28

Jump Start # 2379

Posted on June 28, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2379

John 15:15 “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.”

 

I was noticing the other day how often Jesus used the word “friend.” He referred to Lazarus as “our friend” (Jn 11:11). In the parable of the laborers, the master says to the man who labored all day for a denarius, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong” (Mt 20:13). When the crippled man was lowered through the roof in front of Jesus, the Lord said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you” (Lk 5:20). Jesus even called Judas friend when he came into the garden with the guards to arrest Him. There the text says, “Friend, do what you have come for” (Mt 26:50).

 

Friend. That word seems to have lost it’s value these days. We have tons of friends on Facebook, many we barely know, but there they are as our “friend.” We sing the hymn, “What a friend we have in Jesus,” which not only endears the Lord to us, but it speaks of profound Biblical lessons. Jesus is our friend.

 

You and I have levels of friends. Some are probably better known as work associates, or business clients. Some are people that we have used in the past for different services. They did a good job at a fair price so we keep their info in our contacts in case we need them again. Would we call them up on a Friday night and ask, “Hey, what are you doing?” Probably not. Would we reach out to them and say, “I have an extra ticket to the game. Do you want to come along?” Nope. That’s not going to happen. Probably wouldn’t invite them over for dinner either.

 

There are folks that are a bit closer to us that merely associates. Neighbors and some church members may be like that. We share more with them and we can easily talk with them. They are nice and we like them.

 

Then there are friends that are a bit closer than that. They have a history with us. We’ve done things with them. Been to their home and they have been to our home. We can be ourselves around them. We have a trust built between us.

 

Then there is that one or two people that we consider our best friend. There are few secrets here. This is our go to person when we really need to talk. This is the one that has sat with us in the hospital and has watched our house. This is the one that may even have a key to our house. Trusted. Reliable. Dependable. We’d drop all that we are doing if they needed us. We’d fly across the country for them. We can talk money, kids, faith and marriage with them.

 

We refer to all of these circles of relationships as “friends.” Jesus had an inner circle with Peter, James and John. He allowed them to see things that the others didn’t get to see. It was those three at the transfiguration. It was those three who witnessed Jairus’ daughter being raised from the dead. James was the first apostle to be martyred. John was the last apostle to die. Between Peter and John, they wrote seven of the N.T. books. The first half of Acts follows the travels of Peter. It was Peter who first preached to the Gentiles. Was Peter a better friend than Bartholomew? Was Jesus closer to John than Andrew? Why those three? Why not a combination of another three? Did Jesus have favorites? Our times and our thinking wants us to go that direction. We want to list the apostles by the Lord’s favorites. All this does is create thoughts that probably are not in the Gospels and takes us places that the Lord never intended us to be.

 

The Lord loved all His apostles. He even washed the dirty feet belonging to the dirty heart of Judas. Our verse today illustrates the true friendship that Jesus had. He didn’t keep secrets between the apostles. Twice when the argument came up among them about who was the greatest, Jesus, deflated that by talking about service. They wanted to know who was number one. Jesus wouldn’t go there. Everyone who loves, obeys and follows Jesus is first on His list.

 

The characteristics of friendship are demonstrated by Jesus.

  • He included them
  • He spent time with them
  • He told them all things
  • He helped them
  • He didn’t bend the rules for some
  • He didn’t have double standards
  • He expected the same from all

 

It would help us to learn to love like Jesus did. We like lists and we like favorites. Our favorite place to eat, our favorite movie, our favorite vacation spot, our favorite friend. This can spill over into worship. Our favorite song leader. Our favorite preacher. Our favorite elder. These things can hurt feelings, divide folks, and cause more trouble than necessary. When we only spend time with our favorites and ignore those who are not our favorites, we stop acting like Jesus. I’ve known folks who stayed home when certain preachers that they didn’t like were preaching. When we act this way, we develop an internal clique. If you are on the inside you are loved, invited and welcomed. But if you are not, you are avoided and left out. We understand that because of age and like interests that some people naturally have more in common with others. But to exclude others and avoid others is something that Jesus would never do.

 

I wonder, even in a large congregation, how many feel alone? I wonder how few really have friends within the congregation? It’s hard when someone new comes in. It’s harder yet, when that person is shy. They see everyone talking to each other, but they are never included. They feel empty because no one will be their friend. Jesus wouldn’t be like this. We say that the church is a family and not a country club, but there are days when what we do is not what we are saying.

