Life at Home

Posted on February 27, 2015 by jesustrek

nose ringA teenage girl asked her parents if she could get a nose ring. They were dead set against the idea. However, the daughter was persistent with her pleas, and eventually they reluctantly conceded and gave their permission for her to get the nose ring.

They didn’t like how it looked on her, but there was an upside. It was much easier to get her out of bed in the morning!

The Bible says, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” (Colossians 3:20-21).

In many homes there is a constant struggle between children who are seeking more control over their own lives and their parents who want to give much-needed guidance and structure. Quite often there are no easy answers to the questions that come up. In those cases, pray for wisdom and keep on trying to do what God would have you to do.

 

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Clean Clothes

Posted on February 26, 2015 by jesustrek

clean laundryOur washing machine is not working right now, so my wife went to her Mom’s house and did a couple of loads of laundry there. When she brought it back home, she laid my clothes out on the bed so that I could put them away. Looking at that stack of clean clothes gave me a good feeling, because I knew that it had required extra effort to get them clean.

We should have a deep feeling of appreciation when we think of what it took to be cleansed of our sins. The sacrificial death of Jesus allows us to be free from the filthy garments of sin and to put on the righteous clothing that Christ gives us.

“I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness…”—Isaiah 61:10.

 

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Fitting Tribute

Posted on February 25, 2015 by jesustrek
UNC spreads the floor

UNC spreads the floor

Last Saturday was the first home game for the University of North Carolina men’s basketball team since the death of their former coach, the legendary Dean Smith. Current North Carolina coach Roy Williams did something special to honor Coach Smith. He started the game by having his team run the “Four Corners” offense that Smith made famous. They spread the floor and found a teammate cutting to the basket for a layup.

When the play worked, an emotional Williams looked down and brought his hand up to his face. It was obvious that he was overjoyed that the tribute to Coach Smith ended in a score.

Savvy fans understood what had happened, and shared the joy of the moment.

Every Sunday, Christians gather to pay tribute to Jesus, our Savior who gave his life to pay for our sins. The communion we share honors our crucified and resurrected Lord. Savvy followers appreciate the tribute and share in the joy of the moment.

“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread…”—Acts 20:7.

 

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Aware of the Moment

Posted on February 24, 2015 by jesustrek
James Hahn

James Hahn

James Hahn was victorious in the Northern Trust Open this past Sunday. He won the tournament with a thrilling 25-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole. It was Hahn’s first PGA Tour win.

I noticed something interesting on one of the playoff holes. As Hahn was lining up his next shot, the television camera caught a couple of spectators in the background. It was a young couple holding hands. The lady did something that seemed quite inappropriate in the setting of such a tense drama—she yawned.

Maybe she didn’t comprehend the situation. Perhaps she didn’t even want to be there—she was dragged there by a husband or boyfriend who was a huge golf fan. We can’t know the specifics of her situation, but we do know this—in a moment of huge excitement and drama—she appeared to be bored.

You see similar situations every Sunday. People at worship services yawning in the middle of a dramatic moment. They appear to be bored in the presence of God, completely unaware of what is happening around them.

Don’t let this happen to you! God is looking for people who will worship him in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). He isn’t looking for people who are bored in his presence!

When it comes time to worship, be aware of the moment.

 

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A Father’s Love

Posted on February 21, 2015 by jesustrek

Baby Blues2The comic strip Baby Blues currently has a story line about how the baby of the family, Wren, needs tubes put in her ears. Every time her father hears the word “surgery”, he faints! This father’s love is so deep that it causes him great distress to even think about his child having to face an operation.

Think about how much pain it must have caused God to know that his one and only Son, Jesus, would have to be crucified to pay for the sins of humanity.

Thankfully, God not only loves Jesus, he loves us too! “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”—Romans 5:8.

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This Just In!

Posted on February 20, 2015 by jesustrek

radioPeople of a certain age remember where they were when they first heard that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

David Lodge was in a theater watching a comical play. In one scene, a character was demonstrating his nonchalance by listening to the radio. The actor always listened to a live broadcast. Suddenly, the announcement came that President Kennedy had been shot. The actor switched off the radio, but it was too late. Everyone in the theater heard the news. Reality had interrupted the stage comedy.

For many people, worship, prayer, communion and Scripture are little more than a nonchalant charade. They don’t really expect anything significant to happen, but suddenly God breaks through, and they are shocked.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”—Psalm 46:10.

 

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Something Missing

Posted on February 19, 2015 by jesustrek

PuzzleActs 10 begins to explain how the church learned that Gentiles were also to be included in God’s plan of salvation.

This chapter starts by telling us about a soldier named Cornelius. Verse 2 says, “He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.”

One might think that Cornelius would be in good standing with God. However, this man–along with every other “good” man or woman who ever lived—needed Jesus.

So God sent Cornelius to the apostle Peter, and here is what Peter did—“So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ…” (Acts 10:48).

Let us never forget this all-important truth—everybody needs Jesus!

 

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Don’t Stay Down!

Posted on February 18, 2015 by jesustrek
Walter Payton

Walter Payton

Several years ago, during a Monday night football game between the Chicago Bears and the New York Giants, one of the announcers observed that Walter Payton, the Bears’ running back, had accumulated over nine miles in career rushing yardage. The other announcer remarked, “Yeah, and that’s with someone knocking him down every 4.6 yards!”

The most successful running backs know that everyone, even the best, gets knocked down. The key to success is to get up and run again just as hard. Good things come to those who persevere.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”—Galatians 6:9.

 

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A Tale of Two Players

Posted on February 17, 2015 by jesustrek

baseball playerOne the opening day of the 1954 baseball season, the Milwaukee Braves visited the Cincinnati Reds. Two rookies began their major league careers with that game. The Reds won 9-8 as Jim Greengrass hit four doubles in his first big league game. That certainly was a sensational debut for a young player who had a perfect name for a baseball player.

The rookie starting in left field for the Braves went 0-for-5. That was not a very good start for young Henry Aaron. However, Aaron, of course, went on to become baseball’s all-time home run king.

Even if you don’t get off to a good start, keep giving it your best. You never know how much you will accomplish in the long run.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.—Philippians 3:12.

 

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Only Opinion that Counts

Posted on February 16, 2015 by jesustrek
George Will

George Will

In Men at Work, George Will noted that baseball umpires are professional dispensers of pure justice. As an example, he wrote about a time when umpire Babe Pinelli called Babe Ruth out on strikes. Ruth made an argument that many people make—that popular opinion carries moral weight. He said, “There’s 40,000 people here who know that last one was a ball, tomato head.”

Pinelli replied calmly, “Maybe so, but mine is the only opinion that counts.”

Don’t be swayed by the number of people who have aligned themselves against the moral law of God. In the end, only one opinion counts—that of the all-knowing Umpire of all human affairs.

“Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.”—Proverbs 8:14.

 

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