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Jump Start # 104

Posted on May 27, 2010 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 104 

1 Peter 1:8 “and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,”

  Peter in his opening sentences of his letter reminds the brethren of the great value of their faith. This was important. Their faith was being tested, as if in a fire, by persecution. Genuine faith would last. What is right and what is true withstands the pressures from family, governments, or opposition.

  Twice in our verse Peter states “you have not see Him.” Peter could not say that. He HAD seen Jesus. He was one of the chosen. He was one of the three who saw Jesus transfigured. He was one of the three who saw Jesus raise Jairus’ dead daughter. He saw Lazarus come out of the grave. He saw the multitudes fed with a few loaves. He was the one who walked on water toward Jesus. He was in the garden and drew the sword when Jesus was arrested. He was in the court yard while Jesus was being tried. It was the resurrected Jesus who instructed Mary to go tell Peter. He came. He looked into the empty grave. He later saw the Lord. He witnessed Jesus ascending into Heaven. Peter saw it all. He knew what Jesus looked like. He heard His voice. He traveled with Him. He asked Jesus questions. The memories were long. Some were not pleasant. Jesus rebuked Peter and called him Satan after Peter said Jesus would never die. The Lord said Peter had little faith when he doubted and fear overcame him as he walked on the water. Then there was the look Jesus gave Peter after he denied the Lord three times. That caused Peter to weep bitterly.

  The brethren Peter were writing to did not have a history with Jesus like Peter did. It was not first hand. They never saw Jesus. They heard about Him from those who did see. Even though they did not see, they loved Jesus and they rejoiced greatly because of Jesus. Their knowledge of Jesus was faith based. They knew Jesus, understood Jesus and loved Jesus.

  We are like those people. We have not seen Jesus, yet we love Him and rejoice greatly because of Him. We have come to believe, as these people did, the testimony and message of those who did see Jesus. We walk by faith. It is not a blind faith, but a factual and trustworthy faith. In a court of law, one person in the room may have been a witness to the crime. The testimony of that person can be enough to convict someone of the wrong they did. The witness will be question and cross examined. Their evidence will undergo intense and thorough investigation and in the end if it stands, the defendant will be found guilty. The evidence of one witness. Our faith examines, investigates and studies the evidence God provided. Is the Bible reliable? Did God write it? Did the things about Jesus really happen? Are there other possibilities? Are the witnesses credible? Do their stories match? Is it true?

  Though you have not see Him, you believe. You believe as if you were there. You believe so sure that you are willing to be persecuted. You believe so much that you will not back done or turn away. Faith. There is a song similar to this passage that says we did not see…yet we believe!

  Is your faith absolute? Are you certain? Do you know, even though you weren’t there? God wants you to. He has provided not one, but many witnesses and strong evidence so you, like these people, can love Jesus even though you have never seen Him.

Roger

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Jump Start # 103

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 103 

Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

  This verse is a conclusion and summary. Chapter 11 listed the great heroes of faith. Sixteen specific names are listed with a brief history of how they walked “by faith.” They all gained approval by faith. They all suffered in one way or another. They make up that great cloud of witnesses that surround us. Our chapter begins with the admonition to lay aside the sin and encumbrance which seems to tangle us up and trip us and run the race with endurance.

  The race is run by fixing our eyes on Jesus. Look to Jesus. Look what Jesus went through. Look how He endured. You see the torture. You see the pain. You see the death. But look beyond that. Do you see the victory? Do you see the joy of the Father?

  Have you ever run a race? The runner can’t do well if he is looking who is behind him, nor can he succeed if he is looking down. He must hold his head up. He must see where he is going.

  Problems have a way of making us look down and only see the agony of our life. We feel overwhelmed and defeated. We struggle to keep our heads up. But we must. We must keep our eyes on Jesus. I like the word “fixing our eyes on Jesus.” Ancient mariners did not have radars and GPS systems to guide their ships. They used the sun and the stars. They fixed their position on those stars. Varying from this meant they would be off course and often in danger. The same is for us.

  How should we act? Fix your eyes on Jesus. How should we respond? Fix your eyes on Jesus. What’s the best course of action? Fix your eyes on Jesus. Do you see that pattern. Jesus is the answer. Jesus is the way. It isn’t hard, but it is. We fix our eyes on our self and then do things based upon how they make us feel. Happiness is what many fix their eyes on. Anything that makes them happy. Others fix their eyes on what is popular. Their friends tell them what they ought to be doing, and so they do it. What is in, is in for them.

