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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Making Improvements

Posted on June 9, 2023 by jesustrek

Lionel Messi is recognized as one of the top soccer players in the world. However, he didn’t start out as one of the best. He had to work his way up. He said, “The day you think there is no improvements to be made is a sad one for any soccer player…I start early and I stay late, day after day, and year after year. It took me 17 years and 114 days to become an overnight success.”

What is true with soccer is also true for Christianity. Once you are baptized into Christ you don’t instantly become a mature follower of Jesus. That only comes with constant practice. The apostle Paul says in Phil.4:9, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

As we progressively instill the principles of Christianity into our lives, people should be able to see a difference in us. Paul urged Timothy, “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. (1 Tim.4:15).

What sort of progress have you made lately?

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Becoming a V.I.P. in Your Church

Posted on June 2, 2023 by jesustrek

An arrogant tourist stopped at a country store in a rural area and sarcastically asked an old gentleman sitting on the porch, “Have any famous people ever been born here?” “Nope,” came the reply. “Only babies.”

For the most part, it’s true that we are not handed a certain status at birth. What we become in life is largely the result of a collection of important choices. I want to encourage you to decide to become a V.I.P. (Very Important Person) in your church.

“V” is for vision. Great church members are those who share with the church leaders a God-given vision for what that church can become. How frustrating it is to hear Christians utter phrases like, “We never did it that way before!”

Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” (KJV). There are too many people perishing in our churches today! They’re going nowhere, and they don’t see what God could possibly do to revive them in their jobs, in their family relationships and in their place in the community. They don’t see the possibilities for kingdom growth in their church. Our churches must become centers of hope where the vision is cast for a better future. Vision is contagious. When just a few people catch God’s vision for the church, be sure that God will move in the church.

“I” is for influence. John Maxwell says, “Leadership is influence.” If you want to be a significant member of your church, you must exert a positive influence on people.

Jabez boldly requested that God would enlarge his territory (1 Chronicles 4:9-10). Simply put, he wanted to be a person of greater influence.

Jesus says that his people are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. He is talking about influence. We should constantly be looking for ways to expand our sphere of influence. The more people we impact in a positive manner, the greater effect we can have for God’s kingdom.

“P” is for purpose. You must understand God’s role for you in your local church. Many people are enthusiastically trying to serve the Lord, but they haven’t yet found their specific purpose in the church. They are like square pegs trying to fit into round holes! This can be a source of frustration and can lead to burnout.

We each have specific gifts and talents to use and duties to perform in order to build up the church (Romans 12:3-8). When the people in a local congregation begin to understand how God has gifted each of them, it’s like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle beginning to come together. It’s liberating and energizing to finally understand God’s purpose for you in the church. As you focus on your area of giftedness, you can strive to excel in your specific type of ministry (1 Timothy 1:6). When other people see you doing this, they will be encouraged to follow your example.

Your church needs people who are visionary, influential and who understand their purpose. Hopefully, you are well on your way to becoming a V.I.P. in your church.

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Nicknames

Posted on May 23, 2023 by jesustrek

There was a man in the early church named Joseph, whom the apostles called Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). Apparently this man was so encouraging that he was given a nickname that reflected the way that he constantly lifted up others in various ways.

This causes me to think about what kind of nicknames would be given out to Christians today, based on their habitual attitudes and actions. Might there be a “daughter of discouragement” in your congregation? Could someone be called the “son of impatience” or the “daughter of gossip”? Would some be known as “son of dissension” or “daughter of division”? Perhaps some would be labeled “son of laziness” or “daughter of indifference”? The list could go on and on.

Here’s a scary thought—what would people call you if your nickname were based on how you act most of the time? Would it be a positive thing or a negative one? I just thought it would be worth our time to reflect on this.  

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A Prayer of Moses

Posted on May 20, 2023 by jesustrek

We typically think of David as the author of most of the Psalms, but he did not write all of them. Psalm 90 is attributed to Moses, the man of God. It is a prayerful Psalm, and if we want to be considered people of God we would do well to pay attention to this passage of Scripture.

The chapter begins with a tribute to the eternal God. There was never a time when God did not exist, nor will he ever cease to exist. V.2 says, “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” We must never forget that we are praying to a God who will always be there, no matter what our circumstances might be.

Then Moses contrasts this eternal God with the humans that he has created. Our lifespan is extremely short, especially when compared to eternity. We are like the new grass that springs up in the morning, but by evening it is dry and withered (v.6). The older we get the faster life goes by, or at least so it seems. Our days “…quickly pass, and we fly away.” (v.10). In light of this truth, Moses prays, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (v.12). When we are younger we tend to think that our days will go on unending. Because of that misconception we make poor decisions and we fail to take advantage of opportunities we have to live lives that are truly significant. A proper understanding of the brevity of life will encourage us to think more deeply and act more intentionally.

This prayer also acknowledges that God is both a God of wrath and a God of grace. V.11 says, “If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.” Only by having a proper understanding of how God views our sinfulness can we have a right relationship with a holy God.

God’s grace is seen in his compassion (v.13) and his unfailing love (v.14). We know that God’s great compassion and love are what ultimately led Jesus to die on the cross to pay for our sins.

Some people concentrate too much on the wrath of God and therefore do not appreciate the full joy of his grace. Others go too far in the other direction, turning a deaf ear to the warnings about God’s wrath and only focusing on his grace and mercy. Either extreme is unhealthy; we need to have a complete view of who God is, a view that is informed by Scripture.

The Psalm closes out on an inspirational note— “May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.” (v.17). Here we are reminded that our lives have great meaning. We are doing the work that God has given us to do, and we are doing it in his authority and with the power that he gives us. What an encouraging thought to guide us through our lives!

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That’s Who I Am

Posted on May 12, 2023 by jesustrek

For all of his accomplishments in sports and politics, President Gerald Ford remained a humble man. He was known for his self-effacing humor. One of his best lines was—“I’m a Ford, not a Lincoln.”

This level of humility certainly stands out in our current society, especially compared to the out-of-control egos of some of our politicians. The Bible warns against pride, and it urges us to remain humble. We would all do well to strive for this virtue in our lives.

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.”—Proverbs 27:1-2.

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