 

How can I be a friend like Jesus?

First, stick around and be available. Squeaking in at the last second and rushing out as the final AMEN is uttered, leave no time for people to get to know you. If you do that, you won’t have friends. To be a friend, you have to be friendly. Put on a smile and go meet people.

 

Second, look around for those who seem to be alone. You see them coming in and few are talking with them. You see the new family. You see the young man sitting by himself. Go over and start up a conversation. Invite them out to eat with your family. Invite them to sit with you. Widen the people of influence that you have.

 

Third, do what friends do. Send a text during the week. Shoot an email to someone that you don’t know well. Build bridges that will build relationships. Don’t spend all of your time with your friends. Be warm, inviting and including. Put yourself in their shoes. What would you want someone to do to you?

 

Jesus was a friend. He is our friend. He has helped us so much. Won’t you do the same?

 

Roger

 

27

Jump Start # 2378

Posted on June 27, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2378

1 Samuel 20:18 “Then Jonathan said to him, ‘Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty.’”

Our verse comes from the long and dark and troublesome times in young David’s life. He was the future king of Israel, but in the meantime, the current king, Saul, was on the warpath. Jealousy, bitterness and likely a dose of mental disease, has caused Saul to lose it. He was out of control. He was chasing David from place to place and while all of this was going on, the Philistines were taking advantage and advancing. Saul wanted David dead.

 

David had a confident who he could trust. It was none other than Jonathan, Saul’s son. The hearts of David and Jonathan were knit together. Jonathan fed information to David that kept him safe. Our verse is found within promises, vows and oaths that Jonathan made to David. It was time for David to go. He had to hide once more. Saul was getting close and things weren’t safe for David.

 

Jonathan says to David, “You will be missed because you seat will be empty.” That’s a great statement. It shows the influence, impact and difference we can make in the lives of others. This is true within the family and this is true within a congregation. And, there are different reasons a seat may become empty.

 

Sometimes a person moves away. We don’t see them all the time. Yes, there are phone calls and Facetime, but it’s not the same. I have a son who lives far away. He spent a few days with us as he was up preaching. I dropped him off at the airport, and immediately I felt what Jonathan said. There was an emptiness. This happens in a congregation. Preachers move. Sometimes we don’t want them to move. It’s a hard decision and some never like the decision that is made. Song leaders, elders, and others move away. Job opportunities, retiring and moving toward the kids, and there is a hole, an emptiness felt in the congregation.

 

Sometimes it’s death that leaves an empty place. This is especially hard in the family. Holidays never seem the same after that. There is just a part of us that dies that day. In the congregation, once the sadness passes, there is an emptiness left. I think of those smiling faces, those giant bear hugs, those kind words that were spoken by many who are now on the other side. Sure others have come in. Certainly we continue on, but there remains an empty seat.

 

Now, in all of this, there remains another thought for us. Jonathan was going to miss David. They were more than just friends, David was chosen by God because he was upright, godly and a leader. He was courageous and brave. He was the one who raced toward Goliath, when Saul and the rest of Israel cowered in fear. David was impressive. More chapters are devoted to David than Abraham, Noah, or even Moses. Every good king after him is measured by his standard. Even Jesus is called the “son of David,” in the Gospels. This was more than just missing a friend, it was a major force of good in Jonathan’s life. He certainly wasn’t getting this from his father. Saul had lost touch with God. Saul was out of control and wicked. One can only imagine the hateful things that were said about David in Saul’s home.

 

I truly believe that some could drop out and only a few would ever notice. The reason being is that they have not contributed anything to the work in the kingdom. Some slide in late. They speak to very few. They leave in a hurry and they are never around to help out, contribute, add to the things that are going on. Need helpers to teach. You won’t find these folks. Need some to help in VBS. Won’t be these people. Work day at the church building. Going to do some cleaning up and pulling weeds. These folks won’t be there. Having a special series of lessons during the week. You won’t find these folks. You don’t see them visiting others at the hospital. You’ll never hear of them sending someone a card. They never take food when there is a need. You won’t see them engaged in any group activities. Barely in Sunday morning and out as fast as they can. They aren’t connected to anyone. They do not have anyone from the church into their homes. When invited to come to others, they always turn down the offer. They never participate in worship. Most in the congregation barely know them because they are so rarely there and so rarely available.

