Changing Things Around

Posted on October 8, 2015 by jesustrek

possible with GodMy wife and I are building a house in the country. The basement has been poured, the walls are up and the roof is complete. We drove out there the other day to see the progress. I jokingly asked our contractor, “Is it too late to have you angle the house a little bit more toward town?” He replied, “It’s too late for me to do that. It would take a higher power!”

Sometimes we make some mistakes that seem impossible to overcome. We might put our roots down deep in sin, so much so that we can’t turn things around by ourselves.

Never fear! We can’t mess anything up so bad that God can’t set us straight. No matter what you have done wrong, forgiveness is always available through Jesus.

“Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”—Luke 18:27.

 

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

This Is Our Year!

Posted on October 7, 2015 by jesustrek

CubsAs the Chicago Cubs prepare for their playoff game against the Pittsburgh Pirates this evening, I can’t help but think about my friends who are Cubs fans. They have remained loyal to their team through one of the longest dry spells in the history of professional team sports. The last time the Cubs won the World Series was when Teddy Roosevelt was president—in 1908. They haven’t even made it to the World Series since 1945.

That’s quite a slump! One of my Cub-loving friends once defended his team by saying, “Any team can have a bad century every now and then!”

Perhaps your church is going through a slump right now. Maybe it seems like a long time since anything significant happened. You could be discouraged about the lack of victories. Keep the faith! God has a plan for you and your church. Be patient and hopeful as you watch that plan unfold.

Be encouraged by the words Jesus used to comfort the church in Philadelphia: “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (Revelation 3:8).

Take heart! Victory comes to all who remain faithful to Jesus!

 

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

Price of Alcohol

Posted on October 6, 2015 by jesustrek
C.C. Sabathia

C.C. Sabathia

The New York Yankees are heading into the postseason without the services of one of their long-time dependable pitchers, C.C. Sabathia, who has admitted that he has a problem with alcohol. The veteran left-hander is checking into a rehab center and will miss the postseason. This is a shocking setback for the Yankees.

On the one hand, you have to admire Sabathia for seeking the help that he needs. He says that he wants to become a better family man. On the other hand, he certainly has let his teammates down by putting himself in this position. They have worked hard to get where they are, and they had hoped that C.C. would be there to help them achieve success in the postseason.

This is just another example of how alcohol causes a lot of pain in many people’s lives. Keep this in mind as you watch the beer commercials between innings.

“Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.”—Proverbs 23:31-32.

 

Posted in Christian Living, Current Events, Sports | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

In Control

Posted on October 2, 2015 by jesustrek

fruit-of-the-spirit-tree11A mother was teaching her young daughter the fruit of the Spirit, from Galatians 5:22-23. When she thought she had the list memorized, she recited it for her mother: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and remote control!”

Of course, it is not remote control. It is self-control that is on the list of the fruit of the Spirit.

The control that we are to exercise over our lives does not come from some remote place. It comes from within. This is not to say that it is from our own power. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that lives in the follower of Jesus that allows him or her to live a life of self-control.

Are you showing this fruit? Too many people who claim to follow Jesus are living lives that show very little self-control.

Are you allowing God to control your life?

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

Something about the Truth

Posted on October 1, 2015 by jesustrek
Pope Francis

Pope Francis

I find it interesting the way the recent meeting between Kim Davis and Pope Francis was covered in the media. First, it was reported that Davis’ lawyer claimed that the two had met. It was as if Davis and her lawyer may have made up the whole story and the meeting had never taken place. Later it was reported that someone in the Vatican had confirmed that the pope and Kim Davis had indeed met. This confirmation was necessary for some people to even begin to believe that the meeting had taken place.

Why was there so much suspicion from those who oppose Kim Davis and the Christian beliefs for which she stands? Perhaps it is because worldly people unwittingly acknowledge that they have rejected the truth, and they assume that everyone else bases their lives on lies.

