17

Jump Start # 3392

Posted on August 17, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3392

1 Timothy 5:13 “And at the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and merely idle, but also gossips  and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention.”

In this section of the letter to Timothy, Paul gives instructions about which widows the church can help financially. Not anyone and everyone will be helped. Some have family and that’s where help needs to start. Some are young and need to marry. Some are not making wise choices. This is where our verse is found.

There are layers of lessons here. Do you see them?

First, they learned to be idle. That’s not a good thing to put on your resume. Moses tells us to learn to number our days. Paul said he learned the secret of being filled and going hungry. Jesus invites us to learn from Him. But here, it’s idleness. Notice the flow of words. They were idle, yet they were going from house to house. They were idle yet they were busybodies. Idle is not staying in bed all day. It’s a lack of spiritual activity. Going from house to house is not a bad thing if one is taking food, encouraging or teaching. Here, they were spreading gossip. They were pulling brethren down and not building up. And, of all things, they learned this. One wonders if they saw this being done by others. If others did it, why couldn’t they? Some help the church in the worst way. Some are never happy unless they are miserable.

Second, a person will learn what they want to learn. I have a friend who listens to podcasts about ancient Rome. He knows the Caesars and that history. He wants to learn that. Someone that wants to learn to fly a plane, will do just that. Someone that wants to learn the will of God, can. Why did they learn to be idle? Was that a required class in school? No. They were not strong spiritually. Weak tends to attract weak. Rather than learning how to be productive and useful to the Lord, they learned how to do wrong. Gossip is one of the things that God hates.

You want to learn the Bible? You can. You want to learn to lead singing? You can. You want to learn how to better yourself? You can. But, if you want to learn to be a bump on a log, you can. If you want to learn how to be hurtful and mean, you can.

The Ephesians were told to “Learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”

Third, they were talking about things that it’s not proper to mention. In our culture, there would be a TV show focused upon the unmentionables. Some people are just not decent. Some people don’t know when to close their mouths. Some get into all kinds of trouble because they are out of bounds with God and His people.

The unfruitful deeds of darkness are disgraceful even to mention. That’s what the apostle wrote to the Ephesians. Don’t dwell upon the wrong. Don’t focus upon the wrong. Don’t major in the things that are wrong. There are times we need to be innocent as doves, as the Lord says.

Fourth, our verse, these words, were not describing those of the world, but those who were supposed to belong to Christ. When Paul wrote the second letter to Timothy, he warned that a time would come when itching ears would have no patience or tolerance for the truth. They would rather spend their time chasing myths and error. Is there a link between gossipy busybodies and itching ears? Could it be that some never were converted in their hearts? Some like the idea of Jesus. Some definitely want the hope of Heaven. But, day to day, they do no live for Jesus. Day to day, they are doing what the world is doing. Day to day, they are helping the devil.

It’s easy to allow those who do not get it to discourage us. It is easy to focus upon the problems. It is easy only to see what is wrong and fail to see all the hearts that love the Lord. Remember, some walked away from the Lord. He didn’t give up. Nor, can we.

We can try to encourage others to do what is right. We can invite others to come along with us and help others. We can stop gossip by not having anything to do with it. We can remind ourselves that we are disciples of Jesus.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus. That’s what we must do.

Roger

16

Jump Start # 3391

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3391

NOTE: Many have been using our Jump Start book about Jimi as a tool of evangelism. They have been sharing them with family and friends who are not Christians. If you would like more copies of the Jimi book to pass on to others, contact me: Rogshouse@aol.com. Be sure and INCLUDE your mailing address.

Luke 16:24 “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.”

We were recently walking through this section in a Bible class. The class is entitled, “What happens at the end,” and we were looking at what happens to us at the end of our lives here. The rich man and Lazarus—opposites in life and opposites in death. So many powerful lessons can be pulled from this. Is this a true story or a parable? Many compelling arguments to support either view. However, don’t lose the big picture here. The rich man was in agony because of the choices he made in life. Lazarus was in comfort because of the choices he made in life. Their successes or failures in the cultural arena had nothing to do with their outcome in the spiritual realm.

Every time I visit this passage, I see things I’ve missed before. And, once again, this is true from our passage today. The rich man was wanting in the afterlife what he never gave to Lazarus while on earth. He was looking for some mercy.

Our passage shows the rich man still thinking about himself and still demanding others. For Lazarus to cool off the rich man’s tongue would mean that Lazarus would have to journey to torment. The rich man was not asking to come up, but for Lazarus to come down to him.

