09

Jump Start # 2484

Posted on December 9, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2484

 

Matthew 7:11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in Heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”

 

The Christmas season is in full swing. Just yesterday, I was asked by two different people if I had all my shopping done. Shopping and Christmas seem to go hand in hand. We have a lot to buy for. We have ten grandchildren, along with four grown children and their mates. Toss in my dad, my mother-in-law and a few others that we like to get gifts for, I understand shopping. I even went out on black Friday this year. What was I thinking!

 

With all this shopping going on, our verse came to my mind this morning. God is good. God is generous. But looking carefully at this verse, there are some interesting details that we need to notice.

 

First, being evil, doesn’t mean everything a person does is evil or wrong. Here, the evil people were giving good gifts to their children. Don’t miss that. Because a person is doctrinally off on a Biblical principle, does not mean that he is wrong in all things. Although a book may contain some error, it may still have some value and good in it. The evil people knew how to give good gifts.

 

Second, the evil people had a heart of kindness. They were giving good gifts to their children. Again, it is easy to think that evil people would leave their children outside in the rain, not feed them and just be trouble all the way around. Not so. Not only were they kind to their children, there seems to be a sense of love. The evil people had a heart.

 

Third, giving good gifts to their children did not erase the fact that these people were evil. Doing good deeds does not take care of the wrongs that we do. Especially this time of year, many folks get the generous spirit and want to donate coats and blankets for the homeless. Great thing to do. Some want to volunteer at a soup kitchen. Wonderful. I’ve done all of those things. However, these generous and kind acts do not change our relationship with the Lord, nor do they remove the wrongs that we have done. Only Jesus can do that. It is a common thought today that if I do some good some where then that makes up for the bad that I have done. These people were considered “evil” by Jesus. They were giving good gifts. Yet, they remained “evil.” They still needed Jesus. They still needed to bend their ways to the Lord, and seek the mercy of God. Giving presents to your children won’t open the gates of Heaven for you. What evil we have done must be taken up with God. He is the one that we have sinned against. Doing nice things for others is not addressing what I need to do with God.

 

Fourth, God, who is good, not evil, really knows how to give good. The pages of the Bible demonstrate that. God is lavish with his love, generosity and blessings. So often what God gives is not what we want. God gives forgiveness, hope, Heaven and a relationship with Him. That’s fine, some will say, but I’d rather have cash. And, in saying that, not only is one displaying a selfish attitude, but he is showing that he doesn’t understand what really matters. So we get cash. Then what? We’d go out and buy something. Within a few years, it’s junk and we are right back where we are today. We are more interested in stuff than character, hope and forgiveness. Stuff doesn’t last. Stuff is centered on the here and now. The spiritual side of things is what is lasting, eternal and of God. This is why Paul told the Corinthians that we do not look at the things which are visible. His hope, his interests was upon the things that were “invisible.”

 

Fifth, God has been good to all of us. Time, life, health, opportunity, talent are just a few things found in all of us. But more than that, God has given us His eternal word. God has opened the gates of His kingdom and allowed us to enter in. God has allowed us to be adopted by Him. We sit at His table. We are considered as one of His children. God has trusted us enough to carry on His work in this world. We have become His eyes, His hands and His feet. God believes in us.

 

Yes, some days are dark and troublesome. There are trips to the cemetery. There are lonely nights. However, even then God has not left us. Even at the moment of our death, the angels from Heaven carry our soul to the arms of Abraham. There are blessings that the eye cannot see. There are blessings that you cannot put a price tag on. There are blessings that can be found no where else.

 

God knows how to take care of us. God knows what we need. And, God certainly can give good gifts. Something to remember in this season of giving.

 

Roger

 

06

Jump Start # 2483

Posted on December 6, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2483

John 20:29 “Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

 

Our verse today is part of a conversation Jesus had with Thomas. We know him. He’s “Doubting Thomas,” to us. He wasn’t there when Jesus first appeared to the apostles. Now, a week later, he’s there and he sees and he confesses.

 

Within this verse we find one of the many “blessed” verses. We remember this is how the sermon on the mount begins with a series of beatitudes or blessings. This reminds us that the sermon on the mount is not the only place we find these. There are several in Revelation. And, here, they are pointed to us. We were not there, yet we believe. We haven’t seen with our eyes, but we believe. Our faith is not in what we have touched, seen and experienced. Our faith rests in the pure word of God that puts us in that room with the disciples.

