Jonah

Posted on October 17, 2026 by jesustrek

I rarely go to the movies anymore, but I recently saw a trailer for a film that is just coming out. It is called Whalefall. I don’t know enough about the movie to spoil it for anyone, but it is evidently about a scuba diver who is swallowed by a whale and then struggles to survive.

The movie looks interesting, and it reminds us of the biblical story of Jonah, the wayward prophet who was swallowed by a big fish. I thought we might take a quick look at the book of Jonah and see what lessons we might learn.

It starts with Jonah being sent by God to preach to the wicked city of Nineveh. He balked at the assignment and got on a ship that was going in a different direction, trying to flee from the Lord.

However, a violent storm arose that was so threatening that even the experienced sailors were afraid. They cried out to their gods and urged Jonah to do the same. They finally determined that Jonah was the cause of their trouble, and they asked him what they should do to make the sea calm down. Jonah replied that they should throw him into the sea and it would become calm. They did not want to throw him to his certain death, so they tried to row to land, but to no avail. Finally, they threw Jonah into the sea and it grew calm. This had such a profound effect on these sailors that they sacrificed to the real God and made vows to him.

Meanwhile, the Lord provided a large fish to swallow Jonah. In the belly of the fish Jonah called out to the Lord. The Lord heard his cries and commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land.

Given a second chance, Jonah went to Nineveh and preached that the great city would be overthrown. The people there believed God and repented. When God saw their response, he relented and did not bring about the destruction he had threatened.

You might think that this would please Jonah, but he became angry that the Lord had shown mercy to Nineveh. The Lord confronted Jonah about his wrong attitude and defended his own concern for the people of Nineveh. We do not know how Jonah responded to the Lord’s pep talk. The book ends without informing us of Jonah’s final reaction.

Here are some lessons we can learn from the account of Jonah. First, sometimes God gives his people some very difficult assignments. However, the Lord always equips us fully for the task at hand, and he does expect our full and immediate obedience.

Second, we see that you can’t run from God! He will always find you! There is nowhere we can possibly go to hide from God.

Third, God controls nature. Jesus, God in the flesh, showed the ability to walk on water and to calm fierce storms. Since God created nature, he can control it.

Lesson number four, God’s power can cause unbelievers, like these sailors, to come to faith in the one true God.

Additionally, we can learn that God accepts the prayers of repentant sinners, even when those prayers are offered from the belly of a huge fish!

Also, we see that God gives second chances. Jonah was given another opportunity to preach to Nineveh. Like many others in the Bible, this wayward prophet received a second chance. Aren’t you glad that we serve a God who gives second chances!?

Finally, we learn that the Lord cares about our attitude. He is not satisfied with our reluctant obedience. He wants us to show the same compassion that he has for all people, and the same mercy that he offers to those who repent.

Posted in Christian Living, Communion Meditations, Current Events, Leadership, Prayer | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Times Change

Posted on October 9, 2026 by jesustrek

One of the things you notice after walking around on this earth for a number of years is that times change. Nothing stays the same. Whether it’s for better or for worse, changes occur.

For instance, when I was a teenager, I didn’t like to be bossed around. I would often say, usually with a scowl on my face, “Don’t tell me what to do!” However, times change. Now I find myself saying, “Someone please tell me, using plain language, in carefully explained steps, exactly what to do!”

It was once commonplace for people to make a down payment on an automobile. But times change. Tomorrow, Lord willing, I plan to make a down payment on a full tank of gasoline!

Times change. It used to be that when you saw someone outside wearing their pajamas, it meant that their house was on fire. Today if you see someone outside in their pajamas, it means that they are going to Walmart!

We can find humor in some of the changes that we notice. However, some of the changes we see are cause for concern and can even be unsettling. It is disturbing to see some of the moral shifts in the thinking and behaviors that are becoming more acceptable in our culture. We want to sing along with the Judds, “Grandpa, tell me about the good old days, when the line between right and wrong didn’t seem so easy.”

Times change, but we must remember that Jesus always remains the same. Heb.13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Whenever we might tend to become discouraged by the happenings around us, let us focus on the character of the never-changing Jesus. Let Jesus be the hope and inspiration that guides us and lifts us up.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”—Col.3:1-2.

