Time to Rest

Posted on January 11, 2014 by jesustrek

hammockOne of the things we notice about Jesus is that he often took time to get away from the hectic demands of life so that he could be alone to pray. Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Jesus knows the importance of taking a retreat, or a sabbatical, and he models that lifestyle for us.

Jesus never seemed to be in a hurry, yet he accomplished much ministry in his relatively short time on earth.

We would do well to follow the example of Jesus and take some occasional time away from the seemingly never-ending duties that lie before us. We ought to strive to keep in rhythm with the lifestyle that balances work and relaxation. We all need times of refreshing. If we ignore this principle, we sometimes pay a high price.

Having said this, I will be taking a couple of weeks off from writing this blog. In the past 3-and-a-half years, I have posted nearly 1,000 messages. I have rarely taken more than a couple of days off from writing. In order to try to stay fresh and excited about this blog, I feel that I need some time away.

I hope to reconnect with you later this month. In the meantime, may God bless you richly as you continue to follow Jesus!

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Should Have Listened!

Posted on January 11, 2014 by jesustrek

encouraging bird“I told you so” is one of the favorite phrases in the English language. We like to remind people that we were right and that they should have listened to us.

“I told you so” is also one of the least favorite phrases in the English language. When we were wrong about something, and had been forewarned about this, we don’t want to hear it at all.

Paul the apostle had issued a warning in Acts 27:9-10 that the voyage they were embarking on would end up in disaster. When his prediction came true, Paul couldn’t help but say, in so many words, “I told you so!” (v.21).

However, Paul goes on to encourage his fellow travelers and remind them of God’s presence with them.

What is the lesson here? Perhaps that we should spend less time saying “I told you so”, and more time giving people the encouragement they need.

Usually, we would do well to drop the “I told you so” altogether and focus on encouraging words.

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Work that Endures

Posted on January 10, 2014 by jesustrek
Candlestick Park

Candlestick Park

Candlestick Park in San Francisco recently hosted its last sporting event. The stadium is scheduled to be demolished soon. Mike Gay has been the stadium chief for the past 35 years, and he is not sure that he wants to watch the implosion of Candlestick Park. He said: “I’ve seen other stadiums get imploded. Here I’ve been trying to maintain it and keep it looking good and these guys are talking about, ‘We can bring this thing down in 100 seconds.’ Whoa.”

Whoa indeed! Imagine your life’s work being destroyed almost instantly.

That’s the feeling that many people will experience when Jesus Christ returns. “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.”—2 Peter 3:10.

It seems that all that will endure will be the work that we have done for Jesus and his everlasting kingdom. That gives us something to think about.

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Always Rejoicing!

Posted on January 8, 2014 by jesustrek

worship“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”—Philippians 4:4.

I often have to remind myself that Paul the apostle was chained up in prison when he wrote this. And these were not empty words. Paul practiced what he preached.

In Acts 16, we find Paul and Silas in jail, but that didn’t dampen their spirits. They prayed and sang hymns while the other prisoners listened to them. The jailer must have been listening too, for he would soon ask these Christians the question, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (v.30).

They told him to put his faith in Jesus, and that’s what he did. He and his family were baptized into Christ that very night.

You never know what might happen if you rejoice in the Lord at all times.

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Not Where I Wanted to Be

Posted on January 7, 2014 by jesustrek

golden archesI enjoy finding a bargain as well as the next person, so I was thrilled to get some great coupons for Wendy’s. I drove into the parking lot, got out of the car and entered the restaurant. I told the young lady behind the counter what I wanted, and informed her that I had some coupons for a discount price. However, she seemed a bit confused by my order. Somewhat reluctantly, she told me that they could not honor the coupons that I held in front of her. It was about that time that I noticed the golden arches right outside the building. Yes, I was trying to order Wendy’s food in a McDonald’s restaurant!

If that’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happens to me, I suppose I would be OK with that.

Sometimes we don’t pay attention to where we are going, and therefore we end up at an unintended destination.

Don’t let that happen to you at the end of your life.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”—Matthew 7:13-14.

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Forsaking All Others

Posted on January 6, 2014 by jesustrek

married coupleRuss Blowers had retired after decades of successful ministry. He was a preacher in a large, growing church and was in great demand as a speaker for seminars and conferences. When someone asked Russ what his greatest accomplishment was, he answered, “I never had to go into my children’s room and explain to them why I had been unfaithful to their mother.”

Now there was a man who understood the importance of keeping his wedding vows!

Adultery is such a devastating sin that Jesus says we shouldn’t even think about it. He teaches in Matthew 5:27-29, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”

Sounds like serious business! Guard your marriage by guarding your heart!

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Stirring Things Up

Posted on January 3, 2014 by jesustrek

When the Magi from the east came to Jerusalem looking for baby Jesus, all of Jerusalem was disturbed (Matthew 2:1-3). Apparently there was a big fuss over someone who was said to be born king of the Jews. For some time now, there had been a lot of anticipation among God’s people. They were expecting a Messiah, one sent from God who would lead them and care for them. Perhaps the long-awaited prophecy was now being fulfilled in Jesus. In any case, Jesus stirred things up from the very beginning of his arrival on this planet.

Fast forward to Jesus’ adulthood, near the end of his life on earth. He was making his way to Jerusalem in what we call the “Triumphal Entry” (Matthew 21:1-11). He rode into the city on a donkey’s colt, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 62:11. The large crowd, perhaps realizing this was a fulfillment of prophecy, praised Jesus loudly and exuberantly as he entered the city. Verse 10 says, “When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

It seems that Jesus was constantly keeping things stirred up. Even today, Jesus still causes some lively discussions. When the teachings of Christ are applied to hot-button issues such as: the sanctity of life, the definition of marriage, the value of hard work and the need to care for the poor, the conversation is never boring!

Let’s not back away from these conversations. Let’s keep things stirred up. Just like Jesus did.

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Pause

Posted on December 31, 2013 by jesustrek

popcorn-movie1On rare occasions my wife and I will go see a movie. More often we will rent a movie and watch it at home. There are several differences between seeing a film on the big screen and watching it at home. For me, the biggest difference is this—at home I can ask my wife to hit the “pause” button and explain to me what in the world is going on in the movie. I sometimes have trouble keeping up with the plot and figuring out who the characters are. A quick break for explanations can clear up a lot of confusion and help things make sense once again.

The same thing happens in life. Sometimes events start happening too fast and we have trouble understanding how God is orchestrating all that is happening around us. That’s when we need to hit the “pause” button. We need to step back and take a break to figure out how the plot is unfolding.

Some call it prayer.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”–Psalm 27:14

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Roles

Posted on December 30, 2013 by jesustrek

When we watch old movies and shows on television, my wife and I enjoy discovering actors and actresses who were once relatively unknown but have since made a name for themselves.

“Hey! Isn’t that so-and-so from such-and-such?”

“I think you’re right!”

Quite often the person has changed so much that recognition is difficult. It’s funny to see how much they have changed. It’s also amusing to see the type of role they once played. Even some of the best actors and actresses get their start by playing in some horrible movies and shows. Some might be embarrassed at the roles they once agreed to play. Today they would not even consider playing the parts that they once so readily accepted.

If we were to watch our lives on film, I suppose we would be amused to notice how much we have changed over the years. We would no doubt be embarrassed at the roles we once played. We thought we were doing the right thing at the time, but now we have a better understanding of the role that God has in mind for us to play. Let’s refuse to accept anything less.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord…”–Jeremiah 29:11

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Cleans Wonderfully

Posted on December 27, 2013 by jesustrek

cleaning supplies

My wife really likes a certain cleaning product that she uses around the house. I don’t want to get into product endorsement here, but this household helper really does a magical job of erasing dirt, grime and stains that have built up on fixtures and appliances. Things that have become filthy can be made sparkling clean once again.

Our lives become tarnished because of the sin that we just can’t seem to avoid. Though our intentions are good—usually—our sinful nature often gets the best of us, and we become stained as a result. We need the blood of Jesus to make us clean.

Thankfully, the cleansing power of Jesus Christ is constantly at work in the lives of believers, taking away our sins and making us look sparkling clean in the eyes of God.

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”—1 John 2:2.

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