 

The foundation of our walk with God is faith. It’s not the blessings from God. It’s not the church. It’s not how good God makes us feel. It’s not answered prayers. It’s not what we like about worship. It’s you and God. Your faith is what everything else is built upon. Without that faith, you will stop doing what you are doing. Without faith, prayers stop. Without faith, worship stops. Without faith, our character, attitude, outlook becomes darker and troubled.

 

There are three powerful things that faith does for us:

 

First, faith drives out fear. There are phobias many people have, from needles, to heights, to snakes. But there are deeper, more internal fears that people have. The fear of failure. The fear of death. The fear of the unknown. The fear of evil taking over. The fear of not doing enough. The fear of Hell. Faith in Jesus Christ conquers these deeper fears. Faith is not just in believing. Faith has a substance, and that is Jesus Christ. Some believe, but they don’t know what they believe. Our faith rests in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Our faith is that the Lord sits on the right hand of God and is ruling the nations. Our faith is that God is in control.

 

We don’t know what happens tomorrow, but God is already there. We don’t know how things will turn out, but God does. Kingdoms have come and gone and He remains. His will, His plans, His ways will be triumphant. I don’t have to know all the answers, God does. I don’t have to know how things will work out, God does. I trust God. He’s always been good, right and merciful.

 

Second, faith opens my eyes to a wonderful future. Things will be alright, because of God. Things aren’t getting worse, they are getting better. Today, we are one day closer to Heaven. Now, this world is falling apart. It’s selfish, secular, and to be blunt, dumb. Dumb with a capital “D.” But this world is not our home. This isn’t our destination. It’s Heaven. We are a people that are bound for Heaven. And, with that, our future is only getting better. There are many inconveniences and problems in this life. Sitting in traffic; having surgery; inconsiderate people, but those things do not last long. They don’t go with us as we pass from this room into the next room, the Heavenly world.

 

Paul viewed his trials, troubles and persecutions as both light and momentary. There are better things coming. Those things will last and last. Those things will be glorious and wonderful. Faith gives us this perspective. Otherwise, we are weighed down with burdens. Our hearts are heavy with discouragement. We drag though this life in misery and pain. It’s hard to be thankful that way. It’s hard to roll out of bed and be excited about anything. However, faith changes all of that. So there is a problem, it’s not the end of the world. So, things are tough. We can get through them with God’s help. What faith does is put our eyes off of us and our problems and puts them upon God and the eternal. Won’t it be wonderful once we are there? Faith makes us wish we could be in Heaven right now.

 

Third, faith makes us be fruitful in the service of Jesus Christ. It’s hard to believe and not have your heart changed. Faith rewires our thinking. Out with self and in with Jesus. Faith makes us compassionate, kind, gentle, and generous—just like God is. Faith opens our eyes to a world that needs us to help them and needs the saving message of Jesus Christ. Faith gets us up out of our seat and puts us around others that we can help.

 

When a guy says he believes, yet he keeps a selfish and closed heart, one must question that belief. Spending time near God ought to make us become like God. There is not a finer example than Jesus. There is not a better way than the Lord’s way.

 

The Pharisees thought they had the market cornered on faith. However, it did little to change their hearts. They worshipped in vain. They closed their eyes to those who were different. They remained unchanged and unmoved. They, like the older brother in the story of the prodigal son, lived around the father but they were not like the father. Not at all.

 

Faith will get you busy in the kingdom. You’ll do things because it’s the right thing to do. You’ll do things because Jesus did. You’ll do things because you care.

 

Fear…future…fruitful—faith impacts all of these.

 

Blessed are those who believe…blessed because it will change their lives!

 

Roger

 

05

Jump Start # 2482

Posted on December 5, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2482

Colossians 3:17 “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

I’m a reader of bumper stickers. I don’t have any on my car, but I like to read what others have. Some are cute. Some are strange. Some are offensive. Some, I have no clue what they mean. The other day I saw one that said, “Everything is connected.” That was it. Everything is connected. I don’t know if that was an environmental statement, a political statement, a philosophy, a new age concept, or something that is part of Eastern religions. Everything is connected.

 

Everything is connected does have a Biblical ring to it. This is a principle that some do not get. Everything is connected. This is why the Bible uses expressions such as “Christ lives in me,” or, “Christ is our life.”

 

Maybe this was behind the immorality problem we read about in 1 Corinthians 5. Paul’s words are, “someone has his father’s wife.” Even the Gentiles knew better. Now, the sexual sins were not happening in worship. This was something that was going on at home. However, “everything is connected.” We can’t be wrong at home and right at church, or more so, right with God. What we do at home, and what we do at work IS connected to all that we do and IS connected to our relationship with God.

