Apparent Activity

Posted on March 10, 2014 by jesustrek

hardly workingSomeone told me a few days ago that they heard that I was running for exercise. This confused me, since I haven’t really run for years. Then I remembered that I had indeed jogged for a few yards while out for a walk. Someone must have seen me for those few seconds, and assumed that I was running all the way. It seems that I have a reputation, at least in someone’s eyes, of being a runner, even though I only ran a few steps.

I suppose that people could catch us at a good moment and think that we are living all out for God all the time. They might see us going to church once and think that we attend all the time. They might see us do a good deed and assume that this is our regular practice. Or they might see us being generous on a rare occasion and think that we always have a big heart.

Let’s be careful that we aren’t building a reputation that is undeserved. Let’s really be active in serving God and our fellow man.

“…I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.”—Revelation 3:1-2.

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Is Your Heart in It?

Posted on March 9, 2014 by jesustrek

boy cryingA man once told me about a memorable experience he had while growing up in church. He had a speaking part in a Sunday morning Mothers’ Day program. While delivering his lines, he became visibly emotional, so much so that tears ran down his cheeks. People bragged on him after church, saying that he obviously cared a great deal about delivering his lines well and honoring the mothers who were in attendance. Actually, the man confessed to me that the emotion that he was expressing was anger. You see, he didn’t actually want to be in the program; he was forced to participate against his will. His heart really wasn’t in it.

Over and over in the Old Testament, God warned his people against merely going through the motions of worship. He wanted them to put their hearts into it.

That’s what he still wants from us today.

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”—John 4:23.

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OK to Be Single

Posted on March 6, 2014 by jesustrek

single ladyOne lady, desperate for a husband, began corresponding with a man who was in prison. She eventually worked up the courage to ask him what crime he had committed. He responded honestly, “I killed my wife.” “Oh, good!” she exclaimed. “You’re single!”

Many people believe that they can’t find fulfillment in life unless they are married. Why wouldn’t they think that? People tell them to be patient; they’ll find somebody. They hear that “there is somebody out there for everyone.” It’s no wonder that so many people think that they can’t be happy living as a single person.

The Bible does paint a beautiful picture of marriage, but Scripture also teaches us that it is perfectly all right to remain single.

Paul spends quite a bit of time in 1 Corinthians 7 talking about the benefits of being unmarried, and he encourages this lifestyle. Jesus says in Matthew 19:12 that some people “… have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

Let’s not push marriage on people who are perfectly happy being single.

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Ungrateful Child

Posted on March 5, 2014 by jesustrek
Rachel Canning

Rachel Canning

Rachel Canning, a high school honor student in New Jersey, has sued to get her parents to support her after she moved out of their home. She asked for $650 a week in child support, plus tuition to her private school and attorney’s fees. A judge has denied the girl’s initial request, cautioning that the case could lead to other outrageous lawsuits from ungrateful children who could leave their parents’ home and then ask for financial support.

It seems ridiculous that a child would refuse to live with her parents and still think that she deserves the financial benefits that come with being a member of the family.

Is it any less ridiculous for a person to try to live outside the family of God and still seek the blessings of the Parent that he or she is rejecting?

“Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…”—James 1:16-17.

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Family Tree

Posted on March 3, 2014 by jesustrek

tree-clipart-4There once was a fellow who was curious about his family history, so he paid someone $200 to research his genealogy. After looking at the results, he paid the man another $1,000 to keep quiet about it!

We shouldn’t be too concerned about questionable characters in our family tree. A look at the genealogy of Jesus shows some imperfect people. Abraham lied about his wife. Jacob cheated his brother. David committed adultery. Solomon was a womanizer. Rahab was a prostitute.

You have to get to Jesus before you find anybody who was perfect.

I guess that’s the point.

