Rest for God’s People

Posted on August 31, 2023 by jesustrek

The subject of rest is an on-going theme in the Bible. Gen.2:2-3 says, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

By resting on the seventh day, God set an example for people to follow. The Lord was so adamant about this principle that he included it in the 10 Commandments that he gave to the Israelites. Ex.20:8-11 says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

The writer of Hebrews takes this principle of rest and ties it to our faith in Jesus. Some would not enter God’s rest because of their disbelief (Heb.3:18-19). Yet the promise of God’s rest remains for those who have faith in Jesus and exhibit that faith with their obedience. In chapter four of Hebrews God’s rest is equated to the salvation we have in Jesus Christ. Here the New Testament harkens back to the Old Testament by reminding us of how God rested after creation. Here the readers are exhorted not to fall short of God’s rest by failing to persevere in the faith. 4:11 implores, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.”

The next verses are well-known Scriptures— “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (4:12-13). Taken in context, these verses say that our decision to either accept or reject God’s rest, the salvation offered to us through Jesus, is readily known by God.

The Scripture then urges us to “…hold firmly to the faith we profess. (v.14). V.15 brings us to this conclusion— “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

To sum up what the Bible says about rest for God’s people, it seems that we could say that there are three levels of rest.

First, there is the physical rest that we all need. Studies show that our bodies need time to recuperate from the work week, and that people who get sufficient sleep each night are much better off than those who don’t.

Second, there is the aspect of spiritual rest, which only comes through the salvation that we have been offered through Jesus. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt.11:28).

Finally, there is the ultimate rest we will find in eternity. Let’s enjoy every level of rest that God offers us through his Son Jesus Christ!

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A Program for Church Growth

Posted on August 26, 2023 by jesustrek

Jesus promised that he would build his church, and all his followers should share his zeal for church growth. Many church growth programs have been proposed over the years and most of them have some good suggestions. However, the very best material for evangelism can be found in Scripture. One such text is Acts 6:1-7. Let’s look at this passage and notice some principles for church growth that can be applied today.

The church had been established and was growing in leaps and bounds. Then a problem arose that was so serious that it not only threatened the expansion of the young church, but perhaps its very existence. It seems that some of the widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food, and this was brought to the attention of the apostles, who decided to address the situation. They proposed that the congregation select seven men who were full of the Spirit and wisdom to take care of the needs of the widows. The apostles would then be able to devote their full attention to their main priorities—prayer and the ministry of the word. This proposal was acceptable to the whole church and the plan was quickly put into place. The crisis was averted and as a result, the word of God spread, and the number of disciples increased rapidly.

The first step in this church growth program was addressing problems in a timely and proper manner. The situation was brought to the attention of the leaders, and they determined that this was a serious matter. Not all complaints are legitimate problems that need to be dealt with. Leaders need to ignore—and perhaps put a stop to—complaints that are trivial in nature. Good church leaders will not hesitate to tackle real problems, and they will propose biblical solutions to those problems.

The second step in the program is to set your priorities. Feeding the widows was an important endeavor, but the apostles’ main task was to lead the way for the congregation in the areas of prayer and ministry of the word. Any other task, even an important one, would only serve to distract the leaders from their most vital responsibilities. Each member of the church, whether in a position of leadership or not, should understand their role in the church and should resist being distracted from their main job in the church.

The third step is to delegate. We are not meant to do the work of the Lord alone. The church is like a body, with its many parts doing various things to help the body function well so that it can stay healthy and grow. We need to recruit others to help us. This will help to ensure that the work of the church gets done and it allows others to get involved, using their gifts and talents for the Lord. Ideally, the people appointed for the tasks will be just like the ones in this passage—full of the Spirit and wisdom.

This 3-step program does not contain everything the Bible says about church growth. However, it is a good basic outline to follow to help ensure that the local congregation stays healthy and continues to grow. In implementing this plan, the early church demonstrated the unity (v.5a) that Jesus desires (John 17:20-23) and obeyed another important biblical principle by taking care of its neediest members (Matt.25:31-46; Gal.6:10). Let’s strive for the word of God to spread and the number of disciples to increase rapidly in our churches today, just as it came to pass in the early church.

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The Gospel in Revelation

Posted on August 19, 2023 by jesustrek

The mere thought of the biblical book of Revelation conjures up feelings of fear, dread, anxiety and apprehension in the minds of many readers. The depictions of apocalyptic plagues, scary beasts and cataclysmic natural disasters tend to frighten a lot of people.

Another reason that some might avoid reading Revelation is that they perceive it as being difficult to understand. Its symbolism can come across as a code that is too hard to decipher, so why even try.

However, the book of Revelation is not intended to scare or confuse people. Its purpose is to provide comfort and encouragement to an embattled church that is always facing extreme hardships and challenges. Its message—both to the original recipients and modern-day readers—promises blessings to those who persevere in their faith in Jesus Christ despite any adversity we may face. Revelation 1:3 promises, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it…”

The most comforting part of Revelation is the good news of the salvation that is available to mankind through their faith in the crucified and risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It might surprise some to find that the gospel message is present throughout the book of Revelation, and it is revealed early in the text. Revelation 1:5-6 says, “…Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”

This is the essence of the gospel message, right here in Revelation! Jesus Christ died to set us free from our sins. He rose from the dead and has enabled us to be a part of his kingdom. Because of that, he deserves our devotion and our worship.

The gospel not only sets us free from our sins, but it also sets us free to live boldly and confidently for the Lord, even in the most trying of circumstances. The gospel message equips us to be witnesses for Jesus, spreading the good news of the salvation that he freely offers to a lost and dying world. The gospel message in Revelation not only gives us hope and comfort, but it also inspires us to be actively sharing our faith with others. Thank God for the gospel in Revelation!

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Set on Fire

Posted on August 11, 2023 by jesustrek

One of the current top news stories concerns the devastating fires in Hawaii that have destroyed much property and have taken the lives of at least 36 people. While fires are relatively common in Hawaii, these recent blazes have been particularly ravaging. Fierce winds have caused the fires to spread at a phenomenal rate, overwhelming any efforts to fight the blazes and forcing people to flee for their lives, many of them jumping into the ocean as a last resort to save themselves.

This tragedy reminds us of what the Bible says about the dangers of the tongue. James 3:5-6 reminds us, “Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”

A wise old man once tried to teach a young boy about the importance of being careful about what you say. He cut open a feather pillow and told the boy to empty its contents into the air. It was a windy day, and the feathers quickly began to spread across the countryside. Then the old man instructed the boy, “Now go and gather up all the feathers and put them back in the pillow.”

“Why, that’s impossible!”, the boy retorted. “The feathers are so far spread that I could never retrieve them all!”

“That is correct”, the older man replied. “In the same way, every word we speak travels quickly. Once spoken, we cannot take those words back.”

We can apologize for words that we say in haste or in anger. However, they usually have done their damage already, and our efforts to repair the damage done by our careless words are woefully inadequate.

Words spoken in haste or in anger can hurt people far more than we can ever imagine. People tend to dwell on negative comments that others make, and their harmful effect can last for years.  

Rather than try to repair the damage caused by an out-of-control tongue, how much better it is that we constantly strive to guard what we say and try to speak only words that are true, kind and necessary.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”—Eph.4:15.

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Satan’s Top Ten Lies

Posted on August 3, 2023 by jesustrek

Former Cincinnati Reds baseball player Doug Flynn is outspoken about his faith in Jesus Christ. He came up with the following list of Satan’s top ten lies. I modified it just a bit.

TEN—There are many ways to God. Jesus says that he is the only way to God (John 14:6) and his disciples agreed with him, saying in Acts 4:12, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

NINE—You can never be forgiven for what you have done. The Bible says, ‘“Come now, let us settle the matter”, says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”’ (Isa.1:18).