  Fix your eyes on Jesus. What do you see when you do that? You see one who loved you and cared enough about you to give up His life so you could have a life. You see one who always did everything right, every time. You see one who knew what He was supposed to do and He did it.

  Eyes on Jesus. It’s easier to say that than it is to do that. We watch traffic. We watch the news. We see things to be done today. We see debt. We see laundry. We see yards to be cut. We see calendars full of appointments. We see vacation days coming up. We see pounds that need to come off. We see wrinkles in our faces. But so often, we fail to see Jesus. To see Jesus you must look internally, spiritually. You see Him by choice. You must want to see Him. He’s there if you are looking. You see Him through the Scriptures. You see Him by faith.

  Fixing your eyes on Jesus. It becomes a beautiful world full of promise and hope when that is done. Try it today. Don’t take your eyes off of Him.

Roger

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Jump Start # 102

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 102 

2 Peter 2:14 “having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children.”

  In our passage, Peter is giving a detailed description of false teachers that preyed upon the souls of the early Christians. It is a lengthy look into the character, heart and motive of these evil people. Peter calls them “unreasoning animals,” “they are stains and blemishes,” “forsaking the right way.” Peter acknowledges that if God did not spare angels when they sinned, neither will these false teachers be spared. The warnings are stern and serious.

  God does not tolerate the mishandling of His word for any reason. Some do it to get a crowd to follow them. Some do it because they want the sinful way to be the right way. And what happens is they turn God’s way upside down and inside out and wrong appears right and right appears wrong. Those who don’t know, get all mixed up, confused and generally become lost once again. How sad! How tragic! Our salvation is based upon continually walking with the Lord.

  Our verse today is a look into the soul of these false teachers. Peter exposes what is in their eyes and heart. The picture isn’t pretty. Their eyes are full of adultery that never cease from sin. This is similar to Noah’s day when the people sinned continually. Back then, every thought was evil continually. Here, they never cease from sin. “Eyes full of adultery,” what a descriptive expression. I have heard people say that they had red eyes, tired eyes, sand in their eyes, but never heard anyone that had eyes full of adultery. Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, said, “everyone who looks at a woman  with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into Hell” (Mt 5:28-39).

  Eyes full of adultery. Suggestive shows on the TV, immoral movies, immodest clothing, inappropriate web sites feed the appetite of those whose eyes are full of adultery. They look for the wrong. They thrive on the wrong. God approves of sexuality within the parameters of marriage. God made us with passion, feelings and the desires that are fulfilled in sexuality. Those whose eyes are full of adultery are not concerned about parameters, God, rules or what is right. They pervert, corrupt and abuse. They are selfish. They are set on doing what they want to do, not what is right, nor what God has said. They justify such behavior by saying “I can’t help it,” or, “I’m just a normal person.” In their twisted eyes and hearts, they do not know what “normal” is anymore.

  It is hard for righteous people to understand how some people can only think bad, see evil and corrupt everything that is good. You hear their loud and obnoxious voices at ball games. They shout filthy and immoral things without any reservations. Those that are close enough to hear, laugh and join in the immoral thinking. The righteous are embarrassed and offended. “Have they no decency” we wonder? And the answer is, “No.” Their eyes are full of adultery that never cease from sin. Crude talk happens at work. Somehow it finds a gathering and others join in with hearty approval. Weak brethren can be the source of this sometimes. It should never happen, but it does.

  God doesn’t approve. He never will. It is during these dark moments that our lights shine the brightest. Don’t be a part of such baseness. Stop it when you can. Walk away. Pray for strength. There are many folks whose vision needs checked by Jesus Christ.

Roger

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Jump Start # 101

Posted on May 24, 2010 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 101

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

  Our passage today is a statement that comes from Jesus. The disciples were worried about Jesus. They had urged Him to eat (v. 31). Jesus responded by saying that He had food they didn’t know about (32). This prompted them to discuss among themselves whether or not anyone brought any food for Jesus (33). Realizing that they were not getting it, Jesus tells them that His food is to do the work His Father sent Him to do (34). Then comes our verse.

  Food is nourishment, substance and energy. A person can’t go long without food. Our stomachs tell us when it is time to eat. A baby will cry any hour of the night when it is ready to eat. For Jesus, His nourishment, substance was to fulfill God’s will. That is what He came to do.

