Identified

Posted on December 11, 2010 by jesustrek

A heart-warming story comes out of Biloxi, Mississippi this week. Five years after disappearing in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a gray and white cat named Scrub was reunited with its owner, Jennifer Noble. The Humane Society of South Mississippi said that the identification of Scrub was made possible by an implanted microchip.

It’s nice to know that God doesn’t need computer technology to identify his people. The Bible speaks of God’s servants having a mark (Rev.7:3) that identifies them as his own.

There is no storm of life so powerful that it can ever separate you from God. If you belong to him, God always knows where you are and what you are going through.

Rom.8:35, 39 says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?…neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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Not a Handyman

Posted on December 10, 2010 by jesustrek

Several years ago, some ladies in the church I served decided that they needed an electric can opener in the kitchen. They wanted one that could be attached to the bottom of the cabinets. Once the can opener was purchased, one of the ladies asked me when I might be able to install it.

Little did she know that I was the last person in the church who should have been attempting such a task. Tools and I never have gotten along very well, and once I figured that out, it has allowed me to avoid many frustrating situations. I explained my lack of skill in this area, and someone else installed the can opener.

My lack of ability to work with tools became an inside joke between this lady and me. Every time a handyman job came up in the church, she would smile as she asked me when I might be able to get it done.

This little incident gave me the opportunity to apply the teaching of 1 Cor.12, which informs us that the church operates like a human body. We all have different talents and abilities. When we try to do something that God has not gifted us to do, we get frustrated, and so do the people around us. However, when we understand our place in the body of the church, and use our abilities the way God intended, the body works wonderfully well and many people are blessed.

Consider how God has gifted you to serve in a special way in your church.

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Staying Focused

Posted on December 9, 2010 by jesustrek

Satan’s great desire is to destroy you and everyone you love. The Bible says that he roams the earth like a lion, seeking out those whom he may devour (1 Pet.5:8).

If the devil sees that he can’t destroy you, he will settle for a smaller victory; he will attempt to get you to lose your focus. If he can’t make you bad, he will make you distracted.

Paul encouraged the Philippians to be single-minded in running their race for Jesus—“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil.3:13-14).

Sometimes staying focused consists not of choosing the good over the evil, but choosing the best over the good. It comes down to setting your priorities and learning to say “No” to being involved in good things that prevent you from pursuing the best things.

Don’t expect everyone to understand if you decide to adopt Paul’s philosophy. Even Christians will question your decisions. In any case, stay focused and press on!

What are some specific activities you want to focus on for God?

What might you have to give up in order to accomplish this?

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Causing Praise

Posted on December 7, 2010 by jesustrek

Galatians 1:24 is an interesting verse. It simply says, “And they praised God because of me.”

Paul had been giving his personal testimony in the beginning of this letter to the churches in Galatia. He told of how he once tried to destroy the church, but had a radical turnaround once God called him to follow Jesus. Paul’s life changed so dramatically that it caused people to praise God because of him.

We were created to praise God and to give him the glory that only he deserves. Once we come to understand that, it shows in our lives. Other people also praise God because our lives point them to him.

Jesus said, “…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matt.5:16).

Let’s remember to try to bring attention to God and not to ourselves. Let’s try to live in such a way that we are able to say along with Paul—“And they praised God because of me.”

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Life is a Musical

Posted on December 6, 2010 by jesustrek

My wife and I don’t always agree on what makes a great movie. She likes movies where people, for no apparent reason, suddenly burst into song. I keep telling her that these movies don’t portray real life. I’ve never been walking down the street and seen anyone spontaneously start to sing a show tune.

Recent study of the Bible has caused me to re-think my view on this subject. Moses and Miriam burst into song after God miraculously allowed the Israelites to escape from their Egyptian captors (Ex.15). Mary and Zechariah both have songs recorded in Luke 1. King David was known for his prolific song writing and his musical abilities. Even the apostle Paul gets into the act (1 Tim.3:16), although it seems he prefers choruses over hymns.

Realizing all of this, I had to swallow my pride and apologize to my wife. I must admit, life really is like a musical!