EIGHT—You don’t need the church to live for God. According to Heb.10:24-31, we need to continue to be a part of the church, and those who forsake the assembly risk facing the ultimate wrath of God.

SEVEN—As a Christian it doesn’t really matter how you live. The truth is, we can’t continue to live sinful lives after we come to faith in Christ. Rom.6:1-2 says, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin: how can we live in it any longer?”

SIX—You can get right with God later. Actually, we all have an appointment with death (Heb.9:27), and we do not know when that day might be. You had better not put off choosing to follow Christ! The risk is simply too great!

FIVE—It is too late for you to be used mightily by God. In fact, Moses was 80 years old when he began his most important act of service for the Lord, leading the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. God can still use older people in a mighty way for his service.

FOUR—You can’t change. 1 Cor.6:9-10 lists several terrible kinds of sins. V.11 says, “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” The truth is you can change.

THREE—Heaven and hell are not real places. In the parable of the sheep and goats (Matt.25:31-46), Jesus says that the saved will be welcomed into God’s eternal kingdom, while those who are not saved will be cast into eternal fire. Jesus believes in heaven and hell, and so should we!

TWO—The Bible cannot be trusted. The Bible has never been proven wrong. It is completely reliable, and it is our standard for testing everything else that claims to be true. 2 Tim.3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

ONE—God does not love you. The Bible says otherwise. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” That sure sounds like love to me!

Don’t fall for any of Satan’s lies! Believe Jesus when he says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32).

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Heart and Purpose

Posted on July 20, 2023 by jesustrek

Those who are serious about following Jesus should have a desire to have a heart for the Lord and to serve God’s purpose with their lives. We find in the Bible a good example of this in King David. Acts 13 reveals to us that David had a heart and a purpose that we could learn from.

When King Saul failed to carry out the will of the Lord, God removed him from his position and made David king. God describes David with these words: “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.” (Acts 13:22).

It is not just kings and other leaders who need to have a heart for the Lord. God expects this from every one of us. He is looking for people who will worship him in the Spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).

So how does one exhibit a heart for the Lord? The answer is found in the last part of the above verse, Acts 13:22— “…he will do everything I want him to do.” The way to have a heart for God is to obey him. We can’t be serious about the Lord without obedience. Jesus says, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:17). He also says, “If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15). Anyone who wants to have a heart for the Lord will live a lifestyle of obedience.

You might be thinking, “Well, David didn’t always obey God. What about his adultery with Bathsheba and his plan to cover it up, ultimately resulting in the murder of her husband, Uriah? That doesn’t look like obedience to me!

It is true that David sinned greatly on that occasion. However, he repented afterwards and spent most of his life doing what God said to do. This goes to show that God can use people who make terrible mistakes if they will repent and turn back to him. Having a heart for God doesn’t mean that you have been perfect. It means that your life is primarily focused on obeying what God says to do.

So, we see that David had a heart for the Lord. Now let’s consider his purpose. Acts 13:36 says that “…David had served God’s purpose in his own generation…” God’s purpose in David’ life included the roles of shepherd, singer-song writer, warrior and king. Notice that is says he had served God’s purpose, not his own. Sometimes we have our own agenda for our lives, and we try to fool ourselves into thinking that’s what God wants us to do. We to be careful that we don’t confuse our plans and God’s plans. They are not always one and the same! It may require a radical change in thinking in order to understand God’s purpose for our lives. Rom.12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Having a heart for God and living out his purpose go together hand-in-hand. We need to be constantly examining our lives to see if we are indeed obeying God and living out his purpose in our own generation. We should always be ready to make any necessary corrections along the way to keep ourselves aligned with God’s purpose.

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Self-Denial

Posted on July 7, 2023 by jesustrek

In 2013, the word “selfie” was officially added to the dictionary. The practice of taking one’s own picture—and the obligatory posting on social media—has become commonplace. This is a commentary on the prevalence of selfishness in our society. I don’t mean to say that it’s necessarily wrong to take a selfie, just that it seems to be quite overdone.