Posted in Christian Living, Communion Meditations, Culture, Humor, Leadership | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Who’s Got This?

Posted on October 8, 2026 by jesustrek

A television advertisement for a flu medication shows a sick person suffering and determined to tough it out. He says, “I got this!”. But mere seconds later, he admits, “I don’t got this!” He realizes that he needs help to cure his sickness.   

Many people suffering from sin say, “I got this!” They think they can somehow atone for their own misdeeds. Hopefully they will realize that they don’t “got this” and that they need help to cure their spiritual sickness. They need Jesus.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”—Eph.2:8

Posted in Christian Living, Communion Meditations | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Times Change

Posted on September 28, 2026 by jesustrek

Times change. When I was younger, I used to say all the time, “Don’t tell me what to do!” Now I say, “Would somebody please tell me, step-by-step, in easily understood terms, exactly what to do?”

Times change. People would once make a down payment on an automobile. Now, Lord willing, I plan to make a down payment on a tank of gasoline.

Times change. It used to be if you saw someone outside wearing their pajamas, it was because their house was on fire. Nowadays, if you see someone outside in their PJs, it’s because they’re going to Walmart.

Times change, but Jesus never changes. Heb.13:18 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” In a world that is often confusing with all its constant changes, it’s comforting to know that Jesus will always stay the same. We can count on that.

Posted in Christian Living, Communion Meditations, Culture, Humor | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Taking Flight

Posted on September 26, 2026 by jesustrek

On a recent trip to the beach, I noticed a sea gull that was missing a leg. At first, I thought that he was standing on one leg, with the other leg tucked up under his body. But when I saw him begin to hop around on the sand, it became apparent that he only had one leg. One can only speculate what had happened to him, but he was not moving around on the sand as easily as the other sea gulls.

However, when he took to flight, the difference between him and the other sea gulls disappeared. In the air, he moved as powerfully and as gracefully as the others.

Sometimes we suffer from injuries—physical, mental or emotional. These wounds can have a negative impact on how well we function.

However, we Christians have the in-dwelling power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to soar much higher than we ever could on our own. Let’s focus not on our weaknesses, but on His strength.

“To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” –Col.1:29

Posted in Christian Living, Communion Meditations, Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Second Chances

Posted on September 9, 2026 by jesustrek

The Bible gives us many examples of people who got a second chance in life. They had done something terrible, a deed that deserved harsh punishment, yet they walked away without being penalized. Or they had lived a lifestyle that ignored God while putting themselves first. But they had an opportunity to turn their lives around and make some better decisions.

We know that some of the people in the Bible took advantage of their second chance. Paul changed from a person who was obsessed with persecuting the church into one of the most intensely focused kingdom builders the world has ever seen. Peter denied Christ—three times—yet was given the opportunity to preach the gospel message on the day the church began. A woman who had led a sinful life responded to the grace and mercy that Jesus offered by anointing his feet, first with her tears, then with expensive perfume.

However, there are also people mentioned in Scripture who were given a second chance, yet we do not know what they did with it. Did they turn their lives around? Or did they keep on living in rebellion against God?

The woman in John 8:1-11 comes to mind as such an example. She was caught in the act of adultery. The penalty, according to the Old Testament, was for her to be stoned to death. Even though the punishment was rarely carried out anymore, the religious leaders used this case to test Jesus. He famously challenged those who were without sin to throw the first stone. One by one the accusers walked away. Jesus told the woman that he would not condemn her, but that she must leave her life of sin.

We don’t know what she did with her second chance. After being shown such amazing grace and mercy, she might have become one of Jesus’ followers. Or she could have gone back to her illicit affair. We just don’t know.

The rich, young ruler received a second chance. He had lived a life of greed. He cherished his possessions more than anything. When Jesus told him that he needed to sell everything he had and give it to the poor, the young man walked away sad. We might think that was the end of his story; that this decision to walk away from Jesus was his final choice. But maybe he changed his mind later. Perhaps the young man finally came to his senses and realized that eternal riches are much more important than temporal earthly wealth.

Finally, there is the case of Barabbas. If anyone deserved to die, it was Barabbas, who was in prison with insurrectionists who had committed murder in an uprising. But, remarkably, the crowd chose for Barabbas to be released and demanded that the innocent Jesus be killed instead.

You have to wonder what Barabbas did with his second chance. Scripture is silent on the issue. Did he go back to his villainous ways? Or did he eventually accept the forgiveness that was offered when the gospel message was preached? Could it be that Barabbas eventually was saved and became part of the church in the first century? We just don’t know.

I suppose it’s all right to speculate on what these and other people in the Bible did with the second chance they were given by God. However, it’s more important to think about what we will do with our own second chance. For we all are sinners in need of a savior. Thank God we have one in Jesus!

What will you do with your second chance?

Posted in Christian Living, Communion Meditations | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Salt and Light

Posted on September 1, 2026 by jesustrek

Remember the old saltshaker prank? Someone would loosen the top of a salt shaker in a restaurant. The next customer would unsuspectingly try to put a little salt on their food and end up dumping the entire contents of the shaker on their plate!

It doesn’t take a lot of salt to make a meal taste better. Just a pinch of salt can make the ingredients of a dish really come to life.

In the same way, we don’t have to dump everything we have on people all at once in order to be effective in spreading the gospel message. If fact, sometimes, in giving them too much all at once, it becomes overwhelming for them, like a dish with way too much salt.

We have to be discerning about how much of God’s truth to unload on people at one time. Jesus says that we are the salt of the earth (Matt.5:13). Let’s try to give them just enough salt to make the truth of salvation through Jesus palatable for them.

Jesus also says that we are the light of the world (Matt.5:14). We shine the light of Jesus into this dark, sinful world so that people can find their way to salvation through Jesus.

Bob Goff says, “We can be the light of the world without leaving our high beams on and annoying everybody.”

Regardless of what you may have heard, I am still able to drive after dark. However, I must admit that I occasionally forget to dim my lights for oncoming drivers. Sometimes they will flash their bright lights at me to remind me to dim mine.

I think Bob Goff has a point. Sometimes we Christians can be abrasive in expressing our opinions about God. This can turn some people off and hamper our efforts to spread the gospel.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that our ultimate goal is to avoid annoying people. Jesus annoyed some people. You don’t get nailed to a cross because you got along with everybody!

However, we must always try to speak the truth in love. It only takes a little light to lead someone out of the darkness. Let us always strive to shine our light in the most effective way possible.

“…Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”—Matthew 5:16.

Posted in Christian Living, Church, Humor, Leadership | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Handle with Care

Posted on August 28, 2026 by jesustrek

Sometimes people will misuse a verse of Scripture in order to make a joke. We have all heard this line from someone who is near the back of the line at a church potluck dinner— “You know what the Bible says: ‘But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.’” (Matthew 19:30). Of course, we all know that this Scripture has nothing to do with the order people are served at church dinners. But we all chuckle at the reference.

There are other ways that people have used a verse out of context in order to make a humorous point. One nursery worker said that her favorite verse was 1 Corinthians 15:51—“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.”

Then there was the youth minister who was still single, but was looking for a wife. He often reminded people what Genesis 2:18 says, “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’”

I recently heard a group of seven people who spoke in the same session at a conference, one right after the other. When the last speaker got up to talk, he began by quoting John 10:8, which says, “All who have come before me are thieves and robbers…” His misuse of that verse drew quite a laugh.

As a bald man, I kind of like Leviticus 13:40—“A man who has lost his hair and is bald is clean.”

As a conservative, I have a favorite verse to support my political leanings—“The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.” (Ecclesiastes 10:2).

I suppose it is all right to joke like this, as long as people know that we are speaking in jest. However, it is important that we take the Scriptures seriously and not try to twist the Word of God in any way. Listen to what the apostle Peter says about the writings of the apostle Paul—“…His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16). Paul writes, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

We must constantly be on guard against those who twist Scripture, and those who try to explain it away. Some will do so in an attempt to justify their sinful lifestyle. Others will do it to try to defend their unbiblical doctrinal positions. Beware those who misuse Scripture in any way, for any reason. And let’s be sure that we ourselves handle Scripture correctly.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”—2 Timothy 2:15.

