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Jump Start # 4191

Posted on November 2, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4191

Ephesians 5:17 “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

  I’ve been reading a book about Richard McNemar. It is a deep dive into the early American Restoration movement. McNemar was one along with Barton W. Stone at Cane Ridge who parted with the Presbyterians and sought to return to the New Testament way. In just a short while, McNemar got caught up with the Shakers and became one of their most important leaders.

The book is not a light read. There are 53 pages of footnotes. The bibliography is 13 pages long. This is a scholar’s book, referenced and documented heavily. Yesterday, as I was reading this, I came across the word “flummoxed.” A few pages later, McNemar is described as the “plenipotentiary” sent to deliver a message to one of the Shaker villages. I don’t think I have ever used those words in my life. I had a pretty good idea what they meant, but to be sure I had to look them up.

Flummoxed means to be bewildered or perplexed.

Plenipotentiary is a person, especially a diplomat, invested with the full power of independent action on behalf of their government, typically in a foreign country.

Those words are fitting the type of book I was reading. Scholars like to use words that most of us never use.

As I was thinking about flummoxed and plenipotentiary, I was reminded how simple the Lord’s sermon on the mount is. One doesn’t have to run to the dictionary with that sermon. Jesus spoke the language of the people. It is a masterful art to be able to take Bible concepts and principles and make them understandable and easy to grasp.

Our passage today reminds us that we can understand the will of God. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” The truth from Heaven is something that we can know. The Bible can be understood. As Peter preached, the crowds were amazed because they knew him to be untrained and not formally educated. His words were not over the heads of the audience. His words spoke to the heart of the listeners.

We ought to see some lessons here:

First, don’t try to be impressive. Let God’s word be what is impressive. Using words that few understand may make you seem intelligent, but it’s not you, but the word of God that matters. There is a place in understanding the words that God used, but without practical application most will forget what you said before you are even finished talking. Don’t let your advanced learning get in the way of God’s simple message. Making the complex simple and understandable takes more talent and effort than what most realize. Now, making the simple complex may make you seem educated, but if it confuses the audience, you have failed in your mission.

Second, speak the language of the people. Of all the languages in the world, Jesus spoke the words of the common Jew. Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is the longest word in the English language. It is the chemical name for titin. I have no idea how to pronounce it. No one I know uses that word. In the audience are all kinds of people, from college educated to those who are still in high school. Speak in such a way that they leave understanding the will of God. Explain and define words as God uses them. Be the bridge so people can come to God and know Him. The old expression, “hiding behind the cross” can be lost by the choice of words that we use.

Third, the use of parables, simple, common stories that the audience could understand put color and life to the principles that the Lord was teaching. What an example for us teachers and preachers. Long, complex stories that only a few get will confuse the audience and make them wonder what is this all about? Don’t forget that not everyone in the audience has seen the movies you may use as an illustration. Simple. Easy to understand. That’s the key to being a good teacher of God’s word.

In Nehemiah eight, as God’s word was being read, it was explained and made sense to the people listening.

Flummoxed…I’m perplexed that the author didn’t just say “perplexed.”

Roger

 

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Jump Start # 4190

Posted on October 30, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4190

Acts 14:19-20 “But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowd, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.”

The more I look at the suffering that our beloved Paul endured, the more I am convinced that he would have walked with a limp, had visible scars on his body, but would have had a heart of gold. How he endured is amazing.

Our verse, taken from the first preaching trip, or missionary journey as it is commonly called, has him stoned and left for dead. Some even suggest that he did die and that’s where the 2 Corinthian 12 story about going to the third Heaven took place. Two remarkable things come from this.

First, Paul got up and entered the city. The same city he was nearly killed in. The same city that persecutors dragged him out and left him to die. He didn’t gather an army and an arsenal of weapons and returned to the city and cleaned house on the criminals. He didn’t do that. How shocked some must have been to see Paul coming back into the city. God had not spared James the apostle. Paul had no assurance that his life would be spared. Beaten and bloody, Paul returned to the city.

Second, pages later, Paul is in Derbe and finds young Timothy who is well known by the church in Iconium, the very place where the persecutors were from. To take Timothy along would mean that his life would also be in danger. Yet, Timothy went. Timothy became mighty in the preaching of God’s word and Paul would send young Timothy to so many places to help strengthen and teach the brethren.

Our times doesn’t do well with inconveniences. We want things nice, easy and comfortable. We call our food, “fast food.” We want our chairs to be “lazy boys.” Self-check out in the stores. But, Christianity isn’t always fast, easy and convenient. Paul got up and returned to the city. Timothy was known in the town of the trouble makers.

We ought to see some lessons here:

First, it takes just a moment to create a giant mess. Working with people means patience, and patience and patience. Not everyone gets it right away. Leaving addictions is hard and the pull to go back to them is very strong. Leaders must have patience. Parents must have patience. The first quality of love is patience. Some lessons need to be repeated over and over. Some can only take baby steps and their journey is so slow. When we lack patience, we will give up too soon on some. We will become irritated with some. Christianity can be inconvenient.