And, in this we find some great observations for us:

First, even in tragic situations, some do not get it. Not once does the rich man apologize to Lazarus. He can see him, but he can’t seem to ask him to forgive him. As in life, as in death, the rich man is still only thinking of self and seems to be demanding and barking out orders. Send Lazarus down here with a drop of water. Send Lazarus back home to tell my family. The rich man may have gotten away with being pushy, bossy and demanding in life, but it isn’t working for him in death. Lazarus isn’t going anywhere. Abraham won’t have it.

Second, the rich man neve says, “Lazarus, I’m happy for you. I’m glad you finally found the comfort that you needed.” Nope. None of that. His concern is about himself and his family and no one else. Some can never be happy for someone else, because they can’t take their eyes off of themselves long enough to see what the other person received.

Third, Lazarus never speaks in this passage. The conversations are between the rich man and Abraham. The rich man seems to understand that Lazarus cannot do things on his own so he must seek the permission of Abraham. So, as our verse states, “Father Abraham…send Lazarus.” Abraham won’t budge. Lazarus isn’t going any place. The position, power and demanding ways of the rich man mean nothing on the other side. He no longer gets his way. He no longer can boss others around. He wants. He begs. He pleads. But no one is running to his side. No one is going to help him. Now, for the first time, he experiences what Lazarus felt like in life. No one to help. No one to intervein. No one to make things better.

Fourth, the rich man had no one to blame except himself. When the call is made to send Lazarus back home to his family, the request is refused. They have the Bible. He knew what Moses and the prophets meant. That’s all that was needed to avoid the terrible place he was in. He had the tools. He just didn’t use them. Maybe he was too busy. Maybe he thought all that was beneath him. Maybe he thought that was for the common guy. But his wealth, power and position didn’t help him after death.

And, today we will run into people just like Lazarus and just like the rich man. The car the rich man drives may catch our eye. The mansion he lives in may be impressive to us. The latest fashions. The expensive restaurants. Everyone envies the rich man. Lazarus might be the guy who lives in the small house in a neighborhood most wouldn’t want to live in. His work pays him by the hour. His hands are rough from manual labor. His Bible is old, worn and torn in places. But he carries that Bible. He carries it to worship. He carries it to his favorite chair to read at night. He carries it to work to read during lunch hour. He’s not fancy. Eating out for the Lazarus of today would be fast food. He’s poor. His retirement will be meager. He’ll never have what the rich man has. But he has something that the rich man won’t have, and that’s a heart that loves the Lord. The Lazarus of today will show up on a Saturday to help someone in the church. The Lazarus of today doesn’t use big words, he has no college degree that hangs on the wall, but he knows the Lord. His faith, his hope, his choices all reflect Jesus. In a crowd, he’s not noticed. Few go to him for advice. But the Lord knows him and he knows the Lord. And, he realizes what’s important is not the size of your house, but the size of your heart. It’s not how fancy the car is, but are you living for Jesus.

We have all around us, the rich man and Lazarus. And, this story is lived over and over in every generation. And, Jesus told this to those who loved money, were impressed with what impresses culture and who justified themselves.

And, we must wonder, what impresses us? And, more so, which of the two are we?

Roger

15

Jump Start # 3390

Posted on August 15, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3390

Deuteronomy 20:8 “Then the officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.”

In this section of Scriptures, instructions are given about going to war. Israel was to drive out the nations from the promise land. There were some exemptions that allowed some to return home rather than fighting. Having built a new house was one. Planted a vineyard without reaping the fruit was another. Being engaged and not married was yet another.

Then comes our verse. Yet, another exemption. Here it is about fear. God would rather the fearful one to go home than to discourage those around him. And, this tells us a lot about fear and discouragement, or fainthearted. It tends to spread. We see this in the home. Get one child scared and before long the others are scared. Fear and discouragement tend to spread.

So, the solution was simple. The scared ones are to go home. It seems that there would be some embarrassment attached to this. When everyone knew the armies were away fighting, and yet here you are back home, questions would be asked. Did you build a new house? Have you planted a vineyard? Are you engaged? When all of those were answered in the negative, there remained one more question. Why are you afraid?

Now, some thoughts for us:

First, leaders need to recognize that fear and discouragement spread rapidly through a group of people. This happens because people talk. They complain. They air their fears. This is true in a home, a business and a congregation. Get the rumor started in a plant that there are going to be layoffs and before the end of the shift everyone is wondering if they will have a job.

Sending the fearful home may have worked in the battles of Israel. It doesn’t work much today. One can’t stay home from worship because they are afraid. In fact, they need to be around the courageous and the faithful to overcome their fears.

