16

Jump Start # 2102

Posted on May 16, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2102

1 Corinthians 6:11 “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

 

Last Sunday evening, my fellow preacher, Jason and I delivered a lesson about addictions. In a question and answer format we tried to take a serious look at a very serious problem. You can go to our website and listen or watch that lesson. We offer free CD’s of that lesson if you would like one. I want to pull a few thoughts from that lesson.

 

First, we don’t like to admit addictions. We don’t like to admit that within the church we have such problems. It ruins our image of pristine perfection. But reality demands that we be honest. One of the characteristics of addictions is denial. The addict lives in denial, proclaiming that he can quit anytime, but he never does. The family of the addict often hides behind denial and the church can even be party to all of this.

 

The image of a dirty street person, laying against the back wall of a building in a dark alley is often the picture we have of an addict. Not today. Not anymore. Soccer moms. Professional people. College students. People in the church. Addictions come in many forms: prescription drugs; illegal drugs; alcohol; pornography; gambling; sexual addictions; compulsive shopping and spending; even, addicted to social media. The nature of these addictions takes a heavy toll upon families. The burdens are great.

 

Most addictions come in forms of two, three or more. It is common for a person to have more than one addiction at a time. And, there is a huge emotional toll that addictions have upon a person. Emotionally, the addict is immature and unable to deal with his problem in a rational way. This plays a role in the relationships and marriages of addicts. It is not uncommon for the addict to have been divorced many times. Emotionally unable to deal with life and making immature decisions, the addict ruins marriage.

 

Second, there has been a shift in the way society looks at addictions. More and more, there are studies about the chemical and psychological dependence of addicts which feeds into the idea that addictions are diseases. This has led to the common thinking of medical and mental health being the solutions to kicking the addictions. Pills, counselors, support groups are the mainstream answer to dealing with addictions. What is put aside is that most of these are choices, moral choices. Behind all of these addictions is sin. Spiritual problems can only completely be solved through Christ. Spiritual issues need to be addressed with spiritual solutions. There may still be a need for medical and mental treatment, but not to the exclusion of Christ. You cannot leave Jesus out of the picture. Developing faith and making one strong in Christ must be part of the equation. Without this, the addict never learns to make the right spiritual choices.

 

Third, our verse today has much to do with this. Here Paul addresses the Corinthians. It is personal, specific and pointed. The verse begins, “And such were some of you.” What were they? He tells us in the preceding verses: they were fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, and swindlers. They were a mess. We’d classify some of these, if not all of these, as addictions. However, they changed. They were washed, sanctified and justified. The letter of Corinthians begins by naming those Christians as sanctified, saints by calling.

 

There was no AA in the first century. They didn’t have exit groups for homosexual behavior. Support groups didn’t exist. How did they break free from alcohol? How did they leave the homosexual lifestyle? What about being effeminate? Those things weren’t accepted. Toleration isn’t the key here. They changed. They became right with God. How did they do it? They used the power of Christ and addressed these problems from a spiritual standpoint.

 

It is with the shield of faith, as the Ephesians were told, that all the flaming arrows of the evil one can be extinguished. It is learning to resist the devil as James says. It is knowing to pray that you enter not into temptation as the Gospels tell us. These addictions were spiritual problems first. They were addressed spiritually first.

 

Passing out free needles, changing the laws and making drugs legal and available only masks the real problems, a society that is living without Jesus. There is hope and help in our times. It must begin with the Lord. Addictions are spiritual problems. Wrong choices have been made by those who are not strong spiritually. Ignoring this aspect will only keep the addiction going.

 

Fourth, help needs to be found in our love, compassion and forgiveness for each other. This is what God has done for us. Finger pointing, whispering, blaming, name calling will only cause the addict to disappear and it will crush his family. Put down the radar guns. The Corinthian list of what they once were could well be our list as well. Drugs, sex and rock ‘n roll, hard partying, has been the song that many of us danced to and lived in before Christ. We have all made pitiful choices that were not thought out and obviously not very spiritual. If it wasn’t for God’s grace and the love of others, many of us would have died in those addictions. Instead of running people off in guilt, let us remember where we came from and let us open our hearts, extend a hand and welcome those who want to find help in the Lord.