Paul got up and returned to the city.

Second, learning is a process. The more baggage and troubles and error that one carries, the harder it may be to work through those things. There will not be one lesson that answers all questions. There won’t be one class that takes care of everything. Teaching and teaching and teaching is what we must continue to do.

Third, Christianity requires courage. Courage to get up and go back into the city. Courage to go with a beaten apostle. Courage to say the truth in love. Courage to draw the line and say “no.” Courage to admit that some are in error. Courage to say “We must follow the Lord.”

When we put friendships before Christ and our safety and well being before Christ, we will lack courage. We’ll hide our light that the Lord wants us to shine. We will find ways to blend in rather than stand out. We’ll have every reason not to get up and go back into the city as the apostle did.

Paul got up and returned to the city. Oh, to have such faith and love.

Roger

29

Jump Start # 4189

Posted on October 29, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4189

James 4:17 “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

 

Throwback Thursday: an article written from the past

 

  A Most Unusual Obituary

 

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

  • Knowing when to come in out of the rain
  • Why the early bird gets the worm
  • Life isn’t always fair
  • And maybe it was my fault.

 

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

 

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

 

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

 

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

 

Common Sense was preceded in death:

by his parents, Truth and Trust

by his wife, Discretion

by his daughter, Responsibility

by his son, Reason.

 

He is survived by his 5 stepbrothers:

I Know My Rights

I Want It Now

Someone Else Is To Blame

I’m A Victim

Pay me for Doing Nothing

 

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

Roger

April, 2016

 

 

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Jump Start # 4188

Posted on October 28, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4188

Mark 12:43 “Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury.”

  Our verse today comes from the account of Jesus watching what people put into the treasury. In the temple, there were large funnel shaped containers that people would put money in. The large contributors would stand there pouring their money in. Coins was the accepted way of contributing.

The KJV tells us that the poor widow put in two mites. It was the smallest coin and least in value. The word is “lepton” which amounts to about 1/64th of a days wage. The reality is that this is a picture of a nobody giving nothing. What she gave was unimpressive. What she gave wouldn’t make much difference to the temple. What she gave was needed more for her than the temple. In our times, it would be like a child putting a penny in the collection plate on Sunday.

But, our verse shows something that only God saw. Jesus said that she put in “MORE” than all the contributors to the treasury. Now, from an accounting standpoint, one might disagree with Jesus. When the books were tallied, the dollar amount from the rich would be much more than the two pennies or mites that the widow put in. When the day was over, and the money counted, the financial books would not show what Jesus saw.  Jesus wasn’t looking at this from an accounting standpoint. He saw this from a faith standpoint.

This was such a powerful gift that Jesus wanted His disciples to see it. He called them over and pointed out the powerful lesson of faith. The poor widow put the Lord before herself. This is a lesson Jesus had been trying to get the disciples to see. She needed every nickel, dime and penny she had. She trusted the Lord. She put the Lord before her own personal needs. This was a sacrifice of love and devotion. It’s not the size of the gift, but the largeness of the heart that Heaven notices. The Lord was impressed.

From this unnamed widow comes some lessons for us:

First, we need a faith that endures through obstacles and trials. It’s easy to be a Christian when everything is going well in our lives. But, what about the times when it is not? What happens when the storms of life roll in? What about the dark nights of fear? Knowing that God will get us through those times and that God will be with us is a faith that we need. A faith that shines when we are alone. A faith that is strong when we are with those who do not believe. A faith that compels us to do and to give when my thoughts are to stay home and save.

This poor widow didn’t make a scene. She likely was embarrassed about how small and pitiful her giving was. She could have justified in her mind, it won’t make any difference and they won’t even miss it and just kept the money to herself. She certainly needed it. But, her faith wouldn’t allow that. She knew the right thing to do. Do we have such faith?

Second, we need a faith that does what it can. Jesus must have been sitting there watching the contributors for a while. He saw what the rich had put in. He saw what this poor widow put in. The rich put in large sums. But, they wouldn’t miss it. They had plenty more to live on. Not so with this poor widow. Her contribution wouldn’t buy much if anything. However, she did what she could.

Much too often, we compare ourselves with others. I can’t lead singing like that guy, we tell ourselves. And, that’s enough for us to sit on the sidelines. I can’t preach like our preacher, so we don’t. I can’t encourage like those other folks, so we don’t. I can’t do what others do. But, the same could be said of this poor widow in Mark’s gospel. She couldn’t give what the rich were giving. We must stop comparing ourselves and ranking who is best at what. Just do what you can. It may not seem like much, but if it is driven by faith, God notices.