 

And, to our verse today, when this type of person is gone, they are hardly missed. They didn’t do anything. They didn’t add any value to the work. They, like the hitch hiker of years gone by, will hop on if you are going the direction that they want to go. You must drive, use your gas, and when they have gone as far as they want, they will get out. Not even a thanks, let alone helping pay for gas. The hitch hiking member does the same. He’s along for the ride. Don’t ask anything of him. And, when he’s gone as far as he wants, he’ll drop out. And, his seat will be empty, but most won’t miss him, because there was nothing to miss. To have a fellowship, one must stick around, get to know others and to connect with others. I have been to places where a person’s name was read as being withdrawn from. I notice people looking around and some even whisper, “Who is that? Do they go here?”

 

So, we must ask and we must wonder about ourselves. If our seat became empty, would we be missed? Are we making a difference, connecting and using our abilities to help the kingdom? This does not mean one has to be a song leader or a Bible class teacher. Not everyone can do that. But you can get there a bit early. You can greet people with a smile. You can give hugs. You can connect with the little ones. You can find something good to do. It may be nothing more than picking up papers off the floor. It may be nothing more than opening doors for folks. It may be pulling weeds around the building. It may be mailing bulletins out to people. There’s lots and lots of things behind the scenes that need to be done. So often, the preacher is doing too many of those things and others ought to and could help out.

 

David’s seat was going to be empty. He was going to be missed. How about the seat you fill down at the church house. If you were gone, would you be missed? It makes us wonder if all we are doing is taking, taking, and taking and in return, we are giving so little of ourselves to the work.

 

There are several when they are just gone for a week or two, I miss them. I notice that they were not there. They are like David’s among us. Influential. Godly. Sharing. Connected.

 

Someday, your seat will be empty. God will call us to Him. You family will miss you. You close friends will miss you. Will your congregation miss you? Maybe it’s time we got off the bench and got into the game of life.

 

Roger

 

26

Jump Start # 2377

Posted on June 26, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2377

Genesis 2:19 “Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.”

A couple of my little granddaughters got little kittens recently. We were there when my daughter and her husband walked in with the cute little things. They girls jumped and squealed with excitement. They couldn’t believe it. Immediately, came the choice of what they were going to name them. “Bubbles” and “Pickles” were the chosen names. After a trip to the vet it was discovered that “Bubbles” wasn’t a girl, but a boy. Instead of brother and sister cats, the girls got two boy cats.

 

Our verse came to my mind when I was watching those sweet little girls hugging their new little pets. Adam was really intelligent. That’s the way God made him. Modern evolution doesn’t have any space for Adam in the transition from primate to modern man. The Holy Spirit tells us in Corinthians that Adam was the first man. He wasn’t a link. He wasn’t a link that was missing. His ancestors were not monkeys. It was not the goo, to the zoo, to you.

 

From our verse today notice what Adam was able to do:

 

First, he was capable of recognizing the differences in animals. Some animals fly. Some craw. Some move fast. Some move very slow. Some look cute. Some look odd. We went to Alaska a few years ago. I was interested in seeing one thing—Moose. And, I did. Lots of moose. We saw eagles, bears and whales. God’s creatures are beautiful, interesting and so different.

 

Second, Adam had the knowledge and vocabulary to name all of these different animals. The first man didn’t grunt. He wasn’t a cave man that pulled his woman by her hair. That’s the stuff for cartoons. Not only could Adam speak, but he developed words that were not expressed before. What Adam called these animals were not words that had other meanings or borrowed from books, movies or Googled.

 

We’d love to know what language Adam spoke. We don’t know. But notice, he called these animals by names. It was more than pictures on a cave wall. Words were spoken. The Holy Spirit uses many of these words throughout the Bible. We read in Scriptures of donkeys, horses, sheep, goats, birds, foxes, deer and ox. I don’t think the Holy Spirit changed or corrected what Adam had called these animals. So, the Holy Spirit was borrowing from Adam and using the names that he came up with.

