Free Indeed!

Posted on July 4, 2014 by jesustrek

american-flag-church-crossToday is the 4th of July, or Independence Day. It is a holiday that gives us time to stop and appreciate the freedom we have in the United States of America. Many people will give thanks to the veterans—past and present—who were willing to do whatever was necessary to provide and protect the freedom that we currently enjoy. Freedom never comes without a price, and we are grateful that so many were willing to sacrifice so much for our liberty.

While we celebrate the freedom we have in this country, let us also celebrate the freedom we Christians have in Christ. His sacrificial death on the cross set us free from our sins and the punishment associated with them.

In John 8, Jesus says, “…I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (vv.34-36).

If you have been set free from your sins by Jesus, enjoy that freedom, and worship the One who provided it for you.

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Who’s Having Trouble?!

Posted on July 3, 2014 by jesustrek

holding the doorAs I was exiting a public building this morning, I noticed an elderly lady having trouble getting inside. She was struggling with the heavy door, and appeared to be losing the battle. So I hurried forward to help her.

As I reached out to open the door for her she asked, “Are you having trouble?”

“What’s that?” I replied.

“Are you having trouble walking?”

I wasn’t having any trouble walking at all. I was merely reaching out to assist her.

“No”, I replied. “I’m fine.”

I had to smile inwardly as I thought about the irony of her comment. She was the one having trouble moving, but she thought it was me who was struggling!

That’s sort of like Elton John thinking that he understands Jesus better than Christians do. The famous singer/songwriter recently remarked that Jesus would accept homosexual marriage. Followers of Christ know that Elton is wrong—tragically wrong.

Don’t let any non-believer define Jesus. Jesus is perfectly capable of doing that himself.

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Lifeguard on Duty

Posted on June 30, 2014 by jesustrek

lifeguardA recent “Dennis the Menace” cartoon pictured Dennis at the beach. Our mischievous little friend, curious as usual, had a question for the lifeguard, who was perched high in his chair, in the shade of an umbrella. Dennis wanted to know, “How can you save anybody from up there?”

Of course, in order to save somebody, a lifeguard has to leave his sitting position and come down to where the person in trouble is struggling. He has to abandon his shady spot and get out there where the danger is.

In the same way, if we Christians are to save anyone, we have to come down from our lofty perch and reach out to someone who is struggling in the dangerous waves of sin. We have to reach out to them and lead them to Jesus.

Staying under the umbrella is not an option!

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Magnetic Cross

Posted on June 30, 2014 by jesustrek

crossesI’ve always appreciated the people who have erected crosses along the highways. Usually they are seen in threes, one for each of the robbers, the one in the middle for Jesus. The crosses always make me think of Jesus and how he died to save me. I’m sure that countless others have been blessed in a similar way. No doubt many lost people gaze at these crosses and feel an unexpected tug at their heart as they come face-to-face with the gospel message.

This should not surprise us. Jesus says, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” (John 12:32). The next verse explains, “He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.”

There is something very compelling about an innocent man dying to pay for our sins—especially when that man is the Son of God himself!

Let us continue to be drawn to Jesus, and let us always be lifting him up for others to see, so that they might come to him as well.

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Vicious Attack

Posted on June 27, 2014 by jesustrek

bengal-tigers-A crab fisherman was reportedly attacked by a Bengal tiger about 80 miles south of Calcutta, India. Sushil Manjhi was fishing in a stream with his son and daughter when the tiger jumped on the boat and clamped its jaws around the fisherman’s neck. Manjhi’s son, Jyotish, says that his father was dragged away by the huge cat, and he is presumed to be dead.

This horrifying incident lets us know that many poor people in the world struggle to earn a living as they face dangers that most of us can hardly imagine.

It also reminds us that the devil is seeking to destroy us spiritually. 1 Peter 5:8-9 warns, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

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Sign of Character

Posted on June 26, 2014 by jesustrek

BibleFor those who still hold to the quaint notion that character actually matters, there is a Bible verse that speaks to this issue. Acts 17:11 says, “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

There seems to be a direct link between your character and your willingness to accept what the Scripture says and apply it to your life.

So, here are a couple of quick questions. Do you have the kind of character that leads you to be involved in a regular, on-going pursuit of Bible knowledge? Do you allow the Bible to further shape your character so that you can grow to be mature in your faith?

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Enforcer

Posted on June 25, 2014 by jesustrek

speed checked by radarI was recently driving in another state—North Carolina, I think—when I saw a sign that read “Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft”.

It’s good to know that authorities are trying to keep the highways safe, but I’m not so sure the threat of aircraft is a good deterrent to would-be speeders. It seems that they would be more concerned about patrolmen closer by—in cars on the highway.

In the same way, I think that many people disregard the warnings God gives against sinning because they see him as being far removed from the scene of the crime. God is so far up above that he surely doesn’t have the ability to see every act of disobedience, does he?

Don’t be so sure!

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”—Philippians 4:5.

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Torn in Two

Posted on June 24, 2014 by jesustrek

curtain tornMatthew’s gospel records the fact that the moment Jesus died “…the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom…” (27:51).

The purpose of the curtain in the temple was to keep people from coming into the presence of God. In their unholy state they could not stand in the presence of a perfectly holy God.

However, the death of Jesus changed that. He paid the price for the sins of all mankind, and therefore made it possible through his death for people to come into the presence of God.

Notice that the curtain was torn from top to bottom. This is significant because it shows that it was God’s work, not mankind’s. People cannot earn their way into God’s presence. God made it possible for us to have fellowship with him. And he did it through the death of his Son Jesus.

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Not Thinking Straight

Posted on June 23, 2014 by jesustrek

Michelle Wie

Michelle Wie

Michelle Wie held on to win the U.S. Women’s Open title. She had some ups and downs on the final few holes, but a 25-foot putt for birdie on 17 and a par on 18 gave her a 2-shot victory over Stacy Lewis. This was the first major win for Wie. The 24-year-old from Hawaii was so happy after the victory that she proclaimed, “Oh my God, I can’t even think straight.”

No one who uses God’s name as a swear word is thinking straight.

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”—Exodus 20:7.

When it comes to honoring the name of God, how is your thinking?

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What He Really Likes to Do

Posted on June 19, 2014 by jesustrek

horseA farmer once boasted to his neighbor that he had a horse that could tree squirrels. The neighbor had never heard of anything like that, and he said he wouldn’t believe it unless he saw it with his own eyes.

“Let’s go over to my place right now,” the farmer insisted, “and I’ll show you.”

So they got the horse out of the stable and let him loose in the nearby woods. He ran ahead of the two men, and by the time they caught up with him, sure enough, he had run a squirrel up a tree.

“How about that!” the neighbor remarked.

Then the farmer led the horse to a different part of the woods, up on top of a hill, and let the horse loose again. In just a short time, the horse had treed another squirrel.

“That beats all I’ve ever seen!” exclaimed the neighbor. “Let’s take him down by the lake. I’ll bet there’s all kinds of squirrels there.”

“He won’t do any good down by the lake.”

“Why not?”

“When he gets close to the water, all he wants to do is fish.”

Jesus calls us to be fishers of men. Are you passionate about that?

“…Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”—Luke 5:10.

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