14

Jump Start # 733

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 733

James 1:26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.

There are three courses in life. There are those who are not religious and they know that. God has no place nor time in their lives. For some who are like this, they grew up that way. Their home life did not include regular prayers, Bible reading or going to worship services. That area of their life didn’t exist. Others in this category, may have started off believing, but some traumatic event in their life or a college science class took away all belief that they had. They do not consider themselves to be religious. They are not concerned about such things. Secular and material is the extent of their thinking.

 

Then there are those that James referred to in our verse today. They think that they are religious. These folks love God to an extent and may even go to worship services now and then. James calls their religion worthless. It’s worthless because they do not bridle their tongue. It’s worthless because their religion hasn’t changed him, challenged them nor moved them closer to God. It’s enough to soothe a guilty conscience but not enough to do any good. An “unbridled tongue” is a tongue that is out of control. Gossip and cruel words and a sharp tongue are characteristics of an unbridled tongue. A person may claim to be a Christian, but their tongue doesn’t agree. Their tongue reveals their true identity. They have fooled themselves. These are the ones who are convinced that they are saved. They claim they are saved but their tongue leaves everyone else wondering. How sad and pitiful to have something that is worthless, especially a religion. Years ago land was sold to innocent people believing that there was gold and oil on the property. There wasn’t. The land turned to be worthless. Others have bought investments that turned out to be worthless. A worthless religion—what a profound and cold statement. A worthless religion won’t help a person when they need help. A worthless religion will not get a person where they want to go—Heaven. A worthless religion may feel good and fit well and be very easy, but it’s not the religion of Jesus Christ. Often a person doesn’t know something is worthless until they try to sell it or use it. How sad to go through life with a worthless religion and then at the end, when you hope it will take you home to God, find out it was worthless.

The third course in life is true religion. That is defined in the next verse of James. It is a religion that works both on self and others. It is a religion that is not easy. Keeping oneself pure in an impure world isn’t an easy task. Taking care of others is demanding. It costs, time, money and energy. True religion shows it’s self today. It’s a busy religion. It’s a religion that is marked by changed hearts and a commitment to Jesus. True religion is based upon the Bible. It follows the Bible. It follows Jesus. It is a faith that imitates Jesus—in attitude, obedience and love. There’s no denying the true religion. It shows.

 

Three courses in life. You see all three each day. There are those who have no religion and it shows. There are those who have a worthless religion and it shows. And there are those who manifest a true religion and it shows. Those with no religion often complain about the rest who have religion. They can be demanding and pushy. Such is life without a moral compass and a direction to follow.

 

Three courses. Which one are you on? Do others know about it? Does it show? Is it making a difference in your life and those about you? Pure religion or worthless religion…make sure you’re pursuing the right one and for the right reasons.

Roger

 

13

Jump Start # 732

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 732

Numbers 11:6 “but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”

Israel was a complaining bunch. It seems that nearly every step of the way since they left Egypt, they found things to complain about. They were hungry. Then they were thirsty. Then they were tired of manna. Then they wished they were back in Egypt. Then they complained about the quail. This complaining was referenced hundreds of years later by the apostle Paul in the his letter to the Corinthians. When complaining takes place, contentment and thankfulness have gone out the window.

Ancient Israel wasn’t the only ones who complained. Americans are pretty good at that. We complain about the weather, politics, gas prices, long lines, and road construction. Some even complain about worship. They’ll complain about the sermon, the number of songs, how the songs were sung and things like that.

There is an interesting translation of our verse today. The New American Standard, which I typically use, states, “our appetite is gone.” The literal expression is, “Our soul is dried up.” That says it well. Dried up. Withered away. They were discouraged, unhappy and just about had it. But what could they do about it? Instead of praying, respectfully and humbly, they complained. Instead of falling to their knees, they raised their fists. Instead of asking, they demanded. Instead of being obedient, they became rebels. Dried souls tend to pick the wrong choices.

I’ve noticed as we head towards Thanksgiving, that it seems like we are bypassing that for Christmas. The holiday shopping and decorations have trumped the time to be thankful.

 

The land dries up when there is no moisture. Recently, I was at Tombstone, Arizona. That area is a dried up place. Barren. Brown. Desert like. Our souls get that way when we focus too much on us and not enough on God. We become that way when we complain and forget to pray or be thankful.

 

God took care of Israel. He always did. He fed them. He changed the menu. He protected them. He gave them water. One thing He couldn’t do is make them trust Him and believe in Him. Maybe God allowed Israel to be hungry for a while so they would fall to their knees. Instead they complained. Maybe He gave them only manna so they would get tired of it and ask Him for a change. Maybe God does the same to us? Maybe He wants us to trust Him more and complain less. Maybe He wants us to be more thankful for Him than what we are.

 

Dried up souls—what a great description of a people that demanded things of God. Trusting God has a way of keeping our soul fresh and alive and thankful.

 

Is your soul dried up? Do you tend to complain? Do you find that you are complaining more and more as you get older? Is contentment something that you have long forgotten? Maybe it’s time to look to God in thankful prayer. Maybe it’s time to get back to trusting Him. Maybe you need to read Numbers 6 and see what God thinks about complaining. Maybe we simply need to think where would we be without the Lord.

I went to hear a preacher last night, on a Monday night! The church building was packed. The singing was awesome. A dear friend preached. It was great. I’m so glad I went. It did me good. My soul was refreshed and watered with reminders of God’s goodness. Those kind of things will help you. Staying away from God and godly things will not help a dried up soul. Get around God’s people. Get to worship. Do some singing to God. Bow your head and really pray. Pretty soon, that old hard and dried up soul starts to become soft again. Soon, it can be shaped again. Soon it is usable again.

There’s not much use for a dried up soul. So, let’s complain less. No one wants to hear it, especially God. Let’s pray more. Let’s trust always.

Whenever I talk about complaining, I get the sense that I’m complaining about complaining! Hope not. Keep that soul watered! It’ll make a difference in your day!!

Roger

 

12

Jump Start # 731

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 731

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Changes are always difficult. We like the familiar. Changes always bring in the uncertain and the unknown. There is much to be afraid when one doesn’t know what will happen. Our passage introduces several important changes that ancient Israel faced.

First, Moses was dead. For the  past 40 years, Israel woke up every day with Moses at the helm. Moses led them out of Egypt. It was Moses who faced Pharaoh. It was Moses who was the instrument of the ten plagues. Now Moses was dead. Joshua was in charge. Would people like Joshua? Would they compare Joshua to Moses? Would Joshua be as strong and sure as Moses was? Who can fill  the shoes of Moses? Joshua was good, but he was no Moses. There was much to be unsure about.

 

Second, Israel was now ready to take the promise land. There had been many funerals in the wilderness. The generation of adults who left Egypt died. Their children had grown up and they were the people who would enter the promise  land. This was a huge new chapter for the nation. They knew someday they would do this. Now it was here.

 

Third, in taking the land, Israel would drive out all the inhabitants. That meant fighting. Wars were on the horizon. Wars are scary. Wars involve death. They would fight fortified cities. They would fight people who were defending their home land. Could Joshua and these people take on such a huge task?

Our passage is one of assurance. Earlier God said, “Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you (v. 5).” God had a history with these words. He had proven Himself. When the Egyptians chased Israel, God delivered them. When they were hungry, God fed them. When thirsty, God provided water. God never failed. God could be counted upon.

I think we need to focus upon these words and thoughts. God doesn’t fail. God is with us. God will not  forsake us. Many folks were disappointed with the outcome of this past election. It involved much more than Republican ideology and Democratic thinking. Core Biblical values and spiritual implications divided these two groups. What happens now? We serve the Lord, as we always have.

God will not forsake you. God will not fail you. God can be counted upon. We do not see the large picture in national politics. God sees things we do not. God has plans that we do not  know. Remembering what the New Testament teaches about respecting governmental leaders, we must watch our attitudes and our tongue.

 

God will not fail you. Is the same true of us? Can God count upon us? Will we be there to support, teach and defend the Gospel? Will we continue to be salt and light? Will we continue to walk by faith or will we become negative, fearful and consumed with worry?

