28

Jump Start # 2192

Posted on September 28, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2192

James 1:17 “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

Technically, sin can be classified as sins of commission or sins of omission. Commission, is what you commit. It’s what you do. Generally, commission sins involve disobeying God by violating a principle or command. For instance, Paul told the Ephesians not to steal. That’s a divine principle found in both Testaments. If I steal, then I have committed a sin. It seems that most of our energy, preaching and teaching is directed to not committing sin. Obey God rings pretty clear.

The other type of sin is called omission. Someone omits or leaves out or doesn’t do what they ought to do. God tells us to engage in good deeds, and we don’t, we have not committed anything, but we have omitted something. We failed to do what God wanted. Much of our character, positive attributes, fellowship principles involve doing or becoming what God wants. Be holy, Peter told his readers. When I don’t, I have omitted something.

This is where our passage from James comes in. A person knows the right thing to do and doesn’t do it, it’s a sin to him. The one talent man fits into this. He didn’t do anything wrong. He didn’t lose the coin. He didn’t waste it, abuse it, misuse it, or even, spend it. He buried it and presented it back to the master. However, his sin was that he didn’t do anything with it. He omitted any positive results. The master called him lazy and wicked and cast him into the outer darkness and his one coin was given to the five talent man. He simply didn’t do anything.

It is easy to define Christianity in negatives. A Christian doesn’t cuss. A Christian doesn’t steal. A Christian doesn’t lie. A Christian doesn’t commit adultery. The list can be long. But at the end of the list, one still doesn’t know what a Christian is. What does a Christian do? It’s more than avoiding the bad, it’s engaging in the good and becoming like Christ.

Now, our verse presents an interesting thought. Here is a person and he knows what he ought to do. It’s not that he needs to be taught. It’s not that the thought isn’t there. He knows. He recognizes what needs to be done, what needs to be said, what he ought to do. The list could be endless. He knows he ought to go to worship, that’s the right thing to do. He knows he ought to help encourage a brother in Christ. That’s the right thing to do. He knows he ought to contribute more than what he is. That’s the right thing to do. He knows he ought to pray. That’s the right thing to do. He knows he ought to be more caring and engaged at home. That’s the right thing to do. He knows that he needs to spend more time in the Bible. That’s the right thing to do. He knows. You don’t need to tell him. You don’t have to open your Bible and show him. He doesn’t need a special sermon on why he needs to engage in good deeds. The head knows, but the feet won’t move. This is not a knowledge issue, but a problem with his will. He just doesn’t do it.

Now, why? This is what baffles preachers and shepherds. Here is someone who knows what he ought to do and he may even know the upside benefits of doing what he ought to do, but for some reason, he doesn’t.

Sometimes the person, himself, doesn’t really know why he doesn’t do what he ought to. Engaging in good deeds and doing what is right takes effort and the ability to push oneself out of his easy chair. Habits, this is a big part of all of this. One is not in the habit of praying, reading God’s word or looking around for opportunity to do good. Some just don’t see it. Some just don’t think that way. But here, in our verse, the person knows. He knows, but he just won’t do it. Laziness can get the best of us. Short cuts. Quick and fast ways are what we like. Some things take time. Some people require time. As you have opportunity, we find in Galatians, may not be the most convenient time. It may mean during the Saturday ballgame. It may mean after you have come home in the evening and you just want to stay home.

Sometimes the right thing involves risks. The right thing to do may be letting your voice be heard. It may mean saying something which others do not what to hear. It’s easy to hide and be silent. It’s easy to say to ourselves and convince ourselves, “I just didn’t want to stir things up.” Some times stirring is the very thing that is needed. The right thing to do may be raising your hand in a college class and defending the God of Heaven and earth after a foolish professor has ranted and trashed God’s holy name. It may be declaring what the Bible actually teaches around several co-workers who are mocking the Bible or misusing the Bible. It may be writing an email or sending a private Facebook message to someone you know who is not saying something accurate about God. It may mean sticking up for the kid who was bullied, whether a young person at school, or a new guy at work. It may mean telling the boss that you will not lie, cheat or steal for the sake of the company. To all of these, comes consequences. Things could get tense, ugly and hard. But the right thing is the right thing.

This passage follows immediately after James talks about future plans and the need to include God into our thinking by saying, “If the Lord wills.” Arrogance James says, is evil. Our verse begins with, “Therefore.” Therefore, include God in your plans. Therefore say aloud, “If God wills, we will do this.” Therefore, you know the right thing to do, so do it. If you don’t, it’s sin.