 

Third, not in our verse, but in the context, is God telling Adam to till the garden. Adam didn’t have a farmer as a neighbor that he could get some advice from. Within the heart and the mind of Adam, God made him smart, talented and able to not just survive but to function well in the world he was put in.

 

Fourth, as smart and talented as God made Adam, he wasn’t made to be independent. Adam needed God. God made us to need Him and to want Him. Adam wasn’t like you and I. We come into this world without even knowing our name. We cannot survive without adults to help us. We need someone to feed us. We need someone to teach us. We cannot even speak.

 

But I have seen something through the eyes of my little grandchildren that we often forget:

 

We come with a marvelous excitement about God’s natural world. Rainbows, birds flying in the sky, dead worms on the sidewalk, dandelions all bring a sense of wonder from little hearts. Adults get excited about numbers in a bank book, but for little ones, it’s sticking feet in the sand, chasing bubbles that are blown in the sky, sunshine and stars at night. Somewhere along the line, we grow up and we don’t notice these things very much. They don’t excite us as they once did.

 

We come with a wonderful joy in our hearts. I believe environment and your surroundings have a lot to do with this, but the stats prove that children laugh much more than we adults. We worry. They laugh. We get stressed. They laugh. We get down. They laugh. I just wonder what you and I would experience if we got take one walk through the garden of Eden? I suppose some would complain about the bugs and not having any bars on their phones. Some would probably be bored and would rather be inside watching TV. But I hope for the people of God, that we’d see things that maybe we miss every day. Colors. Sounds. Textures. Smells. It’s all around us. The wind makes a noise. The rain makes a noise. The rivers make a noise. Animals make noises. It’s no wonder that Paul had to tell some, “Rejoice.” We forget. There is much to see and so much to be thankful for. We need to get outside more, get away from electronics more, and see the wonderful world God has made.

 

We come with such a purity and an innocence. In that way, we are like Adam. Nothing sordid. Nothing perverted. Nothing offensive. Nothing off color, indecent or suggestive. Sweet innocence. Pure. Special. Even, holy.

 

Maybe, in some ways this is why Jesus told the disciples to be converted and become like children. Curious. Sweet. Helpful. Not tainted with hatred, prejudice or ugliness. Children can fight and get upset and then moments later, be playing together again. All is forgotten. Adults remember. Adults draw lines and stop being friends with each other. Adults judge, point fingers, and get angry with each other. We divide. We split churches. We refuse to talk to those who disagree with us. Sometimes, I think we act more like children than children do.

 

Adam was pretty impressive. He had a lot going for him. He was God’s first. And, like Adam, God has filled you with talent, ability and opened doors of opportunity for you. And, like Adam, you must decide whether to trust God and follow Him, or to listen to the serpents of our day. God has wired each of us the way we are and wants us to use those talents to honor Him and grow the kingdom.

 

In some ways, Adam seems so long ago. But in other ways, he’s a lot like you and I. Smart. Gifted. And, having God’s thumbprint on his heart.

 

Bubbles and Pickles. I have a hard time telling them apart. I expect Adam could.

 

Roger

 

25

Jump Start # 2376

Posted on June 25, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2376

1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.”

 

The unmarried Christian– instead of single and happy, many feel as if it is a curse or a disease. One of our readers asked me to write about the “single Christian.” Now, that expression can mean different things to each of us. The single parent. The widow or the widower, technically is single. The divorced is single. Teenagers are single. What I mean, and the direction of this Jump Start, are those who are of marrying age, but have never married. They are single. The single Christian.

 

There are a variety of reasons why some are single. Some focused upon school and career first. Others, just haven’t found the right person. For some, they like being single. It’s their choice. Within the church there are some awkward and uneasy situations that the single Christian finds himself in.

 

  • There are those who try to arrange dates for you with their sisters, cousins and nieces. When I first started preaching I was single. I’d be invited over to people’s home for Sunday dinner. There was always an empty chair right beside me. Soon came someone’s sister, cousin, niece that the host thought would be a great date for me. Very awkward.

 

  • There are those who say inappropriate things, such as, “don’t you like boys?” Or, “You’re not gay are you?”