 

Have you noticed how many “non-worship” principles are found throughout the N.T.

  • How husbands and wives were to treat each other
  • How masters and slaves were to treat each other
  • How citizens were to behave towards the government, including paying their taxes
  • How children were to treat their parents
  • How we are to have proper attitudes towards others
  • How generous we are, especially with the poor

 

Everything is connected. Christianity is more than just adding “worship” to my busy lifestyle. It’s more than squeezing in a couple of hours on Sunday for God. That’s the false concept that too many have. And, it shows in many areas. When it comes to selling things, they may lie and be dishonest. But if they make an extra buck, they will laugh about it. However, they never see that what they have done impacts their relationship with God. Here’s a guy at work, and he may pad the expense reports, and fudge a few numbers here and there, to make himself look good, and to get some “extra” money dishonestly. To him it’s all a game. Everyone does it and that makes him feel ok about what he does. However, he never realizes that his greedy heart is wrecking his relationship with God. He doesn’t see the connection between expense reports and God. He doesn’t get that everything is connected. Or, here is a person that really wants a job. He writes some things on his resume that are not true. He hopes it lands him the job. He never gets that everything is connected. Or, here is a guy at home and he spends very little time with the kids. He falls asleep every night watching sports and he has no time for his children. On weekends, he’s out golfing rather than sitting in the stands watching his kids play sports. He is truthfully very neglectful in what he is doing. He never understands that this is also hurting his relationship with God. Everything is connected.

 

Years ago, old preachers used to draw a circle on the chalkboard and talk about the different areas of our lives. There was work, there was home, there was social, and there was worship. But what these lessons failed to show was that the pie pan was Christ. Everything is connected. Everything is influenced by Christ. What I do on Sunday is as important as what I do on Friday night. At work is as important as in worship. At home with the family is as important as fellowship with brethren.

 

And, the failure to see this is what leads to so many problems. Out drinking on Friday nights is God’s business, as well as the business of God’s people. What I do at home is God’s business as well as the business of God’s people. How I work is God’s business as well as the business of God’s people. Cheating on tests is God’s business as well as the business of God’s people.

 

Everything is connected. A Christian can’t hide behind the American Constitution to justify saying and doing whatever he feels like. I have the right, doesn’t stand in the court of Heaven. If you are a Christian, you don’t have that right. You have been bought with a price. You are to glorify God. Our verse today, whatever you do, in word or deed, you are to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. I can’t say anything I want. I can’t do anything I want. I belong to Jesus. Everything is connected. I can’t watch any movie I want. I can’t go anywhere I want. Why? Because everything is connected and I belong to Jesus.

So, my attitude will shape my marriage and my family life as well as my relationship with God. The words I use will help or hurt others and impact my relationship with God. What I do, or what I decide not to do, will affect my relationship with God.

 

Everything is connected. Everything! You never turn off the Christ button. Never. You may leave work at work. You may leave home stuff at home. But everywhere and all the time, you belong to Christ. What happens in Vegas, doesn’t stay in Vegas. It influences your relationship with God. You can’t be right with the Lord and wrong in other areas. God doesn’t give you a pass because it’s your vacation, or a wedding, or you want to something just one time. Everything is connected. You are always and everywhere a child of God. There is never a time, nor a circumstance when you turn that off.

 

Everything is connected. This sure makes a person think, doesn’t it.

 

Roger

 

04

Jump Start # 2481

Posted on December 4, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2481

Luke 16:22 “Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.”

 

The rich man and Lazarus is a window into what happens after we die. The rich man knew. He remembered. He felt. He understood. It seems all that he was remained except for this physical body. He died, but there was no “The End,” to his story. His death wasn’t the final page. He lived on, but things were so different for him. He couldn’t even command a simply drop of water to be brought to him. He wanted word sent to his five brothers who were still alive. That was denied. He couldn’t cross over to where Lazarus was. He lived on, but it certainly wasn’t like what he was used to while on earth.

 

And his money, his purple clothing, his gated house, his fine linen, the fancy foods, none of those things were with him on the other side. And, none of those things kept death from coming. His money might have paid for doctors and medicine, but it couldn’t buy health. His money could have purchased fine foods and clothing but it couldn’t stop the divine appointment God had for him.

 

On the other side, his concerns were water for himself and warnings for his brother. He doesn’t ask about his purple clothes. He doesn’t seem to be concerned about who is now living in his house. He doesn’t say anything about the fine foods he has been eating. What the rich man recognized, though too late, is what really matters in life. And, the things that matter the most cannot be purchased.

