Pleasant Places

Posted on September 26, 2012 by jesustrek

Someone at church recently asked me for some information about church camp. I said, “I think I have that in my office.”

My office, I thought as I went to retrieve the requested document. My office!

Sometimes I still find it hard to believe that I am the preacher at Vanceburg Christian Church. This is my hometown. I have family here. Childhood friends attend this church. I was baptized in this building. I am so blessed!

David wrote, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” (Psalm 16:6).

I, too, feel fortunate to have such a pleasant place in which to minister. I hope that you are also delighted with the territory the Lord has given you.

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Great Samaritan

Posted on September 24, 2012 by jesustrek

Gerald Gronowski recently had a flat tire east of Cleveland, Ohio. Christopher Manacci stopped to give him a hand. As they were talking, Gronowski recalled another stranger who had helped him eight years ago. That man had helped him pull a fishing hook out of his hand. Then they figured out that Manacci was the man who had come to his aid previously!

It seems like Christopher Manacci has developed a habit of helping people who are in need.

This is the kind of attitude and behavior that Jesus expects from his followers. The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) is more than just a good story—it is a model for a lifestyle of sacrificial service.

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Love Never Fails

Posted on September 22, 2012 by jesustrek

Yesterday I wrote about a nine-year-old boy named George, who was helping his father work on the farm when he spotted 6-year-old Maggie running across a nearby field. He pointed at her and exclaimed to his father, “I’m going to marry that girl someday!”

He did marry her, and they had 64 wonderful years together.

George died recently, and some might say that his death brought an end to this delightful story of romance. However, we believers know that love will continue on into eternity if we place our trust in Jesus.

As the funeral service came to a close, I overheard Maggie tell George that she would be joining him soon enough. She suggested that he might watch for her to come running to him across a heavenly field.

Who knows? It might happen exactly like that!

“Love never fails…”—1 Corinthians 13:8.

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She’s the One!

Posted on September 21, 2012 by jesustrek

Nine-year-old George was helping his father work on the farm when he spotted 6-year-old Maggie scampering across a nearby field. George pointed to her and exclaimed to his father, “I’m going to marry that girl someday!”

You know what? He did! And they stayed happily married for 64 years!

Have you ever heard of anything more romantic? Top that, Hollywood!

Sometimes we complain that family values are not what they used to be. However, there are some wonderful love stories unfolding all around us. All we have to do is look for these stories, treasure them and share them with others.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”—Ephesians 5:25.

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Still as Strong

Posted on September 20, 2012 by jesustrek

I just saw a 92-year-old man mowing the lawn of his church with a push mower.

Let me type that again, just so you won’t think that there was some kind of mistake. I just saw a 92-year-old man mowing the lawn of his church with a push mower!

You have to love it when a person who has been a senior citizen for more than a quarter of a century is still willing to do hard manual labor for the Lord. He isn’t content to sit back in his easy chair with the attitude that he has already done his part. Jesus says that we are to be faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10). This fellow evidently takes that command seriously!

This reminds me of Caleb, a hero of the Old Testament. He once said, “…So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.” (Joshua 14:10-11).

We don’t all have the promise of being physically strong when we reach our later years. But we all can choose the attitude that we have toward life. Let’s choose to be bold and positive and determined to do all we can for the Lord!

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Playing Offense

Posted on September 19, 2012 by jesustrek

One army base had just cancelled a practice session at the rifle range, but the training run to test the soldiers’ physical fitness would proceed as scheduled.

Pondering this, one soldier said, “Does it bother anyone else that the Army doesn’t seem to care how well we can shoot, but is extremely interested in how fast we can run?”

When Jesus said that the gates of hell would not overcome his church (Matthew 16:18), he did not mean to portray the church as being on the defensive. The picture is not of the church hiding in its foxhole, frightened as it helplessly endures Satan’s attacks. To the contrary, Jesus depicts the church as being on the offensive, breaking down the enemy’s strongholds.

Therefore, let us not be afraid to play offense. The church has played defense for too long now. Let us boldly take the initiative. The church should take its marching orders from the Lord rather than let the world set the agenda. Let us stand up for the truth, even when it upsets some people.

This doesn’t mean that we set out to offend people. We must, like Jesus, speak the truth with grace (John 1:14). But those who oppose us will naturally react negatively to the truth. That mustn’t stop us from taking the offensive. We cannot shirk our responsibility; the stakes are much too high!

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Keep the Unity

Posted on September 18, 2012 by jesustrek

 

Last Sunday I had the privilege of preaching at an outdoor community worship service. The sermon was about the model prayer that Jesus gave his followers; the text was Matthew 6:9-13.

 

After the service, a lady—let’s call her “Sue”—came up to me and introduced herself. She was obviously upset, and she asked if she might have a word with me. Then she poured out her heart about her concern for her church. There was turmoil there, and the church seemed on the verge of a split. That very weekend she had learned that two of her dearest friends were leaving the church. The message I had preached had touched her heart. She was experiencing the devastating effects of what happens when people are more concerned about the growth of their own little kingdoms than they are about God’s. She was witnessing the consequences that occur in so many churches where people would rather have their own will done than God’s.

 

I prayed with Sue, asking God’s blessing on her and her congregation. She thanked me, and we went our separate ways.

 

Unity is difficult to maintain. That’s why the Bible often urges us to work for it. Ephesians 4:3 says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

 

This teaching is needed in every church. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.

 

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Comments from the Cage

Posted on September 17, 2012 by jesustrek

A lady walked into a pet store, just to look around. A parrot called out to her, “Hey, lady!”

“What?” she responded.

“You sure are ugly!”

The indignant lady told the store owner what had happened and threatened to file a complaint with the authorities if something was not done. He assured her that this would never happen again. He lectured the parrot about his behavior and promised serious consequences if he ever committed this particular offense again. The owner apologized profusely to the lady and asked for her forgiveness. By this time she had calmed down, and she accepted his apology.

About a week later, the same lady came into the store again. As she was looking at the pets, a familiar voice came from behind her. It was the parrot again.

“Hey, lady!”

Red-faced, she whirled around and snarled, “WHAT!?”

“You know what!”

“…Always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”—1 Thessalonians 5:15.

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You Should Have Told Me Sooner!

Posted on September 13, 2012 by jesustrek

A lady calmly strolled into the drug store in her small town and walked up to the counter. The pharmacist asked, “What can we do for you?”

“I would like some arsenic”, she replied.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you have that. May I ask what you intend to do with arsenic?”

“I need it to poison my husband.”

Alarmed, the pharmacist exclaimed, “You’re talking about murder! I can’t be a part of this! It’s completely unethical!”

Without a word, the lady reached into her purse, pulled out a photograph, and handed it to the man. It was a picture of her husband in bed with the pharmacist’s wife.

The pharmacist studied the photo for a few seconds, and then said, “This is different! Why didn’t you tell me you had a prescription?!”

“…Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”—Ephesians 5:33.

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Not Sunk Yet

Posted on September 11, 2012 by jesustrek

Everyone knows that a cork will float on top of the water. Even if it is pressed down beneath the surface—10, 50, or even 100 feet—it will pop back up to the surface again. However, I have read that once a cork descends to a depth of 200 feet, it cannot rise again because the pressure is too great.

The Bible says that it is possible to sink so deeply into sin that you cannot rise from its depths. The lower one descends into a life of disobedience to God, the more difficult it becomes to be saved. The longer a person lives in rebellion, the less chance there is for repentance to occur.

Hebrews 6:4-6 says, “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”

Let’s help lift someone up to Jesus, before it is too late!

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