22

Jump Start # 1172

Posted on August 22, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1172

Titus 2:9-10 “Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”

 

Slavery was part of the New Testament world. There were different ways people became slaves. Sometimes it was the result of war. Your side lost and now you are forced out of your home and land and you are owned by others. Sometimes a person was born a slave. If the parents were slaves, you were a slave. Debt could result in slavery. If you couldn’t pay your bills, you were the assurance that the debt was paid. You became a slave. That would be bad news for many people today.

 

The stories of slavery in most cultures is sprinkled with good reports of some being set free and horror stories of some being abused. The New Testament didn’t specifically forbid slavery. In many New Testament books, such as Ephesians, 1 Peter and here in Titus, instructions are given about the conduct of the slave master relationships. It is implied here in Titus, that the slaves were Christians. In some cases, like Philemon, the masters were Christians as well. Often they were not. What is remarkable, in most cultures where the gospel has been introduced, slavery ends. It’s hard to practice the golden rule while owning another person.

 

Our American freedoms and democracy makes it difficult to understand what the life of a slave was like in the first century world. Our verse today, addressed to the slave, contains both positives and negatives. There are some things to do and some things not to do.

 

First the negatives:

1. Not argumentative.

2. Not pilfering. Pilfering is a form of stealing. Often a person pilfers because he does not feel that he has been treated right. So to compensate, he steals. He justifies stealing because of the way he is treated.

 

The positives:

1. Be subject to your masters

2. Be well-pleasing

3. Show all good faith

 

We don’t own slaves and we are not slaves. You may feel that way to the company you work for, but you are not. You can quit. Slaves couldn’t do that. So is there an application for us? Certainly.

 

Consider the spirit and attitude that Paul is trying to develop here. Don’t be argumentative. Some argue about everything. This happens in Bible classes. This happens in marriages. This happens everywhere. Being argumentative stirs things up. It irritates people. Now this is not a call for tolerance and everything goes. Absolutely not. Don’t throw out the rest of the Bible because of one verse. The emphasis is not about what God said or right and wrong. The kids want to go out Friday night and they want to stay out until 2 AM. Mom and dad say no. An argument erupts. This is NOT the application here. Parents need to parent. No one has any business staying out until 2 AM. Only bad things will happen. This is not about Bible teaching, parenting or right and wrong. It’s fussing about things that do not matter. It’s fussing about things we don’t feel like doing. The master would tell the slave to do something and he’d argue. He’d argue because he didn’t want to do it. Stop that, is what Paul is saying. So many arguments are about getting my way and trying to get a cheaper deal. We argue about things we cannot do anything about. We argue with the TV when the people on the TV cannot hear us. The argumentative spirit is next to the complaining spirit. Arguing. The one that argues feels he is right. Often he isn’t.

 

Pilfering. Stealing. Taking things that are not ours because we feel that it is owned to us. The big company, we reason, will never miss this stuff. They waste so much that no one will know. For all the hours I put in, they ought to give me this stuff. Nice try. Doesn’t work. It’s stealing. It’s justified in your mind. It’s probably not justified in God’s mind. That’s why Paul was told by God to tell slaves to stop pilfering. Slaves would have opportunities to steal food and household items. This stealing would hurt their influence, cheapen their character and ruin their souls with God. Paul’s words are to stop it.

 

Be well-pleasing. Strive to get along. Do what you are told to do. Do your job well. Get about things and give it your all. My mother told me, if you are going to do something do it well the first time. That stuck with me. Why do a shabby job and then go back and have to do it right. Do it right the first time.

 

Show all good faith. Keep God invited into your life and your world.

 

 

Argumentative…pilfering…well-pleasing…showing good faith—those are attitudes we choose. These set the course of how we play the game and journey through life. The “all about me” person will be argumentative and pilfer. He’s right and always right. He sets others on edge and becomes a real pain—in marriage, at the work place, and even in the church. Now the one who is well-pleasing and shows good faith—they are a pleasant and refreshing spirit. They are good to work with. They are helpful and hopeful. They bring life and sunshine to a dark place.

 

The difference in the two, being argumentative or being well-pleasing—is a matter of choice. It’s not the circumstances that determine that. It’s not who the master is that decides this. It’s your choice. The same remains true for us. We can be sour and mean all the time, or we can be pleasant and helpful. We can make a scene at the check out register, or we can understand that people make mistakes and try to be encouraging.

 

It’s the every day stuff that really shows our faith. What we really are comes out in those every day situations.

 

How about you? Which are you going to choose today? Arguing or well-pleasing? Your call. Your choice.