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Give the Bible a Shot

Posted on February 27, 2014 by jesustrek
Rickey Wagoner

Rickey Wagoner

Rickey Wagoner, a Dayton bus driver, told Dayton police that he was standing outside his bus early Monday morning when he was shot 3 times. Fortunately, his injuries are not life-threatening. This may be due in part to the fact that two of the bullets struck a biblical booklet that Wagoner had in his shirt pocket.

The Bible can do more than protect us from bullets. Jesus once told a group of people, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”—John 5:39-40.

It may be a good thing to carry a Bible in your pocket. It’s an essential thing to read it, and to come to Jesus for the eternal life that only he can give!

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Hidden Treasure

Posted on February 26, 2014 by jesustrek
California treasure found

California treasure found

A couple in Northern California made a remarkable discovery recently while walking their dog on their property. They found a stash of gold coins that had been buried under an old tree. The coins are dated from 1847 to 1894, and are in excellent condition. While their face value is a mere $27,000, experts say that the collection could be worth as much as $10 million!

This reminds us of a story Jesus told: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”—Matthew 13:44.

The treasure found by the California couple should last them a lifetime.

The treasure of the kingdom of heaven will last for eternity!

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The Danger of Following Jesus

Posted on February 25, 2014 by jesustrek

danger aheadIt was Jesus’ idea for his disciples to take a trip with him to the other side of the lake. They got into the boat with him and set out for the opposite shore. Jesus promptly fell asleep. However, a terrible storm suddenly came down on the lake, and the disciples were in great danger (Luke 8:22-25).

Most of you know what happened next. The disciples woke Jesus up and voiced their fear of drowning. Jesus promptly calmed the storm and then questioned the faith of his followers.

We all know the moral of the story—Never fear when Jesus is with you, because he has the ultimate power to protect us. However, we might fail to notice that Jesus led the disciples into danger. Sometimes we get the idea that Jesus will keep us away from dangerous situations. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Peter, James, John, Paul and others would scoff at the thought that following Jesus keeps a person safe from danger. Hebrews 11 lists many men and women who suffered—and sometimes died—for their faith.

Following Jesus is not to be taken lightly. It can be a very dangerous undertaking.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”—Matthew 10:34.

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Proud Father

Posted on February 24, 2014 by jesustrek

lion kingI attend a lot of high school basketball games, and I know some of the parents of the players on the local team. It’s fun to watch how those parents beam with pride when their son or daughter does well.

At least three times in the past couple of years, our boys have made last second shots that have tied or won the game. Each time this happened, I waited for the initial electricity of the moment to fade a bit, then I turned in the direction of the father of the player who hit the big shot and yelled, “Whose boy was that!?” A couple of fathers just looked at me and grinned. The third shouted back, “That was my boy!”

Just as we are proud of our children when they do well, God is pleased with his Son Jesus. When Jesus was transfigured on the mountain, God said, “…This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5).

If we accept the fact that Jesus is God’s Son, we too must love him. We also must be pleased with him. And we must listen to him and obey what he says.

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Reluctant Leaders

Posted on February 21, 2014 by jesustrek

basketball playerWhen I played junior varsity basketball in high school, my teammates and I often clowned around way too much. This was reflected in our won/loss record. If we had put as much energy into practice as we did our pranks, we might have won a few more games.

For instance, we typically would designate one player to lead us out of the locker room before the game. We would get all fired up, and our leader would take the ball and charge onto the floor, with his enthusiastic teammates right behind him.

Once, we schemed to stay back and laugh as an unsuspecting “leader” stormed onto the court all by himself. Of course, this was hilarious. However, after pulling this prank a couple of times, it was difficult to find anyone willing to lead us out of the locker room. No one trusted the others to follow his lead.

Unfortunately, this sometimes happens in the church. The leaders move out ahead of the flock, excited about the new and exciting experiences that the Lord has in store for the church, only to look back and see that no one is following. After a couple of such episodes, the leaders become reluctant to take any bold new initiatives, and the church becomes stagnant.

It’s no wonder the Bible tells us: “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”—Hebrews 13:17.

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