Staying Hydrated

Posted on April 7, 2015 by jesustrek

drinking waterTimeouts in football and basketball games give the athletes a short break to catch their breath and rehydrate. Those who give the players a drink are often overlooked, but they play an important part in the game. In order for the athletes to compete, they have to replenish the fluids that they lose as they sweat. The water and other drinks that they consume during the game give them the ability to continue to compete.

Staying hydrated is also important for those who are working hard in the kingdom of God. Jesus says, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:42).

I don’t know if Jesus is talking about physical water or spiritual water here. Perhaps it is both. In any case, we should always strive to refresh others, literally and figuratively.

If somebody ever calls me a “water boy for Jesus”, I’m going to take that as a compliment!

 

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Open Door

Posted on April 3, 2015 by jesustrek

Jesus is the wayMy friend Janis tells a story about how her daughter used to have to prop open the door to her room so that the air would circulate. No matter what she tried to use for a doorstop, the door would eventually ease back to a closed position.

One day Janis noticed that her daughter had taken a small cross and wedged it in such a way that it kept the door propped open. At first she was horrified to see that her daughter had used a cross for such a menial task. It seemed highly inappropriate.

Upon further reflection, my friend decided that this was a good reminder of how Jesus opens up the door for us to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who allows us to enter God’s pasture.

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved…”—John 10:9.

 

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Earnest Prayer

Posted on April 1, 2015 by jesustrek

praying handsI recently misread 1 Thessalonians 3:10, which says, “Night and day we pray most earnestly…” In my mind I thought it said “we pray almost earnestly”. Immediately I thought to myself, “That doesn’t sound right!” So I read it again and got the true meaning.

Sometimes, however, we are guilty of praying almost earnestly. We ask for the church to grow, as long as I don’t have to give up my regular seat on Sunday morning. We pray that God’s will would be done, as long as it doesn’t require any action on my part. We pray that someone would witness to our neighbor; someone besides me, of course. We ask God that the poor would be fed, by someone who has more time than I do.

You get the idea.

Sometimes we are quite good at praying almost earnestly.

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Trapped!

Posted on March 31, 2015 by jesustrek

blackbirdI kept hearing strange noises in my office at church yesterday. At first I thought the source was coming from outside the building, but later I became convinced that some living creature had become trapped in the walls of the church building.

The sound was coming from different places at first. Then it settled in one area, the wall between my office and a classroom. Our youth minister came in, and I told him what was happening. He quickly sprang into action.

Daniel climbed up into the ceiling with a light strapped on his forehead. He was soon able to determine that the creature was a bird, and that it had reached a place where a wire kept him from flying around. A quick call to our maintenance man confirmed that we needed to cut a hole in the wall to get to the bird. After a few minutes of cutting through the drywall with a utility knife, Daniel was able to set the bird free.

Like the bird trapped in the wall, we were once caught up in our sins. Helpless and unable to free ourselves from our predicament, we had to be rescued. That’s what God did for us in Jesus. He saved us when we could not save ourselves. He set us free to live a new life, trapped in our sins no more.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”—Romans 8:1-2.

 

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He Should Have Listened!

Posted on March 27, 2015 by jesustrek

PilatePilate has gone down in history as one of the worst villains of all time. He could have avoided this dubious distinction if only he had listened.

He should have listened to his wife. (Are you husbands paying attention?) “While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” (Matthew 27:19). Pilate ignored his wife’s advice, and he paid the price for it.

He should have listened to his own conscience. He knew that Jesus was innocent. He tried to argue for Jesus’ release. Finally, he famously washed his hands of the incident–“…I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” (Matthew 27:24). I wonder if he later wished that he had listened to the inner voice that told him to let Jesus go.

Finally, Pilate should have listened to Jesus. During their conversation, Jesus told Pilate, “…Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37). Yet instead of listening to Jesus, Pilate gave in to the Jewish religious leaders and handed Jesus over to be crucified.

He should have listened.

Maybe we could do a better job of listening too.

 

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It Was Planned

Posted on March 26, 2015 by jesustrek

crossesOccasionally a songwriter will say that the blood of Jesus was “spilled” at the cross. Some scholars cringe at that kind of wording because such lyrics may imply that what happened at Calvary was an accident.

Nothing could be further from the truth! What happened at the cross was no accident. The gospel message—salvation through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ—was planned from before the beginning of time. Ephesians 1:4-6 says, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”

The death of Jesus was no accident. It was all a part of God’s plan to save humanity.

 

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Preventative Surgery

Posted on March 25, 2015 by jesustrek
Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie had a double mastectomy a few years ago in a pre-emptive move to avoid breast cancer. Recently, she has undergone more preventative surgery, having her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed in hopes of reducing her risk of cancer. Jolie has revealed that she carries a gene that puts her at a high risk for these types of cancer. She wants to do everything she can to avoid this terrible disease that could take away her life.

Jesus says that we should be willing to take drastic measures to prevent the disease of sin from destroying us spiritually. He says, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” (Matthew 5:29-30).

Jesus is obviously exaggerating for effect here. He doesn’t literally suggest that self-mutilation is a good option to prevent sin. However, he is making the point that we should be ruthless in doing whatever it takes to avoid sin. It might mean severing a relationship, giving up a bad habit, re-directing your thought processes or having a complete change of attitude.

Maybe now is the time for you to do some spiritual preventative surgery.

 

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Facing Judgment

Posted on March 24, 2015 by jesustrek
Marion "Suge" Knight

Marion “Suge” Knight

Former rap music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight has been charged with killing Terry Carter in early February. He is accused of running down Carter with his truck. Knight collapsed in a Los Angeles courtroom Friday after a judge ordered that he be held on $25 million bail in the murder case. This is the fourth time that Knight has been taken by ambulance from a courthouse since being charged with the murder.

I don’t know if these collapses are true medical emergencies or a desperate attempt to postpone judgment.

We all have an appointment in front of the Almighty Judge. If we have been declared not guilty because we have accepted the pardon God offers everyone through Jesus, we don’t have to fear judgment.

Others may try to fake a fainting spell, but that’s not going to work!

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”—Hebrews 9:27-28.

 

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Frugal

Posted on March 20, 2015 by jesustrek
Albert Schweitzer

Albert Schweitzer

Medical missionary Albert Schweitzer was famously frugal. It is said that he wore the same necktie for 32 years. When a nurse told him that some professional men in the U.S. had 100 or more ties, Schweitzer reportedly replied—“100 ties and only 1 neck!”

Most Americans do tend to accumulate more possessions than we truly need. Many of us would do well to take inventory of what we have and decide to give some of it away. Frugality is a virtue worth cultivating.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”—Matthew 6:19-21.

 

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Generous People

Posted on March 19, 2015 by jesustrek

donationsThe beginning of Acts 3 tells about a handicapped man who begged for money every day at the temple gate. Did you ever wonder why he chose that location to ask people for money? It’s because God’s people have a reputation for being the most generous people on earth.

A study was done a few years ago to see who gave more of their money to charity—conservatives or liberals. People who lean toward the left were certain that those with “bleeding hearts” would prove to be more generous. Were they ever wrong! The study showed that conservatives gave nearly twice as much to charity as liberals did.

This shouldn’t be surprising. The Bible continually tells us to remember the poor and to be ready to give to those in need. Those who take the Bible seriously have proven to be more reliable than those who disbelieve, especially when it comes to giving to charity.

Think about it. It’s people of faith who build hospitals, not atheists. What groups are the first to arrive at the scene of a natural disaster and also the last to leave? Christian organizations. And where do people go when they are down on their luck and need some financial assistance? Not to the local humanist society! They call on the church.

We have a reputation for being generous. Let’s live up to that reputation.

“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.”—2 Corinthians 9:12.

 

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