That Pesky 20%

Posted on December 18, 2010 by jesustrek

Los Angeles Laker forward Ron Artest, when recently asked about his commitment to a vegan lifestyle, answered: “About 80 percent. I like pork chops.”

Sadly, this is too much like a lot of people’s commitment to Jesus Christ. They are with him about 80 percent, which might sound pretty good until you think about what the 20 percent consists of. Some might say, “I follow Jesus about 80 percent of the time, but I like ____________.” They fill in the blank with activities that are very un-Christlike, such as: “to stay home from church on Sunday”, “to gossip”, “to have sex with someone to whom I’m not married”, “to use vulgar language”, “to get drunk occasionally”, “to be greedy”.

The list could go on and on. What might become your “pork chop”?

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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Not Getting Signal?

Posted on December 17, 2010 by jesustrek

A few days ago, my wife wanted me to help her with a couple of jobs around the house. She tried calling me on my cell phone, but to no avail. I didn’t even have enough signal for my phone to ring.

Later, we determined that I was visiting a neighbor two doors down the street when she tried to call. Our cell phone coverage is so spotty where we live, that I can use my phone in our house, but not two doors away.

Sometimes we may feel like we are out of range for God to see us, hear us or talk to us. David must have struggled with these thoughts too. However, he comes to this conclusion—“O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.” (Psalm 139:1-2).

The psalm goes on to expound on the theme that we can never be out of range for communication with God. The privilege of prayer gives us constant signal to be in contact with our heavenly Father.

He doesn’t even need voice mail or call waiting! How about that!

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Communication Problems

Posted on December 16, 2010 by jesustrek

Yesterday morning I had to scrape ice off of my car before running some errands. While I was out, I decided to drive through a local fast food restaurant for a cup of coffee. My plan went well until I realized that my window was frozen. I felt a little foolish, having to open the car door in order to be able to talk to the person who took my order.

Isn’t it nice to know that we don’t have any communication problems when we want to talk to our heavenly Father?

1 John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

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Warning Against Complacency

Posted on December 15, 2010 by jesustrek

Amos 6:1 says, “Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!”

This is a warning to the leaders of God’s people, telling them that they have become too complacent. They are satisfied with the status quo, even when they have no reason to think that everything is fine.

The text goes on to exhort the leaders to take an honest look at the situation of their people, use some discernment and take action. It points out that they have instead been relaxing too much, and have been enjoying the luxuries of life in excess while their people have been suffering.

As a leader in a local church, I must admit that this Scripture hit me hard. There have been times when I took the easy way out and ignored situations that called for tough leadership. There have been occasions when I stayed in my easy chair instead of doing spiritual battle.

No more!

Who is with me?

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The 23rd Channel

Posted on December 14, 2010 by jesustrek

This has been in circulation for a few years. I don’t know who deserves the credit for it, but I think it is worthy of our consideration once again.

The TV is my shepherd, I shall not want.

It makes me lie down on the sofa.

It leads me away from the Scriptures.

It destroys my soul.

It leads me in the paths of sex and violence for the sponsor’s sake.

Yea, though I walk in the shadow of my Christian responsibilities, there will be no interruption, for the TV is with me.

Its cable and its remote control, they comfort me.

It prepares a commercial before me in the presence of my worldliness.

It anoints my head with humanism.

My coveting runneth over.

Surely laziness and ignorance shall follow me all the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house watching TV forever.

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God Only Knows

Posted on December 13, 2010 by jesustrek

In Ezekiel 37, God showed the prophet a valley full of bones, and asked him if those bones could live again. He answered, “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” (v.3). God proceeded to make those dry bones come alive again. It happened when God’s Word was proclaimed and they were filled with the Spirit of God.

We live in a nation where there are plenty of dry bones. Many people are alive physically, but spiritually they are just as dead as they can be.

 There is hope for them, however. As we continue to proclaim God’s Word, it will bring life-giving change to people’s lives. They too will be filled with the Holy Spirit and come to life for God. I have seen it happen, and you probably have too.

Perhaps the next “dead” person you bless with the Word of God will be the next one to come to life. God only knows.

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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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