  The verse today fits in this reasoning. Jesus is telling the disciples now is the time. A farmer realizes that there is a planting season and a harvest season. The carpenter, Jesus, is telling the disciples that the harvest He has in mind isn’t based upon the calendar. Typically the famer must wait several months after planting before the crops have grown, matured and produced the product to harvest. We understand that in here in the Ohio Valley. One doesn’t plant corn in May and then harvest it in June. That is not enough time for it to grown and mature. In this passage, harvest was still four months away. It wasn’t the season for harvesting. But in one of the greatest expressions in the Bible, Jesus says to “lift up you eyes.” The fields were white. The fields were ready. It was harvest time even though the calendar didn’t say so.

  The harvest Jesus has in mind is the work of God. Now is the time. The fields are ready. The harvest is teaching the word of God. Far too many Christians and far too many congregations have given up on this. The cry today, “no one is interested.” And because of that we quit. Churches dwindle, brethren get discouraged, and hope is lost.

  What’s the solution? “Lift up your eyes” is what Jesus says. Don’t give up. Don’t say it’s not the right time. “Lift those eyes up.” It may be that we are not seeing a harvest because our eyes are not lifted up. Look about your family? No one to teach? No one to encourage? No one to invite? Look about your school, your work place, your neighborhood? Do you see the crops are there to be harvested?

  Now, how you do this is everything. So go at this negative and backwards. They say, “You probably don’t want to come to church with me do you?” and asking it that way, they will say, “probably not.” Some folks need an invite. Others need a CD of a lesson given to them. Some need a copy of a Jump Start emailed to them. Others need someone to answer some questions they have. We are blessed with so many Harvest tools in this congregation. Our jobs are not to polish these tools and line them up on the barn wall, but rather, get them out in the fields. Get some dirt on these tools. Use these tools. Be natural. Be kind. Think about what you’d want someone to say to you. But the harvest is ready. The pickings good. We just have to lift up our eyes. Too often, we’re looking at our selves too much. Or, we’re looking down too often. Open eyes is the key. There are things we all can do. It starts with a prayer. Pray for opportunity or open eyes. Pray for wisdom to know what to do best. Then get at it. Look about you today. I’d expect you’ll find some areas to get the Harvest tools out and start working. Open eyes!

Roger

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Jump Start # 100

Posted on May 21, 2010 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 100

2 Timothy 4:22 “The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.”

This will not be a typical Jump Start. We’ve hit a milestone— today is Jump Start number 100. That’s a lot. I want to pause at this one and let you know what is going on behind the scenes with our Jump Starts and to ask you if you want to continue on. Often when something starts, the novelty of a new thing is exciting, but then the “newness” wears off. The new car smell goes away, as they say. I am interested in knowing how many are still reading these. If you get a chance drop me an email (Rogshouse@aol.com) and let me know. It does take time to write these and if our time is better spent doing other things then we should. I want this to be something that folks want to read and not feel like they have to.

  I will say from a personal perspective I have been amazed at how the Lord has blessed me with clear thoughts and insight into these passages. The writing of these has been easy and a delight for me. Now having said that, I’ll probably get the “writer’s block” next week.

  Here is what is happening with our earlier Jump Starts. The first book, on Proverbs, is being edited and will be printed in a week or two. We started with 250 of them and we are completely out of them. The second book, on Psalms, is getting the covers put on and will be available very soon. The third book, on Jesus, is in the layout stages. Then it will be edited, printed, and assembled. Hopefully, by the first of July it will be ready.

  The Jump Starts from this week most likely will not be put in a book form. I like having the three books to give to people to encourage and help. Long range plans are to set aside several just for families, “Starting with families.”

  Thank you for starting your day with me in these writings. And I thank our shepherds for supporting me in this venture.

  Now, on to our verse today. This is the last sentence Paul wrote through inspiration. He knew the end was near. Those famous verses, “the time of my departure is at hand…” are found just a few paragraphs before this. He knew he would soon be executed.

  But what an interesting way to say what he did, “The Lord be with your spirit.” We’d think, the Lord be with you, or you be with the Lord, or continue on with the Lord. Instead the Lord with your spirit. The word “spirit” has several meanings. It can mean our soul. It can mean life. It can mean attitude, we’d say, “the spirit of America.” In some ways, Paul may have meant all of these. It is the insides of us that shape the outsides of us. Our attitudes, our souls shape our behavior, our outlook and our purpose of life.

  The Lord be with your spirit. What a great comfort and help that is. That is a great statement to write in yearbooks, graduation cards, wedding cards and even to end phone conversations. It is great to say that to yourself as you go into work or the classroom. This reminds. This encourages. This brings value and helps us get our order in order.

  The Lord be with your spirit!

Roger