24

Jump Start # 1710

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1710

Matthew 25:21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”

 

This morning, I must write a funeral service for one of our members. I don’t “reuse” funeral sermons. Some do. They just pencil in different names. I think about the person and write something from scratch. The person who died was a sweet sister in Christ. She was a model member. Preachers would dream of having an audience full of people like this one. Always there. Always. Kind. Complimentary. Interested. Engaging. Encouraging. If we had worship services every day of the week, she would have been there. I’ve seen here every night of a Gospel meeting. I’ve seen her come to special Tuesday morning classes that I taught. She read everything that I wrote.

 

The hymn “A beautiful life,” comes to my mind when I think about her. Not so much the song, but the title.  She found and lived a beautiful life. Perfect? No. Could have made some different choices? Yes. Easy life? No. Trouble free life? No. A life without tears? No. But a life that was beautiful because of her Savior.

 

Our verse today, is one such reminder of that beautiful life. It comes from Jesus’ parable about the talents. It is a picture of the coming judgment. That thought, standing before the throne of God, giving an account to God, is enough to scare even the best among us. But here, in this brilliant lesson, we find two servants who pleased their master. They were given a task and they did it. They did it well. They did it knowing that they would have to show the master what they did with their lives. Could they have done more? Possibly. That doesn’t come up. The master, who is God, was pleased.

 

Three thoughts come from this:

 

First, the master complimented the slave. That seems backward in our way of thinking. It ought to be the slaves who compliment the master. It was the master’s money that he was given. He returned the master’s money, with more. He was simply doing what was expected. Yet, the master was pleased. He uses three expressions:

 

Well done: At the symphony, the audience stands at the end of the performance and some shout out, “Bravo.” The musicians stand smiling. It is possible to please God. It is possible to do what God wants. It is possible to do our job well. The applause of Heaven is given to those who do things right and do things well. Too many love to say, “we are not perfect people,” and with that they become satisfied with substandard work. They are convinced going into something, that they won’t do it well, so they don’t try very hard. This one, in Jesus’ story, did things well.

 

Good: He was a good servant. He was good because he got about his master’s work. He was good because he used his time and resources well. He was good  because he did good. Some think of a good plan, but they are short on the doing part. Remember, the one who is speaking these compliments is God. God is the perfect one. God is the one who never made a mistake. God is the one who never had to apologize. God is the one who never overstated things. The perfect One declares, “Good.” You are good.

 

Faithful: faithful to the task. You stayed with it. You were faithful to you master. You were faithful to the end. You got the job done. The master came and you were ready for him. You didn’t get sidetracked. You didn’t get your order out of order. You completed what you set out to do. Paul said, “I finished…I kept.”

 

Second, not only did the master compliment this servant, but he gave him more to do. I will put you in charge of many things. You were faithful in a few things. There is more. You have proven yourself. Now I can trust you. I am turning more over to you. I can count upon you. The servant wasn’t given a vacation. He wasn’t given a retirement party. He was given more to do. The master wasn’t finished with him.

 

Third, he was permitted to enter the joy of his master. The master was opening the door to some benefits and joy that he had not yet experienced. The master was sharing with the servant. In that world, it may have been the joy of sitting at the banquet table with the master. It may have been invited to a celebration with the master and the master’s friends. Food. Music. Fun times. And the servant, a servant, would be allowed to mingle, partake and enjoy with others. The others would have been friends and family of the master. He may have felt out of place. He probably didn’t belong there, but he was invited by the master. The master recognized  what the servant had done and he was rewarded. He was honored by the master. There was more than just kind words, there was the joy of the master. Enter in. Enter in to the joy of your master. That sounds like the master was standing at an open door and inviting the servant to come in. I want you in with me. God is inviting us in with Him.

 

A beautiful life. A life well lived. A life that leaves footprints and cherished memories for others. A life that touches others. A life dedicated to the master. A life, not burdened with rules and commitments, but a life of joy and happiness. A life lived with forgiveness. A life surrounded by the best people on the earth, God’s people. A life that lifts others. A life of praise. A life that made a difference. A life that many will miss. A life that pleased God. That’s what we are as Christians. It’s a choice. Sure it means sacrifices. Certainly it involves fighting Satan and putting others first. But it’s a life wrapped in grace and kindness. It’s a life of caring for others. It’s a life that is lived in the shadows of Jesus.