In Matthew 10, Jesus tells us that a cup of cold water given to one of the little ones is rewarded in Heaven. Notice, it’s not paying the water bill. It’s not giving a case of water. It’s not taking the water to the governor’s palace. An insignificant gift given to an insignificant person is remembered in Heaven. One cup of cold water to a little one. Don’t focus on doing the big things. Do little things. Do what you can do. Pick up a piece of paper that has been dropped on the floor. Open the door for someone coming in. Greet a guest with a smile and handshake. Send a card of thankfulness to someone. Little things matter.

Third, we need a faith that looks to the Lord first. That’s what this poor widow did. Had she looked at her bank account, what bills she had due and what the week ahead was going to be like, she may have kept the money for herself. But, she looked to the Lord first. How would she survive? She needed every penny she had. The Lord would take care of her. The Lord had been with her when her husband died. The Lord has been by her side on this long journey she has taken. And, the Lord will be with her now. Doors will open somehow. That’s how the Lord operates. A faith that doesn’t give God the left overs, but puts Him first. It was the first fruits that Israel gave to God. Seek first His kingdom. God first. God before my feelings. God before the ballgames. God before all things.

This poor widow became an example to the disciples. Jesus wanted them to see. Jesus wanted them to be like her. Jesus wants us to do the same.

Roger

 

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Jump Start # 4187

Posted on October 27, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4187

 

John 4:35 “Do not say, ‘There are let four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.’”

 Recently my wife and I took a hot air balloon ride in our area. Simply put, it was amazing. The sky was clear and so calm. I had to look down over the basket we were riding in to see if we were even moving. It was an adventure helping the crew fold up the deflated balloon and putting things away. The area we have moved to is city. Tons of houses and apartments springing up everywhere. Lots of cars, round-abouts, stores and just busy, busy, busy. It’s a faster pace than our little Lanesville where we moved from. It seems about every field around us is being made into housing additions or apartments. At least that’s what it seems like.

The ride in the balloon gave us a different perspective. I was amazed at how much open fields, farm land and woods are all around us. The view from the sky is a lot different than the view from the ground. And, right there is a powerful lesson about perspectives.

In our verse today, Jesus is telling the disciples to open their eyes. Don’t look at the calendar and think there is still four months until the harvest. Four months to do nothing. Four months to let slide by. Four months to be idle. The fields are white right now, the Lord declared. The fields are ready for harvest. Open your eyes and see.

Perspective comes to us in a number of ways.

First, experience gives us a perspective. This may be one reason that shepherds in the church are also referred to as “elders,” not meaning so much age, but experience. They’ve learned. They’ve seen things. They’ve got miles on them spiritually. While the younger crowd may get excited about something that seems to be new, the experienced has seen it before. It’s nothing new. It’s just the old repackaged, rebranded and offered to a new crowd. This is why the voice of parents sound alarm when their teens want to do something that they haven’t thought out very well. The teen has never been 25 years old before. The parents have. The teen has never paid a mortgage before. Parents have. Teens haven’t gone to college. Parents have. Teens don’t know what it’s like to work all day and then come home to deal with the house, kids, pets and bills. Parents have. Perspective.

Second, there is the heavenly perspective that all disciples need to develop. Down here things don’t seem so bad. Down here, keeping up with everyone else is what one does. Down here, getting the newest car, the largest house and the best vacations is what one does. Down here, things are crowded. But, the view from the sky, sure changes things. The view from Heaven reveals what is really important. Our walk with the Lord, our close fellowship with one another, our staying with God’s word, our hearts and attitudes that are shaped by God, that is what is important to Heaven. There are just a few times in the Gospels when Jesus “marveled.” We might use the word, “wow.” What caught the eye of Jesus was not a fast chariot, but rather, faith. Faith that would push one through a crowd to touch Jesus. Faith that would not take no but persisted in pleading for mercy. Faith that says, “Lord, you don’t have to come. Just say the word.”

The Heavenly perspective defines success differently than the world does. It’s not the age nor type of car you drive, but what drives your heart. What is your ambition? What are you after? Heaven notices a cup of cold water given to a disciple. Heaven notices hearts that care for others. The Heavenly perspective will shape the words and choices that one makes. Oh, to see things from Heaven down, sure opens our eyes. Death is not so fearful when one who is walking with the Lord has that Heavenly perspective.

Third, a lot of the things that bother us and upsets us, changes when we have a Heavenly perspective. Politics are just politics. It is the Lord it raises kings and is in charge. Prices, weather, traffic, co-workers, teams losing can just ruin some people’s day.  Those things can put some in a foul mood for a long time. The Heavenly perspective sees through those things. That’s not what life is about and those things change all the time. The Heavenly perspective will lead us to appreciate the beauty of God’s creation. It will cause us to enjoy the company of fellow disciples. It will fill our hearts with joy to spend time in worship.

Balloon rides are good to see things from a different perspective. Now, if we could only grasp that Heavenly view, wouldn’t we all be better off?

Roger