 

Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Who is more weary than a person who has been fighting an addiction for a long, long time. They have tried this and that and yet the cravings for what they are addicted to remains. Christ wants to help. It would do well for leaders in the congregation to learn more about this. It’s time to get our heads out of the sand and stop claiming that we don’t have these problems among us. We do. We have had for a long time. It has hurt many. Families have known of the hypocrisy some have lived in.

 

We must stop telling folks to go and get fixed and then they can come back. That’s not what Jesus would say. Getting fixed, sounds like what you do to a car that doesn’t work. We are dealing with issues of the heart, mind and will. We are dealing with spiritual battles. It takes time, sometimes a long time to recover and put these things behind a person. The church needs to be patient. The church needs to be a friend. The church needs to be part of the solution and not more of the problem.

 

The hope is found in the words of our verse today. Those drunk Corinthians were justified. Those immoral Corinthians were washed. Those homosexual Corinthians were sanctified. They recovered, were restored and were useful to God through Jesus. God didn’t give up on them. God didn’t toss them away. They were not forever gone. Once a drunk, always a drunk, isn’t true with God. There is hope. Change is possible.

 

Help, hope and Christ. That’s the message. That’s what needs to be preached and practiced. I hope this will generate more discussion. I hope that some of our minds will change. I hope that some will come out of the shadows and talk freely. I hope that shame and guilt can find forgiveness and a new life in Christ. I hope that some will admit to what they have been hiding for a long time. I hope families find support and comfort in fellowship. I hope tears produce hugs, prayers and hope. I hope that some who have been enslaved to these sins not only put them behind them, but some day stand behind pulpits and preach and serve as shepherds to help others in the kingdom of God.

 

Addictions-they are not coming, they are here. They are among us. They are some of us. Now, what will we do?

 

Roger

 

15

Jump Start # 2101

Posted on May 15, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2101

1 Timothy 2:9-10 “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discretely, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments; but rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to godliness.”

It has always been a touchy subject to discuss the topic of modesty. We don’t like others telling us what we can or can not wear. Many of us argued with our parents about what we wanted to wear. Now, as Christians, sermons on modesty makes us uncomfortable. This subject needs to be talked about.

First, it may seem odd that a male preacher can talk about the subject of what women ought to wear. Modesty isn’t strictly a female issue. Men can be immodest as well as women. A male apostle Paul is the one who is writing to a male Timothy here in our verse. But beyond this, it is the Holy Spirit who is directing these thoughts. So, let’s not be so quick to shut down a conversation because of gender. You don’t know what you are talking about because you are a man, doesn’t change the issue at hand, modesty. And, from the male perspective, the way God has wired men to be visually attracted, he just might know a thing or two that the female is not willing to admit.

Second, the passage is directed toward “over dressing” rather than skimpy clothing. Paul states: costly garments, braided hair, gold, pearls. This is the mark of luxury. This is being showy. This is look at me. I have and you do not. Rather than having people talk about what you are wearing, have them notice all the good that you are doing. The Red Carpet walk belongs to Hollywood, not the people of God. You’ve seen the award shows, such as the Oscars. Much is made about who designed the dress. Actresses stand and twirl around so photographers can admire how they look. Proper, modestly and discretely are not found on those red carpets. Rather than showing off, do something worth while. Rather than putting all the attention on the outside, pour your efforts from the inside. Character and substance is what the apostle is driving at. Rather than having an amazing outside, have some substance on the inside. It’s the heart that matters.

Third, your appearance says something. It identifies whose side you are on. Dress as one who makes a claim to godliness. Godly, belonging to God. One of His. Looking like Him. Dressing like He would want you to dress. There are certain things that those who “make claims” do. If I made a claim to be a singer, my family would die laughing if this were true, then I’d go around singing. If I made a claim to be a musician, then I’d be found playing an instrument. If I made the claim to be a professional golfer, then I’d be on the golf course daily. If I made the claim to be a writer, then I’d write. If I made the claim to be a preacher, I’d do what preachers do. We see someone dressed in a military uniform. We rightly conclude that he is in the service. We see someone in a policeman’s uniform. We understand that he is a cop. So, here, women are to dress as those who claim to be godly. This means the spiritual is involved in picking out what they are going to wear. This means that they understand others are going to be looking at them. People are going to draw conclusions about them based upon what they are wearing. Their choice reflects godliness or ungodliness. This means there are going to be some dresses that will not make the grade. They may be affordable. They may be made of fine material. But when worn, one doesn’t think of godliness. Too much skin. Too tight. Too revealing. No, instead of godly, the words are: Hot, Wow. The thought isn’t, I expect that person worships every Sunday. No, those thoughts don’t happen. So, the godly person who wants to make a claim to godliness is going to pass on some outfits. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to wear an old sack. You can be fashionable, beautiful yet modest and godly. There may have to be some adjustments and alternations made to make the dress discrete, proper and modest. Everywhere you are, your example, influence and choices ought to point towards Heaven.

Now, let’s talk about three applications.

Prom time. I’ve seen some of the pics posted on Facebook. A lot of skin. A lot of show and tell. A lot for a young man to look at all evening long. At the end of the night, I doubt his thoughts are about God and worship. It’s easy to throw all of this in the young man’s heart. He just has a dirty mind, some will say. Men are always thinking that way. Possibly. But maybe his thoughts were encouraged and directed by what was worn by the young lady. Paul doesn’t give a pass here when it comes to the special occasions such as the prom. Dress as one who is making a claim to godliness.

Weddings. Again, too much skin, and too little godly claims. Sometimes it’s not the brides dress but the girls with her. Their outfits do not reflect godly choices. It’s a one time event, someone says. Yet, think about who is in the audience. Gathered are family and friends and what better way to make a statement that you can be beautiful and godly and modesty is wonderful. Dress makers don’t think of godliness. Most don’t even know what that means. So, again, adjustments have to be made to make that wedding dress something that is not shocking, embarrassing and the talk in church the next Sunday.

The beach. Headed to the ocean. Great time. Family time. Remember, you are making a claim to godliness. Your choice of what you wear speaks volumes. Paul didn’t give us a pass because it’s our vacation. He didn’t say dress modestly only in church, but anywhere else, it doesn’t matter. Making a claim of godliness is something that we want the world to notice. So, discretion, thought, and even prayer ought to be part of your vacation plans. Don’t ruin the trip by being ungodly.

These lessons begin at home. This is where dad needs to step up and be dad. Sometimes moms don’t see what could be a problem. You may have to send your child back to the closet to pick something else out, and you might head into a battle over this, but remember, you are trying to teach godliness.

Godliness begins in the heart. It is reflected in our words, our attitudes, our choices, and even our clothing. For those who do not have Christian dads, you may have to turn to a grandparent or someone you respect for their spiritual strength to help you make the right choices.

The boldness of Peter proved that they had been with Jesus. It was recognized that they were one of “those” people. We are making a similar claim. We belong to Jesus. I am one of His. Don’t muddy the water and don’t confuse people by dressing immodestly. This isn’t talked about much these days. The topic won’t go away because preachers don’t preach it. It’s in your Bible. You just need to read it. More and more, even in Sunday worship, some outfits seem to be more revealing than what they ought to be.

I wish we put as much money, time and effort to the way we look on the inside as we do on the outside. The showroom sparkles and is dazzling, but there is very little in the warehouse these days. Maybe it’s time to change that. With the temperature rising, so often the clothes vanish.

Make a claim to godliness. Let one of those claims be the clothes that you wear.

Roger

14

Jump Start # 2100

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2100

Revelation 1:11 “saying, ‘Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

 

We reach yet another milestone with our Jump Start today, number 2100. This little venture started eight years ago and continues to grow and expand worldwide. Our readership is at an all time high and that continues to grow weekly. In a time in which many are no longer doing much reading, this little devotional has found a avenue that has become helpful and useful to many. God has blessed us, open doors for us and found a way to gift us with talent, means and a powerful team that believes in the good that comes out of these daily writings.

 

God has always believed in writing and reading. Our verse today is one of many that shows the value of what God believed in. His word, inspired, perfect and Heaven sent, remains the one book that all must read. His books is the one book that we must know.

 

Long ago, God sent inspired prophets and preachers to tell His message. Inspired by the Holy Spirit these early writers recorded what God wanted. Through time, God’s book, became the means which our faith is established and our hope is identified. When Moses came down from the mountain top, he held tablets of stone, written by the hand of God. He carried God’s book. And, through the ages God’s message was written, read and passed on. To the last book of the Bible, where our verse today comes from, John was shown a message. He wasn’t told to draw pictures. He wasn’t told to direct what he saw in a dramatic play. He was to write in a book what he saw. That book was to be circulated, read and understood.

 

Going to the local library once was a great adventure and experience. Checking out books was such a great summer time thrill. But today, most do not read. Newspapers are dying. National magazines have vanished. One statistic reported that 80% of Americans did not read one book last year. Some have shifted to electronic reading, which is still reading. However, there is a huge segment of society that no longer reads. Everything is videos. Videos move fast, are entertaining and allows a person to do other things while keeping an occasional eye on the screen. It’s hard to do other things while reading. A person might eat, but you can’t fold clothes, do house work, balance the checkbook, play with the kids while reading. Reading demands concentration. Reading involves contemplating. Reading engages the mind and enters the heart.

 

So, of all the avenues of communicating through the ages, God chose writing and reading. He wrote and we read. Our system of faith traces directly back to what God has written. We stand with assurance and confidence when we look into His book and find what He wants us to do. The power of God’s written word would take supreme place over miracles, spiritual gifts and other means of communicating. In these last days, Hebrews begins, God has spoken to us in His Son.

 

Here are some things we learn:

 

First, nothing beats reading the Bible, and that includes these Jump Starts. Studying what was said, and why it was said, and what it means becomes our primary goal and mission in our journey with God. This is not a walk in the dark. This is not something that we allow our feelings to lead us or guide us. This begins with His book and we always remain with His book.

 

Second, we must get our young folks to read. This is the role of parents. There are lots of books geared for children that begins this journey of reading. There are all kinds of daily Bible reading programs that allow the school age kids and us adults a plan to follow. Most of these plans take us through a book. Reading a verse here and there is not nearly as helpful as staying with a book and reading it through.

 

Third, we must know the Bible. What’s the Bible all about? There are so many people and so many stories in the Bible, one can miss what the message is all about. Find that message. Why did God give us the Bible? See the Bible as one complete message, rather than 66 individual books. Learn what the Bible is talking about. You do this by looking at places on a map. You do this by looking up words you do not understand. You do this by comparing one version to another. You do this by being a real student. Life long homework. Dig deep. Lower the nets. Don’t just look things up on Google. Do your own searching in the Bible. Think about what you would have done had you been there. Listen to what is being said. Apply. Think.

 

All of this takes time. Don’t be in a hurry with the Bible. Look at what people asked Jesus. Look at what He asked them. Look at their answers. Notice words that are repeated in a section. Notice references to other places in the Bible. And all through this process, your faith grows, your knowledge increases and your character changes. You can tell a person who has spent a lifetime with the Bible. It shows in their heart.

 

Fourth, we must realize that we cannot be wrong with the book and right with God. We worship, not the Bible, but the author of the Bible, God. However, God is so closely tied to His word, that one cannot walk righteously with God without following the Bible. This means obedience to the word is supreme. There is no getting around this. Those who frown at this love to throw out the prejudicial expression, “legalist.” No one wants to be known as a legalist. Those that use that word do not understand what it means. To ask, what is the difference between legalism and obedience, they see no difference. Their concept of faith is feelings that are spontaneous, fluid and ever changing. The church’s mission is evolving with culture, they believe. And this fanciful, form of disobedience has become the mission of many churches today. Standing in the old paths, as Jeremiah called for, seems quaint and sentimental to those who believe God still talks to them directly. They cannot prove this Biblically. They ignore plain Bible verses, yet, onward they go.

 

While modern culture looks to the future, the people of God look backward. Our eyes are upon this ancient book. We follow this book. We stay with this book. We treasure this book. We warn from this book. We find hope and assurance from this book. This book, His book, becomes the platform upon which we stand.

 

We must never get weary of God’s book. We must not sell out to the moderns who have little use for God’s book. We must not be deceived into believing it doesn’t matter what we do as long as we love the Lord. In a time when people have given up on books and reading in general, we won’t and we can’t.

 

Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”

 

Roger

 

11

Jump Start # 2099

Posted on May 11, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2099

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Our verse today illustrates the power that is found within the word of God. It is able to do what nothing else can do. Let’s take a look at some of these expressions.

First, the word of God is living. God is living, and so is His word. It’s not dormant. It’s fresh. It is capable of doing things. I cut some dead branches out of a bush the other day. New growth is coming all around the dead branches. However, the dead branches remain dead. They do not have any leaves on them. There are no buds on them. They remain dead and useless. God’s word is not like this. As culture changes, God’s word remains relevant, practical, vital and useful. God’s word is capable of changing us. God’s word can turn us, shape us and mold us into what God wants. Don’t give up on the Bible. Don’t say, “Oh, it’s just the Bible.” It is the living word of God and when it connects to a heart that is honest and good, you will be amazed at what can happen. God’s word has always been the answer. Through tough times, through wars, through depressions, through dark nights, God’s word has touched hearts, opened eyes, and filled lives with hope, love and trust.

Second, God’s word is active. Here is an interesting word. We miss this in our English Bibles. The Greek word for active is where our word energy comes from. God’s word is the power source, the energy that brings about change. In Romans, when Paul said the Gospel is God’s power unto salvation, the word for power is where we get dynamite. Energy. Dynamite. Living. Do you get the picture here? What causes a person to change? Why does a person submit to the will of God? It’s when God’s word works upon our heart. It’s the energy that drives a person to change. He becomes obedient to Christ. It’s not the pills that counselors provide. It’s not self help books. It’s not sitting around and sharing our sad story with others. It’s believing and obeying the word of God that changes us. This is why the Ephesians were told to let the word of Christ richly dwell within you. It’s the energy source to motivate us. It’s the power to change our attitudes. It can take a mean ole’ cuss and not simply smooth him out, but totally change him. It’s the power open his eyes to see as Jesus saw. It’s the energy to move those lazy bones and do something for someone else. How can a person read about the holy Jesus and remain unholy? How can a person see the goodness of God and not want to be like that? The active word of God, believed by us, will change us.

Third, God’s word pierces. The analogy is to a two-edged sword. Sharp. Cutting. Dividing. As a butcher would cut meat on a block of wood, so, the word of God cuts through us. It cuts out our weak and lame excuses. It cuts out worldliness and sinful thinking. It cuts out our desires to be like the world. Fame, fortune and power are cut out and replaced with righteousness, holiness and godliness. Our focus now is not upon making a name but in praising the Lord. It is in this way that the common man excels the rich and the famous. His value soars as he walks daily with the Lord. His heart reflects a character of kindness and goodness. Who he is to God is much more important than what others think of him. He has redefined words like happiness and success by seeing things God’s way. Piercing and cutting and dividing can be painful at times. We have allowed things to be attached to our hearts and minds that shouldn’t be there. God’s word will change that. Pour that word into our lives and wonderful things will happen.

Fourth, God’s word is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. God’s word gets down to the reasons, motives and purpose of what we are doing. It has a way of getting all the way through us to the foundation of our decisions, choices and will. Jesus shows us this in the Gospels. The superficial Pharisees made sure they looked good. Image was important to them. Jesus compared them to a dish that was washed on the outside, or a white tombstone. But inside, they were corrupt, immoral and impure. They were not what they appeared to be. They were more interested in what others thought than what God knew. God’s word gets down to that level. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said it’s not enough that you do not kill, don’t hate. It’s not enough that you do not commit adultery, don’t lust in your heart. God’s word has a way of changing us from the inside out. God’s word is able to judge, determine, the thoughts of the heart. It rewires our heart. This is why we sometimes feel guilty. We think, “I shouldn’t have said that.” God’s word has judged the intentions of your heart. We feel bad for not helping when we could have. God’s word has judged our hearts. We know. We can hide behind, it’s been a busy week, but we know. We can say, “I wanted to,” but we really know. God’s word works that way. It judges our hearts. There is no hiding the truth. There have been times we went through an entire worship and we not focused. We day dreamed. We planned out the week. We thought about what needs to be done to the house. Our minds were everywhere except with God in Heaven. We smiled and talked to others afterwards. We enjoyed seeing others. But as for truly worshipping God, we know. God’s word judges our hearts. What it shows can be brutal, raw and something we don’t like to see. But because of this, we change. So many have not only deceived others, but they have deceived themselves. They have mastered looking good on the outside. But what they think. What they whisper under their breath. Not good. Once this living, energetic word gets into a heart that’s honest, those things change. Repentance takes place. Honesty takes over.

This may well be what Jesus intended when he said, Blessed are the pure in heart. We tend to think purity means sexually clean. Good and decent thoughts. More so, Jesus has in mind our motives, intentions and plans. Pure, not polluted. Pure, no agenda except God’s. Pure, meaning right, holy and singular in nature.

We need to allow God’s word to work on us. We need to allow God’s word to change us. We need to allow God’s word to motivate us, challenge us and move us. It is alive. It is energy. It is cutting. It will judge us.

All of this reminds us that we need to use to the Bible more. We need to know the Bible. We need to lower the nets in our study of God’s word. We need to rely less upon external things and more upon this living, energetic, cutting word of God. More good will come from time spent with the Bible than any thing else. We can spend a lot of time reading about the Bible. We can listen to dozens of sermons that are helpful but nothing beats the Bible itself.

Find a version that is readable both in translation, style and print. Become familiar with your Bible. Use it. Wear it out. Put notes in it. Underline things. Circle words. Fill the margins with other passages that come to mind. In so doing, that word will shape you and change you. A better you will come out. A kinder you. A more compassionate you. A stronger you. A more spiritual you. A more optimistic you. A more hopeful you. A more assured you. A more Heaven bound you.

Yes, it’s the Bible. But it’s more. It’s God’s way of connecting to you. It’s God’s way of you getting to know Him. It’s God’s way of changing you.

Give me the Bible…

Roger

10

Jump Start # 2098

Posted on May 10, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2098

1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.”

 

As one reads the Bible, context is important. Lifting a verse out of a paragraph can lead to conclusions that God never intended. This is why reading before and after a specific verse is important. Get the idea that the writer intended, not what you want it to say, is the key.

 

 

Our verse is a great example of this principle. Paul is using this sentence to lead into some thoughts about the use of our body and immorality. Sex and the Christian was a concern for the Corinthians. The pendulum had swung from one extreme to the other. Culturally, Corinth had prostitutes in pagan temples. That was the norm. That was wrong. Now, that they were Christians, the pendulum swinging the other direction, was sexual relations even between husband and wife wrong? What if one wasn’t a Christian? Those questions are the basis of the next chapter in Corinthians.

 

Consider three thoughts from our verse today.

 

  1. All things are lawful for me. That must be qualified. Taken as a blanket statement, it would imply nothing is wrong. Period. Ever. I can do anything. Murder? Theft? Adultery? Lawfully in what context? Legally? Spiritually? All arenas of life?

 

Paul is not implying that the laws of the land do not apply to Christians. He is not implying that as a Christian he could do no wrong. We know better than that. Under what is right, Paul can do anything.

 

  1. Just because it’s right doesn’t mean it’s useful, helpful, or in his words, profitable. Some things are right but the Christian won’t do them because they are not beneficial to his soul, heart and walk with the Lord. They are not wrong, they are simply not helpful. The measuring stick must be more than, “It’s not wrong.” Is there any value in it? We are trading hours of our life for activities. You do not get those hours back. Was it worth the time and was any good accomplished? Profitable implies value. Encouragement is value. This is why going to worship and sitting through sermons and classes in which you already know the material is still valuable because you are helping others. Taking the time to read things that will build your faith is profitable. Taking moments to call, write and help others is profitable. What good or what value has come from what I have done? Having the right to do something doesn’t mean I should do it. There is more to be considered than is it right or wrong.

 

  1. Because it is lawful does not mean I have to do it. I will not be mastered by anything. In a world that understood masters and slaves, Paul is talking about control. I will not be controlled by anything. I am at the steering wheel of my life. Habits, hobbies, activities can be a part of our lives or they can be our lives. We can control them or they can control us.

 

Let’s focus upon this last expression, “I will not be mastered by anything.” When someone says, “I couldn’t help it,” that certainly sounds like they are mastered by it. How do we keep from being controlled or mastered by anything?

 

  • A person must put Christ before all things. This includes denying himself. This includes taking up his cross.

 

  • A person must develop self control. Peter listed self control among the virtues that a disciple was to add to his faith. The control of self. Controlling our anger. Controlling our passions. Controlling our mouth. Self control comes from making deliberate decisions. It comes from thinking and not impulse. It comes from acting and not reacting. Many struggle right here. They are out of control. When angry, they erupt and explode. When upset, they are likely to say anything. Rash. Impulsive. Out of control. They often must go around and apologize for all the damage that they caused. “I wasn’t thinking,” becomes a regular motto for someone who lacks self control.

 

  • A person must be in charge of his decisions. He must make up his mind ahead of time, like Daniel did. He must know what he ought to do. The words temperate, blameless follow one who is not mastered by anything.

 

Our words, our emotions, our attitudes are what gets us into trouble so often. We just don’t think. We forget James’ words, “be slow to speak” and “slow to anger.” For many, it’s just the opposite. Quick to talk and quick to get mad, not only leads to all sorts of trouble, but it indicates that circumstances and situations control us. We are mastered by the moment.

 

Believing that “we can’t help it,” surrenders the power of this passage. Paul said, “I will not be mastered by anything.” Yet, today, “We can’t help it.” Why not? Why have we become mastered? Why have we allowed ourselves to be controlled by the moment? Why have we no more will power and spiritual faith to walk away, not say what comes to our mind, keep silent, and refrain from making a fool of ourselves. Mastered. Controlled. A life of purpose. Decisions made on purpose.

 

These words are part of a heart that is set on Christ. He will not be moved from that. He may be hurt. He may get upset. He may be accused. But in all of that, he will not be conquered by his feelings, emotions, passions or attitude.

 

I have heard old, old stories of physical fights taking place in the church building. Really? Out of control. I have witnessed ugly finger pointing and angry shouting taking place when people were upset. I have known people to leave so mad that they have slammed doors, made threats, and even considered suing others. Out of control. Mastered by emotions. Likely to say and do anything. And most times, leaving a trail of destruction that is long remembered and hurtful to the faith of others.

 

I will not be mastered by anything. Can you say that? Can you live that way? Can you leave your phone in another room and have a conversation with someone? Can you miss a ball game? Can you go a day without TV? Who is in control? Who is the master?

 

I will not be mastered by anything—except Christ.

 

Roger