Resolutions

Posted on December 31, 2014 by jesustrek

resolutionsIf you haven’t made your New Year’s resolutions for 2015 yet, you really have waited until the last minute!

Many people make resolutions every year, promising themselves to do better in at least one area of their life. Most resolutions are related to something physical, such as: losing weight, improving eating habits or increasing exercise.

Some resolutions, however, involve spiritual matters. People often make promises to be more devoted to God. If you haven’t made such a resolution yet, here are some suggestions.

  1. Read through the Bible this year. If this seems like too daunting a task, at least read through the New Testament. It won’t take nearly as long as you think.
  2. Strengthen your prayer time. Pray longer. Pray less selfishly. Pray about kingdom issues. Just pray!
  3. Encourage someone every day. Send an uplifting text or email. Write a note to someone you appreciate. Give someone a compliment or praise.
  4. Memorize Scripture. Commit key verses to memory so that you can meditate on God’s Word.
  5. Try to attend a worship service every single Sunday.
  6. Every Sunday, do your best to make someone glad they came to worship that day.

These are only a few suggestions for spiritual New Year’s resolutions. Do you have a different one to share?

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Let Us Pray

Posted on December 30, 2014 by jesustrek
Max Lucado

Max Lucado

Max Lucado shares these words of wisdom concerning prayer:

“Do you want to know how to deepen your prayer life? Pray. Don’t prepare to pray. Just pray. Don’t read about prayer. Just pray. Don’t attend a lecture on prayer or engage in discussion about prayer. Just pray.

Posture, tone, and place are personal matters. Select the form that works for you. But don’t think about it too much. Don’t be so concerned about wrapping the gift that you never give it. Better to pray awkwardly than not at all.

And if you feel you should only pray when inspired, that’s okay. Just see to it that you are inspired every day.”

Well said, Max!

Let us pray!

“Pray continually.”–1 Thessalonians 5:17.

 

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Living in the Light

Posted on December 29, 2014 by jesustrek

street lightThere was once a neighborhood that had no street lights. The residents thought nothing of it because that’s how it had always been for them. To have darkened streets at night was the only reality they knew.

Then things changed. Street lights were installed, and people in the neighborhood soon became accustomed to having their streets lit up at night. People began to feel safer and had an overall sense of wellbeing.

One day, however, a problem developed with the street lights. Night fell, and darkness enveloped the neighborhood. This caused many of the residents to feel uneasy, vulnerable and unsafe. What was once tolerated was now unacceptable because they had become accustomed to living in the light.

Once you become accustomed to living in the light of Jesus, no other way of living seems right. There is safety and comfort that comes only from being in Christ.

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”—1 John 1:7.

 

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Encouraging Word

Posted on December 26, 2014 by jesustrek
Coach Bill Snyder

Coach Bill Snyder

Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder often sends notes of encouragement to players from the opposing team. The notes usually arrive shortly after the game has been played. Coach Snyder finds some way to express admiration or encouragement. Sometimes the recipient of the note has had an outstanding game. In other cases, the player might have been injured, and Snyder sends his wishes for a speedy recovery.

This is a nice gesture, especially considering the quick, easy and informal means of communication that are available today. The hand-written notes are a thoughtful and much-appreciated source of encouragement.

Encouragement is…well…encouraged, I guess, in the Bible. Paul and his travelling companions were once urged, “…Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.” (Acts 13:15).

It has been said that discouragement is the devil’s greatest tool. There certainly are a lot of discouraged people in the world today. You and I could help them out with just a little encouragement. Let’s find a way to encourage someone today.

 

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The Interview

Posted on December 24, 2014 by jesustrek
Larry King

Larry King

Talk show host Larry King was once asked, “If you could select any one person across all of history to interview, who would it be?”

King responded that he would like to interview Jesus Christ. When the questioner followed with, “And what would you like to ask him?” King replied, “I would like to ask him if he was indeed virgin-born. The answer to that question would define history for me.”

Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Son, the Savior of the world, certainly does define history. In addition to that, he determines our eternity. He says that no one can come to the Father except through him (John 14:6).

I doubt that Larry King will get that interview that he wants. Jesus has given us all the evidence we need to believe in his existence, his identity and his purpose.

We can expect an interview with Jesus someday, but he will be the one asking the question—“Did you believe in me?”

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”—Isaiah 7:14.

 

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God’s Visit

Posted on December 23, 2014 by jesustrek

earthI once saw a cartoon that showed two angels looking down upon the earth. One angel asked the other, “I wonder why God favors that planet over all the others?” The second angel replied, “I suppose it’s because he visited there once.”

We should never cease to be amazed that God loves us so much that he chose to come down here to live among us and to die for us! Let us respond appropriately by giving our worship and service to him!

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”—John 1:1,14.

 

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Clear Message

Posted on December 20, 2014 by jesustrek

answering machineTime after time I listen patiently to a message someone has left on my answering machine. They want me to return their call to talk about something that is very important to them. Then, when they leave the number I am to call to get in touch with them, they mumble the number so quickly that I can’t get it on the first try. Or the second. Sometimes the third. Occasionally I never get it. When you get to the most important part of the message, this is the time to slow down and speak more clearly, not do the opposite!

I suppose no one else has ever had this problem.

Anyway, it’s just a reminder to be thankful that God doesn’t mumble. His Word is clear and distinct.

Mark Twain supposedly once remarked, “It’s not the parts on the Bible I don’t understand that bother me; it’s the parts that I do understand!”

The Bible makes it quite plain how God wants us to live. It couldn’t be any clearer.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”—Psalm 119:105.

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At War

Posted on December 18, 2014 by jesustrek

war zoneThis week I have visited both a local high school and an elementary school during school hours. At both schools, I found the doors locked and had to wait to be buzzed in. This is certainly different from how it was when I was in school, but we live in a different world now.

My first thought was that it is good that we are taking these measures in order to protect our children. My second thought was that it certainly is a shame that we live in such a fallen, sinful world that we find it necessary to do such things.

The threats we face, both foreign and domestic, are very real and very evil. The terrorist attack on a school in Pakistan that killed 132 people serves as a stark reminder that we are involved in a war between good and evil.

For our own sake, and for the sake of others, let us never let down our guard!

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”—Ephesians 6:12

 

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Surefire Cure

Posted on December 17, 2014 by jesustrek
Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby

Several players in the National Hockey League have been sidelined for an unusual reason—they have the mumps! Even All-Star Sidney Crosby has come down with the mumps, in spite of being vaccinated against the illness.

This is one disease that we just can’t seem to eradicate. The vaccine for mumps works well for most people, but some who receive the vaccination get the mumps anyway. Their bodies simply don’t respond to the vaccine, therefore the disease continues to make some people sick.

The spiritual disease of sin continues to plague mankind. This goes on in spite of the fact that there is a cure available that works perfectly well for every single human being who will accept it.

“…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.

 

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Joy to the World!

Posted on December 15, 2014 by jesustrek
Friedrich Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche

Joy is high on the list of attributes that are expected to be seen in the lives of Christian people (Galatians 5:22). As Christmas approaches, we especially think of the joy that we experience as we celebrate the birth of Jesus our Savior.

How tragic it is that people often have difficulty detecting joy in the lives of people who profess to believe in Jesus. When the German nihilist Friedrich Nietzsche was asked why he had such a negative view of Christianity, he replied: “I never saw the members of my father’s church enjoying themselves.”

That is a terrible perception of the church! Let’s do everything we can to make the joy of our salvation evident to all the world!

 

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