 

Roger

 

21

Jump Start # 1171

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1171

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.”

  There are few verses in the Bible that better show the importance and value of fellowship than this statement from Solomon in Ecclesiastes. What a telling warning he gives, “But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.” Solomon may have in mind two laborers out in a field. One falls into a pit and he needs the other to help him out. But I see a much deeper and more valuable lesson for us today. How valuable our spiritual fellowship is when we have others to pull us up after we have fallen in worry or discouragement or sorrow.

 

Solomon is telling us that we can’t make it on our own. We need others. This is hard in our self serving society. We like to be the Lone Rangers. The truth is, even the Lone Ranger had Tonto. We need someone to talk to. We need someone to confess our sins with. We need someone who will pray for us. We need someone to kick us in the pants when we want to quit.

 

That person needs to be a Christian. Someone whose eyes and heart is set upon Heaven. You need that person whose advice and words are sprinkled with Biblical truth. Just having a friend isn’t enough. That person may not lift you up. They may actually make the hole you are in seem deeper and darker. Advice is like a nose on your face. Everyone has one and they all think theirs is the best. In the areas of morals, parenting, marriage, hurt feelings, forgiveness and spiritual growth—godly advice based upon God’s word is the best. It’s a must.

 

Our passage involves two things about friends.

 

First, one recognized that his friend had fallen. He saw that he needed lifting up. Close relationships will do this. Body language, attitudes, behavior all point to a soul that is soaring or one that is crashing. A simple “how ya doin’” at church isn’t going to be enough. Most of us respond, “Ok.” We say “ok,” even when we are not ok. We say that because it hurts to tell the truth. Telling how we really feel is too complicated and too involved. So the key here is one notices that the other has fallen. The friend takes action. He reaches down to lift him up. He doesn’t let him stay in the pit. What friend is that? He does what he can. This is what friendship is all about. It takes time and effort to pull one out of the pit he has fallen into. When dealing with emotional, mental and relationship issues, the lifting up may require some time. The friend does that. He wants the other out of the pit. He’s there for him. He’s with him until he is out of the pit.

 

Second, the guy who is in the pit allows the other to pull him out. He doesn’t refuse help. He doesn’t stay in the pit. This can be just as hard as helping someone out. Some of us can be closed lipped when it comes to our feelings. Things bother us and we won’t open up. We get down and family and friends want to help us but we put on the stubborn hat and refuse help. So in the pit we stay. Our friends get frustrated with us because they want to help us, but we won’t let them. Weeks can pass and we remain in a sour and dark mood. Help is there. Friendships are there. Spiritual support is there. When a hand reaches out to us, we must take hold of it and allow the other to pull us up. It’s ok to need help. It’s not a sign of failure that you got this way. Get over all that stuff. Get out of the pit and get about doing what God wants you to do.

 

This type of relationship is the key in a church. It starts with trust and great friendships. Bless be the bond that ties us all together. That bond is Jesus. We all need Jesus and we all need each other. This is true of elderships and this is true of preachers. Sometimes we start believing that we are superman, but we are not. There are pits that we fall into. Those pits can ruin us, especially if our pride refuses to allow others to pull us up.

 

It is sad to think that there are some who do not have that connection. They do not know who to call in a crisis. They do not have close spiritual friendships. They attend a congregation, but they have never gotten close to anyone. They recognize some faces. They know some names but that’s the extent of it. When they fall into a pit, no one notices because they have kept people from being close to them. They do not feel connected. Emotional and spiritual turmoil gets them and much too often fingers are pointed at the church when much of the blame falls upon them for being standoffish. They never invited anyone into their home. They never accepted invitations to go to other homes. They never came to get togethers. They never associated with others outside the building. They had their own friends and family and most are not Christians. One day they fall into a deep pit and no one notices. They do not know what to do so they sink deeper into despair and discouragement.

 

I’ve been in pits before. They are not pretty. They are dark. Things seem worse when you are in a pit. It’s hard to see the sunshine in a pit. Blessings aren’t counted when you are in a pit. For me, I had that friend who reached his hand down and pulled me up. It made all the difference. He was there. He noticed. I needed him.

 

What we are talking about is not experienced in very many places. Fellowship is more than a name in a directory. It is lives that crisscross each other. It’s love and care for one another. It’s prayers that are offered for each other. It’s knowing that someone is watching out for me and I’m watching out for others. Today, I may be in the pit. Tomorrow, it may be someone else. I need to allow others to pull me out just as I need to be there to pull others out. It’s togetherness. Together we work. Together we worship. Together we journey to Heaven. We need each other. We are a part of each other. We do more than simply go to the same church, we are family, in the truest sense. We love, play, work, fuss and are there for each other. We want the best for each other. We are in this together.

