Higher Power

Posted on November 14, 2016 by jesustrek
front-step

Front Step

The house where I grew up had a huge rock that served as the front step. The old house is no longer habitable, so my wife and I asked the owner if we could have the rock. We wanted it for sentimental reasons. We planned to place it in the landscaping of the new house we just moved into.

The owner graciously gave us the rock. The only problem was that I didn’t have the means to move it. I don’t have any piece of equipment powerful enough to move that stone, and even if I did, I do not own a vehicle capable of hauling such a heavy object.

Fortunately, I discovered that a neighbor had access to a tractor with a front end lift that was able to hoist the rock. I have another friend who loaned me his dump trailer and pickup truck so that I could haul the rock to my house.

I now had the power necessary to do the work. We loaded, hauled and dumped the huge rock with ease. The job went remarkably well once I had access to the necessary power.

There are things in this life that are much too big for us to handle on our own. However, with God’s power we can accomplish those things which would otherwise be impossible.

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.’”—Mark 10:27.

 

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Give Me the Money!

Posted on November 11, 2016 by jesustrek

muggingA well-known politician was stopped on the street by an armed robber. “Give me all of your money!” the thief demanded.

“You don’t know who I am, do you?” the politician replied. “I am a member of Congress!”

The thief thought for a moment, then replied, “All right then, give me all of my money!”

I thought we could use a little political humor today.

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

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Humble and Gracious

Posted on November 9, 2016 by jesustrek
Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton

I just heard part of a speech that Hillary Clinton gave to her supporters the day after her upset loss to Donald Trump in the presidential election. She was quite humble and gracious in her remarks. This was a sharp contrast to her tone during the campaign, when she proclaimed that her opponent was unfit for the office of president, denounced many of his supporters as a “basket of deplorables” and wondered why she wasn’t up by 50 points in the polls.

If Mrs. Clinton had been as humble and gracious during the campaign as she was in her post-election speech, we probably would be talking about our nation’s first woman president. Her lack of humility set her up for a painful fall.

This reminds me of a similar speech given by Al Gore, when he finally conceded the election to George W. Bush in 2000. He was very humble and gracious in his speech. However, Gore had been anything but nice during the presidential debates–sighing, rolling his eyes and invading Mr. Bush’s personal space. Gore, like Mrs. Clinton, very likely would have won the presidency had he only humbled himself before the election rather than after.

The Bible continually warns us against the sin of pride. Pride so often goes before a fall. How much better it is to practice a lifestyle of humility and grace.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”—1 Peter 5:6.

 

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Infrequent Expressions

Posted on November 8, 2016 by jesustrek

dozen-roses-lgI am not one to buy gifts for my wife, Karen. It almost never happens. She has grown accustomed to this. Therefore, she was shocked when I came home with a dozen roses on our 25th wedding anniversary. The conversation went something like this:

Her: “Who are those for?”

Me: “They are for you!”

Her: “Who are they from?”

It was then that I realized that I had set the bar far too low! My wife’s expectations were nearly non-existent!

It is a shame if we set the bar too low in our expressions of love for God. Let us make sure that our heavenly Father receives frequent and significant attention.

“Jesus replied: ’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.’”—Matthew 22:37-38.

 

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That’s What You Get

Posted on November 7, 2016 by jesustrek
Sir Robert Watson-Watt

Sir Robert Watson-Watt

Several years after he invented radar, Sir Robert Watson-Watt was arrested in Canada for speeding. Ironically, he was caught by a police officer using a radar gun. Afterwards, he wrote this poem:

Pity Sir Robert Watson-Watt,

Strange target of his radar plot,

And this, with others I could mention,

A victim of his own invention.

Sometimes the things you do come back to haunt you.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”—Galatians 6:7.

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Radical Mistrust

Posted on November 4, 2016 by jesustrek

doctorWe all know people who fear going to the doctor, but a 63-year-old London man took that to an extreme in 1994. He knew that he needed bladder surgery, but he could not overcome his fear of doctors and hospitals. So he tried to perform the surgery on himself! Tragically, he got an infection from the self-surgery and later died. A simple operation would have solved his problem, but his radical lack of trust cost the man his life.

Just as this man didn’t trust doctors or hospitals, many people don’t trust God. In their self-reliance, they destroy themselves. Instead of taking matters into our own hands, how much better off we would be if we would trust God to take care of us.

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”—Matthew 19:26.

 

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Eating with Sinners

Posted on November 3, 2016 by jesustrek

jesus-still-eats-with-sinnersPeople noted that Jesus ate with sinners. This was certainly true. It wasn’t just the “sinners” that Jesus ate with at dinner parties. On a regular basis Jesus sat down to eat with his sinful followers.

There was Judas, the greedy treasurer of the group. Arrogant and boastful Peter was there also. So were James and John, the hotheads that Jesus nicknamed the “Sons of Thunder”. Does anyone really think that Matthew was an honest tax collector? What about Simon the zealot? Surely there was blood on his militant hands.

They were all sinners, and yet Jesus ate with them.

Whenever we participate in communion, we celebrate the fact that Jesus still eats with sinners.

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”—1 John 1:8.

 

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Strong Medicine

Posted on November 2, 2016 by jesustrek

prescriptionOnce upon a time there was a man who was gravely ill. His wife brought him the strong medicine ordered by the doctor, but he complained that it tasted bitter and caused him some pain. So, to spare him, his wife watered it down. He was so happy. It almost tasted good and his tummy didn’t hurt any more.

She was so kind to him, but there was a catch. All was not well. The diluted medicine was no longer strong enough to do its job. So the man’s illness got worse. He grew weaker and weaker, and one day he died.

We must never water down the word of God. It may leave a bad taste in our mouth. It may cause some temporary pain and discomfort. But if we water it down, it won’t keep us spiritually healthy.

Take the word of God just has he prescribed it—at full strength!

“For the word of God is alive and active…”—Hebrews 4:12.

 

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Who’s In Charge?

Posted on November 1, 2016 by jesustrek

founding-fathersIn 1776, when our nation was in its infancy, the population was about 3 million. Out of those 3 million people came such great statesmen as George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and many others.

Today, our country has a population of over 300 million, and the best we can do is Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump?! Are these two candidates for president really the best that America has to offer? It saddens many Americans to think that on November 9, we will wake up to find that one of these two greatly flawed individuals has been elected the next president of the United States.

However let us be reminded of something else that will be true on November 9—God will still be on his throne!

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”—Psalm 20:7.

 

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Why He Failed

Posted on October 29, 2016 by jesustrek

failureIn Matthew 25, Jesus tells a story about three servants who are entrusted by their master with huge amounts of money that they are to invest in order to gain a return. The first two servants doubled their master’s money and were praised and greatly rewarded for their efforts. The third, however, hid his money away and eventually gave it back to the master without any return for his investment. This servant received neither praise nor reward. He was harshly chastised and severely punished.

What led to the third servant’s failure?

First, he thought that easier was better. Putting money or talent or time to good use takes quite a bit of work, and he chose not to put forth the effort.

Second, he didn’t want to take a risk. He played it safe. However, life requires a certain amount of calculated risk if we ever want to succeed. To choose inaction is to choose failure.

Finally, the man was overcome by fear, and his fear rendered him useless. He was so scared of making a mistake that he became virtually paralyzed—incapable of doing anything positive for his master.

As we serve our Master, let us not take the easy way out, but decide that we will put in the effort it takes to succeed. Let us be willing to take the kind of risks that are necessary for us to live profitable lives. Finally, let us not be paralyzed by fear, but motivated by love.

 

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