giants, fortified cities, God’s people faced some incredible challenges. But God was there. Faith is the key. Not in hoping nor expecting a miracle, but in knowing that the worse thing that can happen isn’t that bad. What can man do, other than take our life. But through faith, we will still be with the Lord.

Fourth, our verse seems to have a direction to it. There are the anxious thoughts that are multiplying and there is the godly consolations that delights the soul. It seems the Psalmist wants us to focus not upon the troubles but upon the Lord. Consolation is comfort. It is help. It is strength. Look at the problem or look at the Lord. And what the Lord provides brings delight. It puts joy back into our hearts. The passage does not say the troubles are gone. It does not say there is nothing to be concerned about. But the focus has shifted. The mindset is now heavenward. God has been invited into the thought process. God is involved with the problem. Peter says, “Casting all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you.” You alone, likely cannot handle the problem. You alone will likely make the wrong choices. But with God, you’ll get through this. Don’t hold on to those anxious thoughts, cast them, give them, to the Lord.

Finally, any of us can have anxious thoughts. When I was reading about the 1905 suicide of Pauline, wife of an elder in the church, I thought she ought to have known better. But couldn’t we say the same about Judas? Couldn’t we say the same to so many who walked away from a cemetery and then walked away from the Lord. Couldn’t we say the same thing about us? Doubts greater than faith. Fear more real than the Lord. Despair covering hope.

Backseat driving provides a lot of answers that at the time one doesn’t think about. Did Pauline trust the Lord? Did she have someone to talk to? Was her husband out of touch? What caused her troubles? Was there serious mental illness? Could no one reach into her mind and heart and save her? But what about us? Isn’t it true that most times we keep things under lock and key. We don’t seek help until our boat is going over the waterfalls and often then it is too late. We don’t want to admit that anxious thoughts are multiplying. We don’t want to admit that we are slipping. We don’t want others to know that we are not doing well. So we hide behind masks and fake smiles. And, in many ways, nothing has changed from the world Pauline lived in back in 1905 and our world today.

Which is more painful, admitting that we need some help, our watching our own faith die? Pride, fear, embarrassment will always keep a mask near by.

We must trust the Lord. His consolations bring delight. His help is ever present. He can move mountains. He can help you conquer those anxious moments in your life.

Roger

09

Jump Start # 2861

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2861

Psalms 92:4 “For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.”

What an interesting thought the Psalmist presents in this passage. God has made me glad. We sing, “I’m happy today, I’m happy today…” But, truth be, do we really believe God has made us glad? Certainly, He has saved us. He hears our prayers. He guides us. He is the Lord and the King. He is preparing Heaven for us. But made us glad?

Here are some thoughts beyond the obvious ones to consider:

First, look at the people God has put in your life. We start with our family, mom, dad and the kids. Siblings. Cousins. Uncles. Aunts. Grandparents. Now, for some, family has been messy and dysfunctional. But not for all of us. In going through some of my dad’s things, I ran across a stack of those cards you pick up at the funeral home. It has the person’s name, birth and death listed. There were a ton of those he had saved through the years. But rubber banded, was a stack labeled “family.” Many I knew the names but that was about it. Yet, they were family.

Beyond just our family, think about the brethren God has put in your life. So many of us can crisscross this country and know the best people, because they are the people of God. Good people. Godly people. People who have helped you. People that you have helped. Friends of God and now, friends of you. There are a mountain of preachers that I know and consider dear friends. I treasure them and love them dearly. In my office, I have dozens of photos of me with some of these preachers. Fond memories.

O Lord, you have made me glad by what you have done. God has allowed our lives to intersect and God has allowed quality people to be in our lives.

Second, look at the place where you worship—not the structure or the building, but who worships with you. For many, we have looked at these same faces for decades. Babies have been born. Kids have graduated. Some have married and moved away. There has been surgeries and chemo and funerals, as well as anniversary parties and wonderful times together. We see young men leading singing and giving their first lessons. We have studied the Bible through and through by talented men who have a wonderful way of finding nuggets of wisdom for us. Singings. Guest preachers. Baptisms. Men appointed as deacons and shepherds. These people have more in common than many of our physical families. We have worked together to clean the building, taught together in VBS, pooled our money to help those who were struggling. What a journey it has been.

O Lord, you have made me glad by what you have done. God has allowed to be a part of a congregation that loves Him and follows Him dearly.

