It’s Possible to Change

Posted on April 30, 2011 by jesustrek
Ron Artest

Last Tuesday, Ron Artest was named the best citizen in the NBA. Artest, who just a few years ago was one of the main participants in the most notorious brawl in NBA history, was awarded the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for outstanding service and dedication to the community. He was given the award because of his work promoting mental health awareness.

Even Artest seemed surprised to be given the honor. He said, “There’s been ups and downs, a real roller coaster ride, but this is one of the times you look back and say it was all worth it.”

The kingdom of God is filled with people who have changed. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”—1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

We should thank God that, through Jesus, it’s possible to change. Every time we look in the mirror.

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You Can’t Get Away with It

Posted on April 29, 2011 by jesustrek

I saw a cartoon that pictured two men in a jail cell together. One man said to the other, “In my case, what happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas!”

Your sins will eventually catch up with you. That’s what a burglar in Hickory, North Carolina found out. He thought he had successfully robbed a seafood restaurant. However, the criminal didn’t realize that the two cash registers he stole had spools of paper that had snagged on something in the restaurant. He left a perfect trail for the police to follow to his apartment just down the street.

David realized that you can’t get away with your sin. He wrote, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”—and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” (Psalm 32:3-5).

If we want forgiveness from God, we had better be willing to confess our sins.

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Nothing to Worry About

Posted on April 28, 2011 by jesustrek

While watching a cowboy movie on television with his young son, a father became concerned about the amount of drinking in the show. He felt compelled to talk with his son about the dangers of drinking alcohol.

Later that week, the six-year-old boy drew a picture of a cowboy entering a saloon. As the father examined the drawing, the son was quick to explain: “Dad, don’t worry. He’s not going in the saloon to get drunk. He’s just going in to shoot somebody.”

We have to be diligent in teaching our children about sin. As soon as we think we have a certain subject covered, another area of concern comes into play. It takes a constant effort to instill God’s Word and his values into the hearts and minds of our young people.

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds…teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”—Deuteronomy 11:18-19.

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Wounds that Heal

Posted on April 27, 2011 by jesustrek

I have had corrective surgery done on both of my hands. I now have full use of my hands, but they have some significant scars. Sometimes I think that I am a walking communion meditation; my scars remind me of the scars on Jesus’ hands.

However, there are some major differences between my wounds and Jesus’. My wounds were made by a compassionate surgeon who used precise surgical instruments. Jesus’ wounds were inflicted by cruel Roman soldiers who used a hammer and rough nails. I enjoyed the best anesthesia available to mankind as my wounds were made. Jesus refused the crude painkiller that was offered to him. My wounds were only for my own benefit. The wounds of Jesus were inflicted upon him in order to save the human race.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5).

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True Worship

Posted on April 26, 2011 by jesustrek

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”—John 4:23.

You would think that it would be an easy thing to do for people who believe that Jesus died for them–to focus on him when they come together to worship. That’s not always the case.

A few years ago I attended a worship service where I was reminded how difficult it is to keep the attention off of ourselves and on Jesus. Someone sang a solo, “The Heart of Worship”, written by Matt Redman. Part of the song says: “I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about You; all about You, Jesus. I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it, when it’s all about You; all about You, Jesus.”

Right after the solo, someone else came on stage and asked if anyone had had a birthday the past week. Soon we were singing a different song. It wasn’t about Him anymore. But it had been. For a little while.

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Not Forgotten

Posted on April 25, 2011 by jesustrek

Someone wrote a drama about what might have happened to the family of Jesus after he died, was resurrected and ascended back into heaven. In this story, one of Jesus’ brothers got married, and he and his wife had a baby boy. They brought the infant to Mary and asked her what they should name him. She gazed out the window for some time. Then Mary turned to them with tears in her eyes and said, “I would have you name the child Jesus…I would not have him forgotten.”

He is despised by some and rejected by many, but Jesus will never be forgotten! As long as we have breath to praise him and tongues to tell of his greatness, Jesus will always be remembered!

Perhaps he is best remembered when we take communion.

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

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Confession is Good

Posted on April 23, 2011 by jesustrek

After winning his case in court, a lawyer asked his client, “Now that you have been acquitted, tell me the truth—Did you really steal that car?”

The client replied, “After hearing your amazing argument this morning, I’m beginning to think I didn’t!”

We can be pretty good at convincing ourselves that we are better than we really are; that we don’t do anything that’s really all that bad. The Bible, however, consistently points out the sinful nature of all mankind. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Thankfully, God has made it possible for us to be saved from our sins. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God doesn’t want us to deceive ourselves into thinking that we don’t sin. 1 John 1:9-10 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”

I guess that old saying is true—confession is good for the soul.

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It Was a Good Day

Posted on April 22, 2011 by jesustrek

Some might ask why it is called “Good Friday”. There were a lot of things that happened that day that were not so good. An innocent man was tortured and put to death on a cross. While he was dying, his detractors publicly mocked and scorned him. Darkness came over the land at mid-day, frightening many people. An earthquake occurred, and it was reported that there was some damage done at the temple.

How could anyone look at the newspaper report of that day and decide to call it “Good Friday”?

It was Good Friday because a Good Savior obeyed a Good God by fulfilling a Good Plan to save mankind. Yes, it was a good day.

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Moving a 747

Posted on April 21, 2011 by jesustrek
David Huxley

David Huxley once set a world record for pulling a jet airliner. On October 15, 1997, at Mascot Airport in Sydney, Australia, Huxley harnessed himself to a 747 jet airliner that weighed 187 tons. Leaning forward and straining at the harness, he was able to get the huge plane moving. In fact, he pulled the 747 one hundred yards in one minute and twenty-one seconds.

That’s one way to move a 747. Another way would be to fire up its engines and soar to the other side of the world.

Picture the church as a 747 jet. We could strain with all of our human might to move the church a short distance. Or we could pray.

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Who Built It?

Posted on April 20, 2011 by jesustrek

The Serpent Mound State Memorial in Adams County, Ohio is an earthwork likeness of a serpent. It measures 1,348 feet in length and is 30 feet wide. The attraction draws more than 23,000 visitors a year.

The origins of the Serpent Mound are a mystery. There are some theories about which ancient culture may have built the configuration. An archaeological investigation being conducted this spring hopes to shed some light on the subject.

In the article that I read on the Serpent Mound, no one even suggested that it could have occurred naturally. Everyone seems to assume that it had to have had a creator.

Now isn’t that interesting?  A simple earthen mound is bound to have had a creator, but a universe much more complex must have just happened on its own. Imagine that!

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”—Genesis 1:1.

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