 

A beautiful life. One that was illustrated so well by our dear Betty Smith. A common name, but a not so common life. A name spoken by her Savior. A life that touched us here on earth and a life that is now experiencing the joys of her Master.

 

Well done, Betty. Thank you. You have made it easier for us to see what we all ought to be doing. You have illustrated this passage well for us. Your quiet manner, and your dedicated love to your Savior is noticed by us and Heaven. You have lived a “beautiful life.”

 

Roger

 

21

Jump Start # 1709

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1709

2 Timothy 2:2 “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

 

Passing the baton—it’s hard in relay races and it’s hard in life. As one generation ages, the next generation moves into the positon of taking over. We see this all around us. Some of the great Rock ‘n Roll legends are now in their 70’s. I saw an interview with Ron Howard. We remember him as little Opie on Mayberry. He looks like an old man now. No one confuses me with being a young preacher any more. There is a spiritual legacy that is important for all of us to realize. Often, we don’t. It slips upon us and before we know it others are being pressed into service, often without fully knowing what they are doing.

 

The thrust of what Paul is saying in this passage is about the message. Teach others what you have heard from me. The King James states this: “…the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” You teach faithful men who will be able to teach. From Paul to Timothy, to faithful men, to others. Teach the same thing. That thought is found throughout the N.T. Philippians 4:9 is a great example of this. Don’t be original. Don’t be different. Don’t be unique. Don’t try to find what no one else has ever seen before. Teach what you were taught. Teach what Paul taught. That very thought would suck the air out of what a lot of moderns are doing today. They are doing anything and everything except what you find in the Bible. They have fooled the crowds. Feelings are in and doctrine is out. Paul wouldn’t put up with much of this junk today. Teach what he taught.

 

But there is another lesson here as well. Not only should the substance be taught to others, but how about the methods of teaching. Often, we hand someone a class book and tell him to go teach. He may never have taught before. He may not know how to teach. I understand this personally. I was in two preacher’s training programs and yet, I was never taught how to teach. I was given an assignment and pointed to a classroom. Maybe this very reason is why many congregations struggle to find teachers. Maybe it would be good to teach others how to teach.

 

Let me share some simple thoughts with you.

 

First, the Sunday morning class and the Wednesday night class are different. It’s different with kids and it’s different with adults. With children, they are sleepy on Sunday morning. It’s hard to get them going. Some come late. It’s a mess. On Wednesday, those same kids have been to school, had sugar and they are bouncing off the walls. The approach may need to be different. With the adults, it’s just the opposite. Sunday morning, they are alert and ready to learn. On Wednesday evening, they are tired. It shows in their faces. Same people, but different attention spans. The teacher needs to know this and make adjustments.

 

Second, in both high school classes and adult classes, you will find some who want to dominate. They want to answer every question. The teacher must be careful to call on others and draw others into the discussion. If he doesn’t, it won’t take long for people to think it’s a one-on-one class. The teacher and Mr. Dominate. Some get a kick out of being cute, sarcastic, and controversial. They like to push the envelop. They like to challenge the teacher. For these people, each class is an attempt to “stump the teacher.” Rather than add to the wealth of the class, they like to side track things, get the teacher off the subject and watch him sweat. How do you handle these situations? You can’t send someone to the principal’s office. There is no such thing. It helps being taught how to teach. The teacher is in charge of the class. He needs to lead it in the direction that he wants. He needs to stay with the material that he is supposed to teach. Some questions need to be answered in private. Some subjects are nothing more than an exercise in chasing rabbits. Not all rabbits need to be chased.

 

Third, at the end of the day, the Bible must be taught. That’s why we call these exercises, “Bible classes. “ That’s what they are. The word of God needs to be explained. Chit-chatting about a bunch of nothing, getting off telling stories and jokes and talking politics wastes valuable time. Do those things after class when you go out to eat with others. The teacher must do his homework. He needs to put his nose into the books and study. He needs to look at words and understand what passages are teaching. He needs to anticipate questions. He needs to challenge the thinking by asking thought provoking questions.

 

I have seen tired folks on a Wednesday night, leave energized and excited about what was studied that night. They saw the value of what was taught. This means the lessons need to be practical, relevant, and helpful. Even what seems to be dry and dusty Old Testament passages can be brought to life by the good work of a teacher.

 

Here are some tips that might help:

  • Watch how others teach. Notice how they get through the material, the use of time, the questions they asked and how they handled questions.
  • Talk to teachers. Ask them your “teaching” questions.
  • Find useful material to do your research and homework.
  • Put yourself in the context of the passage. Read it slowly. Look at the words. Consider things. Think. Look.
  • Teaching is interesting if you find what you are teaching is interesting. Become passionate about your topic. Write some of your own material. Come up with your own questions.
  • Get out of your comfort zone. If you don’t know how to use powerpoint, learn. If you don’t know how to make attractive class material, learn.
  • The class is your friends. Remember that. They will help you. Don’t create a “me vs. you” situation. Be natural. Share yourself with the class. That will make you seem more real.
  • Don’t get stuck always teaching the same way. There is a place for lectures, but don’t always lecture. There is a place for homework, but don’t always give the class homework. There is a place for quizzes, but not every week and every time. Not every study has to be, nor should be a verse-by- verse study. Try different approaches. Look at the text from different approaches. Notice questions asked in the text. Notice the reactions to miracles. Notice prayers said. Analyze sermons you find in Scriptures. Make your study fresh, interesting and useful.
  • Keep on schedule. Most places use the quarter system. The classes are already set for what follows your class. So if you are supposed to finish a subject in that quarter, do just that. Don’t backlog the next set of classes because you got side tracked and didn’t finish what you were supposed to.
  • Remember, above all, you are teaching God’s word. Be accurate. Be careful. Be honorable to God’s word. This is not a time to push your agenda, trash those you don’t like, air your complaints or try to introduce change. Teach God’s word. Remember, Paul to Timothy, to faithful brethren, to you.

 

When you teach God’s word you change lives. You give hope to those who are about to give up. You answer questions to those who were dwelling in fear and doubt. You show Christ to the very people who need Him. What a great honor and task teaching God’s word is. Give it your best. Always say a prayer before you begin. If one week doesn’t go so well, fall back, regroup, think about what you could have done differently and then get back in there.

 

Paul to Timothy…to faithful brethren…to us. Now, who will we pass this on to?

 

Roger

 

20

Jump Start # 1708

Posted on October 20, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1708

2 Peter 1:5 “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge”

 

Our verse today begins what is commonly called the Christian virtues. Peter is listing the qualities of the character of a child of God. He begins with faith, the fundamental foundational element of our relationship with God. Without faith, there is nothing else. From faith, Peter lists seven more qualities, starting with moral excellence or virtue and ending with love.

 

There are some lessons to be seen here:

 

First, it seems that these qualities are in a special order, one leads to another. They are connected. It doesn’t work to skip a few and jump to the end of the list. They are not only tied together, as the list progresses, the items Peter lists are more complex and move from our hearts to the way we treat others. Self control, for instance, is about us. Brotherly kindness, is about treating others.

 

Second, tying these qualities together with the word “add” or, “supply,” it shows that this is an action which we must take. We are the one adding. We are the driving force here. This doesn’t just happen. Why is it that some lack godliness or kindness toward others? They haven’t added these qualities to their faith. They haven’t developed. This takes thought, choice and will.

 

Third, the character of the Christian is what people notice more than anything else. We often emphasize doctrine, what we believe, but it’s the Christian in action that people really see. It’s the heart, the attitude, the involvement that people will see. You can be as right as you are in doctrine, but if you are not living and demonstrating Christ in your life, if your walk doesn’t match your talk, then you kill your influence. No one understands this more than your own family. There is no faking things at home. The family knows. They see how you act. They hear your words. They see what shows you watch. They pick up on your attitude. It’s at home that we lead our family to Christ or we stand in the way of the Cross.

 

Character is what is missing in this Presidential campaign. The populace doesn’t like nor trust either candidate. No one is shinning bright in this election. Mud throwing, character attacks, accusations, finger pointing, yelling has become the new low standard. We wonder where do we go from here? Can it get worse?