 

This is what a church ought to be like. This is the key. This is fellowship. Doing things for each other. Being there. Sitting in the stands watching their kids play ball. Going to their kids graduations. Being in the audience when their kids get married. Lives that are full of memories.

 

I’m blessed to be part of a church like this. Amazing. Connected. Awesome. Perfect? No. Problems? Certainly. Need things to work on? Absolutely. But a family. A family in Christ.

 

You need this in your life. Who will notice you have fallen? You will pull you out of the pit? Who is watching you? Instead of pulling apart, we need to be pulling together. Instead of fussing all the time, we need to be counting our blessings more. Fellowship—I think of it as “fellows in a ship.” We must work together or the ship might go down.

 

Thanks to bro. B. You are a true friend and amazing at pulling someone, like me out of a pit.

 

Roger

 

20

Jump Start # 1170

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1170

Ephesians 5:15-16 “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”

  Our verse today is about purpose and carefulness. The man of God walks with a purpose and a direction. He is careful. He realizes each step must be calculated. Others are watching. Each step could lead to a pit. Each step could be fatal, especially spiritually.

 

There is contrasting ideas put forth in this verse. First, the unwise man. He is not dumb or ignorant. He is spiritually unwise. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, Proverbs tells us. There are many folks who are highly educated yet remain unwise, because they lack a knowledge or an interest in God.

 

There are three characteristics of the unwise that is implied from this text:

 

  • The unwise man is not careful about his walk. He gives it little thought. He does what he feels like. The consequences often catch up with him, but he fails to learn anything from them.

 

  • The unwise man doesn’t make good use of his time. He wastes time. He spends time as if there was an unlimited amount. His days are spent with useless chatter, gossipy news and shallow conversations filled with boasting, pride and trying to impress impressionable people. This man gets older, but he doesn’t get any better.

 

  • The unwise doesn’t recognize the times we live in. The days are evil, but he doesn’t see it. He is part of the problem and he fails to see that things are bad. The evil surrounds him, but it isn’t noticed by this unwise one.

 

In contrast, the man of God, is careful how he walks. He is making the most of time and opportunities, realizing that there is only so much. He understands that these are dark days and so many love the darkness rather than the light. The man of God and the unwise man approach a day so differently. What they do will be so different. What they are looking for is different.

 

This verse begins with a “Therefore,” and that helps us so much in gaining a fuller understanding of what is intended. Paul said previously to this:

 

  • You were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (8)
  • Learn what is pleasing to the Lord (10)
  • Do not participate in the darkness (11)
  • Expose the darkness (11)

 

God’s people won’t see every movie that Hollywood wants us to. Some are darkness and not worthy of our money nor time. God’s people won’t listen to every song that comes out. God’s people will not watch every show on TV. Even among those we call friends, may be the unwise who want to engage in darkness. God’s people may and often must, cut ties with these people.

 

Be careful. Be careful how you walk. In the back of my property is a woods. I’ve been in it several times this summer. There is much poison ivy back there. Most times I’m looking for it. A few times I didn’t. I paid for it when that happened. The same happens spiritually. When we are watching, careful, and looking, we do pretty well. It’s the times we let our guard down that we get into trouble. Often that happens around family or among those who ought to be walking with us in Jesus, but they are not. We don’t pay attention as much. We let words slip that shouldn’t be there. We find ourselves doing things that we usually wouldn’t. We weren’t careful. If you ever carried a box that was marked “GLASS,” you understood careful. You picked it up carefully. We made sure you could see as you walked. You sat it down carefully. With the same thought and care, we ought to handle our souls the same way. Be careful.

 

The little ones will sing, “Be careful little eyes what you see…” It’s the big eyes who often need to remember that. Be careful little mouth what you say…It’s the big mouths that get in trouble. Be careful. Those are God’s words.

 

We live in dark days. Watch your step. There are many ways and many things that can cause you to stumble. You must keep your eyes open. It’s not a time to zone out nor go through life on auto pilot.

 

Walk like someone with godly wisdom. Walk like someone who realizes what time it is. Walk like someone who knows where he is going. Walk carefully. Walk like you are headed to Heaven.

 

We are one day closer to Heaven. Live as if one foot is already there!

