Grace Will Lead Me Home

Posted on March 26, 2014 by jesustrek

kids running the basesA few days ago I walked by a ball park where some youngsters—perhaps 7 or 8 years old–were practicing baseball. Their coaches had them working on running the bases. They instructed them, “Make sure you touch every base!”

My mind flashed back to a time when I was playing softball. In an effort to go from first base to third on a hit, I missed second base. I had built up such a head of steam that I decided not to break stride. I pulled into third base, hoping that no one would notice my mistake. I wasn’t that lucky! Someone on the opposing team called out, “He missed second base!” They appealed to the umpire, who promptly made the correct decision and called me out.

Sometimes we think that in order to please God, we can’t make any mistakes—that he is waiting to call us out for any little slip-up. That’s not true! While God wants us to always strive to do the right thing, it’s not perfection that he is looking for—it’s faithfulness.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”—Ephesians 2:8-9.

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Imitating Their Faith

Posted on March 25, 2014 by jesustrek

carrying crossLast night I dreamed about my Uncle Bob Wilmoth, who went on to his heavenly reward several years ago. Uncle Bob preached the gospel for over 50 years, and he always was one of my heroes of the faith. He still inspires me to this day.

In my dream, Uncle Bob walked into the room and began to study for his sermon. He always spent a lot of time in preparation. He would memorize his text and his sermon, so he could keep perfect eye contact with his audience.

The dream ended with me putting aside the newspaper I was reading and working on my sermon also.

It’s good to know that lives that are well-lived can continue to set a good example even after we are gone!

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”—Hebrews 13:7.

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Steer Clear of Disaster

Posted on March 24, 2014 by jesustrek

ObamaCulture wars are nothing new. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible contains accounts of people who rebelled against God’s moral laws and had to face unspeakable consequences. It shouldn’t surprise us that this trend continues today.

Jude 4 & 7 proclaims a dire warning–“For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord…In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.”

We are currently engaged in a fierce battle of spiritual warfare. Sitting on the sidelines is not an option! And for goodness’ sake—literally, for goodness’ sake—don’t let anyone steer you down the path of destruction!

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In Tune

Posted on March 21, 2014 by jesustrek

tuning fork“Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow.”—A. W. Tozer

Unity is a theme that is woven throughout the New Testament. Jesus prayed for it. Paul preached that we should strive for it. Yet harmony eludes many congregations.

Perhaps we need to understand that we will become more in tune with each other as we grow closer to Jesus. Our differences will fade as our purposes and desires simultaneously align with those of our Lord.

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”—Ephesians 4:3-6

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That’s the Book for Me

Posted on March 20, 2014 by jesustrek

BibleOver the years, I have tried different Bibles. I own several various translations. As my eyes have aged, I have looked for copies of the Scripture with larger print. However, as a preacher, I want a Bible that is not too heavy to carry around as I preach on Sunday morning. So, I am often on the lookout for a Bible that will suit my needs, either for public reading or private study.

A few years ago, I found a Bible that I liked, but the cover was bright red. I purchased it anyway, and then debated over whether I should use it to preach. After all, it looked more like a hymnal than a Bible! And would it be suitable for special occasions like weddings and funerals?

I shared my concerns about using a red Bible with a friend who was a retired minister, and I never will forget his reply—“I’ve always heard that the Bible should be read (red).”

Indeed, the Bible should be read. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”—2 Timothy 3:16-17.

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Giving Them New Life

Posted on March 19, 2014 by jesustrek

LazarusJesus approached the tomb where they had laid his good friend Lazarus. First, he wept. Then he ordered that the stone be removed from the entrance to the tomb. After that, Jesus prayed that those present would put their faith in him. “When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”—John 11:43-44.

This Scripture obviously teaches us that Jesus has the power to bring the dead back to life. We hold onto the faith that he can resurrect us from the dead also.

Some have pointed out that there is another lesson to be learned here. We have to understand that there are things that only Jesus can do—such as bring dead people back to life. However, Jesus did not remove the grave clothes from Lazarus. He instructed others to do that. So, we have to trust Jesus to do the things that only he can do. And we have to do whatever we can do to help people.

Only Jesus can give spiritual life to a sinner. None of us can do that. However, once Jesus has brought that person to life, we Christians can help them come out of their grave clothes. We can teach them to replace coarse talk with more proper speech patterns. We can help them break a pattern of immoral conduct. We can show them how to leave a life of greed and embrace a life of generosity. We can be with them as they battle against harmful addictions.

Helping people out of their grave clothes can be messy business. But how did we ever get the idea that being the church is anything else?