So if I see you on the street and you start singing, don’t worry, I won’t make fun of you. I might even start singing along with you!

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Payment Due

Posted on December 4, 2010 by jesustrek

Yesterday I drove past a mailbox that was designated for receiving bills. The resident had cleverly put the mailbox on a pole that was about 20 feet tall. The prankster is trying to convey the idea that if the mail carrier can’t deliver a bill, then he is not responsible for paying it.

Many people try to deny any responsibility for the debt of sin that they owe. But the Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom.3:23) and “…the wages of sin is death…” (Rom.6:23).

No one can make it right with God for the sins they have committed. No one, of course, except for Jesus. Rom.5:8-9 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”

Have your bills been paid?

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Different Views of God

Posted on December 2, 2010 by jesustrek

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson dropped a game-winning touchdown pass in the end zone in overtime last Sunday. The wide open Johnson could have sealed a victory for his team by simply holding on to the perfectly delivered pass. Instead, the ball slipped through his fingers and the Pittsburgh Steelers went on to win the game.

After the game, instead of taking responsibility for his mistake, Johnson blamed God for putting him through the ordeal of losing the game for his team.

Later that night, my telephone rang and I received the terrible news that the son of one of my friends had been in a horrible automobile accident. The young man is still in ICU as of today, trying to recover from serious injuries.

The father of this young man could have blamed God for the accident. But he chose to praise God and thank him for comforting him during this awful ordeal. He said that he had never felt a deeper sense of being held in the hands of his heavenly Father.

How could two men have come to such completely different views of God? I don’t suppose we have enough time to cover that topic today, but it’s one we should think about. When something bad happens in your life, what will you do—blame God, or trust him?

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Music and Praise

Posted on December 1, 2010 by jesustrek

Last night I attended a basketball game at the local high school. Having just moved back to my hometown after being away for 27 years, I shouldn’t have been so surprised at how moved I was when the band played the school fight song. I should have expected to have a lump in my throat when they played “My Old Kentucky Home”. At least I was prepared for the pride that swelled up in my heart when they played the National Anthem. These songs stirred something deep within me. This was my hometown, my state and my country!

 Since music has the ability to move us in a very profound way, it is no wonder that God has given us this gift and that he has incorporated music as part of our praise and worship that we offer to him. When we sing, we are deeply aware that he is our God! In our songs we praise him for who he is and what he does. We tell of his greatness, his love and his mercy. We proclaim him to the world through music, and we will forever praise him in song when we reach heaven.

“Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”—Psalm 150.

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Livin’ La Vida Local

Posted on November 30, 2010 by jesustrek

 

At the beginning of Mark 5, we read that Jesus healed a man who was demon-possessed. Then in verses 18-20, it says—“As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.”

If you want to do some amazing things for the Lord, you don’t have to go to a mission field on the other side of the world. God doesn’t call everyone into foreign missions. The majority of people who follow Jesus seem to be called to witness to people locally.

Jesus knew that the man who wanted to travel with him could have a greater influence on people if he witnessed to people in his home town. So the man simply told the local people how much the Lord had done for him and about the mercy that he had received. Isn’t that something that we all could do?

We all should be very supportive of foreign missions. However, let’s not underestimate the impact we can have for God’s kingdom by witnessing for Jesus locally. 

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This Little Light of Mine

Posted on November 27, 2010 by jesustrek

A small light bulb in the dashboard of our car apparently burned out a few years ago. I never bothered to get it replaced because its only function was to light up the digital clock so you could see what time it was while you were driving after dark.

Then a few months ago I noticed that the bulb was shining again. No one had even looked at the problem, let alone tried to fix anything. It was a mystery why the bulb had stopped burning, and why it suddenly began to shine again.

A few days after that, the bulb went dark once more. Then a couple of nights ago, it was shining again. Last night, the clock was dark. You just never know if that little light is going to shine or not.

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”—Matt.5:14-16.

You are far more important than any light bulb in the world. Don’t be inconsistent. Let your light shine for God all the time.

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