Hugh Hefner could have been the poster boy for selfishness. America’s most famous playboy spent his entire life chasing pleasure. Hefner once wrote, “We reject any philosophy which holds that a man must deny himself for others.”

Hefner’s position stood in stark contrast to what Jesus taught. In Matt.16:24-26, we read, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?’”

I believe it was Colonel Sanders, of KFC fame, who once asked the question, “What good is it to be the richest person in the cemetery?” This is pretty much the same question that Jesus asks.

What Jesus teaches about self-denial is the exact opposite of the selfish human nature that was epitomized in the life of Hugh Hefner, the human nature that we all must work hard to resist.

One of the first words that a baby learns is “Mine!” It is quite natural for us to try to attain things that will give us pleasure, even if it is to the detriment of those around us. We must constantly battle against our selfish human nature, rather than give in to it like Hefner proposed.

We must trust that Jesus knows what is best for us and that our ultimate fulfillment in life—and our reward in the next life—will be based on our willingness to practice self-denial. Those who forsake the pursuit of selfish pleasure in order to worship God and serve others will experience a blessing far beyond what hedonistic people can ever know.

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Set Free

Posted on June 29, 2023 by jesustrek
Harry Houdini

Harry Houdini, the famed escape artist from years ago, issued a challenge wherever he went. He could be locked in any jail cell in the country, he claimed, and set himself free in short order. He always kept his promise, but one time something went wrong. Houdini entered the jail in his street clothes and the heavy metal doors clanged shut behind him. He took from his belt a concealed piece of metal, strong and flexible. He set to work immediately, but something seemed to be unusual about this lock. For thirty minutes he worked and got nowhere. An hour passed, and still he had not opened the door. By now he was bathed in sweat and panting in exasperation, but he still could not pick the lock. Finally, after laboring for two hours, Harry Houdini collapsed in frustration and failure against the door he could not unlock. But when he fell against the door, it swung open! It had never been locked at all! But in his mind, it was locked, and that was all it took to keep him from opening the door and walking out of the jail cell as a free man.

Many people unwittingly live in a spiritual jail when, in fact, Jesus Christ has already made it possible for them to be set free. By his sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus has set us free from our sins. 1 John 2:2 says, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Not only does Jesus set us free from our sins, but he also liberates us from the penalty of sin. Rom.8:1 proclaims, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Furthermore, by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus sets us free from death. He says in John 11:25-26, “…I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” It is an important question that we all must answer!

In addition to all this, Jesus sets us free to live powerful, effective, holy lives. Gal.5:13-14 teaches us — “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

So, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, don’t live as if you were still a slave to sin and death. Live the life you were called to live, a life of true spiritual freedom!

And if you have not yet accepted the freedom that Christ offers, what are you waiting for? Trust him for your salvation! Stop living in bondage and be set free!

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” – Gal.5:1.

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Honoring Marriage

Posted on June 22, 2023 by jesustrek

Heb. 13:4 says, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” We live in an age where marriage is dishonored by many people in various ways. How can we be counter-cultural and show our faith by honoring marriage? Here are a few suggestions.

First, remember that marriage is God’s idea. The Lord instituted marriage for the well-being of mankind. He ordained it from the very beginning, in the garden of Eden. Gen. 2:24 says, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Jesus and the apostle Paul both quote this verse when they talk about marriage, so the Scripture consistently points out that marriage was instituted by God.

Second, we honor marriage by upholding its original definition. Gen. 2:24 describes marriage as a union between a man and a woman. With all due respect to the U.S. Supreme Court, no one has the right to redefine marriage. God’s definition has stood the test of time, and it will stand the test of eternity, so let’s honor marriage by retaining its God-given definition.