Will the days ahead be dark or bright? Are good days ahead of us or difficult days? Either way, God will not fail us and we must not fail Him!

 

Roger

 

05

Jump Start # 726

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 726

Acts 24:25 “But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find the time I will summon you.”

 

We had a time change yesterday. We call it, “fall back.” It’s when we turn our clocks back one hour. Most like that day. An extra hour to sleep in. It’s hard to realize how many clocks a person has until they have to go around are reset them. Time is an important part of our lives. Our world surrounds itself around time. We are to be at a certain place at a certain time. Games start at a certain time. There is a time that my favorite show comes on TV. We get out of bed at a certain time. Even our church services begin at a specific time.

 

Some are real good at keeping time, others are always late. Time has become a part of our vocabulary. There is “half-time”, “part-time,” “full-time,” “solar time,” “over-time,” “time-out.” We speak of running out of time, needing more time, can’t find the time, and “look at the time.” The busier our lives are the more conscious we are of time. When you have to be somewhere at a specific time, keeping an eye on the time is essential.

Our verse speaks about time. Paul had been arrested and was in prison. He would eventually be sent to Rome. In the mean time, he was brought out to speak to Felix. On this occasion, Paul discussed three things. These are important things. He didn’t talk about how the Romans were doing in war. He didn’t ask about politics. He didn’t talk sports. Three topics. All connected together. All involve our relationship with God. All require personal responsibility. These three things we ought to discuss with our family and friends.

 

1. Righteousness. This is the state of being right. Only God can determine and declare a soul to be right. Jesus said to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Mt 6:33). Righteousness is opposite of “wrongness” or wickedness. God wants all of us to be right. There is only one way to be right with God and that is to obey Him.

 

2. Self-control. Interesting topic to bring before Felix. Self-control is the control of self. Many things fit under the heading of self-control. Controlling our anger or temper heads the list. An angry leader will lop off the head of someone who disagrees with him. That’s not good leadership skills. Self-control includes our mouth. Some folks are too “mouthy.” They talk too much. They share too much. They reveal too much. Facebook is becoming a big problem with this. Too many air personal and private feelings that should not be read by the world. We teach our kids in Bible class the song that says, “Be careful will mouth what you say…” Adults need a newer version of this. “Be careful little fingers what you type…” Self-control includes lust and passion. There is a place for intimacy and it is in marriage. Before marriage one gets in trouble  if passion is allowed to run wild and free. Self-control. Many of us need that. Felix did.

 

3. The Coming Judgment. This is why the first two topics matter. We need to be right and we need to be in control because there is a judgment coming. Without a judgment, those things do not matter all that much. Jesus is coming. Matthew 25 teaches that. The apostles preached that. We will be judged. We will stand before God. Mercy and grace will come to those who have believed and trusted God. Without mercy, no man can face the judgment with confidence. All will be judged. There is no escaping it.

 

When Felix heard those things he became “frightened.” That’s something. We don’t “scare” many with our teaching and preaching any more. We’ve softened it and made it nice so none are offended. Not Paul. He laid it out there just as plain as it could be. He didn’t try to win points with Felix. He told him. Felix got scared. When was the last time talking about the Bible scared you? Maybe we’d be a better people if we were scared more.

 

Then Felix brings up time. He says, “When I find the time, I will call you.” He was mistaken. We never find time. Have you ever gotten up in the morning and found a couple of hours sitting on the kitchen counter? Never. We make time. We squeeze things in for time. We never find time.

 

The KJV uses the expression, “more convenient time.” Christianity isn’t “convenient.” It demands of our heart, time and energy. It’s not convenient, not at all. There are convenient stores. Some places will open up more check out lines when crowded to be convenient. There are machines that make things more convenient for us. But there is no convenience with Christ. He demands to be first in your life. He won’t settle for second. Not at all. His way must be the way. He demands to be Lord of your life. He’s not just a divine option. His way or nothing. We need to get this.

The “Felix” of our times are looking for a convenient faith and a convenient church. They want something easy and nice. They want something comfortable and satisfying. A nice church building. A nice audience. A nice message. And a nice commitment. Nothing over the top. Nothing too heavy. Nothing that is going to make a person make a lot of changes. Nice. Convenient.

