Pulling Up Stakes

Posted on February 9, 2012 by jesustrek

Some soldiers on maneuvers were setting up their tents after a long day of hiking. As they were hammering in the stakes, the voice of their commander rang out, “Don’t drive your stakes too deep; we’re moving on in the morning!”

Too many Christians are driving their stakes too deep. That is to say, there is a danger of becoming too enthralled with this world and its pleasures and distractions. Let us never forget that we will soon be moving on!

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”—Philippians 3:20.

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Heavenly Treasures

Posted on February 8, 2012 by jesustrek

A story is told about a man who died and went to heaven. As an angel showed him around, he marveled at the beauty of the huge mansions on either side of the streets of gold. The man eagerly anticipated seeing the heavenly home where he would spend all of eternity.

He was crestfallen when the angel stopped at a small, dilapidated log cabin and said, “This one is yours.” He couldn’t hide his disappointment as he asked the angel, “Why is my home so tiny and in such a state of disrepair, when the other houses are so spacious and beautiful?”

The angel replied, “We did the best we could with the money you sent ahead!”

Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 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 6:19-21.

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Money Talks

Posted on February 7, 2012 by jesustrek

A one hundred dollar bill and a one dollar bill had outlived their usefulness. Torn, tattered and frayed, they were sent to a government facility to be taken out of circulation. As they rode side-by-side along a conveyor belt to be incinerated, they knew that their time had come to an end, so they reminisced about their lives.

The one hundred dollar bill said, “I’ve had some wonderful times. I’ve been to Las Vegas and Atlantic City. I’ve been on cruises and beach vacations. I’ve been in expensive restaurants in New York City and Los Angeles. You must have been to a lot of different places too.”

“Yes”, the one dollar bill responded. “I’ve been to the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, the Christian Church…”

The one hundred dollar bill interrupted, “What’s a church?”

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”—2 Corinthians 9:7.

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Questionable Advice

Posted on February 6, 2012 by jesustrek

A man having car trouble pulled his vehicle to the side of an isolated country road. After several minutes of trying in vain to figure out the problem, he heard a voice behind him. “I think your fuel filter is clogged.”

He was startled, because he had thought he was all alone. He quickly turned to see who had spoken, but he saw no one, only an old cow chewing her cud. Sure that the voice had been his imagination, he turned his attention back to the stalled vehicle.

A few minutes later, he heard the same voice say, “I think your fuel filter is clogged.”

He did an abrupt about-face and demanded of the cow, “Did you just say something?!”

“Yes”, she replied. “I said that I think your fuel filter is clogged.”

Terrified, the man ran toward the farm house in the distance. Finding an old man out in the barnyard, he frantically told him what had just happened.

The old man just smiled, shook his head and stated, “I wouldn’t put too much stock in what you heard. Why, Ole Bessie don’t know a thing about cars!”

Be careful where you get your advice!

“The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.”—Proverbs 15:7.

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Symbol of Fellowship

Posted on February 3, 2012 by jesustrek

It has been said that the shape of the cross is a good reminder of the fellowship that we have in Christ.

The vertical post can symbolize the fellowship we have with God. Since the blood of Jesus has taken away our sins, there is no longer anything to separate us from God. We are now able to enter into his glorious presence.

The horizontal beam can remind us of the fellowship that we have with one another. We are not in this journey alone. We have fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and we can enjoy close relationships with one another in a way that people outside the family of God can never experience.

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.”—1 John 1:3-4.

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Still Chasing

Posted on February 2, 2012 by jesustrek

A young man who had recently become a Christian was concerned because he knew of many people who had fallen away from the faith. He didn’t want to be like them, so he paid a visit to a man who was still passionate about his faith in Jesus decades after he first accepted Christ. The young man asked the older one why he was able to remain so devoted to Christ while others had grown cold in their faith.

The mature Christian told this story. “One day my dog started chasing after a rabbit. Some other dogs saw my dog running, so they started running with him. After a while however, the other dogs gave up the chase. Only my dog kept running after the rabbit.”

The young man answered, “I don’t understand how this story relates to living for Christ.”

The older man explained, “My dog was the only one who had actually seen the rabbit. The other dogs didn’t really know what they were chasing after.”

So it is with some people who think they are following Christ. They have never actually experienced him; they are simply following after other people, and they soon drop out of the race.

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”—1 John 1:3.

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The Truth About Harry

Posted on January 31, 2012 by jesustrek

The Bible describes Jesus as being “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). That’s a difficult balance to keep. Sometimes we tell the truth, but aren’t very graceful about it. At other times, we may shade the truth in our attempts to show grace.

I heard about one family that was having difficulty writing a proper obituary for their Uncle Harry, who had just been executed in prison for crimes he had committed. They didn’t want to lie, but they didn’t want to bring shame on the family name either. Here is what they came up with. “He held a position in the chair of applied electronics in a prominent government institution.”

Let us never give up trying to speak the truth in a loving way.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”—Ephesians 4:15.

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First Things First

Posted on January 30, 2012 by jesustrek

Former Florida State University head football coach Bobby Bowden used to play college baseball. He had never hit a home run, but one game he hit a ball down the right field line, into the corner. He rounded the bases and saw that the third base coach was waving him in. He crossed home plate and was very excited as he received the congratulations of his teammates. Then the pitcher tossed the ball to the first baseman, and the umpire called him out. Bowden had missed first base.

Bowden says, “If you don’t take care of first base, it doesn’t matter what you do. If you don’t honor the Lord first, it doesn’t matter what else you do.”

Jesus says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33).

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Choices, Good and Bad

Posted on January 28, 2012 by jesustrek
Cynthia Nixon

Actress Cynthia Nixon has caused quite a stir in the homosexual community by saying that she made a conscious choice to be a homosexual. Nixon has been in a relationship with a woman for eight years. Before that, she spent 15 years with a man with whom she had two children.

Nixon says, “A certain section of our community is very concerned that it not be seen as a choice, because if it’s a choice, then we could opt out.”

She has pinned down the truth here. It is important to many people who practice this type of immoral behavior to believe that they had no choice in the matter—that they were born that way. Then they take no responsibility for their actions, and—at least in their own minds—they will face no consequences from the God who supposedly “made them that way”.

It is interesting to note that the word “choice” takes on such a negative connation regarding this particular moral issue, while that same word is a rallying cry for those on the wrong side of another great moral issue of our times.

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”—Joshua 24:15.   

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Longing for You

Posted on January 27, 2012 by jesustrek

Someone once asked a fellow what the secret was for his apparently happy marriage. He responded, “We take time to go to restaurants twice a week. We enjoy dinner by candlelight, soft music and then a slow walk home. She goes on Tuesdays, and I go on Fridays.”

Obviously, that is not the formula for an ideal marriage. The key to any successful relationship is the desire to spend quality time together.

So it is with our relationship with God. Our attitude should be the same as David when he says, “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1).

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