James wants us to realize that each day, every day, is a gift from God. He doesn’t owe us this day. He didn’t have to give you today. It was a gift. Honor Him by thanking Him. Honor Him by using it wisely. Honor Him by glorifying Him throughout the day. Honor Him by inviting and including Him in your life and in your plans. You know this, James says. This is the right thing to do. If you don’t do it, it’s sin. It’s sin because you act as if you are God. You act as if you know and you can command tomorrow. You act as if you are in control, when you are not. You act as if all your plans are going to be just as you planned, and you cannot know that.

In James’ illustration, he talks about going into a city, spending a year there, engaging in business and making a profit. A well thought out plan, expect it didn’t include God. Lots of things could happen. Maybe you get sick and you can’t make the trip. Maybe there is an earthquake and the city is ruined. Maybe you cannot afford to stay a year in the city. Maybe the business plans do not work out. Maybe you don’t make a profit. Maybe your profit is mishandled or taxes take most of it. Maybe…maybe…maybe. The point is, you don’t know. God does. You best include God. You best ask for God’s favor and guidance. You best follow His will. You best live under the “Thy will be done,” concept.

Therefore, to the one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin. What is the right thing to do? Include God into your life. Make plans with God. Live under the “Thy will be done” concept. You know that, so start doing that. This is what James is driving at.

Omission sins do not seem as bad as commission sins, at least to us. No blood. No foul. No one hurt. Yet, God kept out of our hearts and God pushed off the throne as we try to run the universe, is bad. Omission and commission sins are equally wrong and equally destructive.

Now, you know. Now, what will you do? To him that knows…

Roger

27

Jump Start # 2191

Posted on September 27, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2191

Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Today and tomorrow—those are the very things that fill our schedules. Today I have to do this. Tomorrow I have this to do. Today and tomorrow find their ways into Jesus’ discourse about worry. Several times in this section Jesus tells the multitudes do not be anxious, or worry. Don’t do it, but we do. We worry.

 

We worry about what might happen. We worry about the weather. We worry about what people think about us. And all that worrying doesn’t make us more productive, better rested or even more peaceful. It does just the opposite. We toss and turn all night long worrying about stuff. We lose our appetite because we are bothered about things. And once worry gets a good foot hold into our minds, we can’t seem to shake it. We think about it all the time.

 

Our verse today closes this section on being anxious. Jesus has already told the crowds not to worry about eating, drinking or clothing, what we’d call the necessities of life. Now, there is one more dimension that Jesus adds to the “No Worry” list, do not be anxious about tomorrow.

 

That statement must be considered carefully.

 

We must plan for tomorrow. We make appointments, all kinds of appointments for the future. Churches plan meetings, VBS, and a host of activities in the future. Financially, if we do not plan for the future, we’ll end up broke and in all kinds of trouble. What the college student studies this semester is part of a bigger plan that leads to graduating in the future. So, we must look into tomorrow and make plans.

 

We do not know what will happen tomorrow. James said, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow” (James 4:14). We think we do. We make plans with the expectation of what tomorrow will be like, but we don’t know for sure. Things happen. We wake up not feeling well, and that changes our plans. We grab all of our stuff and get ready to head out and the car won’t start. That changes our plans. One of the kids gets sick, or something breaks in the house and that calls for your immediate attention. We often go to bed thinking of all the things we must do the next day, and then that all changes.

 

What the Lord is driving at in our passage is to not add worry to the list of things you must do tomorrow. Worry only burdens today. And, in this we find three simply truths.

 

First, do not be anxious for tomorrow. This is the running theme in this section. Do not be anxious. Rather than worry, pray. Rather than worry, trust the Lord. Rather than getting agitated and upset, cast your anxious thoughts to the Lord, as Peter tells us. The Lord cares for you. Make your plans for tomorrow, but put your focus upon getting through today.

 

Second, tomorrow will care for itself. Things may take a turn and what you were worrying about may not even be there tomorrow. You can’t live in tomorrow. Today is the day of choices, decisions, and action. What you do today can impact tomorrow, but for now focus upon this day. And, tomorrow is more than simply the next day. It may well be the next week, the next year or beyond that. There was a story I used to use in sermons that said:

I was dying to get out of high school, so I could go to college

I was dying to get out of college so I could get my own place

I was dying to get out of my apartment and get a house

I was dying to get married and start a family

I was dying for my kids to start school

I was dying for my kids to move out

And, today, I found out that I am dying, and I never have lived.

