Taste and See

Posted on June 23, 2011 by jesustrek

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”—Psalm 34:8.

Was there a food that you were afraid to try when you were younger? Or have you had trouble getting your children or grandchildren to even have a little taste of certain foods?

Usually, the foods that kids won’t try are the ones that are good for them, like broccoli, peas, or some other green vegetable. We don’t have any trouble getting them to like ice cream or hot dogs, do we?

In the same way, many people don’t want to give God a try. They think that Christian living will somehow leave a bad taste in their mouth. While they may understand that living for the Lord would be good for them, they don’t realize how pleasing that lifestyle would be, if they would only give it a try.

Sometimes children will finally try a food that they don’t think they will like, and will actually ask for more of it. So it is with people who give God a try.

We should be very diligent and very intentional in our efforts to get people to “taste and see that the Lord is good”. Have you planned out your strategy for today?

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Not Overtly Religious

Posted on June 22, 2011 by jesustrek

A recent news article talked about President Obama’s love for golf. It said, “To be sure, Obama prefers playing golf as a way to release political pressure. He almost always heads out on Sunday mornings, rarely trading his nine or 18 holes of golf for a more overtly religious endeavor.

Those of us who follow Jesus would love to have men and women who are more “overtly religious” in positions of leadership in government. We often cringe at the debate and the decisions made concerning such moral issues as: the right to life, homosexual behavior and rewarding the greedy and the lazy at the taxpayers’ expense.

Nevertheless, we are called upon to pray for the leaders that we have. Paul wrote to Timothy, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Maybe our prayers for those in leadership will cause them to become more overtly religious. It’s worth a try.

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How Is Your Vision?

Posted on June 21, 2011 by jesustrek

An old Chinese proverb says: “If your vision is for a year, plant wheat. If your vision is for 10 years, plant trees. If your vision is for a lifetime, plant people.”

It is good to learn from the past. And there is nothing wrong with reminiscing about the “good old days”. But the past is not an option if we look to it for a destination. We must have a vision for the future.

Jesus wanted his disciples to look to what was ahead. He says, “…I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for the harvest.” (John 4:35).

Many churches want to go back to a “Golden Age” that may have only existed in their imagination. Someone said that a lot of churches are perfectly positioned if the 1950s ever come around again!

We must look to the future. We need to improve our vision. We ought to be putting our time, energy and resources into something that will bring a great return for our investment for all of eternity. We need to invest in people.

What will you do today that will have an impact on people, possibly for all of eternity? In other words, how is your vision?

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Promise Not to Look

Posted on June 20, 2011 by jesustrek

Job said, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.” (Job 31:1). This is a worthy promise for a man to make to his eyes, but for most it is a difficult promise to keep.

A few years ago, my wife and I were vacationing at Myrtle Beach. As we were taking a walk along the beach one day, we noticed a young lady whose bathing suit was quite skimpy, even by beach standards. We weren’t the only ones who noticed. This girl was drawing quite a bit of attention to herself, with people craning their necks for a better look.

We continued our walk up the beach and then returned to the place where we had been relaxing. Karen said, “I didn’t notice that girl with the skimpy bikini on our way back. Did you see her?”

I hesitated before I replied, “Maybe I did catch a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye.”

Jesus says, “And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell.” (Mark 9:47).

Perhaps we all need to make some promises like the one Job made.

Author’s note: I usually try to find a picture to go along with the message of the blog. In this case, my wife would not allow it.

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Walk a Little Plainer, Daddy!

Posted on June 19, 2011 by jesustrek

I know that once you walked this way, many years ago,

And what you did along the way I’d really like to know;

For sometimes when I am tempted,

I don’t know what to do.

So walk a little plainer, Daddy,

For I must follow you.

            Author Unknown

Malachi 4:5-6 says, “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

If it seems as if there has been a curse on our nation in some ways over the past few decades, perhaps at least part of the blame can be placed on irresponsible fathers. Hopefully, more fathers realize that raising children is an awesome responsibility.

This Fathers’ Day, let’s pray that all fathers walk a little plainer. Their children could use the good example, and our nation would benefit greatly.

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Do Not Touch!

Posted on June 18, 2011 by jesustrek

A New Jersey man was bitten by a rattlesnake that he was trying to save. Around 6:30pm Thursday, a 24-year-old man was driving on Route 679 near West Stage Road in Tuckerton when he spotted a rattlesnake trying to cross the highway. Not wanting the snake to be hit by traffic, the man stopped to help it. As he tried to pin the snake down with a stick, it bit him. He was taken to a hospital where officials say his injuries are not life-threatening.

The man was probably surprised when the snake bit him, but it was just doing what snakes do. If you mess with a rattlesnake, it’s going to try to bite you.

A lot of people are surprised when sin jumps up and bites them. They shouldn’t be; that’s just what sin does.

Many people act surprised when they get drunk and something bad happens. It’s like they never heard of this ever occurring before, when it actually happens all the time. Others behave as though a sexually transmitted disease or unplanned pregnancy could never happen to them, and then can’t believe it when it does. Some people tell lies and then are shocked when they have to deal with unpleasant consequences. Others are caught off guard when they have to pay the price for greed, violence or some other sinful behavior.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”—Galatians 6:7-8.

Don’t be surprised if sin jumps up and bites you!

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Lowly in Spirit

Posted on June 17, 2011 by jesustrek
LeBron James

Millions of people were delighted to see the Miami Heat lose to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA finals. Even after their loss, Heat star LeBron James found it hard to be humble. He said that his critics would have to wake up the next day with their same lives and problems, but he would go on living just as he wanted. In response to James’ quote, Stephen Colbert said, “Like they say, it’s not whether you win or lose, but how you disparage the pathetic lives of the little people who make it possible for you to have a career bouncing an inflatable ball.”

The Bible has many warnings against pride and many exhortations to help the poor. Proverbs 16:18-19 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.”  Proverbs 17:5 says, “He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker…”

It would be easy to join in with the many people who are deriding LeBron James. The harder thing would be to find some way to help a poor person today.

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Leap of Faith

Posted on June 16, 2011 by jesustrek
African Impala

I read that an African Impala can jump 10 feet high and cover as much as 30 feet in a single bound. That’s some impressive leaping ability! Yet a zoo can keep an Impala enclosed with just a 3 foot high wall because they won’t jump if they can’t see where they’re going to land.

Part of the definition of faith is trusting in what we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

When is the last time you or your church took a leap of faith? We like to quote 2 Corinthians 5:7—“We live by faith, not by sight.” However, we often practice the opposite and live by sight, not by faith.

Don’t live your life inside a self-made enclosure that limits your ability to influence people for the Lord. Take a leap of faith!

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Remember Who You Are

Posted on June 15, 2011 by jesustrek

A minister once went to visit an elderly lady who was living in an assisted living facility. He was meeting this lady for the first time, and he began the conversation rather awkwardly by asking, “I’ll bet you don’t know who I am, do you?”

The lady replied, “No, I don’t. But you can go to the front desk and they can tell you who you are.”

It’s important that we never forget who we are in Christ. There will be times when we feel lonely, helpless, insignificant or forgotten. It is in these times that we need to remember the promises in God’s Word for those who follow Jesus.

John 1:12 says, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

No matter what happens in life, remember who you are!

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Passport to Heaven

Posted on June 14, 2011 by jesustrek

Several years ago I went on a short-term mission trip to Thailand. There were several teenagers in our group, and we constantly reminded them of the importance of keeping their passports in their possession at all times. We would all need this proof of our identity in order to gain entry into Thailand.

In spite of our reminders, one young man left his passport on the plane as we made a connection in Asia. Fortunately, he noticed before we got too far away from the plane that he had misplaced this important document. We explained our dilemma to some airline workers, and were relieved when they found his passport while cleaning the plane. Our group could continue on to our destination.

God will not deny us access into heaven because of a misplaced document. However, we should never take lightly the faith which saves us. Many Christians are quite casual about their faith when they should be holding onto it for dear life! Always remember that our destination is heaven. Never forget the price that was paid for your passport—the precious blood of Jesus. Hold on to your faith! Live for Jesus daily!

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”—Philippians 3:20-21.

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