To Be with God

Posted on November 15, 2010 by jesustrek

Pat Tillman

Pat Tillman is recognized as a true American hero. He walked away from a lucrative career playing professional football in order to join the U.S. military to fight in the war against terrorists. Tillman was killed by gunfire in Afghanistan. It was originally reported that he was killed by enemy forces. The truth later came out that he was in fact killed by “friendly fire”. Nonetheless, Pat Tillman is honored as a patriot who literally gave his all for his country.

At his funeral service, Pat’s brother, Richard stood up and made some very blunt remarks. He said, “He’d want me to say this. He’s not with God. He’s __________ dead. He’s not religious. So, thank you for your thoughts, but he’s ____________ dead.”

How tragically and eternally sad, to be dead and not with God! It’s possible to be a hero in the world’s eyes and completely miss the purpose of your existence—to be with God.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”—John 3:16

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Fresh Air

Posted on November 14, 2010 by jesustrek

In his book Rescuing Ambition, Dave Harvey writes about having a condition that kept him from sleeping well. His doctor told him that his apnea could be resolved with surgery. The procedure was effective, and now he can breathe more easily, which allows him to sleep well.

Harvey says that now that he is sleeping better, he can recall his dreams. Before, he never slept well enough to remember his dreams. He says that it is a boring way to spend a night.

I suppose that it is possible for Christians to lose their dreams. You can get to the point where you can’t remember the last time you had a big God-given idea for his kingdom. What a boring way to spend your life!

The remedy for a dreamless Christian might be to allow the Holy Spirit to blow through your life in a fresh, new way. We are commanded to “…be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph.5:18). Let us always seek God’s presence in our lives and allow his Holy Spirit to fill us with wisdom, power and dreams for the future.

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Walking in Their Sandals

Posted on November 13, 2010 by jesustrek

My wife and I recently moved and transferred our church membership. All new members at Vanceburg Christian Church are given a brief survey to fill out. The completed survey is printed in the church newsletter to help people get to know the new members better.

One particular question on the survey really makes you think. It asks, “Other than Jesus, what Bible character do you identify with most? Why?”

For several years now, I have considered myself to be a lot like Timothy. He was sent to a local church to help the elders set things in order. He was told to preach the Word, evangelize the lost and train others to spread the faith.

Timothy and I not only share the same job description, we also seem to have the same personality. Since Paul encouraged Timothy to be bold and assertive, scholars believe that he was naturally a timid person. I see that in myself also. I have to remind myself from time to time to be more aggressive in addressing issues and solving problems.

I think it helps us in our journey of faith to be reminded that we are not alone. Others who are much like us have gone before us, giving us examples that we can follow.

What about you? Other than Jesus, which Bible character do you identify with most, and why?

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No Condemnation

Posted on November 12, 2010 by jesustrek

When a basketball player on the opposing team misses the entire goal with a shot, the hometown fans often yell, “Air ball! Air ball!” over and over again. They want to remind him of his mistake and perhaps rattle him to the point where he won’t perform very well.

I was in attendance at a high school girls’ basketball game a few years ago where I witnessed something similar. A player for one team tried in vain to save the ball from going out of bounds. As a result of her attempt, she landed in the stands, in the student section of the opposing team. The young lady must have said something unladylike as she picked herself up to return to the court. Perhaps she was frustrated with her failure to save the ball. Maybe she was angry at the referee’s call. Or maybe she was hurt. In any case, she said something she shouldn’t have said. I didn’t hear the offensive statement, but the fans from the opposing team did, and they wouldn’t let the girl forget about it. They chanted over and over, “She’s a cusser! She’s a cusser!” Every time she touched the ball, the cry filled the gymnasium again, “She’s a cusser!”

Isn’t that the way Satan does? He tries to remind us of our mistakes. He loves to point out our sins. Sometimes he seems to shout it out. At other times he merely whispers in our ear. You know the words he uses–“Liar! Cheater! Greedy! Cusser! Sexually immoral!” Fill in the blank. What does he say to you?

This is all an attempt to “get us off our game” and perform poorly as Christians. However, God doesn’t want us to pay attention to the devil’s efforts to distract us. He wants us to know that we Christians have had our sins washed away by the blood of Jesus, and we are no longer viewed as guilty of those past mistakes. We are forgiven; not condemned.

Rom.8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. Let’s stop living like we’re condemned and start living free and powerful lives for Christ!

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A Good Soldier

Posted on November 11, 2010 by jesustrek

Today is Veteran’s Day, a day when we honor those who have served, and are currently serving, in the armed forces of the United States of America. We truly owe a debt of gratitude to those who have risked and sacrificed so much in order to gain and preserve the freedom that we enjoy in this great nation.

It is a good time to be reminded that the Bible likens the Christian life to being a good soldier for Jesus. 2 Tim.2:1-4 teaches us that a good soldier will:

  1. Be strong in the grace of Jesus—Always remember that your salvation was a free gift from God, and live your life in appreciation of his mercy.
  2. Recruit others to join in the work—Pass the faith along to people who in turn will be able to pass it along to others.
  3. Endure hardships—God’s army is no place for wimps! Jesus never promised it would be easy to follow him, but he did promise to always be with us.
  4. Don’t get too involved in the ways of the world—This world is not our home. We must think and act in light of eternity and give kingdom matters our top priority.
  5. Please our commanding officer—Never forget that Jesus is our Lord and Master. We must constantly try to please him with our thoughts, our words and our deeds.

This Veteran’s Day, thank a veteran for serving our country, pray for our troops and be the best soldier for Jesus that you can possibly be!