 

Tomorrow will care for itself.

 

Third, Today has enough trouble of it’s own. No one says, “There’s not enough trouble today, I want to borrow some from tomorrow.” No, it’s just the opposite. We’d like to transfer some of today’s woes into another day. There is enough trouble today. There are so many things to pray about today. You know folks who are not Christians and you need to pray that their hearts and eyes will be opened. There are congregations that are struggling and they need prayers. There are member that you know that have grown lukewarm and they need prayers. There are people that you know that are sick and they need prayers. Then there is this country and all the mess that it is in. Prayers are needed.

 

And, it’s not just prayers, it’s navigating through all this trouble today and not losing our minds, our faith and our cool. Toxic work environments, stressful family issues, health problems, and our personal battles against temptation and the flesh. Right choices must be made today. Wise choices must be made today. We must do as Christ would want us to do. We must let our lights shine today. Our families need us today. Our church needs us today. There are good deeds that we can do today. And, we must fight the urge to do nothing. We must fight the selfish side in us that rises to the top so often.

 

There is a big battle in Washington today about the Supreme Court nominee. However, there is a bigger battle taking place in each of our hearts today. The battle to walk like the world and be like the world or the battle to stand with Christ. Will we put on the full armor today, or lay it aside? Will we walk by faith today or by sight? Will we be anxious about tomorrow or will we let tomorrow take care of itself? There’s enough stuff today to keep us busy.

 

Today and tomorrow—how we handle these or how they handle us is a matter of faith and trust in the Lord.

 

Roger

 

26

Jump Start # 2190

Posted on September 26, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2190

Luke 11:24 “When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’”

Our verse today is one of the shorter parables found in Luke. It is obscure. When studying the parables, this one is often left out. In this section, Luke shows Jesus’ powerful fight against Satan. Demons were being cast out. Darkness was evaporating into the light of truth. The hand of God was at work. The removal of demons was a sign that the kingdom of God had come.

Jesus tells two stories, parables. The first is about a strong man who guarded his house and possessions. That’s Satan. Someone stronger comes, that’s Jesus, overpowering the strong man, then plunders the house. Jesus was winning souls. Satan’s greatest power was death, and Jesus would soon bust that wide open with His own resurrection. The first of many more to come. The enslavement of sin was being destroyed by the faith and hope that was found in Christ. Good news, the Gospel, was filling the air and sweeping the land. The dominance of Satan was over. The strong man had been overcome.

The second story, is about a demon that left a man and went searching for rest. Unable to find any, he returns to the man and finds it all swept and in order. The demon brings seven more evil spirits with him, and they dwell in the man. The end is worse than the beginning. This story is connected to the first one. Once a person has come to Christ through faith, his house is swept. He’s cleaned up. It’s like the naked demon possessed man in Mark 5. Once the demons left, the man was sitting down, clothed and in his right mind. His house was swept. Obedience to Christ, cleans our hearts and our souls. Forgiveness and grace changes us. New attitudes. New thinking. Walking like Jesus. Compassion fills what was once selfish hearts. Kindness has replaced indifference. Righteousness dominates our choices. The house is swept.

My last year of college, me and three other friends rented a small house. It was a dump, a real dump. While some of the guys were working on the yard, that was nearly knee high, I started scrubbing the floor. Walking across the floor would leave footprints, it was that dirty. It’s from this image that my college nickname, “Mamma” came from. One of the guys looked in the window and there I was on my hands and knees trying to clean that floor. They said that I looked just like mamma back home. It took a long time for me to move away from that nickname and I won’t share some of the ridiculous and embarrassing things that came with being called that, even by my teachers. But when we boys got done, the house was clean. The house was swept. But what Jesus is saying, if you don’t keep it clean by staying with Jesus, Satan will be back. If you do not follow Christ and obey Him, Satan will fill your heart and the end will be worse than the beginning. Following these words Jesus declared, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” The house is swept. The house is clean. But if you don’t keep it that way, Satan will be back and it will be worse than before.

It is in this second story that our verse is found. It is a quotation from the unclean spirit. The demon, or unclean spirit declares, ‘I will return to my which from which I came.’ The house, is the life and heart of a person. Once evicted, this demon is returning, and he is coming with more companions. Seven of them. Worse than he is. And, they will only make matters worse.