 

Here are a few examples:

 

  1. Time is a gift of God. We take it for granted. We waste time. We use time. But we can’t purchase time. When people were busy making purchases on Cyber Monday, no one was able to buy an extra day. We buy electronics and gadgets that are supposed to save us time, but we find ways to burn through those “saved” moments. I expect the rich man would have walked away from his fine house had he been able to have one more day to live. Had the Lord said, “You were to die today, but I’m granting you one more day,” you’d think he would do things differently. You’d think he would forget about the purple, the food, the stuff and fall to his knees begging mercy from the Lord.

 

  1. Family is a precious gift from the Lord. Sometimes our families are filled with drama, stress and pain. Sometimes our friends take advantage of us and use us. But what came to the rich man’s mind after he crossed over to the other side? His five brothers. He did not want them to come to where he was. He wanted them to be saved. We get together with family and friends and we tease one another, laugh together, have fun together, but maybe what we ought to do is have some serious conversations about the Lord and what happens after death. We are not told whether these five brothers were in business with the rich man. We don’t know how close their relationship was. But, other than water for himself, what he begged for was word to be sent to his family. His money couldn’t buy salvation for his brothers. His money couldn’t keep death way from them. His position, his power, his influence—none of that impresses God. He knew that they were just like he was. He knew that unless something changed, they would be with him in torment. They were on the same path that he followed.

 

  1. Faith in God is a personal choice. The rich man could have donated a mountain of money to the Temple, but that would not have changed this story. He could have bought personal copies of God’s word, like the Ethiopian eunuch had, but that would not have changed this story. Faith in God is personal. Faith must be driven from our heart. Faith comes from believing, trusting and obeying the Lord. Faith changes us. Faith doesn’t lie dormant or idle. Faith is action. Noah believed God and built the ark. Abraham believed God and left Ur. They did those things because God said so. Long ago, some folks purchased their own pews in church buildings. They had little metal signs indicating that. They would be the only ones to sit in “their pew.” But even that doesn’t change this story. The rich man was too busy for God. The rich man ignored a generous and kind God and that shaped his character. He ignored the opportunity to help poor Lazarus. Lazarus wasn’t in Africa. He wasn’t lying in the streets in some rough area of town. He was at the rich man’s gates. Every day as the rich man left for work, to make more money, he had to pass right by Lazarus. His eyes never saw him, because his heart was closed and selfish. He could have brought Lazarus into his home. He could have provided food, and even sent for a doctor. He may have been able to extend some time for Lazarus and in doing this, he may have softened his heart, and thought about how blessed God had made him. He may have opened his eyes to the Lord and started listening to the words of God. He may have changed his eternal destiny, had he only allowed faith to take root in his heart. But as it is, he was too busy. Too busy for church. No time to read the Bible. Got a long list of things to do. That’s us. That’s our times. And, some day, death will come and then we will see what really matters and what we so often have chased in life are the things that are of no consequence.

 

Contextually, Luke strings together a series of stories about riches. First, there is the prodigal. Took his inheritance and lived like a fool. Then there is the dishonest servant who was embezzling from his master and go caught. And, right before the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Luke adds, “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things, and they were scoffing at Him.”

 

Given money. Stolen money. Earned money. Doesn’t matter, because if money is your god, your ambition, your heart, it will take you away from God. Five minutes after he died, the rich man got it. He got it too late. He realized what a blessing time was. He saw how important family was. And, he realized that faith was more important than money. Poor, pitiful, lonely, sick Lazarus was better off than the rich man. Lazarus was the one who was truly rich and the rich man was truly destitute. He never saw that until it was too late.

 

Now, all of this comes to us. Are you more like the rich man or like Lazarus? Where is your heart? What moves your needle? What impresses you? Paul said, “We make it our ambition to please the Lord.” Best give that some thought.

 

(We have a Jump Start book devoted to the story of the rich man and Lazarus. If you would like a free copy please email me, with your address, to: Rogshouse@aol.com)

 

Roger

 

03

Jump Start # 2480

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2480

Psalms 50:21 “These things you have done, and I kept silence; you thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you, and state the case in order before your eyes.”

 

Our verse today comes from a section in which God is speaking to the wicked. They have distorted, ignored and broken the laws and the heart of God. The list of wrongs is long. It is as if we are sitting in a courtroom. God is the prosecutor and Israel is on trial. God presents arguments why He is throwing the book at the nation. They are guilty, and here is why.

 

There are two thoughts that come out of our verse today.

 

First, silence, especially from God, does not mean approval. How simplistic and carnal is the mind that declares, “If God didn’t want me to do this, He’d stop me.” If God were striking folks dead for lying, as He did to Ananias and Sapphira, there’d be many of us not around. We get away with sin, at least for now. We can tell lies. We can mistreat people. We can carry sour attitudes and talk about others in a bad way. We divorce our wives, split churches, and blaspheme the holy name of God. The porn industry, the liquor industry, the drug pushers and foul comedians have all gotten insanely rich and profited by sin. Crime does pay, at least for now. Silence does not mean God is ok with these things. Silence from Heaven does not mean we can do what we want. Silence does not mean that there will be no consequences coming down the road for us.

 

I kept silence.

 

Second, you thought that I was just like you. What a mistake that was. How foolish that was. Even in a marriage, where God declares that two become one, still there are major differences. Given the choice of a snack, my wife would go for grapes or fruit. Me, it’s chips. When it comes to movies, she’d like a Disney show. Me, war movies or car chases. She likes to go to bed early. I like to stay up. She likes to sleep in, I like to get up early. I love my wife dearly, but she is not like me. I would not want to be married to me. One of me is enough in the house and in the world.

 

Israel thought that God was like them. “Just like you,” is the expression. Well, what was Israel like? They didn’t keep the covenant. God did. They were unfaithful. God is faithful. They were shallow. God is deep. They were selfish. God is generous. They were sinful. God is holy. They tried to move God out of their lives. God tried to move Israel into His life. They couldn’t keep commitments. God did. They lied. God was honest. They broke promises. God kept His. They were carnal. God is spiritual.

 

One is hard pressed to find any similarities between Israel and God. They were not like God at all and God was not like them. Israel, as our society has today, manufactured their own definition of God. Israel’s make believe God was a softy. He looked the other way at wrong. He could bend the rules, stretch the truth, and find ways to do whatever he wanted to. Israel’s make believe God could smile at wrong. He’d party with them. He could swear, cheat and lie, if need be. He was a good ole’ boy. He was one of them. And, this is what our times have done with God. They have manufactured a God that marches with homosexuals, drinks responsibly, rock ‘n roll with the best of them. Today’s God can be a woman, if that’s what you want. Today’s God doesn’t even pay attention to the Bible that He was supposed to have written. He is fluid, changing, and never absolute. The manufactured God of today is more upset with global warning than killing babies. He’s a humanist, an evolutionist, a feminist, and politically liberal. He is just like us! That’s what Israel thought and that’s what many want to believe today.

 

Now, thinking this through, why would Israel even need God? Why do we need God? If He is just like us, then where is the hope? Where is the salvation? Where is the uniqueness? Where is the purity and holiness? Where is the role model? Where is the positive example? Why be like God, if He is already like us?

 

The fact is, God is not like us. When Moses first spoke to God, he was told to remove his shoes. He was standing upon holy ground. The priests were to purify themselves before they entered worship with God. The sacrifices were to be unblemished and the best.

 

God is not like us. He is not a better version of us. He is the Lord Almighty. We ruin our relationship with God when we believe that He is just like us. I am so glad that He is not. There are days I am tired. There are days when I do not feel like being around people. There are days when my attitude really needs some work. There are days when the selfish spirit rises up. There are days that Satan knocks on the door of my heart and I open it and invite him in. There are days I do not let my light shine very brightly at all. But, then there are days when I feel very close to God. There are days when I have done the right thing. There are days when I feel bold, confident and strong in the Lord. Is God like this? Catch Him on a bad day and look out? He might be kind or He might be mean?

 

Poor Israel and poor us, for making the grave mistake that God is like us. There is nothing that would lead to that conclusion other than a sinful heart that does not want to change. Spending time in the Gospels with Jesus will lift your spirits and help your character to grow. Seeing how holy God is will lead you to giving your best in worship. We want to be with God, not because He’s like us, but because He is not like us. He’s always right. He’s always good. He’s always generous.

 

When you start with “God is just like us,” you’ve made the wrong step. Where that will take you is not closer to God, but away from God. God is not your buddy. He is not your co-pilot. He’s not one you hang with. He is the Lord Almighty. He is the God of Heaven and Earth. Hallowed be His name. Hallowed be His way. Hallowed is He.

 

The Heaven scene in Revelation shows the host bowing down to God upon the throne. No one chit-chats with God. No one treats God as one of us. No one teases God. Reverence. Worship. Devotion. Praise. That’s what comes from those Revelation pages.

 

Is God like us? No. And, for that we ought to be thankful. If He was, we’d be in trouble.

 

Roger