Continual Fruit

Posted on August 20, 2013 by jesustrek
Our pear tree

Our pear tree

We just noticed that the pear tree in our yard has some blossoms. This surprises me, since it is the middle of August and the tree already has pears that are nearly ripe!

I don’t know enough about fruit trees to know just how unusual this occurrence is. I don’t expect to get a second crop of pears at Christmas time. (But it would be cool to have a partridge in a pear tree that actually had pears on it!)

I’m not sure if there is anything to learn from a late-blooming pear tree. But if there is, perhaps it is that we need to be continually bearing fruit. Even as we are harvesting the results of some of our labor, we need to be sowing the seeds of the next crop.

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.”–Psalm 1:3.

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Desperate to Lose

Posted on August 19, 2013 by jesustrek

A woman in Iowa has reportedly swallowed a tapeworm…on purpose! The lady did this in an apparent attempt to lose weight. Dr. Patricia Quinlist, director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, says that, in theory, this technique could work. Tapeworms eat the food that is in a person’s digestive system, and one of the symptoms of having a tapeworm is noticeable weight loss.

Parasitic tapeworm

Parasitic tapeworm

Still, isn’t this more than a bit extreme!? Did this lady really give exercise and proper nutrition a fair chance? If drastic measures were indeed necessary, wouldn’t some type of surgery be a more logical (sane?) choice if a person was struggling to lose weight?

Where did she find a tapeworm anyway? Is there an aisle at Walmart that I haven’t discovered yet?

This seems to be an attempt to avoid any pretense of taking responsibility and practicing self-control. Many people wish that they could constantly eat and drink excessively without suffering any consequences.

Let this be a reminder to us that the Bible warns against gluttony. “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.”—Proverbs 23:20-21.

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Attitude of Forgiveness

Posted on August 16, 2013 by jesustrek
Jase Robertson

Jase Robertson

Jase Robertson, one of the stars of the hit reality TV show Duck Dynasty, recently had an interesting experience in New York. When he asked an employee of the hotel where he was staying where he could find a bathroom, the employee took one look at Jase’s long beard and camouflage outfit and assumed that he was an unsavory character who had wandered in off the street. He escorted Jase outside, pointed down the street and said, “Good luck. Have a good day.”

Rather than take offense and make a big deal of it, Robertson let it go. He did not change hotels in a huff. He did not go to the manager and complain. He said, “He just didn’t know. That’s fine.” Jase later joked about the incident by saying, “I think it was a facial profiling deal.”

It’s great to see such a humble attitude of forgiveness. There are too many people who are much too quick to take offense at others over slights and insults, whether real or imagined.

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”—Colossians 3:13.

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Overcomer

Posted on August 16, 2013 by jesustrek
Zach Hodskins

Zach Hodskins

Zach Hodskins, a 6-foot-2, 175 pound shooting guard from Alpharetta Milton High School in Georgia, has been offered a position on the University of Florida basketball team. This is quite remarkable, since Hodskins was born without a left hand. His left arm extends just below his elbow.

This young man has developed into a fine player. He didn’t let his condition keep him from fulfilling his desires. Zach overcame his circumstances and, against all odds, became an outstanding high school basketball player who now is apparently going to have a chance to compete on the college level.

How can you not root for this young man?

Hopefully, Zach’s determination will inspire others to become the best that they can be in their chosen field of sports, academics or career. Maybe he can encourage us to do our best for the Lord. Let’s give God the very best we can give him with the talents and abilities that he has given us.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”—Colossians 3:17.

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Who Are They Trying to Fool?

Posted on August 15, 2013 by jesustrek
Tibetan mastiff

Tibetan mastiff

A zoo in the Henan province of China claimed that an animal they had on display was an African lion. This may have fooled some people, until the “lion” started barking! It turns out that the animal was actually a Tibetan mastiff.

When questioned, a zoo official said that they really do have a lion, but it had been taken to a breeding facility. The dog, he claimed, was put in the lion’s enclosure because of safety concerns.

That assertion might be more believable if not for the fact that the zoo also apparently had another dog in the wolf’s pen!

Satan tries to pass off false religion as the real thing. Many religions appear to be good at first glance, but are quite lacking once you get a good look at them. Beware any group that does not readily acknowledge that Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Savior, is Lord of all.

“Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.”—Revelation 13:11.

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The Cost of Paradise

Posted on August 15, 2013 by jesustrek

HawaiiMy wife and I have a friend who recently began a new job in Hawaii. Ever since she accepted the position, she joyfully anticipated her move to this tropical paradise. She reminded us often (too often if you ask me!) that she would soon be leaving for Hawaii and, alas, we would not.

Our friend realized that the cost of living would be higher in her new location. The “sticker shock” may have finally hit her when she relayed this information to those of us back on the continent—a gallon of milk costs $7.59 in Hawaii!

My wife messaged her back—“This is the cost of paradise!”

No one could ever pay the price to be able to live in heaven with God. Thank God, Jesus paid the price for us!

“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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Saved from the Snake

Posted on August 14, 2013 by jesustrek
Psycho

Psycho

A 10-pound Chihuahua/Poodle mix saved a little girl from being bitten by a rattlesnake earlier this week. Maya Delarosa was making mud pies with her little sister in Hueco Tanks, Texas, when a rattlesnake struck. Their dog, Psycho, intervened and was bitten in the eyelid. Both girls are safe, and the veterinarian thinks that Psycho’s eye will be all right. The girls’ grandmother credits the dog with saving the children.

Just as a small dog can save people from a snakebite, a small baby from heaven made it possible for everyone to be saved from their sins. Jesus died on the cross to take away the poisonous effect of sin. This was God’s plan from before the beginning of time, and was predicted early in mankind’s existence. In Genesis 3:15, God says that Someone would come along and crush the serpent’s (Satan’s) head. This is what Jesus did when he died on the cross to pay for our sins.

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Not Fair

Posted on August 13, 2013 by jesustrek
Margaret Pellegrini

Margaret Pellegrini

Margaret Pellegrini died last Wednesday at the age of 89. She was one of the last 3 surviving Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz. Pellegrini was 3 feet, 4 inches tall when, at the age of 15, she became one of the 124 Munchkins in the epic film.

The only two surviving Munchkins now are Jerry Maren, 93, and Ruth Duccini, 95.

Munchkins were paid $50 a week for their work on the movie. This was a pretty good wage in the 1930s, but the dog who played Toto made $125 a week. That just doesn’t seem fair! However, it didn’t seem to bother Margaret Pellegrini, who once said of the situation, “He had a better agent.”

Life isn’t always fair. As a matter of fact, injustices abound. However, God is fair and just, and, in the end, he will make everything right.

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”—Isaiah 30:18.

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Are You Related?

Posted on August 12, 2013 by jesustrek

Amelia Rose Earhart, a TV traffic and weather reporter, assumed that her love of flying could be traced to her namesake, the famous pilot that she thought was a distant relative. The current Earhart planned a flight around the world that would complete the journey begun by the original Amelia Earhart.

Amelia Rose Earhart

Amelia Rose Earhart

After having some research done, Amelia was shocked to learn that she was not related to the earlier Earhart after all. Nonetheless, she continues with the plans for her flight around the world.

A lot of people may be shocked to discover that they are not actually related to God. It is a common misconception—even among many Christians—that all people are children of God. In fact, the Bible says that we can only be considered children of God when we accept Jesus as our Savior.

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”—John 1:12.

Are you related to God?

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Need to Go Higher

Posted on August 12, 2013 by jesustrek
Intempo

Intempo

Developers planned a 20-story condo, the Intempo, in Benidorm, Spain. When plans later changed to expand it to a 47-story building, architects failed to alter their plans to include an elevator to accommodate the larger building. This, of course, would prove to be a huge problem for any residents who might consider living in this building.

The Bible urges us to plan ahead. Jesus says, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ (Luke 14:28-30).

Some of us once decided to follow Jesus and to build our lives on his teaching.

How’s that building coming along?

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