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Unhealthy Attachment

Posted on March 17, 2014 by jesustrek

cowboy chapsA bull rider lay flat in the dirt after losing a head butting contest with the bull he had tried to ride in a rodeo competition. As he lay motionless, the crowd became silent, sensing that he was seriously injured.

An emergency room doctor happened to be in the stands when the horrible injury occurred. He rushed to the fallen cowboy, as did several of the other riders in the competition.

The doctor found that the cowboy’s face was smashed into his skull. He wasn’t breathing, and if the doctor wasn’t able to stabilize the injured man, he would die within 3-5 minutes.

In order to gain the confidence of the people surrounding the fallen cowboy, the doctor kept repeating, “I’m an emergency room doctor!” However, as he attempted to stabilize the cowboy, the man’s fellow riders kept tugging at their fallen comrade.

Then, one of the cowboys said, “Doctor, I just finished EMT training. What can I do to help you?”

“You can get these other guys away so that I can try to save this man’s life!”

Quickly, the doctor was given the space he needed to work on the cowboy. He got him stabilized, and the man was taken to the hospital for further treatment. Although he was badly hurt, he did survive the ordeal.

Later, the doctor asked about the behavior of the cowboys back at the rodeo. Why were they interfering with his efforts to save the man’s life? He learned that they were trying to get the cowboy’s chaps off of him. What most people don’t realize is that a cowboy’s chaps are personally designed for him. It is part of his armor. A good pair of chaps can cost several hundred dollars or more. And what’s the first thing EMTs do when they get to an injured person? They cut the clothes off the person so that they can give them the treatment they need. So, the cowboys who tried to get the chaps off of their fallen buddy thought that they were doing him a favor, when in fact they were risking his life.

Many of us have spiritual “chaps” that we want to hold onto, even though there is great danger in doing so. People want to hold onto an immoral relationship, a vulgar speech pattern, a habit of drunkenness, a spirit of bitterness, etc. rather than casting off that sin in order to live fully for Jesus.

“…Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”—Hebrews 12:1.

Do you have any “chaps” you need to let go of?

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Listen!

Posted on March 13, 2014 by jesustrek

listenElijah was experiencing some discouragement, so the Lord decided to make himself known to him in a special way. “The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” (1 Kings 19:11-12).

We tend to think that the Lord only speaks to us in some spectacular way. We look for powerful winds, mighty quakes or fire from heaven. However, God revealed himself to Elijah with a gentle whisper.

Perhaps he will do the same for us. We must quiet ourselves in order to hear him.

Are you listening?

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How to Beat the Blues

Posted on March 12, 2014 by jesustrek

bluesElijah had just seen a great victory for the Lord (1 Kings 18). He stood against a large number of false prophets and, putting his faith in God, saw the evildoers completely defeated.

Then, remarkably, Elijah lost his nerve. After Jezebel threatened him, he ran for his life. Leaving his servant behind, he went off by himself. Exhausted, he said a prayer that pretty much indicated that he was giving up, and then lay down to go to sleep.

Suddenly God intervened in his life. An angel gave him something to eat. Then Elijah slept again. After that he got up and ate some more. At this point he was no longer ready to give up. He continued on with renewed strength (1 Kings 19).

What we need to beat the blues is often quite simple. First, we need companionship. If Elijah had taken his servant with him, he wouldn’t have felt so much alone. He probably would have received much-needed encouragement—perhaps a reminder of the victory that they had so recently experienced. When you’re feeling down, don’t go off by yourself. Allow a trusted friend to help you through the situation.

Second, sometimes we become more negative because we aren’t getting enough sleep. Slumber helped Elijah get back on track. It might be what you need too.

Third, we need to make sure that we are eating well. Lack of proper nutrition can lead to discouragement. A healthy meal or snack just might help improve your outlook on life.

Friends, rest and food—there is your prescription to beat the blues.

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Two-Part Talk

Posted on March 11, 2014 by jesustrek

A couple of themes stand out in the writings of the apostle Paul.

First, he talks a great deal about Jesus. He is continually expounding on the crucified, yet risen, Christ. Paul’s most heartfelt desire is to make the gospel of Jesus Christ known to as many people as possible.

Second, Paul often gives his personal testimony. He tells the story of how Jesus changed him from someone who persecuted the church into a man who worked hard in the service of the Lord. His encounter with the resurrected Jesus turned his life around completely.

That sounds like a good strategy for any follower of Jesus—talk a lot about Jesus, and tell people how Jesus has changed our life.

Do you have your talk ready?

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”—1 Timothy 1:15-16.

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