Leaders need to recognize when the levels of fear and discouragement are elevated. One on one conversations will help. Strong lessons about trusting in the Lord will help. Remembering past victories with the Lord helps. Doing nothing, allows the ship to sink. Taking action in a positive fashion can turn things around and be very helpful.

Second, for those of Israel who went home scared, they had to admit it. That’s something most of us never do. We hate to admit failures, short comings and discouragements. We keep a good upper lip and press on. We wear masks which hide our true feelings. We don’t get help because we don’t seek it.

Third, Israel understood, even with fellow soldiers heading home, they could win the battles that they faced. It wasn’t their strength or military knowledge that would win these fights. It was the Lord that won the  wars for Israel. And, so it is today. The number on the attendance board doesn’t reflect the power, faith and strength that is in the Lord. Our victories come from the Lord.

Go home if you are scared. I wonder how many held up their hands. I wonder how many felt bad knowing their fellow soldiers were out in the fields, fighting great battles, while the scared were tucked in their beds at night.

Fear not—is an expression used over 300 times in our Bibles. The Lord said it often to the disciples. We need to be reminded of that. The scared head home. The scared give up. The scared are defeated. It’s the courageous that has the faith to move onward with the Lord.

Go home if you are scared. Wonder if I would have stayed or gone home? How about you?

Roger

14

Jump Start # 3389

Posted on August 14, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3389

Matthew 27:5 “And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.”

Our verse isn’t one of those cheerful passages that lifts our spirits and encourages us throughout the day. It’s not a verse that you’ll find on greeting cards or on a sign in someone’s home. Many would just as soon not know about this and leave it at that. God chose to put this in His recorded word for all time. One of the chosen ones, one close to Jesus, one who heard the words, and saw the miracles, disgraced the Lord and took his life.

As Judas returns the money he was given to sell out Jesus, he states, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” He knew. He knew what he did was wrong. He knew Jesus was right. He knew Jesus was innocent. Shame, remorse, guilt and regret can wreck our faith with the Lord. For some reason, parents are good at laying guilt upon their grown children. “You haven’t been by to see me in a long time,” they will say. We know that, but the added guilt just makes matters worse.

Guilt is a feeling and an emotion that comes from realizing that we have done something wrong. Judas realized it and Judas felt it. Like all feelings, emotions, they can have a productive and useful channel that helps us or they can flow over the banks, like a river, and cause a lot of damage. Guilt is that way. In the right channel, it can lead us to stepping up our game and improving ourselves. Guilt can lead to course corrections. But overcome with guilt, and one starts thinking about hurting themselves, as Judas did.

There is one major source that give us spiritual guilt.

First, is misunderstanding God. This is where the one talent man stood. He said, “I was afraid and went away and hid your talent in the ground” (Mt 25:25). Why was he afraid? He thought his master was a “hard man.” He explained it as, ‘reaping where you did not sow.’ Now, how would that work? If you didn’t plant, then you are not going to gather a harvest. The one talent man did not understand his master.

And, when we misunderstand God, guilt and shame surround us. Some see God as peeking behind a shrub with His spiritual radar gun pointed at us, just like the police might do on a highway. God is seen as just waiting to catch us doing wrong. This misunderstanding will make one nervous around God. It’s like talking to an English teacher and she stops and corrects you with every sentence you say. After a short time, you just quit talking because you feel that she will correct you again.

Others, view God like a high school football coach. He’s demanding. He is never pleased. More sprints. Faster time. More effort. More. More. More. Never satisfied and always wanting more. That’s how some see God. Read a chapter in the Bible today? Should have read two. Did something nice today? Should have done two more nice things.

And, with this misunderstanding about God, we are like the piano student who is trying her best to play every note perfectly. She cannot enjoy what she is doing, for fear that she’ll make a mistake. She is so focused upon perfection that she doesn’t like playing the piano. And, for some disciples, that’s where they stand with God. They can’t enjoy worship, fellowship, or their walk with God for fear that they’ll say the wrong thing, mess up somewhere, or simply forget something. Their journey with the Lord is laborious, intense, and hard. Duty has replaced desire and trying to please God has replaced the love of the Lord.

The problem with all of this is that we have manufactured that concept of God. You don’t see that in the Gospels. The thief on the cross—what did he know about Jesus? Not a whole lot. The Samaritan woman at the well, in John 4. Her life was a mess, yet she ran in excitement to tell others about the Messiah. The prodigal coming home, found love and favor from his father.