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Simplify

Posted on November 10, 2010 by jesustrek

Did you hear that the government is going to streamline the way they operate? They have decided to combine the health care system with the educational system. The slogan for these combined programs is going to be—“We will inoculate no child’s left behind!”

Seriously, I suppose a lot of us should make an effort to simplify our lives. Some of the things we do are not very productive, and we can find countless ways to waste our precious time.

Many churches could also find ways to streamline their efforts to impact God’s kingdom. Many congregations have overcome lengthy periods of stagnation or decline because they took a serious look at their programs and traditions and decided to make some changes. Rather than continue to “ride a dead horse”, turnaround churches have “killed the sacred cow” and stopped doing some of the things that at best were non-productive and at worst were having a negative effect on the congregation.

Paul seemed to emphasize focusing on the basics. He writes in Phil.3:13-14, “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.”

Many of us would benefit greatly if we too would focus on the “one thing I do.” In order to do that, we may have to re-examine our priorities.

What are some specific things you can do to simplify your life?

What programs or traditions at your church should the leaders discuss as possible targets for elimination or streamlining?

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Rebel with an Evil Cause

Posted on November 9, 2010 by jesustrek

Numbers 16 tells one of the most fantastic stories in human history. There we read about how a man named Korah, along with a few others, led a rebellion against Moses. As punishment for rising up against God’s chosen leader, the Lord caused the earth to open up and swallow Korah, his followers and their families. They met a gruesome death because they disobeyed God’s plan of leadership.

God’s plan is still to guide his people with the leadership of a chosen few. In the church, the elders are God’s chosen leaders. Modern-day Korahs who rebel against this timeless truth still pay the price for their insolence.

I once served a church where one of the elders tried to cause division between me (the preacher) and the other elders. The earth didn’t swallow up this man and his family, but his daughter, who had appeared to be happily married, went through a terribly painful divorce shortly after her father’s rebellion.

In another case, a deacon stood up in a board meeting and publicly opposed the teaching of the ministers and elders. He vehemently voiced his disapproval of the direction that the church leaders had chosen for the congregation. He insisted that he had Scripture on his side, but he failed to read or even refer to a single verse. Not long after this man’s outburst, he too saw a daughter’s marriage surprisingly—and painfully–break up.

When will people learn that God hates division in the church, and that those who are divisive will be punished severely? 1 Cor.3:17 says, “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”

You and your family will be much better off if you submit to God’s plan for leadership in the church. Heb.13:17 says, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

No advantage at all!

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Chubs, the Two-Faced Dog

Posted on November 8, 2010 by jesustrek

A friend of mine has a dog named Chubs. Chubs and his owner live right across the road from their country church. On Sunday morning, Chubs has a friendly greeting for anyone who comes to worship. He’s the nicest dog you could ever imagine. That’s how he is on Sunday.

Any other day of the week, however, Chubs shows a different side to anyone who might come around. He snarls and growls and threatens anyone who comes near. The Chubs you see on Sunday is completely different from the one you see during the week. Chubs is a two-face.

Some people are a lot like Chubs. They seem different on Sunday. They change their vocabulary. They don’t snap at their family members. They have a pleasant disposition when talking to other people. They appear to be focused on God for a change. They, like Chubs, are two-faced.

Jesus doesn’t like two-faces. Some of his harshest words were to religious people that he called hypocrites. They were like actors in a play, wearing a false face to disguise the person who was really behind the mask.

It’s funny to talk about a dog who behaves one way on Sunday, but differently every other day of the week. When it comes to people, however, there’s nothing funny about hypocrisy. Therefore, we must strive to be genuine. Don’t wear a mask. Don’t be a two-face.

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Sounding Good!?

Posted on November 7, 2010 by jesustrek

I attended a traditional music show last night at the local high school auditorium. Several groups played, mostly bluegrass, but there was quite a bit of gospel music mixed in as well. I was reminded of something that has perplexed me for years. Why do so many people who have not accepted the gospel message love to hear gospel music!?

It seems to me that if you have rejected Jesus Christ and his offer of salvation, the last thing on earth you would want to hear is a song about how wonderful Jesus is. But that’s not the case! Non-believers smile as they hear the words of life sung on stage. They sometimes even sing along. They clap and cheer when the song is over. How can this be!?

They surely don’t understand the fullness of the message. The fact that some people are saved means that they are saved from something. They are rescued from an eternity in hell. Those who are not saved do not have that hope. As a matter of fact, the Bible assures us that those who reject Jesus cannot be with God…ever.

I suppose that Satan has something to do with lost people’s inability to grasp the full implications of the gospel message. He has deceived them into thinking that somehow they will benefit from the good news whether they have accepted it or not. What a tragic mistake!

I think that when that final trumpet sounds for Jesus to return and gather up his people, it will sound like beautiful music to those who have trusted Jesus for their salvation. But to those who have rejected him, the trumpet will make the most terrible sound they have ever heard.

That’s my opinion. What do you think?

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The Winner’s Circle

Posted on November 6, 2010 by jesustrek
Zenyatta

Today Zenyatta will try to earn recognition as one of the greatest racehorses of all time. The big mare is going for her second straight win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. If she wins, she will most certainly be named Horse of the Year. In addition to that, a victory will give her a perfect 20-0 record as she retires undefeated.

We Christians strive for perfection even though we know that we can’t achieve it. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God.

Thankfully, there is One who achieved perfection on our behalf. Jesus never sinned, and through his perfect sacrifice we can have access to God. Jesus makes it possible for us to enter the winner’s circle and experience the joy and rewards that go to those who are victorious.

“…We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”—Rom.8:37.

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