Today, our thoughts gather around the ownership of the house. Whose house is it? The demon declared, ‘I will return to my house”. Did the house, did the person, the life, the soul, belong to the demon? He thought so. He declared that it was his house. The demon was overstepping his boundary. He was claiming something that didn’t belong to him. The house wasn’t his. It was never his. He was trespassing and freeloading. The house belongs to God. We are made in the image of God. We are created to glorify God. We are wired in such a way to desire God and to want to spend eternity with God in Heaven.

How often do we refer to the church building as “God’s house.” In the O.T., the Temple was God’s house. The Babylonians took all the articles out of the house of God and they burned the house of God (2 Chron. 36:18-19). That house, was a real house, a building, The Temple. But here, Jesus is showing us God’s true house is our lives.

We do not belong to demons. We are not the property of Satan. We belong to God, and doubly so, if we are a Christian. The blood of Jesus, ransomed us and purchased us and we now belong to God. We are His.

So, before us is the grand issue of just how do we take care of God’s house. It’s not ours. It’s not Satan’s. It belongs to God.

Some have a rental car philosophy. I rent many cars. The people know me because I always rent from the same place. I have walked right back into the rental office before and requested a different car after we have signed papers. The reason, the car was too dirty or in most cases, smelled like smoke. One of the guys that cleans the cars was telling me how trashed the cars are when people return them. Filth. Mud. Trash. Spills not wiped up. Stains on the carpet and on the seats. Burned marks on the ceiling of the interior. Why do people treat these rental cars so carelessly? Because it’s not theirs. They don’t care. If it was their own cars, they’d treat them better. This is how some treat God’s house. Abused, misused, neglected and nearly destroyed. Never feeding the soul. Never giving any thought to the eternal. Never taking care of the spiritual heart. The rental car concept has destroyed many lives.

We need to keep the house swept.

We do that by dumping the junk that comes into our lives every day. Negative thoughts. Impure thoughts. Attitudes that are not healthy. Judgmental and condemning spirits. Some things are not worth reading. Some things are not worth watching. If you are not careful the trash will build up in your hearts and Christ won’t have any room. Satan will be back and it will be worse than what it was before.

Live with a purpose. God has a plan for you. Follow that. Obey the Lord. Live righteously. Think of others. In a selfie world, it’s hard not to be consumed with self. But we must. Pray. Pray often. Pray deeply.

Repent of your sins. Satan will always lurk around. He’s got his eye on you, but so does the Lord. Recognizing words that we shouldn’t have said, or attitudes that weren’t nice, or selfish moments, change those and confess those. Get close to the Lord. He’ll get your house clean.

Surround your life with godly people. They have a way of helping us to think the best. They have a way of getting us off the lazy seat and they encourage us to be what we ought to be. Quality people in your life will make a great difference in your life. People that you can count on. People that will be honest with you. People that put the Lord first. These are the people that you and I need to call friends.

The house belongs to the Lord. You are merely taking care of it. How are you doing with that?

Roger

25

Jump Start # 2189

Posted on September 25, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2189

 

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.”

 

Brett Kavanaugh is a name that a year ago most people had never heard of. Now, his name leads the headlines of every nightly news. The pick by the President to be the next Supreme Court justice, has been accused of inappropriate behavior decades ago when he was a senior in high school and starting college. The politicians will slug this out and it is not our place here to decide, nor do we even know if what has been said is true or not.

 

However, Brett Kavanaugh presents an interesting practical issue that has Biblical ties. How does one change their reputation? How does a person change people’s perception of himself? This is where our verse fits in. Our verse begins with the expression, “and such were some of you.”

 

There are three statements from our verse that is important to see:

 

And such—is identified by a classification of ten different kinds of sins. They are not good, none of them. The list includes, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, and swindlers. This is what they were. Rebellious to God. Hell bent and headed towards Hell. Many people may have been hurt by these choices and actions. Items were stolen. Families may have been torn apart. The list is extensive and ugly.

 

Were– this is what they were, but not what they are. Were is the past. What they are is present. They were no longer those things. A person can stop a behavior, but the tag, the reputation, the image lingers on with people.

 

But you– is used three times. But you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified. They changed. They were no longer those things. And, in the image of God, they were His people. Washed, implying purity, cleansing, baptism. Sanctified implying special, set apart. Saintly. Justified meaning right, not guilty. Their status had changed with God. Often it may change with God but not with people.