 

Character is who you are. Character is what you are on the insides. Some can paint a pretty picture of themselves, but sooner or later the character shows what the person is really like. Godly. Caring. Moral. Controlled. Enduring. Faithful. Kind. This is what Peter sees is at the heart of a Christian.

 

Sometimes we define our faith in negative terms. A Christian doesn’t cuss. A Christian doesn’t lie. A Christian doesn’t steal. A Christian doesn’t…doesn’t…doesn’t. It makes a person wonder, “What does a Christian DO?” Peter’s list tells us. Peter’s list embraces the positive aspects of character.

 

Fourth, Peter goes on to tell us that if these qualities are ours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the Lord. These virtues are the heart of what a Christian is. They will lead a Christian to action. If one has the brotherly kindness, then he will show that towards others. He will be there. He will help. He will be involved. If he has godliness, then he will apologize as well as forgive those who have hurt him. That’s what God does. That’s being like God.

 

These qualities are to be increasing. One doesn’t just develop these and then check them off the list. He is continually developing in these areas. His faith grows. His knowledge grows. He gets better in self control. He increases his ability to endure. His love grows. Most of us can see that in our lives. We look back ten years and what we know now and what we are doing now is so much more than back then. We have increased. He have grown. It is interesting that 2 Peter ends with, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Grow. Increase. Don’t stop. The more we are increasing in these areas, the better we become.

 

Fifth, Peter adds, “for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble.” WOW. Never fall from Christ.  What happens when we mess up? We stopped practicing these things. We stopped being godly. We stopped growing in knowledge. Our faith weakened. When we no longer practice these things, we stumble. But as long as we are doing these things we won’t. It’s hard for Satan to get in when we are growing in godliness, knowledge, faith and perseverance. When we are doing these things, we are moving toward Christ. It’s when we stop moving, when we become stationary, that Satan catches us.

 

Sixth, these qualities are up to me to develop. The church can’t do this for me. The church can offer a class, even on 2 Peter. It can define these words. It can show me why I ought to be doing these things, but it comes down to me doing it. The lazy bone. The busy world. The too many commitments and what happens is that we do not add. We keep what we have, but we don’t add. So for some of us, we get older, but not better. It’s like being 18 years old and still in the 3rd grade. We’ve just not applied ourselves spiritually. Once we were baptized, we just leveled off. We have stayed that way for a long, long time. Others, younger than we are, have passed us. They seem to know more and be doing better than we are. We wonder why? The answer is simple. We have not added to our faith. We have maintained. We have stayed in the same place. It’s like the little boy who fell out of bed. When his mother asked him what happened, he replied, “I stayed too close to where I got in. “ That can be us spiritually. Maturity, leadership, growth, involvement comes with those who are increasing. Those that don’t struggle. It’s the same things over and over.

 

So, we need to get at it. It begins with your faith. To your faith add or supply moral excellence. That’s where you start. Purity of heart. Clean eyes and clean mouth and clean heart. Add to it. Get about it. Make the right choices, not the easy ones. Turn off the TV and open up God’s book. Think. Apply. Become.

 

Peter shows us the picture of a Christian. Is it you?

 

Roger

 

19

Jump Start # 1707

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1707

Proverbs 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”

  What a great verse today. Joy…merry…happiness…laughter…fun—those things are good for us. Sit around a group of children and you’ll quickly notice that they like to smile and laugh. Children laugh a lot more in a day than adults. We have so many things that takes the smile out of our souls. Bills, stress, economy, jobs, worry, sin, disappointments, toxic relationships are just a few. Then too often we gather at church and we get a double dose of guilt. Any time the preacher mentions the subject of marriage or parenting, we groan. We know that we need to hear what is said, but we also know that we feel like we are not doing a good job. The world tends to laugh at the wrong things. It laughs at sin and the failures of others. Sitcoms have been doing that for years.

 

Let’s consider the contrast found in this verse, the joyful heart compared to the broken spirit.