According to Romans 1:31, those on the wrong side of this important moral issue “…have no understanding…” They have no understanding because they have rejected the source of all truth—Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

Jesus says that we can know the truth, and that the truth will set us free (John 8:32). The truth can set you free from a lifestyle that is based on lies. The truth can set you free from being suspicious of people who believe in God. The truth can set you free to live the life that God has planned for you. The truth can set you free to live in heaven forever!

Posted in Christian Living, Culture, Current Events | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

First Things First

Posted on September 30, 2015 by jesustrek

Sunday School teacherClara Null had just finished teaching a lesson on Christian behavior, and she wanted to see if the children had been paying attention. So she asked, “Now, Billy, tell me what we must do before we can expect to be forgiven for our sins.”

Without hesitation, Billy replied, “First we gotta sin!”

We don’t have to sin. But we do. Thankfully, there is a solution for that problem—Jesus.

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”—1 John 2:1-2.

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

Lesson in Patience

Posted on September 28, 2015 by jesustrek

car troubleA young woman’s car stalled at a stoplight. She tried to get it started, but nothing would happen. The light turned green, and there she sat, angry and embarrassed, holding up traffic. The car behind her could have gone around, but instead the driver added to her anger by laying on his horn.

After another desperate attempt to get the car started, she got out and walked back to the man honking his horn. The man rolled down his window in surprise.

“Tell you what,” she said. “This isn’t getting us anywhere. Why don’t you go start my car, and I’ll sit back here and honk the horn for you.”

“But the fruit of the Spirit is…patience…”—Galatians 5:22.

 

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

Building with the Word

Posted on September 25, 2015 by jesustrek

joshua-24-15-bestMy wife and I are building a house out in the country. The roof is shingled, the windows and doors are in and the siding is now going up on the outside walls. It is now starting to look like the home that we had imagined.

We took a drive out to the house this evening. The workers had gone home, so we had the place to ourselves.

We were on a mission. We took a marker and wrote some Scripture references on the walls. These references will soon be hidden from view, but we will always know that they are there.

Some of the Scriptures had to do with home and family. Others referred to the Word of God. I wrote Proverbs 31 in my wife’s office, because that’s the kind of woman she is. John 3:16 is there. So is the Great Commission. Verses that explain that Jesus is the only way to salvation are included.

Hopefully, this Scripture project will remind us to always trust in God and to do our best to honor the Lord in the home that he has blessed us with.

 

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

Didn’t Earn It

Posted on September 24, 2015 by jesustrek
Mark Twain

Mark Twain

“Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out, and your dog would go in.”—Mark Twain.

Heaven is not earned. Most of the world’s religions say that you get to go to heaven because of your good deeds. Or perhaps you will make it to heaven because you avoided doing bad deeds—at least most of the time!

Even many Christians sometimes reveal that they are operating under a works-based theology. They speak and act as if they were trying to earn their salvation.

Can you imagine how unsettling it would be to spend your entire life worrying if you were good enough to go to heaven? What if you committed just one sin too many? Or what if you were only short a couple of good deeds from making it through the pearly gates? If this is how we will be judged, shouldn’t we be given regular updates on our status?

Thank God, we don’t have to earn our way into heaven! The Bible clearly and consistently says that we are saved by the grace of God through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Understanding this fact helps us to enjoy the salvation that we have been freely given, and inspires us to worship and serve the One who has saved us through his marvelous grace.

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

 

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

Musically Inclined

Posted on September 22, 2015 by jesustrek

bagpipesLast weekend I attended the Koh-Koh-Mah & Foster Living History Encampment near Kokomo, Indiana. This celebration reenacts the period of what we call the French & Indian War.

Music is a big part of the weekend. A fife and drum corps played a moving rendition of the National Anthem at the opening ceremony. Groups played and sang songs from that time period. At the conclusion of the Sunday morning church service, a man played a beautiful version of Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.

While music changes over time, our love for it never diminishes. Music continues to teach, comfort, challenge and inspire. It is no wonder the Bible contains many exhortations to sing and play music to worship the Lord.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”—Colossians 3:16.

Posted in Christian Living | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment