Finishing Strong

Posted on February 14, 2012 by jesustrek

Whitney Houston

The tragic news of Whitney Houston’s death has saddened us all. The timing of her passing–the day before the Grammy Awards–intensified the pain for many.

My first thought was, “What a waste!” For someone with her beauty, talent and personality to live such a short and troubled life is sad indeed.

We do not yet know the cause of her death, but many suspect that the choices she made served to shorten her life. Whitney admitted that she could sometimes be her own worst enemy. How different her life might have been if she had been able to avoid the sin and temptations that came her way!

The day after Houston died I attended an open house at New Beginnings, a recovery center in Vanceburg, Kentucky for people dealing with drug addictions. Ironically, the news of Whitney’s death played constantly on the television at the center. This highlighted the importance of battling resolutely against any sin that threatens to trip us up.

The Bible encourages us to finish strong. In order to do that, we have to avoid sin at all cost. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

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Valuable Part

Posted on February 13, 2012 by jesustrek

Two men once set out to become the first to circle the earth in a hot-air balloon. They took off in their high tech aircraft, but it wasn’t long until they were forced to land in the Mediterranean Sea. Their $1.5 million aircraft was brought down by a failed fuel clamp that cost $1.16!

No matter how small the role that you play at your church might seem, don’t ever think that you are not important!

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”—1 Corinthians 9:27.

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Instead of Worrying

Posted on February 10, 2012 by jesustrek

“If a care is too small to be turned into a prayer, it is too small to be made into a burden.”—Anonymous

Some people are quite good at worrying. They should be, since they have had so much practice! Many Christians spend a lot of time worrying, even though Jesus tells us not to do that (Matthew 6:25-34). Some of us seem to be as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs!

Prayer is the antidote for worry. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Do you desire more of the peace of God in your life? Then spend less time worrying, and more time praying.

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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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