Youthful Contributor

Posted on April 25, 2014 by jesustrek

softball playerI arrived late at a local high school softball game a few days ago. I got there just in time to see a young lady on the visiting team hit one out of the ball park. Then I noticed that she handled herself very gracefully in the field. Later, when the outcome of the game was in question, this same girl was brought in to pitch. As she closed out the victory for her team, she threw as hard as any high school pitcher I have ever seen! This player caught my attention, but I was really impressed when I learned that she is just in the 8th grade!

Just as young people can often compete with older students in athletics, sometimes young people in the church are able to contribute their talents to the kingdom. Let’s always be looking for chances to allow our youth to show what they can do for the Lord.

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”—1 Timothy 4:12.

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Stay Rooted

Posted on April 24, 2014 by jesustrek

tulipI noticed that a single tulip had bloomed in front of our house. Because it was under a bush, it could not be easily seen, so I decided to pick the tulip and bring it into the house and put it in water. It seemed better to enjoy its beauty rather than have it remain hidden.

The flower did brighten up our home…for about a day. Then its petals all fell off.

This is how people are if they don’t stay connected to Jesus. They may appear to be fine for a while, but they soon begin to die spiritually. That’s why it’s so important to remain rooted in Jesus.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”—John 15:5.

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No Stowaways

Posted on April 23, 2014 by jesustrek

stowawayA 16-year-old Santa Clara boy is lucky to be alive after what he did last weekend. After a fight with his family, he ran away from home, somehow made it past the security fence at the Mineta San Jose International Airport and hid inside the wheel well of a Boeing 767. The plane left San Jose at 7:55am Sunday and landed 5 ½ hours later in Maui.

Remarkably, the boy was not harmed during the flight. Stowaways don’t often survive such ordeals. Frigid temperatures, lack of oxygen and the possibility of being ejected as the landing gear lowers are just some of the hazards of stowing away in a jet plane.

Many people seem to think that they will be able to by-pass God’s security system and somehow reach heaven without Jesus. However, Jesus says, “…I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).

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Something to Celebrate

Posted on April 22, 2014 by jesustrek

Pot celebration in Denver

Pot celebration in Denver

April 20th is observed by many pot smokers as a day to celebrate the use of marijuana. This once underground celebration has become more open in the wake of a wider acceptance of marijuana use.

This past Sunday, tens of thousands of revelers had a joint celebration (pun intended) at a park in Denver. Although it is still against the law to smoke marijuana publicly in Colorado, this crowd openly disobeyed the law in a defiant toast to their favorite mind-altering substance.

That same day, millions of Christians gathered together to celebrate the fact that Jesus, who died to pay for the sins of mankind, has been resurrected from the dead.

Which celebration means more to you?

“He is not here; he has risen!…”—Luke 24:6.

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Not Guilty

Posted on April 21, 2014 by jesustrek

Rubin "Hurricane" Carter

Rubin “Hurricane” Carter

Boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter died Sunday at the age of 76. Carter was a contender for the middleweight title in the 1960s, but his promising career came to an abrupt end when he was accused of murder. Carter was wrongly convicted and spent 19 years in prison before he was finally exonerated.

It gets our attention when an innocent man has to pay the price for someone else’s crime.

This reminds us of the fact that Jesus was convicted and sentenced to die, even though he never did anything wrong. When Jesus was brought before Pilate in John 18 & 19, Pilate exclaimed multiple times that he could find no basis for the charges against Jesus.

We know that Jesus, even though he was innocent, had to go to the cross and pay for our sins. Isaiah 53: 5 says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

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Deepest Thanks

Posted on April 18, 2014 by jesustrek

war veteranA man who was entering a restaurant ahead of us lingered at the entrance for a few seconds so that he could hold the door open for my wife and me. As I said, “Thanks”, I noticed that he was wearing a cap that identified him as a war veteran. Suddenly, my “Thanks” took on a whole new meaning. I was not only grateful for his courtesy at the present time, I appreciated his service for our country.

As we grow closer to Jesus, we develop a deeper appreciation for what he has done for us. His sacrificial death on the cross deserves our deepest thanks.

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.”–Hebrews 13:15.

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Some Things Never Change

Posted on April 17, 2014 by jesustrek

2015 Ford Mustang

2015 Ford Mustang

Today is the 50th birthday of the Ford Mustang. It seems hard to believe it’s been around that long, but Ford unveiled what would become one of the world’s most popular automobiles on April, 17, 1964. Ever since then, the Mustang has been an ever-present fixture on our highways and in our culture.

It is interesting to notice the changes the Mustang has gone through over the years.

Jesus, on the other hand, doesn’t need to change with the times.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”—Hebrews 13:8.

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Teachers Beware

Posted on April 16, 2014 by jesustrek

Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter

I have long been disappointed in Jimmy Carter because of his position favoring abortion rights. Now I have learned that Carter also supports homosexual marriage. How can someone who has taught Sunday School in a Baptist church for so many years be so terribly wrong about two of the most important moral issues of our day?

The Bible could not be any plainer about the sanctity of life and the definition of marriage.

Would someone who is wrong about either of those two issues be allowed to teach a class at your church?

“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”—James 3:1.

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Cruel Behavior

Posted on April 15, 2014 by jesustrek

catRex Hinton, of Baxter, Kentucky, has been accused of tossing a cat into a wood-burning stove. Hinton, 48, has been charged with torture of an animal. Animal cruelty accusations are usually misdemeanors, but this charge is a felony because the cat died. Hinton was admitted to a psychiatric unit and later sent to the Harlan County Detention Center.

Hinton would be facing none of these problems had he aborted a pre-born baby.

We certainly live in a cruel world.

“You shall not murder.”—Exodus 20:13.

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Stay Fresh

Posted on April 14, 2014 by jesustrek

doughnutI was standing in a checkout line recently when a display caught my eye. It was trying to entice me to buy a small package of doughnuts.  The advertising slogan read, “Made Fresh”.

I suppose that statement was true. Is it even possible to make stale doughnuts?

The real question is this—Are the doughnuts fresh now? There was no telling how long it had been since the doughnuts were “made fresh”. There was no guarantee that they would taste as good now as they did on the day they were made.

When we gave our lives to Christ, he made us new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

Only Jesus can make us fresh. However, it is up to us to make sure that we don’t get stale sitting on the shelf. We can stay fresh through prayer, Bible study, worship and serving others.

What other ways can you make sure you stay fresh?

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