A third way to show our respect for marriage is to refuse to marry someone who does not share your faith in God. The Israelites, God’s chosen people in the Old Testament, were specifically told to choose a spouse from among the people of their own nation. Likewise, in the New Testament, Christians are taught to only marry someone who shares their faith. 2 Cor.6:14 warns us, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” This teaching has not been emphasized nearly enough in the church today, and those who fail to heed its wisdom have paid dearly for their mistakes.

Another way to honor marriage is to refuse to have sexual relations outside of marriage. 1 Cor.7:2 says, “But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.” Married folks must resist the temptation to break their marriage vows by having a sexual affair. And single people must flee from immorality also. 1 Cor.7:36 says, “If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married.” One of the greatest ways we can honor marriage is to refuse to have sexual relations outside of marriage.

Another very important way to show our respect for marriage is to avoid divorce. Marriage vows are to be taken very seriously! Jesus takes a hard line on divorce, although he does allow it if one spouse has broken the marriage vows (Matt.19:3-9). Let’s do everything we can to stay married to the spouse we have, and thus honor the institution of marriage.

Finally, let’s keep in mind that marriage is a beautiful picture of the relationship between Jesus and his church. The church is the bride of Christ, and the institution of marriage is designed to reflect the love and sacrifice that Jesus shows for his church. This is explained in Eph.5 and taken up again in Rev.21. Eph.5:32-33 sums up this idea— “This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” One of the greatest ways we can show respect for the institution of marriage is to constantly work on our own marriage so that it reflects the great love that God has shown us in Jesus.

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Jesus at a Wedding

Posted on June 10, 2023 by jesustrek

Art Linkletter once asked a little girl what her favorite Bible story was. She answered that it was when Jesus turned water into wine. Then he asked her what lesson we can learn from that story. She replied, “When you run out of wine, get down on your knees and pray!”

I think that there are probably better lessons to learn from this episode from the life of Jesus, recorded in John 2.

By attending the wedding, Jesus places his seal of approval on the God-ordained institution of marriage. Marriage was given to mankind for our benefit (Gen.2:24), and it later became a beautiful illustration of Christ’s love for the church (Eph.5:25-33). Any attempt to redefine marriage or to diminish it in any way must be seen for what it really is—a rebellion against God.

At some point in this wedding celebration the wine ran out. This would be a terrible embarrassment for the host of the party. This led Mary, the mother of Jesus, to point out the problem to him. This causes us to suspect that Mary may have shared some responsibility for the provisions for the wedding party. Her statement carries with it the implication that Jesus should do something to alleviate the situation.

Jesus seemed reluctant to get involved. He had just begun his ministry, and his priorities were different from Mary’s. However, he must have given his mother some indication that he would intervene, because she told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do. This further supports the suggestion that Mary bore some responsibility for the arrangements for the wedding celebration.

Jesus had the servants fill some large jars with water and draw some water to take to the master of the banquet, who would have to approve of any refreshments to be set before the guests. As this took place, the water became wine, and it was of such good quality that the master of the banquet expressed surprise that the best wine had been saved until then.

The story concludes with the statement that this miracle was the first of the signs through which Jesus revealed his glory, and that his disciples put their faith in him.

So, what lessons might we learn from this Scripture?

First, let’s honor the institution of marriage. While others do their best to tarnish it in some way or dismiss it altogether, let’s give marriage the place of honor it deserves. Heb.13:4 says, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”

Second, let’s understand the importance of prayer and faith. Had Mary not asked Jesus to get involved and trusted the outcome to him, the situation would not have been resolved in such a satisfactory manner.

Third, we must always remember that Jesus has total control over nature since he created it. Jesus has the power to intervene in any and every situation.

Another lesson is that we, just like the servants in this story, should do everything Jesus tells us to do. His commands are not burdensome, and our obedience is proof of our faith in him and our love for him.

Finally, let’s realize that the wonders that Jesus performs are for the purpose of revealing to us his glory so that we will place our trust in him and grow in our faith.

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