We try to impress God with perfection and we can’t.  Imagine your child drawing a stick figure of himself and you and an odd shaped heart telling that he loves you. Do you mail that picture to the local art gallery? You even have to ask him, “which one is you and which one is me?” But drawn in love, given in love, it makes your heart swell. Is it a good picture? Technically, no. But, save it and it becomes one of your treasured keepsakes.

The love and grace of God is what is extended to us. Does that mean we don’t have to try? Why would such an attitude even ask that question? Does that mean we can bring in the elephants to worship and turn it into a sideshow? Is that how we’d show our love to God? Would God love that? Stick figures is what we present, but it’s presented in love and meant to please our Lord.

Judas felt guilt. Had he raced back to the line marching Jesus to the city, falling to his knees and with tears in his eyes, saying, “I’m so sorry,” you know what our Savior would have done. He would have forgiven Judas. A broken and contrite heart God will not despise.

But Judas didn’t do that. He ended his life. And for thousands, since Judas, they have ended their faith and their walk with the Lord. Shame. Guilt. Remorse. Regret. So much, wrapped around a view of God that is not true and is not healthy.

God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…

Roger

11

Jump Start # 3388

Posted on August 11, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3388

Philippians 2:20 “For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.”

There is no one else. What a sad statement that is. Paul was sending Timothy. The young Timothy had a kindred spirit. Timothy would genuinely be concerned. Timothy would make a difference. The apostle was sending Timothy because there was no one else like him.

There are several thoughts that rush through my mind when I see that statement:

First, of all the brethren, there was NO ONE ELSE. Why? It may be that others like Apollos were busy in other places preaching. Titus. Silas. Mark. Tychicus. Luke. Prisca and Aquila. Epaphroditus. Sosthenes. Epaphras. These names are connected to Paul. But “no one else” had the spirit like Timothy?

Because of distance, travel and the need of the moment, it is not fair to say that only Timothy cared. How many were praying from different places? How many thought deeply about the Philippians?

It is easy for us to do the same within a congregation. Sick and in the hospital and only one comes by. Easy to assume that just that one person is the only one that cared. Some will go so far as to say “No preacher came,” or “No elder came.” And, from that we get worked up, steamed up and conclude that no one cares. Some will go so far as broadcasting that. Only one person came. Only one person cares. Be careful with that. Could it be that others were busy doing other things in the kingdom such as teaching, studying with some, helping others that you did not know about? How many were praying for you?

Only Timothy cares. Read deeper into Philippians and you’ll see that Epaphroditus was “longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick” (2:26). At the close of the letter Paul writes, “The brethren who are with me greet you” (4:21). That doesn’t sound like only Timothy cared.

Second, there comes a time when we must step up and do things because others cannot. Where’s Apollos? Likely in Corinth, trying to help the brethren there. Why not send someone else? Maybe no one else can go. Timothy could. Timothy would. Don’t wait for others. Don’t complain because no one else will or can. If you are in the spot to go, then go. But don’t be thinking less of others because they didn’t go.

Third, it is a blessing to find those who have a kindred spirit. The CSB uses the expression, “like-minded.” We think alike. We are similar in how we see things. Was that luck? Was that a rare coincidence? Likely, it came from being transformed by the Gospels. When one comes to Christ, their thinking changes. God-pleasing takes a high place on the list of things. Values. Definitions. Priorities. Motivations. Everything changes from the inside out. I know several who I could say are kindred spirits of mine. That kindred spirit is about spiritual things. It’s not liking the same baseball team, same foods, same tastes in movies, same attitudes about the weather. Those things really do not matter. It’s being of the same mind, a kindred spirit, spiritually.

Other places in the N.T. will find expressions like “one mind,” or, “one voice,” or, “same mind,” or, “intent on one purpose.” In marriage, the two become one. We don’t look the same. We don’t always like the same foods. But when it comes to one purpose, one goal, one intent, one heart, we are one.

Genuinely concerned, that’s what Timothy was. He went because he cared. We’ll do the same. We’ll pick up the phone and make a call. We’ll send a text. We’ll drop by with some food. We’ll ask the deep questions such as, “How are you doing with the medical bills?” We ask that with the intention of writing a check to help them out. We’ll sit and let the other person talk and talk and talk. We do that because we care.

Care that is not genuine is fake. It’s artificial. It’s a front. It’s shallow and empty. It won’t go out of the way. It won’t make any meaningful changes.

Paul was sending Timothy because he cared. He really cared. Do you think if you were there that Paul would have looked your way and said, “Will you go?” Do you show a kindred spirit that cares?

Timothy—he went because he could make a difference. We must do the same.

Roger