 

Roger

 

 

 

 

19

Jump Start # 1169

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1169

2 Corinthians 12:7 “Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment men—to keep me from exalting  myself!”

 

Our passage today is layered with many thoughts. It is the result of Paul seeing the “third Heaven.” The Jews believed in Three Heavens. We don’t use that language. The first heaven was the sky. The second heaven was the solar system, where the stars are. The third heaven is where God was. Jesus taught, “Our Father who art in Heaven.” Jesus did not mean the sky or the stars. The story is told that in the early days of space exploration, some Russian cosmonauts questioned God’s existence because they were up in space and didn’t see Him. God’s not in “space” as they were.

 

Paul saw THE HEAVEN. He was not sure if this was a vision or if he really went there. Some have tried to connect this to an event in Acts where he was dragged out of a town and stoned and left for dead. Some suggest that Paul actually died. Went to the third Heaven and then came back. Good guess. We don’t know. We must be careful about parking our car in the land of speculations. We can build some mighty tall theories on ideas that may not be true.

 

While in this third Heaven Paul heard things that it was unlawful for him to repeat. What did he see? Who was there? Did he hear singing? What songs? Paul didn’t repeat any of it. Unlike the dozens of books on the market today of people who claimed to have gone to Heaven and then came back and then wrote a book. Amazing that an apostle couldn’t do it, but just about everyone else can. I put my trust in the Bible, not the words of an eight year old boy who wrote a book.

 

Now our verse. Paul got to see things that the rest of us can only see after we die. These revelations were called “Surpassing greatness.” Peter didn’t get to see them. John did as he wrote Revelation. The privilege of being shown Heaven could make someone think that he was more special than others. It could make him think that he alone was God’s poster child. It could make him boast. Twice in our verse the expression, “to keep me from exalting myself” is used. Twice. This was the key. God showed but God didn’t want it to change Paul. God didn’t want Paul to be ruined by this experience. Exalting self was a chief concern of God. Wish we felt the same today. We like to strut about and brag to one another. One upping another is common. Go to any high school reunion and the air is thick with bragging and boasting. The book of Proverbs really thumps exalting. It makes us bigger than what we really are and it makes the other guy smaller than what he really is. The exalted heart tends to think that it is above certain rules. It doesn’t have to do what others do. Higher education can lead some to thinking that they are better than others. Some of the finest Christians I’ve ever met, with the purest hearts and the best character, were simple, common people, many of which never went to college. Higher education is important, but it shouldn’t make us “higher” than others.

 

God was concerned about this. He didn’t need a puffed up apostle. Jesus dealt with that problem while on earth. Twice the apostles fussed about who was the greatest. Why did it matter? Pride. Pride always is thinking about that. It can filter into the church today. Am I the best preacher? Am I the best song leader? There’s not a contest. You won’t get a trophy for being the best. So quit thinking that way. Just be your best and encourage others to be their best. Our egos get us when someone gets more praise than we do. Exalting, pride, arrogance—all of those things will eat at your character and take you down a road that is not pretty. God wasn’t through with Paul yet. There were more places, more sermons and more churches to help. The worst thing was to have an exalted apostle engaged in that business. It’s the opposite of Jesus. The Lord was a servant. On His last days, He washed the feet of the apostles. That’s Jesus. There was no place for a big headed apostle strutting about the world telling others how special he was.

 

To stop that, to prevent that, God gave Paul a thorn in the flesh. It is called a messenger of Satan.  It was sent to torment Paul. It would keep Paul humble and keep him from exalting.

 

Everyone has a guess as to what that thorn was. Some suggest physical problems, including poor eyesight, arthritis, heart disease to about every known ailment in the world. Others have suggested depression or other emotional issues. Many ideas. Many thoughts. We are not told. Whatever it was, it was major. Paul was tormented by it. He prayed three times that it might leave him. The answer back from God was NO.

 

Being tormented would lead Paul to seek God. It would cause him to pray. It would keep him from thinking that he was better than others. It would be the ticket to keep him from exalting.

 

All of this to get to this thought: Do you think God still does this today? Does God allow or even send things upon His people to keep their character in check? Could it be that some of us are “tormented” with things because God is trying to keep us from destroying ourselves with unhealthy attitudes?

 

God loved Paul. God wanted Paul to do right. It seems odd that if God cared so much for Paul that He would allow him to be tormented. He would rather Paul be tormented for a while here, and save his soul, than to leave him alone and allow his pride to destroy him. God is more interested in our holiness than our happiness. God would do anything to refine and help our souls remain righteous.

 

A messenger of Satan…a thorn in the flesh…a tormenter—sent to Paul for the sole purpose of keeping him humble.

 

I wonder what God would need to send to us? What would God need to send to keep us from gossiping? Or, being selfish? Or, being arrogant? Maybe the stuff we go through is there to teach us and help us. It sure is a different way of looking at what happens to us.