 

  • Then there are the times you feel like a third wheel. You’re too old to hang out with teens. Everyone else your age is married and has kids. So, when a couple is having a few people over, they are not sure what to do with you. Do they invite you or not? You feel like you have leprosy. You feel like a charity case. You don’t want people feeling sorry for you, as if you have something wrong with you.

 

There are four unique advances that Satan will try upon the single Christian.

 

First, there is stealing your joy because you are not where you want to be. This is the shopping mall syndrome. You enter a large shopping mall and look at the directory. There is a large red X declaring this is where you are. But you want to be some where else. Parents and grandparents put pressure upon you to marry and have kids. At every wedding you hear, “When will it be your turn?” All of this can rob you of the joys that God wants you to have. Being single gives you the freedom to travel, to teach, to help brethren in far away places. This is a blessing. You can do so much for the kingdom. Don’t view being single as something you must get rid of as soon as you can.

 

Second, settling for the consolation prize. You grow weary of waiting for the right person, so you take whatever comes along. It’s the second place, the runner up, the almost, but not quite. This person may not be a Christian. He may not have the same values as you do. Getting married to just be married isn’t the right choice. Being in a mad marriage is a terrible place to be. There are married people who wish that they were single. That’s not a place you want to be in.

 

Third, finding yourself in a place you don’t belong. That’s the prodigal’s story. He’s in a pig pen. Pigs belong in a pig pen, not people. Stuck in guilt. Miserable. Unhappy. Wishing you could go back and make different choices.

 

Fourth, selling out. Exchanging the spiritual for the physical. Trading the eternal for the temporary. This is what Esau did when he sold his birthright for a common meal. You start hanging out with those you thought you never would. You find yourself doing things that you would never have done a few years ago. Your thoughts on social drinking changes. Your views on divorce change. The reality is that you are getting weaker spiritually and you do not even realize it. You are trading the spiritual for the physical. You are selling out.

 

The Single Christian ought to understand that they may not live to be old. Life teaches us this. They ought to also understand that they may be single for a long time, even all of their life. They need to use the opportunities that they have to their advantage and to the advantage of the Kingdom. They need to rejoice, be happy and be a blessing to others. I think of my friend Robin, who has passed away. What a great single Christian he was. He taught classes. He gave incredible lessons. He invited the church over to his backyard and showed outdoor movies. He arranged for lots of us to go to a Reds game. He did what he could. He made a difference, even being single.

 

The single Christian can help young parents. They can be the wonderful aunt or uncle to the kids in the congregation. Rather than feeling as if they carry a plague, they need to see the wonderful blessing that they can be to other people. Time, resources, money can make such a difference in the kingdom.

 

And, when folks say things about you still being single, simply smile, and realize that we must all serve Christ in whatever place we find ourselves. Bloom where you are planted—is not only a powerful expression, and an old sermon of mine, but it illustrates a wonderful Biblical concept for us. All along the highways, especially in my area, where you see the highway cut through the rocks, there blooms a flower, or, there grows a tree. No one planted it there. The winds blew the seed there and with just enough soil, sunlight and water that tree grew. Sticking out of a rock, it helps holds the rocks from falling. You don’t find people pulling their cars over to take a picture of those trees sticking out of the rocks. They are not like the Redwoods. However, they add beauty to an ugly rock and they bloom where they have been planted. In life, we all want to be those tall California Redwoods. But choices and life often doesn’t make that happen. For some, we are nothing more than a tree sticking out of a rock along side a highway. Not the place where we thought we’d be, but here we are. We can feel cheated, depressed and left out, or we can bloom where we have been planted.

 

Single and a Christian—nothing wrong with that. Make the most of it. You can do things that the rest of us can’t. We need you to be strong spiritually and using your talents powerfully for the kingdom. Our verse today shows the great example that young and single can add to the kingdom. You can remind the rest of us what we ought to be and what we ought to be doing. Be that example that God wants you to be!

 

Roger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24

Jump Start # 2375

Posted on June 24, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2375

Philippians 2:5 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”

I taught a class the other day about thinking like Jesus. Boy, our day sure would be different if we could do that well. Imagine entering that meeting at work, but you enter it thinking like Jesus would. Imagine a disagreement at home, but you’re thinking like Jesus. Maybe things wouldn’t get so heated. Maybe you’d not be so bothered about things that really do not matter. Have this attitude, or as other translations say, have this mind, which was also in Christ Jesus.