Third, look at what the Lord has done for you personally. You have prayed daily for a long, long time. You have sought guidance from the Lord. You have asked the Lord for mercy and forgiveness. You have asked the Lord to heal a loved one. So many prayers. You have thanked the Lord. You have praised the Lord. And, just consider how many times the Lord has answered your prayers. When your teens you out at night driving, you prayed. When your child walked down the isle to get married, you prayed. When you held that little grandchild in your arms, you prayed. When your parents were at the door of death, you prayed. When you haven’t felt well, you prayed. You have talked and talked to the Lord every day.

And, look where you are today. You are a solid, strong child of God. You have grown through the help God has put in your life. You have become a servant that has touched the lives of others. You have taught, invited and shared the saving message of Jesus for decades. God has been with you when you were discouraged. God has been with you when you were lonely. God has been with you when you journeyed through those dark valleys of death. He has never let you down. He has never disappointed you. He has never failed to bless you.

O Lord, you have made me glad by what you have done. God has blessed you and loved you for as long as you have been alive.

There are many things in life that can put a smile on our lips. Chocolate pie with whip cream on top will do that for me. Having one of my grandkids walk up with a book in their hand and they want me to read it to them will do that for me. Sitting on my back porch with my wife will do that for me. Watching my Dodgers win will do that for me. But nothing beats the gladness that comes from what the Lord has done.

O Lord, you have made me glad by what you have done.

Roger

08

Jump Start # 2860

Posted on June 8, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2860

Hebrews 11:39 “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised.”

Approval—that’s something that’s built in our inner workings. Approval is important. Little children need approval. They need to hear it. Our job performance meetings is about the approval of the company we work for. We need to hear it. We need approval in our marriages. We express it by saying, “I love you.”

The actor or the singer on stage, often advanced in age, no longer needing the money they will be paid, continues to preform because of the love of the audience. It’s an approval thing. And, when approval is missing, some will seek it in unhealthy places.

For the young person, it might be in a gang that engages in illegal activities. The gang will accept him and make him feel wanted, something that is missing at home. For others, it’s through immoral sexual encounters. They want to be wanted, even if it means being used and taken advantage of. For others, it’s bending the rules to make sales so the company bosses will believe that he is an asset and rising rock star in the corporation. And, for the preacher, it may be using the pulpit to be a stand up comic or tickling the ears of the audience, as the apostle said, to become the brotherhood’s favorite.

Wanting approval and wanting to be loved can cause a person to cross some lines that should not be crossed. One of the first things to go as one pays the price to be loved by all, is convictions. Anytime one draws a line in the sand, someone will not like that. In our times, no lines are what people want. They want a church that has no lines. They want a Bible that draws no lines. They want a God that has no lines. Case in point, a major church in our area is having a celebration of homosexuality. They are excited. Everyone who leans that direction is invited to come. Accepted. Approved. Welcomed. Come as you are and stay as you are.

I’ve known churches that had “bring your pet” day and the clergy would bless your dog or cat. I’d sure hate to be the janitor after that event. Approved. Accepted. Welcomed. That’s what folks are after.

Our passage is about the greatest approval, that from God. The men and women of faith, that are highlighted in chapter 11, often struggled, suffered and had to make some hard choices. Moses turned his back on Egypt to be approved by God. Abraham left his homeland to be approved by God. For Noah, it was being inside that ark.

Here are some things we must remember:

First, if you seek the approval of God, you will be doing right. God must be first. If the world loves you, if you have the world by the tail and you are not approved by God, none of that matters. In a pointed question Jesus asked, ‘What does it profit if you gain the whole world and lose you own soul?’ Putting God before others will adjust our attitudes, motives and honesty. If you have God, you have the best.

Second, if you seek the approval of God, you will lose the approval of others. Some don’t like God. Some don’t like the direction God takes us. And, it is at intersection, between God and family, or God and friends, that our faith or lack of it comes out. If we are more interested in family, we’ll do what they say. If we are more interested in what our friends are doing, we will leave God behind. But if our faith is strong, we will stand with the Lord.

Third, our approval by God is not intended to make us arrogant, boastful or proud. We are not the superstars, God is. We are not so great that God can’t get along without us. It’s just the opposite. We need God. We are all saved by the precious grace of the Lord. We all come to the Lord the same way, broken and in need of the blood of Jesus. We are all equals in the kingdom of God. Sometimes we preachers get more attention that we ought to and sometimes it may seem like the kingdom revolves around us preachers, but that’s not the way it is to be. Every saint, every soul in that kingdom is vital. We all add our own touches and talents to help the kingdom grow. If not careful, we preachers can act like we can walk on water. Be careful…you’ll soon find out that you’ll be all wet. The attention needs to be pointed to the Lord.