 

Remember, that Old Rugged Cross wasn’t very nice nor convenient. It wasn’t sanded smooth. It wasn’t polished with a nice finish. It was rough hewn lumber that would put many splinters into our hand if we rubbed across it. There wasn’t anything pretty or nice about the cross. He went there for us. Remember that.

Convenient time…convenient faith…convenient church…or righteousness, self-control and coming judgment. A faith that makes demands. A faith that makes some frightened.

 

Don’t settle for what is easy, nice or convenient. Settle with God.

Roger

 

02

Jump Start # 725

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 725

Colossians 2:2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,

One of the blessings of being a Christian is the fond friendships one makes with other Christians. Because of Jesus Christians are connected and part of a massive spiritual family worldwide. Each of us has a story. Each of us have obeyed the Lord. Each of us are engaged in the greatest work of all time, the kingdom of God. What a blessing that is.

 

Paul identified the connection brethren by saying “their hearts are knit together.” Their hearts were connected. They were joined together. We call this relationship “fellowship.” Fellowship is not about eating a meal but the sharing and exchanging we have with other Christians.  The same word for fellowship is also translated “partnership.” The word is also translated “harmony.” We understand those words. Partners in business work together. Singing harmony means singing with someone. There is no solo in harmony. These words are about doing things with others. Partners…harmony…fellowship…knit together—Paul is on to something big. Our connection with other Christians is unlike anything else, except family, which is another term God uses to define our relationship with each other.

 

Paul’s point is that we are connected. It’s like running in a three-legged race. You and your partner put a leg in the same sack or have your legs tied together. The race begins. To keep from falling in a three-legged race, each partner has to be in step with the other partner. It takes unison to get any distance. Now the same happens in the church. We must step together. Paul told the church in Thessalonica to discipline the brother who walked contrary. That word means “out of step.” He wasn’t doing what the rest were doing. You see that in the first few days of marching band practice. The band steps forward with the right foot, but one kid starts with his left foot. He’s out of step. He’s out of sync. He’s walking contrary to everyone else. He’s not in harmony, unison,  fellowship with the rest. Fellowship is about togetherness not independence. Fellowship is about being knit together. We need this. We need one another. The journey to Heaven can see long and lonely at time. Temptation can knock often on the door of our heart. With others, we are encouraged. With others, we stop and pick each other up when we fall. With others, the work doesn’t seem so over whelming.

This all leads us to an important thought:

 

What we do affects everyone else. We are connected. We are family. If they are turning right and I’m turning left, something bad will soon happen. What we do affects the church. The immoral Christian in 1 Corinthians 5 was having sexual relations with a family member. I doubt that it was taking place during worship. It was happening at home. That was affecting the church. Influence was questionable. Talk would follow. Their purpose seemed to be lost. What he did, even at home, affected the rest.

 

Hearts knit together reminds us that we need to be thinking of others. Hearts knit together reminds us that we are not alone in this work and journey that we are on. Hearts knit together teaches us that there are others who are counting on me and I am counting on them. We need each other. To pull us apart would be to rip and ruin what was knitted. Together we are strong. By ourselves, we may not make it.

To be knit together in love means that I have to stop being so selfish and become a team thinker and a team player. This is hard for many of us. We like our way. We think our way is the best. When others make suggestions, we want to shoot down that idea. Do it our way, is our thinking. We campaign for our idea. We convince others that our way is the best way. Sometimes it is. Often, it’s not. Knit together…remember? We need others…remember? We are not in this alone…remember?

Talking down about others in the church isn’t being knit together. Being negative about others isn’t being knit together. Together…all different colors, woven together to make a beautiful garment. Different talents…different backgrounds…different experiences…but through Jesus, blended together into an amazing and brilliant garment. It’s not the material that makes it so special. It’s the weaver who put it all together. Knit together—that’s what happens when we allow Christ to work with us.

 

And what the world sees, is a beautiful group of Christians who love, care and support one another! Knitted together…

Roger