 

First, there is a time for the broken spirit. David reminded us that a broken and contrite heart God will not despise. When Jesus began the beatitudes with “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” this has nothing to do with bank accounts but everything to do with a broken spirit. Spiritually bankrupt is what Jesus meant. The broken spirit is what will lead a person to change. It will lead them to Christ. The weary and heavy laded are those who are broken by sin. In Christ they find forgiveness. In Christ, there is hope and rest.

 

The broken spirit has a place, but we shouldn’t expect to live on that street for the rest of our lives. Some do. They are miserable. It shows in their face. They haven’t smiled in a long time. They’d quickly tell you that there isn’t much to smile about these days. The miserable have a way of making everyone else miserable. Sometimes special retreats for ladies and classes for ladies turn into crying sessions. I guess some like that. I suppose there is some therapy in that. It’d be nice once in a while to have a joyful session. The joyful heart is good medicine.

 

Second, the joyful heart is not one that has found an oasis free from trouble and problems. There is no such place. You’ll never enter a town that declares “This is a trouble free town.” No such place exists on earth. So, one is joyful in a world that is often sad and unhappy. The joyful heart is a choice. My late friend, Barbara Johnson wrote in many of her books, “Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.” That’s it exactly! Misery or joy—my choice.

 

Now, how does one have a joyful heart, especially when there is so many things surrounding us that ought to make us miserable? You understand that you can’t change others. Our presidential campaign is nuts to put it mildly. A person can get so caught up in watching the news and every wicked comment one says about the other that he becomes miserable. You can’t change them. You can’t change the weather. You can’t change your grown kids. Joy in my heart is something that I can do something about.

 

Realize what you feed yourself will be manifested in your heart. A steady diet of bad news will turn your heart sour. So, feed your soul with good news. The best news is God’s word, the Bible. Surround yourself around cheerful people. Watch shows that lift your spirits. Listen to music that puts you in a good mood. Go to worship. Find a way to unwind when you feel yourself becoming sour.

 

Lately, I’ve been watching some old episodes of the Three Stooges, especially Curley. He makes me smile. After a long day, often dealing with things that are not good, I like to watch some Curley. He puts a smile on my heart and joy in my spirit. Do you have something like that? If not, find it. This will help you.

 

Our passage tells us something about the joyful heart. The writer tells us that it is good medicine. It is just the opposite of drying up the bones. Good medicine. The joyful heart is all that some of us need. Maybe instead of so many pills, we ought to watch some Stooges. Maybe we ought to get on the floor with our grandkids and be a kid again. I don’t know who likes playing more, me or the grandkids. I know the day will come when they will outgrow sitting on the floor and playing, but it sure does me a bunch of good. Those sweet faces and bright eyes are the best thing for one’s soul. Even when we were at Disney a few weeks ago, my little two-year-old granddaughter asked me if we could go ride bikes. She had no clue where we were. But here in the middle of the Magic Kingdom, she wanted to go play with PJ (that’s me).

 

Your drive home from work ought to be an outlet to detox from all the strain at work. Come home with a smile on your face to meet your family. Leave your work at work. Go shoot some hoops with your boys. Have a tea party with your daughter. Play hide and seek for a while. The world has a way of escaping when we do that.

 

And since we are on this, let’s smile more in church services. Please, we are not at a funeral. What better place to smile. We are with the people of God. We are going to sing and pray and open His word. What a great place to be. Something isn’t right when we leave services more beat up than when we came. Encouragement is oxygen to our souls. We need that. Sunday ought to be the best day of the week for us.

 

I know some doctors. They are great at what they do. I’d love if one of them took out his prescription pad and wrote on there, “Go watch Three Stooges.” Maybe if the world did this more, along with having some cookies in the afternoon, we’d be better people. Worry, fear, doubt, stress—they can crush your spirit. They can take your health. They can shorten your life. They change the expression of your face.

 

The story is told of an advisor suggesting to the newly elected President Abraham Lincoln a certain man for a cabinet post. Lincoln is said to have responded, “I don’t like the look of his face.” The advisor was shocked and said that wasn’t nice. He couldn’t help the way he looked. Lincoln said, “Everyone over the age of 40 is responsible for the way he looks.” Joyful or broken spirit? Our choice.

 

Does your face show hope? Do you look like one who is heading toward Heaven? Or, does your face show doubt and despair?