Fourth, approved by God helps us get through long days and dark valleys. We are a people that are Heaven Bound. Some days we wonder. Some days we feel defeated. Some days are tough. People can be toxic. The devil won’t leave us alone. Problems can mount. Pressure can be intense. Rung out and weary is how we can feel. But knowing the God of Heaven recognizes what you are doing, He hears your prayers and He approves of what you are doing sure brightens the darkest days. We are headed to Heaven. Someday we will see the face of God. It doesn’t matter what they say about me at work. God doesn’t feel that way. I belong to Him. It doesn’t matter what my family thinks, I belong to God.

Approval—it’s important. Make sure you are approved by God.

Roger

07

Jump Start # 2859

Posted on June 7, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2859

2 Timothy 4:6 “For I am already being poured out as a drink-offering, and the time of my departure has come.”

Our passage refers to time. It was time for Paul to go. His time was up. His departure wasn’t a scheduled flight. It wasn’t a place to preach. It wasn’t to meet with other brethren. He had an appointment with death. He would be tried once again by Caesar and this time was going to be his last time. Caesar would end Paul’s life. He knew that. The time was about up. His journey here was about over. It was time to close the books on what he would do.

Here we are in June already. The year is half over. “Where has time gone,” some will say. This year, much better than this time last year, is showing signs of picking up and getting back to life. Masks are coming down and hope is rising up. Churches that cancelled about everything last year, are lining things up this year. Meetings. VBS. Lectureships. It’s time to get things going again.

But the year is half over—what a thought.

First, time doesn’t move any faster today than it did in the days of Jesus. It doesn’t move faster today than it did twenty years ago. We have the same number of hours in a day. Nothing has changed in the time factor. It may be that we are just so busy and are trying to stuff so much into a day that time seems to fly by. Most would rather be busy at work than have nothing to do. But in all this busyness, sometimes we cut some corners that should not be cut.

We don’t have a lot of time to reflect, observe and meditate spiritually. Too busy. Too much to do. The year is nearly half over already. When dealing with worry Jesus tells the disciples to look at the birds and the flowers. We rush past those things because there are so many other things to get done. But, it’s those moments of reflections, observations and meditations that build our faith and soul. Just standing at a grave, as I did last week. Just thinking. Just remembering. Just reflecting. Good for the soul.

Rushing through life, we often cut people short. There are those who need to talk. Some want to vent. Some have questions. Some want to connect. Some need interaction. And, as we hurry along, we can leave people wanting more and feeling pushed out of the way for more important things. Have you noticed, just within three years, how often Jesus let people talk to Him. If anyone had more important things to do, it was the Lord. If anyone had greater business, it was the Lord. Just three years of ministry. Shorter than time in high school. Never was Jesus too busy for others. May we be the same.

Second, the year is nearly half over, have you gotten done what you wanted to? We can spin our wheels and never accomplish what we need to. The Martha syndrome is always around us. Poor Martha. She was left alone to serve Jesus and the apostles. That was a house full. She was distracted. She was bothered. And, her sister not doing a thing, really burned the biscuits in Martha’s mind. What Martha was doing was important, but it wasn’t the most important. Mary had the right idea. One can always eat. In fact, the Lord could multiply food. He had done that more than once. Having Jesus with you wasn’t something that one always had. They weren’t chit-chatting about the weather and who one the ballgame. Jesus was teaching. Mary was listening. Martha was steamed.

What was most important for you to accomplish this year? Did you have a plan or a goal? Are you driving your life or are you just allowing each day to determine what happens and what you get done? Next thing you know, it will be December, and the year will be just about over. Resolutions? Plans? Goals? Just what did you want to accomplish this year?

Third, for many of us, our lives are more than half over. Mine is. Many of us are nearly at third base and coming home is in sight. And, truth be, for most people that last few years of their lives are not the most productive. Health and age have slowed them down so much that they can’t do what they were doing decades ago. No longer have the stamina, mind power, and voice, many old preachers have to stop preaching. Their best work is now behind them. And, that will be true of all of us if the Lord allows us to live that long. The younger generation moves much faster than the older generation. The younger generation does things differently than the older generation.

