The Story Unfolds

Posted on May 29, 2013 by jesustrek

Star Trek

They did it with Star Wars, so we shouldn’t be surprised that Star Trek followed the same path. I’m talking about making prequels. The original stories were so popular, it was decided that we needed to know what happened before. How did the characters develop into the individuals we know and love? What events transpired that led up to the movies that were seen by so many people?

Other books and movies have turned to the prequel to give fans more of what they want. We can look for more of this trend in the field of entertainment.

Those of us who follow Christ know how the story of humanity ends. Jesus will return and bring judgment. Those who have rejected him will be doomed forever, while those who have trusted him will be ushered into his presence for a blissful eternity.

That’s the sequel. But what’s the prequel?

It’s whatever we decide it to be. We have the ability to write our own story. Oh, sure, many circumstances are out of our control. But we have a great deal to say in how we will live our lives. We can determine to live a life of faith, and we can decide the details of how we will live out that faith.

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity…”—Ephesians 5:15-16.

How is your script coming along?

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Caller ID

Posted on May 28, 2013 by jesustrek

rotary-phone

We recently added caller ID to our home phone. We were probably the last family in the civilized world to acquire this feature.

I’ve always thought that caller ID was an unnecessary luxury. However, as more and more people began to use this option, phone etiquette has changed. People don’t indentify themselves on the phone anymore. They assume that your phone has told you who they are, so they just start talking. My wife and I got tired of interrupting people to find out who they are, so we joined this part of the technology revolution.

I suppose caller ID has some positive aspects. Prank calls are much rarer these days. And you can screen calls to avoid having to talk to pesky sales people and in-laws. So I guess that caller ID is overall a good innovation.

All this caused me to be thankful that God knows exactly who we are whenever we call on him in prayer. Every time we pray, God knows who we are and what we need. And he never avoids our call. For all of this, we should be very grateful.

“…Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”—Matthew 6:8.

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Blossoming

Posted on May 24, 2013 by jesustrek

roses

Last year my wife and I decided to get rid of a small rose bush in front of our house. The bush had not produced a single rose in the two years we had lived here, so we decided to remove it. I cut it back to a stub, thinking if it didn’t die, I would come back later and dig it up.

This spring the bush made a remarkable comeback. Before we knew it, the plant was as big as it was last year. As it continued to grow, we decided to leave it alone and see what would happen.

What happened was the rose bush not only continued to grow, it thrived! It actually produced several red roses! The plant we had given up on has become a thing of beauty.

Jesus says that if we remain in him, God will prune us in order to make us more fruitful. Sometimes the pruning process is painful. As he guides us through certain life changes, God might trim us down to where we think we can’t come back—the fruitful part of our life seems to be over.

Then something marvelous happens. We not only come back from the pruning, we grow stronger and more productive than ever.

So let’s be patient and see what God has in store for our lives. It might be something incredibly beautiful.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”—John 15:1-2.

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Compassion that Comforts

Posted on May 23, 2013 by jesustrek
Moore after the tornado

Moore after the tornado

The devastating tornado that recently hit Moore, Oklahoma, destroyed thousands of homes and killed 24 people. Many families found only empty lots where their houses once were.

Many people came to the area to assist in the search and rescue efforts and the cleanup that will follow. Among those who arrived to offer their help were about a dozen public safety employees from Joplin, Missouri.

You may remember that Joplin was hit by a terrible tornado on May 22, 2011. The people of that city know what it’s like to lose lives to a deadly storm (158 were killed) and to have to rebuild from the rubble. It is natural that they would sympathize with the citizens of Moore and help them in any way possible.

The Bible says that we should try to comfort others, just as we have received comfort. This cycle of showing love and compassion brings healing and hope to a world filled with pain and despair. Let’s all try to find our place in this process of comforting others.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”—2 Corinthians 1:3-4.

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Fearful Leader

Posted on May 21, 2013 by jesustrek

When King Saul disobeyed the clear instructions of God, he was confronted by the prophet Samuel. Saul finally admitted that he had indeed done wrong. The reason he gave was this—“…I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them.” (1 Samuel 15:24).

Saul should have feared God more than he feared his fellow man. For his cowardly lack of leadership, the Lord rejected him as king of Israel (v.26).

This should be a lesson to all who would aspire to leadership in God’s kingdom. Many people—including some leaders—think that church leaders are put into those positions to represent the people, when in fact they are supposed to be representing God.

Churches need leaders who fear God, not people.

“…We must obey God rather than men!”—Acts 5:29.

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Judging Correctly

Posted on May 20, 2013 by jesustrek
Judge Raymond Voet

Judge Raymond Voet

Judge Raymond Voet, of Ionia County, Michigan, has a posted policy in his courtroom stating that electronic devices that cause disturbances during court sessions will result in the owner being cited with contempt.

Recently, Judge Voet’s own phone interrupted a prosecutor’s closing argument. Voet dutifully held himself in contempt and fined himself $25. He said, “I broke the rule and I have to live by it.”

Judge Voet’s action is admirable. He would have appeared to be a hypocrite if he had ignored his own rules.

Jesus warns against hypocritical judging in Matthew 7:1-5. Many people mistakenly believe that Jesus forbids us to ever try to correct anyone who is sinning. However, he plainly teaches that those who are not walking around with a 2×4 in their own eye have the ability—and perhaps the duty—to help others get a speck out of their eye.

The lesson is: Make sure you take a good, long look in the mirror before you try to get someone else’s life straightened out.

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Meaningful Death

Posted on May 17, 2013 by jesustrek
Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery

On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., my wife and I visited Arlington National Cemetery. As we moved through the grounds, we took notice of the distinctive grave markers. The symmetry of their color, shape, size and alignment is quite impressive.

What impressed us even more was the sheer number of men and women buried there after putting their lives on the line to protect our freedom. The hillsides and valleys were lined with the graves of those who had the courage and love for mankind to risk everything for the benefit of others.

Glancing at my wife, I saw that she was experiencing the same wave of emotion that I felt. It was truly a moving moment.

We followers of Jesus sometimes feel the same kind of emotion when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. To reflect on what Jesus did for us with his loving, sacrificial death is indeed a moving experience.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”—Romans 5:8.

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Not that Long

Posted on May 16, 2013 by jesustrek

Once while checking into a hotel, I was pushing a cart loaded with our luggage. As I plugged along, I underestimated the size of the elevator and rammed the cart into the back wall. I made a lot of noise, but, fortunately, did not cause any damage.

Unfortunately, many people underestimate the length of their lives. They think they have plenty of time left, so they keep plugging along, not getting around to doing the important things that they are saving for later. “Later” never comes for many people, and they are suddenly surprised to come to an abrupt end of their life.

Never assume that you have plenty of time left. The Bible says, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (James 4:14).

With that in mind, let’s treat every day as if it is very important.

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Right Kind of Influence

Posted on May 15, 2013 by jesustrek
Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow

In a survey recently released by Forbes.com, Tim Tebow was named the most influential athlete in the USA. This is refreshing news, especially when we consider the lifestyles of other athletes who influence our culture.

Tebow says this regarding the honor: “I see it as a great responsibility to be a role model for future generations. That’s something I care about more than winning football games. If I can take the game of football and can transcend football, go to hospitals and make kids smile, I’ll be doing things that matter.”

We Christians are glad to see role models like Tim Tebow, who influence people for Christ. We should pray for Tebow’s strength and holiness. The world hates him, and would like nothing better than to see him falter in some way.

Not many of us have the kind of platform afforded to a professional athlete. However, we should do whatever we can to be the salt and light that Jesus calls us to be (Matthew 5:13-16). Let us always strive to influence as many people as we can for Jesus.

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OK in the Corral

Posted on May 14, 2013 by jesustrek

Limousin

An advertisement in the newspaper described the positive qualities of the Limousin bulls that a breeder had for sale. The buyer could choose between red or black. The bulls were qualified for a desirable genetics program. They were double polled, meaning that their offspring should not have horns.

 Also mentioned was the fact that the bulls had a “calm disposition”. This may seem like a strange fact to mention in a livestock ad, but cattlemen know that Limousins have a reputation for being somewhat ornery and mean. This is not a desirable characteristic if you are going to be working with cattle.

I think I’ve been to church with some Limousins.

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”—Philippians 4:5.

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