 

The joyful heart…maybe that’s what you need to find again.

 

Roger

 

18

Jump Start # 1706

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1706 

Mark 10:46 “Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road.”

 

I was thinking the other day about all the names that are used in the New Testament, especially the Gospels. There are many. We are told the name of the servant whose ear was cut off by Peter. It’s Malchus. We are told the name of the high priest, Caiaphas. We are given the Jewish ruler’s name, Nicodemus. The names, Mary, Martha and Lazarus are very familiar to us. The synagogue official whose little daughter died and Jesus raised was Jairus.

 

But there are other names we are not given. We don’t know the name of the bent over woman. Nor do we know the name of the woman who was caught in adultery. The demon possessed man, who was living in the cemetery, remains unknown to us.

 

Some names are given and some are not. There may be some reasons for that.

 

The names that are given, not only in the Gospels, but all through the N.T., serve as a Biblical footnote. Our verse is a great example of this. After the Gospels were recorded, one way to verify their accuracy was to check the stories with others. Our verse tells us of a blind man who was beggar outside of Jericho. His name is Bartimaeus. And not to confuse him with another person with the same name, his father was Timaeus. Notice how specific that is. A person listening or reading the Gospel of Mark, could go to Jericho and dig around and ask a few locals about a guy who once lived there who was blind by the name of Bartimaeus. If he was still around, he could be interviewed and asked about Jesus and what happened. Even, if he wasn’t there, folks would certainly know the story of Timaeus’ son who gained his sight back. People tend to talk about things like that. That would make a person realize that the story was true.

 

There is the story of Simon. Not just any Simon. There were many Simon’s. This Simon was from Cyrene. He was the father of Alexander and Rufus, as if the audience knew who those two were, possibly even Christians. He was the one who carried the cross for Jesus. Moments before the death, here lies another Biblical footnote. Go to Cyrene. Check around. Was there a Simon who had a couple of sons named Alexander and Rufus? Heard that he carried Jesus’ cross? Any truth to that? Verification. Evidence. Proof. This is found in Mark’s Gospel. Mark is written to Christians. Alexander and Rufus may have been known by the brethren.

 

This thought traces through the N.T. There is Lydia from Thyatira. There was Cornelius from Caesarea. It’s as if God were given the early readers, names and addresses. Go, check it out, is what this sounds like.

 

Then there were statements such as: “Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome” (Acts 18:2). And, the decree from Augustus, that a census be taken (Lk 2:1). Political and national news that could easily be proven. Folks would know if there had been a census.

 

Then, there was national disasters and calamities, such as earthquakes. There was an earthquake when Jesus died. Later, when Paul was in prison in Philippi, an earthquake that came late in the night, after midnight (Acts 16). How easily that could be proven. Simply ask the residents of Philippi, has there been any earthquakes around here in a while? They could tell you. And, the great famine of Acts 11. Easy to verify and prove. God’s footnotes.

 

God provided many ways to check His story. Had these things not matched up, the writings of the Gospel would have been dismissed long ago as being fraudulent. Had folks said, “there has not been an earthquake in Jerusalem in over a hundred years,” the Gospel stories would start to fall apart. But these simple checks not only verified the Bible, but they brought people into the story. You could almost here someone saying, “Yeah, I remember that earthquake in Jerusalem. The sky got real dark as well. It was really strange. Never seen anything like that before.” And from that, the story of Jesus would be told. A connection to something that they knew was real.

 

When we read our Bibles and we find all  of those names, most are hard for us to pronounce, see them as God’s footnotes, or proof, to His story.

 

Now, why are some names not given to us? We are not told. Maybe some involved didn’t become believers and it would be hard for the Christians to connect with these people. Maybe some were left in secret to protect the people. The adulterous woman would be forever shamed if people knew who she was.

 

We are living In times when more and more people need proof that the Bible is from God. Just starting with a verse isn’t always the best way to show this. There is proof, both internally and externally that allows us to believe what God says. For those people back then, the proof may have been nothing more than a name and a city.

 

The precepts of the Lord are right. That‘s what the Psalmist tells us. That’s what we find out when we do our own digging.

 

Roger