And, when one starts thinking that way, then leaving examples are more important than travel. Talking to the kids about the Lord is more important than cleaning out the closet. Leaving footprints that point to Heaven is more important than anything else.

It’s June. The year is nearly half over. Someday, your life will be nearly over. It’s time to get done what needs to get done. Night is coming Jesus said, and no man can work.

Roger

04

Jump Start # 2858

Posted on June 4, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2858

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Beginnings—they are important and they often are milestone events in our lives. Many young people who have spent the last four years in high school are now graduating and are beginning the next big step in their lives. For many of them it will be going to college. That’s a big step and so different than high school. Some college students have finally finished that degree and now comes entering into the work force. Beginnings. For some, this summer is when they get married. A new beginning. For others, this year has brought a new baby into their home. How something so little and precious can change their world so much.

Beginnings. That’s how God started the Bible. He didn’t tell us the backstory. For instance, God didn’t say, “for about ten thousand years I was thinking about this.” Or, “Originally, I was thinking of making all the animals talk, but I changed my mind.” None of that. Simply, “In the beginning God created…”

Recently, I saw a congregation appoint men into the role of shepherds. For those men it was a new step and a new beginning for them. Spring time is about beginnings. We see flowers coming out of the ground. We see some limbs that need to be cut because they no longer have life in them.

Here are some thoughts about beginnings:

First, life is full of beginnings. All around us there are new beginnings. With new beginnings often comes new challenges and new adventures. That teenager gets a driving permit and a whole new world of scary opens up for the parents. A young man preaches his first lesson and really does a fine job. This could be the first step in a lifelong journey of serving and teaching the people of God.

Adjustments have to be made with beginnings. Another car bought for a new driver in the family. Lots and lots of baby stuff for that new child that has come into the home. God has a way of preparing us for the next steps in life. And, when we surround ourselves with others it truly helps.

Second, new beginnings are like doorways to new opportunities. Often one thing leads to another. In service to the Lord, this is good. The first invitation, the first sermon, can lead to hundreds and hundreds of more lessons in coming years. Being new parents has a way of making a young couple become more serious about the Lord. Serving in the capacity of deacon or shepherd has a way of seeing after the little details that before were not given much thought.

Third, new beginnings has a powerful way helping us to count our blessings and to be thankful to the Lord. Looking back, who would have thought that the teenager who was baptized would someday be preaching or serving as one of the leaders in the congregation. Like in nature, mighty trees began as little saplings. Where I live there is a large woods behind my house. Tall, tall trees reaching upward high into the sky. I expect some of those trees have been there fifty to eighty years. But they didn’t start that way. They were small, struggling for sunlight, hoping deer and rabbits wouldn’t eat them, and that they would survive winters harshness and the hot dry summers. But they did. They grew and grew and grew. Today, they are majestic, large, beautiful trees. They are full of leaves, which fall into my yard and I have to deal with every fall. But like those mighty trees that started out so small, so do we in faith. So many questions. So many things we didn’t understand. So young in faith. Satan tries to grab us. The world tries to pull us back. Some never survive, but those that do and continue to grow and grow, one day they are mighty pillars in God’s kingdom. When a young man is baptized, I love to plant that idea in his head and dreams. “Maybe someday, you’ll serve as a shepherd.” There is a lot of winters and summers to go through and a lot of growing that must take place, but it starts with the beginnings.

Fourth, beginnings also introduce changes. More shepherds. A new preacher. A new church building. A new time of meeting. A new set of classes. It’s like a new school year. The hope and expectations are there. Some like things the way they are. Some don’t like change. But, life changes. Those little trees become big trees. Those little babies grow up and graduate and drive and move out. Faces we love, pass through that doorway of death. Friends move. People retire. Stores close. Menus change. Life is constantly changing. And, those that try to fight it sometimes hold things back. You can go back to the neighborhood you grew up in, but it’s not the same. The house has changed. The neighbors aren’t the same. Life has moved on. New beginnings.

And, someday, hopefully soon, you and I will experience a new home in Heaven. That will be so different than here. No sun. No pain. No tears. No death. What a new beginning that will be. And, unlike anything we have ever known, that will never change. Never. God won’t have to update Heaven after a few years. We won’t grow tired of it and start to look for another place. Heaven will be our home—forever. A new beginning.

In the beginning God…

Roger