 

These verses are fitting for us because it is where all of us are. Each of us were wrong with God. We all were sinners. We all have sinned. Our list may be different from the Corinthians, but it most likely involves several sins. Such were some of you, includes us. Our image and our reputation wasn’t so hot.

 

But like this passage, we changed. We started doing what was right. We came to God as believers and through His grace we were made just. Our past is not our present.

 

And, as this passage continues, our current direction, choices and attitudes are reflect God. I expect for most of us, our high school days weren’t something that we are proud of today. Sure the grades, the friends, the sports were all wonderful, but our moral choices may not have been pleasing to God. That was then and this is now.

 

Reputations change with time and right choices. Being known as an honest, hard working, dependable person does come from one day at work. It won’t come from one worship service. But day after day after day, a consistent pattern is formed and people see us in a variety of circumstances and they see that we are not bending the rules to our pleasure. We are the same in stressful situations and with difficult people. Our anger holds. Our tongue doesn’t betray us. Time after time, and what that does is build an image. Our social life matches what people know about us at work and worship. At the ballgame, at the golf course, at the theatre, our character shines. This is how images and perception changes.

 

Those that have known us for a long, long time, may remember those early years when we weren’t so noble and righteous. They may continue to see us that way, but what they remember and what they currently see, will not match because we have changed. The problem lies with their refusal to allow a person to change. The problem lies with them believing that you are still the way you were way back then, even though you don’t show that nor act that way.

 

Reputation is built upon our character. We control and shape our character. Our character changes. As we are influenced by the Gospel, our hearts become more and more like Jesus. When that happens, our character changes. We become more patient and forgiving, just like Jesus. We become kinder, just like Jesus. We become more compassionate, just like Jesus. Our character and our hearts are touched and molded by the Savior.

 

Now, in all of this there is another lesson about how we see others. Just as we have changed and we are not the same person we were before Christ and we are not the same person we were in high school, so we must allow a person to be judged by who they are today, not what they once were. We may know a person from years ago. Maybe he wasn’t kind, honest or decent. Is he still that way? Give him a chance. It may be he has changed his character as you have yours. Allow a person to change and with that your image of them changes.

 

Is Brett Kavanaugh guilty of sexual abuse when he was in high school? I don’t know. But is that his character today? Can a person change? Can a person realize that they were wrong? In Amazing Grace we sing, “I once was lost, but now I’m found.” To the Corinthians, Paul said, “and such were some of you, but you were washed”.

 

Reputation is what people heard about us or think about us. It may land you a job or it may keep you from getting a job. It may open doors or it may slam some doors shut. What people think about you is either something that they imagined or it is based upon what they see.

 

Live in such a way that people will say that you are a kind, moral, honest and generous person. They will say this when we act that way. Anyone can talk a good story, people need to see the proof. Our walk must match our talk.

 

You were, but now you are…reputation. Everyone of us has one. Make yours good.

 

Roger

 

24

Jump Start # 2188

Posted on September 24, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2188

1 Timothy 2:13 “For it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression.”

Our verse today is not one that is talked about very much. It is found in a section that defines the role of women in God’s kingdom. They were not to teach or exercise authority over a man. This has nothing to do with intelligence, power, or, one be better than the other. It does have to do with order. God always has order. There is order in the universe. There is order in the family. There is order in the kingdom.

Modern thinkers want to dismiss all of this as a cultural thing of the past and not relevant today. Times change, we are told, and with that, moderns demand a change with what the Bible says. The problem with modern thinking is that it’s often not Biblical. God’s word transcends all cultures. And, which culture are we to follow? American? In many foreign countries today, women do not have the freedoms and rights that they have here. So, just which culture are we to follow, or are we to assume that the Bible in the Middle East is different than the Bible in America? And, what it truly escapes the notice of moderns is how liberating, free and open Christ was with women. Before Jesus came to earth, Greeks, such as Plato, claimed that males were created by the gods. Those who lived righteously became stars in the heavens. Those that lived unworthy lives, became women. The world into which Jesus came wasn’t very favorable for women. The word of a woman didn’t count in court. A woman could not hold public office. At the death of her husband, all material possessions went to the sons, and not the surviving wife.

But with the Gospels, we see dramatic changes. Women are included in the genealogy of Jesus. Women financed Jesus’ ministry. A woman anointed Jesus. Many of the miracles involved women. Husbands and wives were considered joint-heirs spiritually. And, at the resurrection of Jesus, the first to witness Jesus were women.