Posted in Christian Living, Humor | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Giant Slayers

Posted on August 24, 2026 by jesustrek

One of the most familiar stories in the Old Testament is the one about David and Goliath, found in 1 Samuel 17. From this story we can learn several principles about how we should live our lives for God.

First, we see David’s spiritual awareness. He realized that Goliath was not just threatening an ordinary army; he was defying the “armies of the living God” (v.26), and because of that, someone must oppose Goliath.

Second, we notice that David was willing to get involved himself. He was not content to remain on the sidelines. He said, “…Your servant will go and fight him.” (v.32).

When some questioned young David’s ability to engage the giant in battle, David recited to them his experience. He had killed lions and bears while defending his father’s sheep. This Philistine warrior would simply be the next foe to be destroyed (vv.34-36).

David was also quick to give God the credit for rescuing him from past dangers, and spoke with certainty that the Lord would deliver him again when he went up against Goliath (v.37).

David finally convinced King Saul to allow him to fight Goliath, and Saul dressed him in a suit of armor. However, David was not accustomed to wearing armor. It didn’t feel right, so he took it off. Instead, he chose to go with his strength—a sling and some stones (vv.38-40).

The rest, as they say, is history. David boldly went on the offensive, giving God the credit for the victory that would soon be his. The giant was killed, and God’s people were greatly encouraged by the bravery of a shepherd boy whose heart was fully devoted to God (vv.40-53).

What can we learn from this story? Well, we know that some will continue to stand up against God. We need to be spiritually aware of this. No Christian can avoid the battle. We must be willing to engage in the fight. Remembering how the Lord has helped us in past successes will help us have the courage to do what is right. Don’t go out “in Saul’s armor”. What works for someone else might not work for you. Instead, use your strengths as you go out into spiritual battle for the Lord. Be brave as you face evil. Give God the credit for all your victories. And never underestimate the positive influence you can have on others as you bravely stand up against evil.

Be the best giant slayer God has called you to be!

Posted in Christian Living, Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On The Desert Road

Posted on August 7, 2026 by jesustrek

Acts chapter eight records the interesting account of Philip’s encounter with a man from Ethiopia. Luke emphasizes the fact that this encounter took place on a desert road, a place where one would hardly expect anything significant to happen. However, God works in mysterious ways, and the Lord often leads us to places we might not otherwise travel to encounter people we might not otherwise meet to share with them the good news that they might not otherwise hear.

When Philip got to the desert road he met an Ethiopian man who was an important official for the queen. He was returning home after having made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship. The Spirit told Philip to approach the chariot in which the man was riding. When he obediently did so, he heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked the man if he understood what he was reading. The man humbly admitted that he needed an interpreter and invited Philip to ride with him and explain the Scripture to him.

God had obviously been preparing both of these men for this encounter, because the man could not have been reading a more appropriate passage of Scripture. He was reading about a lamb who was being led to be slaughtered. Philip began with that text and told him the good news about Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world through his sacrificial death on the cross.

Philip not only told the man about the gospel, but he must also have told him how one must respond to the gospel, because the man noticed some water along the way and asked why he couldn’t be baptized there and then. Philip perceived that the man had adequately understood the gospel message enough to be baptized into Christ, so they stopped the chariot. Both men went into the water, and the man had his sins washed away in Christian baptism. The Ethiopian man went on his way rejoicing, and Philip was whisked away to his next God-given assignment.

So, what do we need to learn from this story? First, understand that we all have been called to be witnesses for Jesus, and we should obediently follow God’s leading as he provides us with opportunities to do so. Secondly, we should know that some important conversations can occur in unlikely places, our own version of “the desert road”, so to speak. Finally, we need to realize that the joy we spread to others and the satisfaction we feel ourselves are the natural outcomes of obeying God’s command to share the gospel message.

If you feel like you are currently on some version of a desert road, don’t despair! Be confident that God has a plan and choose every day to be a willing participant in that plan, even if you don’t fully understand how it will all turn out. Trust that God will use you to bless others, and that you in turn will feel blessed to have been used by God in a very meaningful way.

Posted in Christian Living, Communion Meditations, Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment