Not Forgotten

Posted on April 19, 2013 by jesustrek

Pilate

In the television mini-series The Bible, which aired on the History Channel during March, Pilate’s wife was concerned about the way that Jesus had been treated. A dream revealed to her that he was a good man, and she told her husband that he would regret having been involved in his death. To that, Pilate replied, “He’ll be forgotten in a week.”

We can laugh now at how wrong that prediction was! Jesus Christ is far from forgotten! He is revered by many followers all over the world. Buildings with crosses on top of them dot the landscape of many countries. And every week, believers meet together to remember the One who died to gain their salvation.

Forgotten? No! Never! Not as long as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper together!

“…Do this in remembrance of me.”—Luke 22:19.

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See that Face

Posted on April 18, 2013 by jesustrek
Fanny Crosby

Fanny Crosby

Fanny Crosby was a prolific songwriter, giving us more than 8,000 gospel songs in her career. Fanny was blinded by a doctor’s mistake when she was only six weeks old. When asked if she regretted not being able to see, she responded that she was glad that she had been blind all of her life. The reason she gave was that it would be wonderful that the first face she would ever see would be the face of her Savior!

We should all be so eager to see the face of Jesus!

“…Come, O Lord!”—1 Corinthians 16:22.

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Running to Help

Posted on April 17, 2013 by jesustrek
Carlos-Arredondo-VD-408x264

Carlos Arredondo in cowboy hat

The recent bombing at the Boston Marathon reminds us that there are different reactions that people have when they are faced with an opportunity to help someone who is in a dangerous situation.

In the aftermath of the attack, some who were near the explosions ran for cover. Their fight-or-flight instinct kicked in, and they sought a safer location.

Others simply froze. They remained still, hoping to avoid the danger of any further violence that might be coming their way.

Still others, like Carlos Arredondo, ran toward the carnage, responding to the crisis with an urgent desire to help those in need.

One never knows, until such an emergency occurs, what type of action he or she might take. We can only hope that we would respond in a loving and courageous manner.

In the spiritual realm, many people become injured by Satan’s bombs. They need our help, and the Bible urges us to respond quickly to their needs.

“Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”—Jude 22-23.

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Somebody Jesus Loves

Posted on April 16, 2013 by jesustrek

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Every man is entitled to be valued by his best moments.” The wonderful truth about Jesus is that he loves us in spite of our worst moments!

The 12 apostles made all kinds of mistakes as they tried to follow Jesus. They vied with each other for positions of authority. They were rude and condescending toward some people. Their faith often wavered, as did their courage.

John was well aware of his short-comings as a disciple of Jesus. Yet he knew that Jesus loved him in spite of his mistakes. In John 21:20, he describes himself as, “the disciple whom Jesus loved”.

We need to remember that Jesus loves us in spite of what we do wrong, and that there is nothing we could ever do to make him love us more.

I’m just somebody Jesus loves, and I encourage you to describe yourself that way too.

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The Tie that Binds

Posted on April 13, 2013 by jesustrek

communion

Paul chastised the church at Corinth for the divisions that existed in that congregation. They even allowed the Lord’s Supper–which should be, among other things, a celebration of unity–to become divisive.

Communion gives members of a local church the chance to recognize the common bond they have in Christ. More than that, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper reminds believers all over the world of the connection they have with one another.

When my wife moved away from home to go to college, communion took on a special new meaning for her. Each Sunday she knew that the members of her family, no matter how far away, were sharing her experience of remembering their crucified and risen Savior.

Blessed be the tie that binds us together in Christ!

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Doomed Planet

Posted on April 12, 2013 by jesustrek

 

Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking

 

Renowned scientist Stephen Hawking just announced his opinion that the human race should make plans to abandon our doomed planet. Hawking said that we human beings “…Won’t survive another 1,000 years without escaping our fragile planet.” He maintains that we need to continue space exploration in order to get off this sinking ship called Earth.