Our verse tells us that Adam was not deceived. Eve was. There is a distinction being made. The serpent spoke to Eve, not Adam. It was Eve who had a conversation with Satan, not Adam. It was Eve who was confused and tricked by Satan. So, if Eve was deceived, what do we say about Adam? If he wasn’t deceived, what was he? He went along. He rebelled. He walked into this with his eyes open and he sinned. Interestingly, after the sin, God speaks to Adam. The text of Genesis, where this is first found, states, “she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate” (Gen 3:6). It sounds as if Adam was right there with Eve. The impression we often have is that Eve was alone. Satan got to her. She ate and then she walked and found Adam, and then he ate. That’s the concept of the pictures. You see the serpent with Eve and Adam is no where in sight.

The NIV and ESV both state, “She also gave some to her husband, who was with her.” Adam was with her? Adam was there. Is this the reason why God speaks to Adam?

Where was Adam’s voice? Why did he not speak up and take charge? Why was he passive in all of this? Why did he follow along with Eve? Eve was deceived, but Adam went along with it. Eve was created to help Adam. She was to be a help meet for him. Instead of helping him, she encourages him to do wrong. And, with this we find a common failure in homes throughout history and today. Being the head of the house, as God places upon man, does not mean you pick out the restaurant that you want to eat at, and you get to pick out which movie to watch. It means you lead. It means you put a stake in the ground for God. It means your voice needs to be heard. When someone is deceiving the family, it is your role to clear the fog.

Now consider an imaginary conversation taking place in the Garden of Eden. The serpent is twisting things and confusing Eve. He presents the picture that you can be just like God. He states that God has been holding out and holding back on you. He’s not as good as you think He is. In fact, He’s wrong. You won’t die. He’s told you a lie. And, about this time, Adam raises his voice. He steps between the serpent and Eve. He asks Eve, “Who created us and who put us in this perfect world?” He reminds her, has God ever lied to us before? Hasn’t he been good to us? Then, Adam turns to the serpent and says, “What has this creature ever done for us? He’s not blessed us. He’s not been around for us. He’s not been good to us. We have no reason to not believe God, and, we have no reason to believe this creature. God allows us to eat from every tree but one. We are not without. We are not starving. God is good to us.” About that time, the fog lifts, and Eve says, “You’re right, Adam. That ole’ serpent twisted things and confused me.” And, hand in hand, Adam and Eve, turn and walk away from the forbidden tree and the lying tongue of the serpent.

Leadership. Headship. Those things were missing for Adam. He followed Eve. He allowed her deception to lead him into disobedience. What’s missing in many homes today is someone with a clear vision who can see through all the smoke and lies that Satan puts forth and someone who has the nerve to speak out and stand with God.

In too many homes today, the husband doesn’t even come to worship. All spiritual guidance must come through the mother. The dad is AWOL when it comes to spiritual guidance. He goes along with anything or nothing. Just give him his ballgames and a quiet evening, and he really doesn’t care. That lack of leadership hurts the family. The kids often grow up weak and away from the Lord, as the wife cannot be as strong as she would like, because her spiritually dead husband doesn’t want her going to church services that much. The kids grow and pick people of the world to marry, many who stand in the same shadows of dad spiritually. They know nothing about the Bible and have no interests in God. Could some of this been prevented? Could the picture been different? Maybe, if dad lead the family spiritually.

Adam wasn’t deceived. That’s not a compliment. That’s nothing to hang your hat on. He said nothing. He did nothing. He allowed what happened to happen. Grow a backbone, Adam. Speak your piece, Adam. Put your foot down, Adam. Do something, Adam. Rather, you took a bite right along with Eve. She was confused and you, Adam, were weak. You didn’t lead, Adam. You let Eve down, Adam. It was your role to lead her to God and you allowed her to leave God. And, worse, you went along with her.

And the Adams today, must learn from this. Don’t let your daughter out of the house if she is immodest. It doesn’t matter if it’s a wedding, or special occasion. Mom may declare, “It’s fashionable.” Dad, get a backbone and lead. Don’t allow your child to date someone that you have real suspicion about. If you see red flags, get a backbone, Dad, and say something. Your child in college isn’t going to worship. He’s studying all the time. Get a backbone, Dad, and say something.

Adam knew. God’s words were simply, plain and specific. Adam simply didn’t have a backbone. It’s time we men started growing some, and took on the role of leading our homes to Heaven as God designed. Stop going along with wrong. Stop trying to reason with Satan. Stop listening to serpents. Walk with God.

Roger