 

God loves you. He wants you with Him. Might He send something ugly your way, just to help you. I wouldn’t put it pass Him. I wonder if we appreciate that or even understand it?

 

Roger

 

 

 

18

Jump Start # 1168

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1168

Matthew 14:31 “Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

  Our passage today comes from that powerful miracle when Jesus walked upon the water. The disciples were in the boat, ordered by Jesus to cross to the other side. Jesus remained and prayed. A severe storm caught them. They were battered by the waves. Jesus came walking. It was dark. The wind was fierce. And the disciples saw someone coming. He’s on the water. They thought it was a ghost. They were afraid. Fighting the waves, now they were fighting their fears. What would they do? They cried out and found out that it was the Lord. He was walking on the water. Peter, wanting to verify things, asked to walk out to Him. Jesus said, “Come.” Peter started walking on the water. Understand this wasn’t a calm lake on a sunny afternoon. It was a stormy night. It was dark. It took tons of faith to even ask what Peter did. He got out of the boat. He saw the winds and waves and started to sink. His faith had already sunk before this. Immediately, the word used so often with the miracles of Jesus, the Lord’s hand was stretched out and He took hold of Peter.

 

Then our verse comes. You of little faith—an expression used at least four times in Matthew. The Lord was disappointed in Peter. He had hoped more from him.

 

Disappointment is part of life. It is often hard to deal with. People let us down and they disappoint us. This happens at work. This happens in the church. This even happens in the family. Promises are made and broken. People don’t get nor understand what you think they should. There is a set back in the relationship, sometimes, because of the disappointment, the relationship takes a major hit. It’s hard to recover after the disappointment. Sometimes it is the beginning of the end. The marriage starts to unravel. It’s time to start thinking about a new job. For some, it’s time to find another congregation. It’s hard to deal with things when you are disappointed.

 

We notice, from Jesus, that He didn’t give up on the apostles. There would be more disappointments. There would be more failures on their part. The Lord never replaced them. He never stopped and said, “This isn’t working.” He stayed with them. He taught and taught and showed and showed. With God’s help, they finally got it. It took time. It took a mountain of patience on the Lord’s part.

 

We do well to learn from Jesus, but it’s hard. Disappointment can be a knife in our heart. The knife can be pulled out and in time the wound healed, but there remains a scar. There is always that ugly scar that reminds us. It’s a hard decision to know when to hang in and when to leave. It’s hard to know if people are ever going to get it or not. Human nature is so different than divine nature. Sometimes we may give up too soon on others. Sometimes we just grow weary  and impatient and can not endure another set back, another disappointment. It gets to the point where our hearts are not in it any longer. That’s tough to recover from.

 

For Peter it was faith. Getting that strong faith in the Lord. The Lord believed in him and wanted him. Those patient times were necessary for Peter to become what the Lord wanted.

 

Parents face this. Your teenagers will disappoint you. It’s hard. You teach and teach and wonder if they will ever get it. Paul faced this with the Galatians. He wondered out loud if what he was doing was in vain. Was it doing any good? They had disappointed him. They were going backwards and not forwards. It would be nice if we could take a break, fall back, regroup and charge back into the scene with more energy, hope and enthusiasm. But too many situations you can’t do that. A parent can’t take time off. The kids need parenting now. A marriage can’t take time off. Most can’t take time off from work. So when those disappointments come, prayer, sticking to what is right and staying with it must be the answer. It’s the only answer. Disappointments can be such a major set back. They can take the wind out of the sails. Walking away can seem so attractive. But that’s not the answer.

 

Unless something positive turns, the disappointed feels trapped. They are trapped in a marriage that makes them miserable. They are trapped in a job that they are no longer satisfied with. Trapped is a terrible place to be. Hope runs thin when one feels trapped. Desperation and discouragement follow quickly when one feels like the are in a corner. Trapped is a terrible place to be.

 

Jesus never felt this way with the apostles. He wasn’t trapped. He saw hope and change and a bright future. The key was not waiting on them to get it together, but Jesus taking the lead. He taught. He led. He illustrated. He showed. Jesus, in doing this, turned His disappointment around.

 

What great lessons there are for us. Monday mornings are hard for some. They must head to a job they do not feel good about. Sundays can be that way for some. Heading to a congregation that they do not feel good about. Taking the example from Jesus, taking the lead, find ways to turn things around. If that cannot be done, then it may be time to move on.

 

Disappointments…they happen all time. We must learn what to do with them.

 

Roger