 

Some people immediately assumed that Hawking was making reference to mankind’s mistreatment of the Earth. Others maintain that he was referring to any of several natural catastrophes which could wipe out the human race.

 

We Christians have known for some time now that the Earth is doomed. When Jesus returns, this planet will be laid bare (2 Peter 3:10) and the Lord will create a new heaven and a new Earth (Revelation 21:1-5).

 

While we should always strive to be good stewards of the planet (Genesis 2:15), we have to remember that our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). We look forward to a better life in a better place!  

 

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Impressive Youth

Posted on April 12, 2013 by jesustrek
Guan Tianlang

Guan Tianlang

Guan Tianlang, 14, of China, recently became the youngest player to ever compete in the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National. He played exceptionally well in the first round, shooting a 1-over-par 73. His impressive outing earned him a standing ovation from the crowd at the 18th hole. If he plays this well again in the second round, the teenager has a good chance of making the cut and earning the right to play on Saturday and Sunday.

Many young people today expect to accomplish great things. They also have a desire to be a part of something bigger than themselves. We must not miss the opportunity to encourage them to live out these dreams as followers of Jesus Christ. Let’s do our best to involve them in the church and give them meaningful ways to serve God and people.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”—3 John 4.

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Dogs Too

Posted on April 10, 2013 by jesustrek

guilty dog

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”—Matthew 6:19.

Wayne Klinkel might want to add dogs to this list of wealth destroyers. The Montana man says that his dog ate 5 one hundred dollar bills. Klinkel retrieved as much of the paper money as he could from the dog’s droppings, then washed the pieces and taped them together. He hopes that the federal government will reimburse him the money.

Jesus teaches us that we shouldn’t rely too much on material things because we can’t count on that wealth to always be there. There are many different types of circumstances that can cause our possessions to disappear. We can’t put our trust in earthly treasures because they are temporary.

Instead, we should rely on things that will last forever. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”—Matthew 6:20-21.

 

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Shepherding the Injured

Posted on April 9, 2013 by jesustrek
Luke Hancock comforts Kevin Ware

Luke Hancock comforts Kevin Ware

 

Luke Hancock played a key role in the Louisville men’s basketball team’s march to the national championship. Coming off the bench, Hancock provided scoring and leadership to help the Cardinals earn the top prize in college hoops.

Hancock’s leadership qualities were recognized early on by his teammates, who voted him a team captain before he had ever played a game for the Cards.

Their confidence in him was proven right in the regional final game against Duke. When teammate Kevin Ware went down with a gruesome leg injury, most of his fellow players turned away, unable to even look at their fallen friend. But Hancock rushed to Ware’s side to comfort him and pray for him. He showed the kind of qualities you want to see in a leader.

God chastised the leaders of Israel for their lack of compassion. He said, “You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost…” (Ezekiel 34:4).

Church leaders must lead the way in showing loving concern for those who have been injured by: addictions, moral failures, divorce, economic woes, family strife, loss of a loved one, etc. Many may sympathize with those who are hurting, yet they turn away, unable to cope with the tragedy they see unfolding in front of them. Leaders need to run to the scene and give much-needed comfort.

That’s an important part of being a leader in the church.

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That’s a Shame!

Posted on April 8, 2013 by jesustrek
Jerry Seinfeld

Jerry Seinfeld

Of all the classic lines delivered by Jerry Seinfeld in the iconic television show that bears his name, one of my favorites is—“That’s a shame!” This was often Jerry’s response to the news that someone had experienced some type of misfortune. What makes the line funny is that Jerry delivers it with a complete lack of emotion. It is apparent from his tone that he really doesn’t care about the person at all.

Since Jesus implores us to love our neighbors, it is imperative that we do not fall into the trap of merely pretending to care about them. We might fool ourselves into believing that we are truly concerned about people. We might even convince others that we are loving individuals. But we can’t fool God! And he is the one we must ultimately please.

So, the next time we hear of someone who needs some love, we can say, “That’s a shame!” Or we could do something to help.

“Love must be sincere…”—Romans 12:9.

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