 

I wonder, if we were walking the dusty trails of Judea, what we would have noticed about Jesus? The two on the road to Emmaus, in Luke 24, actually got to experience that. They walked seven miles with Jesus. They talked. They listened. They entered a village together, and then a house. They sat at a table and as we’d say today, “had lunch.” Their eyes were opened and then He was gone. Can you imagine being a part of that journey?

 

When you read the Gospels, what do you notice about Jesus?

 

One of the first things, so different than today, is that no one talks about His appearance, His clothes, His tone of speech, how tall He was, or even if He was handsome. Hollywood is stuck on those things. It’s all about the package even though there may not be much on the inside. We sure pour a lot of effort into looking good. We try to impress each other by the way we look. The attraction to Jesus was not the outside, but the insides, His heart.

 

I think we would be amazed at how accessible Jesus was. For who He was, God on earth, you’d tend to think that He’d spend His time in high level meetings. You’d think that he had a series of bodyguards, and front people around Him that allowed the crowds to see Him, but not too close. I got to go to a Paul McCartney concert earlier this month. Impressive show. Large crowd. Giant video screens showing close ups of the icon preforming. I expect he arrived in a limo and was ushered in through some secret doors that were heavily guarded, and had a series of people around him to take care of him and keep the fans at a distance. Paul McCartney did not walk down the aisles of the arena. The president travels much that way. The queen in England travels that way. But, not Jesus. So, close, people could ask Him questions. So close, people could reach out and touch Him. Jesus was right there among the people. He didn’t act as if He was too good for everyone else, even though He was. If someone tried to touch the president from behind, like the woman with the issue of blood did to Jesus, they would be tackled, handcuffed and whisked away to jail. Jesus in the home of Zacchaeus. Jesus with children surrounding Him. Jesus walking among the crowd, heading toward Jairus’ home. I think we would be amazed at how available Jesus was. And, do you know what? He is still that available to you, especially in prayer. You can pray anywhere. You can pray in places where they don’t allow prayers. And, God is there to hear you. He’s never too busy. He’s never tied up at the moment and will have to get back to you later. He’s never with people who are more important than you. God is accessible.

 

I think we would notice the kindness of Jesus. You can tell when someone is sincere. You can tell when someone truly means what they say. There were several situations in the Gospels that got heated and certainly could have turned very ugly and even violently, but Jesus calmed the situations down. When the woman caught in adultery was dragged through the streets of Jerusalem and brought before Jesus in the temple, the emotions were running high. She was scared, embarrassed and guilty. She wasn’t caught stealing a cookie. She was caught with no clothes on and doing what decent people do not do, having sexual relations with someone she was not married to. The mob was ready to pick up stones and throw them at her. The wrong words and the wrong tone, could have turned this into a very violent situation. The stones may have been thrown. They may have even thrown a few at Jesus. But He clamed things down. Another occasion is when Jesus was arrested. The mob came with sticks and swords. Peter tried to kill one in the mob. The words of Jesus stopped a blood bath from taking place. Several of the apostles could have been killed in that garden had the wrong words or the wrong tone been used. When a person is in the presence of goodness, it tends to make them feel good. We would have noticed His kindness.

 

I think we would have noticed how much Jesus loved His Father. He was always honoring His Father. He was always talking about His Father. He was trying to get people to turn their hearts to His Father. His prayers, His use of Scriptures, His humbleness all pointed to His Father. There was no pretense with Jesus. He never said things to make Himself look good. He never was careless with the Word of God. He never bent the rules, nor winked at wrong. He never played favorites, nor gave His chosen ones a pass if they did wrong. His Father was more important to Him than anything else. He truly honored and loved God.

 

Now, having that mind of Jesus in us, what do people notice about us? What do they hear us saying? What do they walk away thinking about us? Are we so absorbed in material things? Are we always talking about ourselves? Do we try to out do the people who are with us? Do people notice kindness in us? Do they sense goodness, spirituality and love from us? Can others tell that we really love our Father in Heaven? There are some things you just cannot fake. Jesus was dedicated, sincere, and motivated in all that He did. He was true, through and through.

 

The mind of Jesus. The mind of Jesus in us. What a wonderful thing that is. It ought to be noticed.

 

Roger