Get Excited!

Posted on November 22, 2010 by jesustrek

Some friends of ours have a granddaughter who is excited that she is learning to read. She loves to show off her newly acquired skill by reading for the adults in her family. This little girl has learned that when you see an exclamation point, you are supposed to read that line with special enthusiasm. If she doesn’t say it just right, she will go back and read it again with more zeal and excitement.

Sometimes we forget to notice the exclamation points in Scripture. There are many episodes that we read without the enthusiasm they deserve. Perhaps we have heard the stories so many times that it takes a bit of the edge and excitement off of our reading.

It shouldn’t be that way. It doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s start looking at the Scriptures through the eyes of a child and get excited about the amazing things that our God has done. After all, he still is all-powerful, and he promises to continue to do mighty wonders as he interacts with mankind. Isn’t that something to get excited about!?

Let’s make a mental list today of some of the events in the Bible that deserve an exclamation point.

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Hallowed Ground

Posted on November 20, 2010 by jesustrek

My wife and I just spent a few days on hallowed ground. We worshiped in a place where thousands before us have lifted up their voices in praise, chanting such phrases as “C-A-T-S” and “Go Big Blue”.

The “hallowed ground” I’m referring to is Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, home of the University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team. But we weren’t attending a home game. We were worshiping with a different group of true believers at the National Missionary Convention.

Many people go to extremes when rooting for their favorite team. I hope we can get as excited about our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ as we do about sports.

Jesus says that God is looking for people who will worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). The purpose of our missionary efforts is to get as many people as we can to accept Jesus as their savior. Our goal is to see more and more of this planet turn into hallowed ground as people all over the earth come to worship God through his son Jesus.

How are you and your church involved in this effort?

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Killing the Rat

Posted on November 19, 2010 by jesustrek

“Dave” was working out of town. Arrangements had been made for him to stay at the house of a family who was away from home for a couple of days. He was given a key and told to make himself at home.

As he was working on his computer late that night, Dave was startled by a rat. With a rush of adrenaline, he killed the pesky vermin with his shoe. Only later did he notice the empty gerbil cage with its door open.

What Dave did turned out to be a mistake, but his instincts were good, and I agree with his philosophy—“If it looks like a rat, kill it!”

The Bible says that we should avoid even the appearance of evil (Eph. 5:3). We should eliminate any relationship, speech pattern or behavioral tendencies that can be harmful to our walk with Christ and our witness to the world.

What “rat” do you need to kill?

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Right from Left

Posted on November 18, 2010 by jesustrek

Our new house has a sink with the hot and cold water faucets reversed. Normally, the hot water is on the left and the cold on the right, so this abnormality has me a bit confused. Now, I can go to a sink that functions in the traditional way, and I have to stand there and think for a couple of seconds before I turn on the water.

Our society has become more than a bit confused about matters that we didn’t used to even have to think about—matters that had long ago been set in order by God. To name a few examples: people are confused about vulgar language, sexual behavior, treating others with respect, having an honest work ethic, the role of government, personal responsibility, raising children, succeeding in marriage…

Okay, I didn’t mean to get on a roll like that, but I do have one question. Who changed the water faucets? Why are we so confused about matters that we once had no problem understanding?

The answer of course, is that many people have stopped listening to God. Our culture has forgotten our biblical roots that have allowed this nation to become great. Even Christian people have ignored foundational truths, and they are paying the price with their confusion.

However, God still loves confused people. He was concerned about the people of Nineveh, a group that he describes as “people who cannot tell their right hand from their left…” (Jonah 4:11). But God didn’t want these people to stay confused. He sent Jonah to preach the word of God to them so they could understand the truth.

God doesn’t want us to stay confused either. Even though he loves us regardless, he wants us to get it right.

Speaking of right, is that the hot or the cold?!

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Follow the Leader

Posted on November 17, 2010 by jesustrek

The children in The Family Circus cartoon were playing “follow the leader” when Billy told Dolly, “Okay, you can lead this time…as long as you go where I want.”

That sounds like the attitude of many people in the church. They claim they want leadership, but what they really want is someone to approve of their own ideas and desires. They want to choose their own direction, unimpeded by any outside spiritual guidance.

This is not a new development. The Israelites griped at Moses practically every step of the way on their journey to the Promised Land. Some of them even wanted to go back to slavery in Egypt! Warped views of “the good ole days” often hamper our vision for the future.

In Acts 20:28, Paul exhorts the elders of the church at Ephesus, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.”

Let’s all be good sheep and follow God’s plan for leadership in the church.

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One Way

Posted on November 16, 2010 by jesustrek

I found this on the internet, and I’m not sure who deserves credit for it, but I thought that it was worth sharing.

One God created one man. He gave him one wife and one rule. They only committed one sin, and were no longer one with God.

You will live one life. You will enter one eternity. The Bible states there is only one way to God.

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”—John 14:6.

Pretty simple, right?

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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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